The Writer's Block- Interview with fellow indie author, Bella Emy

I met the lovely and talented, Bella Emy on Instagram and through networking in various groups began reading her work. Bella is a USA Today Bestselling Author and has her own library of amazing books on various platforms. I was lucky enough to read two of them so far and will be reading lots more before the years’ end. 

Bella was able to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to chat with me about her work, her writing life and what’s coming next for this “heart-breaker”. 

Here’s what she had to say: 


Me:   Hi Bella, tell me a little about yourself? When did you know you were going to be a writer?

• Bella: Hi, Shanna! Thank you so much for having me! This is such an honor for me. To keep it nice and simple, I’m a total bookworm from NJ. I’m always reading or writing something. I knew I wanted to be a writer by the time I was 12/13… a friend of mine and I were in the 8th grade back then, and she and I would write poems. I would spend hours at night and write these poems, which I always kept. Then, a few years back, I decided to publish them into a compilation, along with my first novel that I wrote as a teen. Once I put myself out there, that was it! I didn’t stop writing since, and now I have my own library of books I’ve written ☺️.
  

Me:   It’s my pleasure having you on my blog! That’s so awesome, Bella. What inspired you to write Beneath a Starlit Sky?  

• Bella: Well, Beneath a Starlit Sky actually started out as a piece I submitted for an anthology back in the summer of 2018. It was themed as a summer romance anthology, so I wanted to write something that would truly touch readers. The beach definitely inspired me for this piece, so I started writing a love story that took place on a beach. The reviews came pouring in saying how much readers loved it, and how they couldn’t stop crying, so I decided to expand it into a series, The Kaleidoscope Skies Series. Beneath a Starlit Sky, book 1, released as a solo back in May. Book 2, Beneath an Iridescent Sky, released at the end of May, and it is featured in an anthology called, With Love From New Orleans.
  

Me: I just loved King of Arrogance too, OMG, Derek Mykels, grrr. I can’t wait for Between the Sheets! When will that one be out?

• Bella: OMG, thank you so much! I looooved writing Derek!!! He was so much fun because I was really able to let go and create your typical college jock with the cockiest personality of all. But if I’m being honest, he really wrote himself. The story came so easily, and I can’t tell you how much I laughed when I read it back. Then seeing how much readers loved Derek, too, I knew he needed his own full length novel. Between the Sheets has got to be one of my most favorite stories of mine that I’ve written thus far. Derek gets a lot more attention, which he craves, lol, and the chemistry between him and Ellie is straight fire! I love these two characters! But to answer your question, I’m hoping to get their story out by November of this year… hopefully sooner! Fingers crossed!
  

Me:   Man, it’s gonna be so good. So, which character in your collection is your favorite? Why?

• Bella: Derek Mykels is definitely a favorite for the above stated reasons. But I really love all my characters from my books. They really are like your babies… even the bad guys, LOL. I have to mention Emily from Brokenhearted as well, though. I see a lot of myself in her. Again, this is another tearjerker like Beneath a Starlit Sky, but a little less.
  

 
Me:   Did anyone in real life inspire your characters? 

• Bella: Yes! A ton of my characters are inspired from my everyday life. I won’t mention which ones and who, though LOL. 
  

Me:   Haha, right! I understand completely (wink, wink) So, what are you working on now?

• Bella: Right now, I’m working on another anthology piece for a project that will be released later on this year. I’m not really allowed to say much about it yet, but I will say that if you’re a fan of the traveling series, you’ll want to keep an eye out for something else. 
  

Me:   Perfect! Our little secrets, haha!! Now, tell me about your writing process? 

• Bella: My writing process always starts off with a cup of coffee, LOL. But, I don’t really have any rituals or things like that. I usually just sit at my computer for hours on end and let the words pour out of me. Sometimes, if I’m really inspired or have a scene in my head that I need to get out, I’ll write right on my phone… whether I’m home, out and about, or even in bed. My phone is glued to me for this specific purpose, LOL. 
  

Me:   Haha yes, understood. Hubby bought me a ton of notebooks for Christmas that I leave around the house to jot down  inspiration on when it strikes! And I feel ya, no day starts without coffee. LOL! What drew you to the romance genre?

• Bella: I love romance - all of it. I started out as a reader of the genre, and then stories just came to me. So, I started writing my own tales. I love creating beautifully,  heartbreaking stories, LOL. I do always try to give my characters a HEA, though. I do feel that stories with a little heartbreak in them - whether it be through the end of a relationship or through the death of a character - always touch people the most. At least they do for me. Or maybe because I just know pain so well, it helps and makes me bring out these heart-wrenching stories that readers love. 
  

 
Me:    Understood-100% and I agree. Romance is the best, but throwing in some tragedy is always a strength builder for the characters and the story ;-)  Who are your favorite authors/books?

• Bella: I have soooo many! My BBBs (these awesomely talented romance authors know exactly who they are, and I love them!) Alyssa Drake, my talented co-writing partner in the Avalisse Ross Mysteries Series, S.J. Hermann, Jeremy Simons, Jade Royal, Niki Livingston… the list goes on and on, and it’s impossible for me to name them all. The indie community is packed with so many wonderful authors that I’ve met along the way. When it comes to authors traditionally published, Nicholas Sparks is my favorite. I’ve read every single one of his books, but The Notebook still remains my favorite of all-time. 
  

 
Me:   Yes, love my BBBs and Nicholas Sparks too. What do you love about writing?

• Bella: To be honest, I love the whole process… from having an idea pop up in my head, to plotting the story, to writing it, to publishing, to making teasers to promote it… everything! I love that I get to create characters and worlds, bringing them to life. This is a dream of mine, and I’m so thankful I get to do what I love.
  

 

Me:  Yes, it’s really the best feeling ever, being a creator! So, what are you looking forward to in 2019?

• Bella: I’m looking forward to meeting even more indie authors in this community. So many are so incredibly supportive, it’s amazing! And of course, I’m looking forward to bringing readers Between the Sheets, along with books 1 & 2 in the Avalisse Ross Mysteries. However, we already have quite a few books in this series planned out, too! 
  

Me: Awesome. I wish you all the best and can’t wait to read more of your work in the future. It’s been a true pleasure. Thank you for joining me tonight!

You  can find all of Bella's books on her website and be sure to follow her for updates, sneak peeks and more. 

Bella Emy is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

She loves all books, but her favorite genre to read, as well as write, is romance. Bella loves creating heartbreaking stories that will deeply touch her readers, but in the end, a good HEA is usually the turnout.
Whenever Bella is not typing away on her computer with a nice hot cup of coffee, she loves spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite places to go are the movies, the beach, or just on a good plain old road trip. Some of her must haves are coffee, chocolate, pizza, music, & movies.

BUY BENEATH A STARLIT SKY

VISIT BELLA EMY'S WEBSITE

Shanna Swenson, author of the Abundance series

Shanna enjoys a good book that thrills, chills (and breaks) her heart. She also enjoys supporting her fellow indies...like Bella! :-D

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