Niki Embers - Coming-of-Age Stories About Young Love
Niki Embers enjoys writing stories with a bit of an old-fashioned cadence, aimed at new adults and anyone who has ever been young and in love. When she isn't writing love stories, she might be working on books in other genres under one of her secret aliases. As our author of the day, Embers talks about young love, how her own life inspired her characters and what she does with the "bad guys" from her books.
Please give us a short introduction to what Love Like Crazy about
Love Like Crazy is a coming-of-age book that will appeal to anyone who’s ever been young and in love.
Why do you write for new adults? What appeals to you about this audience?
In my opinion, young people have more energy and more drama. The world is new and exciting. Whether I’m reading young or new adult books or writing them, I truly enjoy seeing the world fresh through their eyes.
Unlike other young adult authors, you don't write about vampires, paranormal beings and shifters. Why not?
Because life is exciting enough by itself… It’s not that I don’t enjoy paranormal books, I do, but I love reading and writing about real triumphs and tragedies.
Jesse O'Brien is a very driven young man. What inspired his character?
Truly, Jesse is a lot like a male version of myself. I pulled from some of my history to create a young man who was mature and driven to succeed so he wouldn’t fall into the same trap as his parents. Also, I have two sons, and Jesse has a little of both of them in him. Kayla, is the daughter I never had.
Tragedy and grief are also prominent themes in Love Like Crazy. Why did you take this approach?
Again, pulling from some of my history, I believe that nothing thrusts a teenager into adulthood like a tragedy. It also makes the character more believable. Oh, and it worked for Disney. :)
In real life, do you believe in true love?
Oh, yes! My hubby and I met and married within weeks of meeting, and we’ve been married coming up on twenty-seven years.
Throughout the ages, humans have been marrying young, but in today's age, people tend to postpone marriage until they are almost thirty. Which do you think is better?
Neither. I believe when we find the love of our life, no matter how young we are – or old we are – we should never let go. Too often, people buy the lie that they should shop around. You wouldn’t throw out anything of value in hopes that you might get something better, so why would we throw out a perfectly good partner in life?
Love Like Crazy has an old-fashioned cadence to it. Was this intentional?
Yes… I love classic romances like Pride and Prejudice, love relationships that grow based on loving each other’s mind and personality, not just because of sex.
Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?
I run five different companies and write in five different genres, but unlike Nora Roberts / J.D. Robb, I keep all my secret identities to myself. :)
How does your next book tie in with this one?
I love to take characters from previous books who were “bad guys” so to speak, but who’ve learned – or will learn – their lesson. I think when characters make mistakes it makes them more human, someone the readers can love to hate, but then fall in love with as the character grows.
What are you working on right now?
Always the next book… :)
Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?
My website www.NikiEmbers.com, and I’m also on all the social media sites. I love to talk about books, so just pop in if you have a question.
