Thursday, April 5, 2012

An Interview with Linda Andrews

About the author…

Please join me in welcoming Linda Andrews as she shares with us some information about her writing, her influences, and her distractions.

Be sure to check out her excerpt for her book, Blue Maneuver, right after the interview.

Linda Andrews lives with her husband and three children in Phoenix, Arizona. When she announced to her family that her paranormal romance was to be published, her sister pronounce: "What else would she write? She’s never been normal."

All kidding aside, writing has become a surprising passion. So just how did a scientist start to write paranormal romances? What other option is there when you’re married to romantic man and live in a haunted house?

If you’ve enjoyed her stories or want to share your own paranormal experience feel free to email the author at lindaandrews at lindaandrews dot net She’d love to hear from you.

1) How long have you been writing?

I've always written but never actually pursued it for money until 1997. What got you in to writing? Sadly, it was boredom. Being seen reading a novel at work could have gotten me fired, but seeing me scribbling on a legal pad would look like I was working.

2) What was your first published book?

My first published book was Ghost of a Chance. It won 3rd prize in the PRISM contest which for a newbie writer was fantastic.

3) What or Who has influenced your writing?

My critique partners influence my writing a great deal. Which isn't always a good thing and as a consequence, I ended up dropping one group. I also can't read fiction while I'm writing as i notice I began to mimic the author's voice.

4) Where do you get your ideas?

Everywhere. I can actually come up with a story about a pen. Such fun reading, NOT! I write down all my ideas but until the characters come to me, I don't write the story.

5) What hinders your writing?

Emotional upheaval completely destroy any chance I have at writing. I tried writing a romance when I was angry and my critique partners wanted to know what was causing the difficulties in my marriage as the story didn't give them the warm and fuzzy feelings. Oddly enough those emotions work well for my apocalyptic books.


Book Title: Blue Maneuver

Genre: Urban Sci Fi/Fantasy

Publisher: Land Na Publishing

Purchase:
Format: ebook

Blurb:
The extraterrestrials have landed and they're human. Rae Hemplewhite didn't believe in aliens until a close encounter without-of-this-world technology drags her into the extraterrestrial security program. Helping alien refugees adjust to life on Earth is difficult enough, but her first clients have a price on their heads. Plus, her new partner seems torn between the urge to kiss her or kill her. And that's the good news. The bad news: Alliances are forming in deep space. If Rae doesn't keep her witnesses alive long enough to transfer their top secret information to the right faction of humanity, Earth will become a battlefield.

Excerpt: G
My attention wandered outside. I blinked. Holy Toledo! This wasn't a little gray man. This was… My brain grasped for definitions. This was a clear man shape partially filled with green corn syrupy liquid and two floating black cubes.

"Ah, I was beginning to think my c-link was on the blink." The green goo surged up the empty torso to fill the throat and bubbled into the jawline. One black cube bobbed on the surface like a loose eyeball, while the other sunk to its right thigh. "This pollution does play havoc with our electronics."

I stared at him. Or it. A scream lodged in my throat and faded to a gargle. What the—?
How in the—?

"I take it you're Ted's replacement?"

The green goo expanded into every limb and his head. The human form had now had a pearlescent sheen. Butt hose black cubes hovered one in each shoulder. "Not too bad on the eyes as far as skin bags on this planet go.

"Oh my God! I really was seeing a green man! Of course, it was almost six foot tall and not little but…

A voice drifted on the rising heat. The condo association president rushed along the cement pathway behind the green man. Her heels tapped out her impatience. She glanced my way and raised her hand before dashing along as fast as her pencil skirt would allow.

I raised my hand in acknowledgement. Had she seen my unusual visitor? No, she hadn't even slowed. That could mean only one thing. The delusions had already started.

"You are the new steward, aren't you?"

The big, green man raised his arm. A Smartphone appeared in his hand and he aimed it in my direction. The goo drained out of his other arm and pooled into his legs, leaving a clear form that hung loosely at his side. The screen had a large arrow pointed at me and the app clicked faster as he shoved the phone in my direction.

I slammed the door shut and leaned against it for good measure. Squeezing my eyes closed, I tried to purge the image. No. No. NO! I had not just seen what I thought I had. No way. Nu-uh. I wanted the standard alien delusions of gray men with buggy black eyes. If I had to go crazy, I wanted company in the land of the loons.

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You can find Linda at:

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