Hello Lovelies, 

We have a fun interview with multi-genre author Rhonda Smiley who lives in Southern California with her oft-writing partner, James Hereth, and their bossy dog, Jojo. She discovered her passion for writing while majoring in Film Production at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. Since then, she has written for many shows, including Ninja Turtles, Tarzan, Born Free, Totally Spies, and Kuu Kuu Harajuku. When not writing for television, she’s tackling her own projects, like her debut novel, Asper.

Welcome to An Angell’s Life of Bookish Goodness. What is the current book you’re promoting?

I just released Asper, which is a young adult fantasy that crosses into our world and back again. Milla, a 16-year-old sorceress, sets out for vengeance when her father is killed, and ends up uncovering a web of secrets that shatters everything she thought she knew.

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Ooh, sounds awesome! Who is your least favorite character and why?

Haha. Who do I love to hate most? That’s easy. Hailey without a doubt. Even more than the blood-thirsty queen! There’s nothing scarier than a conniving jealous ex-girlfriend who wants her boyfriend back.

Those were the kind of girls who made me hate girls in high school! What is your next project?

I’m working on a graphic novel right now, and loving every minute of it. It’s a sci-fi action crossover called Blowback. I wrote the script with my screenwriting partner, and we’re now in the art stage, which means we get to see our vision come to life from our talented artist and colorist. Very exciting. It’s a lot of work and a long process, but we’re looking forward to publishing it in 2018.

That sounds awesome. My 16 year old is really getting into graphic novels right now. I bet he’ll love that! Where do you come up with your stories?

I’m of two minds when it comes to writing. Because I’m a screenwriter for a living, sometimes I just sit down and purposefully think – what would make a good story for this show or this character? But when I do my own stuff, the not-for-hire writing, I’m fascinated with the complexities and uniqueness of people and the way they handle their circumstances. I love the resilience to tackle hardships – win or lose, it’s inspiring. So, overhearing snippets of conversations, noticing simple things like postures or expressions, even visiting different neighborhoods can spark my imagination.

A people watcher! I’m guilty of this as well. It’s so fun! What is one great lesson you learned as a writer?

Your voice, your point of view, what you have to say isn’t going to appeal to everyone, and that’s okay.

So true. Thanks for joining us today! 
Are you interested in learning more about Rhonda? Go check out her website. Want to know what Rhonda likes to read? Follow her on Goodreads! 

Until next time, 

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