Welcome to the Love is Blind Blog Hop!
Looking for a cute, short read this Valentine’s Day weekend? Snag my story, Pair of Dice Lost, for just 99c or free on KU!
~Grab it here!
AN INTERVIEW
Interview with hop participant, Tiffany Apan
1.) What's your ideal Valentines Day?
Exploring the remains of a Medieval castle. I am particularly fascinated by the Middle Ages as it is a complex time period that is also steeped in mystery. I also love history and studying it, so anything that might take me back in time just a little is something I'm always down for. And doing it with someone who shares that interest is always a plus!
2.) What's your favorite kind of candy?
I absolutely love peppermint bark, which is usually sold in high abundance at Christmas time. Though I have found it at this time of year too.
3.) Are there romantic elements in your stories? If so how is the romantic factor used?
While I don't consider myself a 'romance writer' per se (my stories always have a sense of resolve but don't always end happily, which is a big no no in writing romance novels), there are romantic elements in a lot of my stories. Romance is a part of life, whether that experience is a positive or negative one.
For me and my stories, it is meant to be an organic experience that happens a ways in to the character's journey to finding him or herself. I think characters can reveal a lot about themselves during a love/sex scene (in many more ways than one) as it typically is when he or she is at his or her most vulnerable. As i said in another interview: it doesn't have to be trashy.
4.) Do you find writing a good romantic scene easy or difficult?
I will say that these are the scenes that undergo the most editing. While I have mastered writing them in ways that fit the characters involved (keeping their personal makeup in mind, likes, dislikes, character backgrounds, etc), I think that love scenes run the greatest risks of coming across as choppy or sometimes downright cringeworthy. While I do enjoy my share of purple prose (there is a time and place for it), I will say that in my love scenes, there are no 'throbbing manhoods', 'sacred flower gardens,' or 'heaving bosoms'.
5.) What type of romance stories do you typically enjoy reading?
Historical romances, definitely. And I do have a particularly great weakness for ones involving Scottish Highlanders.
ABOUT TIFFANY APAN
Tiffany Apan is a singer/songwriter/actress/author of dark fiction and award winning producer/writer from Pennsylvania in the United States.
She grew up among the thick forests of the Appalachian Mountains in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was there she began honing artistic abilities and received much of her creative inspiration. Having been exposed to music since she was a child, she learned the guitar, violin, and accordian from her musician grandparents before taking up classical piano at age 9.
A misfit among her peers (she was the only one in her fifth grade writing class obsessed enough with Vikings and Norwegian mythology to write poems about them), Tiffany was highly active in the artistic community in Wilkes-Barre, PA, involving herself in all music, theater, visual arts, and writing. She began formal classical vocal training at age 12 and appeared in numerous musical theater and operatic productions. Eventually, she settled quite comfortably into a role as “that artsy kid in black” who sits in a coffee shop, drinking endless amounts of coffee and tea while writing furiously in a journal or sketchpad.
After graduating high school, she left the Northeastern PA ghosts for the Southeastern PA zombies (Pittsburgh). Upon the move, Tiffany became involved with the indie film scene, landing supporting roles in a couple films. Her real turning point as a vocalist, however, was being given the opportunity to portray the role of a Free Style Jazz Singer in the world premiere of Marta Effinger’s “Whispers Want to Holler." During rehearsals, she was coached by Billy Harper who wrote the musical score for the production. Projects such as this also gave way to the release of her music with partner in crime, Jason English. Since then, she has gone on to act in several films and theater productions with starring and supporting roles, release music to critical acclaim, and receive accolades for her writing and producing.
Her 2008 debut album, Poet, is an eclectic blend of rock music (combining classical, folk, world, gothic, metal, and touches of pop). It received enthusiastic responses from music fans and also garnered some critical acclaim. Music from the album was featured on several compilation albums and in 2009, she was an American Finalist in The Best New Song in the World Contest with her acapella song, “Lost Little Girl." Her songs have also been featured in films, and the music video for the adaptation of "Scarborough Fair" won in the Open Music Video Category at the 2010 International Indie Gathering Film Festival. In 2012, her screenplay, "Driving Nowhere" also won for Best Horror Short Script at the same festival.
While Tiffany enjoys the Pittsburgh area, Northeastern Pennsylvania is the place she considers “home”, and frequently travels up there for inspiration. The Appalachian Mountains serve as a backdrop for many of her stories, including "The Cemetery by the Lake" and "The Birthrite Series."
Among other projects, she is currently working on her follow up to Poet. It will be released one song at a time and titled The Antiquity Project.
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~Enjoy the rest of the hop!
Geek on,
Deanna
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