Author Spotlight: Bonnie R. Paulson

Welcome to our second installment into Author Spotlight where we pick one author that'll we'll feature on the site with either a guest post, interview or something else that's a lot of fun along with a giveaway that will be opened internationally. This months author is not only super nice, local (to me) but extremely talented and creative.

October we're excited to be featuring Bonnie R. Paulson who is the author of Barely Alive [2012], Falling Apart [2012] and the Mostly Dead conclusion [2012]. We are doing a little bit of everything today as we have an Author Interview, Guest Blog, as well as This or That feature!

There are people who know a lot about a little, we’ll call them experts. Then there are people, like Bonnie, who don’t specialize, but rather gather information like pebbles in their pockets and drop them like Hansel & Gretel in the stories they write.

The question is, do you want to follow them back?

Certified as a Radiologic Technologist, Bonnie prefers a touch of medical in her storylines. Don’t be surprised if romance somehow runs through a hospital or comes in contact with a paramedic. It’s just how she rolls.  And you know there's nothing more romantic than an 18 gauge needle poking your vein!

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Lately, there has been a few self published authors getting caught plagiarizing other authors works. How does this impact you as a self published author and what does it do to the self publishing world?

Plagiarizing Your Way to the Top----- Of the Dung Heap

What does it mean to plagiarize? Well, in the most technical of terms it means to portray something that was designed/created/written by someone else as yours. This is a concept that many people don’t understand. I’ve heard it defended when someone has taken the idea of sparkling vampires and written their own story with a ruling vampire class and a love triangle and I have to shake my head. Technically, that’s plagiarism. Without grey areas or shady lines.

Take out the technical aspect and re-ask – What does it mean to plagiarize?

And here’s your answer from an author’s (or artists, etc.) perspective.

It’s a cowardly act from a person or person(s) that don’t want to put themselves out there. Look, quite honestly, I don’t understand the need to plagiarize. There are so many ideas out there, so many things that haven’t been done yet or even thought up, why steal someone else’s imaginings? There isn’t a rhyme or reason behind it. Because if there was an answer to that question, we would understand why people steal money from poor people, or why veterans don’t get honor and respect, or even why there is anything bad in the world at all.

As an author, this makes me sick to my stomach. Any time another author publishes a blemish on integrity like that, it reflects badly on the rest of us – whether we’re doing the same thing or not. This is frustrating, especially in the self or indie publishing realm. We’re already fighting to get past the stigmas in place about the path we’ve taken, now we have to add on the label of plagiarist to fight against.

That’s far from awesome and makes me more than a little peeved. It makes me want to unleash a virus that would turn all dishonest thieves into zombies. See how far they get undead. And I think zombies would be better than where plagiarists are now – at the bottom of a dung pile!

Just saying. 

Being a mother of 6, Congrats on #6 by the way, how hard is it to find the time to write or keep writing?  
Thanks so much! It is extremely hard. Oh my word. I’m actually rocking the baby while I type this up. He’s on my chest and making little cooing noises at me. I love it. But it’s like breathing. If you really want to do something, you’ll make it happen.

Which book out of all the ones you have written holds that special place in your heart as your favorite? 
My absolute favorite, right now, is Mostly Dead #3 of the Barely Alive series. How everything came together in that story still befuddles me today. I didn’t plan it, I wrote it without outline or research. The story has defined me as a writer, changed me. I love it so much!

What genre is one you will always love and write in? 
Thriller. I don’t care what age group or other subgenre tacks onto that, thriller is for me!

Being that you have previously had book published by a publisher and now you self publish, which one do you prefer, and why? 
This is a hard one. I enjoyed the traditional road because the financial support is hard to replace. I loved the people I got to work with and the network I became a part of. Having said that, the network in self publishing is unparalleled. Authors helping authors. I love the peeps I’ve met. Also, I love the control aspect of it. I don’t have to change my title or accept a cover that doesn’t fit my brand. I get to say, no or yes, or not today. And my schedule is mine to keep or break. I don’t think a publisher would understand the having a baby thing, you know?

What’s one book adventure (story) you wish you could have personally done in real life? 
I would have loved to be a part of Romeo and Juliet. I’d storm that dumb crypt and slap those kids so hard for even thinking of suicide and considering it romantic. Are you kidding me? Tragic, yes. Romantic, no. Those kids needed discipline like nobody’s business.

Where do most of your inspirations for your stories come from? 
So odd. A story will emerge from just a moment in my life. Barely Alive came from a comment I’d seen on someone’s Facebook page, believe it or not. Into the End from seeing street lights through the rain on my window. Breathe Again came about because I was at a hospital working and my co-worker told me about her child taking his own life. They come from moments in my world that help me create another world.

Are there any upcoming books you are writing that you are looking forward to releasing? 
I have three coming up in the next few months I’m so excited to release! Dictating Death (great cover designed by Redbird Designs) has dual personalities and murder all wrapped in romantic bows; Psycho Inside Me (another great cover by Redbird Designs) drips in vigilante psychosis with a YA taste, and A Date to Die For (my serial I’m currently releasing in chunks – again another great cover by Redbird Designs). Oh! I almost forgot, I have a western suspense romance series coming out as well – that genre list was a mouthful.

Thank you so much for having me. This was a terrific interview and I enjoyed it immensely! 

Thank you, Bonnie! I am super glad you agreed to participate in this but we're not finished yet! 
We've got a few THIS OR THAT questions left!

Romance or Action? Rom-action!
Dystopian or Fantasy?  Ooooh, um, can I go with apocalyptic? I like to be in the middle of the action J.
Hottie or Underdog? Hot underdog!
Chocolate or Wine? Chocolate. Darker the better. Oh yeah.
Coffee or Tea?  Herbal tea.
E-Book or Physical Book? Can I just say good book? I don’t care how I get my reading in, as long as I do!
Vampires or Werewolves?  Blech. I’m over them. Let’s go with zombies and call it good.
Summer or Winter? Winter! LOVE THE SNOW!
Eyes or Smile?  Great question. Eyes.
Books or Movies? Depends… is Channing Tatum in a book? I don’t think so. However, I’d buy that book. 

So Bonnie is actually a really good friend of mine, and I am the owner of Redbird Designs, so I have had the pleasure of making awesome covers for her amazing books! Since I am close with Bonnie, I am able to get the winner of this contest a personally autographed book!! This contest is open internationally so anyone and everyone should enter! Plenty of chances to win!

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