Questions & Answers with Joz Maxel

Questions and answers with Joz Maxel

1. What is the first book that made you cry?

First book to make me cry that I can remember is when I was a teenager I read about a girl who had leukemia and went to camp for sick kids and met a boy.

2. When you develop characters do you already know who they are before you begin writing or do you let them develop as you go?

Developing characters for the most part I know going in what they`ll be all about...Rourke was a surprise to me. I didn`t start writing him as a gay male, but when it popped in my head it just felt right.

3. How long have you been writing?

I`ve been writing as Joz Maxel for 2 years this month

4. What inspires you?

What inspires me is EVERYTHING. I get ideas everywhere for story ideas, most of which I don`t develop into a story but the thought process blows me away how far I can take some ideas.

5. What is your favourite genre to read and why?

Favourite genre to read is probably dark romance. Love the damaged, twisted men and the fucked up women that find each other. 🙂

6. How important is research to you when writing a book?

Researching topics to put in books is very important I think. This next book is going to take me awhile to write cause it deals with dementia and everyone who is touched by it. Locations in Under The Rising Sun I spent a lot of time making sure I got the culture and places as true to form as I could.

7. Do you believe a book cover plays an important part in the selling process?

Book covers are like the wrapping to the present. It`s not everything but it draws you in.

8. Does a bad review affect your writing?

I try to take bad reviews in stride and maybe see it from that reviewers POV...maybe I really did miss the mark or missed an aspect of the story I didn`t think was important. But I write for me first what I enjoy writing.

9. How much of yourself do you put into your novels?

There`s not so much me as other family members in my story. The young ladies in My Absolution are loosely based off my girls. The things my husband says to me sometimes make it into books. I guess mannerisms and how I talk would make it into the book quite a bit.

10. Who are your books mostly dedicated to?

I dedicate the books to those who inspired the book the most I guess.

11. Are you friends with other writers?

I have tons of author friends on Facebook, and some of those are beyond the writer circle.

12. Do you listen to music while writing? If so what do you listen to?

I always have music on when I write...it is a huge mood factor. I have a playlist for all the books I write...it`s a mix of all sorts.