Licensed
psychologist and relationship expert, Olivia “Liv” Blackwell uses her people
skills to orchestrate happily everafters for her exclusive clients. Blessed
with a natural talent for social grace, she is well-respected and
successful.
Retired Army Ranger and founder of Alpha Four, Cpt. Beck “Thunder” Raines has
refined the practice of law and order. Working long hours and under the radar
keep him out of the public eye.
Determined to show Thunder the benefit of getting out more, Liv accepts the task
of socializing the introverted soldier. Yet, when an elaborate blackmail scheme
turns personal the couple learns a whole new type of social etiquette.
Interview with Mia Dymond
When did you first
start writing?
I've been concocting
stories of some kind since I was old enough to use my imagination and because I
was somewhat of a control freak even then, I made my siblings write them down
for me! The longest was 17 pages and rambled on and on. It was absolutely
horrible but my mother still has it stored with my scrapbooks. Several times
I've attempted to convince her to trash it but she won't budge. She says it
started my career ...
Professionally, I began the publication process in 2005 and my first short
story, Undercover Kisses, was published in the July/Aug 2010 issue of Love
Stories Magazine. My first novel, Leather, Lace & Rock-n-Roll, was
published on Smashwords in 2009.
How do you create your
characters?
This may sound almost
psycho, but my characters (the female ones) are pieces of me. They reside in my
head and make an appearance when they're ready! Rachel Newberry (Leather, Lace
& Rock-n-Roll) brings out the analytical side of me and I am every bit as
sassy as Cameron Tremaine (Outspoken Angel) - well ... can anyone compare to
Cameron?
When I'm developing a new series or novel, I try to keep the story focused
around each personality. Once I have a pretty good feel for the heroine, the
hero follows suit. Most usually, my heroine is a strong, independent woman who
irritates the hero to no end until she has him wrapped around her little
finger; my hero is man enough to let her.
Where do your ideas
come from?
Real life. I
people-watch a lot when I'm out and about and most times, I see or hear
something that sparks my imagination. The plot behind my novel, Never Cry
Uncle, was actually developed from an experience with my former employer - I'll
let you draw your own conclusions about which experience!
Recently, I read a post on Facebook that rings true with me:
I'm a writer. If I'm staring at you, I'm not being rude, I'm trying to decide
if you need to go in a book. If you're a snot, I may be trying to decide how to
kill you. (courtesy: Writers Write)
What is your writing
process?
I don't know if I have
a process! I almost always start with writing the ending - I guess to assure I
know where the story is going - then I fill in the blanks one scene at a time.
It's weird because I'm an extremely methodical person by nature but I don't use
a particular method when I write. Somehow the scenes just seem to fit after
they're all written.
How do you approach
cover design?
Choosing a cover
design is one of the first things I do, and I have a very simple method: I use
the drool factor!
I choose designs that I feel will instantly attract attention and create
curiosity about what's inside the cover. Then I develop my character sketch
around the image. Since I use the images on marketing materials, jaws drop and
eyebrows wiggle when I pass a business card!
What motivated you to
become an indie author?
Quite honestly,
rejection. I queried numerous agents and publishers only to be told that
although my manuscript was entertaining and well-written, I just didn't make
the cut. Indie publishing was a relatively new concept when I began to research
the process and I was both skeptical and scared to death.
Opportunity knocked when I stumbled onto an ad for Smashwords in Romantic Times
magazine and decided to check it out.
How has Smashwords
contributed to your success?
I owe my success to
Smashwords because without the opportunity to utilize the service, I feel I
might possibly still be waiting for a break into publication. Smashwords
granted me the opportunity to control my publication process and distribute a
product I felt would be entertaining to readers.
Smashwords has also granted me many marketing opportunities that allow me to
reach as many readers as possible and for this, I am extremely grateful.
When you're not
writing, how do you spend your time?
I don't think there's
ever a time I'm not writing. Seriously, even if I don't have a pen in hand, I'm
daydreaming about a hero or plotting a scene in my head. But that's the glory
of writing - I'm able to work while I'm poking around antique stores and flea
markets or shopping with my friends!
What is your e-reading
device of choice?
I personally prefer my
Kindle due to the ease of ordering ebooks - I'm an Amazon one-click addict!
However, I actually spend more time reading on my smartphone because I'm always
on the go. My Kindle app gets quite a workout!
I recently surveyed my Facebook friends and Street Team members and found the
Kindle and/or Kindle app to be the most popular.
What do your fans mean
to you?
My fans are freaking
AWESOME!! This wonderful group of people took a chance on me and haven't left
my side since - and for that loyalty, I can never thank them enough. The email
messages and Facebook posts I read keep me focused and motivated and feed my
desire to succeed!
I have a wonderful Street Team of over 100 members who give their time to help
me market and promote my novels. I LOVE my fans!!
Purchase Links:
***Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Humor-Me-Alpha-Four-Book-ebook/dp/B01NH5D6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486501143&sr=8-1&keywords=mia+dymond
***iBooks:
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/695986
***Barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/humor-me-mia-dymond/1125470056?ean=2940153956992
Social Media Links:
Facebook.com/miadymond
Twitter @miadymond
Pinterest
