Dark Legends Block Party!

G.K. De Rosa

Featured Book: Wilder: The Guardian Series

Hi all! I have to start off by saying I'm so glad this isn't an in-person interview or else you'd be seeing the huge bags under my eyes from all the sleepless nights I've been currently having. Nope it's not from spending hours at the computer writing – I like to think of them as my new mom badges of courage J I thought writing was hard until I had a baby! So there's a little bit about my personal life and now onto the fun bookish stuff.

How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?

Technically speaking I'm pretty new to writing as I just wrote my first novel, Wilder in 2015. But when I was younger I used to love my Literature and English classes and wrote many essays, short stories, poems, etc. not to mention I did a ton of reading. I guess I got back into writing when I moved to NYC and started a restaurant review blog – food is my other passion J It reminded me how much I loved writing and then when I moved back to Florida (my hometown), I felt the creative juices flowing and decided to write a novel. It was really on a whim, I just sat down at my laptop and started typing.

How did you come up with this storyline?

I've always been a fan of YA novels so that was a given, and I'm a total romantic at heart so there had to be some cute love story. Then coupled with my fascination of all supernatural TV shows, the idea for Wilder was born. I grew up watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer (tv show, not movie), Angel, and Charmed then got into The Vampire Diaries and True Blood. I'm a huge TVD fan and love the Elena and Damon storyline which is where I got a lot of inspiration for Celeste and (*spoiler*). But I didn't want Celeste to just be some powerless girl, I wanted her to be the kick-butt heroine.

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

The best is definitely the ability to get lost in your imagination. It's such a cathartic experience to create characters and worlds that are instilled with bits and pieces of your own life. The worst is probably the editing! Going back over and over again until it's perfect – which we all know it never is.

What inspires you to write?

My over-active 15 year old imagination. It's just so much fun for me and I absolutely love it!

How did you conduct your research for Wilder: The Guardian Series?

Luckily I didn't have to do much research for Wilder. That's the beauty of fantasy, it doesn't have to be based on anything real. I was quite familiar with the vampire folklore and I added a few twists here and there. The Guardian mythology was also something I created so again not much research involved. In subsequent books in the series my main characters travel to various European locations that I've visited so again it's all from my personal experiences.

What are 3 of your favorite quotes from Wilder: The Guardian Series?

Ooh that's a tough one! The most popular quote according to my readers is:

~ "Roman inhaled deeply as she walked in, her scent intoxicating. He could hear her heart racing and the blood pumping through her veins."

And here are two of my favorites – of course they're lovey dovey ones:

~ "You are the one that needs to be careful Roman. You are falling in love with her."

~ "She smiled looking into his deep blue eyes feeling as though she were being swallowed up inside of them – wanting to be."

More Favorites from Wilder: The Guardian Series:

A favorite excerpt:

Finally, she found the romance novel she wanted, the newest one from the series she had been obsessing over, and made her way to the checkout desk. She turned the corner and abruptly collided with someone. She dropped the book, which slapped against the marble floor with a disconcertingly loud thud, echoing through the cavernous room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she blurted, without looking up as she bent down to pick it up. As she stood back up, her heart skipped a beat. Before her stood a towering, well-built young man with wavy, raven hair, chiseled jaw, and eyes as blue as the summer sky. Celeste felt her cheeks grow hot. Embarrassed, she flushed even redder.

"No problem. Sorry, I should have been watching where you were going, I guess," the stranger said, eyes twinkling.

Looking into those deep blue eyes, Celeste was completely at a loss for words. She watched helplessly as he walked away, disappearing further into the library.

What would your friends say is your best quality?

Probably my perpetually happy personality. I'm generally smiling and an easy going person. I love to laugh and have fun. Why spend your life being so serious all the time?

Are reader reviews important to you?

Absolutely! As an author it's the only way to get feedback from your readers. Sometimes reviews can be harsh, but that's how you become a better writer.

What do you do when you don't write?

I watch way too many TV shows! Well let me backtrack, I used to anyway. Now that I have a three month old, I spend every waking moment with him. I also have a German shepherd who was my first baby – our fur baby if you will and I love going on walks with him and my husband or sitting on the balcony in the sun.

Tell us about your other books?

I finished the entire Guardian Series in July. There are 4 books in total – Wilder, Wilder Destiny, Wilder Revelation and Wilder Legacy plus a novella Finding Wilder. Writing the last book was bitter sweet, I didn't want it to end. The characters became like family to me and not writing about them anymore made me sad. And so I've decided to start on a spin-off series in the next few months. I'm super excited!

If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers to know what would it be?

This is just a little something fun – as I mentioned I'm a huge Vampire Diaries fan and I totally love Ian Somerhalder (my husband is totally not jealous), who plays Damon Salvatore. So my friend and I went to a TVD convention right before I published Wilder and I brought a copy to give to Ian as a gift since it was his character and show that inspired my book. He was such a sweetheart and was really appreciative when I gave it to him and he asked me to sign it for him. So my first signature as an author was to Ian Somerhalder! And we even took pictures with him and Wilder

Thank you for this great interview and a huge thank you to all of my Wilder fans out there. Writing Wilder was the most fun I've ever had and the fact that I am now able to make a career out of it is incredible. It's proof that you can really love what you do. So everyone out there, follow your dreams and work hard and they'll become a reality. And of course go buy the Dark Legends collection – there are so many amazing authors and stories that you won't want to miss out on!

Blurb:

All that Celeste Wilder ever wanted was to find someone who would sweep her off her feet like she had seen in countless romantic movies. When she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Constantin brothers her senior year of high school, she gets much more than what she had bargained for. As they introduce her to an exciting supernatural world that she never imagined existed, she makes a startling discovery about her own family legacy and is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever.

Excerpt:

Finally, she found the romance novel she wanted, the newest one from the series she had been obsessing over, and made her way to the checkout desk. She turned the corner and abruptly collided with someone. She dropped the book, which slapped against the marble floor with a disconcertingly loud thud, echoing through the cavernous room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she blurted, without looking up as she bent down to pick it up. As she stood back up, her heart skipped a beat. Before her stood a towering, well-built young man with wavy, raven hair, chiseled jaw, and eyes as blue as the summer sky. Celeste felt her cheeks grow hot. Embarrassed, she flushed even redder.

"No problem. Sorry, I should have been watching where you were going, I guess," the stranger said, eyes twinkling.

Looking into those deep blue eyes, Celeste was completely at a loss for words. She watched helplessly as he walked away, disappearing further into the library.