Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.
My name is Vivian Ward and I’m a bookaholic, chocoholic, wine-loving wife, mom, friend, and romance writer. I’m a full-time writer but when I’m not writing, I’m usually cooking, cleaning, helping the kids with homework, or playing with our two dogs.
My grandma was a huge influence in my life, and I owe everything to her. She taught me to always shoot for the stars and to stay in school. Because of her, I am strong and independent, which is how I write my heroines. My favorite color is purple, and my hometown is St. Louis. You will always see these two things in every book that I write.
I love meeting new people and try to make friends everywhere I go. I will never give up writing because my stories are my life. I love conjuring up interesting characters and unique situations. I also like hearing from my readers, so if you’re reading this, DROP ME A LINE AND SAY HI!
When and Why did you start to write?
I actually went to medical school but before I could graduate, I found out that I was pregnant and was about six months along when I finished school. Family always come first, so I looked for alternative ways to use my medical knowledge and started writing medical articles for LIVESTRONG.com (under a pseudonym). When my contract ended, I was sad because I loved writing but, unfortunately, they could not renew it.
I began writing short stories. Okay, I’ll be honest. I wrote SEXY short stories FOR my husband. He FLOVED them! He encouraged me to keep writing (what guy wouldn’t?), so I did and I had a lot of fun with it!
I didn’t start publishing on Amazon until 2013 and when I did, I published short, erotic stories. Around 2015, I decided to try my hand at longer works because I wanted to write romance novels, but I was scared. My sexy shorts (that’s what I called my short stories) sold like hot cakes, but romance novels? It was intimidating. There is some SERIOUS competition out there!
I bought HUNDREDS of dollars of reference books. Some old, some new. I studied and read, for almost three months straight. I did TONS of research and felt like I was back in college. It still wasn’t enough, so I watched so many videos and downloaded plot sheets. I must’ve sat at the kitchen table for hours and hours every week as I practiced plotting before I finally published my first novel.
Writing longer works was definitely a challenge, but I’m so glad that I forced myself to step up to the next level. I believe that writing is a very rewarding career.
What authors do you always read or suggest to others?
I read a wide range of authors, and recommendations vary based on what my friends/readers are looking for. My favorite contemporary romance book is Arsen: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher. My favorite dark romance book (right now) is Sick Fux by Tillie Cole. Believe it or not, I like reading Amish romance stories, too, but those aren’t my “favorite” or “go to”. Those are nice when I’m in a book hangover after my dark romance characters are put through the ringer.
I also like reading dystopians, thrillers (Gone Girl is my FAVE!), autobiographies and books about cults (don’t judge…..they fascinate the hell out of me). I’m sure that I’m probably forgetting other genres that I read, but I mostly read romance.
What is the most surprising thing you have found out with the writing process?
What I find surprising is that I can write until the minute I sit down to do my blurb. Words cease to exist in my vocabulary when it comes time to write a catchy description that captivates readers and pulls them in.
Other than that, I’ve found ways to tighten up my writing, which I’m always working on. It’s not an easy task. There are some authors who think of (and remember!) everything in their book. I can’t tell you how many times my characters start off with honey-colored eyes and end up with jaded gems.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working The Risky Series. It’s a trilogy and the second book is due at the end of March and the last installment is due at the end of April.
When writing are you a pantser or plotter?
A little of both. I like to somewhat plot to get an idea of where the story is headed but I find that if I plot the entire book, I get very bored with the story, I feel like my characters are limited, and I lose interest because I feel “confined” like I have to write it “just like this.”
I prefer to let my characters take me on THEIR journey, just as long as we hit those key points. It’s okay if they don’t like each other for a minute. It’s okay if they changed some of the storyline or setting. I’d rather be truly creative and let the story flow as I write it, and tighten it up during editing.
What are your social links?
Facebook➡ https://www.facebook.com/authorvivianward
Facebook Fan Page➡ https://www.facebook.com/authorvivian
Fan Group➡ https://www.facebook.com/groups/viviansvoyeurs
Twitter➡ https://twitter.com/AuthorVivian
Goodreads➡ https://www.goodreads.com/authorvivian
Newsletter💌 newsletter.authorvivianward.com
Pinterest➡ www.pinterest.com/authorvivianwar/
Amazon Author Page➡ www.amazon.com/author/vivianward
BookBub➡ https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vivian-ward
Booksprout➡ https://booksprout.co/author/995/vivian-ward
What are your buy links?
Amazon Author Page➡ www.amazon.com/author/vivianward
Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than sixty novels. For nearly twenty years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.