DANA PRATOLA ~ Author

Today we welcome Nona King         - talented author and great friend   There are some questions I just HAD to ask her! Here's what she had to say....

You have a magic box under your bed – magic because it can hold any size items. This one contains 3 of your most prized possessions. What’s in the box?

EXCELLENT question. My nook. My laptop. And my favorite pen and journal.

Many writers think of writing a novel long before they actually do it. Was there something that pushed you to finally get it started?

To be perfectly honest, I started writing ‘Searching for Sara’ as a sequel to ‘Broken Angel’. In it, I killed the heroine from B.A. and gave the grieving hero a new love interest. I had a dream of the hero grieving over his beloved’s limp body and wanted to expand on that image, to explore the agony and what it would take to heal a broken heart. I couldn’t help but start writing these vivid images in my head.

Being a woman, do you have a hard time “being” the hero?

It depends on the hero, to be honest. I remember one particular hero - Munwar Meek - didn’t want to speak to me about his inner-most desires. I was forced to flounder my way through until I sat him down - in my imagination - and assured him the readers wouldn’t think any less of him by what he told me.

But, honestly, I’ve always had an easier time relating to men than women. Having two brothers might have helped with that. Of course, I’ve also had more male friends than women, which gives me great resources to make certain I don’t write men like wilting daisies.

Would you consider your writing style more of a designer or a builder? Meaning do you give your stories plenty of room to unfold their own way naturally, or do you build them one step at a time?

Definitely a designer. Yes, nowadays I do write more from an outline than I used to, but I always view the outline as a guideline rather than a rule. The characters are the ones in power, because it’s their life and happiness I’m writing.

As a reader, what draws you into a story?

For me it is always the characters and how they are presented. If I don’t click with them, it’s agony to continue reading. I must care about them or there is no reason for me to turn the page.

What’s the most unusual thing in your purse? 

The most unusual thing in my purse? A single earring. I can’t find it’s mate, but I don’t want to lose it.

Have you ever written a character and realized, oops, I know that person.

Not really, no. I have gone into a novel knowing that I was going to be inspired by a person’s character traits, but I have never been surprised by a sudden realization. I’ll let you know when that happens!

If you could re-write any classic book, or re-tell any story, which would it be and why?

You mean we don’t do that already? I figure every rags to riches story is basically a re-telling of the classic Cinderella story, and every star-crossed lovers tale is a re-telling of Romeo & Juliet or Jane Eyre. There have been so many fairy tales and classic pieces in our history that we cannot help but be inspired and motivated by the passion and conviction within their pages. I don’t know about you, but when I read a book or watch a movie that elicits a hurricane of emotions within, I want to try and recreate that in a new tale.

Thank you for letting me spend this time with you and your readers!

ABOUT NONA KING

Nona King is an independent writing professional for Angel Breath Books. She has dedicated herself to writing true-to-life characters, be they villain or hero, so readers can experience life and its many passions. All her stories focus on faith, honor, and the importance of communication and trust in our relationships with others.

ABOUT SEARCHING FOR SARA   

Sara Little has ached to live in America. But being born of a single mother in London’s working class, she could only dream. Drawn to the possibility of a new beginning, she follows God’s whisper into the unknown. But more awaits than the realization of her dreams. Caught in the whirlwind of debuts and dinner parties, she has fallen in love with the one man she believes doesn’t deserve.

Searching for Sara: nonaking.com/searching-for-sara/

Fiction: www.NonaKing.com

Blog: www.WordObsession.net

Amazon: amazon.com/author/nonaking

Barnes & Noble: barnesandnoble.com/c/nona-king

Smashwords: smashwords.com/profile/view/nonaking