Hey all! Welcome to the first of what I hope are many author interviews!
Today we’re going to speak with Serenity Valle who has written a paranormal mystery book named Acquittal!
Serenity began writing short stories when she was 7 years old. She illustrated these stories as well, even though now she admits she can’t draw. Her parents would buy her extra school notebooks to write her stories in and her favourite place to write was under the carport during a rainstorm. She would sit at the picnic table and write for hours during the Midwest summer storms. While still in high school, Serenity had nearly finished writing a full length novel. Unfortunately, the notebook fell out of her backpack during her Junior year (she believes on the bus) and was never found. Devastated, she turned from writing and threw herself into drama. For many years she participated in school musicals and community theater. She even had a very small (uncredited) part in the 2001 Tim Burton film “Planet of the Apes”. She met Burton on the set and said he was “eccentric but very nice”. She also did some modeling in the past few years and continues to pursue that venue as well.
During this time she began writing again for an online RPG game based on the show “La Femme Nikita” (one of her favourite shows of all time). Slowly, she began to have ideas for her own stories again but always found that the middle of the story was missing. She wrote the beginning and left it until her block was defeated. In 2013, Serenity started writing again full force and has two books currently available with another on the way April 1, 2014.
Serenity is the wife of an author. She is mum to 3 boys, currently aged 21, 17 and 2. Serenity graduated from Cerro Coso Community College in 2002 with two Associates Degrees in Social Sciences and Humanities, then went on to graduate in 2005 from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Latin American/Latino Studies. She is a proud Banana Slug and a proud sister of Sigma Pi Alpha Sorority. In the little free time she has between family and writing, she enjoys gardening, reading, crafting things, henna art, and watching such shows as “Burn Notice”, “Covert Affairs”, “Warehouse 13″, “Law & Order SVU”, “Touch”, “Kitchen Nightmares” and others.
Now let’s get to the INTERVIEW!!!!
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
A little? Ok, I’ll try, ha ha. I’m the wife of an author and mum to three boys. I have degrees in Social Sciences, Humanities, Psychology and Latin American Studies. I’m a Banana Slug through and through (UC Santa Cruz!). I’m part Calo (Gypsy is the well-known word), Zacateco, Scottish and Native American. I love to act and sing, model and write. I edit books on the side. When I’m not doing those things, I love family time, gardening and henna art
2. When and why did you start writing?
I started writing when I was seven. I have no idea why except to say I felt creative one day and just picked up a pencil!
3. What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book?
During their junior year of college, best friends Krizi and Kenzie suddenly find themselves in the middle of a mystery!
4. Was there an event or a person that inspired the creation of this book?
I would have to say that my numerous paranormal experiences throughout my life contributed, but I can’t pinpoint a specific event or person that inspired it.
5. Under what genre does your book fall?
This book (and the subsequent books in the series) falls under Paranormal Mystery/Crime
6. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I would choose Phoebe Tonkin to play Krizi, Emma Stone for Kenzie, I’m not sure who would play Scott, still working on that. Liam Neeson as Ira, Nathan Fillion as Badger (funny innit, Browncoats?), Bruce Campbell as Hatchett, Chris Meloni as Elian, Jeffrey Donovan as Dodge. (Don’t worry if you read the book and don’t know who half of them are, some aren’t introduced until later books, but I figure if one is made into a film, then all of them should be!). There are other characters, but I’m still thinking on them as well.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I would say it took about 6 months. I started on it before my second book was done… I had an idea and had to go with it… then put it on the back burner to finish the second book. Once that book was released, I went back to this one.
8. Will this book be the first of a series or is it a stand-alone?
This is the first of a five book series. While some of the events are solved within this book, others are not, so I would highly encourage readers to follow up with the other books when they come out.
9. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Both. I’m pretty meticulous in my planning, but when something comes up I just go with it for a while.
10. Do you have a favorite character in this book?
No. I just can’t decide!
11. How did you come up with the title for this book?
My husband and I were brainstorming for the title of this and the second book (which there is already an outline) and I said I wanted something legal-sounding. I don’t remember which of us said it, but Acquittal was put out there and I went with it.
12. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Gosh, I don’t know. I haven’t had time to read for a while (sadness!) and I’m not sure I’ve recently read an actual paranormal mystery… I’m a big mystery buff and love crime novels, but it’s been a while for a combo paranormal + mystery.
13. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I have unique characters, but when it comes down to it, I think they are very relatable. There’s also just a smidgen of romance that just *might* be explored more in later books. *wink*
Honestly I can’t wait to read this tale. I hope our readers here will enjoy it as well!
If anyone here will like to be interviewed about their creative workings please let me know! 😀 I really enjoy seeing all the different ways that we come up with our art, music, and writings!
