Coming August 12, 2016!
Hard Habit to Break
(A Chicago Love Story)
by KT Webb
Blurb
Olivia shouldn't be checking out the sexy older guy at the coffee shop. She should remind herself what happened the last time she was drawn to a man.
Olivia should know better than to start something that could ruin both their lives.
The trouble is, sometimes the things we shouldn't do become the hardest habits to break.
Author Interview
How did you come up with the title of your latest book?
My latest book went through a number of titles before one finally clicked. I listen to music while I write and while writing my next release I listened to a lot of 80's love songs. I love Chicago (the city and the band), and when I realized I wrote my best stuff for this novella while listening to their music, I decided to pay homage to them. In Hard Habit to Break (which was titled Take a Chance on Me at the time), I hadn't been specific about the city they lived in or the college the main character attended, so I just made a few tweaks and it became the first in the collection.
What inspired you to write this book?
This is my first romance. I recently attended the North Iowa Book Bash and discovered that the majority of attendees are romance writers. At first I sort of groaned inwardly; I'd always thought of romance novels as cliche or 'easy'. But the more I thought about it (and realized I was being a tad judgmental) I decided I wanted to do writing exercise. I had an idea rolling around and just sat down to write it. It turned into more than an exercise.
How did you come up with the cover design?
My cover designer is brilliant. I told her the only requirements were a cityscape of Chicago and a couple that looked like the man was older than the woman. I specified hair color, but gave her full creative reign. She sent me one cover that I did not think had the right vibe. The next cover she sent was perfect. Absolutely no tweaks whatsoever. So, I mostly credit her genius for this beautiful cover. (Shout out to Amy Queau)
Describe a character from your latest book in a few words.
Olivia is snarky, clumsy, confident and a little damaged.
How did this character get his/her name?
It just came to me. I normally make a list of names and choose from that, but this one just popped in my head.
If you could choose an actor or celebrity, who would play this character?
Emmy Rossum
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
The ending. I almost always have to add to the ending after I send the story to my story editor.
How do you choose your character’s names?
Sometimes they're inspired by someone I know, sometimes it's a name I wanted to give a child but my husband vetoed. Sometimes they're old family names that I work into the story. I occasionally look up names based on a strong character attribute.
Do your characters speak to you?
Yes. My husband thinks I'm nuts, but sometimes they tell me what happens next. Non-writers never understand what I mean when I say I was just as surprised as they were by a plot twist or the actions of a character.
What advice would you give aspiring authors?
Don't give up. Find your tribe and share ideas. Encourage each other. Writing may not be a group activity, but there are a lot of us out here who want to see you succeed and will help in any way we can.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I refer to myself as a Reformed Pantser. I have always been a pantser, but I recently started mapping out my stories with a timeline. I do relapse sometimes but overall I prefer plotting because it keeps me on target.
What is your writing process?
I used to sit and stare at the computer for awhile until I figured out what to write. Now, I grab my notebook and write out an outline or summary of what I want the story to look like before I ever start writing it.
Have you had writer’s block, and how do you deal with it?
Yes. Ice cream. Just kidding. I tend to work on something else if I encounter writer's block. Which is why I now work on two very different books at once. It helps me to refocus.
What does your family think of your writing?
They love it. My mother is my story editor and she's been a huge supporter of my work for a very long time. My husband isn't a reader but he's proud of me for going after my dreams.
How do you come up with cover design?
For my first two books I designed the covers myself. They were based on a singular idea from the book that held importance to the story. I recently started working with a very talented young cover artist who redesigned the first two books and designed the third book in that series. We went through a lot of ideas before finally deciding on the direction we wanted to go. I want my covers to not only be relevant to the story but also evoke an emotion in potential readers.
What’s the last book your read or are currently reading?
I am currently reading Awake by Krystal Wade. Up next is Supernova by Liz Long, then Halfway Dead by Terry Maggert. I have a lot of reading to catch up on.
Are there any new authors who’ve grabbed your interest?
Ali Winters. Not only does she have a great personality, she also has beautiful book covers and very intriguing stories.
How would you describe yourself? Introvert/Extrovert/other?
I'm an outgoing introvert. I like to have deep meaningful conversations with people much more than I would ever enjoy making small talk. I like meeting new people but I get overwhelmed by large crowds and exhausted by too much socialization.
Do you have any other author friends and do you ever get together in real l life?
Yes! Kelly Van Hull and I met last year at the South Dakota Festival of Books. We've become very good friends and talk quite often. I have a lot of other author friends that I've met through other events or other authors. BJ Sheldon, Jonas Lee, Shawn McGuire, Terry Maggert, Liz Long--all fantastic authors that have also become friends.
What’s your next writing project?
I am currently finishing the final book in The New Era Saga, Choosing Eternity. Once I am done with that I will begin the next novella in the Chicago Love Story collection, Stay the Night, and a YA Romance that is close to my heart.
Thank you so much for answering our questions, KT!
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