Interview with Komal Lewis & a Giveaway!

I have known Komal for over a year now, but we have never actually met in person. We literally live on opposite sides of the world! That is the best thing about blogging: meeting people from all over the world and forming lasting friendships.

When Komal asked me to help edit her book, I was beyond thrilled! What an honor to be trusted with another person’s book baby! This has been one of the best experiences of my life and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

Throughout this process I have become quite attached to Komal's debut novel IMPOSSIBLE. I read it in a day and I was so giddy about it that I read it a second time the very next day.

I just know you will love IMPOSSIBLE and adore Komal as much as I do.
So without further ado, please say "hello!" to Komal Lewis!

Thank you for letting me interview you, Komal!
Thank you so much for having me!

What inspired you to write IMPOSSIBLE (With Me #1)?
Impossible was the story I shouldn’t have been writing. I was actually in the revisions stage for my YA Paranormal novel, Runaway Mortal, when the idea struck me. One night my husband and I sat down to watch one of my favourite movies, Drive Me Crazy, and after it ended, I said, “I would love to write a story like that one day.” Well, “one day” turned out to be the very next day!


What is your writing routine?
It depends on what I’m writing. When it comes to writing Paranormal or Fantasy, I do a lot of world-building, so I need to plan things out in advance and keep meticulous notes on everything. When it comes to writing Contemporary, I just write. I aim to write at least 10,000 words a week over a period of 3 – 4 days. I take breaks when I need to, but I am always tough on myself.
 
Do you listen to music or prefer to write in silence?
I can’t concentrate when there is music playing. I usually listen to music prior to writing or when I am stuck with scenes.

You live in Australia, but IMPOSSIBLE takes place in the United States. Was it difficult writing a story based in a different country?

When I got the idea for Impossibe, I immediately knew that it would be set in the U.S. First off, one of my main characters is a cheerleader and we don’t have cheerleading in Australian high schools so that would've been a major issue. It’s difficult at times because I've never been to the U.S. and have limited knowledge about the geography and the dialect. Even though English is spoken in both countries, it’s amazing how different words and their meanings can be! My awesome critique partners, Erica and Michelle both live in the U.S. and have been my go-to girls during the writing process. Without them, I would be completely lost. I could gush endlessly about Erica’s help. I already told her that Impossible is 50% her book! Spelling was something I was comfortable with—I know I usually have to omit certain letters for some words—but there were other issues like “handbrake”, “torch” and “sunbathing”. Not to mention the in-depth discussions we had about lakes with waves, and leggings vs. tights. Don’t ask.

What made you decided to self-publish instead of the more traditional route?
Initially, I was set on taking the traditional route even if it took me years, but I was uninformed at the time about publishing in general. Once I did my research, I realised that it could take years and years for me to have a published book out and that was only IF I ever landed an agent or a publisher. I’m not saying that it’s impossible; I’m just saying that it is a very long process. I have never sent a query to an agent or a publisher. I’m a very impatient person and I didn't want to do all that waiting. On top of that, I’m a bit of a control freak/perfectionist. I realised that I wanted complete control over my work and I did not want to wait years for readers to get their hands on my books. There is also the sad truth that despite how wonderful your book may be, it might not be the current trend or publishers may not think it will sell. It’s best to do your own research before you make a decision.
 
What was the most challenging part of self-publishing?
The most challenging part was definitely the editing process. With the help of my critique partners, I've tried to ensure that my book is as error-free as possible, but I am sure a few mistakes have slipped me.
 
Stephanie Mooney was your cover designer; can you tell us a little about what that process was like?
I knew immediately that I wanted Stephanie to design my cover. She’s designed covers for a lot of my favourite authors, so she was my dream cover artist. I told Stephanie a bit about what I wanted: “Fresh, clean concept with a white background.” I didn't want the characters’ faces showing so that it would be left to the reader’s imagination. I gave her a vague (sorry, Stephanie!) description of the characters, but she must have been psychic because when she got back to me with the proofs, I was blown away. Stephanie had absolutely nailed the brief! She gave me two options which were very different and I loved them both. I finally settled on option one with a few minor tweaks. It’s really an amazing feeling when you see the cover. It makes everything real.
 
Have you started working on your next book yet?
The next three in fact! My next release is Runaway Mortal which I finished writing about a year ago. All it needs is to go through a grueling editing process which I will start in the next couple of months so that it will be ready for a January/February release. I start writing the second book in the With Me series, Falling for Hadie, in November for NaNoWriMo. And I have already written the first chapters for Wrong Side of Town (With Me #3) and All for Savannah (With Me #4).
 
And just for fun:
                                                 
Dogs or cats? I have three cats and three Siberian Huskies, but I think I am more of a dog person. They’re just so loyal and goofy!
Chocolate or white milk? Lite white milk. Yes, I am a boring person!
Night owl or early bird? Both. I usually suffer from insomnia so I don’t get to sleep until 4 – 5 AM sometimes! But I have been sleeping better lately and am up at 6 AM.
Twilight or Vampire Academy? I read Twilight first, but I am a VA and Richelle Mead fan.
Coke or Pepsi? Neither! I really only drink water. I am just reinforcing that whole “boring person” thing, haha!
Chicken or Steak? Chicken!
Cake or Pie? Broccoli?

Thank you, Komal and congratulations on your debut novel!


You can find out more about Komal in the following places: Her blog, Goodreads, Amazon and Smashwords.

To enter in the giveaway, please fill out the Rafflecopter below and complete as many entries as possible. The giveaway is international and will end on November 3rd!



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