INTERVIEW ~PERFECT RAGE~ BY NASHODA ROSE
Synopsis
This is Connor's story. Unstable. Unpredictable. Consumed by perfect rage. I was fighting who I’d become and what I’d done. There was nothing I cared about except her. She was mine. But I’d forgotten her—my shutterbug. And I lost her. Until now. I’d do anything to possess her again. Anything to keep her safe. Protect her against my biggest opponent. The monster. Me.
Interview with Nashoda Rose
An Interview with the magnificent Nashoda Rose regarding her latest release Perfect Rage, book 3 in The Unyielding series.
Dear Nashoda, we are so happy to have you here with us, we are also honored and humbled to have this opportunity to start with.
Thank you so much for having me! I'm thrilled to be here. Do we have a lot to talk about or what? So much is going on right now and I'm excited about everything I have planned! Of course, first comes Connor and he releases today.
1)I'm sure many of the readers already know the basic info of who Nashoda Rose, the author, is… but maybe you could reveal just a little bit more of an insight on who Nashoda Rose, the person, is?
Oh, yeah, of course. Most of you don't know I'm a kick ass, Scar Tracker with an Ink tattoo that can come to life and kick ass with me. But shsh, Scars’ aren't known to humans and I'm supposed to keep it a secret. ;)
2)Is Nashoda, the author, really that different from your inner personality or do you just complement two sides of one coin?
I'm exactly the same person you see on-line and at the signings. Just me, a little shy, okay a lot shy, and living in my books most of the time. And a huge animal lover.
3) What do you like to do in your spare time?
What's spare time? Did I mention that I'm a workaholic? But when I do pull myself away from writing it's to spend time with my horses. They are my Zen.
4) Do you live on a ranch? What is like to lead the life away from the crowds of the big cities? Does the peaceful style improve MORE the inspirational side of a writer OR does it give you MORE space to be reflective on the things you might not have thought about otherwise? Does it distract you in anyway?
I actually live in the big city... like right downtown in the heart of it. I talk so much about my horses that most people think I live on a farm, lol. When I'm stuck or need inspiration I drive to the farm and see my horses. It's here I can clear my head and refocus. When I was a teenager, if I was upset, I ran to the stables and sat with my horse.
5) The background of the stories in your books is always the ranch, the secluded place of peace, therapeutic utopia with animals, is that a personal touch of your own heaven present in your books?
Absolutely. That's exactly it.
6) Lately authors put the playlist of the songs that inspired them through the writing process or are a reflection of the emotion or a situation in their books that characters go/live through …
I know you are a passionate music lover *wink*, I would like to ask you about the song lyrics that went through your mind while writing about Connor? Did you have a hint of a song as a background for Connor already in Perfect Chaos or it came to you solely through the writing of Perfect Rage? Can you share the song?
I didn't have a song for Connor until I wrote Perfect Rage and for the first time, that song shifted after the book was completed. When I wrote the book I listened to 'Ever After' by Marianas Trench repetitively. But when the book was completed, a friend of mine, Lana, told me about another song by Fleurie called 'Hurts like Hell' and it was hauntingly beautiful and reminded me so much of Connor and Alina.
7) About Perfect Rage. It's the third book in the Unyielding series. And so far, we've had the chance to meet a phenomenal pleiad of extraordinary characters. Yet you have started the first book Perfect Chaos with Deck, then in Perfect Ruin, you gave us the mystery that is Kai…
but all the time, in both of those books you implemented the unknown, the alluring, the lingering shattered presence of Connor. He was there in glimpses and yet you made him so ‘visible’ and appealing that now in his own book, you just can't get enough of him.
After this monologue LOL (sorry about that), my actual question is: the process of creating Connor, from book one till book three was it the path you already had in your mind that you would create Connor as we know him now, or have you developed him along the way and build him piece by piece? Can you please describe it, if possible?
Haha great monologue Snow! Connor first appeared in my head long before Perfect Chaos as he was briefly mentioned in my first book 'Torn from You'. I always knew who he was, this fun loving playboy that had an incredibly protective nature and that his family and friends were everything to him. What I didn't know were the details of his story with Alina.
I've mentioned before that I tend to write by the seat of my pants. With the Unyielding series that wasn't possible. I had to know where each book was going and have a plan as it was intricate with all the characters pasts linked with each book and even spilling over into the Tear Asunder series.
Connor has been with me for three years and he's built up in my mind for three years. Maybe that's why I found his story so personal and heartbreaking because he lived inside me for so long.
Most of my books have suspense and action, but with Connor his story was completely emotional. I knew from the start that his book would be different, it had to be, because he took this journey with me through both series.
This may sound odd, but it was as if Connor stood beside me while I wrote each book. He was always watching and waiting and never saying anything. But I felt him. Maybe that's why his story is so emotional.
8) How did you prepare for Connor? Did you research certain psychological aspects or behavioral ones?
Yes. Tons. And as you can imagine, some of it was extremely disturbing.
9) All of your books are filled with such an emotional impact that your words deliver almost on a paten. And then you shake it to the core leaving us helpless and devastated only to bring us the remedy of completion. In Perfect rage, in my opinion, you exceeded in the amount of the emotionally charged situations. Which, for me, was a constant state of vulnerability cause all I could do was gasp in devastation and not even a glimpse of anger or disapproval of Connor's ways of coping. How did you re-live the constant push-pull of the way Connor dealt with the issues? Was is somewhat cathartic? Or was it different for you? How did that affect you during the writing process and after you have finished the book?
Thank you for your words Snow, it's the most beautiful compliment when a reader 'feels' the emotions on the pages.
There were times I had to step away from the story because of the emotional drain it had on me. I Skyped several times with my content editor to refocus and went to visit the horses to find the quiet again. You nailed it with the push-pull. That's exactly what it was, a constant Yo-Yo of emotions as I lived through Connor and Alina. But it was important to write the book like that, being so immersed inside the characters that it was hard to write the next chapter because it’s so painful.
And now, I feel what Connor and Alina do. I don't want to say anything for those who haven't read the book, but the epilogue was cathartic for me. It healed me and is my favorite epilogue I've ever written.
10) I also found Catalina, incredibly strong female character in spite the constant blows on her posture and the situations she was in… where did you find the inspiration for her character? Was she the „outlet“ of the inner strength we all thrive to achieve in spite of all the odds against us in our everyday lives?
God, wouldn’t we all love to have her kind of strength. She was a difficult character for me to find. I didn't know her personally (if you get my meaning) before writing Perfect Rage. But I knew Connor enough that I was confident as to the type of person he'd end up with.
But the details of who she was took a while to develop and I wrote an intense character sketch on her in order find out who this girl really was. The 20 questions game in the book stemmed from her character sketch. I wanted to know the silly things about her. Her story is so intense that the silly things were important to bring me back to the core of who she was before all the bad in her life.
11) I know I have difficulties in choosing who I love more LOL but can you? Who is your favorite character from the Unyielding series? Who is the most close to you? Who did you make the deepest connection with? *wink*
Not fair. I’m usually closest to the character I'm writing at the time and when I was writing Perfect Chaos, I didn't think any hero could surpass Deck. Then I wrote Kai's book and as I said at the end of that book, he held a special place in my heart. Then we have Connor. Damaged broken beautiful Connor who has been with me all along.
Nope not answering that. I love them all. Sorry.
12) Do you consider a continuation in the Unyielding series? I am sure that there are many of us who would LOVE to see more of some of the constant/appearing secondary characters (*cough* Vic, maybe *cough*)
I never say never, but I don't plan on a continuation of the Unyielding series. BUT, I asked to hear from readers at the end of Perfect Rage what character they'd like to know more about. So, if I write another book I'd write it as a standalone, not part of the series even though the character is from Unyielding. And Vic has the most votes so far, lol.
13) What is next to come in your writing schedule?
I'm working on 'Kept from You' the last book in the Tear Asunder series and two other projects I’m keeping a secret for now.
14) Would you like to say something to your fans or to the new followers of your amazing work? Give it a shout!
Yes. Yes. Yes. Every single day I'm honored and humbled by the messages, reviews, posts and comments from readers. I never in my life thought people would read my books let alone fall in love with my characters. There is something so powerful in that because they've seen inside my head. They've felt what I have and that's beautiful.
Thank you is never enough to all those who support me. I'm grateful to each and every one of you.
And Snow, my music sister, thank you so much for all your enthusiasm and kind words. I'm so lucky to have met you!!
The Sirens Book Reviews, and everyone involved with the blog, thank you so much for having me here today. I'm honored to have been asked!
Thank you so much, Nashoda for participating in this interview, it was a pleasure and a fantastic experience that we would hopefully like to repeat again following your next big hit!
*off to fangirl and jump like a loon*
The interview took place on July 25, 2016. under the supervision of The Sirens Book Reviews
About Nashoda Rose
Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it's a tidal wave. When she isn't writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side, while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction--books. Nashoda is a member of Romance Writers of America and is represented by Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group. www.nashodarose.com www.facebook.com/pages/Nashoda.rose www.goodreads.com/author/show/7246093.Nashoda_Rose www.instagram.com/nashodarose/
