Well, Heidi's been kind enough to answer a few questions for us.
I also have my copy of Ambasadora to give away to one lucky winner (fill in rafflecopter to enter).
1. What inspired you to write Ambasadora?
I have always been drawn to the mix of Science Fiction and Romance like I saw in Star Wars, Farscape, and BSG. I wanted to create my own world and characters, and what better time to do that than for my graduate thesis novel?
2. How do you usually go about creating a character for your stories?
I think and dream about my characters a lot, creating appearances, backgrounds, personalities, and quirks for them. They become actual people to me—that's why it's so hard to torture them.
3. Who is your favourite Ambasadora character, and why?
Right now, it's David because I just finished a novella in the Ambasadora-verse (Greenshift) where we get a glimpse into David and Mari's courtship and the danger that befalls them before Sara ever arrives on the Bard. But I think Sean will always hold the most special place in my heart—he's tortured and sacrifices so much. My kind of guy.
4. Describe your ideal virtual world.
There was a world in the V-side that never made it into the final version of Ambasadora. It was originally meant as the ending scene, but I changed my mind on that last rewrite. The setting was like Greek ruins, all alabaster pillars and an amphitheater surrounded by rolling meadows with fluorescent green grass and purple and blue wild flowers. The interesting part was how an av entered this world—dropping as a large flower from silvery clouds in the sky, then when the flower reached the ground, it burst apart leaving the av standing in its place. You'll probably see this world in a future book….
5. Do you have a favourite author?
I have lots of favorite authors, but I recently fell in love with Sara Creasy's Scarabaeus series. Edie and Finn were incredible characters that I cared so much about I had to read the second book right after finishing the first—that seldom ever happens to me. Creasy also made the science an integral part of the story in both Song of Scarabaesu and Children of Scarabaeus—something very important for good SF Romance. I hope she has another one planned in the series!
