Q: WHAT DOES A.S. STAND FOR?
A: I wish it was something really exciting, but it’s Andrea Sue.
Q: WELL THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE INITIALS FOR YOUR PEN NAME?
A: *shrug* There was no Earth shattering reason. I just thought it would look cleaner and better on the books. Now that I’ve said it out loud, it sounds kind of lame.
Q: HOW DO YOU PRONOUCE YOUR LAST NAME?
A: Fenichel = Feni + Shell (like the ones you find on the beach)
Q: HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED WRITING?
A: I can’t remember when I didn’t make up stories but I didn’t start writing them down until I was in my mid-twenties.
Q: ARE ANY OF YOUR BOOKS RELATED?
A: I currently have several series: The brand new Wallflowers of West Lane, The Everton Domestic Society, The Forever Brides, The Demon Hunters, Psychic Mates, and The End of Days Trilogy. While it’s always nice to start a series at the beginning, all of these books can stand alone. Feel free to begin with whichever interests you. You can always go back.
Q: DOES YOUR PUBLISHER EVER TELL YOU WHAT TO WRITE?
A: No. Though they do have “calls” for special themes and series. I like this because sometimes it sparks a great idea. That’s how Christmas Bliss and Kane’s Bounty came about.
Q: HOW DO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS FEEL ABOUT THE STEAMY NATURE OF YOUR BOOKS?
A: I know that some of them get a bit squirrely thinking about where the ideas come from. I just tell them not to think too much. I’ve had neighbors say that they’ll never look at my husband and me the same way again. I just shrug and tell them, I don’t mind.
My husband insists that he is the inspiration for all the sex in my books as well as any sweet thing the hero might do. However, he takes no credit for any jerky moves by the hero. Those he says are strictly from my imagination.
My mom peddles my books to all her friends at the senior center, so I assume she likes them well enough. She told me once I write great sex. I try to take my own advice and not think about that too much.
When I write a book, I can’t just skip over the sex. It’s part of life and love. My books always end with a Happily Ever After where two consenting adults fall in love and find a way to make a life together. And sometimes they do it under some pretty strenuous circumstances. I don’t worry too much about what people will think about the sex. They may love it, hate it or just skip over it. It would be unfair to tell you all the trials and tribulations of the hero and heroine and then close the door when they get to the bedroom.
Q: I’M A WRITER, HOW CAN I GET MY BOOK PUBLISHED?
A: The first thing you should do is join your local writing organizations. If you write romance RWA probably has a chapter near you. However, if you write something else, I’d be willing to bet you can find other types of writing groups in your area. Many of these groups have writers at various stages in their careers who will be more than willing to give you advice and guidance. I can’t tell you how many wonderful writers helped and encouraged me along the way.
Finish your manuscript! Polish your manuscript. Find a critique partner. The writing organization you just joined will help you with this. Listen to your critique partner. I’m not saying they are always right, but really listen and give their advice some thought. Learn your craft. If you have a weakness, take a course. There are hundreds of writing courses both in a classroom and on line. Polish your manuscript again.
Then take the leap and start sending the book out to publishers and see what they say. Make sure you follow the guidelines for the individual publisher. They vary quite a lot.
Good luck!
Q: HOW MANY BOOKS DID YOU WRITE BEFORE YOU SOLD ONE?
A: Hmmm… Maybe five. I was honing my craft. 😉 Sadly, those books will probably never be published. I still think about “fixing” them one day and giving them another try. Maybe…
Q: HOW DID YOU FIRST GET PUBLISHED?
A: I wrote a novella for a special call and sent it to the publisher. It was rejected and I was ready to give up. Not give up writing, I could never do that, but give up on submitting and ever being published. A good friend of mine told me I was being stupid and to just submit it elsewhere. (she may have used stronger language than that) Anyway, I took her advice and Ellora’s Cave accepted it a few months later.
Q: DO YOU NEED AN AGENT TO GET PUBLSIHED?
A: No. I didn’t have one for my first nineteen books. Though if your goal is to get into any of the big publishing houses, you will need one. I’m currently represented by Bookends Literary Agency.
Q: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE A BOOK?
A: It depends. Usually around 3 or 4 months for a full–length novel. Maybe six to eight weeks for a novella.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITE OUT OF ALL OF YOUR BOOKS?
A: That’s like asking a mother who’s your favorite child. I’ll tell you this: when my nieces ask me which one of them is my favorite, I tell them whichever one is standing the closest to me at the moment. The same can be applied to my books. I love the one I’m writing most of all. If another one gets a new cover, I love that one most, on release day, I love that one most.
Q: I HAVE A GREAT STORY, WILL YOU WRITE IT?
A: Um, probably not. But I think you should definitely write it yourself. After all, it’s your story.