International Book Giveaway and Author Interview: Savage by Willow Rose. Two winners for this one!

Book One

Hi guys. It's always my pleasure to introduce you to writers you may not be aware of. I'd like you to meet Willow Rose. She's originally from Denmark and now makes her home in Florida. She's also quite a prolific writer of paranormal romance and has written several books. Her latest is Savage, the first book in a new series called Daughters of the Jaguar. One winner will receive a signed paperback copy and the second winner will receive an e-book version. Check out what's it's about...

The year is 1983. Christian is 22 years old when he leaves his home in Denmark to spend a year in Florida with a very wealthy family and go to med-school. A joyful night out with friends is shattered by an encounter with a savage predator that changes his life forever. Soon he faces challenges he had never expected. A supernatural gift he has no idea how to embrace. A haunting family in the house next door. A spirit-filled girl who seems to carry all the answers. An ancient secret hidden in the swamps of Florida. One life never the same. One love that becomes an obsession. Two destinies that will be forever entangled.

Now, learn more about Willow Rose in her own words and stay tuned for how to enter the giveaway at the end of the interview...

1) Tell us about your background. You're from Denmark. Did you begin your writing career there? How long have you been writing?


 I have always told stories. I remember telling stories to my friends as a child in school and making them forget that they had to go out and play for recess. Even my teacher would listen in and he told me to keep it up and to write them down. I wrote several notebooks filled with stories that he read. He encouraged me a lot. I went on to become a journalist and wrote my first novel when I was 28. It was published by one of the big Danish publishing houses. Since then I have written three books in Danish that are published under my maiden name in Denmark, Germany and Norway and six books in English.

2) What's your educational background? Have you taken any writing courses? Do you think it's necessary?

 I was a journalist for many years and I think that gave me some kind of idea how to build up a story and how to write, but it never prepared me for writing a complete novel. Most journalists dream about writing a book but they never make it past page seven because then they have told the entire story. That's the way they teach you to write in journalism-school - it was actually very difficult for me to learn how to unfold the story and not just tell everything in a few pages.

                                                               
3) Do you have an agent? If not, do you plan to seek one? Why or why not?

Where I come from we don't use agents. I get by on my own. It has worked fine so far.

 4) Tell us about your writing process. How often do you write and what are your word-count goals? How do you manage your time for writing?

I write when my kids are at school. I always try to write at least five pages or 4.000 words a day. On good days I write the double. Then I take the next day off.

 5) Self-published authors have gotten a lot of attention with the success of Amanda Hocking. What do you think about that?

I think Amanda Hocking's story is amazing. I love what she has done for herself. I completely understand why she would choose to take a great deal like that. In that way she reaches readers all over the world - including those who do not have e-readers. She can still do her own stuff on the side. I think she has been very smart.

6) Tell us about the type of young adult stories you write about. How do you come up with your ideas? What tidbits can you share about your latest book?

The story and the characters come to me. I like to say that they "pop up" in my head. That is the best way I can describe it. The characters are just there all of a sudden and then they start to do stuff and talk to other people and soon there is a whole story that I just have to tell or else I will burst. I simply adore the characters from Savage and I know everybody else will too. They are so lovable. I have a hard time letting go of them. I will write three books about the main character Christian. It is sort of a family-saga really. In the first book he is in his twenties and so is the woman he falls in love with. In the second book they have kids of their own and are in their thirties. In the last book they will have young teenagers. I am also planning on doing a book about Aiyana, the spirit-filled Native American girl that he falls hopelessly in love with. About her and when she first discovers who she really is. I might also do a book about her sister who does telekinesis and their grand-mother who predicts natural disasters. I love those characters so much that they each deserve their own book.





If you'd like a chance to be one of the two winners, just leave a comment with your email. Willow would love more followers on her blog: http://www.willow-rose.blogspot.com, Twitter: @madamwillowrose or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willowredrose
Following her is not a requirement for the giveaway, but if you decide to do it, please let her know in your comment. She'll be tickled to see that.

This giveaway is international, so everyone is welcome. Willow is originally from Denmark, after all...lol...It ends July 20, 2012.

Toodles!