Joining me today is author E. V. Darcy, with a cross stitch in one hand and a book in the other. Thank you, Evie, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

Tell us a bit about your book
Marc Matthews, intensely private star of the hit TV show Destiny, hates his fans. He can think of nothing worse than having to speak to, sign autographs for, or have his picture taken with them. So the day he finds out he’s contractually obligated to attend the biggest TV convention of the year, Desti-nation, is not a good one for him. Left without childcare for his four-year-old, Tyler, he has to take his deaf son with him to the biggest fan event in Las Vegas.

Ellie Roscoe, deaf interpreter and fangirl, has reached her fandom limit. After this convention she is done with TV shows, its stars, and the fan scene in general! No more binge watching, no more fan fiction, no more gif sets, it’s time to move on. But after the convention… After she’s met her favourite stars one last time, and finally claims the elusive Marc Matthew’s signature to complete her poster.

When Tyler runs off, it’s Ellie that rescues him, but will Marc be prepared to listen to a fangirl?

Meet the stars of the hit TV show Destiny in An Unconventional Meeting, the first of the Fangirl books; a series of books dedicated to women over thirty who love TV shows!

If there was a film or TV adaptation of your book, who would you like to see play your characters?
The fangirl in me had people in mind from the word go for the leading men of the series! I’d love Misha Collins (Supernatural) to play Marc Matthews, and Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge / Emma / Star Wars) to take on the mantle of Casey McManaman. Jensen Ackles would be perfect for Luc Truman, and Robbie Amell (The Tomorrow People / The Flash) for Tristan Swift.

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?
Oh gosh! Names are my biggest weakness. I’m utterly rubbish at picking names. I tend to look at my Facebook Friends and pick a first name from one friend randomly and then a surname from another. If I don’t like it, if I don’t think it suits my character, I do it again. I’ve also used name generators. Generally this tends to be for women. For men I’m not too bad at, but I still suck at their surnames. Right now some of my future leads of the Fangirl series, are only known by their first names because I haven’t yet thought about them, because if I do the books will never get written!

Where do your ideas come from?
My ideas come from my own fangirl fantasies–who wouldn’t want to bed their favourite TV star? Also they’re exaggerated parts of reality–for example I regularly attend conventions to meet said stars.

Have you always liked to write?
I’ve written since I was a child. One of my first and favourite memories is of sitting on the stairs listening to my nan reading a story she had written–I was shocked that a normal person could write! My nan wasn’t an author, what was she doing writing a book? After that I often filled note books with stories to fill my rather dull life with excitement that I couldn’t experience first hand.

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Just do it. Don’t hold back. Don’t be afraid. I wasted too many years not doing it for those reasons, and it’s a huge regret (I don’t have many regrets, but this is a big one!). Don’t worry about what others think, you’ll learn from just giving it a go. Speak to other authors, but take their words as merely that–THEIRS–and know that just because they have more experience doesn’t mean they know all. Remember JKR had dozens of rejections by ‘professionals’ with years of experience under their belt, before she was picked up!

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?
Something creative still. I love cross stitching. I’d love to design and stitch cross stitch patterns for a living. I love the rhythm of the stitching and watching the tiny little crosses forming the image. I love the floss shopping. There are so many colours, all different types of thread, that I feel like a kid in a sweet shop when I’m picking them out–completely spoilt for choice and wanting them all!

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on Book 2 of my Fangirl Series, An Unexpected Entanglement, and plotting out a new series called The Courtesan.

How has your environment or upbringing impacted your writing?
When I was growing up I was quite isolated from my peers by living on the other side of town from my school friends. I’d been bullied at my primary school and so I was sent to a school across town. Of course that meant nobody lived near by! And with a strict and over protective father I wasn’t allowed to venture very far from home. As I result I curled up with books, and their characters became my friends. Being rather lonely I tended to drift into a world of daydreams, of far more exciting and lavish experiences than I was living. These fantasies got put down on paper–hence why I write what I dream about!

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.
I write in a number of places! On my lap in bed, in the ‘Man-Cave’ of the house, the local library, my office. I tend to float from one space to the next. It completely depends on my mood!

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Write. Do it. Stop worrying that you’re not good enough, because you never will be if you put yourself off.

Do you have a day job in addition to being a writer? If so, what do you do during the day?
I do! I’m a high school teacher by day, but I’m hoping that will change soon!

When you’re writing, do you listen to music or do you need silence?
My preferred time for writing is in bed of a night. My husband lying next to me and the dog on the floor next to me–although I can do without the snoring! I find that I can focus better with the darkness around me, I don’t get disturbed by either of them and I can just focus.

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page