Behind the pages with P.L. Waites
1) Let’s start with the basics. What is your Author name; use your Pen name if you have one.
My pen name is P.L Waites
2) What is your genre and what drew you to it?
I love to write age-gap, forbidden romance tropes. I have read a lot of books based on age-gap and forbidden romance that I fell in love with the genre. My fiancé and I are in an age-gap relationship, we have a ten year gap in age with him being older. When we started dating, I just turned eighteen and he was twenty-eight. It was like a story. A few of the experiences that I have with age-gap is my inspiration too. Most of my main male characters have the characteristics of my fiancé, the rare, handsome and one of the good men. When my readers would read my stories, they fall in love with the male main characters because they are rare and they always tell me that they want a man like that one day lol.
3) What is the best time of day for you to write?
The best time for me to write is during the day. I also read a lot during the evening until I fall asleep.
4) Which character of yours is your favorite and why?
I would say Ora, in my book, A Burning Rose. Ora is an independent young woman. She is strong and determined to get what she needs and to work towards what she wants in life.
5) What is your favorite way to connect with readers? (Social media, newsletters or something else)
I connect with my readers through social media and on my writing platforms too.
6) Have you ever taken a course on writing or advertising? If so, which one(s) and how would you rate them?
There was one course that I tried to do on a writing platform that I write on, I think it was two years ago, but it didn’t really help me because I just write my stories the way that I see it in my mind. I try to use the best descriptions in my stories but I do not use too much description because most readers get bored and they will just scroll past those parts. I know this because we have discussions about it on social media and readers do rant about it on a group, so I learn from those things. I also take the constructive criticism and I try to improve and get better at my craft.
7) Was there a pivotal point or experience that impacted your decision to take writing seriously?
I started to write in the 9th grade. I would write fanfiction in scrapbooks and take them to school. I allowed my friends to read it. I stopped writing. When Covid hit, my company was about to retrench some of us in my team but I didn’t have anything else to fall back on. I searched the internet for something and something that I would love to do. I stumbled across an online web platform where authors get to write a chapter daily like an episode being released daily. I gave it a try, I love the bonus thereof. So ever since 2021, I have been serious with my writing because I rediscovered my passion from the 9th grade and I get to write my own original stories. Stories that I would want to read and set goals in my writing and so far I have achieved them. P.s I wasn’t retrenched, thank goodness, I still have my full-time job (smiles)
8) How much description do you give to your book characters?
It depends on how my book goes. Physical appearances, I do not give too much detail because some readers form their own image of the character. The characters’ personality and characteristics will show while in a situation. Their growth also show after conquering the situation or obstacle. I love to take my characters through hell and back. I just love doing that lol.
9) What is your favorite book and why?
If it is a different book from mine. I would say the Off Balance series by Lucia Franco. It is an age gap, forbidden, gymnast/coach romance series. This book is filled with angst and it gave me a book hangover still to this day. It is so good. Lucia Franco is my favorite author and I love her books, she is my inspiration too.
10) What is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote is ”Some day you will look back at your struggles and be so proud of yourself.” This is said by one of my characters in A Burning Rose. When we go through struggles, it can make you stronger and later on in life when you look back at all the struggles that you overcame, you can be proud that you made it through it all.
11) If you could live in any “book world” what would that be?
I would say the contemporary world. The billionaire meets girl type of world and overcome struggles that will shape me into the person that I will become. (Shrugs and smiles)
12) What is your best book memory?
My best book memory. If it is my own book memory, I would say achieving everything that I have achieved thus far in my life as an indie author. I still strive to do better than what I did previously.
13) What is the name of your book/series? Tell me a little bit about them.
My books series is called The Rose Series. A Burning Rose: Book One is out, available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited as well as other online book retailers.
Ora Marshal is a nineteen-year-old history student that starts university. She is alone with no parents, her parents died in an explosion. They were a wealthy family, but at the age of sixteen when they died, Ora lost everything that the family owned. She didn't want to be in the system, so she looked for a job at a coffee shop, which the owner, Carlos, was kind enough to give her the offer. She then started to live in a small apartment in a lower-class area.
In high school, her history teacher, Mr James, could tell that there was more to her, she is all to herself and he wanted to know more about her. He has a girlfriend, and he planned on proposing to her, yet he is drawn to Ora. Ora's friends had a crush on Mr James, and so did Ora. Her friends became jealous as Ora and Mr James spent more time together. They got them both into trouble at the principal’s office, even when they didn't do anything wrong. Ora took the blame for a letter that her friends wrote, that made it sound as if it was Ora that wrote it, resulting in Mr James almost losing his job. Mr James' attitude change completely to a cold-hearted man.
The next year, it was Ora's first day at university, but then Mr James was now her history professor. Tensions are high and when he confronted her, she told him the truth about the previous year's incident and about her parents that no one knew about. Professor James told her that his girlfriend committed suicide after he told her about the incident, his girlfriend didn't trust him. Ora's small apartment building was on fire, she had nowhere else to live and then Professor James was by her side. He offered a place for her to live. His feelings for her developed more, but Ora was too afraid to act on her feelings for him because of what had happened the previous year.
As time goes on, he tells her that he did research on the hotel that exploded where her parents were in. He was going to write a story about it, but not without her permission. His deceased girlfriend's brother was with the wrong group of people that he worked for and it was bad people. They paid him a visit in prison, and he told them everything. He planted the bomb, Ora's parents was involved in illegal weapon business but they covered it up with having car businesses which the cars were stolen. They were pretty good at covering things up. She also found out that her mother wasn't her real mother. Her biological mother was out there somewhere, because she was a secretary at Ora's father's business. Ora goes to look for her mother, but her mother shuts the door in her face, yet Professor James is always there. She gives their relationship a chance.
I will start to write book two; Silk in Roses later this year. After I complete my current work in progress on a writing platform which is called Dirty Secret With My Professor, I plan to write a novel in April which is called My Best Friend’s Dad. I plan to release it before Silk in Roses. (smiles)
14) Do you have a website? If so, what is it?
My website is halfway from being done. No launch date yet, but the website is www.braverose.co.za
15) Where can we find and follow you? (Name your social media platforms.)
Facebook page- Author P.L Waites
Instagram - PL Waites
Tiktok- authorplwaites
Goodreads-P L Waites
Amazon- P L Waites
16) If there anything important that you would want my readers to know about you?
I am just an introverted indie author who spends most of her days indoors. I love to read a lot too. I am surrounded by the ocean and mountains. Table Mountain being one of them so that is a clue for you (winks). I love to take my characters through hell and back to make them grow and be strong. So when you read my books, be prepared to be taken on a roller coaster of emotions.
