Hello everyone! I'm excited to share with you my interview with author T.A Pace :) I find the blurb of The Opposite of Love really interesting. What gave you the idea and inspiration for this story? The story was inspired by the concept of the novel Any Woman’s Blues by Erica Jong. In her novel, control and love are wholly opposed, so that the heroine has to choose which she wants more. For me, the title is catchy. How did you choose it? Basically it comes down to this: If we are to describe love as accepting someone as they are, warts and all, then the opposite of that is wanting to change or control someone. Melanie has a need for control of herself and her surroundings, while James has a need for control over others, especially women. Both of these needs create their individual environments in which love cannot thrive. How did you come up with your main characters? Are some characters in your book based on people you know? My characters were created as products of their pasts. I let their experiences dictate who they are and who they’re trying to become. They are damaged and human, hopeful and sometimes brave, but they are not based on anyone I know personally. Tell us a little bit about the cover design of your book. Do you believe the cover can affect the sales of a book? I do believe a cover can affect the sales, but not as much as word of mouth. My cover design was based on the concept of control. On the front cover, the male hand is in a “pulling” position, indicating force against the female, and the female hand is somewhat closed, indicating self-protection. On the back cover, the hands are open, the arms reaching out, and the fingertips just touching, indicating a willing connection. My dear friends Teresa and Steve modeled for the shoot and I couldn’t be happier with it. Was there a time frame in writing the book? The time frame is a story that’s a bit embarrassing, but not unique. I started the novel around 2006 and abandoned it twice. I wasn’t sure if I could publish something “dirty” and have people I know read it and think it was about me. I’m no prude, but I’ve never done the things that Melanie does in the book. And to have my mother think I was that freaky… gasp! But in the end, people are going to think what they want to, regardless of what you tell them. (I’ll say it again anyway: It’s fiction. I’m not a character in this book and neither are you.) Can you tell us what makes your book unique compared to the other books in the same genre? I would like to think that it’s a bit more psychologically driven than the average romance or erotic novel. The struggle to overcome one’s past is one that most of us face, and I wanted that journey to resonate with the reader. How does your reading life influence your writing life? Completely. I try to stick with authors that I know write well, because in the same way you can learn valuable skills by reading the works of good writers, you can pick up bad habits from poor ones. Can you share one quote/line from the book that readers could easily relate with? The death of a loved one carries with it a profound and unexpected knowledge, one that is complicated and difficult to express to others; this Melanie knew from personal experience. When that death is also a tragedy, often this knowledge will feed on blame and what ifs and questions without answers until it becomes its own being, walking beside the mourner and touching everything. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your book with readers? Thank you very much for you time! Thank you T.A. !
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September 2015
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