Today’s guest/Blog Swap is Ava, who is also known as Jordanna 😉 Ava’s blog often has me laughing out loud. Go take a peek at Journey of Jordanna East 🙂

How did you know you wanted to be a writer?
To be honest, I started writing my first novel because I was bored. I was unemployed, couldn’t afford cable, and had no money to do anything. I was even more depressed because I could no longer afford my college tuition. I thought about what I could do with the knowledge I did have, and how I could combine that knowledge with something that interested me. Then it hit me: I could write a crime book! That’s what I called it, “a crime book.” I majored in Biology with minors in Psychology and Criminology, so I thought I would try my hand at writing a novel. I sat on my bed and started typing. I wrote about 5 chapters by the seat of my pants. But I enjoyed it. A lot. When I started working at a restaurant, I found myself writing notes and chapter summaries on scraps of receipt paper. But I still didn’t know I wanted to be a writer (I can be rather dense). A few people read my first chapters and said they saw potential, but eventually I put my work aside. This year I picked it back up. And when I was unhappy at my most recent job, I realized that I would be so content if I could just stay home and write. So I’m trying it (I left that job for unrelated, personal reasons) and it’s the happiest I’ve been in a long while. I realize that I might not make a lot of friends by admitting I was bored and thought I would write a novel, but I will say that I’m 100% committed to learning and improving every day and I’m completely humbled by those who have succeeded before me.

What genre do you write in?
As I stated above, at first I called it “a crime book.” That eventually became the slightly more sophisticated “crime novel.” For a while I struggled with what actual genre my novel fell into; it wasn’t a mystery/suspense since the main character IS the serial killer and who’s killing people isn’t a big surprise. Then one day I read an article about how to characterize your novel and I discovered my novel falls into the Psychological Thriller genre. I do have a few other ideas for future books though, and they fall in several different genres.

Do you have a writing schedule, your normal writing day?
I do not. I sit on the couch and force myself to write throughout the day. I’ve recently begun shooting for 1000 words per day, but oftentimes I get distracted by editing. That’s right, I love to edit and I have to fight the urge to go back and perfect stuff. I’m a crazy person.

What’s the best writing environment for you – where you write?
I write in the living room, on the couch, with the tv on in the background. I can’t do music! Music distracts me because if I know the words I absentmindedly start typing them. It also distracts me when my cats lie down on my notes, but I tolerate them because they’re so darn cute.

Who inspires you?
My oft-mentioned Hubby-pants. I’ve never seen anyone believe in someone else the way he believes in me. In fact, I’ve never seen someone believe in themselves, let alone another person, the way he believes in me. It’s the best feeling, aside from his love and affection, of course.

If you were to be compared to another author, who’s work would yours most resemble?
I don’t really know yet and I don’t want to be presumptious and disappoint people. I hate when I read a review that says the author is the next Stephen King or the next JRR Tolkien and then…not so much.

Tell us about your current WIP/recently published book?
It’s a crime book! Haha, no, seriously, it’s a thriller involving three characters whose lives are colliding, but not in a happy, shiny, “It’s a Small World After All” kind of way. My main character, Lyla Kyle is a beautiful artist living in Philadelphia who happens to also be a disturbed serial killer. Trying to connect a series of unexplained deaths –Lyla’s murders– is a young cop itching for a big case to make his career. Both of them are seeing the same psychologist, but neither one knows the deadly impacts she’s had on each of their lives. I have about 28K words at the moment and hope to have the project completed before the end of the year, at which point I will enjoy a much anticipated spa day in the city. (Vikki – Can’t wait to read it Ava!)

Ava’s last point, about treating herself to a Spa Day when she’s finished the novel, reminded me of Stephen Kings Misery. Where The author, Paul Sheldon, has a cigarette when he finishes a novel. This got me thinking, what would I treat myself to? Hmmmmmm, it would have to be a Mont Blanc Pen and that way, I could build up a collection *snigger*

So what will you treat yourself to when you’ve finally finished that WIP?