Zoey Appleton Interview Published on: 24, Jan 2024

I have always had a passion for writing. Ever since I was young, I would watch television or read a book and find myself immersed in that world. As I grew, my English teachers would encourage me to express myself with my words. I found that when I got into writing, I could communicate with people more and I could read them better. Since I looked at each person I interacted with as a character in a story, I could determine what might happen next or help move the situation into my favor.

When it came to romance, I quickly discovered that emotions were a major part of a story. You can either go into violence or hate, but looking into romance gave me the ability to correct the wrongs that I saw in the world. I could create worlds that ended up with a happy ending or at least an ending that people wanted to have happen. More often than not, in other types of writing, we can’t have a happy ending, or the endings are rushed, giving the reader remorse. With romance, we can create a world that is romanticized if not romantic. There is more to romance than kissing and love, you have a world and a situation that you know will end happily. This is reason to write and read romance. It is an escape to read and to write.

I wanted to create worlds that I wanted to live in. I started out with art and drawing and quickly discovered that these mediums allowed me to escape not my own world as well as allow others to create their own visions. With writing, I found I had more power to shape the world. I was able to guide the reader down a path, make them feel emotions and envision themselves as the characters. The only difference, I was also allowing people to follow a path that would take them to a fulfilling end.

It may sound like a cheche but the fact of the matter is that a painting or photo is worth a thousand words. When I get into my art, I can visualize the world I want to create. I can find a specific object that I want to develop a scene around and make real. Then, when the image is finished, I can stare at it and allow my mind to go off into whatever direction it wishes. This way, if I create something, I can help write my stories or at least create scenes and situations that I can later explore.

I work backwards and create the ending first. I have found you need to go where you are going before you get there. When I have an ending, I then start thinking of cool scenes that I want to see in my stories. If I want to be in a bar or in a bookstore, I think of why I am there and what importance it has to the story. From there, I develop a character that I want to see that world through. Who are they, why are they there and how will that place influence the path of the story. As a writer every word is a mystery, a fine detail to a puzzle that needs to be discovered. If you have a character sitting on a bench in a park, why are they there? What motivated them to sit in that spot at that moment in their life? As a writer, you are not just creating a single character or a location, you are creating a universe. Even if you don’t use it in your story, it will be there for you to draw on, even if the reader never knows.

I play the scene over and over and over and…. Again. As I stare at the blank page, I have a movie running in my mind. What would I say and what would someone say to me? I also break myself up into different versions of myself. I have the smart person who uses logic and reason and I go down the line to the smart ass who would remove every filter on their words and write out sentences that I might want in the book. Then, as I write, these sentences seem to fall into place and help create a dialogue and situation that I would have in real life. The trick is not to force a conversation or second guess what you say. These characters need to take on a life of their own. You can go into the editing room and polish and politicalize what is said later.

Live – You need to live your life. If you allow people to live your life or guide you down the path they think you should have, then who is in control. If you don’t live, what is the point of existing?

Laugh – Laughter is the best medicine. The world has become too serious. You can’t say anything without someone getting offended. If you say a wrong word, you are cancelled or shamed. However, if you just laugh, take it as humor and focus on living, what others say shouldn’t affect you.

Love Hard – What is life without love. If we don’t love, we are alone. Now, there are many types of love. The first and most important is to love yourself. If you don’t like yourself, change it. Love is hard, and the harder you love, the happier you will become.

Read – Don’t be told anything. You need to read and understand what it is you are reading. If it is fiction, non-fiction, romance, news or whatever, it is vital that you read. When you read, you start to think. When you think, you become a force of nature that can make change. When you can make change, you can love, laugh and live.

When creating my characters and my worlds I use these as my ultimate goal and moral compass to my characters. All of us have a moral compass, what we do from what we learn. If we don’t live, if we don’t laugh, if we don’t love and we don’t read, where do we get our morals? We get them by allowing others to live for us, to laugh at us, to think for us. And that is not a world I want to live in or create.

"Secrets of a Billionaire Boss" is a novel that encompasses an accumulation of my entire life rather than being influenced by a specific moment. It draws upon a myriad of experiences, emotions, and observations that have shaped my perspective on life and relationships. Through this novel, I aim to explore the complexities of human nature, the allure of power and wealth, and the intricate dynamics of love and trust. It is a culmination of my personal journey, intertwined with imagination and creativity, to create a captivating story that resonates with readers.

While my two cherished female cats bring joy and companionship to my life, they don't directly play a role in my creative process. In fact, they can be quite the adorable distractions! When I'm in the zone, they have a knack for crawling onto my keyboard, climbing onto my lap, and even demanding belly rubs or ear scratches. Although they may not find their way into my stories, their presence adds a touch of warmth and humor to my daily life as a writer. They remind me to take occasional breaks, indulge in moments of playfulness, and appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

I look at what I have done and think of how they made me feel and act. I can then change what I didn’t like, embrace what I did and create a moment in time where a happy ending was available for all. As a writer, we only have our own experiences to draw upon. If we don’t live life, then how can we write about it? Sure, you can research and use AI or technology to craft something. But if you are a true writer, if you really want to add something special to what you are creating, what you have done and what you want to do will play a major role. If nothing else, it might get me off my butt and do something I was afraid of doing.

Know yourself before you start writing. Many people will get into writing because they see famous people who have millions of books or movies or the lavish lifestyle and think, “Wow, I want to be like them.” The truth is writing is a very lonely life with little monetary reward in many cases. You need to know that writing is a passion that you want to pursue. If you get into it with preconceptions or that it is easy, you are going to be very disappointed and depressed.

Next, write for yourself. If you write for any other reason than for yourself then you are also going to be disappointed. Don’t write a story and expect praise and admiration. Most people will not like your story, and many may just say they do simply to spare your feelings. Don’t have ego, have passion. When you write, you will improve and you will learn.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Go outside the box and then realize that there is no box. Many people who write romance, science fiction, horror or whatever think that this is what needs to be written and what words are used have to fit into a specific box. If you don’t check these boxes all the time and do it right, your story will not be good.

Focus on the story. Focus on achieving the ending you created in the most exciting, romantic, or horrific way possible. When you get a good story crafted in your mind and outlined on paper, you know what you want to achieve. Then write. Write and keep on writing.

Write everyday – if you write everyday, you are improving and will start to see things that you never did before. Don’t be afraid if people don't like what you write, just write. You can always spit polish later.

And finally, never give up. Success is measured by the milestones you set. Not what others set for you.

I follow the tropes on the surface. If you want a billionaire, you get a billionaire. If you want a secret pregnancy, you get a secret pregnancy. After that, it is all about the delivery. I try not to hammer in a political message or a theme that they have to enjoy. I focus on the story and my objective.

When writing, I don’t want a hallmark movie or a Leave it to Beaver episode. I am looking to hit the reader with action, questions that should be answered and a story that will keep them turning the page. If they see a specific message then that is great. However, I like throwing easter eggs into my stories, hidden characters or single hidden messages that may show up in another book. The goal is to create books that are all connected in my “Marvel Universe” of romance. When I write them, you will always find something new, and if you read them in a different order, then, you might find something no one else has seen. Just a tip.

Everything I write is on a wave. I start you off slow and build you up before I hit you in the gut. Once I hit you with that one punch, the ride is on and you won’t know what direction I an sending you. Some waves may be small while others may keep you wondering to the last page. Since each reader is different, I find this the best way to hit everyone. If no one knows what will happen next, then we are all in the same car.

I don’t care. At the end of the day, I am writing a story. If this is carved on a stone on a desert island or sent to a text as a national alert, my goal is to create a story. I don’t focus on Amazon, YouTube, TikTok or other platforms. I look at them as a printer and as a distributor. If they can’t get my books into the hands of readers, then I will fire them. Plain and simple. I am looking at creating a community and a fan base that will find me. They can visit my website at http://www.zoeyappletonwriter.com and can access all my books wherever they may be. Let everyone else worry about what they can’t control, I have books to write and stories to tell.

They can expect that my stories will grow in size. I am looking at creating longer books and book series. I started out with 50,000 word books and my next book series will have over 125,000 words. I am also going to be toning down the sex and physical and move more towards the mental and emotional. In terms of stories, it will be anyone’s guess. If my fans want to see something, I am always open to playing with ideas and characters. I am writing these books for them as well as myself. So, let me know what you want to see, and who knows, Santa might just make it happen.

I joined AllAuthor a few months ago, and my experience thus far has been amazing. The platform offers an extensive selection of books, right at my fingertips, which I absolutely love. Additionally, AllAuthor provides writers with valuable tips on marketing and writing books, and their wide range of services is truly outstanding.