Q & A with Erin Lockwood author of – Angles
Moterwriter.com caught up with author Erin Lockwood and got her to talk a little about her novel Angles. This is what transpired in the tête-à-tête with the author.
Moterwriter: How are you Erin, what’s new in your life?
Erin: I’m great. Everything new revolves around writing. I’m finishing up the rough draft to Angles - Part II. Once the trilogy is complete, I have a handful of other projects I’d like to dive into.
MW: You have a novel in the contemporary romance genre out called ‘Angles’. What’s it about?
EL: It’s a relationship triangle involving two people who are meant to be together with obstacles and other relationships getting in the way. It’s also about friendship, loyalty and change.
MW: Tell us a little about your background?
EL: As a young adult, I enjoyed writing in my journal, but found that I commonly veered off into fictional stories -- I just couldn’t help it. I never thought about being an author until about two years ago when I wrote a short story for my husband. I caught the bug and couldn’t stop writing.
MW: How would you describe your writing process?
EL: I try to jog almost every morning. While exercising, my mind clears and my stories come to life in my head. By the time I get to my computer to start working, I have enough creativity and ideas to write for hours.
I also have a folder full of book ideas. Sometimes I take a look and make notes that further the stories. It’ll make it easier to write the first drafts when I’m able to give them my full attention.
MW: Just as your writing will inspire others, who are the writers that have inspired you?
EL: I have several favorite books and favorite authors but the one that has inspired me the most is Jamie McGuire. Aside from loving Beautiful Disaster and her other novels, I love how encouraging and helpful she is toward other entrepreneurial women and young authors. I used her website as a guide at times when I felt lost in the production part of getting my book self published. There was so much I didn’t know about the industry and her website led the way.
MW: Tell us about the character of Cara?
EL: Cara has so many struggles that I think young women face in bigger cities. At some point she found comfort and ease with Teddy leading her way. She struggles with feeling safe and being on the right path, but once she learns to trust her instincts, life begins to fall into place for her.
MW: Now a bit about Sam and Theo?
EL: These 2 men have a complicated past that surfaces with Cara in the middle. Both Sam and Theo are a bit misunderstood and Cara sees only the best qualities in both. She’s torn between the two, even when she knows deep down the right thing to do.
MW: You haven’t really explored the reason behind the animosity behind Sam and Theo. Will you do so in the next book?
EL: Absolutely! The twisted history between Sam and Theo will be revealed in Part II and then come to a complete circling finish in Part III.
MW: Now that you’ve finished the first book, is there any pressure in coming up with more stories?
EL: Pressure, no. Excitement, yes! I’m coming up with new book ideas all the time. I can’t wait to get to them all.
MW: How would you classify Cara’s relationship with both Sam and Theo? What’s your take on imperfect relationships?
EL: I would say it is love vs true love. There is no doubt that Cara loves Theo (her Teddy) but can that friendship work while it’s challenging Cara’s true love? I have experienced many imperfect relationships in my life and the common denominator in all my relationships has been genuine love and appreciation. But where are the lines when you care for someone you’re not in love with?
MW: Favorite passage or section from the novel?
EL: In Chapter 2, when Cara first spots Sam staring at her. I love how it introduces the intensity of his eyes. Also, I love their first kiss. I love how Sam waited for Cara, even with his dominant presence. He wanted her to control the pace of their relationship.
MW: Do negative feedback ever get to you?
EL: It’s the hardest part about putting yourself out there. I try to keep in perspective that I can’t possibly please everyone. If I feel particularly bothered, I read negative reviews about my favorite books and authors. It reminds me that everyone gets criticized and not everyone is going to like or understand my work.
MW: Did you have to do any research for this novel?
EL: Sure. Little parts here and there. It’s important to get as much detail right as possible.
MW: How do you try to stay away from the clichéd and stereotypical while writing romance stories?
EL: Anything can happen in fiction. Real life is dramatic and interesting but fiction makes a story much more interesting because you can do anything with it. I would think about a scenario and ask myself if it makes sense -- if it’s different and if it’s something people would want to hear about. Also, I ask myself if it’s something I would want to hear about. I wouldn’t be able to find myself inspired to write if I didn’t find a story interesting and different.
MW: How do you unwind?
EL: I jog or play puzzles. I’m a little obsessed with puzzle games. My favorite place is the beach. I don’t like being in the water but I love being near the ocean.
MW: When’s the next book coming out?
EL: I am hoping to have Angles - Part II available late spring.
MW: And lastly, thank you for parting with your valuable time Erin and all the very best for your book.
EL: Thank you very much. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Connect with her - www.Anglestrilogy.com
