Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.

Recently, we interviewed Shanna Swenson, the award-winning finalist in the Fiction: Romance category of the 2020 International Book Awards for her books Abundance and Return to Abundance.She has recently released her first book, UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT in the Gods of the Gridiron series, a delicious romantic thriller

Shanna Swenson is an award-winning finalist in the Fiction: Romance category of the 2020 International Book Awards for her books Abundance and Return to Abundance. She’s known for writing endearing adult romance novels that showcase the healing power of true love in the face of tragedy.

She’s a dreamer turned author who does cardiac ultrasounds by day and creates fictional worlds every spare chance she can. Shanna started writing at the age of fourteen and has always loved dynamic characters. She’s fascinated by the unknown, is a Cancer with a capital “C”, and has an eclectic taste in music, movies, and books.

When she’s not writing or reading, she’s working out, taking photographs, or hanging out with her own “knight in shining armor.”

BookView Review: Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Shanna:  I am definitely an original! I was a reader first so writing was something I did just for myself. When I decided to publish, it was because I decided to—finally—have my stories be heard, not because I was planning to. I consider myself a non-conformist; I pride myself on being unique and different. My writing is no exception. I draw inspiration from movies I’ve watched, books I’ve read and music I’ve heard, but my characters and ideas are wholly my own.

BookView Review: Does a big ego help or hurt writers?

Shanna:  As someone who doesn’t have a big ego, I’m not certain. As with anything in life, you’ll never have all the answers; you can always learn something new. Writing is one of those things where you can kind of do what you want. What works for one doesn’t work for all and the fun part is being able to explore new ways of doing what you love to do and switching things up.

BookBiew Review: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Shanna: The most difficult thing about writing from a male POV is sounding like you are male when you aren’t, LOL! I think it’s the most fun part of the job though; being someone you’re not. Glimpsing inside someone else’s head while trying to stay true to the authenticity of the gender, since men don’t think like women do and vice versa.

BookView Review: How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Shanna: To write, it can take anywhere from a month to years, depending. I usually try to let the words flow when they come. I work full time too, so I have to make time to write, but then there’s also editing, polishing, reviewing—rinse and repeat! So all in all, I would say on average a couple months to actually write a book.

BookView Review: Does your family support your career as a writer?

Shanna: My family does support me—Thank God! My mom, sister, in-laws and husband are all huge in helping keep me going. My husband has been wonderful through this process and is my biggest fan, bless him. I don’t know what I would do if they weren’t…not be a writer, I guess.

BookView Review: What inspired UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT?

Shanna: My love for football, Greek mythology, and action, twisted in with a misbehaving “bad boy” who meets a woman unafraid to stand up to him.

BookView Review: Who inspired Skyla and Travis’s characters?

Shanna: Travis was originally inspired by Travis Jervey, RB #32 for the Green Bay Packers back in the day. Skyla was a bit of myself and all women everywhere who’ve risen above their insecurities and made something of themselves.