Indie Spotlight #4: Saluki

Posted by Saluki in Author Spotlight | 1 comment

Welcome to another interview in our Indies Interview Series. We hope you are loving them, and maybe finding some new stories to tickle your fancy. Today we bring you #4 in the series:

Interview with Saluki, author of Lost and Found

Bella and Edward have been married for four years.  What happens when Bella realizes she doesn’t know who she is without Edward?  A story of losing your fear and finding yourself.

1) How did you discover Twilight fan fiction?

SusanAshlea introduced me to fan fiction shortly after she discovered it, and my life has not been the same since. I have read some incredible stories and made wonderful friends.  I cannot imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t discovered Twific.

2)What inspired you to write “Lost & Found,” and when did you first start writing it?

I was in my car in the grocery store parking lot when the song “Where I Stood” by Missy Higgins started playing on the radio.  I sat in the car listening to the song and was struck by the line “I don’t know who I am without you, all I know is that I should.” I immediately thought of Bella and how I could imagine her feeling that way.  Her relationship with Edward was so intense and all consuming that I can easily imagine her giving up part of herself for their relationship.  That night, I started jotting down ideas in my journal, and the rest is history. I think that was around May or June of 2009 and I finished it in September.

3) Is this the first award nomination for this story? What other awards or nominations have you received?

I was nominated for the Indies last year in the “Best Use of Music for Inspiration” category and made it to the final round of voting.

4) Tell us about the rating of your story and if you had specific reasons for rating it as such. (for example, some people write PG-13 because they like to keep their canon characters as close to the book as possible, etc)

My story is rated NC-17.  Besides the fact that the subject matter is definitely geared toward an adult audience, I like to cuss and write smut, so there’s really no way around a NC-17 rating.

5) What motivates you to write?

I ask myself that all the time *lol*  Seriously, I enjoy the challenge and the creative outlet. 

6) What is your writing process?  (do you listen to music, do you outline, etc)

No process really, I just sit down and write.  I generally know where I want the chapter to go, but I don’t write out an outline or anything like that.  I also need quiet to write.  I get distracted to easily if there is music playing or the television is on.

7)The list of nominations are locked in at the amount of chapters and reviews the story had when it was nominated.  What is your current chapter/review count?  Have you noticed an increase in readership since the list of final round nominees were announced?

I have noticed an increase in reads since the nominations were announced, but not much of a change in reviews.  Can I just say to everyone who reads this – review, review, review.  Even if it’s just a line to say that you are enjoying the story, reviews really help keep an author motivated.  On MVF I’m at 350 reads and 13 reviews.  On Twilighted, I have 13,107 reads and 164 reviews.

8) What is the best review you have ever received?

I have to say that I received several reviews from women who told me how much they related to Bella and how cathartic my story was for them.  I was blown away to know my words were able to touch my readers in a very personal way.

9) Have you ever received a bad review? If so, how did you react to it? Was it upsetting, or did it not bother you?

I’ve been lucky in that I have received only a few bad reviews.  Those few reviews pissed me off, and I responded to them accordingly ;)  I don’t mind constructive criticism, but if you’re going to just tell me you hate my story, you’re just wasting my time.  STOP READING it.

The reviews bashing Bella irritated me the most though.  Bella lived inside of me as I wrote this story, so it was frustrating that people just didn’t get her, and it felt a bit like they were attacking me personally, if that makes any sense.  This was such a personal story to write that harsh reviews, even ones that ended by complimenting the story, hurt a bit.

10) How close are you to finishing this story?  Do you have plans to start anymore after this one is done?

Lost and Found is complete.  I also recently completed its companion story, Blessed Are The Patient, which is L&F told from Edward’s POV.

11) Your story is nominated in the Love Conquers All, Complete and Best AH that knocks you off your feet categories.  Can you elaborate on where/how your story fits in to the categories for any new readers? Without spoiling us, of course. =)

I think Love Conquers All is pretty self explanatory.  For the Best AH that knocks you off your feet category…um…the characters are all human, and apparently it is so good it knocks readers off their feet.  *lol* This is one of those nominations that left me speechless.  I was beyond flattered that someone liked my story that much.

12) If you could have dinner with any of the Twilight characters you are currently writing, which one would it be and why?

T o be honest, none of them. I feel like I had dinner with them every night for four months, so they can be on their own for awhile!

13) Does your story feature and original character, and what was the inspiration for that character?

*Sigh* Nope, I’m not that original.

14) Do you have any favorite stories you are reading that you would like to share with us?

Currently, my favorites include The Naked Guy Upstairs by AngryBadgerGirl, A Litany at Dusk by Duskwatcher, Relative Wind, Seismic Hazards and Ultio by Mac, Finding Forever by SusanAshlea, and Living Through It By Jules.   I just finished A Little Crazy by tby789 and Lolashoes.  If you haven’t read it, drop everything and go read it now.  Unless you haven’t read my stories, then do that first.  I have so many more favorites, so check out my favorites page to check out the rest.

15) What is fan fic that you could read over and over again?

Scotch, Gin and the New Girl by jandco and wtvoc, Wide Awake by AngstGoddess, Apples and Oranges by AngryBadgerGirl, The Office by tby789, and Mr. Horrible by alonquinrt.

16) Are you currently working on any other stories? What other stories have you written?

My first story, Illumination, involves Bella telling Nessie about how she and Edward met.  It basically follows Twilight.  I might extend it and go into New Moon because I’ve had the itch to write canon.  I’ve also written a companion piece to Lost and Found called Blessed Are The Patient, as well as several o/s.

SusanAshlea and I collaborate on a Golden Girls/Twilight crackfic called Thank You for Being a Friend, which I am actually working on now.

Here is a snippet from Chapter 11 of Lost and Found where find Bella chatting with Seamus, a bartender at her favorite local pub:

I pushed through the door at Finnegan’s and was immediately assaulted by the smell of cheap beer and cigarettes. Even though smoking indoors was no longer legal in Illinois, there was simply no way to erase the smell of smoke after seventy years. Even though I thought smoking was a nasty habit, something about the way Finnegan’s smelled instantly calmed my nerves. Maybe it was the thought that just like me, thousands of other people had come here hoping to down their sorrows in a pint. Our usual table was empty, so I lead Jake over and we took a seat. I spotted Seamus at the bar and after getting Jake’s order, sauntered up to the bar.

“Bella, my bonny lass, where have you been hiding?” Seamus asked in his thick Irish brogue. He had been in this country since he was a boy but had never lost that beautiful accent.

“Here and there,” I answered. ” And how is your lovely Mary Katherine?”

“Just as beautiful as the day I married her fifty two years ago,” he said with a smile.

“Please, tell her I said hello.”

“That I will. Now, where is your Edward?” he inquired.

“Ah…he…isn’t coming tonight,” I stammered.

Seamus looked at me doubtfully. “Eddie boy would never miss a pint at Finnegan’s. Tell Seamus what’s wrong, dear,” he said and took my hand.

Before I knew it, I was nursing a pint of Guinness and pouring out my story to Seamus.

“Ah, Bella,” he sighed and shook his head, “Leaving the love of your life to go out and find yourself? I must confess I don’t understand at all, at all. Isn’t he your soul mate? Didn’t you fill in the holes you didn’t know you had the day you met? Isn’t that all the finding out you need to do? You need to be getting home to your husband. Someday you’ll look back at these days you were apart and wish you could have them back. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have spent even one night apart from my Mary Katherine. When you get to be my age, you’ll see what I mean.”

“Oh Seamus,” I started, and then heard the bell above the door followed by Emmett’s raucous laughter.

Lost and Found is nominated in the Love Conquers All, Complete and Best AH that knocks you off your feet categories. Make sure to read & review, then head on over to the Indie Twific Awards and cast your vote!