Interview with author Yolanda Sfetsos

Today we have with us Paranormal, Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi author Yolanda Sfetsos.

Welcome to RomFan Reviews Yolanda it is a great pleasure to have you with us today.

Thank you for having me. I’m very excited to be here.

Tell us a little about your new book A Patch of Darkness which is being released on May 15th.

A Patch of Darkness is the first book in my urban fantasy series set in a fictional suburb of Sydney, Australia. It’s about a woman called Sierra Fox, who happens to be a registered spook catcher. She has her own business and is called in by people who want pesky, trespassing ghosts removed. But the night she meets some fellow hunters, her world is turned upside down.

What do you have in the works that we can see from you in the future?

Well, the second book in the Sierra Fox series is now contracted with Samhain Publishing, so that will be released later this year. It’s called Split at the Seams and continues Sierra’s story.

I’ve also got another urban fantasy series coming soon from ImaJinn Books. I don’t have a release date yet, but post any updates on my website.

I’m also currently finishing another Recast novella, and will soon get stuck into the third Sierra Fox book soon. So I’ve always got something that I’m hoping to submit and have available.

Are you an author who has to do an outline first or do you write whatever pops into your head.

Once upon a time I was a pantser and found that I could write as I went, but when I got started on writing series books, it made it a bit harder. I take heaps of notes and set up Bibles for each series so that I don’t forget any important details.

Before starting any story I sit down and write heaps of notes, as well as cast characters and do any relevant research. I still don’t do a detailed outline, but write heaps of pages about what’s going to happen in the book and when. Even then, I find some things change/develop while I’m writing and then revising.

I know it seems these two questions are always asked but readers and future writers like to know.  What do you like most about writing?  What do you dislike about it?

The best thing about writing is the freedom to run with the ideas that pop into my head. I’ve always loved telling stories, and if I didn’t write I don’t know where all of these characters and situations would go. If I go too long without writing, I start to get irritated.

The hardest thing about writing is the waiting. There seems to be waiting at every point, and I’m not just talking about between submissions and publications. There’s plenty of waiting for the right moment to write a story, as well as getting enough distance to get back into revising it objectively.

How long did it take you to get published?

I’ve been writing since I was a teenager and used to write stories for myself and my friends. For years, I didn’t submit anything because I was scared of rejection. But one day, after my daughter was born, I decided it was time. Sure, the rejections did come, but I kept writing and eventually started getting acceptances from several online magazines.

That’s how it all began. I started writing and submitting short stories online, and eventually branched out into submitting novellas and novels to epublishers.

So, it took years.

If you were not an author what else would you be?

Oh gosh. Well, I was working in office administration and accounts before I had my daughter. So I guess I would still be there, grinding away at a 9-5 office job. Or maybe working in retail, I’m not sure. I knew I wanted to be a writer early on.

Either way, I’d still be a mother.

When you get some down time what would you be doing?

I love to spend time with my husband and daughter. We watch shows and movies together, go for walks, and even play video games. I also like to keep active with yoga and weights.

Oh, and reading. I absolutely love reading!

Who are some fellow authors you enjoy reading?

I have a lot of auto-buy authors: Stephen King, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Charlaine Harris, Carrie Vaughn, Rachel Caine… to name a few. But I’m discovering new authors all the time. I’m hooked on the Secret McQueen series by Sierra Dean and the Rhiannon’s Law series by J.A. Saare. Plus I can’t wait to read more books from Jenn Bennett, Jess Haines, Jennifer Estep, and Allison Pang.

So many awesome new books, so little time... ;)

Any advice you would like to give to future authors?

The best and only advice I can think of is to never give up, and keep writing. 

How can readers learn more about you and your books?

You can find me here:

Website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/yolandasfetsos

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/yolandasfetsos

Contest Time:

Yolanda will give one lucky commentor a copy of her ebook a Patch of Darkness.  Contest ends April 29^th at 11:59pm EST.  You must include your email address in your comment to be entered in the contest.