Interview with Author Dani Hoots
Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.
Well, I am an author that resides
outside Seattle, Washington with my husband and two cats. I have a B.S. in
Anthropology and a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona
State University, where I am also enrolled in an online program for Novel
Writing through the Piper Center at ASU. My hobbies include learning German and
Swedish, playing the violin, volunteering for conservation organizations, and
watching anime and reading manga. I also love working at conventions, such as Comic-con,
where I get to meet my readers and other artists like me.
You have an impressive array of novellas and series.
Could you tell us a bit about your books?
Yes. I have five
series currently that are either finished or I’m in the middle of them, along
with some free short stories that are available for download. They all range
from science fiction, fantasy, to horror and romance.
A Falling Starr Trilogy follows Angela Starr as she can’t remember who she is, and is taken to a new world and finds out that it is her home. She must figure out who exactly she was in this world and why there are so many people after her.A World of Vampires Series follows different myths and legends throughout the world about vampires, and each novella has to do with a different character in a different place and time in history as they discover these creatures. My stories range from 1930’s Boston, following the Native American version of a vampire called a Hooh-Strah-Dooh, to 1700s Scotland with the Baobhan Sith, and the newest one to be released is set in 16th century Chile with the Peuchen legend.
The Sanshlian Series, which includes my first indie published novel The Quest, follows Arcadia Rieturf who was taken from her family and trained to be the Emperor’s Shadow. She becomes emotionless and ruthless, believing in everything her master, the emperor, does—that is, until she runs into her long lost brother who wants to find the legendary planet of Sanshli, which can be used to destroy the Pandronan Empire and bring back the New Republic that once ruled. Now Arcadia must choose between her loyalty and her family.
My
Broken Heart Series is a collection of
different romance stories of people who have had their heart broken. For this,
I decided to do all types of “doomed to fail” relationships including a girl falling
in love with her father’s intern, a graduate school teacher-student romance,
boss-employee relationship, and so on. This series also includes two LGBT
novellas that have not yet been released.
Lastly, I have a
series called Damon Salvatore: Life After
Lost that I published through Kindle Worlds. This is through The Vampire Diaries and follows Damon
just after he runs off from Mystic Falls after he is turned into a vampire.
You are also working on a comic called Hel's Labyrinth. What’s the premise, and
how does working on a comic differ from writing a book?
Hel’s
Labyrinth follows a girl named Phoebe who
unwillingly gets trapped into Niflhel, the Scandinavian underworld, with seven
other circus attendees. There, they have to face Norse mythical beings that are
trying to kill them and survive to the end of the labyrinth to face Hel
herself, as she is the one behind it all and is trying to bring Ragnarok to end
the world. To learn more about it and stay informed, please check out our
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/antikcomics
Working on a
comic is a lot of fun, especially when it is with a friend. Being a writer can
be lonely a lot of time, so working on joint projects is definitely exciting. I
found that the difference is when it comes to actually writing the story, as
you don’t need to worry about describing things since that is what the art
does. Mainly, all your focus is on dialogue and you have to make sure all the
information is given only through dialogue. It is quite interesting, actually,
to have to change your focus on how most information is given. As for marketing
and all the pre- and post-production work, it is a lot like writing a novel.
You’ve also written a book (based on the Vampire
Diaries) for Kindle Worlds. How was that experience?
It was a lot of
fun since I got to be able to write about a character I absolutely love. There
is definitely a lot we don’t know about Damon in The Vampire Diaries and it was fun to put together some of the pieces,
even though it’s not canon. It was also helpful in developing a fan base and
beginning my career as a writer.
You write in several genres. Do you have a
favourite? And if so, why?
I am not sure
what would be my favorite, but if I had to pick, it would probably be urban and
historic fantasy. I love doing research on different times in history, or
different places throughout the world, and learn a lot by writing A World of Vampires Series, and a novel
I am working on called The Chained.
Science Fiction is a close second though, as I have great interest in space
exploration and grew up reading Isaac Asimov and Star Wars books.
Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do
your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?
I try to write
every day, even if it is just a little. I make myself a pot of herbal tea, get
my cat to lie down next to me, blast some music that inspires me (ranging from
folk to German metal), and go to work in my study. That is pretty much my every
day. My ideas originate from many things, such as dreams, history books, or
just interactions with people on the streets. I find inspiration in everything
around me.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer?
I would have to
say that a lot of the time being a writer can be very lonely. Sure there is a
lot of people online to talk to, but actual physical interaction is a lot
different. That is why I like working at conventions, meeting people, and
joining clubs like German club, soccer, and volunteering places.
Do you
have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?
My favorite authors include Isaac Asimov, Kevin J. Anderson,
Timothy Zahn, and I get inspired by many animes and mangas, such as Sailor
Moon, Fairy Tail, and Trigun. Isaac Asimov was a very scientific writer and it
is very motivating how he was able to incorporate it in his writing. When I was
young, I read a lot of Timothy Zahn and Kevin J. Anderson and those stories
were what made get serious about writing, along with watching/reading Sailor
Moon, Trigun, and many other Japanese anime and manga.
What’s your
next project? Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?
My next project is going to be a
young adult paranormal mystery. It is still in the works, but I know it will
follow a young girl who is starting her freshman year at a boarding school
outside of Leavenworth, Washington. She starts hearing a voice talking to her
and strange things begin happening at the school where she has to solve the
mystery of what happens. I’m very excited to start working on it soon and I
hope to release the first one this fall.
You can find out more about the author and her books at her websites:
