Ella:   Tell us about your passion for writing. What drives you?  What impact do you want your book to make on the readers?
Wow! Where do I begin? I always jokingly state that I have a passionate love affair going on with reading and writing. Our torrid affair has consumed my very being for much of my life; it's true, it's pure, it's divine. My passion runs deep. Writing is in my blood and I cannot imagine life without it. My very spirit would probably shrivel up and die if I could not write. Writing is my therapy. My voice. My sincere expression of the world as seen through my eyes.

 

When I write, I am transported to another dimension. My soul feels free and light and at peace. Writing brings me serenity and fulfillment like no other. Like a lover, I love it and it loves me back. Writing caresses my spirit and I simply soar like an eagle. When I write I feel powerful---after all, I am creating life with the stroke of my pen or computer keys. My characters come alive on the pages of my books. That's magic. And when my readers digest my stories, they get to meet these incredible characters, with their faults, imperfections and all.  I do not write as a hustle. I write because I am passionate about the power and beauty of words. As my children say, "That's real talk."

 

What drives me? Life, the precious beauty of existing, the experience of learning something new each and every day. Joys, pains. Failures. Accomplishments. Life lessons. My children, my spouse. Love. Observing people in all their beauty and splendor and seeing the not so pretty side. Writing is my essence, my link with the world.

 

As far as an impact is concerned, I simply want my readers to be entertained and pulled into a world completely different, or maybe not, from their own. When reading my books, my wish for my readers is to feel like they are taking a mini vacation, an escape from day-to-day living. If a life lesson is learned during the process that makes the experience all the sweeter.

Ella:   Introduce us to your book, Diary of a Stalker.
Follow Diary of a Stalker: as a best-selling male author gets more than he bargained for when he meets a fanatical female fan. What starts out as a one-night stand quickly spirals out of control and into a dangerous game of obsession and pain.

 

As always, I offer readers an entertaining, steamy story that is fast paced, thought provoking, relationship based with an added twist. Readers will be fascinated and appalled at what drives some people to get what they want at whatever cost. I think I have birthed characters that my readers will develop a love/hate relationship and hopefully will be talking back to the book as they experience the various emotions that my characters pull out of them. Diary of a Stalker will make for heated book club discussions across the country and readers will definitely be talking about it the next day.

Ella:   What inspired you to write this story?
Since it has been a couple of years since my last novel, Ladies' Night Out, dropped, I wanted this new release to be something a little different from my previous novels. Yet, I wanted to maintain the core elements that my books are known for. The drama, the fast-paced nature, and the steamy relationship-based elements are still alive and well.

 

I have attended a lot of literary events such as conferences, signings, workshops, etc. After awhile I started to notice a pattern no matter what city or state I was in. Even though the avid readers, mostly female, poured much love my way (I love you back), I noticed the male authors received an extra dose (smile). Maybe because there aren't as many male authors???   I noticed if I attended a large event, I would see some of the same female readers hanging out with the same male authors. Hmmm. So then, I started thinking about how groupies follow rock bands, rappers, professional athletics, actors and entertainers. Why wouldn't this exist in the literary arena as well? Throw a few over the top "what if questions" into the mix and Diary of a Stalker was born.

Ella:    Was it difficult to complete this erotic novel?
Completing Diary of a Stalker was not difficult at all. I find that once I have defined my characters and have a general storyline, my stories typically flow with little effort. I have been very fortunate in that I have never experienced writer's block. Once my characters become one with me, and I am living and breathing them, dreaming about them, feeling as if they are actual people, talking back at them, then it is simply a matter of writing the story down as they dictate it to me.

 

Ella:   What is your most valuable lesson about the publishing industry?
A few years ago I strolled into the industry with rose-colored glasses. Most of my illusions have been lifted at this point in the game and I no longer own those glasses. There are many lessons to learn about the publishing industry. However, my most valuable lesson about the publishing industry is that it is a business first and foremost. The bottom line, the dollar bill, still takes credence over talent and creativity. Even though I was a business major in college and realized this at some level, I naively thought considerations would be adhered to based on a level of talent, mentorship and development of an author. 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about Electa Rome Parks           
http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/electarparks.htm

 

 

Connect with Electa Rome Parks online:
- www.electaromeparks.com    
- www.facebook.com/electaromeparks
- www.electaromeparks.blogspot.com