Interview with Virginia Nelson

Storm Goddess Book Reviews is pleased to have Virginia Nelson on the blog for an interview. Welcome, Virginia, and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

First off, tell me about yourself, and your writing.


I’m a single mother of three kids who lives on the freezing shores of Lake Erie.  I drink far too much coffee to ward off the cold and it ends up fueling my muse into a hyperactive frenzy.  I’ve been published since 2009 and have been thrilled to continue doing what I love—making worlds out of words and telling stories about different kinds of love.

How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.  I finished my first story at age nine and still have it floating around here somewhere although it will never see the light of day.  I have eight books published this year, two more contracted—so far—for this year, two out on submissions and four more getting ready to go out the door…it’s been a busy past few years.


Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?


I stray and wander outside my genre all the time.  I call myself a writer of paranormal and erotic romance but I have a sweet contemporary out on submissions right now,  a BDSM out the door, and more stuff in the wings waiting.  My muse apparently doesn’t like labels.


Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?

Neither and both.  I write the blurb and answer some basic questions about my characters before I start.  Then I just write.  The further I can get into the book before I have to pause, go back and outline what I’ve done and where I need to go, the better.


What is a typical writing day like for you?


I get up and blearily shove my boys out the door for school. That done, I make my coffee and make sure my daughter, who goes to an online school, is ready to go for the day.  Then I’m at the computer to try to get my words out.  By lunchtime, I’m either headed to meetings, class or changing into my editor hat. I might get lucky and have everything done before I fall asleep and drool on my keyboard—and get another few thousand words in (or if the muse is really peppy, a whole lot of words)—but usually that morning writing is it for me. Getting it done first makes every day feel like a win, though. If I get nothing else finished, I wrote my words.


Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?


I read everything. I love Saranna DeWylde (her Darkyrie series is AMAZING!!), Heather Long (Fevered Hearts and Yesterday’s Heroes), Kristan Higgans (I LOVED My One and Only…laughed and cried in the same book) and have always been a huge Robin McKinley fan.  If I ever met Robin, I think I’d go so fangirl, she’d slap me.  I also really enjoy Gemma K. Murray and am looking forward to her next book.

What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

I want to be on Ellen because I’m on the NYTimes Bestseller’s list and Ellen couldn’t wait to meet clever little me.  No, seriously, I am attending a few conferences next year and my goal has and always will be to meet some readers who’ve read my books and laughed.  I always wanted to be that author who, when faced with readers, heard, “You made me laugh.”  I don’t think there’s a better compliment. Probably a weird answer from a romance author but there you have it.


If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?


I wanna be Rogue. The very cool thing about being Rogue—aside from having the very best hair of all the superheroes, with that awesome streak, and getting to date Gambit—was that she got to have ALL the powers.  Want to be invisible?  Touch a mutant who can.  Want to make your drink cold?  Find Iceman and stroke his cheek.  Best. Power.  Ever.


If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?


Doesn’t everyone want a dragon?  I mean, aside from handy ability to roast marshmallows whenever you’ve a yen, you can FLY.  Dragon.  Easy.


Tell us a little about your latest release.


Looking for Love...

When she got voted off "Find Your Hubby," a reality tv gameshow, Mellie gave up on finding love.

In all the wrong places...

Everyone knows that you are more likely to get hit by lightning than find a husband once you’re 40. Using the last of her winnings in a spur of the moment fling, she pays for a matchmaking service that offers you the perfect person-For One Night Only.

Can you buy passion?

When the 'perfect person' they find her is a woman, she first questions their selection service...Then her own desires.

What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members)


Coffee.  I’m an addict.  I would join a group but I’d miss the meetings in search of coffee.


Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?


No.  I’m too bossy about where the plot is going to go.  It would bug me if they strayed from the PLAN as I saw it.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?

I would hang out with Tycho Brahe.  Tycho is best known for collecting the data that Kepler later used for all his work but Tycho was sort of amazingly awesome himself.  Kidnapped by his uncle, he was raised to be an aristocrat but was fascinated by astronomy. He lost his nose in a duel and wore a prosthetic nose most of his life. He had a pet tame elk which later died…falling down a staircase drunk.  Oh, and he had a dwarf named Jepp that he felt was clairvoyant who he kept under the table during dinner parties. The guy was pretty fascinating.  Again, pet tame elk—who partied.  If not Tycho, then Theodora (wife of Justinian) but she is a whole other story.


What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?


I’m an artist, both in paints and henna and sometimes travel around for those.  Really, any excuse to travel is a good one in my book.  I play a mean game of badminton and have been known to sing off-key if the drinks are of an adult nature.  I love museums, visiting as many of them as I can, and history.

If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?


Oooh, that’s a tough one because so many of the adaptations aren’t well done.  I think I would vote for Kim Harrison’s Hollows series to be done but I would try to convince Joss Whedon to direct it since he does such a great job at female characters.


What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?


Athleticism. I would love to be a bendy pretzel gymnast or a dancer.  Sadly, I’m so poorly coordinated, it has never worked out for me.

Favorite color?

Slate blue.

Weather: Hot or cold?

Cold.  I like sweaters.

Favorite place to read?

Everywhere.  Doctor’s offices, lines, snuggled in my bed.  Everywhere.
Favorite meal


One someone else makes.  Especially really good sushi.

Favorite non-alcoholic drink.

Coffee.

If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?


Ireland. I love the accent and could sit all day just listening to everyone speak.