Bethany, this is Bree with Verna Loves Books. Thank you so much for taking the time out to come see us today!
My first question is about you. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your work? We would all love to hear about you.
Bethany Shaw Hi. Thanks for having me. I live in Ohio with my husband, son, and daughter. We have 3 dogs and 2 cats. Writing has always been a passion of mine and I published my first novel, Out of the Shadows, in August of 2013.
Question #2
Bethany, what was your inspiration for Out of the Shadows and the characters you write about?
Bethany Shaw I have always been fascinated with werewolves. I enjoy the many aspects of the pack dynamic and of course the alpha males. I wanted to create strong, dynamic, characters. My main inspiration for Lark and Devon came from a TV couple that I absolutely fell in love with and my imagination kind of just went wild until they were morphed into their own unique persona.
Question #3
Is there anything you've found particularly challenging in writing the Werewolf Wars Series? Any particular part(s) of either novel?
Bethany Shaw Because it is a series I want to make sure I keep things fresh and that each book has new and exciting moments in it. Also, when I wrote Juarez and Emmett I wanted them to be evil, but also I wanted to make sure that the reader could catch glimpses of where they were coming from and what drives them to do the horrible things they do.
Question #4
If you could pick one of your characters to have a lunch date with, who would it be and where would you go/what would you discuss?
Bethany Shaw I would choose Lark. She is the owner of 'The Cookie Jar' and is a fantastic baker. She makes pies, cookies, cakes and muffins. I would love to be able to do all that so I would totally hit her up for some tips. After that we'd probably talk about family, because family is important to both of us.
Question #5
I've asked about your books, now I want to know: what is your all time favorite book, when did you first read it, and why do you love it so much?
(Do you also tell people that they HAVE TO READ IT? I do that with my favorite, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Caps and everything.)
Bethany Shaw Goodness that's a tough question. I think my favorite book of all time is Cynthia Voight's On Fortunes Wheel. I read it as a teenager and absolutely fell in love with it. It really has a little bit of everything in it and I remember just being captivated by it as a teen and even now, I still read it and enjoy it.
Question #6
I won't ask your favorite author, because most of us can't pick just one. (Like me and candy.) So, who are some of your favorite authors, and are there any that you consider a mentor?
Bethany Shaw I really love Rachel Vincent, Cassandra Clare, Sherilyn Kenyon, Susan Grant, Brooke Page. I also really enjoy Angela Graham who was really helpful, and still is, as I got my feet wet as a new author.
Question #7
Do you have any advice for other writers out there? Maybe something you wish you had known before you wrote your first book?
Bethany Shaw Never be afraid to follow your dreams, you are good enough. Also, there are a lot of great books, authors, and blogs out there. Start networking early and build up hype for your new release.
Question #8
Do you have anything special you would like to say to your readers?
Bethany Shaw Thank you! I enjoy writing and have dabbled in it since I was in middle school. I am honored that you choose to read my novel(s) and I sincerely hope that you enjoy them.
Question #9
Who have been your biggest cheerleaders during your writing process? Who are the ones you have to share your news with, about your books, immediately?
Bethany Shaw My husband, mom, and my kids. The day I got my paperbacks in the mail for the first time, my son, he's 5 read the whole novel in under 10 minutes. He said he loved it.
Question #10
Bethany, thank you so much for being here with me this past hour, and for all of your answers! For my final question, I would like to know a story about your life as a writer. It might be a fan who was touched by your work, or a bit of good news you received, a signing you are looking forward to being at, anything you would like.
Bethany Shaw One of the biggest highlights is receiving a review. Knowing that your work compelled someone to leave a review is wonderful. I have two signings coming up one in May and the other in June. I am looking forward to meeting new readers and meeting some fellow authors as well. Thank you so much for having me here tonight.
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