Wednesday 31 August 2011

My very first guest -Calisa Rhose

Hi everybody.
I'd love you to give a big welcome to my very first ever guest, Calisa Rhose, who has brought something of herself to share with us. 'The pen of the dreamer', her blog name, is a vibrant and busy lady who squeezes in time for all sorts of things in her working day. Get comfy, settle down and let's get to know her a bit better. Huge thanks go to Calisa from me for being here today!

Hi Nancy! Whew! That was a super busy weekend. Family yardsale (I think I made about $3 lol), and a productive day of writing amid the fun. It's great to kick back with you and gab for a change. Thank you for inviting me to be your VERY first guest to your swank blogdom! I'll have that mocha with lots of whipped cream and chocolate syrup if you please.

I put some questions to Calisa-here are her answers.

1. Before you start a writing session do you do anything in particular to get focused?

I have to have my coffee before I even look at the computer. Other than that I think about the last scene or new pages to gear up again. Mostly I'm a pantser, so BICHOK is usually all I need to get going.

2. What did your most recent book idea develop from?

Oh, this is my first published book. It's a novella by pre-design for a series my local RWA chapter came up with last year. It came from a series of brainstorming sessions that spurred a few of us to submit to TWRP in particular.

3. How do you plan your writing day? Do you set aside time for blogging and email responses and a separate time for writing your WIP?

I don't plan. I write when it's quiet, when nobody is demanding my attention and any time between. I usually begin with checking email, blogging, checking other's blogs...you know, anything to procrastinate as long as possible. Lol Then I dig in after a couple of cups of coffee.

4. How do you manage to keep your other commitments (family, work etc) from interrupting your flow of writing?

There's such a thing!? Lol I weave family throughout my writing day. I'm the type of writer that I can stop in the middle of a sentence to get someone a snack and get right back into the story again. So interruptions don't bother me-unless it's an intense scene. Then I make them wait if it's not critical.

5. What do you find helps you best to get through a good writing day (ie. loads of new pages added to WIP)?

I never thought about that but I guess it's liking the story I'm writing. If I connect with the characters it flows and I get excited and write more, faster. Cheers from my peers is also important to me. Having friends like you whom I can cheer on and get support from helps.

6. When you read for pleasure-what's your favorite genre?

Romance. Whether it's contemporary or paranormal (my two fave genres to write also) or the occasional historical, I can get lost in a good, well written book. Right now I'm reading a contemporary titled Jezebel's Wish by the fabulous AJ Nuest. *waves to AJ* Last week I read a super vamp book by Laura Kaye, Forever Freed. Who knows what next week might bring to the table? Maybe your own Monogamy Twist?

7. Does personal experience of travel, or memorable events, sneak into your writing?

I think it does for most writers in some small way, doesn't it? I mean, our own life experiences, or that of someone we know is what we know. We're told to write what we know and life is it for me. My first ms was about a horse rancher and a construction contractor. I'm a horse person and my hubby is a contractor, so that one was modeled after what I know most about. The characters were nothing like hubby or I, but I know those occupations/hobbies.

8. What are you working on currently and where can you be found?

I'm waiting for the release date for my debut short story, by WRP Vintage historical, HOME. I just started a new contemporary WIP (work in progress) last week about a fireman who has lost faith in himself as a human, and a widowed book store owner who is more comfortable hiding from life behind her preteen daughter.
I also have a paranormal series in the works about Native American wolf shapeshifters.

You can reach me through my website and blog: http://calisarhose.wordpress.com

Facebook/Calisa Rhose and on Twitter/Calisa_Rhose

Thanks again Nancy. I had a great time here today!

a huge thanks again to Calisa from me and thanks to all our friends who have joined us today!

ps I'm also curently reading Jezebels's Wish!!!

46 comments:

  1. Nice interview, Nancy. I love your blog, but I love anything involving the ocean!
    Calisa, I can't start without my coffee either! And you seem to have an unplanned "schedule" for writing--grab a moment whenever you can. lol!
    Congratulations on your first contract.

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  2. Thanks for visiting Lilly! Good to have you here and I do love the colors of the background!

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  3. Thanks again Nancy!

    Hi Lilly! So happy you made it in. I'm sorry to show up (fashionably I hope) late. I forgot to do the dishes last night and had to jump on the house work this morning so I can 'play' all day. :) No real writing schedule for me is the only way to fly! At least that's what I keep telling myself.

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  4. Hey, Calisa, nice interview. Best of luck with your WIP. Good luck!

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  5. Thanks for visiting, Tonilynn. Hope you're doing fine today.

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  6. Fan-tab-u-lous interview, ladies! Calisa, you sound exactly like me. Write when you can, as often as you can, breaking periodically to dole out snacks and clean underwear! LOL! Thank you so much for the nod toward Jezebel's Wish. You know, I loves ya, babe! Nancy, your blog is beautiful. Looks like the Indiana sky! :-) Cheers, ladies! And here's to much success and a boatload of sales!!

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  7. Thanks Tonilynn! I'm happy with it so far.

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  8. *blushing* Aw thanks AJ. And you're welcome! I want to stay here and soak up the beauty. Can I? Huh?

    These questions really made me take a step back and think on some of them.

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  9. Loved this interview, Calisa! Can't believe how alike we are in our writing process on the day-to-day, especially the social-media/procrastination part, lol. Your firefighter/widow wip already has my attention. Good luck and looking forward to connecting w/you again soon!

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  10. Hi ladies-AJ and Joanna. Thanks for popping in. I just had a little computer glitch there for about an hour when I was out of action (rubbish internet connection)so I am doubling up here. I hope I haven't missed anyone. Trust you are both well and filling up the WIP pages today!

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  11. Great interview, Calisa! Good luck with your book!!

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  12. Great interview, Calisa! I know where you're coming from with writing through interruptions. My desk is in the dining room of my house, so interruptions happen often. I've learned to work with them instead of letting them distract me. I also have a relaxed writing schedule since I work on various projects at the same time.

    Best of luck to you!

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  13. Hi Joanna! I hope the new wip can hold attention! I haven't reached the expected sagging middle yet. lol

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  14. Hi Twink! Thanks for coming out. You'll see the wip soon. :)

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  15. it's great you could pop in today, Kristina, thank you. Have a good day.

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  16. My 'office' is in the livingroom right now, too, Susan. We do what we can with what we have, eh? Good luck on the recent projects!

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  17. Hi Susan, Ditto on the dining room. Thanks for visiting today.

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  18. Like you I find it easier to fit writing into the family flow! Good luck with both your upcoming release and your new wip!

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  19. Thanks for commenting, Karen. It's good of you to visit today!

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  20. Y'know Karyn- it's really great to know I'm not as strange as my kids tell me I am! Thanks for the luck and for stopping by!

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  21. Hey Calisa and Nancy! Nice to "meet" you Calisa. Nice story about how you made it to the Wild Rose Press. Good for you being able to stop in the middle of a sentence. I need the house to be empty and quiet when I write. I think I must have ADD as I am easily distracted.

    I enjoyed the blog!

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  22. I think I'm somewhere in between you and Calisa, Lynne. I also get distracted and 'lose' the place, but equally I like to know there's somebody around the house-even though they're not in the same room. Thanks for stopping by, Lynne. Have a good day.

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  23. Wow, Calisa, you're a popular guest. Great interview. I write in the afternoons. It takes me all morning to wade through emails and blogs. And I'm running late today...sigh...a storyline had me awake at 4.

    Keep at it, girl. You've got it goin' on. Write whenever you can. Sending you good vibes for great sales. Your ideas sound fabulous.

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  24. Hi Vonnie. I don't know how you've managed to write at all recently for you've been such a busy 'blogging' girl! Good to have you here today, thanks for all the support.

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  25. Calisa! Just finishing Laura Kaye's Forever Freed *sigh* - Lucien has kept me up very late the past few nights. I, too, am anxious for Home's release, so keep us posted. Thank you, Nancy.

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  26. And thank you J for visiting. You just added more to my getting very long TBR list.

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  27. My friend Loretta had trouble getting in to post a comment. She emailed me so I'm forwarding her thoughts. Thank you Lo! You're a one in a million.

    Loretta said:
    This was such a great interview, Calisa:)...I related to the part where your writing picks up speed once you feel the flow. Getting started or picking up where I left off is difficult for me at times, but once I "catch the wave", I'm off and running:)
    Paranormal gal that I am, I'm really intrigued by your shapeshifter WIP:) Here's hoping it "flows" for you!:)
    Lo

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  28. `Sorry for taking so long to come back to the party. Duty (and shopping) called!

    Great to have you here Lynne. There are times I need peace and quiet, but I'm so used to noise.. *shrugs* I'm thrilled Alicia M. Dean led me to The Wild Rose Press with the series idea last year. I've 'met' such wonderful and kind people there!

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  29. Lol Vonnie. I don't know how popular I am, but if someone needs blank space filled- I can usually carry a conversation single-handed!

    I hope the story robbing you of sleep will be a fruitful one. Thanks for the encouragement and for coming over. Nancy's been a gracious hostess!

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  30. Joelene- yes, Lucien has a delightful way of keeping us from sleep, doesn't he? Mmmmm ;)

    As soon as I know when HOME will release so will the universe!

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  31. Good to have you back, Calisa. I've already dined and have had a good day and evening. I might actually get some writing done now since other 'things' (ie famiiy stuff) took my attention for a while.

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  32. Thank you, Loretta, for trying to get on. Great to have your support!

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  33. What a great first interview Nancy! It's been great to learn more about you Calisa. I have to say - your routine sounds eerily familiar : ) and being mainly a pantser as well. Were we seperated at birth? lol
    All the best for when Home releases, I'll be looking out for it!

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  34. Great interview, Calisa! Enjoyed very much! And thanks for the shout out for Forever Freed! :)

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  35. Thanks for joining us LaVerne. It's great to have such wonderful support!

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  36. Glad you could join us, Laura. Forever Freed is also on my TBR list. But when will I manage to read them all? Take care!

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  37. lookig for follow button and only found it when I posted a new comment. But I'm now following your blog!

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  38. Thank you, Lilly. Yes, I know I have quite a few teething problems to sort out over blog and website followers etc.

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  39. LOL LaVerne! Who's to say we're not twins! I'm honored to have you as mine. Love ya!

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  40. Hi Laura! Is Lucien with you?? Always happy to 'see' you. YW for the shout out (even though it was Joelene who shouted, I can respond for her cos we're tight that way).

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  41. I see I'm being usurped for a proud family moment but I've had a great day 'meeting' everyone. Thank you once more for inviting me here Nancy. I hope we can do it again some day. Who knows, maybe I'll have a copy of HOME to offer by then?

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  42. Ooops. I'm sorry! Just about to move the family to the other side of blog. Too excited to notice where I put it Calisa.

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  43. Sorry folks. Have to call it a day for me and slope off to bed. If anyone else responds after this one- thank you very much for visiting and I'll get back to you tomorrow!

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  44. Wow! Look at all the love you're getting. I'm just going to pile on top for a group hug. Great interview ladies. I, too, am anxiously awaiting the release of HOME, but that contemporary WIP your working sounds wonderful, as well.

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  45. *tackle hugs Tina* I love you! Thanks for making it in. I can't wait for HOME to be released. I am so taking on the cyber world!

    And I'll be hanging around a while longer here in the US so send your friends to say hi.

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  46. Thanks for visitng, Christina. Been unable to get back to blog till now but it is great to hear from you.

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