Whitney lives in central Florida with her husband and two beautiful children. She is a fur-mama to a pup named Briar Blue and rescue cats named Fiona & Birdie. She met her husband on a blind date in 2003. That night, she went home and told her mom, "I'm going to marry that guy". The rest is history. She loves reading, hazelnut coffee, traveling, baking, and writing. She is a self proclaimed wino and lover of all things chocolate. Her favorite reads include books with alpha males, sexy confident women, and happily ever afters. She wrote her first novel when she was 12 years old. However, it went unpublished and was eventually lost during a move from her childhood home. Stay With Me Tonight is her first published manuscript.
Social Links:
Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram
1. How and when did you get started as a writer?
When I was a kid I really wanted to be a writer. I wrote an entire novel when I was 12 years old, but it went unpublished and was lost during a move from my childhood home. As an adult, I got enrathed in books in the same genre as Fifty Shades of Grey and I read every thing I could get my hands on. Then one day I thought “I can do this” and that's how it all began. Writing has become my passion and outlet.
2. How do you usually find your ideas?
My ideas come mostly from experiences, Google, and books I have read that I love. Although I would be lying if I said that I haven't seen beautiful people on the internet and ended up envisioning them as my characters and writing a whole story for them.
3. Where do you write from? (home, office etc.)
I write from my home office mostly.
4. How long does it take you to write a book?
My first published novel, Stay With Me Tonight, took me just over a year. However, I took a long break in the middle of writing it because I got busy with kids and school. However, I know it would've been much sooner if I had not taken a break. I have already started writing book 2 which will be out in January 2016.
5. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I work full-time as an office manager during the day and I am a full-time mom of two under 10 years old. I write when I can and try to devote as much time for it as possible.
6. Do you have any suggestions to help become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Read a lot, do research, take your time, never give up on your dreams, and invest in yourself!
7. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?
My best friend was murdered when we were fifteen. It shocked our small town and changed my life. Her murderer – one of our school mates - was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
8. What is your greatest weakness?
Food... nothing in particular. I'm a foodie... my body and food have a love/hate relationship.
9. What is your greatest strength?
Someone once told me I am a very honest person and that it's the best quality that any one could ever have. I think some times it comes off as me being a bitch, but that is rarely my intention. I speak my mind because I was raised to be a strong, independent woman. And trust me... if I was actually being a bitch - YOU WOULD KNOW IT.
10. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a writer, but I never thought of being a writer as a job that real people did. Being a writer to me was like being a movie star... some thing I never thought real people could do. However, it is my passion and I love every bit of it.
Quick Q&A
1. Favorite movie: Steel Magnolias
2. Favorite website: Amazon – you can get basically any thing from there.. and BOOKS! :)
3. Favorite color.: Pink... any shade will do.
4. Favorite book: Night Owl by M. Pierce (this book seriously changed my life!)
5. Favorite country: Cayman Islands (specifically Grand Cayman)