EA: When did your journey as an author begin?
WR: I published my first book ten years ago. It took me two years to finish the first book. Now I write several books a year.
EA: What's your thinking when you write? In order words, what motivates you?
WR: Anything and everything. People inspire me. And situations. The stories come to me when I least expect it. It always starts with what if… then when I sit down and write. I usually have the entire story ready in my mind and all I need is to write it down. To me writing isn’t a job. It is something I have to do because it makes me so happy.
EA: What is your approach to keeping readers intrigued?
WR: Making likable characters. Too many protagonists are unlikable, and I believe people get tired of them quickly. I write about real people that you care about, and if you care about someone you will want to know what happens to them. No matter what it is.
EA: Two of your titles, Umbrella Man, and Girl Divided caught my eye. What is the concepts of those books respectively?
WR: Umbrella Man is the idea that what if dreams weren’t just dreams? What if we actually travel to a different universe, a parallel world where things are close to being the same but they aren’t really. And what if someone found a way to kill people through their dreams?
Girl Divided is a futuristic tale in a world divided into race. A girl is born who is neither black nor white. She’s both. She’s the daughter of an African god and a Finish goddess and her face and body's split in half, one part white, one part black. She is also the only one who can save the world.
EA: Who are the biggest influences in your life and career?
WR: Stephen King and Anne Rice in my career as a writer. My husband in life.
EA: Describe the feeling of being not only a best-selling author, but Amazon's #1 best-selling Horror author.
WR: It is amazing. Of course it is. I have dreamt of being able to live off my writing since I was a teenager. And now I am doing it. What’s not to love?
EA: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
WR: Write every day. The more you write the better you get. And read as much as you write. Reading gives so much inspiration. And have patience. Nothing is slower than the publishing business. It’s a marathon not a sprint.
EA: Finally, tell the readers why the Umbrella Man series, as well as Girl Divided are must buys.
WR: Umbrella Man will scare you… a lot, so if that’s your thing, then go for it. You might not be able to sleep again, ever.
Girl Divided is an important book. It is the scariest book I have ever written because it feels so real, so close.
Epilogue
Judging from the synopses and backstories of her titles and characters, I can definitely see where Stephen King has a great influence on her writing. The synopses in the titles I've mentioned in this interview jumped out at me like horror characters, so to speak. Girl Divided sounds very Stephen King-like, and would be a very controversial, but interesting movie. I wouldn't be surprised if that book makes the transition to the big screen in the future.
I can relate to anyone and anything being sources of inspiration of my writing. I've said for years that a creative individual can find creativity and inspiration from under a rock. I thought the advice was sound; to give an example from her statement of reading providing so much inspiration, there was a character in a book I read a few months ago that rekindled a story I had in mind a year or so ago, but was close to casting it by the wayside. I agree; success in this business, like life itself, is not a sprint, it's a marathon, so patience is of the essence.
Finally, I too have the same aspiration to make a living out of my writing, and Willow, among others, is living proof that it can happen. I want to thank Willow for speaking with me today. If you would like to try some of the Queen of Scream's selections, visit her author page in the hyperlink below.
Amazon: Willow Rose
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