🐺Spotlight Author: Theresa Hissong🐺

I was introduced to the writing of Theresa Hissong in 2019 at a book signing. I was talking about how I had never read a shifter book. A volunteer there told me I had to read Theresa Hissong’s Talon. I took her up on her suggestion and devoured Talon. I had the pleasure of meeting Theresa the next month at a different signing. I literally ran to her table first so that I could get a signed copy before she sold out.

This month in My Bissful Books Readers we celebrating Paranormal authors. I was excited when Theresa agreed to be one of our Spotlight Authors. Theresa is an amazing person and I can’t wait for you to get to know her and her books.

1. How did you come up with the Pride and what led you to writing their stories?

I’d always loved panther shifter books, and at the time, everyone was writing about wolves. Back in 2009, I’d written a black panther shifter book and set it aside. I hated it! However, I kept thinking about it for the next few years. I was writing a lot of rockstar romance, and a few vampire books that I eventually took down. They just weren’t what I craved to write.

Fast forward to 2014, and I decided to start over and write mostly paranormal instead of contemporary. PNR had always been my favorite books to read, and I figured it was time to write the panther shifters I’d been wanting to write for a long time.

I took a month to create the Rise of the Pride world; characters (there are A LOT of them!), the mythology of their species, and then…the storyline.

By the time I had all of that prepared, I started writing Talon. I didn’t think anyone would read it, but boy was I wrong. The readers started sharing it and contacting me about how much they loved the world because it was “different” than anything they’d ever read.

After that, I started writing, Winter (Book 2), and now, I’ve been going non-stop on that entire series. There are spin-offs, and there WILL be more (Insert evil laugh!).

As of today, I have 12 books in the Rise of the Pride, and have 17 planned. There is another series, Morgan Clan Bears, that follows the bear you meet in Winter’s book.

2. How do your author friends help you become a stronger writer?

I have several PNR author friends who give me strength and guidance. Two of them are Teresa Gabelman and Holly Roberts. They have helped me learn a lot about promotion and have turned their readers on to the Pride. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

My most favorite PNR author, R. E. Butler contacted me one day (Holy fangirl moment!) and told me she read Talon and LOVED it! She gave me an editorial review to use, and that has probably been one of the biggest highlights of my career. Right next to hitting #1 on Amazon with 5 of the Pride books.

I am so thankful for my author friends. I just don’t know how many times to tell them thank you without it being awkward! LOL

3. What is the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?

Actually, I don’t find it difficult. The reason why is strange, but true. The male POV is easy for me. I am the baby of all my cousins…and they are males. My best friends are all guys, and I just know how they talk, act, carry themselves.

4. As the touring manager of Artifas and the author of some hot and steamy rock star books did you base any of the characters off of the guys in the band?

Oh lord, no! My other job is wrangling rockstars, but I have never written anything based on them. Now, that doesn’t mean they don’t give me “ideas”. That’s how “Rocked” (Reverse Harem) and “Thirst” (Incubus Tamed), was created. It was more of a bunch of silly ideas they’d thrown at me on a tour about 3 years ago. I just took it all in, rolled my eyes at them, and made it a romance novel.

I do, however, have something in the works that hasn’t been announced yet. It’s my own story, but you will see one of them on the cover. That’s all I can tell you until later this year.

As far as the band, if you would like to meet me and them, you can always come out to a show and hang with me. I’ll be glad to sign any books you have at their merch table. It’s kind of a two for one with me. Where the band goes, I go. Since I can’t hit many book signings while we are touring, this is the only way to find me. I do carry some books with me on tour, but not a lot. Fans can always contact me and preorder something to pick up at a show if they’d like to do that. I love seeing everyone supporting, not only me, but my brothers in ARTIFAS!

5. What one thing would you give up if it would make you a better writer?

Well, I can’t say my job as a tour manager for a rock band, or they’d come looking for me! Ha! I guess, it would be time. I’d give up the time it took to write a book to take more classes in writing. It’s been 20+ years since I was in college, and I’d actually go back to take a few creative writing classes if I had the time.

6. How long on an average does it take you to write a book?

Well, that depends. If I am not touring, I can write a 60,000 word book in about 8-10 weeks if I do NOTHING else. I’ve written a 30,000 novella in as little as 10 days.

Because I have obligations with the band, my family, and aging parents, sometimes, I just don’t have time to sit down and bust out a book in a short amount of time.

The longest it’s taken me to write a full novel has been about four months.

7. What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

Ummmm, staying off TikTok. Does that count? LOL!

No, seriously. As far as the book writing itself, I know where I want to start the book and I know where I want it to end, but the middle always slows me down. (#TeamPantster)

8. What is your favorite and least favorite part of publishing?

Favorite part is release day! It’s an adrenaline rush,

Least part is uploading different files into different platforms for the book, cover, info, blah, blah, blah. It’s stressful. You don’t want to mess it up and hit “Publish” with an error you can’t fix for 24 hours.

9. Which of your characters do you relate to the most and why?

Oh, that’s a loaded question. There are a lot of them.

The Rise of the Pride books have a lot of very strong female characters. They all have a little part of me in them. I’ve always been independent and full of strength (and a whole lot of sass!).

There is one book out there that is my life story, and it will gut you. It’s book 2 in the Fatal Cross Live! Series. The female character’s background is very similar to my own. It was hard to write, but it was also as good as a paid therapy session. (*Trigger Warning). As tough as that book was to write, I love it. The HEA in it still warms my heart.

10. What is your schedule like when you’re writing a book?

Ummm, chaos??? Is that a schedule?

Well, my schedule is always different with each book. The “normal” schedule (when I’m not working for the band) is writing when I wake up around 7am. I stop for a break between 11-1, then I write until 4pm. I do some housework, be a mom and wife, etc. After dinner, I usually write for another few hours or I just chill. After 8 or 9pm, I get another burst of creativity and I will write for an hour or so.

Thank you so much for having me and giving a little shout out to the band! I appreciate that so much. We are all trying to get our names out there, and anything helps.

I’d love to meet as many of you as I can at a concert! So, look for tour dates from ARTIFAS. I’ll always be there.

Find out more about ARTIFAS here: Artifas: https://linktr.ee/artifas

BIO:

Theresa Hissong is the bestselling author of the Rise of the Pride series. She writes paranormal romance, rockstar romance, and romantic suspense.

She enjoys spending her days and nights creating the perfect love affair, and she takes those ideas to paper. When she’s not writing, Theresa spends her free time traveling and attending concerts all over the United States.

Stalking Links:

Facebook fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435907040005689/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortheresahissong

Website: http://authortheresahissong.com

Instagram:
http://instagram.com/authortheresahissong

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Theresa-Hissong/e/B00I0J9P0E

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorthissong

TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRYYLxDS/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7178446.Theresa_Hissong

Newsletter: http://authortheresahissong.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c4937ac38edd1ca66bdb0dac0&id=a1c57b98b0

AllAuthor: https://allauthor.com/profile/theresahissong/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/theresa-hissong