Lover of Things: Interview with Author Noell Mosco!

Noell Mosco is a thirty-something-year-old who lives near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, born and raised. A country-girl at heart, she now resides in the suburbs and wishes like hell she was back in the middle of nowhere, where she grew up, so that she could have some peace and quiet. While life in suburbia isn’t horrible (hello, it only takes five minutes to do practically anything – driving range, movie theater, grocery store, gym), she longs to end up either in the country or on the beach. Noell lives with her husband, one dog and two cats. Her full-time job as a physical therapist means she’s compassionate but her true passion in life lives in the pages of books or what she’s able to type up on her computer screen. Traveling is her second biggest hobby, in which she indulges quite often, trying to get on an airplane about three or four times a year to unwind, unplug and recharge, preferably somewhere tropical or foreign. She admits to having a love of wine, cheese and chocolate…Yes, she is a woman, after all…But if forced to pick a poison, her loyalties will always lie with tequila.

Stalker Links

Author FB Page: facebook.com/noellmoscoauthor

Goodreads: goodreads.com/noellcakes
Twitter: @noellcakes
Tumblr: noellcakes.tumblr.com
Instagram: @noellcakes

INTERVIEW

How did you begin writing? Did you intend to become an author, or do you have a specific reason or reasons for writing each book?

I don't know "how" I began writing. I think I might have been, like eight years old or something, and I wrote a story in an old notebook about a girl and her horse. I even illustrated it, which was scary. I always enjoyed writing and hoped to be an author one day but it was always more of a hobby.

Do you have any writing rituals? Do you like silence or like to have music playing?

I do my best writing while listening to music, for sure. When I get in the zone, I don't even really hear it. Genre doesn't really seem to have an effect on my writing either, because like I said, I don't even really hear the music when I'm focused. But it can't be silent, no way. And it can't be TV as background noise because then I'll just get distracted and watch it.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

No. I've thought about adding some of my own experiences into my writing but that makes me too vulnerable. My writing is already personal because it's MY writing, my thoughts, my words, my world, my time spent away from my friends and family, so it's super personal.

If you could have any actor & actress play the leads in your books. Who would they be?

For Lucas Kingston in "These Walls" I'd love to have Alex Pettyfer, and Anna Kendrick for Lily Foster.

For "The Unexpected Beautiful," I'd cast Zac Efron (circa 17 Again era) as Weston MacKinnon and, as cliché as it is, Vanessa Hudgens or Selena Gomez as Nora Rookwood. Of course, keep those characters for "Falling Deeper," which is Book 2 in the Unexpected Series.

Are you working on anything right now or have any future projects planned?

I'm always working on something! Right now, I'm trying to fine tune Book 3 of the Unexpected Series, hoping for release in December.

Do you have any favorite quotes from your books?

West let out a frustrated groan. “Ungh, you’re going to kill me,” he said and kissed her hard. Then he pulled away. “No, we can’t. Not here. Not with my little brother in the next room. And not in this little bed. What I want to do to you requires a much bigger and sturdier bed.” --The Unexpected Beautiful

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Excerpt from "Falling Deeper" book 3 in the Unexpected Series, slated for release in December

“So, he’s quitting?” Ashna asked Nora, her voice in total disbelief and anger.

Nora didn’t know what she expected when she told Ashna about their new roommate but she never expected anger. She shrugged her shoulders as a defense and said, “Yeah. He and Brax went out to L.A. a couple of weeks ago since their tour wrapped and their contracts were over. The label wanted to renegotiate with them, sign them for another five albums and coinciding tours, but West wanted out.”

“And now he wants to come live here. With us.” Ashna spit out the words with a sarcasm that usually never peppered her feminine voice. “Isn’t it a little fast for the two of you to be shacking up together?”

Nora was floored. After the crap she’d put up with from Cody, Nora was not in the mood to take more shit from Ashna. “Okay, judge much?”

Ashna stood up abruptly from the couch and stalked into the kitchen. She snatched a glass out of the cabinet, followed quickly by a bottle of vodka. She splashed some into her glass and brought the rim to her lips where she paused. Nora rushed into the kitchen just in time to see Ashna’s lips quiver and she threw the rocks glass into the porcelain sink, causing it to shatter and spread shards of glass all throughout the basin.

Then she sobbed. She leaned over the sink and sobbed. She cried for a few seconds, hard and ugly. Her trembling fingers tried to pick up the pieces of glass but she couldn’t safely grasp them. Nora reached out and grabbed Ashna’s hands to stop her from trying to clean up. When Nora’s eyes finally connected with Ashna’s, the tears really sprung loose.

Nora pulled Ashna into her arms, holding her in a tight hug. Another sob escaped Ashna’s throat but it was different than before. It was a sob of relief.

“Did West mention what Brax decided to do?” Ashna finally uttered the words that had been plaguing her heart, still in Nora’s arms.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The hardest challenge I find with my writing is to eliminate my accent and my geographical phrasing. I from southwestern Pennsylvania, born and raised, so I write like I talk, with the Pittsburghese slang and everything, including grammar. So when I give my very rough first draft to beta readers or proofreaders, my manuscript comes back with tons of highlights and corrections.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Trying to decide how I wanted The Unexpected Beautiful to end. Once I decided, I remained loyal to that decision and don't regret it at all.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I've had to do some research about cars and repair garages for The Unexpected Series, which is something I know very little about.

What authors do you like to read? What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?

Currently, I love reading all kinds of new authors, but I absolutely adore Kate Canterbary. Her writing is smart, fun, witty, sarcastic, and sometimes I literally LOL while I read her books. I also love J R Ward with her sexy vampires and fallen angels.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write. Just write. Whether the only time you can find time to write is at 11pm after the kids are asleep or scribbling ideas on the back of your napkin at dinner with the in-laws, finding the time to write is half the battle. Oh, and make sure you know the difference between your/you're, two/to/too, weather/whether, then/than, loose/lose, dessert/desert, soul/sole...or find a great proofreader who does :)

Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?

I find it hard to write a fight scene, whether it's a fist fight or an argument. Sometimes I don't like to write nasty characters, which is a challenge for me. When I write love scenes, I try not to make them cringe-able and I'm constantly worried that they might be too racy or raunchy or too specific and that I'll scare people off by my detail-oriented verbiage.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for reading! It's such a simple thing to say and I say it with a full heart. Also, please please please always consider leaving reviews on Goodreads and/or Amazon. Without reviews, I'm just another one-in-a-bajillion indie-authors. Reviews are basically a means to an end.

Okay now some fun stuff!

Current book boyfriend?

Well, I just finished reading "Player" by Joanna Blake so my most recent book boyfriend was James Fitzgerald. Currently reading "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple for my old lady book club at my local library.

What is your favorite food?

Hands down either pizza or spaghetti. I could eat that shit everyday.

Movie that you can watch over and over?

Talladega Nights, Pretty Woman, all of the Harry Potter movies, America's Sweethearts

First book that you remember reading?

I learned how to read with Dick and Jane, 1936 edition. Yes. As in Dick, Jane, Sally, Tim, Spot and Little Mew. Those guys were my crew when I was four years old.

Coffee or Tea?

LOL, I'm so picky. If I'm drinking coffee, I have to make it all girly and add two sugars and flavored creamer, like hazelnut, French vanilla, peppermint mocha... If there's no flavored creamer, I stick with strong tea, one sugar.

What literary character is most like you?

How is this question even fair??? I don't think I've ever read a book before and thought "Omg this is sooooo me!" but I've definitely been able to relate to many characters.

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before?

Again, such tough questions. The world is huge and I have many places I want to see and discover. I for sure want to see Bora Bora in the French Polynesia and stay in one of those over-the-water huts, as well as explore Santorini, Greece and I'd LOVE to see the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids one day in Egypt.

What is something you want to accomplish before you die?

Have a child.

If you could have any accents from anywhere in the world, what would you choose?

Italian. Everything sounds better with an Italian accent.

Characters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

I'm a problem solver - always have been and always will be. I tend to take a calm approach to everything and I have the patience level of a saint. Don't get me wrong, I can overreact at times but in times of difficulty or sticky situations, I'm usually cool as a cucumber. I can't recall something that I "had to get out of" recently.

Here's some teasers from her book The Unexpected Beautiful

West MacKinnon is the lead singer of alt-pop band Copper Crossfire. He meets Nora Rookwood backstage at a concert and instantly falls for her. He needs to find a way to get her to realize he's for real about his feelings for her. Nora is resistant because she needs to protect herself from inevitable heartbreak. Who wins in the ultimate game of love?

BUY LINKS;
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1LhaUpl
B & N: http://bit.ly/1Nl55h6

The second book in the series is Falling Deeper

How in the world can one resume their life after their best friends dies? Weston MacKinnon needs to figure out how to get over the death of his best friend or else he doesn't know how in the world he's going to move on with his career. He knows that there's only one person he can count on - Nora Rookwood. It's been over two years since Nora's heard from West and she's shocked when he calls her. She's moved on with her life and has the hardest time telling West no. She really gets tested when he shows up at her doorstep, unannounced and uninvited. Drama, love, and big decisions make themselves part of the plot as the story of Nora and West continues in The Unexpected Series Book 2: Falling Deeper.