Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a hybrid romance author (traditional and indie published) with seventeen books published, number eighteen already scheduled for release early next year and at least two more to be written in 2014. I write contemporary and paranormal romance under the name, Gina Ardito, and historical romance under the pen name, Katherine Brandon. I’m also a freelance editor, a wife and mom, a mentor, and I hold down a full-time day job to keep myself in writing supplies. Yes, in case you were wondering, I drink *a lot* of coffee.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is In Your Dreams, Book II of the Afterlife Series. It’s the story of Sean Martino, a former NYC police officer who committed suicide after killing an innocent teen and winds up in the Afterlife, keeping others on Earth from making his mistake. The catch? He can only communicate with the living in their dreams. And he’s unprepared for Isabelle Fichetti, a former child star, who;s determined to kill herself no matter how charming and persuasive this man of her dreams tries to be.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write like a crack addict. I get up early in the morning to write, print out pages to work on during my lunch hour, write when I come home until it’s time to cook dinner, then write after dinner until bedtime. Every day, five days a week. On the weekends, I write around laundry, errands, and “date night.” I truly love to write and would rather write than do almost anything else in the world.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My list of influences constantly evolves because the book world is always evolving. I cut my teeth on works by Elizabeth George Speare and Madeleine L’Engle before moving on to Kathleen Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsay, and Jude Deveraux. Over the years, I’ve respected the work ethic of Nora Roberts, admired the heroes drawn by Suzanne Brockmann, envied Shana Abe’s worldbuilding skills, appreciated the humor of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, wept over the emotional upheaval of Kristin Hannah’s stories, and yearned for the small town coziness of Jill Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor. And it’s not just in romance! I’m a huge fan of works by Jeffery Deaver, Stephen King, Jeff Lindsay, Christopher Moore, and Carl Hiassen. I always loved the twists and turns in Olivia Goldsmith’s women’s fiction. Every time I choose a new book or a new author, I find something new to learn in style or story-telling. That’s the beauty of all books. Each time you turn the page, there’s magic to discover.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on edits for Book II of my contemporary series, The Calendar Girls. This one is Reunion in October. Two very different ladies in two very different stages of their romantic lives, each at a crossroads and facing new decisions that can alter their futures. It’s fun and flirty and full of life lessons and I absolutely love this story. I can’t wait to bring it to my readers! I’m also deep into my third Afterlife series book, Waiting in the Wings. This time around, we’ll visit a new department in the giant bureaucracy of the Afterlife: Children’s Services. These books are very emotional and bring a new perspective to the ideal of what happens to love after we die.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use a lot of different methods: Facebook, Twitter, my own blog and website, and of course, Amazon allows readers to receive notifications when I’ve released a new book.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Master your craft and, even after you’re published, continue to hone your skills. Always challenge yourself.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never blow a deadline. I’ve always respected that advice, which I heard many years ago. No matter whether it’s to a publisher, a blogger, a reviewer, an editing client, or in my own personal life, if I promise something on a date, I always deliver on or before that date.
What are you reading now?
I just started Act II of the Immortal Circus by A.R. Kahler. Act I was unique and I thoroughly enjoyed the story line so I’m really looking forward to discovering where the story goes this time around.
What’s next for you as a writer?
That’s what’s so exciting! I never know. I firmly believe the advice I cited earlier for new writers: challenge yourself. Each time, I begin a new book or a new series, I dare myself to step to the edge and find a new twist, a new angle, a new world. I never want to be one of those authors accused of “phoning it in.”
What is your favorite book of all time?
In what genre? I have so many! For me, a favorite is a book I can revisit time and time again. With each read, I find some new gem I never noticed before. I have hundreds of favorite books, beginning as far back as The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (which I probably first read when I was about eight years old) and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. These days, I eat up JD Robb’s In Death series and can’t wait for a new one to be released. Whenever I’m really blocked, I’ll pick up an Olivia Goldsmith (Fashionably Late or Flavor of the Month, usually) to figure out what about them stays with me decades after I first read them. I can re-read Carl Hiassen’s or Christopher Moore’s books and still laugh at the same lines over and over. Silence of the Lambs still gives me tingles, no matter how well I can recite the ending. I even have favorite children’s books I used to love to read to my kids (and can’t wait to someday share with my grandkids). Choosing one favorite book of all time, for me, is like choosing one favorite moment of all time. There are too many in a lifetime to choose just one.
Author Websites and Profiles
Gina Ardito Website
Gina Ardito Amazon Profile
Gina Ardito Author Profile on Smashwords
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