Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Name of author: Monica Sanz/DistantDreamer
Title of Book: The Awkward Love Song of Abigail Archer
Favorite Authors: The Bronte Sisters, Jane Austen, Maria V Snyder, Jennifer Armentrout
Bio: I'm a YA author addicted to writing heartbreaking romances (with happy endings!) When not lost in one of my many made-up worlds, I can be found on the sunny beaches of South Florida where I live with my hubby and our three kiddos or scouring YouTube for new bands to feed my music addiction.
Can you explain what your book is all about?
The Awkward Love Song of Abigail Archer is about Marcus Kent, a tortured soul collector who arrives to collect Abigail Archer's soul, only to find her waiting for him. Abigail wants to die, but Marcus refuses to take her soul as she reminds him of his fiancée whose death haunts him. They form a strange relationship and slowly breathe life into one another. But Marcus has broken his deal with Death by not taking Abigail's soul, and he can't escape the consequences.
Who is your target audience - and why?
Teens, adults, female, male—anyone who enjoys a heartbreaking, character driven romance.
What is 'paranormal' about your story?
It deals with soul collectors and Death, with a dash of angels and demons.
Does it contain other genre elements, if so which ones - and why?
There is romance in the book because, well, it's romance! That's my weakness, and so most (all) of my stories deal with romance in one way or another.
Tell us about your writing process - how do you get from story idea to a Wattpad published story?
A story will usually pop into my head as either a bunch of scattered scenes or a snippet of dialogue. Based on the scenes/dialogue, I compile a playlist that matches the mood of the story and will listen to the songs over and over, allowing the story to develop in my head. I'll jot down whatever comes to mind, digging deeper until I understand the character's journey. Once I know what they want, I'll loosely outline and start writing. I like to fast draft--write without worrying about any plot holes or errors. I focus on those during revisions/edits. Fast drafting is all about getting the story down. When finished, I'll go back and flesh out the story until the first draft is complete. That's followed by a few rounds of revisions and edits. What goes on Wattpad though is either the rough draft or the first draft.
Did you encounter any challenges when writing, if so - how did you overcome them?
Plot bunnies! Or as ELatimer calls it, the Shiny New Idea Syndrome. When a new idea pops into my head, it really messes with my concentration. The best way I've found to overcome this is to not fight it. I make a separate file for whatever this new idea is and whenever another scene pops into my head, I jot it down, set it aside, and go back to work on my WIP. If I ignore it, it'll only keep bugging me. By writing it down, I appease it, and I won't forget it in case it's something I want to work on later.
You often hear that 'writing well' is the baseline for success. What does that mean for you?
Having a good grasp of whatever language you're writing it and its rules will make it easier for readers to understand what you're trying to convey through your story.
One final question, this being the Paranormal genre: Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
I've had my share of strange things happen. Maybe I'll write about them one day ;)
