Friday, March 01, 2013

Interview with Olivia Hardin



Do you have a specific writing style? 

I shoot from the hip and don’t normally outline or plan.  I let the characters lead me.  I try to get a bit of writing in each evening as the story is coming along.  When it gets close to the end, I usually buckle in and give myself longer periods to focus.  I use music to help me plan out scenes, usually when I’m on my thirty minute drive to and from work.  I “see” what’s going to happen and replay it over and over to its own soundtrack before I write it later.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?  

This book focuses on Gerry who’s a shifter (not the kind you’re probably thinking ;-)  She’s also all business, focused on her job with The Company.  That made the title easy – Shifty Business.  It’s also a double entendre because Gerry will learn to shift her thinking about life by the end.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?  

I liked to have a title first or at least within the first couple of chapters.  I don’t really know why, except that it helps me have a “name” by which to call my work-in-progress.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?  

Yes!  The flight scene is loosely based on my experience flying in the hubby’s Cessna.  We’ve had a lot of adventures in that classic plane.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?  

Can I have two?  Stephanie Nelson and Liz Schulte have both mentored me.  Stephanie nursed me through my first year of writing and continues to be a great friend and inspiration.  Liz has taught me so much about perfecting the craft and pursuing excellence and I could on her help and friendship.

What book are you reading now?  

Right now I’m reading a really good YA book called Fearless by Tawdra Kandle.  I don’t read a lot of YA, but from the first chapter I connected with the Tasmyn. 

What is your current “work in progress” or upcoming projects? 

I’m so glad you asked!  I have at least three projects planned for this year.  Right now I’m finishing up work on a contemporary romance called All for Hope to be published through Hayson Publishing.  After that I plan to put out the second book in my MAUCs Series, Tangled Up In Trouble.  Then, by the end of this year I intend to put out the first book in the For Love of Fae Trilogy, Sweet Magic Song.

Do you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this book? 

Yes!  At the top of that playlist is P!nk’s “Try.”  That is totally Nicky and Gerry’s song.  I’m also a Spotify junkie and I always make playlists for my stories.  You can check out my Shifty Business playlist here:  Shifty Business



Shifty Business
Book 3 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy
Olivia Hardin

Genre: Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 1481225324
ASIN: B00AM0P1PC

Number of pages:  214
Word Count:  53,811



Book Description:

Gerry Hinton thought she had the perfect career as an operative for the Company. Her next assignment should have been another "mission accomplished", but hell was delivering hand baskets that day.

When a little girl gives a mysterious silver box to Gerry, her world self-destructs. Suddenly under constant mental attacks, the only person who can save her is her partner, Nicky--but nothing comes without a cost. Secrets buried deep in the past begin to rise, threatening everything she holds dear.

If she can't out run her past, can she save her future?

About the Author

When Olivia Hardin began having strange movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper.  Before long the writing bug had her and she knew she wanted to be a published author.  Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, and she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write.  That is until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again.

Olivia’s attended three different universities over the years.  She toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology until one day she heard the term road scholar and she knew that was what she wanted to be.  Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning.   She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic.

A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.

Connect with Olivia and Get information about releases, contests, news and more here:




1 comments:

Olivia Hardin (Writer) said...

Thanks for the fun interview!

Happy reading, all.

~Olivia