Friday - Ann Herrick - Talking About Heroes, Heroines and Villains #MFRWauthor #teens

1. Do you write a single genre or do your fingers flow over the keys creating tales in many forms?

I write mostly Young Adult novels, and some Tween novels. Though there is at least a hint of romance in each book (more in some, less in others), they are not all straight romances.

Does your reading choices reflect your writing choices?

Yes, I read a lot of young adult and some middle grade novels, but many novels for adults as well, and biographies too.

Are there genres you wouldn’t attempt?

I would probably not attempt to write anything that took place in any year before I was born—too much research for me!

2. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

 I enjoy writing about all three, but I think heroes are my favorite. It's fun to conjure up a new perfect (or almost perfect) guy with each book.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love?

 It's a combination of real life and imagination. I take bits and pieces of real (and really nice) guys I've known, and pump them up somewhat for stories.

Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

After I have the idea for the story. The first draft is really where I get to know my characters.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for?

Again, both real life and imagination. To some extent I put myself in the heroine's shoes, but none of the heroines are me. We might share a trait or two, but the characters evolve as I write.

 Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

 Except for any trait that the heroine might share with me, they come after. I get into their heads as I go.

5. Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

My villains are not true, mustache-twirling heavies. They are usually standing in the way of something my hero/heroine wants or out to get something (or someone) the hero/heroine wants, but they have their good qualities as well as their flaws.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My latest release is a tween novel, Also Known as Lard Butt. The heroine is Laura Butler, who vows to take risks in high school and overcome her dreaded nickname, Lard Butt. The hero and villain are to some extent the same person—Ricky, who gave Laura her hated nickname in the first place. He agrees to a bargain to not use that name and Laura will tutor him in Spanish. Along the way he makes some changes, and Laura makes some surprising discoveries about Ricky.

7. What are you working on now?

I'm working on a tween novel about a young teen who is nearly struck by lightning and wakes up with a great singing voice—and an inflated ego that causes a rift with his friends and fellow band-mates.

8. How can people find you?

My website is http://annherrickauthor.com

Facebook: Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ann.herrick

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ann_herrick

Blog: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewblog.asp?AuthorID=841

Goodreads Author Page:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/507620.Ann_Herrick