Spotlight Sunday with Seleste Delaney!

DP: Your story, Of Course I Try, is a smoking hot twist on the usual vampire romances we see. I have to ask, “What inspired you to write it? How did you come up with such an original idea?

SELESTE: Thanks! The original version of the story was a lot shorter (basically just the end of what came to be published), and it was inspired by a challenge to write a story inspired by a song. The lyrics paint this picture about a guy who keeps going back to his girlfriend even though he knows he shouldn't. My first thought was an abusive relationship, but then I wondered what if it went deeper than that (and I switched the gender because it fit the story I wanted to tell better). From there, Of Course I Try was born.




DP: Is there any one character you’ve written who is your absolute favorite? Why?



SELESTE: Wow. I love all my characters (even my villains) for a variety of reasons. There are some from my early stories that I'd love to go back to for the simple reason that I miss them and some that I've killed off because it fit the story they were in only to wish I could bring them back. Sadly, outside of paranormal, that proves a bit difficult. To focus on this story, I love the inner strength that Jocelyn taps into and the way she falls so hard. And then there's Max, hot, sexy, seemingly obsessed Max.

Let's just say that readers saw Max through Jocelyn's eyes. Every character has motivations for what they do, and Max's weren't necessarily bad. It's one of the reasons I adore him.




DP: Will your heroine in Of Course I Try make another appearance?



SELESTE: I sure hope so! I have plans for a holiday story featuring Jocelyn that I can't wait to get to work on. Then there is the longer story that's brewing. I hope to get to work on it during National Novel Writing Month (November for the uninitiated). That means it should clock in at over 50,000 words which should make my readers, whose only complaint about Of Course I Try was its short length, very happy.




DP: What genre is your favorite to write?



SELESTE: I write in a few genres, but I love urban fantasy/paranormal romance. The blending of what we know to be real and what could be that we never see. For me just the idea of that is sexy. Add in the right mix of characters and you can create something truly amazing.




DP: And you certainly have! Seleste, I noticed you have a degree in chemistry. Besides the explosive attraction you create between the characters in your stories, are you presently employed as a chemist?



SELESTE: Thank goodness no. I love chemistry, don't get me wrong, but I worked in a lab for a while and it was one of the most boring jobs I ever had. Teaching high school science was both more exciting and more rewarding. There are days I miss doing that, but my own kids keep me hopping in what little spare time I have. Now that my youngest is starting school, I might be able to at least volunteer some time helping with science fairs and the like though.




DP: If you could have one Steampunk gadget, what would it be?



SELESTE: Since you said gadget I guess I can't go off on a tangent about my mad love for corsets. My friend (and fellow Decadent author) PJ Schnyder has this fabulous clockwork (she calls them mechanicals) in one of her stories that I absolutely fell in love with. His name is Toby, and though I don't want to spoil anything for her readers, he is awesome and if I could have one "gadget", I'd want a Toby of my very own.




DP: Can you tell us about that faithful dog waiting so patiently by your side while you write?



SELESTE: Zeus is a German shepherd mix. We adopted him about three years ago and from the first instant he walked into our house, he became my constant companion. My desk is in the kitchen and when I write, he will crawl under and lie by my feet. Actually it's more like on my feet. LOL! When I write on the couch at night, he usually takes up position under my legs. I often joke about it, but it's really nice to be loved that totally and unconditionally.




DP: What are you reading right now?



SELESTE: I'm just about finished reading Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. For those who don't know, it's a young adult paranormal romance about werewolves. I gobble up YA stories like they're candy. If anyone has great recommendations, please send them my way.




DP: If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be and why?



SELESTE: You know, I debated answering this in a really smartass way, then I tried to come up with something super intellectual. But I'm just going to go with my first thought. George Clooney. I would really like to talk to him about his work with the UN and his various humanitarian projects. Plus, he's easy on the eyes and I love the sound of his voice. And now I feel the need to create a character that looks and sounds like George Clooney. I sense a new project coming on LOL.




DP: George Clooney sounds like excellent inspiration to me! So, are you a Bud Light gal or Cosmopolitan?



SELESTE: I enjoy a good beer, but Bud Light is not a good beer LOL. Truthfully though, I prefer mixed drinks and a good Cosmo is a great way to start an evening. Also, a great way to end an evening. We won't talk about what happens in between.




DP: We don’t have to talk about it, but we’re really hoping to read it. * wink * Thanks so much for stopping by!




Seleste's first attempt at a novel was a sweeping epic romance called Wars and Wishes, Disasters and Dreams. She finished about three chapters before deciding she had better things to do. At twelve years old, most girls wouldn't have made it that far. She went on to write numerous short stories and poems throughout her teens, but it wasn't until after earning a degree in chemistry that she returned to her love of writing fiction.

These days, Seleste splits her time between the worlds in her imagination and her home in southwest Michigan. Her husband and two children have learned not to worry too much when she doesn't seem all there, and her dog is attached enough that he waits patiently by her feet until she returns.