Author Interview: Theresa Sneed of "No Angel"

Me: There are tons of books out there right now in the "angel" category, but yours is so unique! Where did you get the inspiration for "No Angel"?

Theresa: Where did I get inspiration for No Angel? Probably from my own guardian angel who will no doubt insist on all the rights in some future day! Actually, I’ve had a few life experiences that have given me a unique perspective of the spirit world—add that to a rather active imagination, and No Angel was a cinch to create!

I'm always curious about the "publishing experience" of other authors. From the start of submitting, how did it go for you?

I submitted No Angel to several national agents first and got a few nibbles, but wasn’t disappointed when I got rejected, because I was always a little worried that the wrong publisher would try to make No Angel something that it was not. I was destined to be exactly where I am with a team who didn’t touch my story line or character development at all, but allowed the story to stay the way I envisioned it.

What is your favorite scene of "No Angel"?

That’s a hard one—there are a few scenes that I go back and read over and over again, because I enjoy them so much. If I had to pick a favorite, I guess it would be the last scene of the book, but I really love the final scene with Jonathan and his sister Maggie too.

Did you have to leave out/cut any scenes you really liked? Can you share them with us?

I guess I’m really fortunate that I didn’t have to cut any scenes from No Angel, but I have continued the story with my 4th angel book -  Earth Angel with a few interesting twists!

You've mentioned the second "angel" book for you is in the hands of your editor. Can you give us any sneak peeks about what adventures it will hold?

I’d love to give you a sneak peek about From Heaven to Earth. Do you remember in No Angel when Jonathan snaps at a couple who are departing for earth and tells them that ‘they’ve already said their goodbyes’ and to ‘move along’? That couple becomes the two main characters in From Heaven to Earth—Sophie and Daniel. Daniel is a leader in the Freedom Fighters and Coe is a leader in the No Choice Movement—both are attracted to Sophie, who finds it everlastingly hard to choose between the two. I really love this story!

If you could choose any actor/actress you wanted for the characters in your book, who would it be?

You’re going to laugh, but I initially modeled Jonathan after Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons in the television sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, {I can totally see it!} but only parts—mostly his standoffish personality. As far as actors and actresses are concerned—I think a cast of totally unknown actors would be fun!

Working on anything non-angel right now?

As a matter of fact, I have two non-angel books that might come out in 2012. Sons of Elderberry is a fantasy—complete with wizards and fairies—that tells the story of four brothers who are heirs to Elderberry Castle, and the wicked Sirusas who seeks to destroy the castle from within. Escape is a murder/mystery about a 16 year old runaway who is abducted and kept captive for five years until she escapes from her captor who aggressively hunts her down. Because I write three different genres, I will publish the fantasy and murder mystery under slightly altered names—T. S. Sneed for the murder/mystery and maybe T. M. Sneed for the fantasy, but I’m not sure.

Let's get to know you! What is your favorite book?

Second to religious-based books, my all-time favorite is the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien. It’s been my favorite since high school. I reread it every other year or so.

If you could sit down to lunch with any author, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Again, other than writers of scriptures or religious-based books, it’d have to be Tolkien—I like the way he thinks. I’d love to talk to him about the ‘untold’ story—what drove him to write Lord of the Rings and who his favorite characters are. Next to Tolkien, I’d have to say Charlotte Bronte for her strong sense of virtue and honor embedded throughout another one of my favorite novels, Jane Eyre.

Who is your biggest cheerleader when it comes to writing?

My biggest cheerleader has to be fellow author and friend, Betsy Love, author of Identity and soon to be released, Soul Fire. We’ve been through a lot together as far as our writing journey is concerned and have seen each other go from the very beginning of being developing writers through all the way up to becoming published authors. As a matter of fact, Betsy published Identity about one month before I published No Angel with the same publishing company!

Any advice for those waiting to get published?

Yes! You can do it IF you want it bad enough to never give up, IF you are willing to take criticism and learn from it, and IF you dedicate yourself to a strict writing regime!

 {Thanks again, Theresa!}