Author Interview-Satin Russell
What inspired you to
become a writer?
I’ve always loved the written word and have been an avid
reader for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I thought I would be an
English teacher or writer. However, for the longest time, my life seemed to
take me in a different direction. I married, moved, and took the opportunities
that came to me. That eventually led to my being a financial advisor for a
number of years.
A couple of days before my 36th birthday, I woke
up and found myself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. How had I gotten myself to
this place where I was doing exactly opposite of what my interests or strengths
were? How could I change my course so that I didn’t end up a sixty-year old
regretting my life? I went to my husband and told him how I was feeling and
what I was thinking and – to his credit – he didn’t laugh me out of the room.
Instead, we came up with a plan, including a number of measurable goals to hit
in the next year. After a year of working towards those goals, which included saving
a specified amount, paying off all our credit cards, participating in NaNoWriMo, amongst other things, I decided to make the jump and start writing
full-time.
Now even a bad day of writing feels like a great day! I can
honestly say I’ve never been happier.
Who are your favorite
romance characters (besides your own?)
I love Dr. Giovanni Vecchio and Beatrice De Novo from theElizabeth Hunter’s Elemental Series.
Evie Claremont and Reed Wellington in the Premonition series
by Amy A. Bartol are another couple that stands out.
Tell me what inspired
this story.
At the time I was going through big changes and making a
conscious decision to follow my dreams – choosing my path in life as opposed to
just reacting to what life handed me. I think a lot of people can relate to
that feeling of being at a fork in the road and picking a direction. That’s one
of the internal challenges Olivia faces in Secret Hunger.
What is one of your
favorite romantic locales?
When my husband and I were first getting together, he flew
halfway around the world for me and met me in Thailand. (I was staying with my
mom in Bangkok at the time.) I took him to the southern island of Koh Samet. We
rented a little bungalow on the beach, had massages under the swaying palm
trees, rented a boat and snorkeled all day in the bay, enjoyed a candlelit
dinner at a floating restaurant while our feet dangled over turquoise water,
drank too many cocktails, and went late night skinny dipping with nothing but
the stars shining overhead and the phosphorescence glowing in the sea around
us. It felt like I was living in a real live romance
novel. No matter what the setting, I try to capture that same feeling for my
readers with my books.
Is there anything
else you’d like to share with our readers?
This may sound cliché, but it’s never too late to follow
your dreams. Dare to dream big and follow your passions. Be open to hearing the
small voice in side you that says you could be doing something you love.
That
being said, recognize that dreaming is not enough. Research what steps it will
take to make a change and be open to constantly learning. Set small, measurable
goals and stick to them. Foster courage by achieving gradually larger
successes. Recognize that with any big change, it is a marathon not a sprint.
There will setbacks and disappointments, so have a plan for how to persevere.
You don’t have to do this alone. Find your tribe and cultivate community. Make
a long-term business plan and define what success looks like to you. Then go
for it!
She's chasing dreams.
Olivia, a café owner and cook, never regretted forsaking her dreams to finish raising her sisters after the death of their parents. Now grown, they've moved out of the house, leaving Olivia free to pick up where she left off — if she can find the courage to start over.
He's hunting nightmares.
Mason is a Boston police detective, recuperating from a tragic incident that left his partner dead. All he wants is to heal and get back to the job of hunting the killer down. The last thing on his mind is romance.
Finding love wasn't in either of their plans.
But as things heat up between Olivia and Mason, events happen that make her realize she's drawn a far more sinister kind of attention. Suddenly, she finds herself fighting not only for her dreams, but her very life!
Olivia, a café owner and cook, never regretted forsaking her dreams to finish raising her sisters after the death of their parents. Now grown, they've moved out of the house, leaving Olivia free to pick up where she left off — if she can find the courage to start over.
He's hunting nightmares.
Mason is a Boston police detective, recuperating from a tragic incident that left his partner dead. All he wants is to heal and get back to the job of hunting the killer down. The last thing on his mind is romance.
Finding love wasn't in either of their plans.
But as things heat up between Olivia and Mason, events happen that make her realize she's drawn a far more sinister kind of attention. Suddenly, she finds herself fighting not only for her dreams, but her very life!
Important Links
My website
You can find my books here:
Secret Hunger:
Secret Need:
You can also find me on social media:
