Rhonda Stapleton’s debut YA novel STUPID CUPID is out now…and she’s here to join us with some questions about how 2009 came to be her big year!
From the author’s website…
Felicity Walker believes in true love. That’s why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid’s Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn’t just a matchmaker…she’s a cupid! (There’s more than one of them, you know.)
Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster strikes. Felicity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right, pronto, before she gets fired…and before Maya ends up with her heart split in three.
Welcome, Rhonda! Tell us about the first thing you ever wrote that made you think maybe you were a writer.
I started an adult story that I really took time to plot and work on regularly. When I did that, I knew I was a real writer!
What books did you love when you were a kid?
I looooooved so many books as a kid–Homecoming, Jacob Have I Loved, any of the Sweet Valley High books, romance series books, Ramona Quimby (so funny!), etc.
Moving on to the here and now, most writers admit that making time to write can sometimes be a challenge. When and where do you write? Do you have any special rituals? Music? Food & beverages?
I need caffeine when I write. haha. It can be soda or tea, but I love having something to drink right beside me. I usually write in the evenings–and it can be anywhere I can plug my laptop into…the living room, dining room, or my office.
Do you have a favorite strategy for revision?
I try to come up with a list of things I know I need to tweak. Also, I start with the big stuff first (plot, characterization, setting) and then focus on the smaller things (grammar, word choice, etc).
What’s your best advice for young writers?
Keep on writing! Do it regularly–keep a journal, or whatever it takes. Practice your craft! That’s how you grow. Also, read a lot. Writers are often huuuge readers.
How did you find your agent and/or editor?
I queried my agent through email! She found my editor for me. 😀
Thanks for joining us, Rhonda!
You can read more about Rhonda Stapleton at her website. You can pick up your copy of STUPID CUPID at your local independent bookseller, order it through one of my favorite indies, Flying Pig Bookstore (they ship!), or find an indie near you by checking out IndieBound!
Thanks for having me!