Book info:
Title: Promise Me Always
Author: Rhonda Shaw
Publication date: February 26th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:
Gabrielle Wells was everything Danny Anderson shouldn’t want. She was his opposite in every way, but he couldn’t keep his distance, and fate seemed to push them together at every turn. She consumed him, and the more he learned about her, the more he realized she was exactly what he didn’t know he needed. But then past mistakes forced him to walk away and never look back, breaking Gabrielle’s heart in the process.
Fast forward six years, and it seems as if fate is intervening again. Danny, now a best-selling rap artist, returns to his hometown, and is reunited with the only girl he’s ever loved.
Gabrielle isn’t the girl he left behind, though, and Danny realizes life has thrown her quite a few curves. But he will stop at nothing to get her back, refusing to let his true desires—love and family—continue to elude him. However, when Danny’s past crashes into his present, threatening everyone he loves and everything he’s fought for, he must decide if his promise to Gabrielle of “always” is worth the risk.
Author Interview:
1. What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start? Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)? If you plan it out, how do you do that? Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
My writing process is kind of all over the place. 😊 I don’t know the whole story when I start out, but I usually have a few scenes that I know will be included. I’m a pantser when it comes to filling in all the in-betweens (which then usually results in changes to the outline). I outline in Word, but If I’m struggling with something, or have a gap, etc., I will use notecards, so I can move scenes around and play with things. I’ve tried some online notecard programs, but, for some reason, I need to physically move the cards in order to work things out. Don’t ask, I have no idea why. 😊
2. How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?
It depends on the story. For Promise Me Always, it was one line from the Eminem song, “Not Afraid” (“And don’t even realize what you did, ‘cause believe me you”). One of my previous stories (The Changeup), it was something my niece said on an all-girl’s weekend while we were watching a baseball game (I said a pitcher was hot, she said, “I’d date him” and bam! the story came into my head). It can be anything that just strikes me the right way, and then my imagination takes off with it.
3. How long have you been writing?
For about 14 years. My first (horrid) attempt at writing a story was in 2004.
4. What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
Don’t give up. This industry can be brutal and writing is hard. With all the negativity and rejections, it is very easy to get down and believe the easiest thing to do is give up, but don’t. Believe in yourself and your writing, keep going and give it all you’ve got, and you will be rewarded.
5. What are your favorite:
Books/authors/genres
I have (too) many favorites, but the one that got me hooked on romance was The Promise by Danielle Steel. I also love the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The one book I’ve read over and over is Nora Robert’s High Noon. I love, love, love the hero Duncan. He has the BEST sense of humor. I really enjoyed the Outlander series as well as the Tudor series by Phillippa Gregory. I enjoy pretty much everything Rachel Gibson writes. I could go on and on.
Movies/TV Shows
Fringe (someone needs to bring that show back). Currently loving Stranger Things (we’re a bit behind 😊). Love all the Marvel and DC movies. Lord of the Rings (of course). Game of Thrones. Disney classics (although, I will admit that I wasn’t all that fond of the new Beauty and the Beast…which made me sad because I wanted to love it). All things Star Wars. The Proposal because Ryan Reynolds, Betty White and Sandra Bullock. Need I say more? 😊
Music
I pretty much enjoy all music, except Country. Sorry, Country is a hard no for me.
Food/Writing snack
My absolute favorite food is Alaskan King Crab legs. Unfortunately, they’re a bit too messy to be a good writing snack. I don’t really have a writing snack, now that I think about it… I should change that. 😊
Social Media Site
I’m beginning to prefer Instagram and just enjoying people’s pictures. Facebook and Twitter are becoming too toxic for me, so I usually just hang out in the background. 😊
Author Bio:
Rhonda owes her love of reading to her mother who would read to her each night before bed and sometimes give into pleads for more than one chapter. These days, if Rhonda doesn’t have a book in her hands, it feels like something is missing. While romance is her true passion, Rhonda enjoys reading multiple genres.
Born in California, but transplanted to the Midwest, Rhonda is warm weather girl to the bone (even years later, winter and her are not on speaking terms) and loves nothing more than a balmy, summer evening. She also loves all animals–especially her silly French Bulldog, Keno.
Nowadays, she has so many characters and story ideas running around in her head that she can’t keep up with them. But one day, she’ll tell each one.
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