Interview - Rosa Sophia

Today I have author Rosa Sophia here. Let's get to know her a little better!

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mechanic disguised as a librarian. What that means is, I work in a library, but my dream is to work in a garage—preferably one that specializes in classics and antiques. Currently, I live in south Florida, and I love to travel, run, and hike. When I’m not working, I’m working. I edit for Ruby Lioness Press and Oaklight Publishing. Life is good—but it sure is exhausting!

What genre do you write?
For the most part, I write Mystery, but I also enjoy crossing genres. Lately, I’ve been working on a book series that is a mix of several genres—Science Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.

Please tell us about your latest release, Check Out Time, and how you came up with the idea?
I thought of the idea behind Check Out Time when I was working night shift in a grocery store. I decided to make up a character, give her my job stocking shelves, and let the story go from there. No, the character isn’t really based on me, but the situations and the setting are certainly drawn from my own experiences.

Is it part of a series?
Yes—the second book is called At the Turn of a Wrench, and I am already fifty pages in. It will concentrate more on Naomi and her relationship with her father. I’d like to make the second novel more character-oriented than plot driven.

A must have snack while you write.
Actually, I have to force myself to eat when I write! I have been known to spend entire days writing, without eating a single thing. I get so into the story that I completely forget food exists.

If you had to choose a favorite book that you’ve written, which would it be?
A Siren for the Dead—it is currently unpublished, but I hope to publish it soon. 

It is part of a series, and one of my cross-genre projects. It’s a mix between Science Fiction and Mystery. The third book in the series also has some Romance. I just love mixing genres, and I love this series because the main character is a man. So I get to write from a completely different perspective.

Advice to writers who have yet to be published.
I know you hear this all the time, but . . . Don’t give up. Don’t let rejections or negative reviews dissuade you. Even after you get published, there will always be someone who won’t like your writing. It can’t be helped. Just do the best you can, and don’t be afraid to share it with the world.

Is there a genre you haven’t written yet that you want to?
I would like to write Chick Lit. I would like to write something from every genre, actually, but Chick Lit would be quite a challenge for me. I love a good challenge!

Any quirky habits?
Yes—I carry good luck charms everywhere I go. I always have to have something with me that I find comforting, so the “charm” can be anything. In my car, I have a “lucky gasket” hanging from my rear-view mirror. It’s actually the gasket from an exhaust pipe that I replaced several years back; for whatever reason, it became a good luck charm. I also cannot leave the house without a set of tools, or I become antsy and somewhat paranoid. I rented a car to drive to North Carolina two years ago. It was a brand new car, but I grabbed my tool box and put it in the trunk anyway. I knew I wouldn’t need it, but for some reason, I just can’t travel without it!

Have you written a character that most resembles you?
In my opinion, no, I have not. But friends and family swear that they “see” me when they read my books.

What type of hero do you enjoy writing about?
I like to write about a hero who is working to overcome his or her flaws. I have a lot that I’m trying to work through right now, so I guess it’s my way of writing what I feel through the eyes of a fictional character.



Thank you for having me, Lacey! I am currently looking for reviewers. If anyone would like to review Check Out Time, I will gladly provide a free digital copy. Readers can email me at: author.rosa.sophia@gmail.com