Interview

Hi Koko, and welcome! I am so glad you could join us here at
RomanceJunkies. To start, will you please tell us a little bit about your current projects?

 

First off I would like to say how happy I am to be doing this interview!  It wasn’t too long ago that I was a reader coming to your sight trying to find reviews for books I was interested in buying.  My current project is a recently released erotic interracial romance published through Loose-Id entitled FROZEN IN TIME.  The story is about a young woman who yearns for more in life and unfortunately her wish comes true when she’s used as a pawn of revenge by the Norse god of mischief Loki who sends her back in time to steal a necklace from a Viking warlord.  I also have a historical novella involving mistaken identities and a May/December romance coming out this winter from Red Sage.  It’s entitled THE MERRY WIDOW. 

Do you edit as you write, or finish the first draft and then begin
editing? 

 

I hate to say I edit as I write.  I hate that I do this because I’ve found this slows me down in the initial writing phase because I found I tend to rewrite a passage or sentence over and over before I feel I have it right and finally move on. 

If you could change one thing about your habits, what would it be?  What is the one thing you’ll never change? 

 

I think one of the habits I would like to change about my writing style is editing while I write because it slows down the process.  I think I will never change the fact that initially I’m a plotter.  I outline the entire story before I begin to write.  But then the meat of the story is entirely by the seat of my pants.  I prefer to work this way because it’s exciting when the characters talk to you and send you on an entirely different path than you planned.

What is the one piece of advice you received from another writer that you still heed today?

 

I think the best piece of advice I’ve received from the industry instead of another writer and that is to take your critique partner’s advice as simply guidance and not as gospel because they tend to steal your voice.  And unfortunately, your work becomes there’s instead of your own.

Do you write to music or other background noise, or must you have absolute silence?  Have a favorite beverage or snack by your side? 

 

I have to write with music.  In fact this may sound silly or even like I have OCD, but there is a song by a young R&B artist Omarion that I listen to over and over to get me in the mindset to write.  I can't explain it myself, but this young man's music, most specifically his track "Ice Box" from the album 21 is the driving force behind all of my stories, except Charmed (Natasha Beddingfield's "Unwritten" takes the honors on that one).

 

I think it's due to the fact that's the song is a man's earnest plea to his lady love to forgive him for all the troubles in their relationship brought on by his inability to trust because his memories of a past ruinous relationship keep interfering. And although he tries to let the past go, he can't but think if he opens up to her, she'll break his heart like the last woman did.

Fast food cravings have struck!  Who cares about carbs and fats and calories!  It’s a fast food craving, after all!  So, what will you be ordering to make the craving go away? 

 

I love McDonald’s fries.  Even though I rarely eat fast food at home, I’ve found that when I travel overseas it’s always the safest bet and the first item on my list is McDonald’s fries.

Guess what!?!  Someone just left an envelope with $5000 dollars in it. For you!  To spend anyway you want!  But you have to spend it all today! What are you buying? 

 

I would buy one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s tours: Cruising the Baltic Sea and the Norwegian Fjords Aboard Le Diamant.  I’ve been eyeing this tour for awhile, but unfortunately it’s out of my price range of what I’m willing to pay for a trip overseas. 

Do you have any hobbies or special collections?  Any pets? 

 

My favorite pastimes are writing (of course), surfing the internet, hanging out with friends, traveling to exotic places, thrift store shopping, riding my Yamaha 650 Classic, and working out which consists of walking my two dogs Jaeger and Napoleon.

There are many stories and movies about superheroes. What in your view constitutes a real-life hero?  Which real people do you consider to be heroes? 

 

A real-life hero is someone who is selfless they care more about someone else’s well-being - whether it be a close family member or a complete stranger - than their own.  There are heroes in all aspects of life. My mother is one of my biggest heroes.  She worked diligently in our community to make sure that the indigent were treated humanely and received the services that they deserved.  For all of her hard efforts, our county’s parks & recreation recently named a park in her name.

What is this romance writer's idea of the "ideal romantic evening"?

 

I think any evening solely spent in the company of someone who I love and who genuinely loves me back is romantic. I don’t necessarily need moonlit walks on the beach or an expensive dinner for it to be romantic just a cosmic connection when you’re both in sync and everything seems to fit in place.  You only have eyes for him and he for you.

How do you describe Koko Brown? 

 

Koko Brown is a pseudonym for a quintessential romance junkie who is a huge daydreamer!  And in order to get all of the stories out of her head without running the risk of becoming committed, she puts them down on paper to save her own sanity.

 

How do Koko Brown’s family and friends describe her?

 

As someone who always does what she says she’s going to do.  If thought she may fail, at least she tried it.

MORE FUN…

Who is the person who has had the biggest influence on your life?  Whom will you pass this “influence” on to? 

 

My biggest influence was my mother.  Despite all of my hair brained aspirations she never told me I couldn’t do them.  She always supported me 100%.  I tried to pass this same influence onto the thousands of secondary grade school students I taught over the span of six years.  Whenever they told me their goals and dreams I always told them that they could do or be anything they wanted as long as they put their mind to it.  And I’m happy to say many of them have turned out well. 

What is the one thing in your closet that should have gone years ago but that you’ll keep forever? 

 

I have held onto my prom dress for almost 20 years.  Hmmm, I might turn it into a flamingo costume for an upcoming party.

Are you a bath person or a shower person?

 

Most definitely shower. It’s easier to brush your teeth that way when you’re running late.

Which household chore do you abhor?  Which one doesn’t bother you at all? 

 

I hate to fold the clothes, but ironically I love loading the washer and dryer.

And lastly, no interview of a writer would be complete without this question:  what is your favorite comfort food? 

 

Ice cream. 

 

Yep… nothing quite like ice cream.  Doesn’t even seem to matter what time of year!  Koko, thank you for spending time with us at RomanceJunkies.  Continued success with your writing.

By Brooke Wills

Romance Junkies Publishing Editor

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