Featured Author
K. Bromberg
About the Author
K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner that has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard. She’s a wife, mom, child rustler, toy pick-er-upper, chauffer, resident web-slinger, LaLaloopsy watching, American Girl doll dressing multi-tasker of all things domestic and otherwise. She likes her diet cokes with rum, her music loud, and her pantry stocked with a cache of chocolate.
K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.
Interview
MBB: We're so excited to hear about the history that led to The Driven Trilogy! How long have you been writing, and what inspires you?
KB: I’ve been writing forever. I was always that kid who you hated in high school English class who wrote papers that were longer than the requirement. The funny thing is that I was a total stickler for grammar back then and now my writing would make my English teachers (or any English teachers for that matter) cringe. I write how someone thinks or talks or feels, and that is not always conducive to proper grammar. I wrote a book after graduating from college... back then I thought it was great, and I did have interest from some agents. But it just wasn’t in me to rewrite the whole thing to fit some person’s idea of what was acceptable. And over the years I’d start a story and then never go anywhere with it. So to answer the question, writing is just what I’ve always done. It’s how I express myself.
Inspiration is a funny thing. It strikes you at the oddest of times. For instance I was having trouble writing the book jacket blurb for Fueled—it’s by far the hardest thing for an author to write. How do you condense 140k words into five hundred that portray everything you’ve written in a way so that people want to actually read it? I was in Costco with my three kids—in the paper goods aisle to be exact—and it hit me. My poor kids had to sit and wait while I typed out the gist of it on my phone. Inspiration can come in the form of a song lyric, a person’s comment overheard in a restaurant, anywhere.
MBB: Very interesting, and so true about inspiration! What approach did you take to begin writing your first book, Driven? Did you change this approach for your second book, Fueled?
KB: With Driven I started with these two characters that wouldn’t leave my imagination alone. I had been reading a lot of books and knew I could write better than some of them…and I’m not saying that out of a position of conceit but rather owning the one talent I’ve always had…I knew I could write better, but I wasn’t sure if I could put it all together and have it come across on paper how it was in my head. My husband was traveling a lot for work so once I put the kids to bed, that’s how I’d spend my time while he was away.
As to my approach, I’m an outliner. Big time. Big, long detailed outlines. And they have to be done in longhand. Odd, I know, but that’s how I work. I did this with Driven and had like 80 pages in a loose-leaf notebook by the time I was done. I write beginning to end. I don’t write scenes and then try to shell game them in to fit together. For Fueled, I kept the same approach. The outline was a little less detailed as I already had memorized character traits that I didn’t need to write down anymore in an outline.
The hardest thing in writing a trilogy is having to plant threads of plot lines that carry all the way through the books. Before I wrote Driven, I knew the gist of all three books. I knew where the story line was going and so outlining for me is essential to make sure those threads are there.
MBB: It sounds like a lot of planning and preparation went into the series! Can you share a little about the plot and characters?
KB: The Driven Trilogy is about two damaged people that find each other in that time in their lives when they need each other the most.
Interviewed by Stephanie
K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.
Interview
MBB: We're so excited to hear about the history that led to The Driven Trilogy! How long have you been writing, and what inspires you?
KB: I’ve been writing forever. I was always that kid who you hated in high school English class who wrote papers that were longer than the requirement. The funny thing is that I was a total stickler for grammar back then and now my writing would make my English teachers (or any English teachers for that matter) cringe. I write how someone thinks or talks or feels, and that is not always conducive to proper grammar. I wrote a book after graduating from college... back then I thought it was great, and I did have interest from some agents. But it just wasn’t in me to rewrite the whole thing to fit some person’s idea of what was acceptable. And over the years I’d start a story and then never go anywhere with it. So to answer the question, writing is just what I’ve always done. It’s how I express myself. Inspiration is a funny thing. It strikes you at the oddest of times. For instance I was having trouble writing the book jacket blurb for Fueled—it’s by far the hardest thing for an author to write. How do you condense 140k words into five hundred that portray everything you’ve written in a way so that people want to actually read it? I was in Costco with my three kids—in the paper goods aisle to be exact—and it hit me. My poor kids had to sit and wait while I typed out the gist of it on my phone. Inspiration can come in the form of a song lyric, a person’s comment overheard in a restaurant, anywhere.
MBB: Very interesting, and so true about inspiration! What approach did you take to begin writing your first book, Driven? Did you change this approach for your second book, Fueled?
KB: With Driven I started with these two characters that wouldn’t leave my imagination alone. I had been reading a lot of books and knew I could write better than some of them…and I’m not saying that out of a position of conceit but rather owning the one talent I’ve always had…I knew I could write better, but I wasn’t sure if I could put it all together and have it come across on paper how it was in my head. My husband was traveling a lot for work so once I put the kids to bed, that’s how I’d spend my time while he was away.
As to my approach, I’m an outliner. Big time. Big, long detailed outlines. And they have to be done in longhand. Odd, I know, but that’s how I work. I did this with Driven and had like 80 pages in a loose-leaf notebook by the time I was done. I write beginning to end. I don’t write scenes and then try to shell game them in to fit together. For Fueled, I kept the same approach. The outline was a little less detailed as I already had memorized character traits that I didn’t need to write down anymore in an outline.
The hardest thing in writing a trilogy is having to plant threads of plot lines that carry all the way through the books. Before I wrote Driven, I knew the gist of all three books. I knew where the story line was going and so outlining for me is essential to make sure those threads are there.
MBB: It sounds like a lot of planning and preparation went into the series! Can you share a little about the plot and characters?
KB: The Driven Trilogy is about two damaged people that find each other in that time in their lives when they need each other the most.
Rylee Thomas is a headstrong female who lost her fiancé in a tragic accident and thought her heart could never love again. She’s a selfless woman who takes care of broken children, abandoned and unadoptable by societal standards. With Rylee, what you see is what you get. Colton Donavan is a playboy racecar driver who lives life on the edge of reckless and out of control. Adopted into Hollywood royalty after an abusive childhood, he never lets anyone get too close to him. With Colton, what you see is most definitely not what you get.
The trilogy spans their struggle to fight for the one thing they never wanted, but now don’t want to live without. The books span their struggle to face their own demons and find themselves again by accepting love from each other. Driven was told strictly through Rylee’s point of view but I’ll tell you that Fueled (book #2) will be a mixture of both Rylee and Colton’s point of view.
MBB: Did writing the first book, Driven, or your second book require any special research or preparation?
KB: Hmmm…I had to do some research on Indy racing. I knew the sport and the basics but I had to figure out the schedule and some terminology. When it came to the boys and Rylee’s job. I kind of flew by the seat of my pants and made it up as I went. Since the release of Driven, I’ve been contacted by several people that work in the field who’ve given me more insight on how the boys in The House would react to certain situations. But for the most part, not too much research.
MBB: How nice to have some additional insight! How would you describe your book, in relation to the contemporary romance genre? And what do you like most about the genre?
KB: My book falls into an in between category. It is by definition of the explicit description in the sex scenes an erotic romance. Most bloggers however tell me that they hate it being under that genre because it has such a detailed plot that they feel it should be classified as a contemporary romance. So I’m okay with either one. I like the genre because these books usually follow the journey of the female character finding out who they really are and at the same time becoming comfortable with their sexuality and owning it. I think is a very important time in the life of a woman and enjoy watching the journey and transformation.
MBB: What are your plans for future projects?
KB: I’m just about finished outlining Crashed (book #3 in the trilogy). I’ve also started a stand alone titled Strike Out that might surprise some of my readers – more of a New Adult with a little ‘bit of explicit’ mixed in (and don’t worry Driven fans, it’s not even outlined yet). It was a storyline that called to me and I have to write it. Crashed will be finished first and is definitely my priority.
MBB: That's exciting news, especially since readers will be eager to get their hands on book #3! What advice do you have for other writers who are just starting out?
KB: A couple of things:
1. Write, write, write. I can’t believe how much my writing improved from Driven to Fueled just from writing more.
2. A good editor is worth their weight in gold.
3. Bloggers are your best friend. They can be your biggest fan or worst critic. Treat each one, regardless of the size of their blog, with respect.
4. Make yourself accessible to your readers. A little bit of time goes a long way – especially in light of all of the plagiarism scandals in recent weeks.
5. Beta readers are essential. They can see things that you might not be able to and give you valuable insight.
MBB: One last question! If you were stranded on a deserted island with all the published works of just one author, what author would it be? Please elaborate!
KB: Ugh! Just one? Who has published the most books because that means I’d have more to read and keep me from going insane. On that basis alone, I’d have to say Nora Roberts because the woman has more books than anyone out there—I’d have books to read for months!
MBB: Before we close, is there anything else you would like to add?
KB: Of course, haven’t you noticed I’m wordy and have a lot to say? I’d just like to thank all of the readers and bloggers that have embraced Driven and plugged the hell out of it on their sites and social media so that it didn’t get lost in the fray of all of the other new releases out there. You guys truly are awesome. You took a chance on this new indie author and I promise to not disappoint with Fueled on August 27th! And as always, please feel free to contact me any time!
MBB: This was great fun! Thank you, K, for giving us a behind the scenes look at how The Driven Trilogy came to be! We eagerly await the arrival of Fueled on August 27th.
Read our review for Driven by clicking here!
The trilogy spans their struggle to fight for the one thing they never wanted, but now don’t want to live without. The books span their struggle to face their own demons and find themselves again by accepting love from each other. Driven was told strictly through Rylee’s point of view but I’ll tell you that Fueled (book #2) will be a mixture of both Rylee and Colton’s point of view.
MBB: Did writing the first book, Driven, or your second book require any special research or preparation?
KB: Hmmm…I had to do some research on Indy racing. I knew the sport and the basics but I had to figure out the schedule and some terminology. When it came to the boys and Rylee’s job. I kind of flew by the seat of my pants and made it up as I went. Since the release of Driven, I’ve been contacted by several people that work in the field who’ve given me more insight on how the boys in The House would react to certain situations. But for the most part, not too much research.
MBB: How nice to have some additional insight! How would you describe your book, in relation to the contemporary romance genre? And what do you like most about the genre?
KB: My book falls into an in between category. It is by definition of the explicit description in the sex scenes an erotic romance. Most bloggers however tell me that they hate it being under that genre because it has such a detailed plot that they feel it should be classified as a contemporary romance. So I’m okay with either one. I like the genre because these books usually follow the journey of the female character finding out who they really are and at the same time becoming comfortable with their sexuality and owning it. I think is a very important time in the life of a woman and enjoy watching the journey and transformation.
MBB: What are your plans for future projects?
KB: I’m just about finished outlining Crashed (book #3 in the trilogy). I’ve also started a stand alone titled Strike Out that might surprise some of my readers – more of a New Adult with a little ‘bit of explicit’ mixed in (and don’t worry Driven fans, it’s not even outlined yet). It was a storyline that called to me and I have to write it. Crashed will be finished first and is definitely my priority.
MBB: That's exciting news, especially since readers will be eager to get their hands on book #3! What advice do you have for other writers who are just starting out?
KB: A couple of things:
1. Write, write, write. I can’t believe how much my writing improved from Driven to Fueled just from writing more.
2. A good editor is worth their weight in gold.
3. Bloggers are your best friend. They can be your biggest fan or worst critic. Treat each one, regardless of the size of their blog, with respect.
4. Make yourself accessible to your readers. A little bit of time goes a long way – especially in light of all of the plagiarism scandals in recent weeks.
5. Beta readers are essential. They can see things that you might not be able to and give you valuable insight.
MBB: One last question! If you were stranded on a deserted island with all the published works of just one author, what author would it be? Please elaborate!
KB: Ugh! Just one? Who has published the most books because that means I’d have more to read and keep me from going insane. On that basis alone, I’d have to say Nora Roberts because the woman has more books than anyone out there—I’d have books to read for months!
MBB: Before we close, is there anything else you would like to add?
KB: Of course, haven’t you noticed I’m wordy and have a lot to say? I’d just like to thank all of the readers and bloggers that have embraced Driven and plugged the hell out of it on their sites and social media so that it didn’t get lost in the fray of all of the other new releases out there. You guys truly are awesome. You took a chance on this new indie author and I promise to not disappoint with Fueled on August 27th! And as always, please feel free to contact me any time!
MBB: This was great fun! Thank you, K, for giving us a behind the scenes look at how The Driven Trilogy came to be! We eagerly await the arrival of Fueled on August 27th.
Connect with the Author!
Read our review for Driven by clicking here!
Interviewed by Stephanie
Thanks for having me on the site today! Can't wait to see what everyone thinks of the new cover later today!
ReplyDeleteK.
Thanks, K! I had a great time! Looking forward to the cover reveal for Fueled today at 5 p.m. (PST)!
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