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Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed author Chanel Faye about her love of romance novels, what inspired her to write her own, and the characters in her new book; Hollywood Love.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
I consider myself a citizen of the world, as I have studied and worked in different countries. Professionally, I am a media broadcaster and have been doing it for 12 years. I have been a bookworm all my life, my favorite genre is romance.
Growing up, the books I read always had a white protagonist with a white love interest, which always made me feel like an outsider looking in. I’m glad that more authors are writing diverse romance and I want to be part of that movement. We live in a diverse world and I’m a firm believer that popular culture should reflect that.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
I had this idea of the story going around in my head and I had to write it down. This all happened in 2019. But then I didn’t really know if I wanted to publish it, but I loved the story and the characters too much to keep them to myself.
When did you take a step to start writing?
In 2019. I started by putting the story on a serial story website to see if the story was interesting enough for readers and I got some positive responses.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
It took me a year to complete the book and then another 2 years to get it ready for release.
What made you want to write Hollywood Love?
I want to add to authors that write diverse romance and Hollywood Love is my contribution. Jordan was a complicated character and didn’t let me rest until I had written her story.
What were your biggest challenges with writing Hollywood Love?
Writing the story was easy for me and poured out really quickly. The biggest challenge was sharing it and having strangers read my work.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?
Jordan is a composite of many women I’ve met in my life and I wanted to write a curvy woman romance as well.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?
What inspired me is an idea of perfection in one’s mind and wanting to impose that perfection on your love interest and how that affects the love interest.
What is the inciting incident of Hollywood Love?
The inciting incident is when Jordan meets Alex and realizes that maybe she hasn’t given up on the idea of love as she had first thought.
What is the main conflict of Hollywood Love?
There are many conflicts in the book, but the main one would be the internal struggle within Jordan to accept herself and allow herself to be loved.
Did you plot Hollywood Love in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?
I did the character chart to outline who the characters were, but the rest of the story was freely written.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did Hollywood Love need?
Yes. Oh, my goodness yes. This was my first book so I had many edits done by alpha readers, then had a critique done and then a line/copy edit by a professional editor and then a proofreader.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?
I would say sit down and write the story. Finish it. Celebrate that you have finished it and then get the edits done. Never give up.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
I’m working on a second draft for my second book which will be a romance suspense book with a black female lead of course.
And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
I’m very proud. When I wrote this book, I never thought that I’ll have it published. And now that I have, it really was worth the stress and the moments that I thought I was crazy trying to self-publish a book.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
My website: www.chanellfaye.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chanellfaye72
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chanellfaye72
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chanel_faye
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/chanel-l-faye
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58212027-hollywood-love
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chanellfayeauthor
Amazon link to my book
Hollywood Love: http://Amazon.com/Hollywood-Love-curvy…/dp/B093Y1ZWJ9/
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