ONCE Mini Author Interview : Andra Dill

We’re joined today by one of the author’s of ONCE… Andra Dill. Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for us!

When did the writing bug first bite?

Seventh grade, my Language Arts teacher let us write stories for extra credit. He probably meant it as a one-time thing but I bet I wrote a dozen stories (or more). Wonderful teacher! He read and commented on each one.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Watching a seed of an idea grow into a full-fledged story. (And finishing the story is tremendously gratifying.)

What do you like most about Speculative Fiction?

It allows me to play. I enjoy the freedom of letting my imagination run wild. I can create a world, fill it with colorful creatures and individuals, and see where it all leads.

Which authors have influenced your writing along the way?

So many! This is not all of them but we don’t have all day to listen to me roll-call my favorites so here’s the abbreviated list: Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Kelley Armstrong, Joey W. Hill, Lexi Blake, Nalini Singh, Tiffany Reisz, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Chloe Neill, and Anne Bishop.

Have you ever used a word or said a word aloud so many times it’s lost all meaning?

Does the f-word count?

Has there ever been a book you couldn’t finish? Why or why not?

Yes. I give a book about 60 pages to hook me. Usually I give up because the story hasn’t gone anywhere. It may be beautifully written but if it is all exquisite detail and nothing happening…I stop reading.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give someone who is just getting started on their author journey?

Don’t delete! I keep a word doc filled with cut scenes, conversations, etc. Sometimes about halfway through writing I will think “oh the original was smoother or made more sense or was crafted better” so I can retrieve what I had cut and put it back into the story. I’ve also found that sometimes the things that I cut out of one story works for a new story.

And just for fun. Who is your favourite fairytale Princess?

Princess Buttercup

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