I’m so excited about today’s Behind the Quill author interview. Why? Because I got to talk to Elisa Nuckle, author of the novella, Dominant Race. Yep, that’s right. I cornered her with my crazy eye look until she talked was thrilled when she gave me a few minutes of her time to answer some questions.

Here’s what she said:

Me: Your novella, Dominant Race (DR), was released as an eBook on Monday, July 2. How does it feel to be published? What did you do when you saw it live online?

EN:It’s pretty exciting! I’ve been planning on self-publishing for the past year and have been researching it to

make sure I did everything correctly. The first thing I did when I saw DR on Amazon was squeal and show my husband, who hugged me and then told me to get to work on the next story.

Me: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

EN: When I was twelve, back when I created my first (rather poorly written) story. My middle school English teacher encouraged my voracious reading habits and from there the rest is history.

Me: Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

EN: There are bits and pieces of the characters that are based on experiences with various individuals (though no person in particular). I think there should always be aspects of real life experience in any work of fiction, since that common experience is what makes a story or character relatable.

Me: If Dominant Race were made into a movie, who do you picture playing each characters part?

EN: Oh goodness. At one point I could’ve answered this easily, but the characters turned into their own beings, and now it’s hard not to imagine them the way I do, you know?

But if I had to choose, I’d pick Olivia Wilde as Lilia and a younger Eric Bana as Avari. Damon would be Garrett Hedlund and Carm would be a younger Vera Farmiga. Or something. Oh! And I’d cast Chris Evans as Owen. Love that guy.

Me: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

EN: There are certain characters I think about going back to. Lilia and Avari find their way into the sequel to Dominant Race, but they aren’t the main characters. As for themes, I tend to realize my theme after I’ve written the story, haha, so there’s that, though I find myself going back to themes that revolve around loyalty and justice a lot lately, especially with the Modified Trilogy.

Me: Other than your family and friends, name one entity that you feel supported you on your journey to being an author.

EN: My middle school English teacher. She taught me everything I know about grammar, and supported my good reading habits as well as my writing abilities, pushed me and told me I had the talent, but I needed to learn the skills.

Me: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

EN: I like to write sentences with commas that add an emotional emphasis, a connection, a pause. I’d say that’s my one little quirk. That and I love adverbs and the word and. And yeah. Heh…

Me: When you aren’t writing, what do you like to do?

EN: Play guitar, torment my husband, watch movies, and play games. Eventually I’ll get to the point where I like hiking – because I won’t run out of breath every five minutes, haha.

Me: What are your three favorite forms of procrastination?

EN: Blogging, social media, and the good ol’ TV, though a tie for that would be video games. Not my best habit.

Me: Who is your favorite musician and/or favorite song?

EN: Oh gosh that changes so frequently. Like right now, for example, my favorite song is “Hearts Burst Into Fire” by Bullet For My Valentine, but for the longest time it was all songs by Daft Punk, and before that any and all soundtracks by Hans Zimmer. It just varies.

Me: What is your favorite food? If you cook, what type of food is your favorite and would you mind sharing a recipe?

EN: My favorite food is spaghetti. I love it so much that it’s become my tagline: tastes like spaghetti. Sadly my recipe is pretty straightforward and not really worth mentioning.

Me: What would YOU like your readers to know about this book or you in general? What do you want readers to see in your books?

EN: I try to write stories that entertain and sometimes make you think, which is the best of both worlds in my opinion. But I ultimately just want the reader to enjoy the ride.

Me: Tell us about your current or upcoming release. Will you have a new book coming out soon?

EN: I’m working on a sci-fi novel, currently untitled, as well as the sequel to Dominant Race, titled New Fate, which is also a novella. The third in the Modified Trilogy, Selfish Nature, is in the planning stages.

Me: What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

EN: Find the path that fits your personality best; you have options now, so don’t be afraid to explore and experiment. And always be persistent, don’t give up your dream if it’s what you reall want.

Me: Wonderful advice, Elisa. Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of such an exciting week for you!

Here’s a little more about Elisa:
Elisa Nuckle is a twenty-something fantasy and science fiction author. It’s always been her dream to chase ideas down and put them into concrete words. Currently, she’s undergoing enlightenment at a community college in Houston, Texas, and plans on getting an English major in the hopefully-not-too-distant future. And of course she tastes like spaghetti.

Want more? Check out Elisa’s blog here; follow her on Twitter and Facebook, too

So, what did you think? Do you have other questions for Elisa Nuckle? If so, post them in the comments and I’ll see if I can get her answer a few of them for us.