INTERVIEW WITH SHARON SALA

Interview with Sharon Sala, bestselling author of MY LUNATIC LIFE series. 

1.     What is the best part of writing a book?

Creating the world I already see in my head so that my readers can see it, as well, then tell their story with truth. Writing The End is pretty satisfying, too.

2.     What, actually, is the driving force behind your writing?

I always say I never get writer’s block because I have a mortgage and that’s a pretty powerful reason to stay busy. However, I love to tell the stories. There are so many in my head.

3.     Did you always want write?

Truthfully, I never once thought about being a writer when I was growing up. I was an avid reader and an even bigger daydreamer. I lived with stories always in my head. As I grew older, the two sort of meshed and I’ve never looked back.

4.     How has writing supported you?

When I first began writing, I was told by nearly everyone who’d been at it for a while not to quit my day job. It takes a long time, sometimes as much as five years before you build a readership strong enough to trust that it will support you wholly by writing, for which I am grateful.

5.     Who do you idolize as a writer?

I can’t say that I idolize any writer. But there are several who are my favorites and I always look for their books when they come out. John Hart, Robert Crais,  Iris Johansson,  Allison Brennan all come to mind.

6.     Would you like to tell your readers about any future projects you are working on?

I just finished Book 2 of my Prophecy series, written under my pen name, Dinah McCall. It’s a Native American paranormal trilogy. It’s called THE DOVE, which follows WINDWALKER, which is already out. My readers are most anxious for this book, and it has a special connection for me because on of my granddaughters is the cover model on the book. I think I am going to end up being the first romance writer to have a Native American romance series with Native American model/actors on the covers.

7.     What genre do you prefer to write in?

I don’t have a favorite genre; truly. I will say that I have written so many romances in my 23 years of published writing that I DO enjoy writing a book that is just straight fiction, or women’s fiction.

8.     What made you write under the pen name, Dinah McCall?

It began as a publisher’s idea to introduce a slightly different style of stories to my readers. Dinah was my younger sister’s nickname and although she died in 1985, it is a good feeling to still be taking her with me on this wonderful journey.

9.     Would you like to say anything to your readers?

I am so grateful for their years of faithfully reading my stories. I hope they enjoy reading them even half as much as I do writing them.

10. Any advice you’d like to give to the writers out there, struggling to make their name in the industry?

Two things. Join a good writers group; one that has several traditionally published writers to learn what you’re ‘really’ supposed to be doing, and if you are self-publishing, NEVER upload your books for free. You think you are going to build readership when in fact all you are doing is teaching people that your work is not worth buying. It is my biggest pet peeve ever in this digital industry.