Teiran Smith

In today’s post, I want to touch on one of the rules of writing: Writing likeable characters. Everyone says fictional characters, while they may be flawed, must be likeable. They must be more good than bad and have good intentions.

One of the many blog posts I read on the subject said characters must have a combination of the following:

• Be charismatic

• Be interesting

• Be ordinary with extraordinary qualities

• Be well-motivated

• Be dynamic

• Be a little unhappy

• Be good at what they do

I agree with some of the points, but not all. For instance, I think it’s common sense that a character should be interesting, dynamic, and in most cases, charismatic. I even agree with the point on being extraordinary, yet ordinary...

I recently had the chance to interview the wonderful Cd Blackstone, Author of MIRAGE, an erotic romance. Whether you are a new author or just a fan of her work, you'll want to read on to find out what she has to say about beginning her new writing career.

Why did you decide to be a writer?

I never "decided" to become a writer. It's something I've always done. As a child and teenager I wrote poetry and short stories. It evolved into writing a book.

What authors/books have most influenced you?

If you're talking erotica authors I would have to include Sylvia Day, I love her Crossfire series. Shayla Black is another. Apart from erotica, Anne Rice would be a good one to mention. J R Ward too - love her new series!

When did you first consider you...

Yesterday I had the great honor of conducting a Q & A with the lovely, K.M. Neuhold, Author of Worth The Wait, book 1 in the Sexy Nerd Boys series.

Why did you decide to be a writer?

I don’t know if you ever “decide” to become a writer. I’ve been writing since I learned to read, write, maybe even talk. My first computer game was called StoryBook Weaver where you just created picture books. It was a big decision to decide to publish my work, that’s a bit like standing naked in front of people. But, it’s always been a dream of mine so I just decided to go for it.
 

So, what have you written?

Worth the Wait (sexy nerd boys, 1) is my first novel

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on polishing book 2 in the Sexy Nerd Boys se...

I recently published my debut novel, Rooter (a new adult romance). The first reviews to come in were all five stars. I was elated! I thought "Wow, maybe I'm better at this writing thing than I thought." As a writer of fiction, putting your work out there for the masses to read-and judge-is a scary thing. You never know how it will be received. However, one thing is certain: There will be people who love it, those who think it's just okay, and there will be those who hate it. 

In my experience, reviews come mostly from those who either love my work or those who hate it.

I have been guilty of the same. When I come across a book I absolutely adore, I'm almost sure to write a review or at least leave a rating. Before becoming a publis...