Name:              Hope Shardae

Real Name:      Unknown

Birthday:           November 05, 1986

Occupation:      Subtitler (multi-media company)

Location:          Mandaluyong City

Books you've written:  

Aside from Pretend Just a Little and Tuya Siempre. I’ve written Take Me To Your Heart (sa ibang publishing house). J

Who is/are your favorite author(s)?       

Paulo Coelho, Jodi Picoult, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Matthew Arnolds. Those who write children’s story esp. Becky Bravo.

What's your favorite book?  

Collection of Den of Shadows by Amelia Atwater Rhodesand works of Paulo Coelho.

How long have you been writing?    

I’ve been writing since I knew how to write..hehe (^ ^) But seriously, I discovered that I can make stories when I was in my high school. I started with simple poems and short stories. Most of them are in my journal.

Favorite love quotes:  

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. :)

Q & A:

What are you writing now?

Serenaya- She’s giving me a hard time. I’ve been meaning to finish this for YSH but I’m not even in half of the novel. Rayne, A Song Of My Heart- Konting revision na lang.

What made you decide to start writing novels?  

Because I’m a hopeless romantic person. I’m always frustrated when such love stories of my friends or someone I know didn’t end by happy ending so in my mind I made one for them. I think that’s the start of it.

Why do you continue to write?    

It’s my passion in life. Writing keeps my sanity back. J

Where do you get your ideas?    

Friends, movies, books, minsan sa mga kasakay ko sa jeep. In short anywhere.

Your Favorite among the books you've written?  Tell us about it. Why do you prefer it among others?

I’ve always loved Tuya Siempre among them. Dahil siguro sa una sa lahat, totoong tao ang hero ko. Noong isinulat ko siya, siya ang nasa sa isip ko. Corny na kung corny but I can feel his pain, her pain, their pain. And most especially galing sila sa aking hometown, Balayan, Batangas. J

What kind of romance novels do you usually write?  

Comedy-romance.

How long can you write and edit one novel?

If time permits so, I can finish one novel in a month or two and the editing process took me another month. Sometimes it depends on my characters, my plot and how they wanted their story to be done. Pinakamabilis na ang two months sa isang novel ko. So I'm a real slow writer.

How do you cope up with stress?

Walk, walk and walk. Kahit mukha akong baliw lakad lang ako ng lakad. And the most exciting part is eat, eat and eat.

What is the hardest part of a romance novel to write?

Ending. Laging cheesy ang mga endings ko. I suck at ending and synopsis too.

Do you like writing love scenes?  

I tried to wrote one on Tuya Siempre but I think I failed. Though I’m not comfortable with it I’m working on it because I think that is essential to some stories. And it's part of writing a romance novel so I'm working on it.

How did you learn to write love scenes?  

Books, books and books.

Who is your favorite hero among all the novels you've written? Why?

Glenn Jousa Powell, because he’s a real person. (Cutie)  Sana lang huwag niyang malaman na isinulat ko siya..hahaha

And who is your favorite heroine?  Why?

Serenaya, though she’s not yet finished. Because she’s a tribe princess, strong but at the same time sweet, responsible and most of all beautiful. I wish I can draw her if time permits so. J

How long and what time of the day do you usually write?

I write at my free time, that means during my free time on Saturdays and Sundays. I usually write late at night. Masarap magsulat kapag tahimik.

Aside from writing, what do you like to do?

I love to read.

I love to draw.

I love to do designs on shirts, pants and messing my wardrobe. :P

Who among your characters best depicts you?

Maia. ♥

Which among your books was the most difficult to write?  

Serenaya, my unfinished novel. Hopefully I can finish her with in a month or two. J

WRITING TECHNIQUE and EXPERIENCE:

Do you start with a character or plot?

I start with my character.

How do you make your characters?

Imagine them. Then make a profile on them. Dati sa isip ko lang ito ginagawa, yung tipong anong height niya, age, etc. Pero may nakapagsabi sa akin na it’s better when you write them down. It gives you clearer picture on them. If you can, draw them.

Any advises to those who might want to start their writing career?

Just write, write and never stop writing. As I’ve said before I always  believe that there’s a writer deep within us. There’s always story we always wanted to tell. We only have to dig way deep inside of us in able to write them. Also, read. Maging Tagalog man o English. Kaya kang dalhin kahit saan kahit nagbabasa ka lamang. You can meet so many people through reading.

Have you been rejected in a publishing?  How did you deal with it?

Yeah, many times. I’ve read the mail over and over again hanggang sa mag-sink in na sa akin na rejected ako. And then eat, that’s the most exciting part.. :D After a few weeks I’ll go over my rejected novel then read it again. But rejection never stops me from writing it keeps me from pursuing to write even more.

Have you been criticised?

Constructive criticism, yes. I learn a lot from those criticism. Pero yung harsh

wala pa ko na-eencounter at nagpra-pray ako na kapag dumating yung time na yun handa ako at huwag akong maging bayolente. hehe.

What are your fears and frustrations being a writer?

Fears, that the reader don’t like what I write. Feeling ko kasi mababaw lang ang bawat tema ng novel ko kumpara sa ibang batikang writer at hindi ko alam kung papasa ba ito sa readers. Frustration, hmmm, I can’t give up my day job just too write. :P

What's the best thing about being a writer?

Kapag sinasabi ng mga mambabasa na kinilig sila sa isinulat ko or someway, natuwa sila sa isinulat ko. I’ve always wanted to entertain people, I want to put a smile on their faces while reading my novel or story. I love it when I see their smiles.

Personally, what did you learn from writing romance novels?

That I can be romantic too when I want to become one. That I can touch other

people’s lives and diverse them to another world. J

What made you who are are right now?

God. Family, friends, readers. Kahit yung mga hindi ko pa namemeet, I think all of them are important to my life. J

What is your dream as a writer?

I’ve wanted to create more and more novels. Babaw ko.haha. I wanted to travel more because of this whole writing career thing (kung may career ako dito. :P Gusto kong ma-explore ang mga bagay na hindi ko pa nagagawa sa larangan ng pagsusulat, gaya ng pagsusulat ng tipong mystery-romance na novel. Someday. J

Who are your inspirations?

Sa larangan ng pagsusulat, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, she can take me to her world. God, readers, my family. J

Link to your personal website:

http://www.danicajosephine.multiply.com