Interview with Elita Daniels

Today we're chatting with Elita Daniels, author of MY BOYFRIEND IS A ZOMBIE. I spotted the cover for her book and was instantly drawn to it. I had no other choice but to track Elita down and ask if I could feature her book on my blog. So I'm glad to have her with us today.

Welcome, Elita! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm from a small town in North Queensland, Australia. I started writing when I was 25. My husband and I have been married for 11 years and we have two cats, Mikro and Lulu. Usually every night before I sleep I have a scene playing out in my mind, purely for my own entertainment.

How long have you been writing?

I almost typed 25 years, that wouldn't have been good, haha. I've been writing for 5 years and have been published for 2 years.

I love the cover of MY BOYFRIEND IS A ZOMBIE. What’s the story about?

Thank you! The story is about a girl who follows a strange man into the cemetery who turns out to be a zombie. They end up falling in love and he takes her into the world of Black Hollow, a place full of zombies, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, all manner of strange things. Oh and she's being haunted by a dead bride.

Sounds awesome! I can't wait to read it. How did the idea of the story come to you?

Ever since I watched the zombie dance on "So you think you can dance" I wanted to write a zombie novel, but I'm not really a zombie fan. I think they're pretty cool, and I don't mind the occasional zombie movie like Resident Evil, but generally that's not my thing. Then I started thinking about Edward Cullen and how perfect he was and I thought wouldn't it be funny if the boyfriend for once was ugly and imperfect. The title "My Boyfriend is a Zombie" popped into my head and from there I just started piecing together a story. I haven't read the Twilight books yet, but I'll get to it.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I do a lot of self-editing and I have some beta readers and I usually have an editor. Blair Kenney, Ph.d., M.S.W.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

I'm a bit of both, but I do like to have a lot of notes and an outline and I generally know where the story is going and how it's going to finish before I start writing, so I guess I'm more of a planner than not.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Keeping myself in check is probably the hardest thing. I have a perverse mind at times and I have to keep it reined in especially when writing YA.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Everything I need is on my computer. Music, pictures, the internet, my notes. I enjoy having my husband nearby and I have to have my picture of Murtagh. I have a freakish obsession with him.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Can I give you my top three?
1. Invisibility. It could get me into so much strife but it would also give me the means of getting out of it.
2. The ability to read minds.
3. The ability to glamour people and make them do my bidding. That sounds a bit evil doesn't it?

Number three would be my number one, lol. What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Memento Mori, Victorian death photos. When a loved one died, their relatives would sometimes have a photograph taken of the corpse in a pose – often with other members of the family. These photographs were like a keepsake to remember the deceased. Very creepy stuff. I don't like to look at the pictures too long, they'll give me nightmares.

I just got chills. That is very creepy!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: fluctuate, gravity, and cheesecake.

I suck at this sort of thing, so I got help from my writing group : )

The gravity of the situation hit me when I realized the calories in the cheesecake could cause my weight to fluctuate by at least 1 - 2kg just by looking at it.

Perfect! (And sadly, true.) Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

eating chocolate.

Me too! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

I want to thank the girls from Paranormal Reads, they go out of their way to support and encourage authors and to give as much exposure to books as they can. To Paranormal Book Club and Sassy Book Lovers for also giving a helping hand to all authors in need and getting the word out there. I want to thank my closest friends, my family, and my husband for all their love and support. And last but not least, I want to thank my readers for sharing the experience with me and for contacting me and letting me know how much they enjoyed my stories and for encouraging me to keep going!

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Boyfriend-is-a-Zombie/209533819058584

elitadaniels.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elita%20daniels

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4204268.Elita_Faith_Daniels

Elita, thank you so much for letting me interview you. Good luck with your book. You are welcome back to my blog anytime!

Thank you, Dorothy, for such and entertaining interview, I really enjoyed it!