Luis Interview

Bookaholic – Interview

Waking to Black (Uninhibited #1)

1.      What made you want to write this book?

The loss of my father made me want to write this book. He passed away several years ago (in the same fashion as Evelyn’s father) and writing this book oddly-enough, was therapeutic. It may seem weird, that in writing an erotic romance novel I was able to assuage my sense of grief over my father’s passing, but Mark Twain is right, "truth is stranger than fiction.”

My father was a very creative man who unfortunately never found his footing in the

creative world—though he tried. Like all of us, he had many faults and even so he was the BEST father I could ask for.

Waking to Black, originally was the story of a girl, Evelyn Snowe, trying to face the repercussions of not only her mistakes but those of her father. Then it became something so much more. It became this epic love story about hope and self-awakening. Both the heroine/hero in this story are broken—their past has prevented them both from moving forward in some regard. Having lived through something similar, I needed something positive to come from heartache.

Yes, we ALL in this world have issues and yes, we ALL can overcome those issues and find our happily-ever-after. The Uninhibited Series holds that truth as one of its many themes—Evelyn and Adam will of course get their happily-ever-after by the end of the series.

2.      Where do you get your storylines from?

While Waking to Black was inspired in some respects by what I have mentioned

above, it is a work of fiction. I’m a dreamer—I listen to music and let the characters in my head take over. This is a good thing considering the scandalous moments Adam and Evelyn have throughout the series.

3.      Was this book easier to write than others? Why?

Yes and no. It was easy to write in a sense because I knew exactly how Evelyn felt during some difficult moments in the book. And yet, because I knew how she felt and I was completely entrenched in her headspace, at times it was very emotional to write. I set out to create an erotic romance that would be not only sensual and down-right hot, but emotionally satisfying. I’m proud of what I created.

4.      Do you only write one genre?

For years I wrote fantasy/paranormal romance on an online forum with a bunch of friends. Shared-storytelling is what we called it and I loved every moment of the experience. Waking to Black is my debut book so it’s my only published work, but in the future, I’ll probably dabble into the fantasy/paranormal realm.

5.      Do you have a specific place or setting where you write?

Much to the annoyance of my husband I have a computer desk in our bedroom and write my stories often at night, while people sleep. I’ve tried finding a place more serene but truthfully, I feel really comfortable in my room and my best work is always done there.

6.      Describe what made you want to be a writer?

I got the creative gene from my dad, but my work-ethic and determination I inherited from my mother. Writing a book isn’t an easy endeavor. To get to the finish line you need to sacrifice other interests. My mom taught me all about sacrifice. She also took me to the public library and bookstore every weekend and instilled a deep love of reading in me. We were very limited when it came to disposable income… I’ll go ahead and say it—we were poor and living with my grandparents. Even through that adversity she found ways to make me feel as if we were rich.

***Some of these questions have made me feel nostalgic—in a positive way. Thank you for the opportunity to reflect.

XOXO

V.H. Luis