Do you have any writing rituals you do while working on your book?
Not really. I usually write late at night--midnight or later. I think I was writing around 2AM last night, haha! Otherwise, I just go with it, either writing while sitting on my bed or the couch in the living room. Sometimes music, sometimes not--depends on what I’m writing.
When you write do you picture any actor/actresses as your characters? If so, who?
Not usually. I put together a dream cast for my Resist series at the prodding of a couple friends. Ended up casting Nick Bateman as Devlin...and now I’m obsessed with Nick Bateman.
I’d say about 99% of my reading is romance. I’m rarely interested in anything else. I used to read a lot of YA and some crime novels, but even then they had to have a romantic element to keep my interest.
What made you decide to start writing?
I’ve been writing almost all my life. Didn’t really put much thought into fiction writing until I got older, and even then I didn’t get serious about it until I was in my twenties. I mostly just dabbled in the idea of it--coming up with the story or scenes, but never actually writing a book. When I finally did complete a story, it felt so good I had to keep going.
Are any of your book scenes based on your own life?
Oh my, yes. There are a few. In Unexpected, Alina refers to a couple things about her ex-boyfriends and one that she mentions is actually completely true about my last serious boyfriend. There’s a text message conversation in Longing between Allegra and Devlin that is based on one I had with a guy once. The funny thing about Allegra is that one of my beta readers joked about how similar she is to me and she worried I actually went out and did some of the things Allegra did. I hadn’t, haha, but it was still amusing.
Do you have a favorite of your own books? If so, which one?
I can’t choose between my babies! Okay, sometimes I can. I have moments where I’ll go back, read a section, and fall in love with the story all over again. More Than Words has a special place in my heart. There’s something about the back and forth between Dana and Landon that makes me smile.
Do you read your review? How do you deal with the negative ones?
I do read reviews. I remember my first negative review. It kinda stung at first, but you have to take each negative review with a grain of salt. Everyone has their own opinion about a book--the characters, the progression of the story, too much drama, too little drama, etc. No matter what, there’s bound to be someone who just won’t like your book. I’ve learned to embrace all the positive reviews and that helps counteract any negative ones that pop up.
What would your advice be to any aspiring authors?
Don’t give up and don’t let your fears hold you back. Writing is a long and hard process. It isn’t just writing--it’s writing and rewriting and editing and revising and brainstorming and bouts with writer’s block and moments of waning confidence. And that’s not only the first time, it can pretty much happen with every book to varying degrees. It’s easy to keep putting it off whenever you hit a roadblock or you worry about what people will think of it. Don’t let yourself stress too much. You’re going to have fears, you’re going to have difficulties. You just need to stay strong and keep up the good work.
What is the best advice you’ve gotten in reference to your writing?
To pay attention to my overused words and showing versus telling. Both can be difficult for any writer, but especially me. When these things get pointed out, you catch them more often, and it helps you grow in your writing. I get reminded of these things less frequently now.
Are you currently working on another book? Can you tell us anything about it?
Yes! I’m working on a couple projects. One is an erotica featuring a dirty talking hero. The other is contemporary romance about small towns and second chances. There’s a third one trying to weasel its way in, but I don’t think I can handle three at once!
Fun Questions
Favorite book boyfriend?
Jace Austin from Melt Into You by Roni Loren
Favorite music genre?
Alternative Rock
Favorite vacation spot?
North Carolina
Dogs or Cats?
Cats
Cliffhangers or HEA?
HEA for sure!
E-Books or Paperbacks?
It’s a tie--mostly due to the fact that 90% of the books I read are in ebook form, but I have tons of paperbacks, so… *shrugs*
Lilly's next book
Title: Unexpected
Publication Date: July 21, 2015
Add to Goodreads
*Synopsis*
Ever had one of those days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, it does. After a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can turn to or trust anymore.
An unlikely bond with her former best friend's ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His friendship is exactly what she's been missing—what she's been needing. Alina's never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for what's on the other side?
Only one way to find out.
*Excerpt*
Ryan
Saturday is a short day at work because it starts raining in the afternoon. It throws a damper on the remainder of the work that needs to be done, so the supervisor tells us to head out and we can pick back up next week. It makes me happy because it has been a long week, not just work-wise, but also with everything else happening. I'm grateful for a chance to get caught up on other things.
When I get back to the apartment, Alina is curled up on the couch reading a book again. She's wearing those reading glasses, and looking sexy as fuck. She's gorgeous already, but there's something about those glasses that makes her extremely sexy. I haven't quite pinned down what it is yet, but I seriously have to figure it out soon before I go crazy.
She peeks up at me and grins. “You're home early!”
Her enthusiasm is unparalleled and pleases me more than I can admit. “It's raining. It wouldn't be so bad if it was drizzling, but it's actually coming down pretty good.” I sit down on the couch next to her, and reach for her book. “So, what are you reading?”
She pulls the book away before I can grab it. “It's a romance.”
“Ah. What kind of romance?” I reach again and this time get a hold of it. She gasps and tries to get it back, but I stand up and look at it. “There appears to be a half-naked couple on the cover.”
“Give it back!”
“I want to look at it.” She groans in frustration and presses a hand to her forehead. I continue to look it over. “I think this is more than just a kissing book.”
I hand it back to her and she snatches it from me, tucking it away. “And?” she asks with an eyebrow raised.
“And nothing. I was just curious, that's all.” I tilt my head. “Are you going to keep reading?”
“Not if you're going to hover.”
“Then you'd better take off those glasses.”
She scrunches her nose. “Why?”
I kneel down next to her by the couch. Leaning into her, I say, “Because they are impossibly sexy and I'm half tempted to kiss you if they're still on ten seconds from now.”
Her eyes widen like saucers. “What?”
“I'm serious,” I murmur, inching closer. “I will kiss you in a few seconds if you don't take them off.”
Her mouth parts, but she makes no move to reach for them. I watch as her chest rises and falls, the nervous anticipation building in her. I'm mere inches away, so close to stealing a kiss. Just as I'm about to make good on my promise, she pulls them off swiftly.
I let out a breath, holding back my disappointment. “Well, that was close.”
~~~~~
As we sit here quietly, the only sound we hear is the squeak of the swing as it rocks back and forth. I'm about to tell him we should go back inside when he asks, “Why don't you cry?”
His question shouldn’t surprise me, because it’s one thing people often wonder. I shrug. “No point in bothering. My life always spins back around where it was. A guy comes in, somehow sweeps me off my feet to the point where I have zero rational thought, he crushes me, I dust myself off, and move on to the next one.”
He stops the swing, turning to me. “Wait, you think that's normal?”
“It is for me. Circle of life.”
His forehead wrinkles. “What the hell, Alina? Don't you have any self worth?”
“Why do you think I stopped caring? Because if I did I would hurt. I'm protecting myself.”
“You're cutting yourself off, that's what you're doing.”
My head flinches back. “Huh?”
“Don't you get it?” He reaches for my hand, holding it between both of his. “You're distancing yourself from opening up to love because you have grown to expect something bad to happen.”
“That's what always happens, though!”
“Not every story ends the same. Some of them have a twist. Some things in life are unexpected. Some things like love.”
I close my eyes for a couple seconds, then whisper, “But what if I fall in love and he's not there to catch me?”
“You try again. And again. And again. Until he does.”
“What if he doesn't?”
“Trust me Alina, he will.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he's a fool if he doesn't.”
Fans of friends to lovers stories will love this as much as I did. Not only do we get the story of friends becoming more, we get to see the characters becoming friends in the first place. It made for a fantastic book!
Alina was having an amazingly bad day, and it was only getting worse. After a horrible morning, a case of mistaken identity leads to an awkward encounter with her roommate/best friends ex-boyfriend, Ryan. They both end up in a similar situation and form an unlikely bond because of it. Alina finds herself needing a place to stay and Ryan finds himself needing to take her under his wing.
I actually really enjoyed these characters, which I'm honestly surprised about. Ryan was a sweetheart and I don't always like the hero's that are sickly sweet. But for Ryan, it just worked for me. I was swooning every time he would kiss Alina's cheek or forehead, It was really cute and made me a little mad that Ryan isn't a real person.
Alina had a lot of past hurt in her life and it made her weary to trust anyone. It was refreshing to read about a heroine that didn't have to have someone shake her and force her to realize that she needs to open up. The book didn't stray to her issues and I liked that it stuck to the story of both Ryan and Alina. It did take time for them to build trust with each other but that made the relationship more realistic for me.
Overall, this was a sweet, cute, sexy story and I will definitely be going back to read more from Lilly Avalon. I adored the story and anyone who likes a caring Hero and a friends to lovers story will also.
One random thing, Ryan has a tattoo that says "No Regrets" but when I read that I couldn't help but laugh because We're the Millers ruined that for me.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Alina is having a rough 24 hours everything is goin wrong from her boyfriend her boyfriend wanting a break 2 a flat tire making her late 4 work an her boss giving her job 2 someone else so she quit her job so she went home 2 chill out then there was a lil incident with her best friends boyfriend but the day just kept getting worst she needed a new place 2 stay an a new job so Ryan was going 2 help her she needed someone an after the incident in the shower he was more than happy 2 help
Alina an Ryan r great characters I thought they were made 2 each other after everything going shit Ryan was just amazing he made her feel wanted an helped her get her life back on track things were starting going good an with there friendship getting stronger the sexual tension was getting even stronger the more they were spending time together the more closer they were getting an it was great 2 c everyone could c they were getting closer friends an family but them they did want 2 b each other's rebound an they did want 2 wreck there friendship I did enjoy this book it started so good an had high hopes but i found the middle a lil boring I just wanted them 2 get together I understand the story but I just got a lil bored it did pick up again at the end which I was glad of I did like Alina an Ryan they r great an even the other characters in the book were good an having both pov's was good seeing what they were thinking about each other was good an i do luv both pov's I would read more books from this author can't wait 2 c what she does next xxx
Alina is having one of those days where everything just keeps going wrong. The only thing she wants to do is going home and forget about it..
Unfortunately, her hellish day hasn't come to an end because she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with her roommate and bestfriend, Victoria.
Alina met Ryan when he was dating Victoria, they weren't such friends, but after catching their partners together, they start bonding.
Ryan wants to be there for Alina because right now she really needs a good friend in her life.
But will they really be able to be just friends?
I can easily say that Unexpected was a sweet and cute friends to lovers story.
I loved watching Alina and Ryan slowly fall for each other and realize that they were more than just friends.
This is the part that I love the most in a friends to lovers book and it met my expectations in this one.
Alina has a problem trusting people but Ryan knew exactly how to work his way through her heart and make her trust him.
Luckily, there wasn't unnecessary drama in this story and I liked both characters.
I couldn't give it more than 3 stars because, despite being a cute and loving book, it didn't win me over.
Some scenes were a bit boring and a little too sweet and ruined my reading experience a little, hence the rating.
With that being said, I will definitely read more by this author. In case you're in the mood for an enjoyable friends to lovers book, give this one a try!
Copy kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and having me on the blog!! <3
ReplyDelete