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Finally, let's meet BindingTies, celebrated for her sizzling romances. She found a way for a demon and angel to get along and for a computer nerd to get roped up in the goals of a dangerous witch. It's only fitting that the supernatural world would lend itself to dark romances, and she understands this perfectly.
Interview:
1. What's the story behind your Wattpad Username, if any?
As a romance writer, I love the double entendre behind BindingTies for its sexy suggestion of bondage and because there are bonds between readers and writers. I loved the idea of community and being closely held together by others through stories.
2. What led you to Wattpad initially? Did you join to read or write?
I followed a published author whom I admired who mentioned Wattpad in an interview, and I came to find out what the platform was like. I have always posted my writing and enjoyed reading other stories here. I found some great friends this way!
3. How long have you been writing?
I have been writing off and on my whole life - much longer than I like to say!
4. Do you like to write in the same genres you read? What are your favorite genres?
Although I enjoy many genres, I always return to my first love—fantasy. I need to escape reality regularly for my sanity.
5. Besides reading and/or writing, do you have any other hobbies?
I'm also a fiber artist who spins art yarn, weaves, knits, and crochets. I'm obsessed with the softness of the fiber and the feeling of accomplishment I feel when I work on something with my hands and see it take form.
6. What does your writing environment look like?
I'd like to say my environment does not look messy, but that might be a lie. When I work, I tend to have lots of stuff (yarn, I have yarn) and notebooks nearby, and I am almost always either in a café or on my sofa at home. I have a very elderly cat who yells at me if I try to sit and work anywhere else because he wants to curl up next to me.
7. Where do you tend to find the inspiration to write?
I believe most of my inspiration comes from my desire to escape reality. I am constantly making up stories and hearing character dialogue in my head, and the only way to quiet the voices is to write their stories.
8. Tell us 5 things you like:
The scent of the air after it rains in summer, dill pickles, curling up on the sofa with my old cat, a cup of tea and a good book (I just read Pride and Prejudice again!), a message from a friend wanting to say hi, and a big, super-soft scarf in the winter.
10. Do you have a pet peeve or a guilty pleasure, maybe both?
My biggest guilty pleasure is spending too much time on Pinterest finding pictures of fiber projects—knitted sweaters, hand-woven wall hangings, textured art yarn, and more. I have nearly 2000 pins just for things I want to create.
11. What part of the writing process do you find to be the most challenging?
Getting back into the writing habit after I fell out of it happens from time to time when something else important comes up in my life, like now. It's daunting to start a novel or even a short story in many ways: the level of work and commitment, the emotional toll of pouring yourself into the text, the doubt of being able to reach your vision, and then wondering if the readers will enjoy it. Ultimately, we write to share our stories.
12. Do you have any favorites or least favorite tropes? Please tell us why you like or dislike them =)
I'm not sure if it's a trope, but when the characters say they have a big plan to beat the villain, and then the author skips to the next scene, not telling us the plan, I feel like this is cheating.
13. Can you share some of your greatest writing achievements or highlights with us?
It was definitely a highlight when I let my dad read my novella "A Most Charming Prince" (he's not allowed to read my romances for very obvious reasons), and after reading it, he said, "Your story was actually kind of funny.".
17. If you could experience something for the first time again, what would it be?
Sheridan's frozen custard on Barry Road, in Kansas City. It's so good I could serve it to my angels in my AngelxDemon romance. Or I could serve it to the demons as part of the seven deadly sins in hell.
18. What's the best advice you ever received?
I read Stephen King's advice and "how-to" on writing years ago, which gives new writers the right to be mediocre when they begin writing. That gave me the courage to finish my first big novel, and after that, I started posting on Wattpad.
19. Have you ever pulled from your own experiences to write a scene?
In a sense, all my scenes come from some personal experience or feeling I've had, and then I transform reality as needed to suit the story. The dank, chill cellar from a friend's house, when I was young, might become the underground cell that my angel is held in when she's a prisoner in hell, for example. And the fear that something was in the dark with me became the demon held in the same cell in my story.
20. Planner or Pantser?
I'm a planner with a heaping side of panster. I have to leave lots of room to veer off course, and even when I think I've meticulously planned an important scene, things always pop up when I'm actually writing that change my route.
21. Do you have a special message or shoutout for anyone you want to share?
Big hugs to all readers - you make my work worthwhile!
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Thank you!
We thank BindingTies for sharing her insights and taking us behind the scenes of her creative process. Her unique perspective on the paranormal genre gives us a deeper appreciation for the stories that keep us on the edge of our seats.
We hope you've enjoyed delving into the creative minds behind some of the paranormal genre's most captivating stories. Each author's unique journey, passion for writing, and approach to storytelling offer a rich glimpse into what makes this genre so compelling.
For readers, we hope these insights enhance your appreciation for the stories that make the unknown feel so close. And for aspiring writers, may the advice shared here spark your imagination as you venture into your tales of the supernatural.
Thank you for joining us in exploring the paranormal, where mystery, magic, and the unexplained await on every page. Stay tuned for more stories and insights as we continue to celebrate the thrill and allure of the unknown.
