Sunday, June 12, 2011

Up Close & Personal with Author - Lillia Forsythe (Shades of Sin)


Thank you for doing this interveiw Lillia

Where were you born and where do you call home? I was born in Charles City, Iowa (pop. 8,000 at the time), but I grew up mostly in the suburbs of Chicago. That’s where I gravitate back to.

What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say? Shades of Sin. A half-vampire is whisked away to Japan to learn who and what she is and how to really live.

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If you gave some of your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?
Chevelle: If you’re not here to tell me about a runway show or a fabulous sale on Prada, I have better things to do.
Master: I said you could have a winter wardrobe, not an every-winter-for-the-rest-of-my-indeterminately-long-life wardrobe.
Hideo: Help me! I’m being smothered by the chiffon!

Do you have plans for a new book? Indeed. I have several in the works, but I keep second-guessing myself. My current project is a steampunk novel. Is this book part of a series? No.

What or who inspired you to write? And how long have you been writing? I don’t know about the first stories I wrote. I was about 7 and wrote on my Apple IIC with an external disk drive. It was about a family of squirrels, I think. We can’t find the disks, but I’d love to reread that gem. Then I went through a fanfiction phase in high school. Sons of Sin was inspired by a life-long love of vampires (not kidding- my first memories of day dreaming about them is when I was 5. Who knows how I was allowed to watch a movie at that age where a man is bled to death and the woman is stolen by the head vampire.) and a music video by my favourite band, Dir en grey.

Do you gift books to readers for book reviews? Sure do!

How did you come up with the title and cover design? The title was pulled out of the content of the book. I originally thought about Destiny’s Fool. The cover, hmm, I wanted to represent the main character but since Chevelle is a transgendered man in the original (Sons of Sin versus the “straight” version Shades of Sin), I cut the face off at the top of the cover. The model in the stock photo had a flat enough chest that it was easy to see her as androgynous.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life? Not so much. The main emotional trouble that Chevelle has did come from living with someone who went through many years of therapy to deal with something similar.

What books have most influenced your writing and why? The Anita Blake series did a lot for me. I had not read in years until I picked up that series. It was just what I wanted, until the author decided to give up the plot for porn.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet? I would really like to meet some of my new indie author friends. =) I think we’d have an epic discussion on life, the universe, and everything.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? On the one hand, I like to have my bookshelves full, but on the other hand, I have too many books and my taste changes daily. Having an ipod stocked with hundreds of books means I can take everything with me in my pocket, I can get it NOW, and I can read on the bus, train, on line at the post office, etc. If I get a print book, I do like hardcover best, but they’ve always been harder to travel with.

Are you a self published (Indie) Author? Yes, I am. But I do have a few rejection letters from traditional publishers.

Have you ever read a book more than once? Rarely. I usually read it once, retain most of the information, and find myself skimming and being somewhat disappointed the second time. The one major exception to that is my own book, which I have read dozens of times for editing purposes. I’m quite nearly sick of it. =X

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version? Oh, I hope this doesn’t get me in trouble, but I found it much easier to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy than to read it. I have The Hobbit, the trilogy, and one appendix (or whatever they’re called). I got as far as halfway through the Two Towers.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (electronic/paperback/hardcover)? Life Games by Trine Daely in ebook format (on the back burner I have Dune (ebook) and Assassin’s Apprentice (paperback))

What book do you know that you will never read? *twitch* Twilight

Are there any new Authors that have grasped your interest and why? Several on the indie circuit have some great looking books that I intend to snatch up as soon as I can. One in particular that sounds really good is The Other Side of Life (Book #1, Cyberpunk Elven Trilogy) by Jess C Scott. Elves, cyberpunk, urban fantasy… what’s not to love?


Is there anything you would change in your last book and why? Oh, that’s a loaded question. The story was written in 2001, and since then it’s been rolling around inside my head, coming out in spurts as rewrite attempts. It’s evolved into a related but completely different story that’s currently called Paper Wings, which can be sampled on my website.

Who designed the cover of your book? I did. InDesign and iStockphoto for the win!

Do you have a book trailer? No, I’d like one, but I have no idea what to do for it. Not as in how to make a video, rather what content to use.

What are your thoughts on book trailers? I feel that if they are properly done, they could easily generate the same interest for a book as they do for new movies. They can be a great asset to the indie author.

Patti says: I agree

Do you have any advice for other writers? Write for yourself. The readers will follow.

What is the best advice that you have ever been given when it comes to writing? Write for yourself. The readers will follow. =P

Do you write under a pen name? I do. Lillia Forsythe is, in fact, my pen name.

Cats or dogs? I currently have two cats that my roommate couldn’t move with him. He may someday come back for them, but I will fight him over the orange one. He’s my baby now.

Patti says: My cat Little Miss came to be mine for the same reason.... 5 years ago :)

Where can your readers follow you?


Is your book in Print, ebook or both? Son of Sin is in ebook and print through Lulu. Shades of Sin is currently in ebook only, but I will have a print copy on Createspace as soon as I get the proof copy approved.

Patti says: I am also proofing a book for Createspace!

Thank you for the Interview Lillia. I all the best and much success. Patti

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Lillia Forsythe || Author of Shades of Sin & Sons of Sin
Sample now at derelict-dahlia.com


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