1) Tell us one thing about your story that no one else knows?
Originally, the story was completely different than it ended up being. All the notes I have from outlining the idea before I started writing had Nick being suicidal and driving off an overpass on the highway in an attempt to kill himself. The premise of the story was supposed to center around Ashley trying to rebuild him after everything had fallen apart. I may eventually end up writing the story that Launch was supposed to be after making a few alterations, since the story ended up so wildly different than it was originally intended to be.
2) How long did it take you to write this entire story?
I started writing Launch in early December. I think December 12th to be exact. It and all three sequels and four one-shots that accompany it were completed before the end of February. It came quickly, naturally. The characters really wrote the story themselves. I just played along.
3) Give us a summary different from the one you have posted on AC, with a few more spoilers to make people tune in.
Nick and Ashley are best friends that met when they were little kids. They've grown up together, Nick taking Ashley's friendship for granted, and Ashley waiting for Nick to want something more. It takes the edge of death itself before Nick sees Ashley for what she is....Everythi ng he's ever wanted and more.
4) What made you come up with the concept of this one?
I was driving home from work one night and saw a car that had driven off the overpass onto the grassy area beside an exit ramp. Luckily for that car everything seemed okay and I was like "oh my God, what would've happened if they'd been just a couple inches to the left?" and it kind of spun from there. My mind weaves quick once I start a trail of breadcrumbs like that for it to follow....
5) Who was your favorite character in this story and why?
Oddly enough, it was actually Oliver, if I'm allowed to point to characters from later in the series. I felt really strangely connected to Oliver's character. I don't really know why. From the story Launch specifically, I think my favorite character was Ashley herself. Nick was a bit of a tool in the first one (he gets better I swear). LOL
6) You had to know this was coming, who was your least favorite?
Everyone's gonna be rooting for me to say Chris here but I'm not going to. I'm sorry, everyone, but it's really Brian. I've been having so many issues with writing Brian lately and I just couldn't get him to come off right in this story!! I even tried torturing him to see if that would help in engaging him and getting my creative mojo rolling with his parts in the story but no! He resisted! Ugh. But even without Brian Chris still wouldn't be my least favorite. I mean he was pure evil yes but I feel like... I don't know. I had fun writing him because he was so volatile and so unpredictable and so evil that it was almost fun the way Cruella de Ville is fun.
7) Are all the boys in this one? If not why did you choose to exclude them?
The Boys are all in it, but not as major roles. It's really just Nick, with some key scenes involving AJ, and cameos from Brian, Howie and Kevin. I'm not even positive Howie says anything, actually. I think Kevin throws the Evil Brows like twice. In fact, by the third story in the series, Nick is faced with the difficult choice of whether he wants to remain in the Backstreet Boys or not....