I'm excited to have Ingrid Paulson with us today to chat her newest release Why I Loathe Sterling Lane and share some writing advice. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a prize pack!
WHY I LOATHE STERLING LANE tells the story of a neurotic girl (Harper) whose world is turned upside down when Sterling Lane transfers into her boarding school and befriends her twin brother. Harper and Sterling immediately engage in a battle of wills that evolves into a battle of wits, and finally culminates in a reluctant partnership to rescue Cole from his own mistakes. (ahem, plus lots of kissing).
Which character do you relate most to?
This is a hard question, as I intentionally made these characters a little bit prickly at first. However, I probably relate a little more to Sterling. He says and does a few things that I wish I was brave enough to do or say. In fact, when I’m in a situation that requires me to be more assertive than I’m comfortable being, I think to myself, what would Sterling do? I usually take it down a notch or two, because let’s face it, fully stepping into Sterling’s shoes could land me in jail. But harnessing his character for a moment helps me square my shoulders and press on in difficult moments.
Was your writing process for Why I Loathe Sterling Lane different from Valkyrie Rising? If so how? Anything that surprised you along the way?
In revising Valkyrie Rising, I spent a lot of time focusing on world building and consistency of magical objects. It was much more story and flow oriented, whereas in revising Sterling Lane, I focused more on character development, and tried to find the balance between Harper being prickly and being outright unlikeable. She is still a challenge to get to know, but the point for me was to present a different sort of narrator.
The cover design for Why I Loathe Sterling Lane is really fun! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?
I’m so glad you love the cover too! Entangled does a fabulous job with covers and always manages to find the right tone to match the story. They did ask if I had an idea of what the cover would look like, and for this one, I really didn’t. I thought there should be people on the cover and some way to convey the tension between them, but I wasn’t sure how something like that would be executed. Fortunately, there are professionals who knew exactly how to handle it.
Are you a write-one-thing-at-a-time author, or do you typically juggle multiple projects at once? How do you stay focused?
I’m a write-one-thing-at-a-time author. I tend to really immerse myself in the characters, which makes it hard to switch back and forth. However, I have had to revise one project while writing another, and I seem to be able to do that. But I can’t imagine trying to keep multiple new ideas straight at the same time! I’d feel like I was cheating on my characters!
What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
For me, the biggest struggle was learning to revise and incorporate feedback. After countless hours writing and polishing a novel, it can be hard to hear that something still needs to be changed or isn’t quite working. It’s very easy to get defensive and dismiss the critic because they just don’t get it. Granted, sometimes that will be true, no book is for everyone. However, it’s important to really think feedback through and be unafraid to revise and to step outside of your love for the project and be self-critical. Ultimately that will help your novel be even better!
What are you reading now?
I just finished the latest Sara Maas novel in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. I really enjoyed it!
Congrats on the launch of Why I Loathe Sterling Lane. I can't wait to get my hands on it! And thanks so much for stopping by Thinking to Inking!
Why I Loathe Sterling Lane by Ingrid Paulson
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Per her 537 rules, Harper Campbell keeps her life
tidy—academically and socially. But the moment Sterling Lane transfers into her
tiny boarding school, her twin brother gets swept up in Sterling’s pranks and
schemes and nearly gets expelled. Harper knows it’s Sterling’s fault, and to
protect her brother, she vows to take him down. As she exposes his endless
school violations, he keeps striking back, framing her for his own infractions.
Worst of all, he’s charmed the administration into thinking he’s harmless, and
only Harper sees him for the troublemaker he absolutely is.
As she breaks rule after precious rule in her battle of wits
against Sterling and tension between them hits a boiling point, she’s horrified
to discover that perhaps the two of them aren’t so different. And maybe she
doesn't entirely hate him after all. Teaming up with Sterling to save her
brother might be the only way to keep from breaking the most important
rule—protecting Cole.
About the Author
Ingrid Paulson does not, in fact, loathe anyone. Although
the snarky sense of humor and verbal barbs
Ingrid lives in San Francisco with her husband and children
and enjoys long-distance running, eavesdropping, and watching science
documentaries. She has always loved books and writing short stories, but was
surprised one day to discover the story she was working on wasn’t so short any
more. Valkyrie Rising, a paranormal girl power story was Ingrid’s first novel.
Expect another humorous contemporary romance to join the list soon.
Enter for a change to win a Why I
Loathe Sterling Lane Prize Pack, including:
* A
tote bag
* A
mug
* stickers
good book for reading
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