Interview with Ciana Stone

Published 2013-08-31.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in North Carolina. I don't know that the location influenced my writing so much as the people. When I was very young we lived in a small town (and I mean small). My mother owned and ran the only 'beauty salon' in town as it was referred to at the time. Every day I would walk to her shop after school and do my homework, listening to the ladies talk. Now there's an education!

My uncle was the police chief and he and my dad were fast friends so I was actually in and out of the police station like it was just part of the family places. Again, educational:)

North Carolina is a beautiful state and even now that I have been away from it for more than a decade, I still find myself setting stories in the state. Guess the old saying is true - you can take the girl out of the state, but you can never take the state out of the girl.
What's the story behind your latest book?
Good question. I'll use a work in progress for this answer. One of the main characters is a member of a motor cycle club. Not a ride for fun sort of club, but a 1% hard cord group. He's not happy about it and is not the only one, but he feels stuck - like the only way out is in a box.

I wanted to explore what it would be like to be in that position and since I knew someone who once was in that particular boat, felt it maybe I could do the character justice.

I also wanted to explore the idea of how easy it would be to love someone you believed had done terrible things. Is there room for forgiveness or would you hold fast to your moral code.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I actually kind of fell into it. I had enjoyed a relationship with a publisher and had no complaints, but after a few years began to feel that I was not a perfect fit for the genre. I wrote erotic romance, and quite honestly felt that I did not always do justice to the genre.

A brilliant publisher once told me that if I could remove the sex from my erotic romance and still have a story that I did not have a true erotic romance. The sex needs to be a motivator and catalyst. Every time characters have sex it has to change "something", to drive the plot.

I saw right then that I was not a true fit. While I love the sex scenes and want there to be a romantic element, I am interested more in plot and subplots and a big cast of characters. So, when Smashwords came along I thought it was a marriage made in heaven. I could do "my thing" and hopefully find readers who liked my brand of storytelling.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The same joy as I find in reading -- discovering what is going to happen next!
What do your fans mean to you?
Everything. Everyone who has ever read and liked one of my books, I owe a huge thank you.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Life! There's always something to smile about in every day, if you allow yourself to be open to it. I love my life and the fact that each day brings new possibilities and experiences.
How do you approach cover design?
Since I work for a publishing company as an Art Director, I apply the same set of rules to my own covers. I try and create a cover that reflects the overall feel of the book, eye-catching, PG enough that it is not censored by retailers and has titles that are easily read in thumbnail size.
Twenty five things you now know about me
All right, here they are: 25 Things people may not know about me....in no particular order:
 
1.  I am not a girlie girl.  Would rather use a chainsaw than a curling iron.
2.  Love to play disc golf.
3.  Feel like something's missing in my day if I don't work out.
4.  Have been addicted to books since I was four.
5.  Have a love affair with my Xbox and love to game. Left for Dead and Borderlands are my favorite games.
6.  View marriage as a voluntary sharing of lives that should be a joy and not a duty.
7.  Hate to shop.  Hate, hate, HATE it.
8.  Like a little coffee with my cream and sugar.
9.  Love cheese.
10.  Will only drink Patron tequila.
11.  Will only drink single malt Scotch and only in the winter.
12.  Am an admirer of great Tattoo artists Christian and Hailey
13.  Have absolutely great kids.
14.  Have absolutely great grandkids.
15.  Have the most awesome honeyman imaginable.
16.  Would choose to hang out with Willie Nelson over any top hunk.
17.  Think Everlast has a really sexy voice.
18.  Have the most amazing friends.
19.  Am a gadget junkie.
20.  Love the work I do.
21.  Love to float in the pool, watch the clouds drift and mentally write.
22.  Feel that you can't have too many good cameras.
23.  Love doing fantasy art and model photography.
24.  Have created over 3000 book covers.
25.  Wish there were more hours in the day so I could do everything I want to do.
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