Interview with J. M. Zuniga

Published 2017-04-09.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
God and my children inspire me to get out of bed each day.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
A college professor enjoyed my classwork. She would speak to me after class was over and compliment my writing. She told me (many times) I should write a book. Each time she said this, I think a small seed in my brain was being watered. A year later that seed had grown enough for me to embark on this journey.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The greatest joy of writing for me is to be able to create a world where people can get lost and enjoy themselves. When I receive messages from fans, saying they loved something I wrote, I am deeply humbled..
What do your fans mean to you?
I know it sounds cliché, but I really cannot express how much my fans really mean to me. They are not just fans, they feel like friends and family. They have been supportive, not only in my writing, but also of me, as a person. You can't put a price tag on that.
Describe your desk
Cluttered. There, I said it. My desk is cluttered. I write down so many things I need to remember, so I have notes everywhere. Amazingly, I know exactly where each note is when I need to find it.
When did you first start writing?
I had always written papers for school and for college, but I first began my novel writing in 2009.
Who are your favorite authors?
Some of my favorite authors are: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Emily Bronte. I really love the Romantic and Victorian Periods.
I also enjoy reading J. K. Rowling, Veronica Roth and a variety of Indie Authors.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I like to spend time with my kids. If I'm not spending time with them, you will find me reading or watching movies.
What is your writing process?
My writing process varies on each novel. I enjoy writing by the seat of my pants, but I do take notes sometimes. These notes can be found on random scraps of paper, backs of receipts, or in a notebook. I once wrote the beginning of a story on the back of those papers they give you about your patient rights at the hospital. I don't really outline often, but I did for Gwyneth simply because of the time constraint of NaNoWriMo. That doesn't mean the story followed the outline perfectly. I think that is why I'm not a big outliner. My characters tend to take me in a different direction than what I want them to go. For TDMS Collection, I had a half page of crazy notes about each installment, yet the story went in a moderately different direction. Autumn didn't have an outline. I only had class schedules and character descriptions written down so I wouldn't forget and have to scroll back to the top of the manuscript to figure it out. For Winter Rayne, I had drawings for weapons and the names of the different hierarchies written down. As you can see, my writing process is all over the place just like my thoughts when several new novel ideas hit me at once.
What are you working on next?
I am currently working on several projects. One is a collaboration with Celdon Daniel titled "Adelaide Kerrigan". I am also working on Winter Rayne 2, Nerves of Steel 2, and Eliana (Woodport Series, Book 2)
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Books by This Author

Gwyneth
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 51,180. Language: American English. Published: June 30, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Horror » Crime, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Psychological thriller
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
When infatuation turns into obsession...no one is safe. For the past few months, an admirer has been showering Gwyneth with unexpected gifts. At first, she is flattered, until things go from being creepy to downright dangerous. With her life in peril, Gwyneth becomes her own protector. However, will that be enough to keep her safe?