Spotlight: Leontii Holender

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Leontii Holender lives in the sleepy little town of Greenville, South Carolina. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts and was raised all across the United States. She has lived mostly in the southern states with large cities. She's called New Orleans, Memphis, and Atlanta home, just to name a few. She moved into the area in order to help take care of her ill mother and has since found herself with a plethora of free time to write.

Leontii has been writing for about eight years now and is a full-time author. The writing bug bit her rather early in her life and since she discovered she enjoyed it, she hasn’t stopped. She started writing short stories in high school and has since moved on to focus on novels. She likes writing erotic fiction the most and tends to lean towards strong elements of horror, suspense, fantasy, mythos, and the paranormal.

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Leontii Holender

What is the one thing you must have to be able to write?

I’d say the one thing I must have to write is absolute silence. While I like music at times, to be able to write efficiently, I like silence. If my two spoiled cats start scratching at the door or there’s some kind of weird noise, I can’t focus. For the most part, I wear earplugs when I write. I have slight hyperacusis, which means ordinary noises that wouldn’t bother most people can seem extremely loud to me. It’s even lead to anxiety attacks! Beyond the no noise policy, I don’t need much more than my laptop or a notebook to write.

Did you have any bad habits when you began writing? How did you correct those habits?

The worst two habits I had when I started writing was wordiness that could slow down the pace of the plot and a lack of a clear skeleton outline for my manuscripts. I’ve learned that while some writers can write ‘by the seat of their pants’ I’m someone who writes more fluidly when I have a structure. I don’t have to think about where the plot is going, I can just write it. As for the wordiness, that’s still a battle I face. The balance between description, introversion, and dialogue will always be a tricky one!

Is there anything you haven’t written that you would like to try some day? Why have you avoided it in the past?

I’d really like to try my hand at writing something in the young adult genre one day. The only reason I haven’t tried to break into that genre is due to the fact I’m just too busy as it is! At the moment, my mind is focused on erotic romantic fiction and I don’t see that changing any time soon. One day I’ll try my hand at young adult, but my first and foremost love will always be erotic romance.

Do you have any rituals, habits, or superstitions about your writing?

I would say that I have habits and rituals rather than superstitions. I usually have a cup of tea when I sit down to write and I take scheduled breaks. When starting a new manuscript, I like to have chapter outline notes and the plot fully realized before I begin. It streamlines the process for me. I have a full vision of the characters, who they are, there they’re going, and the monkey wrenches in the way.

What types of scenes are your favorite to write?

I call my favorite scenes to write ‘chocolate bar’ scenes. They’re the sweet spots of the manuscript that I can’t wait to get to! If I’m having a day where I don’t want to write and would rather be watching some Netflix, I go to the next chocolate bar scene and that usually gets my muse going.

Do you prefer to write 1^st or 3^rd Person POV? Why?

I prefer to write in third person limited. I think that writing in third person limited helps the reader get a better grasp of the characters because they can see their world through their eyes. I can at least say that it feels that way to me when writing. I connect with the characters better when writing in that point of view.

What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

My least favorite part of the writing process is waiting to hear back from the publishing company I’ve submitted to. Every time, it’s like agony waiting to hear back! I know publishing companies have a lot of authors and submissions to deal with, so I’m always patient, but inside it’s war! Was it good enough to make the cut? Is it what they’re looking for? Are my writing skills honed enough?