What’s your pen name?
Ariella Talix
Tell me about your most recent book you’re writing and the title.
I’m currently writing my first historical romance, The Golden Rush set in California in 1849. It will be another erotic romance, but heavy on history at the same time. It’s taken a tremendous amount of research, but since it was inspired by my own family history from that time in California, it’s a labor of love.
Tell me why you like BookFunnel.
It’s a great way to promote books and send books to people when they win a contest. I’ve also made some interesting contacts with other authors through it.
Who did you highlight in your recent acknowledgements and why?
My editorial team is made up with absolutely indispensable, wonderful people. I have a great time communicating with each of them, and I can never thank them enough for their insights and encouragement. I also sometimes have contests for naming characters, or in the case of The Golden Rush, a naming contest for a ship. The winner receives a free copy of the book and bragging rights in the acknowledgements section. I have found this to be fun for everyone and a terrific way to involve readers.
What’s something you’ve learned about yourself while writing?
That I can really do it. The sense of pride I felt the first time I got to 70K words in a manuscript, and it all held together and made sense was just about the same feeling as when I earned a black belt. “It was a ton of hard work, but I made it!”
What’s your most cherished holiday tradition?
It doesn’t happen any longer, and it’s going to sound… well, I don’t really care how it sounds because it’s my life. We used to go to my parents’ best friends’ house on the Fourth of July to play tennis for a few hours, and then we’d head back to my parents’ house for a barbecue and a swim in the pool to cool down. It always seemed like a low-key, no pressure holiday and I loved it. My parents and the friends are all gone now, and the Fourth of July around here is noisy and annoying. I miss those easy days as well as
the people who made it possible.
Do you own a library card?
Absolutely! And I use it.
Where do you live?
Indiana
Would your most recent protagonist pick:
Fight or flight? Fight for sure.
Hot chocolate or coffee? Coffee. I’m not a chocolate lover, so it doesn’t fit into my stories much.
Tree branch overnight or cave? Cave.
Kiss the love interest or wait? Kiss and then wait for more.
Inform someone of a secret or hold it in? Hold it in! Secrets are, well… secret!
Rope or gun as a weapon? Gun. More expedient.
Cat or dog? I love them both, but we’ve been a dog family now for a long time, and most of my characters end up with at least one. A couple of books feature cats, though, too.
Water or sleep for survival? Water. Sleep is overrated.
Write a descriptive sentence about where you are currently sitting to see if the reader can imagine it.
I’m sitting in front of the tiled fireplace in my kitchen, and my beautiful Gordon Setter is next to me staring out the glass back door where we have a view of the forest. The fall colors are brilliant, but I know she’s just looking for squirrels and not appreciating the landscape.
Do you write stand-alones or series? Why?
Both. Series are great because when I invent a character, I usually feel so attached to them, I can’t let go. All of my books are interrelated to a certain degree, but the stories are standalone. The big exception to this is my current WIP, but it’s starting to feel like a series. After all the research I’ve done, it would be a waste to not continue to use what I couldn’t fit into this book.
Where is your favorite location to write and why?
My kitchen hearth area. It’s comfortable and in the middle of things. I used to work in an office upstairs, but it was too secluded for me and I felt stifled. I like to be able to see outdoors, and when the weather permits, I love to work out in the screened porch.
How many books are currently in your line of vision?
Many overall, but three that I can see clearly. Nope… make that four. Which was your favorite book you read this year? I have to choose? No way! That’s like asking which of your kids do you love the most. I’ve read so many great books recently. I take something I love from each one and savor it. I read differently now as an author and often study how a writer expresses emotions or describes a particular scene. I never, ever copy, but it gives me ideas on how to use my words.
Do you have a pet who supports your writing? Who is it?
My Gordon Setter Maya. She’s my constant buddy and was the inspiration for Bells in my first book Make Believe. Bells was the perfect heroine of that story. I like to say that Make Believe is like “Fatal Attraction” meets “Lassie.” Some of Maya’s antics as a puppy made it into the book as well as the fact that the main characters meet at the Broad Ripple Dog Park that we used to visit together.
Tell me three things about your favorite protagonist.
OMG, I love them ALL! Porter Delaney and David Drummond come instantly to mind. But the one character who just exploded from my heart was Eli Whittaker in The Rule of 3. He’s an unassuming, though completely confident, billionaire who prefers to stay in the background pulling strings as a kingmaker. His love is so strong and selfless, he is willing to give up what is most important to him to make the person he loves reach a lofty goal. I think a few readers felt like he deserved more, but Eli got exactly what he wanted and had a wonderful life filled with love. You don’t always have to BE the king to
be happy.
What is a mistake you made early in writing that you’d advise other authors to avoid?
Not listening to people when they said the cover of my book was beautiful but didn’t express the genre it needed to portray. All I heard was the “beautiful” part. It’s since been fixed.
Write a descriptive sentence about a hug.
He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her neck, breathing her in.
What are your writing goals for 2022?
Release my current WIP to great fanfare and wonderful reviews! Publish an anthology of stories with some author friends. Do some book signings in person. Write a sequel to my historic WIP and another couple of contemporary books. I guess that’s enough…
Tell me about a book you’d like to advertise here and why?
It’s too soon to do The Golden Rush, but I’d love to feature my most recent release called Compelling Urges. It’s the third MMF book I’ve written, and it is a very loose spin-off from Just Curious (those characters show up as friends toward the end of Compelling Urges). Compelling Urges was a bit of a departure for me in that it’s very angsty. The plot has a LOT going on, and it was fun to write because of that. The villainess’s name was a result of one of my naming contests, and she is a real piece of work. The main characters are Bodhi, Cooper, and Ivy. The guys are surfers, but also successful men, and Ivy definitely holds her own. I’ve had extremely good feedback about the hotness factor of the book, so that is gratifying, but I also think the characters resonated well with my readers. I love the ending, and that is apparently quite popular with readers as well. The trickiest part of writing the book was turning an a-hole into someone who was redeemable and lovable by the end of the book. I recommend it to anyone who likes lots of emotion and heavy spice. It’s free with Kindle
Unlimited. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0976DRRDB
Cassie Swindon 