Emma Sanders Spotlight

Voted "Most Likely to Write a Romance Novel" in high school, Emma Sanders has made that prediction come true. Her first romantic suspense novel, Holding Fast, is coming out this Friday (Sept. 1) from Wild Rose Press. Emma was inspired by her mother, who also wanted to be a writer but passed away before she got the chance. I'm sure Emma's mom is up in heaven anxious to read this interview, so let's get on with it!

KW: Like me, you're a voracious reader. Which authors have influenced you as a writer? Do you think you've absorbed any of their skill by osmosis or even by design?

ES: Aw, so you’re going to start with the hard questions? Every author I’ve read has influenced me in some ways, but Sandra Brown is the ultimate. I only wish I could absorb her skill through osmosis. LOL. I love her writing, her characters, her style and her voice. I knew I wanted to write romantic suspense after reading her for several years.

KW: Is there any Emma in the heroine of Holding Fast, Caitlyn Daniels, or is she purely a creation of your own imagination?

ES: For the most part, she’s a figment of my imagination, though she has adopted some of my habits. I’ve drummed my fingers together every since I was young, and that’s a habit of hers. She can be cynical at times, and that is definitely me.

KW: Wesley, the hero of Holding Fast, is a race car driver. Are you a racing fan? Got a lot of speeding tickets? ;)

ES: I admire the sport of racing, but I can’t say I’m a racing fan. I don’t watch it, I don’t keep up with the day-to-day happenings, but I know enough to get by or to chat with friends about it. The sport, though, has always infatuated me. I’ve had the premise of this story for a long time. As far as speeding tickets go...my husband gets two to three speeding tickets a year, and some of them have been within a few weeks of each other. He’s taken defensive driving so much he could teach the class! Besides speeding, cars are his hobby.

KW: Tell me about your writing routine.

ES: I work full time and my job is pretty stressful, so maintaining a routine is hard, but necessary. I write in the evening a least for a couple of hours, and on weekends. Some of my best scenes were written while I soaked in the bathtub at night.

KW: What are your pet peeves with romance novels?

ES: I don’t really have pet peeves, as long as the writing is strong and pulls me into the story. I want to feel like I’m a part of that story and of the characters’ lives.

KW: Do you have tattoos? If so, what/where are they? If not, where would you get one and what would you get?

ES: No tattoos, though I’ve thought about it. If I were to get one, it’d probably be something small on my lower back. It’d have to be something romantic, mysterious and sexy, all at the same time.

KW: If you were to choose a vegetable most resembling your personality, what veggie would you pick and why?

ES: A potato. They can be sweet or tart. They grow underground (I usually have my head buried somewhere and I’m also very shy). They adapt easily. They are determined to grow!

KW: You mention on your website that your husband knows how important your writing is to you. What are the most significant ways he supports your dream?

ES: He eats ramen noodles when I’m too busy to cook (yuck). He doesn’t complain when I hide away for hours on end with my computer or notepad. He doesn’t complain after hearing me say the same thing over and over or when I want to talk about the same idea in a different way, or when I’m stressing. And he always tells me how much he believes in me.

KW: Share with me a little about your next project.

ES: My next project is the story of Rayma, who is the secondary character and Caitlyn’s best friend in Holding Fast. It has nothing to do with racing, and is a little spicier. It’s a stand-alone and not considered a series. It’s basically finished. I have another manuscript in the works, still in the planning and first draft stages.

I thank Emma for her time and patience in answering my questions. She'd like to invite everyone to Wild Rose Press' Grand Opening Cyber Party on Sunday, September 10, at 8PM EST. And feel free to visit her anytime at her website, blog, or MySpace.