Mimi writes chick-lit, erotic romance, sex comedy, and new adult contemporary romance. Some of her books include The Borrowed Billionaire Series, The Ice Cream Series and Kissing Coach
What inspired you to write your first book?
I took a creative writing class and discovered I actually could write fiction. I'd always been an avid reader, but didn't understand where to begin writing something with a plot. After I finished a dozen short stories plus various exercises, I told myself it was time to write a book. This was in 2010.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
David Sedaris
Why did you choose to write Romance/Erotic fiction?
I started off writing YA fiction, and most of the stories had romance elements. I had to "dial back" the kissing scenes a few times, but I enjoyed writing them. As a total goof, I decided to write a naughty billionaire story. Just for fun. Zero expectations. It was so liberating to not have to censor anything! And then, to my surprise, people liked the story. I'm really drawn to comedy, and I think sex and comedy are a perfect match. I'm happily married to the sweetest guy, so I draw from that joy to write romance.
What do you do when you come down with a case of the infamous
ʺwriterʹs blockʺ?
Despair. Panic. Shallow breathing and wallowing on the sofa for a bit. Then I pick up the laptop and try a new location--usually a coffee shop, where I have to at least pretend I'm working. Turning off the internet helps a lot. So does having the document open.
When you are not writing what do you enjoy doing?
I love to take a long walk to the movie theater with friends or my husband, then enjoy a comedy while I eat yogurt with double rainbow sprinkles, then a long walk back while discussing the movie. I don't bake, I hate shopping, but I do love organizing other people's closets.
What is your favourite Movie at the moment?
Dirty Dancing
What is your favourite song at the moment?
Michael Bublé - "To Love Somebody"
Who is your favourite book boyfriend?
Ron Weasley
If you could have only one book with you whilst stranded on a desert island what would it be?
Alice in Wonderland
Which is your favourite book you've written and why?
I wrote a YA fantasy novel under my other pen name--Broken Shell Island. I think that book had been in me since childhood, and just writing it fulfilled a very old promise to myself.
Who is your favourite character from your books and why?
Smith Wittingham from Billionaire Novelist is my only author character, so that makes him extra special. It's very indulgent for us to write about writers, but so fun.
How about your least favourite character?
Oh, no. I love them all. Side characters, villains, every one of them. I even love Sharise, the trash-talking dog-kidnapper, but only as a book character, not as a person in real life.
If you could change one scene from one of your books, which one would it be and why?
I don't re-read after publication, and I move on quickly to the next project, so this saves me from the woulda-couldas.*
*However, I did add an extra chapter to the end of Pretty Girls when I re-released it. This is more of an extension than a change, though.
About For You:
Where did you get the idea for this book?
This book changed wildly from the original idea. I had this kooky premise about a big cash pool tournament and two love interests, and boy oh boy did things switch around when I started writing.
Are any of the characters based on personal experience?
Yes, every character has some connection to people in my life. It might just be one small detail, but they're all made of more than just imagination.
What's your favourite scene you wrote?
I was giddy with excitement when I wrote the sex scene with the maple syrup. I announced it on Facebook as soon as I'd written it.
Will it be a series?
For You was original planned as a series, called Runaway Lies, but I didn't feel good about my ideas for a second book. I lost a lot of sleep over it. Then I figured out how to resolve everything and make it a stand-alone book, and that felt right to me, as an artist. We sure don't get any guarantees in life, but we do get feelings, and I'm learning to trust my intuition.
Thank you Mimi
You can visit Mimi's website here: http://www.mimistrong.com/ to find out more about her books
You can see The Romance Cover's review of For You here http://www.theromancecover.com/2013/04/for-you-by-mimi-strong.html