Friday , March 29 2024
"Muses can be such tough divas to work with and I hate uncooperativeness!"

Interview with Shamron Moore, Author of ‘Hollywood Strip’

Shamron Moore worked as a model and actress in Los Angeles for eight years. From international magazines to feature films, she has appeared in a wide variety of projects but chose to leave the business in order to pursue a career in writing. Hollywood Strip is her debut novel. Visit her website.

Congratulations on the release of your latest book, Hollywood Strip. When did you start writing and what got you into Chick Lit?

Thank you! I used to write short stories as a child, but that’s about it. Well, I’ve written quite a bit of poetry, too, but not much else up until Hollywood Strip. The idea to write a full-on novel came to me about four years ago. Chasing the whole acting dream here in Hollywood wasn’t satisfying anymore — I was bored and at a crossroads. I had recently read Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls and that’s what gave me the idea to write a novel. I wanted to pen something juicy and irreverent. The lightbulb actually went off during a session with my then-therapist.

Did you have a mentor who encouraged you?

I guess you could say the great Walter Mosley was a mentor of sorts. I relied on his book, This Year You Write Your Novel, a great deal. It was extremely helpful and informative, especially as a first time novelist.

Did you have any struggles or difficulties when you started writing?

I can’t say that when I first started Hollywood Strip I had too many difficulties…but near the middle of the book, that’s when quite a bit of block settled in! I worked through it, somehow, but at the time it felt as though I would never be in the clear.

What was your inspiration for Hollywood Strip?

My life. Much of my own escapades and experiences in Los Angeles spawned Hollywood Strip. Now, that’s not to say it’s in any shape or form autobiographical — it’s absolutely not — but there are many parallels. The wonderful thing about fiction is that I can twist and tweak certain incidents that have taken place, whether they’re fabulous or smarmy or both, and no one will be the wiser.

What do you tell your muse when she refuses to collaborate?

I most likely told Callie (the protagonist in Hollywood Strip) something unprintable. Muses can be such tough divas to work with and I hate uncooperativeness!

Many writers experience a vague anxiety before they sit down to right. Can you relate to this?

Oh, yes. I didn’t realize this was common; I figured I was just the whacky one. I can’t explain why there’s this anxiety that sets in…but it’s almost like I’m in competition with this blank page in front of me. Maybe I’m scared of not doing justice to all that’s swirling in my head, that once I type it out, it’s going to be crap and I’ll disappoint the reader, as well as myself. Whatever it is, it’s not comfortable.

Do you have a writing schedule? Are you disciplined?

I can be very, very disciplined. But I can be pretty lax, too. It depends on what’s going on in my personal life, and how much creativity is or is not flowing through my veins. A lot of factors come into play, but when I’m on a mission to complete a chapter or two, I stick to it, even if my head doesn’t hit the pillow till dawn.

How do you celebrate the completion of a novel?

I haven’t properly celebrated yet. I need a good long vacation, preferably in a place that is an ocean away, at least.

How do you define success?

I would love to say that success is all about the love you surround yourself with and being true to yourself. But I have to admit I don’t entirely buy that. For me personally, it has a lot to do with how far I excel in my chosen profession. I want validation.

What do you love most about the writer’s life?

The flexibility of making my own schedule. And being able to create and put my twisted mind to good use.

Do you have a website or blog where readers can find out more about and your work?

ShamronMoore.com

Anything else you’d like to tell my readers?

Whatever your dream is, regardless of the obstacles or the lack of resources, just go for it. Find a way to go for the gusto, because no one should live with regrets.

About Mayra Calvani

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. Represented by Serendipity Literary.

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