Today I am speaking with Luisa Prieto. Hello Luisa, and welcome this morning to Fallen Angel Reviews.

Thanks, Linda :) I’m glad to be here.

Luisa, I absolutely love the After Dark cover. Why not begin by telling us about this wonderful book?

When his older brother, Tyler, returns from the dead, Andrew Sutter has to find a way to stop him before Tyler kills both Andrew and his lover, Devon Forsythe.

After Tyler attacks Andrew, it awakens his magical abilities. Now able to see magic in the world around him, Andrew discovers that Devon is a werewolf.

Devon, though, is unaware of his nature. He’s dealt with the supernatural world before but he doesn’t know how to talk to Andrew about it. Andrew doesn’t know if he can trust Devon but, with Tyler returning, he knows that if they can’t work together, they’ll die apart.

Are there any upcoming projects in your future that you would like to share?

I’ve recently completed After Midnight, the sequel to After Dark. It’s longer than AD and it delves a little into werewolf culture.

How long have you been writing?

Since I was in junior high. I wrote my first m/m story in high school.

Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

From all around me. Sometimes something will occur to me in a dream, or I’ll overhear something when I’m shopping. I have a very scary looking idea folder.

Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?

I’m absolutely taken with my next project, Half Lives. The characters are fantastic and the tension is really high.

As to favorite characters, I’m really fond of Devon and Andrew. They really care about one another.

Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

We meet halfway, I’d say. I outline the book before I start writing, but if something comes up I’ll just redo the outline to fit it.

While writing, how does the story develop for you? Do you go from start to finish or create scenes as they come to you?

I write the scenes as they occur to me, and then later stitch them together. It’s my favorite part of the writing because it feels so exciting and challenging.

Was there any one person or event in your life that finally inspired you to sit down and write your first book?

My cat, Darian, was diagnosed with lymphoma. At the time my roommate and I had saved up money so I could go to school but we decided to put the money into Darian’s chemo. I tried to get a temp job but it was the holiday season and nothing was available. After a couple weeks of hunting, my roommate suggested I just spend the time writing. Two months later, I finished my first novel.

Do you have a favorite movie that you could watch over and over again? Or a favorite song that you could always listen to?

I’ll put on tapes with familiar shows for background noise. Right now it’s Roseanne. I also make soundtracks for different stories. For After Dark, the music included songs from Erasure and Enya.

Do you have one author who really stands out to you?

Jeane Westin. I just love her Restoration novels.

Have you ever written a screenplay or thought of writing one?

Yes. I’ve written two screenplays. The first was for a script writing class I took a few years ago and second was for a zombie anthology I was trying to get into. Of the two, I think the zombie one was the better.

Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?

Donald Maass. His books on writing have really changed the way I approach it.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

Long car rides in the mountains. I actually had to break down and get a digital recorder for brainstorming on the road.

For Fun: What is your favorite place to travel?

The Santa Cruz Mountains. There’s this little road that goes from Saratoga to Santa Cruz and the area is just gorgeous.

Do you have a website that you would like to share with your readers?

Sure :)

My website is: www.luisaprieto.com

You can find links to my blog, snippets that didn’t make it into After Midnight, and a couple meters that show how far along I am in my projects.

Luisa, thanks so much for sharing this time with us. It has been a delight.

It was great talking to you. Thank you :)

Interviewed by: Linda L