Isabella Rae has been writing for over 10 years but never published because she was discouraged by the publishing process. Recently a friend of hers released a book through self-publishing and inspired Isabella to release her first book. When Isabella is not writing she is busy being a single mom to 2 beautiful girls, and continues to bake despite becoming a full time author in December.
Isabella was born in Peachtree City, Georgia, a suburb south of Atlanta, where she still resides. Her love of reading inspired her to move into writing. She uses personal experiences with baking and life in general to inspire her work. As a unique touch to each of the books in her Atlanta Affair series, she has chosen to include personal recipes to give it a personal touch. Isabella is active on social media sites Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Pinterest.
1.What got you into writing? Honestly I started writing because I was bored in math class in high school, but it took eleven more years for me to get up the courage to publish.
2.What is a usual writing day like for you? A usual writing day for me is full of distractions. I will sit down to write and get distracted. I usually set a goal of 1000 words per sitting, and I crank my music to make it happen.
3.Do you get writers block? If so, how do you overcome it? YES! I hate writers block and it happens to me most when I’m stressed about other things. To get rid of it I will take a long shower and just think, if I’m still blocked after that I’ll try reading or talking to my closest friends
4.Are you a plotter/planner when it comes to writing a story? I kind of am, but when it comes down to it, the characters and story write themselves. With A Sweet Affair I had one direction planned for the story and was struggling with it until a beta reader made one comment that sent it in a whole new direction. A direction I hadn’t even thought of much less planned on.
5.What was the publishing process like for you,& any advice to aspiring authors? The publishing process for me was confusing at first. I was constantly contacting another author with a million questions. Once I figured it out, I was set. I would tell aspiring authors to connect with another indie author to help you through that first publishing process. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
6.What has been your highlight since becoming a published author? I was very excited when I hit the Amazon Bestsellers List, but I would have to say the highlight for me has been meeting some amazing people. Best friends I’ve never even met in person.
7.Can you share a little of your most recent book with us? And any other books of yours, if you wish. Sure! Here is part of one of my favorite scenes from A Sweet Affair. “You brought me here to throw cheesecake on me again didn’t you?” I laugh, half out of embarrassment. “The only cheesecake I have is already baked.” “Well that’s a relief. So what’s for dessert?” Instantly my mind goes into overdrive thinking about what I’d like for him to have for dessert, but I don’t think I have a silver platter large enough to serve myself on. I can feel the blush rise to my cheeks and mentally kick myself; I have never been embarrassed like this before. I’m not sure I like the effect Connor is having on me. “Take your pick.”
And how about the prologue of A Wedding Affair releasing 4/12/13 (unedited)Something seems off tonight. I’m on my third date with Victoria, and things are going okay, but something is definitely different. When I signed up for a profile on MeetAtlanta.com, I never expected to really find anything. I mean, Internet dating doesn’t really strike me as a viable means of finding the love of my life, but I gave it a shot. Two weeks later, I came across Victoria’s profile, and after reading all about AtlPeach84, I found myself typing a message to her. Her profile stuck out because of how well spoken she was, and it didn’t hurt that she is gorgeous. We spoke online, and on the phone for over a month before she agreed to go on a date with me, and when we finally met in person, it was all worth it. Every picture on her profile, while striking, failed to do her justice. That first night, she took my breath away. Looking across the table, I still can’t believe my luck. Victoria looks especially beautiful tonight, in a simple black dress that hugs her curves. Her hair is up, exposing her neck where a simple silver chain sits delicate against her skin, and her classic beauty is highlighted by a small amount of make-up. Her beauty is natural, and so mesmerizing. Searching her eyes, I try to find some clue about what she’s thinking, what thought has her so distracted. Too curious, I decide to ask. “What’s on your mind beautiful?” She laughs slightly and looks down at her hands, fidgeting with the table cloth. When she lifts her eyes to meet mine, I find no trace of the distracting thoughts I saw only seconds before. As if the playing with the deep burgundy cloth erased them from her mind, her eyes are clear. “I’m sorry I’m so distracted, I just have a lot on my mind.” “Don’t be sorry. Anything you want to talk about?” “No, but thank you for the offer.” Her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes this time, and I wonder how far back she pushed her thoughts, and change the subject. “Okay, how about some dessert instead?” “That sounds great.” I look around the restaurant until I find our server and signal for her to come to the table. We order dessert and sit in companionable silence while we wait for it to arrive, I can almost see the gears turning in her head. When the server sets our desserts in front of us, I finally settle on a topic of conversation; taking a risk. “I have some vacation time coming up in a couple weeks.” “Oh yeah. What are you planning on doing?” “I was thinking about taking a trip to Savannah.” She dips her spoon into the crème brulee and savors the rich flavors, running her tongue out over the smooth metal, teasing me. As her eyes close in enjoyment, I fight the urge to lean over and kiss her, tasting the flavors for myself. “That sounds like a good time. I’ve never been to Savannah.” “Do you want to go with me?” I’m pretty sure she almost chokes at my question, but she recovers quickly. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to. When are you trying to go?” “Any time in the next six weeks or so. Let me know when you are available and we can plan something.” She shifts in her chair, and I can tell that she is feeling uncomfortable. I knew I should have waited. It’s too soon to take a vacation together. “Okay, I’ll see what I can manage and let you know.” I merely smile in response, and accept the bill that the server brings to the table. I quickly slide my creditcard into the folder and hand it back to her. Not ready for the night to end, I grab Victoria’s hand across the table. “Will you take a walk with me?” “A Walk?” “Yes, a walk. It’s so nice outside, and I thought it would be nice to spend a little more time with you. I promise to have you home by curfew” “Sure.” Signing the bill, I stand and offer her my hand; she accepts and we make our way out of the restaurant and onto the busy streets of Atlanta. The stone and concrete surrounding us, is so different from the plush restaurant, and I enjoy the simplicity of the city more. All around us people are busily talking on cell phones, too distracted to notice the amazing night. Walking with a beautiful woman beside me, I am enjoying every moment of it. We turn the corner and walk in the direction of PiedmontPark, remaining hand-in-hand as we go. No words are exchanged as we walk, and I can tell that Victoria is sinking deep into thought. As we approach the park, I’m beginning to regret asking her to go to Savannah. “You don’t have to go to Savannah with me. It was stupid of me to ask.” She stops walking and turns to me with a sad look on her face; around us the park is quiet and the night air begins to feel heavy. Letting go of my hand, she gives me a pleading look, and I do my best to prepare for what comes next. “It wasn’t stupid Nick; I just don’t think I’m ready for that. Maybe I’m not ready for this.” And there it is, the thought that’s been on her mind all night. The big mystery is revealed, and I can feel her slipping away. She turns away from me, and gazes out into the emptiness around us. “It’s okay if you’re not ready for this.” When she looks at me, my hope is mirrored in her eyes; but I realize that we hope for very different things. “Really? You’re not mad?” “Why would I be mad? Honestly I’d be more upset if you continued to date me knowing you weren’t ready.” ‘You’re a really great guy Nick. I hope that we can be friends at least.” “Sure we can, and hey, maybe one day things will work out between us.” She smiles and turns away avoiding my words. Not wanting to lose hope I take it as a good sign. As her friend, I can take all the time I need to make her fall in love with me. I’ve already waited twenty-six years to find her, so what’s a couple more months. Holding on to my hope, I stand back and look at the woman in front of me. Everything I ever wanted to find is wrapped up inside her, and now I just have to be patient. In my heart, I know that one day we will be together.
8.Apart from writing, what do you do in your spare time? I run a swag making business and take care of my two daughters.
9.If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be & why? I would want to trade places with Nora Roberts. I would love to get inside her head and see where she gets her wealth of ideas from, and I’d also like to be as successful as her one day.
10.Do you have anything that you want to say to your readers? I would love to say a huge thank you! You all have shown my amazing support and I would love to get to know you. I know I can’t get to know everyone, but I would love to connect as much a possible.
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