AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Donna Yates

10 Questions for romance author Donna Yates. Visit her blog, Visit her website, Follow her on Facebook, Find her on LinkedIn, Find her on Goodreads, Visit her Amazon page, Find her on Author's Den, or Visit her Smashwords page.

Welcome, Donna! Can you tell us a bit about your background in writing? What prompted you to write a novel? 

I’ve been writing since I was a child. I’ve started many stories throughout the years but never finished them. Always was different. Once I started to write the story I couldn’t stop. I felt compelled to finish it. 

You describe your novel, Always, as a new age/spiritual romance.What’s the book about? What makes it new age/spiritual? 

Always is thestory of two eternal lovers, Einarr and Katura who come to Earth again toexperience mortality as Simon and April. Simon is 36-years old and set in hisways. He likes an uncomplicated life alone. April is Simon’s best friend’s16-year old niece and she has a crush on Simon. The book is about the lives ofApril and Simon through the years. What makes it new age is that I’ve broughtin a Celtic Wiccan friend for April along with past lives. The spiritual partis the idea that we are eternal spiritual beings who exist on a differentplanet that is made up of love, that we have infinite freedoms to choose ourdestinies. 

In your opinion, how important is romance to a story? 

It depends on the storyline of the book. With Always, romance takes a major part. 

What inspired Always? Did the idea come from one particularsource, or was it a combination of several ideas you’d had? 

I was toying around with a couple of stories when one day Ipictured a middle aged attractive man standing on his balcony looking out atthe town he loves, pleased with his life. From there, as I wrote, the storydeveloped on its own and led me where it wanted to go. 

Have any of your real-world experiences found their ways into yourwriting? Characters based on real people? Settings based on real locations? 

Yes. In Always, characterof Aunt Tillie slapping her hand on tables and talking loudly came from acouple of women I knew once who did that. I have a short story series based onan older woman from the Midwest who loves the “Lard” and prunes. She is basedon several women and their quirky ways. 

Can you tell us a bit about book trailers? Who made yours? 

Book trailers are an easy way to show what your book isabout. You can make them yourself today with the many methods available. I mademy own. It’s more of a PowerPoint, but it was my first try and I’m pleased withthe result. It does explain the concept of the book. 

How would you describe your writing style? 

I like to write simply, with touches of humor here andthere. I’m a storyteller that doesn’t frighten anyone. I like to write a storythat follows the character through the end of their lives. 

What do you find most challenging about writing? 

For me, the most challenging part are the re-writes andedits. They can take so much time and work, but they do produce a much betterstory. 

Is there anything in writing that comes naturally to you? 

Writing and poetry both do. When I’m in the right place,they just flow through my fingertips onto the paper. 

Are you working on anything new? 

I just finished the draft of my second book, The Lone Hero. This one is aboutEinarr’s first mission.

View the book trailer for Always: