Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Donna Figueroa, a writer and working actor living in Los Angeles, CA.
I’ve just published my second novel, Fall Again: Lost Boy (Marc the Interim Years), the second book in a four-part contemporary romance series.
I’m originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, MA. During my junior year of college I did my first professional acting job on a show produced at WGBH in Boston. Immediately after college, I was offered a contract at a theatre company in Chicago where I would stay for the next three years.
After three years in Chicago, I was making preparations to move to New York, when my life took a detour in the exact opposite direction-west instead of east. An opportunity arose in Los Angeles. Long story short, I fell in love with Southern California, decided LA was home and never returned to Chicago. In retrospect, I must have been insane, but I’ve never looked back.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, my preferred format being the short story. I never imagined myself publishing anything.
Ten years ago I joined the Story Salon, the longest running story telling venue in Los Angeles where I am now a producer. There, I wrote and performed my own stories, in addition to developing several one person shows for myself. (http://www.storysalon.com/)
I continued to write short stories. My first published work, The Legend of Evie Everheart, a ghost story, appeared in the literary magazine, Hot Valley Writers (http://www.hotvalleywriters.com/).
To date, I’ve written five novels.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current novel is Fall Again: Lost Boy-Marc the Interim Years.
For years I’d been trying to write a romantic story set against the backdrop of working actors. The acing profession is often misunderstood. My own parents once asked if I was paid to appear on television shows and commercials. I wanted to dispel many of these misconceptions, and began to write my story, which evolved into a four part series.
Fall Again is the story of two working actors, Marc and Lauren, who meet and fall in love- but at the wrong time in their lives. The story will follow their relationship and careers, as well as the careers of their closest friends, many who are also artists whose lives follow completely different paths.
Lost Boy focuses on my hero Marc’s personal life and career. The next novel California Girl, (which will be published in 2016), chronicles my heroine Lauren and her life and career.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not unusual is that I always write to music. What might be unusual is that I often listen to a specific block of selections that connect me to the section of the story I’m working on at the time. This might explain why my husband is behind a closed door when I’m writing. The repetitive music drives him crazy.
For example, today as I’ve been doing some rewrites on a section of the next installment, California Girl. I’ve been listening to The Dana Owen’s Album, (Queen Latifah) which features a great version of California Dreamin’. Listening to this song just gets me to the right place emotionally.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Years ago I read Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. I was impressed with the simplicity in his storytelling.
Not long ago I discovered a new author, Maria McKenzie. Her first novel, The Governors Sons is a historical romance and a period piece taking place in the 1930’s and 1960’s. Her writing is descriptive, dramatic and gripping. But I’ve just learned that she’s also versatile. Her current novel, From Cad to Cadaver is a contemporary romance, and hysterical!
What are you working on now?
There are still two more novels in the Fall Again series. They’re both written, but still need revisions and editing. California Girl: Lauren the Interim Years, and Reunion: A Romance Realized will be published in 2016.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Good question. At this point in time, promotion is like a Rubik’s Cube. That is, there are several solutions to the puzzle. And for now, this is a puzzle I’ve yet to solve.
As a new writer, I’m trying to create awareness. Forums like this one are excellent ways to achieve this.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. And whatever you do, don’t compare your work and artistry to anyone else’s work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When writing, always be true to yourself and your characters. If you don’t allow your characters to maintain their integrity, they’ll keep you awake at night.
What are you reading now?
Maria McKenzie’s new novel, From Cad to Cadaver. It’s very funny.
What’s next for you as a writer?
There are still two more novels in the Fall Again series, California Girl and Reunion. After that I hope to complete a stand alone novel, A Private Family Matter. This is a story about a family funeral and a dark comedy. And while this is down the road, I can see spinning off two of the supporting characters from the Fall Again series into their own novel, or even a series. We’ll see.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
What can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic!
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