Today in author cage we have author Pippa DaCosta. Pippa is the author of today’s book blast Beyond The Veil. We would like to thank Pippa for stopping by today and sharing with us. So here we go.
Welcome to Darkest Cravings, tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a writer, mother of two little girls, and the wife of a blacksmith. We live in a sleepy Cornish village, in South West England. We also have a Malamute, a tabby-cat and a Shetland pony. It can be pretty hectic at times. I read paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but I also enjoy action-packed thrillers. I’ll pretty much read anything, especially if there’s a reluctant hero involved.
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
I started writing stories when I was twelve. That’s when the insatiable desire to write got its teeth in me, and it hasn’t let go since. As for actually having a business card with ‘writer’ on it… – that happened in 2013, when I finally decided to release my ramblings to the world.
Writing adult fiction isn’t for everyone, how did you end up writing for the toughest audience?
I write the things I love to read. I wouldn’t be able to write any other way. In my old job, I spent a lot of time writing marketing copy. I found myself wanting to add a bit of romance, a dash of spice, to ramp up the tension, which is tough to do when you’re writing a brochure! It was a great job, but I prefer the freedom to explore conflict and tension between characters. Plus, with fantasy, I can create worlds, dream up characters, and throw it all together to see what happens. Who wouldn’t want to do that?
Most of the intimidating parts of being an adult fiction writer is the steamy scenes, how did you overcome the “stage fright”?
Well, I knew the steamy scenes were coming, so I had time to mentally prepare myself. It’s the same with all emotionally charged scenes, such as a death of a character, or actions scenes. I have to detach my personal biases and try to look at the scene objectively.
The characters themselves drive a lot of the action. I just lurk in the background, giving them a few pointers – a bit like a director on a movie set. Getting the balance right between actions and emotions is the difficult part. We need to know who’s doing what, and why. Sounds simple, but it’s really not. A sex scene without emotion will fall flat. The emotion makes all the difference. It’s also pretty easy to lose track of who’s hand is where. I know it takes me probably ten edits, if not more, to get it right, and there’s always room for improvement.
Which fictional character would you like to go on a date with? Why?
I’m guessing I can’t say my own characters, because I’m pretty certain Akil would rock my world for an evening (but it’d strictly be a one time thing – he’s too hot to handle). Can I say Eric from the Sookie Stackhouse books? He’s sweet, but deadly. I have a tendency to lust after the bad guys.
What was the first adult fiction novel that you read? What was your reaction?
Probably one of Laurel K Hamilton’s Merry Gentry books. Wow. Holy moly. Gulp. Unfortunately, I did get a bit bored of the series after a while, but we all remember our first ;)
Your favorite adult fiction book is-?
I can’t say it’s my favorite, but Surviving Raine by Shay Savage was recently recommended to me and I’ve just finished it, so it’s fresh in my head. The main character is a nasty piece of work, an alcoholic, and a killer, but he has his reasons. Without giving too much away, he becomes trapped in a lifeboat with a sweet young woman and we begin to see him open up about his past. The character development is marvelous but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Your favorite Author is-?
That’s a really tough question. I like lots of different authors in different genres, and all for different reasons. I think my favorite is probably Patricia Briggs. I love her Mercy Thompson series. Mercy is a tough female protagonist. She’s taken some knocks and has bounced back with grace.
We all have a treasured possession, what is yours?
I have a little plush highland cow magnet that I bought on holiday in Scotland with my now-husband. I was maybe eighteen at the time. A lot has changed since then, I lost my father to cancer, I have two beautiful little girls, and I’m still very much in love with my husband. The highland cow magnet reminds me how life goes on and we gotta roll with the punches to survive.
Are your characters based on real people or did you create them from scratch?
From scratch. The main character in Beyond The Veil, Muse. She’s been in my head for a long time. When I first thought her up (many years ago), she was a vampire. More recently, when I decided to do something with her, I’d been working on a post-apocalyptic vampire story and didn’t want to go down the same route. The next best thing, that’s dark and dangerous, was a demon. Once I’d decided on that, the rest just fell into place. Likewise, the two male antagonists, Stefan and Akil, had been bouncing around my head for about the same amount of time as Muse (It gets crowded in my head). Their story was always going to be told. It just took a while.
Do you think adult fiction has reached its full potential yet, or are we still in for a huge surprise?
Who knows? If we could predict the next best thing, we’d all be millionaires. The publishing industry is in a state of flux. Opportunities are out there. It’s an exciting time to be an author.
Do you think adult fiction helps improves relationships?
I suppose it depends on the relationship. I’ve certainly learned a thing or two by reading adult fiction. Reading, in general, is a fantastic way to broaden our knowledge and open our eyes to new experiences, whether it’s adult fiction, fantasy, or historical romance.
If you have to pitch adult fiction to someone that’s too shy to read it, what would you pitch?
See my motto…
What is your motto?
Try anything once.
Remember to check out the book blat below to find out more about Pippa and her book.
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