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Let's welcome Amber Night, a steamy Historical Romance author!
"Amber writes interracial romance with excursions into short fiction. Her stories wrap you up in atmosphere and rich emotion. She’s also partial to a hefty dose of sensuality and steam. A poet at heart, she explores the depths of what it means to be human. She looks beneath the surface differences which divide us to find the common ground which unites us in our struggles to be seen. She lives in London with her husband and her daughter. And if she isn’t writing, you’ll probably find her dancing."
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want/expect from your genre/sub-genre?
The stories write me, I don't write the stories! That said, I've always approached life a bit from left field, so I think that shows in my writing as well. Tropes are tropes for a reason, but it's nice to turn them on their head at times, and diversity and variety is definitely the spice of life in my opinion.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
There are too many people here to acknowledge that I'm grateful for. I love my author friends - they catch my stray commas, and we help each other unravel the mysteries of algorithms and cover design nitpicks. But more than anything, they share their joy and grief, they make me love, they give me virtual hugs. They help me by reminding me to value myself and my skills, and they've taught me a lot about persevering.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I usually research as I go along. (Deep-dive rabbit holes!) There's always some detail you've not thought about until you write it, and I'm a firm believer in the detail being vital to the story!
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
I'd encourage myself to believe in myself more and listen to the people telling me I've got something there. And I'd put myself on a marketing course, lol.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
It really varies. I wrote Compromised in just under a month's time as a rough draft, but Perran rode me hard ;) . I wrote the book that follows it in just under a year, but I was juggling quite major illness and family responsibilities at the same time. Sometimes ideas are a force that moves through us, and sometimes life forces us to move slower than we'd like. I don't believe there's a yardstick.
What are the essential characteristics of a hero/heroine you can root for?
I think fundamentally I like to write complex, real people who try. They try to be their best in spite of the marks that life has left on them, even if it might not be readily apparent at first sight. For me, half the story is in exploring what drives people to be the way they are. And how we can find love and unity in our shared humanity, how we can overcome our differences to find connection. Because deep down, we all suffer in one way or another, and we all want to be loved. Empathy is the invisible chord that ties us all together.
Has writing and publishing a book changed the way you see yourself?
We're constantly evolving and growing as we move through life, so the short answer is: yes.
Where did you get the idea for your first book and/or series?
I'll answer this for my first historical romance, and what can I say? I'm still firmly convinced Perran possessed me. XD Elizabeth Gilbert has this lovely idea around ideas being almost near-physical entities which visit us when they desire to be expressed. And although in many ways I'm a very scientifically-minded person, it very much felt like that with this book.
Anything else you'd like readers to know?
I'm so truly grateful for anyone who gives my books a chance. And I hope you enjoy these little worlds of mine.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed learning about Amber Night!
