Author Spotlight: Nic Starr

The Author Spotlight will focus on a different author every few weeks – it may feature an experienced writer who has a long history of published books, or a new author who is destined to be a future star. Today our Author Spotlight will be on Nic Starr. You can keep in touch with Nic at the links following the interview!

Author Spotlight: Nic Starr

First off, I want to thank Nic for taking the time to answer these questions for me. Please feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comment section below!

 

ABOUT THE BOOKS:

What is the title of your newest or upcoming book?

 More Than a Superstar

What publisher is this book being published by?

 Dreamspinner Press

What is the publication date?

 12/17/2014

Purchase links:  Amazon / Dreamspinner/ Goodreads

 

THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

Nic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn’t give it up for the world. Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told! When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family–an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters–and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country. You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She’d love it if you stopped by to say hi.

Can you give the readers a brief summary of your latest book?

Sam Miller’s dreams are simple—to give back to the aunt who supported him since his mother’s death and to have a family of his own. He focuses on making a success of their catering business Poppy’s Pantry, and his close group of friends. However, when Aunt Poppy ends up in the hospital, it’s a stranger Sam meets in the corridor who gives him the support he needs. Rob Taylor is a man with secrets. His life in the public eye has taken its toll, and now he lives with the repercussions. When he finds himself falling for Sam, he knows things are finally going his way. But just as Sam and Rob find their happiness, another secret threatens to tear them apart.

What genre does it fall in?

 Contemporary Romance

Will you share a few words about your latest book, other than the usual blurb?

More Than a Superstar features Sam, who lives a quiet life, has a great bunch of friends and is building a business. His dreams are simple—he just wants a happy life and to rebuild the family he lost when his mother died. Rob’s life is completely the opposite. He has achieved some awesome goals but he’s not happy with his life. It’s a story about trust, about letting people see who you really are inside—outward appearances don’t necessarily give a true view of a person or their dreams. It’s a story of how we all need help every now and then, and we don’t have to go it alone, if we’d just open our hearts. So in summary, More Than a Superstar is pretty much a sweet romance with a hurt/comfort theme.

Give us a little insight into your main characters! Who are they?

Rob’s life has spiraled out of control. He makes some bad decisions when faced with a life-changing crisis. He keeps things close to his chest, afraid to confide in Sam, but his secrets are the one thing that could push them apart. Sam is one of the few people to see the real Rob, the man under the persona, so losing Sam would further tear Rob apart. Sam is lovely (I’ve got a real soft spot for him ). He’s a good friend and a good nephew. He’s a very strong and caring soul. He has faced sadness in his own life when his mother was killed by a drunk driver. But he’s determined to move beyond his grief and to build a good life for himself. Rob is a tower of strength for Sam as he deals with the pressure of running his business while his Aunt/business partner is incapacitated with injury. But even with his own problems, Sam would be the perfect person to help Rob, if only Rob would open up and let him.

Will we be seeing these characters again any time soon? Is this book part of a series?

A series has been planned but we’ll need to wait and see if it happens. I’m currently writing Tim and Scott’s story. Tim and Scott both work with Sam’s in his catering business. They’ve developed feelings for each other, although things are complicated by fact that Scott is the younger brother of Tim’s best friend. Oh, and Tim hasn’t come out yet!

Tell us a little bit about your writing style. When and where is your favorite time/place to write?

I grab any chance that I can to write. I find an hour in a coffee shop with my iPad can be productive but most often it’s in the evening at my desk, once I’ve dealt with the kids and all the other bits and pieces of a busy life.

What sort of books do you enjoy reading in your free time? What was the last book you read? Did you enjoy it?

I read two books this week and really liked them both. The most recent was Slide by Garrett Leigh. It deals with trauma and was an emotional story that pulled on the heartstrings. It’s the first in a series but I’m catching my breath before launching into the next one. The second book I read was Vinny, Porn Star by JP Barnaby. I’ve enjoyed this series and the way JP brings her characters to life. This story brought together a seasoned porn star and Angel, new to the world of BDSM.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? Have you held any interesting jobs while you worked on your books?

I never knew I wanted to be a writer, in fact I always thought I couldn’t do it. But I’d been blogging for a while and some friends convinced me to give it a try. I was hooked! I do have an evil day job. I have a corporate career which is very different to my writing life.

What does your writing process look like?

In my business life, I am used to process and structure, so my writing process is similar. I am a planner and I use whatever tools I can to help me – I love technology  I capture ideas on the run on my iPad; I keep lists of ideas for plots, characters, names, book titles, all captured in Evernote; I have Pinterest inspiration boards; I outline using mind maps (Scapple at the moment) and then write using Scrivener, which is a special software program for authors.

Why did you choose to write GLBTQ romance? Why not another genre?

I only read m/m romance so when I started writing, I naturally gravitated to what I enjoy reading.

One last questions…totally unrelated to books! I am a passionate foodie. Is there one thing in your pantry that you would be horrified for people to know that you eat?

I’m a foodie too! My pantry is full of gourmet delights. I can’t resist buying all sort of interesting things, particularly at markets. I had a quick check to see what’s in there and the most interesting thing is a bag of Persian fairy floss – yum! I not sure whether it’s horrific but I guess some people wouldn’t like to eat the smoked oysters or the anchovies that are in my cupboard.

Thankyou so much for answering my questions. I think my readers will enjoy learning more about you! Good luck in your future writing!

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE AUTHOR:

Find out more about Nic Starr by visiting the author’s website. You can also check out their profile on Goodreads or follow on Facebook or Twitter.