Welcome Cassandra Ulrich on my blog today! I’ve interviewed her about her novel, Love’s Intensity. But first, a bit about her story:

Brad loves fast horses, cars, and bikes. Life would be perfect if his stepmother could only mind her own business. Instead, his father hired a longtime friend and her family to work in their home, turning his world into a feudal mess.

He wants to hate the new arrivals and it doesn’t help that Kressa, daughter of the newcomers, is the most gorgeous girl he’d ever laid eyes on. With a scent that draws him to her, Kressa causes him more internal conflict than he ever dreamed possible. He falls for her so deeply, he tells her a secret he’d never even told his best friends – that he’s training to be a ninja warrior.

Kressa adores her country and loves hanging out with her many cousins. News of the move to Massachusetts comes as a shock to her. She refuses to be happy in this new place working as a servant for a rich man and his mean son, who had the nerve to be cute. And why does her skin tingle every time her hand brushes against his?

Despite her efforts, she finds herself desperately longing for a friendship with the one boy who scowls at her. Matters are only made more complicated when his family and hers clash. When he goes on a dangerous mission, she wonders, will he return so she can tell him he’s won her heart or will their families manage to keep them apart?

What intrigues you about your book “Love’s Intensity”?
I am intrigued by the complex and realistic characters in “Love’s Intensity”. It’s not easy to make characters multi-dimensional, but it’s worth the extra effort.

Who or what is your greatest writing influence?
My fifth grade teacher encouraged me to write after reading one of my stories. I didn’t act on it then, but I’ve never forgotten. I’m glad I took his advice albeit many years later.

When did you absolutely know that you had to be a writer?
I didn’t. Writing books happened to me. I didn’t know what was going on until I talked to a couple of good friends who encouraged me to write a chapter and let them read it.

What was your favorite part of writing “Love’s Intensity”?
Letting the characters take over my mind so I could capture their essence on paper. I got to know each of them very well over a nine month period.

What is your favorite aspect of reading a novel?
I enjoy being sucked into the world created in the story. It’s thrilling when the author writes characters I wish I could meet.

Are you a plotter, a panster, or both?
I am definitely a panster. Only after much of a story is written do I write down character details and such. I’m driven by inspiration.

Do you have a certain theme in your writing?
Love. Love can heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Love can lift the spirits but the lack of it can tear apart a life. People fight to have it, protect it, or steal it. I’ve written inspirational, romance, and adventure stories, but the central theme in them all is love.

Do you have a specific writing style?
Perhaps the best description is periodic. My stories tend to have a few climaxes with increasing intensity.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
That both our words and actions affect others, for good or for bad. The specifics are depicted in the stories.

Do you ever use your life experiences in your novels?
Absolutely, but not in the exact way they happened. It’s more like taking a puzzle piece, cutting it up, and combining them with other pieces to create a different picture.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one book with you, what would you take?
The Bible. There are so many juicy stories in there about human interaction. I never get bored.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one song with you, what would you take?
Happy by Pharrell Williams.

Are you working on any projects right now?
Yes, a few stories concurrently. However, I hope to focus on a story about a South African girl later this year.

Do you see writing as a career?
I do. Although I’m just getting started, I treat it like a business. Now that I’ve had a taste, I don’t want to stop releasing books, stories and poetry.

If you had the career of your choice, what would you choose and why?
At this point in my life, I’d like to be an accomplished author.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I started writing poems in grade school. This continued on through my college years. I actually have four unpublished poetry books that I intend to release over the next couple years.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Keeping pov straight when writing in 3rd person. Thank goodness for editors who catch those errors.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Never stop reinventing yourself. It’s tons of fun if you don’t mind adventures.

Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
I would like to meet Queen Latifah. She seems like a really neat, down-to-earth person.

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I enjoy many kinds of books, but if I wrote them, they wouldn’t be the same story. I think I’ll abstain.

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Website: http://cassandraulrich.com/
Blog: http://cassandraulrich.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassandraUlrichAuthor?bookmark_t=page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CassandraUlric1
Lnkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/cassandra-ulrich/62/866/6b3
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/288793394825730035/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassandra-Ulrich/e/B008H7H6SW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1393121477&sr=8-1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6925111.Cassandra_Ulrich