LaToya: Hi Vivian, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Vivian: Hello LaToya. I’m a debut Christian author living in Ontario Canada. I’m a wife, mom of three and a therapist in Children’s Mental Health. I enjoy singing, dancing and playing lots of scrabble.
LaToya: What are your ambitions for your writing career?
Vivian: I would love to be able to write more novels on a full-time basis, expand my readership and see one of my books made into a movie.
LaToya: Which writers inspire you?
Vivian: Unoma Nwankwor’s one of the most prolific writers I know. I also enjoy reading novels from Michelle Simpson. Her Mama B character is a gem. Jodi Picoult is also a favorite because of the themes she explores in her books.
LaToya: What are you working on at the minute?
Vivian: A sequel to Secret Places and a couple of short stories.
LaToya: What genre are your books and why?
Vivian: I write Christian/Women’s fiction. My writing often explores issues that are important to me. My faith and worldview shapes the way I process these issues.
LaToya: In 10 words or less can you create a quote that describes you and your writing?
Vivian: I write about imperfect characters because I’ve experienced God’s grace.
LaToya: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
Vivian: It would be great to see Alfre Woodard bring my character Moni to life.
LaToya: When did you decide to become a writer?
Vivian: I started writing as a pre-teen so it was more of a compulsion than a decision. I believe writing is one of my gifts and I’m very grateful for it.
LaToya: Do you write full-time or part-time?
Vivian: I write part-time. For now.
LaToya: Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
Vivian: I don’t have a special time. The busyness of my days forces me to write whenever the opportunity presents itself.
LaToya: Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?
Vivian: I don’t write every day. There have been times when having a word count goal helped to get me unstuck.
LaToya: Where do your ideas come from?
Vivian: I get ideas from my life experiences, stories I hear and some just come to me. I think that’s the God factor.
LaToya: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
Vivian: I work with an outline but I’m open to exploring new storylines.
LaToya: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
Vivian: I think I’m more committed to the craft of writing. I’m learning what works and how it works.
LaToya: What is the hardest thing about writing?
Vivian: For me, it’s sitting down and getting it done. When you have deadlines, you can’t wait for inspiration to strike.
LaToya: What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
Vivian: I had to make sure that the message of redemption and restoration were not lost because of the sensational nature of the subject matter.
LaToya: What is the easiest thing about writing?
Vivian: The joy it brings.
LaToya: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Vivian: It took about six months to write the first draft of Secret Places.
LaToya: Where can you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
Vivian: Healthy and still writing.
LaToya: What advice would you give to your younger self?
Vivian: Child, relax. There’s really a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
LaToya: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
Vivian: I would have loved to meet Martin Luther King. A conversation with him about his journey would have been priceless.
LaToya: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Vivian: Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. Because it’s a beautiful story.
LaToya: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Vivian: Keep reading, keep writing and keep praying. Truly, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.
Connect with Vivian:
Purchase Links
No comments:
Post a Comment