Stephanie Renee Interview Published on: 17, Jun 2020

I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and haven't ever left!

I used to LOVE the Princess Diaries books growing up, and I remember getting to go to a book signing for the author, Meg Cabot. Listening to her talk about how much she loved being an author made me want to take that path. I did write a book when I was a teenager, but to tell you the truth, I don't even know what happened to it! It was full of so much teenage -angst, I'm sure no one would be interested!

I've always been a sucker for a good love story, so writing them just made sense. Being thirty, I try to pull from my past/present experiences, so it's the genre I landed in.

I have had ideas swimming around my head for YEARS, and seeing how much the self-publishing industry has taken off made me anxious to dip my toe in the water. I would read books and think 'I want to put MY stories out into the universe.'

I try to make my characters relatable. They're not perfect individuals by any means. I also try to write characters (especially men) that I think women would WANT to be with. Sometimes, a character can be sexy as ever but still be kind of a jerk. I wanted to write men that were sexy, yet would draw women in with their personalities.

The first book in the series..A Constant Surprise...was all about Tyler and Sam finding their way into a relationship. The second was so much fun because I got to write about them actually together as a couple. The title is significant because although Sam has been through so much in her life, Tyler is her constant reminder that she should still have hope.

Fiery. Determined. Badass.

I think a title is so important. In fact, usually I don't come up with a title until I am in the middle of writing. Usually, it screams out to me. I think it has to go with the theme of the book to really pull the readers in.

For me, it's always been about the little things as opposed to some big gesture. It's the things that happen in the quiet moments that matter the most. A simple "I love you" text goes a long way.

Yes, all three of the books in the Constant Series are linked. 1-A Constant Surprise 2 - A Constant Reminder 3 - A Constant Love. They all show the progression of Tyler & Sam's story. Seeing Red, my newest book is a spin off of a couple of the supporting characters from that series.

Finding time to write is HARD. I have a full-time job, a husband, and kids, so sometimes, it's hard to find time! And being a self-published author, you have to really hit the pavement to gain a following.

I don't think you have to be overly romantic, but you have to have a point of reference, I think. Either pull from experience or pull from what you would 'like' your experiences to be in the future.

In 10 years, I hope to have a good audience built up to where I can make writing my full-time career.

Honestly, my husband and I have both still been working, so not a whole lot has changed for us! Aside from the kids doing e-learning...which is an experience all in its own!

AllAuthor has been great! I love my weekly mockup banners and tweets they send out!