Blog Ring of Power Presents: Lori Sjoberg
Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.
After graduating from the University of Central Florida, Lori spent over a decade working in the fun-filled worlds of retail management, financial planning, and insurance. The writing bug bit a few years later. After completing her first manuscript, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at work, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.
As you all know by now, this is a 5 part interview with 5 writers. So don't forget to check out the rest of Lori's grilling.
Part 1 @ Terri- Wed. January 16
Part 2 @ T.W - Thur. January 17
Part 4 @ Sandra- Mon. January 21
Part 5 @ Dean- Tues. January 22
Section #3: The Creative Process
Lori: Oh, they come from everywhere. Sometimes they stem from current events,
while others spring from life experiences.
The idea for my current work in progress came to me while on a
Caribbean cruise with my husband.
BRoP: How do you deal with writer’s block?
Lori: I see it as a sign that there’s
something inherently wrong with what I’m writing. Once I figure out where I’ve taken a
wrong turn and how to fix it, the block usually dissolves.
BRoP: Are you a “plotter” or a “pantser” (do you plan/outline the story ahead of time or write “by the seat of your pants”)?
BRoP: Are you a “plotter” or a “pantser” (do you plan/outline the story ahead of time or write “by the seat of your pants”)?
Lori: I’m more of a pantser.
When I start a story, I begin with a general story idea and write
whichever scenes spring to mind.
(For Grave Intentions, I actually wrote the final scenes
first.) Then, when I get to a
certain point (usually somewhere around the 40,000 word mark) I start
piecing them together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
BRoP: Do you use critique partners or beta readers? Why
or why not?
Lori: I use both
critique partners and beta readers.
They’re great at pointing out things that I’ve missed, as well as
providing insight into areas I hadn’t even considered.
BRoP: How much time do you spend
on research? What type of research do you do?
Lori: I don’t have an
exact figure, but I spend quite a bit of time on research. And since my books are about grim
reapers, a lot of my research revolves around death and ways of
dying. Needless to say, my Google
search history is pretty gruesome!
One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier
David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death
into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and
finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping
away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist
can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for
sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his
reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned
David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every
hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah…and gamble on a choice even an
immortal can’t win.
Book Blurb:
He’s handsome, reliable, and punctual—the
perfect gentleman when you want him to be. But this dream man is Death’s best
agent—and now he’s got more than his soul to lose…
One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier
David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death
into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and
finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping
away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist
can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for
sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his
reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned
David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every
hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah…and gamble on a choice even an
immortal can’t win.
Please let us know where your readers can stalk you:
Website: www.lorisjoberg.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AuthorLoriSjoberg
Goodreads author page:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6574214.Lori_Sjoberg
Twitter:
@Lori_Sjoberg
Smashwords:
Other: B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-intentions-lori-sjoberg/1113633560?ean=9781601830067
What format is your book(s) available in (print, e-book,
audio book, etc.)? e-book
E.M. Thanks so much for visiting Lori!!! I've gotta head out now, there's a book calling my name and it has a few Grave Intentions in mind.
E.M. Thanks so much for visiting Lori!!! I've gotta head out now, there's a book calling my name and it has a few Grave Intentions in mind.
Thanks so much for having me here today! It's been fun!
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining us! :D
DeleteWe think the same way about writer's block. Whenever I can't move forward, it's usually because the direction I want to go felt wrong down deep under the radar.
ReplyDelete