Interview with Liz Grace Davis

Published 2013-08-30.
Can you share a little about yourself?
I was born in Angola and grew up in Namibia, South Africa, and Germany. I now live in Vienna, Austria with my husband. My mother was a diplomat. That’s why I got to move around so much. On one hand I loved it; getting to know new people, experiencing various cultures, seeing beautiful countries, and learning new languages.

I studied international business consultancy, worked for the United Nations for a while and am now studying towards my master’s degree of International Management.

When I’m not writing I enjoy designing in Photoshop. I love designing covers and digital scrapbooks/elements.

I also love reading and creating my own jewelry. Sometimes I feel there is just not enough time in a day for me to do all the things I enjoy. If only we could buy time. But wouldn’t it be expensive?
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I never really thought about it. I just started writing for me at first, and then decided to share my work with others. All I know is that I’m happy to be a writer. It’s a part of me I never want to live without.
What are you working on next?
A New Adult romance novella series. I'm really excited about it. The first part will be published in December 2013.
Who are your favorite authors? Who has influenced your writing most?
Jodi Picoult, John Grisham, Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes…gosh there are many more. But these authors have touched me most. I can’t really say who influenced my writing. I think all the books I read and really enjoyed had a combined effect on me.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My beautiful new born daughter and my husband. They're my world.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Maldives. White beaches, blue/green waters, salty sea breeze. Need I say more?
When did you start writing?
I can’t tell you for sure when I started writing. I just noticed one day that I was. Writing is as important to me as breathing. Maybe I started to write when I started to read, I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter how, when, or why I started writing. I’m just happy to be doing something that I love so much.
What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?
I’m a night person. Many times the creative part of my brain just doesn’t seem to function during the day. I have tried waking up early before work, in order to get some writing done. For a while it worked, but then I decided that the last few hours of sleep in the mornings were just too delicious to give up. I get a lot done at night but unfortunately, as a result, I end up going to bed very late.
Do you write with paper and pen or on the computer?
Sometimes I start writing on paper but when I reach the stage where pens are running out of ink or I can’t find my writing pad. It all gets on my nerves and I pull out my laptop. In order to be able to write on paper, I need lots of writing pads lying around and a pen that doesn’t leak or doesn’t slow me down. There are some pens that are just too hard to write fast with. But I have to say, when I’m stuck at a certain point in my writing, I make notes on paper and usually it helps me get unstuck.
What do you draw inspiration from?
Anything and everything. The world we live in is such a great source of inspiration; magazines, a thunderstorm, music, my life…anything. For me, inspiration can strike anytime. I don’t go looking for it. I just start writing and when inspiration finds me, it’s such a gift.
Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?
No, never, because I never meet my goals. I tend to get more done when I don’t have any goals hovering over my head, intimidating me. Maybe if I had deadlines, I would. As long as that isn’t the case, my only goal when I sit down to write is to just write as much as I can.
What made you choose a writing career?
The career chose me. Writing is just a part of who I am and has been for years. If I fall off the writing bandwagon for a while, I reach a point where I’m just not myself and feel almost a little depressed. When I start writing again, it’s always like having a refreshing glass of cold water on a hot summer day.
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