Shannah Biondine

Welcome to our spotlight of Shannah Biondine

Below is an interview I had with Shannah Biondine.

You will be able to read about Shannah Biondine and get to know a little about her through this interview. At the bottom of the page is a book cover of one of her books and a list of her books published and soon to be published. Click the title to find a review of that book.

Due to a busy schedule I was unable to post this interview for quite a few months after the original date. Since that time Shannah Biondine has won an Eppie for SHADOW IN STARLIGHT

THE INTERVIEW

CarolCastellanos: Hi, How are you?

Shannah: I'm good Carol.

CarolCastellanos: What genres do you write?

Shannah: My books have been primarily romances, although one is truly a blend of romance and fantasy. I've also written a few short stories. These were science fiction and erotica.

CarolCastellanos: What genres would you like to write?

Shannah: I'm really happy with where I am as a writer, but in the best of all worlds, I'd want to create some big mainstream novel.

CarolCastellanos: Where do you get your ideas?

Shannah:Everywhere. From real life (I love a good story or anecdote and file away those other people tell me), from my historical research, other fiction stories, the media. Ideas are all around us every day. The simplest thing can be the kernel for a good storyline.

CarolCastellanos: Do you pattern your characters after any real people?

Shannah: Oh yes. Many of them are amalgams of people I've actually known-in terms of looks or quirky habits or mental outlook. Then some of them are just amazing imaginary people who live in my head. I've dreamt them, yet I know them almost better than the real people around me.

CarolCastellanos: What authors do you admire?

Shannah: Judith McNaught, Linda Howard, Karen Robards, Iris Johansen, Megan Chance

CarolCastellanos:What authors do you read?

Shannah: I've read everything by the people I listed, but so many others, I can't keep count. You have to understand that I've been avidly reading romance for 20 years. There aren't many midlist authors I haven't read, and I like to test out new voices. I also read some of the other e-published authors and have found several I recommend: Gail Kennedy, Sheri McGathy, Tina Estep, Megan Sybil Baker, Jeff Strand. There's a lot of new talent out there, not all of it affiliated with big New York publishing houses.

CarolCastellanos: What genres do you read?

Shannah: Well, romance will probably remain in first place forever. Within that, I read nearly every subgenre from Regencies to contemporary and romantic suspense. I also like horror, fantasy/sci-fi, historical fiction, a good mystery several times a month. I'm still an avid reader, finishing about 25 books in an average month.

CarolCastellanos: What other genres do you see yourself writing?

Shannah:I've been tempted to write a contemporary thriller under a different pen name. I may pursue that story one day.

CarolCastellanos: What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?

Shannah:It's taken me a lot of years to go from struggling to finish that first book to seeing it released. In my mind's eye, I'll be a better-known author with contracts requiring several books a year. Busier, with more promotion and more deadlines.

CarolCastellanos: Do you see yourself ever not writing?

Shannah: As much as I'd like to say absolutely no, I'll always want to do this, I have to be truthful. I lost confidence once and stopped. It's a weakness I have to be vigilant about, or I can see where that could happen again. The knocks are hard; while it can be a matter of luck to become a phenomenal success, no one gets there without determination and perseverance. Failure's just too easy. Always standing there next to you.

CarolCastellanos: What books do you have planned in the near future?

Shannah: I'm working on a ghost historical set in San Francisco. I also have sketches for a humorous Western historical and the synopsis drafted for two paranormals with angels or "guardian spirits" meddling into human events.

CarolCastellanos: How did you get started writing?

Shannah: I read and read, hundreds of books. I was reading adult fiction at the age of 12 and 13. I'd done well in English composition and creative writing classes. Eventually the desire to attempt a novel just took over and I had to sit at my word processor.

CarolCastellanos: What age were you when you started to write?

Shannah:I penned some pretty decent short stories in my late teens, had a couple chosen for high school anthologies. I didn't attempt my first book until I was about 30.

CarolCastellanos:When is your next book due?

Shannah:LTDBooks is releasing SHADOW IN STARLIGHT at the end of March. That's the fantasy romance I mentioned. A very different story, melding the core of a sensual romance with paranormal elements and the "epic saga" plotline more commonly found in works of high fantasy.

CarolCastellanos: Was there any author or authors who helped you get your start in writing, or helped you break into the field?

Shannah: I took a wonderful class with Margaret Brownley, and I've gone to workshops given by Maureen Child, Rebecca Forster, and lots of other romance authors through RWA. My voice is my own, but I learned things like pacing and structure, character and story development from listening to them.

CarolCastellanos: What do you feel makes your books unique or stand out from others in your genre?

Shannah: They're fairly complicated, in terms of plot. I don't like huge casts of characters, but I like a storyline with some surprises along the way so the reader can't guess by Chapter Four exactly how the book will turn out. I like to unveil my characters a little at a time, the way we get to know people in real life, drawing things out rather than summing them up right off the bat

CarolCastellanos: What made you choose the genres you write?

Shannah: The very first romance I ever read was a historical by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Before that, I'd favored horror novels and shied away from anything with a pink, too-sweet cover. But that book blew me away, and historicals have been doing that ever since. Lately, though, I'm blending paranormal elements into the stories because they're a lot more fun.

CarolCastellanos: Do you have a special subgenre?

Shannah: Right now vampires.. .but I really want to do more dragons.

CarolCastellanos: Do you have a favorite place you like to write?

Shannah: In my writing room.. luxury of luxuries. Now we have an empty nest I finally have that 'Room of my Own".

CarolCastellanos: In what order do you write? For example starting beginning to end, combining parts, in random order or in development cycle?

Shannah: I start at the beginning, go on to the end then stop. Let it sit awhile and then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.

CarolCastellanos: Do you feel that the e-books afford authors a bit more freedom of expression in their books?

Shannah: Yes, I do. Seems epublishers are open to the "odd" books, paranormals, science fiction romance, historical time periods the big publishers won't touch... books that cross genres, or ones like Southern Song with "unacceptable' plot elements. It has a subplot of teenage alcoholism.

CarolCastellanos: What do you feel is, or isn't being done to promote authors?

Shannah: Not enough. I think we'd all like our publishers to spend more promoting us but this is reality, not a dreamworld. The harsh truth is that authors have to do a lot themselves.

CarolCastellanos: Do you feel that the marketing departments have their finger on the pulse of readers?

Shannah: No. but I don't think they see that as a priority marketing department are out to sell as many books as possible and the easiest way to do that is to sell great quantities of a few books.. not to sell a wide variety of books to meet readers tastes.

CarolCastellanos: How do you feel about review rating systems?

Shannah: When I get a high rating I think they are great Seriously though, I think it's a flawed way of doing it... A careful well-written review, pointing out strengths and weaknesses and giving a brief introductory synopsis is far more help to a reader looking for something to read.

CarolCastellanos: Through what venues do you feel most of your books are being sold?

Shannah: Not sure... need to see my next royalty statement to be certain but at a guess, I'd say Amazon, my publisher and Bookaholics... not necessarily in that order.

CarolCastellanos: What do you feel is the best part of the publishing industry?

Shannah: Writing the books without a doubt! Meeting readers at book signings and conferences comes a very close second.

CarolCastellanos: What do you feel needs to be changed about the industry?

Shannah: I'd like to see more attention being paid to what readers SAY they want.. instead of what publishers THINK will sell.

CarolCastellanos: Do you think small press and e-books will be the wave of the future?

Shannah: I think they are already making a pretty good ripple... and no, they won't change the way the conglomerates do business but I do think they are getting attention. Look how many of the New York publishers are now putting out electronic versions of their big authors. Harlequin are reissuing the defunct Shadows books.. could it be they've noticed readers going to small presses like Imajin, Avid and Hard Shell? When ebook readers come down in price the way pocket calculators did, I can see the sale of reasonably-priced ebooks taking off. I'm not so sure of the ones that sell for the price of a hard back.

Recent Or Upcoming Shannah Biondine titles:

IMPASSIONED STRANGER ISBN 1-38608-274-4 Humorous Historical Romance IMPASSIONED VAGABOND ISBN #1-58608-467-4 HISTORICAL ROMANCE SHADOW IN STARLIGHT Available from LTD Books in pdf format HELL'S BELLE Available at Puff Ader Books CACHET Available at Synerge Books in various formats