Interview: Part 1
E. Van Lowe is the author of Never Slow Dance with a Zombie and Boyfriend From Hell, which this interview will be focusing on.
From my review: Boyfriend from Hell defies the traditions of the paranormal romance realm and delves into the deep end. With shocking twists at every turn, the main character, Megan feels like she doesn’t know who is who anymore or what is going on, as her life totally changes once her mom starts dating. Megan digs up some rather serious dirt on her mom’s boyfriend, but no one believes her. After all, who would believe a teenage girl saying that her mom’s new love interest is from hell? Click here to read my review of this unique and thrilling paranormal romance/comedy or look for it on the right hand side of the page. Be sure to check back for Part 2- sign up for updates to the right!
Interview
Thank you so much for joining me! Excited to talk with you today!
1. What made you decide to make the main character, Megan, struggle so much in her relationships with her two best friends?
One thing I experienced in high school is how fleeting friendships can be. At times it was painful for me. It’s still the case in high school today. Very few of us grownups are best friends with our high school friends. When I write, even though I try to interject some humor, I like to start out with real characters in relatable situations. For Megan, it was her struggles with her friendships, and her mother wanting to date.
Where did the idea come from?
I was on YouTube one evening, clicking around and entertaining myself, when I clicked on the video for Lucy, Daughter of The Devil. That was my aha moment. I thought Satan would be a perfect paranormal subject. A short time later I came up with the title, Boyfriend From Hell, and then the pieces started falling into place.
2. Related to this, do you identify with these characters? Did you enjoy writing one of the characters from the novel more than the others? Which one out of the two best friends do you identify with more?
Wow, that’s a bunch of questions rolled into one. In order: I identify with all the characters. The love that Matt was holding onto for so long is something I personally experienced. My favorite character in the novel is Megan, because her concern over her world changing made her a horrible person. My favorite thing in the book was watching her grow. By the end of the book Megan is a very likable character. As for which of the best friends I identified with more, I’d again have to say Matt. I was a jock who also hung with smart kids, and I had that love thing going on.
3. There seems to be a theme of not being able to trust different people and Megan’s relationships with everyone is constantly changing. How much will this factor into the sequel?
Trust is always a big issue with young people. In the sequel, Megan winds up not trusting her new boyfriend, Guy. This lack of trust leads to catastrophic consequences.
4. I know you don’t want to give too much away, but what can you tell us about the character of the Guardian and his role in the continuing saga?
I think I just did. LOL. There are also several new characters who I think you’ll love or hate.
5. Let’s touch on your writing process. Do you have a certain “method” to your writing (or is it all madness)? How about a mindset that you have to get into or a favorite writing place and/or time?
There you go with another three part question. LOL. I have no writing method. It is all madness. I liken my writing style to walking around in a darkened room all day constantly bumping into things. I have no idea what’s in the room, or where I’m going. Every once in a while the light comes on just long enough for me to straighten a few things out. It’s a maddening process but I love it. I don’t like writing in one place all the time. Right now I’m in my office. My favorite place to write is the dining room. It’s right next to my favorite distraction—the fridge 😉
6. There are many shocking twists in the story. Do you plan these as you write or are you ever surprised with how things turn out?
One of the things I loved about reading when I was a kid is being shocked or surprised. It was a great treat for me when something I read surprised me. I want to instill that same feeling in my readers, so I always plan to have big surprises in my books even though I have no idea what they will be when I start out. The kitchen scene with the grisgris in Boyfriend From Hell is my favorite scene in the book. You’ve read it so you know what a big, unsuspecting surprise that scene is. I’d been making notes on it for weeks before I got the chance to write it. So many reviewers (you included) have talked about the big surprises in the book. I know you guys are referring to that scene in your reviews. That puts a big ole smile on my face.
7. You have experience with writing in many different forms, from television scripts and stage plays to novels that both teens and adults enjoy. Does this help you in your writing today or do you need to “switch” your mindset between the types of writing?
I like writing in all forms. They’re different, and yet in an important, way they’re all the same. It’s never easy, but no matter which genre I write I try to let the story be driven by character emotions—never the plot. The plot should follow along. I don’t need to switch my mind set when I’m writing different forms, since I am always trying to accomplish the same goal. It’s accomplished differently in each medium: in theater its words alone, in TV its words and actions, in film it always visual first and the words support the visual, in the novel it’s all of the above including introspection. The novel is the hardest to write, takes the most time, but it’s also the most fun and rewarding. I hope that made sense. LOL. It does to me.
Thank you very much for the interview! It was great to hear your answers. And yes, I admit, I do like asking lots of questions (and trying to disguise that fact with multiple questions rolled into one, you gave it away my secret!) LOL 😉
This is Part 1 of the Interview- be sure to stay tuned for the upcoming Part 2 to hear even more about the author’s books and where he gets his inspiration from as well as bonus writing tips for all the writers out there!
My review on Boyfriend from Hell.
To learn more about E. Van Lowe, visit the author’s blog here.
To purchase E. Van Lowe’s books on Amazon, click on the pictures below. The E-book sale for Boyfriend from Hell is from now until August 31st!
BookwormCastle 