Author Interview: Sophie Davis

I recently read and reviewed Talented by Sophie Davis  and really enjoyed it, you can read my review HERE. So I was pretty excited when Sophie offered to do an interview, who doesn't like getting a chance to ask authors questions?! I hope you enjoy learning more about the person behind Talented, who is truely talented!

  

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

By day, I am a Federal Government employee who reviews patent applications.  By night, I write and read!  I went to school for a variety of different things:  Science, Forensics, and Law.  I live in DC now with my two dogs.  When I am not writing or working at my day job, I try and hit up the museums and take advantage of all of the free things DC has to offer.  I love to travel and try to cross off as many places in 1,000 Places To See Before You Die as possible!

 

When did you decide that you wanted to write a book?

 I have wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember.  But I didn't actually get the idea to share my writing with anyone until last year.  I asked a friend if she would be interested in helping me if I attempted self-publishing.  She said yes, and we went from there!

 
Are any of the characters based of of people you know?

None of the personalities are based on people I know, but several of the physical descriptions are.  Also, several of the scenes in the book are loosely based on things that really happened to me. Talia and Donavon's relationship is inspired by my own high school boyfriend.  

 
If you had a “talent” what would it be?

If I had a talent it would definitely be Electrical Manipulation.  Why?  Honestly, I'm not sure, but for some reason I find that one pretty interesting :-)

 
Where did the idea for Talented come from?

 The idea for Talented was a long time in the making.  Originally I had envisioned the characters being a lot older and more of undercover spies.  But while I was studying for the Bar Exam, I had a strong desire to escape from every day life and decided to delve into the paranormal.  I went back and forth for a very long time on how to set up Talia's world.  In the beginning it was a very different world with all made up names and a government structure that was closer to a monarchy.  But over time (and suggestions from Beta readers), I decided to use places that readers could identify with.    

 
Who was your favorite character to write? Least favorite?

My favorite character to write is Penny.  She is the most fun and the most laid back.  In general, I would say the minor characters that only appear once or twice are my least favorite to write.  I find it hard to vary their personalities and give them any sort of depth while at the same time not overloading the reader with a bunch of unimportant details.

 
If you could sit down and talk to any author, who would it be?

If I could sit down and talk to any author I think it would be Stephen King.  I have been a huge fan of his books since before I could really grasp the concepts in them.  I would just love to know where he comes up with so many varied ideas!

 
What is your favorite genre?

My favorite genre is a tough one.  I love paranormal books.  But I am also addicted to mystery/thrillers.  I actually wanted to be a Medical Examiner for most of college and grad school because I loved Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta books. 

What's one thing that no one really knows about you? 

One thing no one really knows about me . . . hmmmm.  Well, I would say not many people know that I am a closet bad horror movie lover.  The cheesier the better!  I even have a secret desire to be the person who writes the descriptions for the horror movies on Fearnet :-)

Have you read any good books lately? What’s your favorite so far this year? Any that you are looking forward to?

Lately I have read a couple of good books:  The Golden Lily, Sweet Evil, Insurgent, Cinder.  But my favorite book this year so far has been Catch Me by Lisa Gardner. 

What was your favorite childhood book?

My favorite childhood book is probably a toss-up between The Bridge to Terabithia and Island of the Blue Dolphins.

Any advice for the aspiring author?

The advice I have for aspiring authors is probably just keep writing, and be very open to constructive criticism.  Talented is actually the third full length novel I have written, but the first to actually make any sense!  The first two sounded great in my head, but didn't translate so well when I tried to write them down. 

With Talented, I asked my closest, most honest friends to  help out with beta reading.  They didn't hold back when they, nicely, ripped the first couple drafts apart.  I have even found myself out voted on a plot point that I thought was great, but the general consensus is a NO!  I would also suggest joining writing groups in your area.  It is a great was to network and gain insight from both published authors and other aspiring ones.  I belong to several, and they have been invaluable resources!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions Sophie! I know you're a busy person, so I really appreciate the time! I always enjoy getting to know authors better!