Debut Author Feature – Eden Summers

We love brand new authors here at The Book Pushers! Fresh new voices in our favorite genres gives us another person to cyber-stalk and glom onto! We figured since there are always new authors getting published through both the big New York publishers, as well as the smaller digital first publishers, we should take the time and hunt them down and introduce them to you.

 

Next, we’ve got Eden Summers here to talk about what it’s like being a brand new author!

Thanks for having me! It’s great to be here.

 

Explain to us your journey to publication:

I started writing in late 2010 – early 2011. My first step was to join the Australian RWA and can’t thank the members enough for their support, guidance and hand holding. 

I struggled to finish any of my stories. I had the beginning scenes to a lot of great ideas, but I just couldn’t finish. My confidence would desert me, or by the time I made it half way I had learned so much that the first half was just too damn messy. 

Then one night in December, 2011, I sat down and typed. I didn’t plan, I didn’t plot. I just typed and I didn’t allow myself to waver on the project until I finished. Seven months later I had a contract and Concealed Desire will hopefully be released in early 2013.

 

What’s your first published book about (start of a series, a stand alone, we want details!):

Well my first actual release was a tiny short story in a Halloween Anthology last month. The anthology is called Halloween Heat V and my inclusion is called Phantom Pleasure. 

However, the first story I have published on its own is Sneaking a Peek. It’s a steamy, short story about Tarney and her crush on Ethan – the hot fireman next door. Although she is your typical friendly neighborhood graphic designer, she has a habit of hiding in the darkness of her front porch and watching while Ethan does his weekly work out. 

Here is the book blurb:

She’s either headed for jail…or for the best sex of her life.

Tarney Jensen has been crushing on sexy firefighter Ethan Reid, her best friend’s brother, since her sixteenth birthday. She knows acting on her attraction will ruin their friendship, but she can’t fight the temptation of his sweat-slicked skin as he works out. Every hot-blooded woman loves to drool over a sexy piece of man flesh, but watching one from the shadows of your porch when he has no idea you’re spying on him? Totally illegal.

For years Ethan has watched men go in and out of Tarney’s life, but how’s a guy supposed to put the moves on his kid sister’s best friend without looking like a perv? But when Tarney lets out an ear-piercing scream from her front yard, Ethan drops everything to rush to her aid. And finds out that the woman of his dreams has been sneaking a peek at his workouts…

 

Do you have anything in the works? (contracted or not?)

I have a novel length contemporary romance signed with Etopia Press – Concealed Desire. This story is close to my heart because it was the first I ever finished, the one that started the ball rolling. I can’t wait to share it with the world. 

I also have a heap of half finished stories on my hard drive but have no clue what will come next. 

 

What are your overall dreams, goals and expectations for your future as an author?

I have a lot of goals and dreams where my writing is concerned. I want to always strive to improve my skills, so participating in a lot of online courses is one of them.

I’ll be attending my first RWA Australia conference next year, which is a huge goal for me. I pulled out of the 2012 conference and regret doing so.

I’d like to write a series one day.

I want to try my hand at a heap of different romance sub genres. I already have plot outlines for YA, paranormal and fantasy, it’s just a matter of finding time. And one day I’d love to have an agent and be signed with one of the big six. 

Yes, I have big goals. Lol.

 

What’s your writing process like? Has it changed from when you first started writing?

I’m a plotter. My first step is to write down a brief outline of all the scenes or at least know how I want each chapter to end before I get started on the actual writing. 

When the writing begins it’s usually a fifty-fifty mix of “Oh my gosh, I’m awesome. I need to get these words down as fast as I can” and “Oh my gosh. I’m so crap. Why the hell am I writing…lets go procrastinate on Twitter.” 

My writing see-saw hasn’t changed much because I haven’t been writing that long, but I would love if I could get over the emotional garbage and simply write. Unfortunately I think the writing bipolar is something most writers experience and never overcome. 

 

When did you start writing? What was your very first story about?

I started my first story in late 2010 – Ravaged by Deceit. It’s a contemporary piece about rekindled love between Sam, a celebrity manager, and Lucas, the lead guitarist in a struggling band. 

Not sure if I will ever finish that one. It’s currently in a very rough draft and sitting around the 55k mark, but I cringe whenever I think of how messy it is.

 

Who were some of your inspirations for becoming an author?

There have been a lot, all for different reasons. There are the RWA members who drove me to succeed with their constant talk of success. I wanted to be just like them and share my ‘first sale’ email. 

My favorite authors are also my inspiration. I’ve always said there are two types of awesome authors. The ones who write stories I love to pieces, who make me warm on the inside with their flawless mix of passion, romance and loving characters. The ones that encourage me to share my own stories because I want to make people feel the same way about my work. 

Then there are the authors who write so damn good they make me want to throw my laptop against the wall and scream “I will never be that good!” These authors keep me striving to be better. To never stop learning. 

Both types keep me motivated and inspired. When I’m down and out I know I can rely on their books to give me the kick in the butt I need. 

 

Give us the story about when you got “The Call”

I didn’t get “The Call”. I got “The Email.” I’ve always had a freaky sixth sense when something really good is going to happen (same goes with the bad). I’d been stalking my emails for days, waiting for feedback on my submissions, so when I woke at 3am with a really good feeling I checked my emails on my phone…

Do you know how hard it is to celebrate a contract offer at 3am when your husband is on night shift and your kids are peacefully asleep?

Lol. It took a while to get back to sleep, but I definitely had sweet dreams after that.

 

Who is the author you would most like to meet living or deceased and why?

Cindy Gerard. I have a HUGE girl crush on this fabulous lady. Her writing is flawless, her characters funny, her stories addictive from start to finish. She can write sassy sarcasm and adds the perfect mix of romance and suspense in all her stories. I would love to meet her one day…maybe one day I will stop hiding in her bushes and ring her bell to say hi. Joke. Seriously, that was a joke. I live in Australia, so no worries about me stalking. But if I lived in America Cindy might have a problem.

Thanks so much Eden for being here today! Eden is offering a Giveaway today too: a $15 Amazon gift card and 5 swag packs. Leave Eden a question or comment, then use the Rafflecopter link to finalize your entry:  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sneaking a Peak: Kindle | All Romance eBooks | Barnes and Noble