Interview with Mia Sosa (Author of Acting On Impulse)
Today on Okie Dreams, we chat with romance author Mia Sosa. Mia Sosa is an award-winning contemporary romance writer and 2015 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® Finalist. Her books have received praise and recognition from Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal, The Washington Post, Book Riot, Bustle, and more.
Meet Mia Sosa, author of ACTING ON IMPULSE
Mia Sosa was born and raised in New York City. She attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications and met her very own romance hero (spoiler alert: she married him). Mia once dreamed of being a professional singer, but practical considerations (read: the need to generate income) led her to take the law school admissions test instead.
A graduate of Yale Law School, Mia practiced First Amendment and media law in the nation’s capital for ten years before returning to her creative roots. Now she spends most of her days writing contemporary romances about smart women and the complicated men who love them. Mia lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters and will forever be on the hunt for the perfect karaoke bar.
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Q & A Interview
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your current release?
Mia: Sure! I’m a recovering lawyer who recently decided to finally finish the first chapters that had been residing on my desktop for years. So now I’m a contemporary romance writer, and as a result, I’ve traded my pantsuits for loungewear (okay, okay, they’re sweatpants). When I’m not writing, I watch lots of reality television—for research. Ahem.
My latest book is Acting on Impulse. It’s a fun, flirty romance about an unassuming guy who travels to Aruba on vacation and meets a wonderful woman but neglects to tell her that he’s a Hollywood actor traveling incognito. Our media-shy heroine, Tori Alvarez, wants nothing to do with him when she learns who he really is, but our hero, Carter Stone, tracks down Tori in the States and hires her to get him in shape for his next film role. Essentially, he puts himself at her mercy, and that’s when the fun begins.
How has your writing process changed since publishing your first book?
Mia: When I first started writing, I had all the time in the world to meander through the creative process. I was a “pantser,” as opposed to a plotter, so I wrote pages and pages before the story would reveal itself to me. Now my process is driven by deadlines, so I can’t pick lint out of my navel and eat M&Ms all day (bummer, I know). If I did, I’d never finish a book. Now I begin with the basic premise and a rough outline of the major plot points, and I devote part of the process to figuring out my characters’ histories and motivations. I don’t plan the book from A to Z, but I don’t wing it anymore, either. I still eat M&Ms, though.
Do you recognize a common theme in your books? How important is that to you and where do you think it stems from?
Mia: I’m so glad you asked this question! One theme that’s common to all my books is family. I’ve read plenty of books in which the main characters’ families play almost no role in the romance—and I love them—and books where families are front and center—and I love those, too. But in each of my published stories, either the hero or heroine grapples with an issue related to his or her family. I think it stems from the central role my family plays in my life, both as a source of love and support and as a connection to my Latino heritage.
If you could tell a non-romance reader one thing about reading/writing romance, what would it be and why?
Mia: Every few months or so, someone writes a dismissive article or writes a snarky comment about romances and the people who read them. Often, the person making the comment has never read a romance and refers to books that aren’t even romances as evidence of whatever point the person is trying to make. I’d tell a non-romance reader to disregard those romance detractors. Romances are wonderful life-affirming stories about love and hope. Romances offer readers funny stories that will make them laugh out loud, suspenseful stories that will leave them on the edge of their seats, and sexy stories that will make them swoon. Try reading romance. I promise you won’t be sorry.
When and how did you learn that language had power?
Mia: I don’t think I truly realized language had power until I heard Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech in its entirety when I was in high school. That speech communicates volumes about injustice, about hope, about the obligation of Americans to stand up against inequality. It’s been a source of inspiration for many for decades, and it remains relevant today.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Mia: Here’s what I’d say to my younger writing self: Everyone won’t love your writing, and that’s okay. It may be a difficult concept to accept, but it’s true; no writer can satisfy every reader. So write from the heart and focus on finding the readers who love your work. They’re out there, I assure you.
Thank you so much for being here today, Mia! We enjoyed getting to know more about you, your thoughts, and your current release, Acting On Impulse.
Readers you can find Acting on Impulse online now at:
Harpercollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
