Interview with Olivia Wildenstein, NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

I’m usually a series girl but Not Another Love Song will be a standalone. I loved Angie and her crew, loved writing about music and Nashville (a city I ironically only visited after I completed the book), but when I set out to write NALS, there was no doubt in my mind that every subplot would be neatly tied up by the end. My other reason for not wanting to expand on the universe of NALS is so I can travel somewhere else. There’s nothing more exciting for authors than meeting new characters and plotting their lives.

Do you have a favorite character?

I always have a favorite, and it’s never my main character. I suppose that’s because the main character feels too much like ourselves, especially when you write them in the first person. In NALS, my favorite was Nev, Ten’s little sister, the underdog on the brink of teenagerhood struggling to find her place and her people in the world.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?

Ooh. I did. Repeatedly. Most indies have attempted the trad route at some point in their career. Or at least, this was true back when I started off (6 years ago). Back then, the indie business neither had a great reputation nor the traction it’s gained in recent years. After multiple rejections, though, I decided to strike out on my own. The learning curve was steep and the road bumpy, but what a great great adventure it’s been.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

I always write to music. At the start of every manuscript, I create a new playlist on Spotify, and every week, I’ll add songs to it. And then I’ll listen to them on a loop until the lyrics and melodies blur into white noise.

You can find most of my playlists here: http://oliviawildenstein.com/music/

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

Before I start writing, I’ll type up a 5 to 6-page outline. Do I follow it? Never. But somehow it helps organize my plot. What I find most important is compiling a character chart: a file with pictures for every character in your story (even the minor ones) that lists their physical attributes as well as their likes, dislikes, pet peeves, scents, jobs, and history.

What have you learned during your self-publishing journey?

That it’s A LOT of work, and not all of it fun. I’ll spend an equal amount of time marketing my books than I’ll do writing them. Not that I dislike marketing, but if I have to choose, I would rather write. However, being able to do both is essential in this business. Another thing I’ve learned is patience. Arm yourself with as much as you can because building your readership takes time.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?

Yes. Yes. And yes. Or at least, until the book launches. Once that first week is over, you can finally breathe and give your new story your undivided attention.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?

Study the market and find your niche, then read everything indie-produced in that niche because that’s your competition! My bread and butter is New Adult paranormal romance. You wouldn’t think it’s a niche, but Amazon just started categories for NA fantasy romance last year.

Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?

I’m definitely a cat person. I love dogs, but they’re like small children, and I already have three of those. 

Vanilla ice cream but chocolate everything else, the darker the better.

Text! The commodity I lack the most is time, so texting is definitely more efficient. However, texting is impersonal, so at some point, I crave good, long talks.

I love nights, love their quietness and darkness.

 

What’s next for you?

I’m writing the last book in my Angels of Elysium series, then I’ll be adding a spinoff for my Boulder Wolves trilogy. And, I’m cowriting for the first time ever (almost done with the book actually). It’s been such a fun experience that I hope to co-write many more novels in the future.

Not Another Love Song
Olivia Wildenstein
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: July 7th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

An aspiring teenage singer finds herself playing a different tune when she falls for a boy who could jeopardize her future dreams in Olivia Wildenstein’s romantic YA novel, Not Another Love Song.
Angie has studied music her entire life, nurturing her talent as a singer. Now a high school senior, she has an opportunity to break into Nashville’s music scene via a songwriting competition launched by her idol, Mona Stone. Discouraged by her mother, who wishes Angie would set more realistic life goals, she nonetheless pours her heart and soul into creating a song worthy of Mona.

But Angie’s mother is the least of her concerns after she meets Reedwood High’s newest transfer student, Ten. With his endless collection of graphic tees, his infuriating attitude, smoldering good looks, and endearing little sister, Ten toys with the rhythm of Angie’s heart.

She’s never desired anything but success until Ten entered her life. Now she wants to be with him and to be a songwriter for Mona Stone, but she can’t have both.

And picking one means losing the other.

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Author Bio:
USA TODAY bestselling author Olivia Wildenstein grew up in New York City and earned her bachelor’s in comparative literature from Brown University. After designing jewelry for a few years, Wildenstein traded in her tools for the writing life, which made more sense considering her college degree.

When she’s not sitting at her computer, she’s psychoanalyzing everyone she meets (Yes. Everyone), eavesdropping on conversations to gather material for her next book, and attempting not to forget one of her kids in school.

She has a slight obsession with romance, which might be the reason why she writes it. She’s a hybrid author of over a dozen mature Young Adult love stories.

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