Author Interview: Shannon Rouchelle
by Tamazon

Aug 14, 2008

Read more about Shannon Rouchelle | View Shannon Rouchelle's Site

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

Shannon Rouchelle: As a young girl I always enjoyed writing stories and reading them to the entire school. I dreamed of one day writing as a career and inspire the minds of readers young and old. Before I had the chance to do this however, I worked as a special needs worker and ran my own daycare for many years. When I grew tired of this I sat at my computer and jotted down stories that were milling around in my mind. Even though I still ran my daycare, I found the time to write short stories and work on a picture book series. I eventually gave up my daycare and now work fulltime on teen fantasy novels and erotic fantasy for adults.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: What's your favorite genre to read?

Shannon Rouchelle: My favorite genre to read would be teen and adult fantasy novels. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series and loved Lord of the Rings. A book with creative fantasy elements has always interested me. A close second would be adult horror novels written particularly by Stephen King. Even though these books tend to keep me up at night, I still can't put them down.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: What do you do on a typical writing day?

Shannon Rouchelle: On a typical writing day I will take my boys to school and then sit at my computer. I will break for lunch and give my mind a rest before continuing on into the afternoon. By the time my children are home from school, I will break again until evening. If I still have the urge to complete a chapter or type a few more pages, I will work after the kids are in bed. Some nights I don't retire until midnight or later.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: When you have writer's block how do you break free?

Shannon Rouchelle: I have experienced writer's block on several books. When this happens I take a break from whatever I'm working on and start a new project. If I'm really frustrated about a book I'm working on, I will talk to my husband. I fill him in on the plot and we bounce ideas off each other. By the time we have discussed the book from beginning to end, I'm ready to continue writing and the book writes itself.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: Please tell us what you have planned next?

Shannon Rouchelle: My next project will be the upcoming sequel to The Rise and Fall of Keidon. I have jotted down a brief outline and plan to work on it fulltime in September. Aside from this, I have another teen series I wish to complete in the next year.

In 5 years, where do you see yourself? In general and in you're writing career.

Shannon Rouchelle: In 5 years I hope my name is well known both in romance genre and teen. I would like to establish myself as a serious author in fantasy and will continue to promote my future works with great enthusiasm.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: What type of book have you always wanted to write?

Shannon Rouchelle: I have always been interested in writing picture books. I did attempt this at the beginning of my writing career and found it difficult to break into. Cathy Peng, a wonderful artist from Toronto, collaborated with me on our first book, Jasper Drew Cat, The Kitsville Caper. We couldn't find a traditional publisher for our book so we self published and made it available to read online. I would like to continue to work with Cathy on this book series and make Jasper Drew Cat a dream come true. Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

Shannon Rouchelle: I find deadlines help motivate me to finish my projects in a timely fashion. I have periods of great self-motivation and then times when I can't work at all without encouragement from others. My family and friends tend to keep me motivated, especially my husband. Even though deadlines make me uptight and flustered at times, I would still rather be under pressure then have a publisher who doesn't care.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: Do you outline your books or just start writing?

Shannon Rouchelle: I sometimes sit down and just start writing my books. What I usually do is work out how many chapters there are and name them. At the bottom of the chapter I will write a short description of what the chapter is about so that I have something to work with. It's also a good way to refresh my memory as well. Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?

Shannon Rouchelle: I don't belong to a critique group. I have writer friends who give me advice when I need it, but I haven't joined a group. I think a critique group could be beneficial in many ways, and maybe someday I'll join one.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: What was your first published work and when was it published?

Shannon Rouchelle: My first published work was a horror short story, Bloody Bones Behind the Barn. It was published by an online magazine and was the featured story for Halloween. This gave me my needed break into the business and I haven't looked back since.

Tammie King of Night Owl Romance: How can readers find out more about you and your books?

Shannon Rouchelle: Readers can find out more about my books by visiting my website: shannonrouchelle.com or searching for my latest works at Extasy Books and Wingsepress.

Thank you for this opportunity!