Author Interview: Piper Shelly

About the Author:

A native Austrian, Piper Shelly always had an unexplainable passion for English.  She doesn't remember the last book she read in her native language, but she swears it must have been sometime before her graduation. Always a kid at heart, she loves to travel to enchanted places like Disneyland or romantic Paris in spring with her husband and son.

Please visit her website at www.pipershelly.com or write to pipershelly@hotmail.com
She would love to hear from you!


Interview:

What made you want to become a writer?
I read the right book. Simple as that…and then it’s not as simple, really. I loved L. J. Smith’s NIGHT WORLD series, breathed the books in, one after the other. When there was none left to read, I decided to write my own super-romantic vampire story. It took me 8 years to finish that project, and until the very end, I never wanted anyone to read it. I was kind of ashamed for all the romance in it. Just think if my family read it and found out what a hopeless romantic and blood-sucker lover I was. ;-)  The book was nowhere near good enough to ever get published, but I learned a lot while writing it.  I learned to accept my romantic side and found out that soooo many women out there loved to read the same genre. It became my goal to create something that would blow everyone away. I wanted people to talk about my books, love my heroes, dream of them, and get lost in my stories. Maybe it’s a silly thought, but I had this idea if only enough people would read my books, the characters would sort of get a life…even if it’s only in everyone’s head.

Where do you get your inspirations from?
Good books. A nice film. Something that just happened to me, or that I wish would have happened. ;-) And then music. If I ever get stuck in a project, I try to find a good song that would help me daydream about the story. I often listen to the same song an entire day, walking through a scene over and over in my mind.

Other than writing books, what else do you do in your free time?
Unfortunately, I spend way too much time on Facebook. But other than that, I don’t do a lot. Writing really is my life. Of course, there’s this other day job I have, and then I have a family to care for. I really hate doing housework, you know. But if I have a few hours and don’t spend them with a new project, I love to read and get lost in a different world for a little while. I also love to travel…and shopping. J And if I have time, I go Zumba dancing.

If you could work with another author, who would it be?
I don’t want to work with anyone else. I’m too possessive of my own ideas to accept anyone making changes.

What are major themes of your work?
Angels and High School. Recently I found out, that I tend to let the female lead in my stories decide between two guys. It was obvious with Ryan Hunter, but in my current project, an Archangel novel, it just happened, and I had trouble getting her head out of the noose when she suddenly fell for the wrong guy…lol.

What do you think people look for in a book?
Depends. If they are like me, then they are looking for the things this world can’t give them. Like
some really sweet romance, and supernatural stuff, too. But readers are different. Some like true stories, others like horror – and I don’t know why. I really can’t answer this question in general.

Are there any recent works that you admire?
My critique partner is about to publish her first book. It’s called ABSOLUTE SURRENDER,
and it’s one of the best stories I’ve ever read. She’s an author I truly admire, but her writing
style is special, and not everyone can cope with it. It’s very high standard, and she doesn’t
write YA. Her heroes are the most drool-worthy guys I can imagine, and I wish I could cut

some of her skills and use them for writing my own books ;-)


*The questions and answers of this author interview are only for Ethereal Book Reviews to use.  If you would like to get interviewed, please visit our "Contact Us" page and send us an e-mail.