Today’s interview is with contemporary and paranormal romance author Teresa Roman. Teresa writes both YA and adult fiction.  It was an absolute pleasure to get to know more about her writing style, life outside of writing and upcoming projects!

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HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet?

TR: I am an introvert and shy in social situations, especially when I’m around people I don’t know well. I think that’s why reading and writing appeal to me so much. I love a good romance, but I am not necessarily drawn to the typical romance novel, though I do enjoy some of them. For example, I loved the Hunger Games series, not only because the story was so captivating, but also because of the romantic subplot. I like to write heroes who are generally good guys. They don’t have to be perfect, but they’ll never be abusive, cheaters, bullies, etc.

HG: Awesome. Tell us a bit about your publishing journey. How did you know you were ready to take on the “author” title?

TR: In 2015 I submitted a book I’d written to Kindle Scout and to my surprise it got chosen for publication. Kindle Scout was a program that Amazon ran that let readers nominate books for publication. I would say that moment was when I felt ready to call myself author. Since then, I’ve written 9 more books.

HG: Oh, wow! Good for you. What have been the challenges you’ve faced in your publishing career?

TR: Time is my biggest challenge. I have 3 kids and a day job, so finding the time to not only write but keep up with social media and a newsletter and whatever else is required to put yourself out there as an author is difficult for me. I try not to compare myself to other authors who are publishing a book every other month and remind myself that writing is something I enjoy. If I was churning out books that quick, I think it would feel more like a job.

HG: That makes total sense.  Is there anything you’d do differently? Advice to aspiring authors?

TR: My biggest advice to aspiring authors is don’t rush. We all want to get our books out there as soon as possible, but there are a lot of steps involved in creating a good novel. The writing needs to be on point, your book cover should be eye-catching, etc. If your book is lacking because you rushed to get it on the shelves, you are only hurting yourself as a writer in the long run. You also need a plan to market your book, or no one will ever know it exists. This is true for both self-published and traditionally published books.

HG: Excellent advice. Tell us a little bit about your actual writing process. Does it differ for your contemporary vs paranormal romance?

TR: It all starts with an idea. I get them randomly, though I’d say a lot of plot points hit me when I’m swimming, which is my exercise of choice. Then I just sit down and start writing. If I get stuck while I’m writing, I go back and edit what I’ve already wrote and usually by the time I’m done with that I get unstuck. Once I’m done with the writing part, I go back through the book about 3-4 times before sending it to an editor. Once my final edits are made, the book goes to a proofreader. My writing process is the same for my contemporary vs paranormal romance.

HG: Sounds like an efficient process you have in place. You write adult fiction and young adult fiction. What do you enjoy most about each of those audiences?

TR: Adult fiction is relatable to me as an adult, so writing it feels natural. Also, there are things you can get away with in adult fiction, like sexier scenes, that you can’t in young adult fiction. What I enjoy about YA fiction is that characters at that age have so many possibilities in front of them. They are still figuring out who they are and what their place in the world is. Young adults are also experiencing romantic love for the first time, which is really magical, and helps me, as a writer, explore emotions in a way I really enjoy.

HG: Tell us a bit about your most recent series, The Cursed Prince.  What can readers expect? What feeling do you hope readers are left with when they finish it?

TR: The Cursed Prince is an adult paranormal romance that takes place mostly in a small town in upstate New York. It starts off with a bit of mystery. As the story unfolds, the romance between the two main characters builds. There is some heat in the series, especially in the last book, but most of all The Cursed Prince series is a love story and when readers finish it my hope is that they got swept up in the romance, in the connection between the two main characters.

HG: That’s wonderful. Can we expect any more novels in that world?

TR: It’s a 3-book series and no other books are planned in that world unless an idea that I think will work hits me.

HG: Understandable. What can you tell us about any other projects you have in the works?

TR: I am currently working on a contemporary romance. The story takes place in the present with lots of flashback scenes featuring the two main characters who were once each other’s first true love until things fell apart. I don’t have a title chosen yet. At this point, I would say I’m only about 25% done with the first draft. After that I have a paranormal romance series planned out in my head. I am not sure how many books it will turn out to be, but I can’t wait to start writing it.

HG: How exciting! Switching gears, what do you enjoy doing when not writing?

TR: I love swimming and try to get over to the pool to swim laps at least 4 days a week. I also enjoy reading, spending time with my kids, and baking. I like to travel as well. My family and I just returned from an amazing trip to Singapore last month.

HG: Wow, I bet Singapore was phenomenal. Since you mentioned you like reading, what was your last 5-star read?

TR: The Last Kingdom Series by Bernard Cornwell. I read all 13 books and loved every single one of them. I am a HUGE fan of historical fiction.

HG: If you could ask your author idol one question, what would it be? 

TR: I’m not sure who I consider my author idol. There are so many that I love such as George RR Martin, JK Rowling, Kristin Hannah, Charlaine Harris, Cassandra Clare, the list goes on. The question that I’d asked them is, “How do you come up with all your ideas?” I am endlessly fascinated by the way some authors can create such full worlds.

HG: Great question. For fun, before we wrap up, let’s do a fast five! First one…coffee or tea?

TR: Tea

HG: Bonfire or fireplace?  

TR: Fireplace for sure. They are so cozy.

HG: Tropical beach or rustic mountains?

TR: Tropical Beach. I love the sound of the ocean and I love the way sand feels under my feet.

HG: Are you a morning bird or night owl? 

TR: Neither really. I don’t like sleeping in and am almost always up around eight on weekends, but at the same time I hate getting up much earlier than that. At night, I rarely make it past 11.

HG: eBook or paperback? 

TR: I like them both. For some reason, paperbacks are easier for me to read, but eBooks are great when you want to read at night or when there’s a book you want to download right away.

HG: For readers that want to find out more about your stories and keep up with you, where should they go to connect or learn more?

TR: I have a website. You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram. And I have a newsletter, which goes out about once a month. Readers can sign up here.

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