• Character Interviews,  Contemporary

    Ella Storm from Crossing the Line by @allyabishop #RLFblog #romance

    Ella Storm from Crossing the Line by @allyabishop #RLFblog #romance
    Interview with Ella Storm
    This interview is designed for your hero or heroine to tell readers
    about himself or herself. Answer the questions as if the character were
    talking.
    Tell us about yourself,
    please.
    Hi! I’m Ella. I live in Brooklyn, New York with my brother Noah—long
    story. We own a mystery dinner theater company together, and we’re finally
    (finally!) getting some higher-end clientele. I’m super nervous and excited
    about that.
    Authors call what you want
    but cannot have “the conflict” — what is yours?
    Um. Hm. I suck at dating? Seriously. I can’t seem to get myself out
    there. Lux (my brother’s BFF and my friend as well) and Noah go out on the
    town. All. The. Time. But the idea of hanging out at bars, going home with
    someone just because he’s attractive? Not my thing. Totally fine if it’s your
    thing! But I can’t get into it.
    What can you not do (but
    need to do) during this story?
    I can’t figure out who I am. I like structure, deadlines, and
    schedules. And when I meet Ian…he changes everything.
    What inner doubt causes
    you the most difficulty?
    I was almost engaged to a guy in college, and I thought…well, I guess
    we all think we’ve met “the one,” right? Jonathan was handsome and funny, super
    smart in that cool way. But I should have known better—he wanted to be the star
    in any relationship. And he did a number on me. I can’t seem to get past that.
    In the story world your
    author created, explain what it is you fear most and why.
    Wow. Ask a personal question, eh? I guess…I want to believe Ian likes
    me as much as I like him. But how’s that even possible? Especially once I learn
    who he is?
    Tell us about your
    significant other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
    Ian Crane. He’s a lawyer and crazy sexy in that just-a-little-mussed
    way. We’re leagues apart though, and I’m not sure if this can work.
    What would that person say
    about you?
    Ian would say I’m beautiful and brilliant and perfect. :sigh:
    What is your family like?
    I don’t have much family. My brother and I were raised by our
    grandparents after our parents were killed in a car accident when we were
    teens. Other than that, Lux is who we count as family.
    What special skills do you
    rely on?
    I write all of our mysteries, organize the events and moving parts, while
    Noah does the business end of things: invoicing, tracking, etc. I’m also
    starting to get into scrapbooking (but don’t say anything to Noah about it—I’ll
    never live it down).
    If someone from your past
    showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?
    Jonathan. He hurt something in me that’s still pretty broken.
    Why are you happy (or not
    happy) with the way your story ended?
    :grins: I can’t give that away! You have to read to find out. ;)
    About the Writer
    When you do something effortlessly
    and people commend you continuously, you have found your gift.
    That’s what I tell people all the
    time. And it’s true.
    I get story. I always have. I
    started writing when I was eight on a Smith Corona (the electronic kind — I’m
    not THAT old). I wrote stories in every spiral notebook I had. Eventually, I
    graduated to a Mac (yes, I’m one of THOSE people). I imagined new worlds,
    emotional conflicts, and HEAs while I waited at stoplights or wandered the
    grocery store. But here’s the thing: I didn’t just dream it up and write it
    down — I critiqued what I read. I knew when ideas were good, and when they
    stunk. I ran writing groups, judged creative contests, and eventually got two
    graduate degrees in writing. That’s right: I love it that much.
    So here I am, years later, writing
    kickass heroines and devastating good guys, along with some mystery and
    vampires thrown in (I promise: THEY’RE COMING). And what’s really cool? I do
    what I love. Wanna write a success story for your life: I promise you, that’s
    it. Do what you love. And hopefully, you can make a living at it too. That’s
    the golden ticket, Charlie.
    And chocolate doesn’t hurt,
    either…
    What
    was your biggest challenge in writing this book?
    When I originally wrote Inside the Lines, I had
    no intention of writing a book about Ella and Noah. When readers asked to learn
    more about the Storm siblings, I figured, what the heck? But when I sat down to
    write the book, I had no idea what Ella’s story was. Enter creative writing and
    outlining. :) Thankfully, Ella was perfectly content to do what she wanted,
    whether or not I liked it. And Noah’s always a little contrary.
    Why
    did you choose this character for the interview today?
    Ella’s the main female lead in Crossing the
    Line. What I personally like about Ella is that she’s very sweet—everyone loves
    Ella. But she’s not a pushover. Even when things go wrong in her life, she may
    not want to deal with them, but she does. And she’s perfectly capable of taking
    care of herself, with or without a man.
    When
    writing the book, what did you discover about this character that surprised
    you?
    Ella’s pretty sturdy—and I knew that. But she
    also has a breaking point, like everyone else. Seeing her and Noah at odds
    wasn’t what I expected, but I think you get a better feel for why Ella has
    evolved the way she has. And hopefully, it offers a clue to what Noah’s hangups
    are for his future story.
    Are
    any sequels planned for this book?
    Crossing the Line is a prequel to Inside the
    Lines, the first book of the Without a Trace series, which follows Lux and her
    sisters. The third book in the series, Tracing the Line, will be released in
    August 2015.
    What
    genre(s) would you like to write that you haven’t tried yet?
    I’m currently working on two paranormal series,
    so we’ll see how those pan out. :)
    What
    would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
    I never ever thought I’d write romance. My
    background is in literary writing, and I’ve worked in the publishing field and
    edited literary works for years now. But when an opportunity arose to write
    steamy romance, I couldn’t resist the challenge. And I’ve had a blast.
    Why
    should readers who haven’t picked up one of your books before give this one a
    try?
    Oo, good question! Let’s see.
    1. My focus for every book is to make sure the
    characters have authentic problems that real people have, that they have flaws
    that make them human, and that I honor the romance genre with the content. So
    if you enjoy romance and you like to feel as though the characters you reach
    could be friends of yours, then this book is for you.
    2. I write steamy romance…so you won’t have to
    look far for some heat in any book I write. ;)
    3. I explore something different with each book,
    including mental illness, the realities of kinky sensuality, and diverse
    characters with different backgrounds. This book’s a great start to see if
    you’ll enjoy my style.
    Is
    there anything you’d like to say to your readers?
    Thank you so much for reading, and for giving me
    the encouragement to continue the series! I’ve had a blast hearing your
    feedback, and I appreciate your willingness to take a chance on my series.
    Without you, authors have no purpose—so thank you for loving the written word.
    <3
    About the Book
    Title Crossing the Line
    Genre Erotic romance
    Author Ally Bishop
    Book heat level (based on
    movie ratings): R
    I’ve never believed in love at
    first sight, which is probably why I write mysteries, and not romances, for a
    living. Besides, I’m too focused on expanding Elementary, a mystery dinner
    party business I own with my brother Noah. I don’t have time for romance.
    When the handsome and successful
    Ian Crane books our services, I can barely keep my wits about me. He’s setting
    fire to all my rules, and I can’t resist his flames. I don’t recognize the
    woman I’m becoming, but I don’t want to go back to who I was.
    There’s a part of me that can’t
    help wondering, what if he’s too good to be true? Because if he is, my heart
    will be nothing more than ashes.
    Heat rating: Toasty warm, with
    plenty of flames
    Buy This Book
    Amazon http://bit.ly/xingtheline
    Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/xingthelineBN
    CreateSpace http://bit.ly/xingtheline
    Author Social Media
    Website http://allybishop.com
    Blog http://allybishop.com
    Amazon Author Page http://bit.ly/aabishop