Where do you hail from and what do you love most about your hometown? I was born in Baltimore, Maryland but we moved out to Glendale, Arizona when I was so young that I consider myself an Arizona native. Although I currently live in Phoenix, I consider Glendale my hometown. Growing up, it was a small town with big city benefits. Even now, my husband and I love the downtown area, the parks and the cottages that are now businesses in Caitlin Court.
Tell us about your latest book. Brianna is the story of a young woman who beat consumption (Tuberculosis) and is now determined to live. Given that she lives in the very constraining Victorian Era, you can imagine she’s raising a few eyebrows and loving it. She does have a human companion, but she travels to Egypt at the behest of her cat. Her cat is really the incarnation of the Egyptian goddess, Sekhmet. The hero is a spy sent by her father to retrieve her.
Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it? I jump from writing scifi romance, horror and paranormal romance. I just finished an apocalyptic novel that will be published at the end of the month, but my next paranormal romance novel will be a Valentine’s Day story featuring the sister in the short story mentioned below.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing? I find writing challenging. Getting those words to portray a specific image or emotion is hard work. No genre is easier than another. It’s all hard. But worth it. (Well, after the editing)
What advice would you give to writers just starting out? Read in the genre that you want to write and absolutely love, love, love that genre. Joining writing groups is the best and most often given advice.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? When I get writer’s block it’s because I’m trying to force the story in a certain way. I’ve learned to just shut up and let the characters to tell the story. I like to think I’m possessed by the characters when I write, so I just do as I’m told. A scene usually comes to me with both pictures and sound, so I’m scrambling to write everything down. It does help to take a couple of minutes before I write to think of everything I want to put in a scene. Not everything makes it in, but most of the stuff does.
How did you deal with rejection letters? Rather poorly, actually. I usually rant for a while, then set the letter aside for a couple days. Then come back and see if there’s anything worth noting that would help my manuscript. I used to keep them, but I had a shredding party a couple years ago and it was very refreshing. So now, I just shred them all.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers? A sense of humor, a stubborn streak that’s about seven miles wide and a curious nature. Almost every writer I know uses those two words, ‘what if’ throughout their work. It does help to have a network of writer friends and the support of family. Even the most stalwart of us get our foundations shaken by bad reviews, and rejections. Having someone who commiserates or celebrates with you can save your sanity. Well, it saved mine.
Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content? That line is in the sand next to the ocean. In other words, it changes according to the story. And as long as the story will support it, in tone and genre, then anything goes. Just don’t commit the unpardonable sin of making it gratuitous. As a reader, that is the surest way to make sure I don’t read an author ever again.
My website is http://www.lindaandrews.net
Blog: lindaandrews.wordpress.com
Since the story featuring my Victorian heroine’s journey to Egypt has been delayed, my publisher has graciously agreed to put the ebook featuring her parents’ love story on sale until August 15th.
http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-of-a-Chance-ebook/dp/B004NNUXGG/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghost-of-a-chance-linda-andrews/1100069406?ean=9781936144914
As a special bonus for the blog tour, I have a free paranormal short story available here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-love-lottery-linda-andrews/1111399144?ean=2940033238446
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/162749
And lastly, on August 31st, I’ll be drawing for a Ankh necklace. To enter, send an email with the answer to my first question to contests at lindaandrews dot net (placed in proper email format).
