Think snickering in a library with your gal pal, watching romantic comedies and gorging on pizza while fighting over the hero, hanging at the beach. That’s Heather Sunseri. She’s fun, mischievous, a talented writer and a deep thinker.
She’s always asking great questions and inspiring great conversations on her blog: Balance withPurpose. That’s how we connected. I discovered her wonderful blog and we’ve built a relationship–the kind where I can send her goofy videos I take of crazy carpool moms! And she can send me funny icon pictures and I actually get what she’s saying!
When Heather’s not pretending to like her work as a CPA, she writes YA paranormal romance, while corralling two kids to soccer practice and two dogs and a cat to their feeding bowls. It’s a crazy life, but someone’s gotta live it.
Thanks for coming. Everyone, welcome Heather!
Thank you, Jesse, for inviting me on your blog today. These questions were a lot of fun! And you are all kinds of awesome!!
Aww! *blush*
JP: What one thing other than writing are you passionate about?
HS: Just one, really? Well, let’s see. Besides God and family, I’m super passionate about traveling and about the trip I took to Haiti last summer. There is so much of God’s love in His people and His sights spread throughout the world just waiting for us to experience and explore.
JP: I agree. I felt the same way after coming back from Thailand. Lucky, that’s all we brought back, a deeper appreciation for God. We could’ve brought back bugs! Speaking of bugs, when did you get the writer’s bug?
HS: If writing is a “bug,” does that mean someone found a cure? I need that. I didn’t seriously consider writing until about four years ago. And I’m still just trying to figure it all out.
JP: I think it’s non-curable. It does make me nauseous at times, though. Hey, name one place you’d like to go that you’ve never been and why?
HS: There you go with “one” again. There are so many!! (Did that sound whiny?) I’d like to go to Sicily. That’s where my husband’s family is from. I’d like to go to Ireland—just ‘cause. Also, I’m pretty happy on just about any beach, and there are bonus points if there’s a coral reef off that beach for scuba diving.
JP: I say “one’ because I can’t monopolize everyone’s blog time! LOL I love your places. I’d love to visit them as well. I see a research trip in our future even though we don’t write the same genre. We do have a lot of books in common, though. Tell everyone what genre do you like to read? Do you write that genre?
HS: I read a lot of different genres, but lately, I’ve mostly read YA paranormal romance and contemporary romance. I’m not picky about the romance I read: suspense, paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, even a historical from time to time.
Although the last novel I wrote (that is still out in slush pile land) was a romantic suspense about a missionary, my current novel is a YA paranormal romance. It’s a little bit of a switch, but it was necessary, and there was a big reason behind it.
JP: I read that missionary novel and really enjoyed it! I love any kind of romance as well. You’re good with hooks. “a big reason behind that” yet you give us nothing! That’s evil!! And since we’re on the subject of evil, if you could pick one villain from a book to be for a day, who would you choose?
HS: I’m not sure about from a book, but I’d like to be Regina from Once Upon a Time. She’s pretty and oh-so mean. Being her would teach me a thing or two. You know, for research.
JP: Oooh! That’s a good one! Excellent choice. She’s not gnarly like the witch in the fairytale Snow white, which makes me think of old gnarly people, like Old Man Winter who’s beating us with his cane; what one thing do you love most about this season? What one thing do you like least about this season?
HS: I love the mornings I get to sit in front of a fire with my laptop or a book and a giant mug of coffee. I am not a big fan of snow or cold temperatures, although I love the drama of an approaching snow storm. I don’t know what that says about me.
Oh, and I don’t know if this has anything to do with winter, or not, but it seems that both Vampire Diaries AND Justified are both starting new seasons this month. So, I love winter for that reason. I just know that those two shows are going to get me mostly through tax season without crying much.
JP: Two of my FAVORITE shows!! Sigh! Great characters. Do you hunt down pictures of your characters from the internet? Care to share what your hero and heroine look like with us from your current WIP?
HS: Okay, I know everyone is going to judge me for this, but I like my romances to have good-looking characters. I only dream dreamy heroes and pretty heroines. However, I do not hunt down pictures, because I don’t typically describe my characters too vividly. I want the reader to have the freedom to envision a little of how they want the characters to look themselves. Everyone has their own definition of pretty, right?
Also, I don’t want to be disappointed when the movie producers pick Taylor Lautner to play my Ian Somerhalder.
But, if I do come across pictures that remind me of my setting or my characters, I typically paste those pics on Pinterest. I provided the link below.
JP: I would beat someone down for making Lautner a Somerhalder. No comparison. And I really should join Pinterest. We’ll see. So you don’t hunt down pics. That’s cool. I wonder what your characters would say about you if they had the chance?
HS: My main guy would probably bring me a Chai tea and tell me to freaking relax while he rubbed my feet, while my gal would tell me to get over myself. There’s work to be done. She’s pretty intense about staying on task. And her best friend would tell me to breathe and get into the downward dog yoga position.
JP: They sound like interesting and fun characters! Can you give us a peek at your WIP?
HS: Oh, yikes. I can’t. I’m really not a superstitious type, but for some reason I’m always uncomfortable revealing the backcover blurb before the manuscript is actually complete. I can tell you that I’m unbelievably excited about the plot and the characters of this novel. I just hope I can pull off the uniqueness of it. Sometimes I wonder if God picked the wrong person to write it. (Side note: maybe trust should be my #1 word choice for 2012. Hmmm. Something to think about since I haven’t come up with one yet. Although, “zany” is running a close second.)
JP: Totally understand! And He didn’t! Besides, I plan on reading it when it’s finished anyway! Thanks so much for hanging out today, you zany woman, you! Before you go, what would you like to ask readers? They’re awesome about leaving comments!
What is your kryptonite, the one thing that bleeds your creative juices dry? For me, it’s tax season.
Hi Jessica! Hi Heather! Fun interview, ladies.
Heather, I love your blog – always a good read – especially your passionate writing about your trip to Haiti. God inspires us in the most unusual places on this earth. I know He's put something on your heart there.
I look forward to your novels.
Good morning! Thanks so much, Loree! Yeah, maybe I'll return to the romantic suspense genre with a novel set in Haiti sometime. Never know, right?
Thanks, Jessica, for having me today!! This was such a fun interview! I'll poke my head into the discussion throughout the day.
LOVED this interview! What fun questions.
And Heather, I'm not judging you at all. I like me a good looking hero!
Now….what is UP with all these Ian Smolderholder fans?? Paul Wesley is SO much better! All Ian Smooshiewooshie does is wag his eyebrows at the camera because he knows he has pretty eyes.
Okay…I'm done now. 😉
He does have pretty eyes!! And he didn't wag his eyebrows nearly as often in last episode. I think he got the word that you and my husband were tired of it. Ha!
Good morning! So glad you're here today, Heather!
Now, I must chime in about Vampire Diaries. WHAT?! First off, I think Ian should wag his brows anytime he wants, I'm buying it. Maybe I'm just a sap for a bad boy with a soft heart he tries to hide. And I think he's a more complex character than Stefan. Not that I dislike Stefan. 🙂 Ok, now I'm done! LOL
So excited about your new genre, Heather. Do you know I've never had a foot rub? Ever.
I'd have to say discouragement (without purpose) sucks the life out of my creativity.
~ Wendy
Heather!!! I love seeing a spotlight on you!!!
Happy New Year!
Yay! What a fun spotlight interview! 🙂 YA Paranormal? Who knew? That's so cool!
Busyness where I don't feel as if I'm getting anything accomplished…that sucks the creative life right out of me.
So glad to learn more about Heather! What a fun interview!
The thing that sucks away my writing creativity are the squabbles my kiddos manage to get into every time I sit down to write.
Tttoootally fun interview, Jess! And Heather, loved getting to know ya!
HI Jessica! It is my first time on your blog. I enjoyed the interview of Heather. I read her blog and love her vivacious personality!
I would say my kryptonite is busyness. It is something I fight against regularly.
Great interview! It's fun to learn more about Heather. Thanks so much! 🙂
Thanks, everybody for the fun comments. I agree, Lindsay and Erica, busyness sucks life out of my creativity. And I'll have to agree with Lacie, too. Kids' squabble can suck happiness out of a lot of things.
Great to meet you, Heather:)The whole "don't describe my characters" – love that. It's how I write, and what I like to read. Give a little and let the reader take it from there. As for distractions – anything that walks by. I need to put myself in a room with my headphones on and hope the kids don't knock!
Fun interview, ladies:)
Great interview! I enjoyed learning more about you, Heather. How cool that your hubby is Sicilian. I would love to visit Italy some day and eat my way through the country, lol.
Paranormal romance is one of my fave sub-genres. I also read historical and sci-fi/fantasy romance.
Have a great day, Heather and Jessica!
Ahhh, Regina from Once Upon a Time…she creeps me out!! I have to agree with everyone about busyness sucking out my creativity…hate that. Fabulous interview! 🙂
Fun, fun interview, ladies! And Heather, that idea you've got rattling around in your brain is stellar. Keep rolling with it! (well, once you lift from the tax fog, that is ;))
Wow … reading that blog post was fun … and exhausting … and fun in an exhausting kind of way.
I would hang with both of you any day. Just let me get my vitamins and an extra-large energy drink.
Heather, I totally get not wanting to over-describe characters. I like letting readers have some imaginative-latitude with heroes and heroines.
OK, so what's my writing kryptonite?
Fatigue.
I had a friend say, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all."
Yep, when I am overtired, I can't write. All my "I can'ts" overwhelm me.
Great interview!
Heather, its great to meet you and learn more about you. 🙂 I love your idea of putting your characters on pinterest. Such a fun site.
Jess – come join us over there. It's way too much fun!! 🙂
I've loved reading all these wonderful comments. Thanks, everybody!
i'm glad you had something fun to come by and read, heather, after i read your post about your sweet haley belle. i was so sad about that. but i loved this interview. i could hear you saying the things you wrote, and it made me MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!! sending you love from california.
great interview, jessica!
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