Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.
Hey all! I’m Elissa Daye. I wear several author hats at the moment as my alter ego Melissa Davis and new pen coming soon Missy Davis who will write sweet contemporary romance, not Daye’s brand at all. I believe we all have stories to tell inside us and sometimes we don’t get to pick what they are, which is why I write EVERYTHING instead of sticking with one thing. It can get confusing after awhile, especially when you switch back and forth from one voice to another, but it sure keeps me hopping.
When you are writing a book, which is harder? The first book in the series or the others after it?
I would say the first book in the series is usually the hardest. It’s also the one you continually want to go back and change or add more to. There are things you don’t think about until the second or third book in, but if we constantly look back we’ll never move forward. Setting up the world in the first book, especially if you write paranormal, that can be exhausting. And when you add more to your world, you have to keep a running record of your rules governing your world, and all of the things that came before. It’s fun though. I like to keep a folder per book and keep all the important info from that book in one spot.
What comes first? The plot or characters
I would say a plot idea comes first, but then I find my characters who often have ideas of their own as we get into the storyline. I tend to follow them wherever they lead me.
What author would you love to meet (Who is your unicorn author)?
Anne Rice. Not just because she is an amazing author, but I feel she fights for any author, even those of us who are less traditionally published. I would want to spend whatever time I can just soaking in her brilliance.
If you could ask that author three questions about their writing, writing process, or books, what would they be?
What inspires you? How often does your muse keep you up at night? How hard was it to be a trend setter and write erotica when it was so taboo? Nowadays it’s everywhere.
What is harder? The blurb writing, naming the book, or naming the series.
Blurb writing. I still don’t have it down. It’s an art form that escapes me sometimes. That back matter, it’s everything. It helps draw readers in and it’s so hard to do that in just a few paragraphs when your entire book has so much more in it. You also don’t want to give your entire plot away in the blurb either.
What is your favorite memory so far as an author?
It’s actually a recurring one. It happens every year I get to meet with fans at a book signing. I love talking to people about my books. I love hearing what they love to read and seeing the joy they have for all the books. There’s nothing like watching people drag carts of books around the room, each one lovingly picked out and stored in a special place in their homes. Their love for us, it’s amazing and it keeps us motivated to not let them down.
What is your definition of success?
Most people might thing making a best seller list is a measure of success. For me I’ve learned that lists are like unicorns. I feel the most impact I have is when I have made someone feel something about my story. I have had a few people toss at least one of my books across the room. I’ve had some in tears, and also have been told what pages some of them mark to come back to later. *wink wink* You know who you are!
What are your social links?
@daenira,
https://www.facebook.com/elissadaye
What are your buy links?