Please help us welcome Paige Cuccaro to Straight Talk today!

How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?

Mostly I give in to social media. I spend at least the next whole day goofin’ around on facebook and twitter and tumblr. Sometimes we’ll take the family out to dinner. And I almost always sleep in the next day.

Do you usually begin a book with a character or a plot?

I used to think I always started with a great character. But the more I’m asked that question and really think about it, I’ve realized that’s not really true. It’s usually a plot idea that comes first, quickly followed by the perfect character to act it out. It’s a what-if kind of thing…what if they figured out a way to transfer a person’s thoughts, and memories, everything that she experienced her whole life that helped shape her into the person she is—into the brain of a highly advanced android? And then I think of the kind of person who would absolutely hate, or love, this happening to them. The rest kind of flows from there.

Do you have any hobbies or special interests you’d care to share?

Writing is my hobby. I just got lucky that I’m able to earn some money at it. I’ve tried getting a different hobby. I’d love to learn how to knit or sew, or spend time crafting. But every time I start something I think, I could be writing…and I’d much rather being doing that. I love to read, and my whole family are huge movie buffs. In the summer I enjoy swimming and bike riding, and going on road trips on my awesome scooter, but other than that, it’s pretty much writing whenever I can.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I’ve always been a big Isaac Asimov fan. I Robot is one of my favorite sci-fi movies and his robot series ROCK! I love how his robots always seem to strive to be more human and it got me thinking how the opposite is kind of true of humans. Not that we strive to be robots, but year by year, as medicine advances and prosthetics become more sophisticated, more robotic, I wonder where will it stop?

What parts of a human body wouldn’t we trade out for a longer lasting, stronger, robotic version? I wondered what it would be like if we got to the point where we could design a robotic replacement for an entire body, even down to transferring a person’s thoughts, memories—everything that shaped them into the person they are—into a robot’s brain. Would we still call them human? From Here to Eternity sort of took off from there.

How difficult is if for you to come up with a title for your books?

Ugh…it’s torturous. Seriously. I’m constantly wondering if the title I’ve picked will work, does it give a good sense of the book, will it capture a reader’s eye—their imagination? Even after it’s published, I’m still wondering if the title we went with was the best choice.

Are you a pantster or a plotter?

Oh, I am SUCH a plotter. If I don’t plot out, chapter by chapter what will happen from beginning to end, I’ll write myself into a corner. Even to the point where I’ll put the heroine in an unwinnable situation and think, huh…I need her to be alive at the end, so this won’t work.

It causes me physical pain to have to trash chapters and chapters of work because I took a wrong turn somewhere. I spare myself this agony by plotting.

Having said that, I TOTALLY envy pantsters. They get to enjoy their story just like readers do, watching it unfold before them, carrying that first blush of excitement that I feel when come up with a new story idea and then plot it out. Pantsters get to feel that way the whole time they’re writing, all the way to the end. For me, as a plotter, it’s like rereading a book as I write. I already know exactly what happens, why, and when. I just have to spill it out on to the paper…er…I mean, word document.

Who are your favorite authors? What authors have influenced your book?

I have several favorite authors, too many to list. And since I’m worried I’d forget to mention one (which would make me crazy!) I’ll just name the one who had the greatest influence on me, the author who made me want to write.

Anne Rice. Her vampire series changed the way I look at books. Those books sucked me in, transported me, I was gone from my real life for hours at a time every day, reading her books. I LOVED it! Before I was even done reading nearly everything she’d written I knew I wanted to make that special kind of book magic too. I wanted to transport readers. But even more than that, I wanted to transport myself into the worlds my mind imagined, walk with the characters I created, live with them, experience their trials and triumphs. I love writing and I give the credit to that discovery to her.

Aside from writing, what do you do in your free time?

Well, I’m a wife and mother, so…uh…what do you mean by “free time?” J I have three daughters, and I enjoy being a mom. We have family dinners every night. Not because the “experts” say it’s a good idea, but because that’s the way both I and my husband were raised. We look forward to the time together, hearing about each other’s day, discussing current events, even politics. It’s a great time for my girls to ask questions in a relaxed atmosphere and get the opinion of both their parents. I’m also the family taxi driver (though now that all three have their own cars, that’s slacked off quite a bit.) There are always things to do, housework, school events, or just time together. So to answer the question in a very roundabout way…I spend my free time with my family.

Do you prefer print books or eBooks?

Both? Okay, I used to be a steadfast print book lover. I love looking up at my bookshelf and seeing all the colorful spines. I love flipping through the pages, and the feel of them in my hands.

And then I got an ereader. I am absolutely HOOKED on the idea of carrying a bunch of books around with me all the time—everywhere I go. The reader fits in my purse, so if I’m waiting in line at the store, or at the doctors I can pull it out and flip through all my books and just start reading. Being able to download samples is just amazing. I don’t know how I functioned without it before. I think I buy twice as many books just because of that. It’s so nice! But, if it’s a book by one of my favorite authors, or a book that’s REALLY grabbed me, I HAVE to have it in print too.

So, yeah…I prefer both!

Join Paige along with several of our other Flirt & Ever After authors getting their flirt on over at the F&EA Facebook page on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 8pm EST

 Find Paige online: Website | Twitter | Facebook

About From Here To Eternity

Love never dies…but apparently Rachel has.

Waking up one day to her obituary in the news and no recollection of the past few weeks, Rachel calls her husband, Nate, in a panic, at the research facility where he works. Nate is the inventor of CYANAs, Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons, vessels that look exactly like humans and can store a person’s memories…and maybe even his or her soul.

When Nate arrives home, Rachel doesn’t recognize the man who claims to be her husband. Can Nate convince Rachel to fall in love with him all over again? Especially once she realizes what he’s done…and what it means for their future?

About Author

Debbie Suzuki

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