Getting to Know the Authors: Featuring Brittney Mulliner!

Bio:

   Brittney has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember. Her parents’ form of punishment  growing up was taking away her books and making her go outside to play. She loves the beach, exercising, sleeping in, and cookies. Yes, she does know those contradict each other.  She’s an obsessive dog lover. She will cry at pretty much any video or picture of a puppy. Although, sadly she doesn’t currently have an outlet for her affection. Something that she plans on remedying soon.
She was born and raised in Southern California, with a brief hiatus in Arizona. She recently graduated from BYU.
Her website: http://brittneymulliner.com/
Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/Britt_Mulliner

She has written:

Begin Again

Blurb:

Escaping her past, Aubrey Tate moves to Southern California for a fresh start with her older brother, Brandon. Starting over at a new school seems easy with her cousin, Mckayla, and her two best friends at her side, but handling the new guys is another matter. Aubrey end

s up in the middle of three rivals that each want her to themselves. Mike claims her first and declare himself her friend and protector. Luke is the school heartthrob that stops Aubrey in her tracks, speechless. Gage is the mysterious, dark outsider that Aubrey can be herself around. How will she navigate her new life while she’s still haunted by her past?

Live Again (Begin Again # 2)

Blurb:

 In the sequel to Begin Again, Aubrey Tate finally finds where she belongs.

Living with her brother in California, finding new friends she can trust; things are finally beginning to settle down for Aubrey.

The she receives the note that changes everything, The past she thought she left behind is still following her.

Now she faces the threat of a stalker who has the potential to unravel her perfect new life.

This time, she has her friends and brother helping her, but will they be enough to save her from her real life nightmare?

Now on to the Interview!!

1) How old were you when you started writing, in your opinion?

I’m somewhat of a late bloomer as authors go. I’ve always been bookworm/bookaholic/etc. but I didn’t start writing creatively until my senior year of college. I wrote and published my first novel at 22.

2) What do you want a reader to gain from reading your works?
I’d like them to gain understanding and appreciation for different points of view. Every person has their own story and past that makes them who they are, and so do characters. We can learn from them and their mistakes to shape ourselves. Through stories we’re exposed to all kinds of families and backgrounds and we become more empathetic to those characters. I hope that we can do that in real life, too.

3) What are your three top suggestions on becoming an author, or being a pleasure writer?
Enjoy the process. It isn’t easy, so if you don’t find some sort of happiness from it you’ll either quit or hate your life.
Don’t do it for fame or fortune. Write because you have something unique and important to share with the world.
Don’t be afraid to be true to yourself. When I first started writing I was constantly second guessing myself because I didn’t want anyone to judge me or my opinions. I also didn’t want to offend anyone, but at the end of the day you will NEVER please everyone so write what you believe in and people will support your honesty.

4) What is your favourite novel, why?
Ask your parents who their favorite child is…no answer? Yeah, same here! The Harry Potter series is still my favorite to read, but the most influential on me and my writing is The Great Gatsby. I read it for the first time in High School and have read it several times since. I love the depth of the characters. At first read the story might seem shallow but with each new read I find more and more about each character that I love and hate. Fitzgerald is a writing role model for me.

5) Who is your favourite author, why?
I’m a total fangirl for C L Stone. Her series are so addictive…like mark your calendar, preorder, create a countdown, join in discussions, read fanfic, tattoo the character’s names (kidding), and binge read addictive. You’ve been warned.

6) What are your favorite pass times besides writing?
Working out is basically all I have time for and it’s because I wake up before the sun to do it. My husband is really into exercising, so it’s become our thing. I work fulltime so my days go: Work out, work, write, and repeat. I think sometimes I thrown in sleeping and eating but it’s not a guarantee.

7) Who in your life do you credit your imagination to the most?
My parents. They decided to have me 6 years after my brother and stop with me so I had no one to play with growing up. I entertained myself by creating elaborate stories and lives for my Barbies and reading books.

8) What are the top five things on your bucket list?
Travel to at least 6 continents
Swim with dolphins
Become an established enough author to quit my job and write fulltime
Skydive over Hawaii. If I’m going to die at least my last memory is looking out over paradise!
Pet a sloth, my favorite animal

9) To the youth of today, if you could tell them one thing, what would it be?
I know it seems impossible, but stop caring what everyone else thinks! Be yourself! You might be around these people until you graduate, but after that you won’t see or speak to them again. I wish I could go back and tell myself at 15 to just be happy being me, and cherish your parents and family. They won’t be close by forever. One day, in the not so distant future, you’ll miss them and they won’t be just down the hall.