Featured Author, an Interview with Em!

Today, I have the immense pleasure of interviewing an author whose blog I’ve been reading since she began it. The story is really good and smartly written; it drew me in right away! I know some of you read this story already, so you will be as delighted as I am to see this interview.
Here is a bit of a summary to Generation 1: “Emma Windsor, the founder of The Windsor Legacy, enters Ever City as an aspiring movie composer. She moves in with her best friend, Rose Hawthorne, an aspiring movie actress. Together, they go through the grueling audition process, making new friends along the way. Emma meets Draco Dupont one night and finds herself attracted to his charming, amiable exterior.”
Dying to find out what happens next? Then I guess you will have to read The Windsor Legacy! Em, the author is currently on Generation 3 and the story has never lost its magic.
1. How long have you been playing The Sims and what got you into it?
I began playing The Sims in…middle school? Early high school? I honestly cannot remember how I initially got into it, but I remember I played for a while with the Ambitions expansion pack and then stopped playing for a year or two because I got bored. It was only after I discovered my first sims story, Splash of Color. At first, I was incredibly confused, as I didn’t recognize that the people depicted were sims — had the author drawn everything? Were they 3D models she’d sculpted? How???

When I realized that the photos were screenshots from Sims, I was enthralled and, well, I haven’t stopped playing Sims since.
2. Why did you begin blogging your sims story?
After reading Splash of Color and the Ink Legacy, both of which I ADORED, I became inspired to combine my interest in writing with the Sims. The Windsor Legacy is actually my third Sims story — previously, I had a short lived color-based legacy (each color was a different “rank” in society) and an equally short lived ISBI. Those both ended before I even got through the first generation, but I’m determined to see this story through. In short: what inspires me to continue blogging my sims story is reading other sims stories 🙂
3. How do you come up with your story ideas?
While playing, I’ll come up with random ideas. I’ll shoot those ideas and, although many of the scenes don’t make it in, the ones that do really drive the story. I also draw a lot of inspiration from music.
4. Do your sims actions help create new ideas or make the story go in a different direction then you had intended?
Eh, my story is very not driven by the sims’ actions. I am definitely not following any legacy rules (lol so many cheats…), and all the scenes are the product of my own direction. Sometimes, though, one of my sims will roll an interesting wish or be attracted to a surprising choice…and that might influence my story.
5. Which character is your favorite and why?
THIS IS SO DIFFICULT. Um…of course, I have a soft spot for my founder, Emma, but I have to say I really loved writing Leliana (my 2nd gen heir). She’s unflinchingly moral and brave, and it was wonderful to write someone with such a strong moral compass.
6. What chapter has been the most difficult to write so far, and why?
The last few chapters of my second generation were very, very difficult to write for spoiler-containing reasons. I dearly loved the characters involved, so it was hard to make those tough choices…
7. Is there anything you wish was different about your story?
I’d love to go back and retake some of the generation 1 photos, as some of those photos were taken before lighting mods/before I realized you could tilt the camera/etc, and they are a bit barren. Otherwise, I’d love to be able to bring in more extended family interaction…I find it difficult to juggle many different sims at once, and I think that negatively impacts some of the photos. For example, without getting too much into the details, at the end of Generation 2 is a large confrontation scene…involving only a few sims because I couldn’t get enough extras to linger.
8. Do you have advice for any other writers who may just be starting out?
Keep writing! Really. As long as writing makes you happy, continue to publish. Don’t worry about how others will react/etc — just do what makes you happy and the rest will come 🙂
9. What are the challenges of bringing your characters to life?
Translating my thoughts to writing. As of now, I have taken photos for the entirety of the third generation, and I’m finding it very difficult to pen the actual content. Sometimes I have off days/weeks/months…and at those times, it’s like pulling teeth to even finish a chapter. I rely on great music (I’ve really been enjoying the Dark Knight soundtrack!) and reading other wonderful stories to get me out of these ruts.
10. Would you like to share an excerpt from your story or a summary of your story? Or both?
An excerpt from Caspian’s first interlude (generation II):
“The Astoria Nightclub was situated in the bowels of a nondescript white building located in the heart of Ever City’s downtown area. The club doors had closed only an hour before, leaving just enough time for even the drunkest of stragglers to leave the club’s premises. Outside, only the faintest streaks of purple hinted at the coming dawn.
Inside, the air was sour with the smell of sticky nectar and, yes, something just a tad darker.
Caspian Bishop whistled cheerfully to himself as he scanned the array of gleaming glasses before him. With one hand still firmly holding onto a sleek metal knife, he selected the farthest glass and, still humming, deftly poured himself a glass of fizzing amber liquid.”

Thank you, Em, for a truly wonderful interview!
If you would like to read our featured author’s Sims story, it can be found here:

Author’s Note: If you are a blog author (it does not have to be The Sims related) and would like to be featured in an interview, please send me an email using my contact form below! I would love to interview you, too!