Author Interview--Amarilys Acosta

Good Friday:

This week is a bit different. It’s still fiction, but it’s someone else’s fiction. To follow is an interview of a fellow Seton Hill WPFer—Amarilys Acosta. Like me, she is in her second semester of her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University. I’d say more, but I’ll let her do the talking.

-What book and/or experience made you want to be a writer?

Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness is the culprit of me falling in love with writing. Her novels have these badass, self-sufficient, witty, and amazing heroines that basically became my role models when I was a teenager. And at one point I thought, I want to do this. I want to write characters like these that can become role models to teens, and help them through those horrible school years. Lol.

-What genre(s) do you write? If more than one, what’s your favorite?

I write YA Paranormals and Fantasy, and I recently dabbled in Scifi. No favorites though! That would be like saying you love one of your kids more than the other. lol I love both genres.

-What project(s) are you working on now?

I'm working on a YA Paranormal Romance that's turning out to be more adventure than romance, but that’s okay. I do hate Paranormal Romances that have the heroines with a severe case of 'insta-love.' It's just not natural. So, yes, there are some cute and sexy scenes with two gorgeous guys, but as of yet my heroine hasn't fallen head over heels for any of them.

Another project of mine is a YA scifi story I wrote recently just for kicks—because really, I know nothing about scifi—but then I sort of loved it and got awesome feedback on it this past residency. So now, I'm thinking I'll be working on this on the side. I do get frustrated with my thesis every once in a while, and I think working on this other project will help.

-Spoilers?

This is from my thesis, a YA Paranormal Romance. This scene takes place during lunch after Jayson (love interest) has left the table, and Annabel (heroine) finds out that he's not only a vampire.
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Vinnie ate an apple slice, before she said, “I’m guessing this is not the first time he’s used his powers on you?”

“That…that bastard!” Now I knew why I turned so unfocused and swoony when around him. Incubus not only fed on emotions but they could also manipulate them. I bet he’d also made me calm down when my magic grew out of control. And here I thought I’d finally gained some control over it. I thumped the table with my fist. “I’m going to stake him.”

“Please don’t,” Vinnie said. “Juliette will eviscerate any non-vamp girls who get close to her brother, and I’d hate to be without a roommate again.”

I was about to laugh, when I noticed she wasn’t. It wasn’t a joke.

“He’s the one who keeps appearing everywhere.”

She frowned and poked her fruit salad. “He’s nice but a whole lot of trouble, and not of the good kind. If a girl doesn’t fall for him, he trips her.”
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-For other aspiring writers, any tips?

WRITE every day with Wit, Resolve, Inspiration, Thought, and Emotion. (Just made that up, yup)

-What’s your favorite book/genre to read?

Too many favorite books to list here, so I'll stick to genres. I basically write the genres I love to read –YA Paranormals, Fantasy, and Sci-fi are my addiction. I also read adult novels occasionally – Romances, Urban Fantasy, and High Fantasy.

-What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever written?

First story I wrote. In its current written form it's horrible, of course, since I was like 13 when I wrote it and had no concept whatsoever of rules, or conventions, plus my first language is not English! lol The story is about people with elemental powers (very Avatar: The Last Airbender, I know, but I thought of it first!). So picked a boy and a girl for each element, plus a dragon—because really what awesome fantasy novel didn't have a dragon—and basically their world is invaded by aliens.

It's my favorite because even with all the errors (horrors?) it's so raw, all full of emotions and humor, and this huge cast of characters that I love…Though, I really have no idea what I was thinking of when I chose 9 main characters. I just feel like I have to work for that kind of 'intensity' now because I'm more concerned about keeping in mind all the 'rules' and stuff, whereas before I just wrote…if that makes sense.

Want more from Amarilys?

Check out her Author Website and her Book Blog.

Also, follow Amarilys on Twitter.