Meet the author - SANDRA R. NEELEY

Welcome all.

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Sandra R Neeley, author of the Avaleigh's Boys Series:

I'm Not A Dragon's Mate! - Book 1

Bane's Heart - Book 2

Kaid's Queen - Book 3

Maverik's Ashes - Book 4

ME: Hi Sandra, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background, where are you from?

SANDRA R NEELEY: My name is Sandra R Neeley.  I write Paranormal Romance with a small town feel.  Why, you may ask? Romance, because who doesn’t love a good romance, and Paranormal because, well, normal is highly overrated, so Paranormal it is.  I’m 53, I have two kids, one 31 and one 11 (yes, God does have a sense of humor), one grandchild, one husband, and a menagerie of animals. Literally, too damn many things that eat wandering around our property. I love to cook, I am a voracious reader, though since I started writing I don’t get as much time to read as I once did. I am a homebody and prefer my writing/reading time to a crowd. I have had stories and fictional characters wandering around in my head for as long as I can remember. I just recently started letting them out into the real world and surprisingly, people have loved them. I am a Self-Published Author, and I like it that way because I can decide what and when to write. I am by no means a

formal, polished, properly structured individual and neither are my stories. But people seem to love the easy flow of emotion and small town feel that naturally flows from them. A bit of a warning though, there are some “triggers” in them that some people should avoid.  I’m a firm believer that you cannot have light without the dark. You cannot fully embrace the joy and elation that my people eventually find if you do not bear witness to their darkest hours as well.  So please be sure to read the warnings supplied with each of the synopses about my books before you buy them. I’m a bit sarcastic, scathing actually, and a smartass to boot, so if I offend you, it is most likely not intentional, but be prepared because it probably won’t be the last time. I’m always glad to hear from readers; those who have followed me from the beginning, and those who have just found my people. So feel free to look me up and say hello, or just follow along; either way, I’m glad to have you.

ME: What genre do you write?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Paranormal Romance

ME: What are you working on at the minute?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Bam's Ever, Avaleigh's Boys, Book 5

ME: Can you share a little of your current work with us?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Sure, this is unedited, copyrighted to me, and subject to change...Bane ran, as quickly as he could through the trees, following Bam’s scent the entire way. When he burst into the clearing by the creek, the sight that greeted him tore his heart. Bam was still his Bear, and sat beside a huge pine tree, repeatedly slamming his big block head against it as he moaned a constant wail. Bane didn’t stop, he ran straight at him, not even pausing as he approached. He grabbed Bam’s head to stop it from slamming into the tree again, “Stop it!” he shouted right in Bear’s face. “Stop it! Right the fuck now!” Bam’s Bear snarled at him, using one huge paw to shove him back out of the way, making eye contact for one split second. The pain that Bane saw there almost brought him to his knees. Again he shoved his way back between Bam and the tree. Bam snarled again, but this time Bane was ready when he tried to shove him away, “I said to

fucking stop it! You want to destroy something, you want to lash out; get rid of that hurt? Fine,” and he stepped back, dropping his arms and leaving his entire body on display, unprotected, “fight me. Come on, come at me, but stop fucking trying to kill yourself. You’re not going to do anything but hurt yourself if keep banging your head! What the fuck do you hope to achieve with that?” Bear didn’t respond for anything for a few seconds, and Bane continued to stand there, hands held out from his sides, waiting. Then Bam shifted, throwing himself at his brother so fast Bane almost missed wrapping his arms around him. Bam held on tight, his arms around Bane’s shoulders, his knees going out from under him, bringing them both to the ground just as a huge sob escaped the big male. Bane sank to the ground beside him, patting him, soothing him, holding onto him just like he did when they were kids and someone was mean to him.

ME: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from

your most recent book?

SANDRA R NEELEY: No one, they are so precise in my head that I don't know of anyone that I'd be happy with playing any of my characters.

ME: While you were writing, do you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

SANDRA R NEELEY: I know them each intimately, and they are each a part of me...my inspiration comes from within, not externally, but to actually be one of them, no. They show me what to write though...so I do feel connected to each of them.

ME: When did you decide to become a writer?

SANDRA R NEELEY: July 4th, 2016

ME: Which writers inspire you?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Oh, wow, so many...Laurann Dohner, JR Ward, Susan Bliler, Jeanette Lynn, SE Smith, Eve Langlais, Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Brynn Paulin, and soooo many more that if I continued on, I'd never finish the list.

ME: Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Laptop computer

ME: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to just see where an idea takes you?

SANDRA R NEELEY: My characters show me scenes, I write exactly what they show me. I see it like a movie in my head and it just flows from there.

ME: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors.

SANDRA R NEELEY: Unfortunately, since I started writing I just don't have the time anymore. But I was a voracious reader prior to writing my own stories. My favorites are listed up there in the "inspire me" section.

ME: What book are you reading now?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Susan Biller, Tice

ME: Do you think that giving books away free works and why?

SANDRA R NEELEY: I often give books away for free, but it’s because someone can't afford to buy one because they are on a fixed income, or because someone won a copy in a contest. Does it work? It makes them happy, and for me that's enough. So, yes, in my opinion it works for that reason.

ME: How do you relax?

SANDRA R NEELEY: writing

ME: What is your favorite quote?

SANDRA R NEELEY: “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” Marcus Aurelius

ME: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Write it as you feel it, as you see it, not as per a particular formula.  You write your heart, people will feel it. You try to sculpt it too much, it’s no longer as your heart felt it, it won't be the same. And have it edited for mistakes, but do not allow an editor to edit the emotion you put into it, out of it. Not all editors are good editors. A book has a soul, an emotion and you

poured all yours into it, do not allow a formulated editor to remove its soul.

ME: What does your writing process look like?

SANDRA R NEELEY: running through the house to get to my laptop when my people start talking to me, showing my what they want me to put to paper. Occasionally talking out loud to them..."Really?! You expect me to write that? People are going to read this, you know?" 

ME: What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Putting your heart out there. Your stories are part of your deepest, darkest, most private feeling, thoughts, wants and desires (or at least they should be). And you put that out there and wait for someone to blast it, to tell you it’s not enough, that it's only subpar. It hurts. But it's okay, don't waiver from YOU at all. The right readers will find you.

ME: Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Not yet. I write multi perspective, Male, Female, all situations, so far, I've not had too much of an issue with any of them.

ME: Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

SANDRA R NEELEY: That's it's okay to be who you are. People are gonna hate, people are gonna love, people are gonna say whatever it is they feel the need to say. And it's all okay, because in the morning, I'm still me. My heart is still the same as it was yesterday. My kids, and my husband and my friends still look at me the same way. It changes nothing. It's okay to be who you are. It's good to be who you are.

ME: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

SANDRA R NEELEY: My PA. She's phenomenal. Sara White. She never, ever lets me down, and she's honest to a fault.

ME: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Don't know. Gonna have to think about that one.

ME: What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Paranormal. I may write from many different angles by the time I'm done, but they will always be Paranormal in some form or fashion.

ME: What is your favorite theme/genre to read?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Paranormal

ME: What secret talents do you have?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Writing! lol, I had no clue I could do it. Otherwise...maybe cooking. I don't know.

ME: If you had a superpower, what would it be?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Invisibility

ME: Where is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Scotland

ME: How can readers discover more about you and you work? i.e. Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: Lnkedin: Pinterest: Amazon Author Page: Smashwords: Book Links: (* American, UK, etc.) Goodreads.

SANDRA R NEELEY:

Email   Website   Newsletter   Blog

Facebook   Twitter   Instagram

Amazon Page   Fan Group   Goodreads 

Bookbub   I'm Not A Dragon's Mate!   Bane's Heart

Kaid's Queen   Maverik's Ashes   Signed books

ME: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

SANDRA R NEELEY: Thank you for the opportunity.

ME: Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.

SANDRA R NEELEY: You're very welcome! I appreciate your time.