IN THE HOTSEAT...SARAH ZETTEL!

MEOW! My guest today is author Sarah Zettel (and her cat, BUFFY the vermin slayer!)

Here’s a bit about Sarah from her official bio:

Sarah Zettel is an award winning science fiction and fantasy author and one of the founding members of Book View Cafe.  She has written fourteen novels and a roughly equal number of short stories over the past ten years in addition to practicing tai chi, learning to fiddle, marrying a rocket scientist and raising a rapidly growing son (and cat, BUFFY the Vermin Slayer!)  She published her first short story in 1988. Her first novel, Reclamation, was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award in 1996, and in 1997 won (tied) the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Writing as C. L. Anderson, her novel Bitter Angels won the 2010 Philip K. Dick award for best paperback original novel.

ROCCO:  Hello, Sarah!  And Hello Buffy!

Sarah:  Hello, Rocco!

Buffy: (bats kitty eyelashes)  Hel-lo Rocco!

Rocco: Tell us a bit about yourself, and how you became interested in writing?

Sarah: Hello!  My name is Sarah Zettel, with me here at my right shoulder on ths saggy green couch is my cat Buffy the Vermin Slayer.  Basic stats:  I’m mostly from the Great Lakes area, married, and have one son.  I decided to become a writer at about thirteen after reading Ursula K. LeGuin’s THE TOMBS OF AUTUAN.  I’m not sure what it was about that book, but it tipped me right over the edge.  I’ve been writing ever since.

Buffy:  And that laptop hasn’t been off her lap in years.  No consideration for other people, I’m telling you.

Sarah: You’ve been fed, stay out of this.

Buffy:  But I have not yet run up and down the living room.  How can you be working before I’ve run up and down the living room?

Sarah: I’m supposed to wait on your schedule?

Buffy:  Just who do you think is in charge around here?

Rocco: Ahem – ladies – interview in progress here

Sarah:  Sorry about that folks.  Just ignore her.

Buffy: (bats eyelashes again)  Yes. So sorry, Rocco.

Rocco: Quite all right.  Now, Sarah, tell us a bit about your latest book

Sarah: LET THEM EAT STAKE is the second book in the “Vampire Chef,” mystery series.  Charlotte Caine, executive chef at the Manhattan eatery Nightlife, is hired to cater a society wedding between a gold-digging vampire and the daughter of a powerful witch clan.  As you might expect, there’s a little more tension than usual between the soon-to-be in laws.  Especially once the chef Charlotte’s replaced for the job turns up dead.

Rocco: Sounds like a book right up my alley…and the Human’s!  Okay, Sarah. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

Sarah: To be honest with you, I don’t know.  I decided young this was what I wanted to do, and I never seriously considered anything else.  Professional puppeteer maybe.  I was heavily influenced by Jim Hension and the Muppets in my youth.

Buffy:  Now!  Now!  I’m running up and down the living room!  Wheeee-haaaa….look at me, look at me!

Sarah:  Ignore her.

Rocco: We’re trying. Persistent devil, isn’t she?

Buffy:  You can’t!  You can’t!  For I will jump on your couch, and your keys!  I am the Vermin Slayer!  Uh-oh.  Nap time. (flops on couch, closes eyes)

Sarah:  Sigh.  Cats.  Whaddayagonnado?

Rocco:  (with lifted eyebrows) Getting back to the interview:  A restaurant that caters to the undead is definitely different J What inspired you?

Sarah: I so wish I could take credit for the idea, but I can’t.  The late-great editor and publisher, Marty Greenberg came up with it.  Apparently, he just walked into the office one day and said “Vampire chef, why has nobody done this?”  And all the other people in the office blinked and looked around and said.  “Vampire chef! Why has nobody done this!”  And they started looking for an author who’d be interested in the project.  I was lucky enough to be suggested for the job.

Buffy:  (lifts head groggily) Are you still typing?  Why are you still typing?

Sarah:  I thought it was nap time.

Buffy:  Nap time is over.  Typing time is over.  It is ear scratching time.  See?  I’m between you and the screen, therefore, it is ear scratching time.

Sarah:  Sigh.  ‘Scuse me.

Rocco: No problem. It’s nice you scratch your cat’s ears. (gives the HUMAN a scathing look and waits patiently while Buffy gets ears scratched)  Okay, which genre do you prefer, paranormal, Science fiction or YA?

Sarah: That’s a tough one.  I read widely, so I love a good story, no matter where it’s shelved.  I’ve got to say YA is a really exciting place to be right now.  There’s so much fantastic writing, and such a breadth of good stories on the shelves, it’s a real adventure.

Rocco: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Sarah:  Decide to become a writer.  Otherwise, I’m very boring.

Rocco: Tell us a bit about the Book View Café.

Sarah:  Book View Café is the internet’s largest professional author’s cooperative.  We are a group of 40 traditionally published authors, including bestsellers and award winners, who got together to help member authorsget our work out in ebook form.  When we started up back in 2008, our primary focus was author backlists,  but we have since branched out into original author titles, member anthologies, new collections and non-fiction.  We cover all genres: science fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, and YA are all included and we don’t use DRM.  You buy a book from us, you own the book.

Rocco: What one thing would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Sarah: That I’ve written a series about fine dining while actually being a very timid and fussy eater.

Rocco:  If you could travel anywhere back in time and meet one person, who would it be and why?

Sarah: Benjamin Franklin.  Probably one of history’s most amazing people.  Blindingly intelligent, charming, witty, a scientist, inventor, writer, and diplomat.

Buffy:  But did he have a cat?  Great people have cats.  Cleopatra had cats.  Supervillians have cats.  You have a cat.  My dish is empty.  My ears are insufficiently skritched.  Pay attention.  I’m right here.  Pay attention!

Sarah:  Sigh.  ‘Scuse me.  Again.

Rocco:  It’s ok. I’ve got to agree with her.  Great people have cats.  Louisa May Alcott had cats. I think even Al Capone had a cat.  And, of course, the Human has me! (Big cat grin).  And now, a little thing I call:

Just for Fun:

Beach or Mountains?

Sarah: Mountains, no question.

Vampire or Vixen?

Sarah: Vixen.

Duke or Prince?

Sarah: Duke.  As Shakespeare tells us “Your Highness is too costly a garment to wear every day.”

Lake or Ocean?

Sarah: Lake.  Especially the big ones, which is as you might expect.

Cat or Dog????????

Buffy:  Think very, very carefully before you answer that one.

Rocco: Hey, that’s my line!

Sarah:  Oh, I am, believe me.

Your favorite:

Book: This week?  Watership Down by Richard Adams.  Unless it’s Have His Carcase by Dorothy Sayers.  Unless it’s Bleak House by Charles Dickens.

Movie:  The Prestige

TV show:  The Twilight Zone

Actor: Jimmy Stewart

Actress:  Mae West

Rocco: Meow, thank you Sarah and Buffy, for a great interview!  And Sarah, I noticed you never answered the cat or dog question?

Sarah:  I didn’t did I? Now, how about that!

Buffy: Chicken – hm, not a bad idea. What’s for dinner again?

Rocco: (rolls eyes)  Cats, right. I’m sure you meant to answer cats.

Dead silence from Sarah.

Buffy:  Oh, she did.  She definitely did.

Sarah:  You’re speaking for me now?

Buffy: Someone has to.

Sarah: Fine. Cats. Maybe.

Rocco: Ladies, ladies.  Thank you so much for a wonderful interview. It’s been a pleasure.

Sarah and Buffy: Our pleasure, Rocco!

Folks, if you enjoyed this interview you will also enjoy Sarah’s Vampire Chef series! And one lucky reader will have an opportunity to win the latest, LET THEM EAT STAKE!

Leave a comment below with your email address.  For extra entries, you can:

Friend moi, ROCCO, on Facebook (if you haven’t already!)

Friend the HUMAN on FB

Friend Sarah on FB

Follow moi on Twitter @RoccoBlogger

Follow Sarah on Twitter

Tweet or FB about this interview and giveaway!

Be sure to list all you’ve done in the post so we can give you the extra entries. Tweeting or FB’ing about this interview and giveaway gets you 3 – count ‘em 3 – extra entries!

Contest open to US residents only. Closes midnight, June 3, winner announced on June 4!

Get goin!

Other news: the winner of our Gina Robinson giveaway is: chrisbails. Congratulations! Look for an email from Gina regarding your prize.

Coming up…an interview with Queen Betsy Taylor, courtesy of MaryJanice Davidson, on the day of UNDEAD AND UNSTABLE’S release, June 5^th!  And one lucky reader will have a  chance to win a BRAND SPANKIN' NEW HARDCOVER COPY OF UNDEAD AND UNSTABLE!  HOT OFF THE PRESS!

And June is jam packed with good stuff:
June 12 - Interview and giveaway: Kari Lee Townsend
June 19 - Interview with Chronicles of Egg author Geoff Rodkey!
June 26th - Tate Halloway in the hotseat!

And more to come in the months after, including interviews with Sara Dearly (courtesy Michelle Rowen), Rachel Vincent, our KNTR fundraiser and character interview with CASTLE (fanfic) and more in the months ahead!

ROCCO

Incredibly Talented Blogging Cat

PS:  Hey, Sarah I forgot – can I get Buffy’s phone number? Or email address?????

 

 

AUTHOR GINA ROBINSON SITS IN MY HOTSEAT!

MEOW!  Today’s hotseat guest is author Gina Robinson. Gina writes romantic suspense.

Gina was born in Baltimore, Maryland to two kids from Idaho. They eventually moved back home and she grew up in Washington and Idaho where she became an avid reader and booklover. In school she excelled in English, so of course she became an Electrical Engineer J  But once her first child was born, Gina gave up the glamourous engineering life for that of stay at home mom – and the writing bug bit again!

And now, in my hotseat…GINA ROBINSON!

R:  Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

G: I've always been an avid reader and a daydreamer who makes up stories in her head. When my first child was born, I quit my job as an electrical engineer to stay home with her. I started writing as a way to keep my mind engaged in the adult world while dealing with children all day long.

R:  What inspired your “Agent Ex” series?

G: My first two published novels, Spy Candy and Spy Games, are about fantasy spy camps. Writing about real spies, as opposed to people pretending to be spies at a fantasy camp, seemed like a natural transition. I love James Bond, but the only woman he ever married ended up dead. I began to wonder--what would it be like to be married to James Bond? What are the downsides and the upsides? Can true love survive that kind of pressure? And then, because I write humor, I put a humorous spin on it, imagining all kinds of crazy spying scenarios.

R: Tell us about your latest release

G: Diamonds Are Truly Forever releases on May 22, 2012. (R: That's today! Yippee!)It's the second book in my Agent Ex series, but it's a completely standalone novel. A reader can enjoy it without having read The Spy Who Left Me. Though, of course, I recommend reading all of my books, lol.

Here's the back cover copy:

LOVE ROCKS...

SHE CANNOT TELL A LIE

Staci Fields loves her gorgeous husband—and that’s the honest truth. Unfortunately, her inability to lie is a major liability for the wife of a CIA agent. During a previous mission, her loose lips nearly got her husband killed. So now Staci’s filing for divorce to keep him out of danger—no matter how much her lips still crave his kiss…

HE CANNOT HIDE HIS LOVE

Drew Fields knows that his wife doesn’t want to play the spy game anymore. But when he learns that Staci may be a pawn in her stepfather’s secret dealings with terrorists, he has no choice but to step back into her life. This time, the stakes are higher than ever. The closer he gets to Staci, the deadlier the odds. And the more he loves his ex, the more he has to lose…

R: Are you a fan of spy shows like Man from UNCLE or spy movies like James Bond?

G: I love spy movies of all kinds--funny ones like Get Smart and This Means War, action-packed ones like James Bond, and more thinking ones like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

R: Would you like to be a spy in real life?  What do you find fascinating about that profession?

G: Are you kidding? No way! I was born completely lacking the thrillseeker gene. But the acting, lying, living a double life part of being a spy is absolutely intriguing to me.

R:  Do you have an “how I got my agent” story you’d like to share?  How did you feel when you got the call your first novel had sold?

G: How I got my agent isn't a terribly exciting story. I researched agents I was interested in and who represented the kind of work I wrote. Then I queried them and went through the usual submission process.

I sold my first novel after twelve years of rejection. I was understandably stunned when my agent called with the news. Actually she first called me the day before to say an editor was interested and was going to take the book to the editorial committee. My reaction to that call, which I kept to myself, was basically, Yeah, yeah, whatever. Call me when we have an offer. Like that's ever going to happen.

That sounds cynical and sarcastic, but it really wasn't. You have to understand I'd been down that road many times before. Editors took my books to committee and fought to buy them, but somehow never won. I didn't expect this new editor to be a superhero and actually prevail. But somehow, he did. I also thought we'd have to wait weeks to hear back and get the inevitable rejection. But my agent called the very next day with an offer. And then, like I said, I was just stunned, feeling as if I was in a dream.

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing? What aids the creative process?

G: I need peace and quiet. I guess I'm easily distracted, lol. For me, what aids my creative process is having time to daydream and let my mind wander.

R: We know you enjoy writing romantic suspense. What other genres are you into?

G: The very first manuscript I wrote was a historical romance. I'd love to get back to that. I also write chicklit, or as I like to call it, humorous women's fiction.

R: If you had access to a time machine, which historical moment would you travel to and why?

G:I'd like to spend a few hours in Regency England visiting with Jane Austen.

R:  If a movie were to be made of one of your books, which one would you want it to be and who would you pick for the lead roles?

G:I'd like to see any of my Agent Ex novels made into movies. But I'd totally leave the casting to the experts.

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

G:That I consider myself a serious person ;-)

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done? 

G: Define crazy.

And now, a little thing Big Rock calls, “Just for Fun”

R:  Your Favorite?

G: Movie? I don't have an absolute favorite. As I said, I like spy movies. I really enjoy all the Jane Austen movies. I love to watch Van Helsing at Halloween. I like quirky movies like Stardust and romantic comedies.

TV Show? Big Bang Theory
Actor? I enjoy the work of many actors and actresses, but I don't have a particular favorite of either.

Drink? My very favorite beverage on the plant is water. I know, very boring, but it's just about all I drink. Even at restaurants. I'm a cheap date ;-)

Man from UNCLE or James Bond? No contest--James Bond.

Mountain or Seashore? Mountain

Cat or Dog? Dog  (MEEOOOOW!  Well, okay J)
Night or Day? Day

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

G: I write escapist fiction, so of course I want my readers to feel as if they've escaped from the pressures of real life. Other than that, I hope they leave my stories with a sense of optimism and hope. Got some good laughs. And believe that true love can prevail against all kinds of obstacles and is worth fighting for.

R:  Out of all the characters you’ve created, do you have a favorite and why?

G: Asking an author to pick a favorite is kind of like asking a mom who her favorite child is. I like them all for different reasons. But two stand out to me--Tonio, the hero from the first manuscript I wrote, which is still unpublished. I think I love him because he was my first.

And Jack Pierce, the hero from the third Agent Ex book, Live and Let Love, which comes out in January 2013. Jack is a CIA assassin with a tender side. And he's officially dead and trying to protect his "widow" without giving himself away. He was a blast to write.

R: what advice can you offer writers just starting on their journey?

G: Write the best book you can. Practice and polish until you can't make it any better.  Study the market. Know your competition. Don't be afraid to take risks, but take them with the full knowledge of the best and worst case outcomes and be prepared for either.

Thank you for a great interview, Gina!

Folks, to learn more about Gina, you can visit her website:

www.ginarobinson.com

Follow Gina on Twitter: @ginamrobinson

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GinaRobinsonAuthor

Book Links for Diamonds Are Truly Forever

Amazon: http://amzn.to/HuD9Fq

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/H7IK2F

Books a Million: http://bit.ly/HAYfNG

Gina’s happy to give away a copy of the first Agent Ex novel, The Spy Who Left Me (paperback edition) to one lucky commenter. Leave a comment below with your email address.  For extra entries, you can:

Friend moi, ROCCO, on Facebook (if you haven’t already!)

Friend the HUMAN on FB

Friend Gina on FB

Follow moi on Twitter @RoccoBlogger

Follow Gina on Twitter

Tweet or FB about this interview and giveaway!

Be sure to list all you’ve done in the post so we can give you the extra entries. Tweeting or FB’ing about this interview and giveaway gets you 3 – count ‘em 3 – extra entries!

Contest open to US residents only. Closes midnight, May 28^th, winner announced on May 29!

Get goin!

Coming up…an interview with Queen Betsy Taylor, courtesy of MaryJanice Davidson, on the day of UNDEAD AND UNSTABLE’S release, June 5^th!

And more to come in the months after, including interviews with Sara Dearly (courtesy Michelle Rowen), Rachel Vincent, our KNTR fundraiser and character interview with CASTLE (fanfic) and more…..Happy Memorial Day, everyone!  See you after the holiday!

ROCCO

Incredibly Talented Blogging Cat

PS:  Gina is featured in this month's issue of NIGHT OWL REVIEWS - courtesy of "The Human". To get your free magazine, click here: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/Nor/Authors/Night-Owl-Reviews.aspx

Rocco's Pet of the Month for May....EVE THOMPSON!

It's time to announce our Pet of the Month for May, and I think you'll agree, she's a charming and beautiful little lady, certainly worthy of the honor!  Our May POM is:

EVE THOMPSON (WHO OWNS: AUTHOR VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON)

c'est a la vie!

NOW THAT'S A PICTURE!

NEXT WEEK:  Q&A AND GIVEAWAY WITH: GINA ROBINSON!

ROCCO

INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT

The Human speaks out...on the new DARK SHADOWS movie!

Toni  here, borrowing the blog from ROCCO for today, to talk a bit about the new DARK SHADOWS movie!

I went to my local theatre Friday night with a feeling of anticipation.  I’ve been a fan of the soap opera since I saw my first episode of it in 1968 – Angelique was Cassandra then, married to Roger Collins, threatening Barnabas who, thanks to an experiment by a mad scientist/doctor had become totally human, the vampiric part of his life force living in a creature named Adam.  Angelique was in league with Nicholas Blair, a scion of the Devil, and the two of them were trying to locate Adam but for very different reasons – Nicholas wanted to control him so that he could be “bred” to create a race of superbeings that would be subservient to Lucifer; Angelique wanted to kill him so that Barnabas would revert back to being a vampire (as described on the tape Dr. Lang left and she oh so conveniently overheard David Collins playing).

The above is just a sample of the premier storytelling that contributed to making Dark Shadows what it was in its heyday – the most watched soap opera on television.  The above is what would have drastically improved the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton remake.  Or even stealing an idea from the new comic book series would have helped.  Any sort of plot, (except a cemetery one) would have been helpful.

Because while Dark Shadows, the movie is indeed a visual feast for the eyes, it left me cold in terms of storytelling – possibly because major chunks were left dangling.  We’re introduced to Victoria Winters early on, but there’s no hint, as in the soap, that she might be Elizabeth Stoddard’s abandoned daughter – instead we’re told she’s really Maggie Evans, and we can assume (from the resemblance and from the fact the ghost keeps haunting her) she’s supposed to be a reincarnation of Josette, Barnabas’s lost love.  In the soap that honor went to Maggie, before Barnabas fell in love with Victoria, so I guess that was the writer’s way of combining that aspect into a neat little package – but it left me cold.  So, too, did Barnabas’ relationship with the witch Angelique, who was now a rival cannery owner and theprimary reason why the current Collins family (headed by M ichelle Pfeiffer in the role Joan Bennett made famous, and clearly the best thing in this movie) has fallen into ruin.  Most of the movie centers around Barnabas’s trying to adjust to life 200 years later (or as Angelique puts it, “don’t’ exaggerate – it was only 196 years in that coffin) and his love hate relationship with Angelique (or “Angie” as she’s known)  Honest, we could have done without that sex scene – and if you blinked, you missed the all too brief appearance at the party by the late Jonathan Frid, (who no doubt, is rolling over in his grave), Kathryn Leigh Scott, Lara Parker and a still handsome David Selby.

SPOILER ALERT**** IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE SKIP THIS******

My biggest beef, though, is what they did with the character of Dr. Julia Hoffman.  An integral part of Barnabas’s life, the original Julia, portrayed by the late Grayson Hall, suffered a severe case of unrequited love as Barnabas bounced from female to female (Josette, Vicki, Roxanne, Maggie, and finally…good God! Angelique!)  before the series end, never realizing the jewel that stood by his side through thick and thin – and also the one woman in the cast nearest his age. J  (Frid was 45 when he portrayed Barnabas, Hall in her early 50’s – and all the other loves of his life were barely 25 – talk about a May December)

That’s not what irritates me the most – why, oh why, do they insist on killing off Dr. Hoffman in every movie version of Dark Shadows (okay, there are only three – but STILL!).  In House of Dark Shadows she buys it after giving Barnabas an overdose of the serum she was using to cure his vampirism (she was jealous of Maggie) and he strangles her.  IN the new DS movie, he realizes she’s using HIS blood and injecting it into herself in an attempt to stave off old age and he strangles her and drops her body at the bottom of the lake.  Now granted, in the original tv series Dr. Hoffman was supposed to meet a grisly end at Barnabas’s hands – and up until Vicki went back in time the two of them were sworn enemies – but throughout the series they ended up best friends, buds if you will, and it just makes my blood boil why they have to continually kill off the one woman on that show who was the perfect mate for him – even if he didn’t see it.

Aside from that, my final verdict – it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but  not as good as it could have been. My advice is to go see it and judge for yourself!

ROCCO will return later in the week. Next week we’re hosting author Gina Robinson.

Take care!

TONI

HUMAN TO ROCCO, INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT

and the winner is.....

Okay, Kitties!

the winner of our Lynsay Sands giveaway, chosen by random.org is: (drumroll)

June M!

Congratulations. Your info will be forwarded to Lynsay who will be contacting you about your prize!

busy weekend - had to celebrate Mom's day with the Human, of course (and a belated Happy Mom's Day to everyone out there who is one!)  and then work on my second novel!  the HUMAN did find time to go and see the DARK SHADOWS MOVIE - her take on that tomorrow!

And don't forget, we've got a lot coming up - next week: Q&A and giveaway with romantic suspense author Gina Robinson!

MEOW!


ROCCO
INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT

Author LYNSAY SANDS IN MY HOTSEAT!

MEOW! Today  my guest is author Lynsay Sands!

Born in Southern Ontario, Lynsay Sands is the New York Times bestselling author of the Argeneau Vampire series. She has written over 40 books and 12 anthologies since her first book was published in 1997. Her romantic comedies span three genres; historical, contemporary, and paranormal and have made the Walden Books, Barnes and Noble, USA Today and New York Times Bestsellers lists.

And now, in my hotseat….here’s Lynsay!

R:  Welcome, Lynsay!

L: Thanks Rocco

R: Tell us a bit about yourself, and how you became interested in writing?

L: It just sort of came naturally. From the first time a teacher asked for a story, I started to write. I never wrote short, one page stories as requested, but 60 to 80 page novellas. Fortunately, my teacher let me do that. I’ve been writing ever since. The stories just got longer. 

R: Tell us a bit about your latest book.

L: I had so much fun writing Under A Vampire Moon. This is Christian Notte’s story, and is set on St. Lucia. After a bad relationship and an even worse divorce, Carolyn decides to go on a vacation with the 'girls'.  Unfortunately, the rest of the vacationers didn't get the memo. There seems to be a couple celebrating their honeymoon or anniversary around every corner, and the few single men she does see are far too young to even consider; including an irresistibly attractive rock violinist she happens to meet. While Carolyn’s busy thinking ‘it’s really too bad he's so young’, she finds out it doesn’t even matter, because according to his cousin, Giacinta, Christian’s not interested in women at all.  There’s a catch though--Christian needs Carolyn to play the part of his fake girlfriend for the week to appease his 'machismo' family.  Carolyn decides to help.  The only problem is that being around Christian and acting like they’re a loving couple is wreaking havoc on her emotions, and Carolyn's thoughts keep drifting back to places they shouldn't…all of Christian’s places.

R: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

L: Oh jeez… I guess I’d be a practicing psychologist. I have a degree in psychology and worked in the field for a while, but I’m glad that I never went on to the doctorate program.  I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to leave my work at the office. I’d have empathized too much with my clients and been one depressed chick. It’s better I’m a writer.

R:  You write historical and paranormal romantic comedy. Is there one genre you prefer over the other?

L: I enjoy writing both, but I guess my first love will always be historicals because that’s what I started with.  The funny thing is that I don’t think of the books I write as historicals or paranormals.  My style is the same regardless of what genre I write in as there are elements of mystery, action, drama, humor, and even thriller in all my books. Shrug.

R: Was anyone in particular the inspiration for Argeneau?  If your books were made into film, who would you want to play him?

L: Hmmm….well there is no Argeneau per se. The Argeneaus are a family, a whole clan of people and many of them were inspired by family and friends of mine. Names, bits of personality, or character traits have all come from people I know.

As for actors playing the roles of my Argeneaus, I have no idea. I get this question quite a bit and I have yet to come up with an answer.  I think the reason is because none of them are wholly modeled on an actual person and come into my mind fully formed as themselves. They are unique so seeing an actor I’ve seen on television play their role would be a little strange.

R: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

L: Oh jeez… I guess it would have to be moving to England on the spur of the moment.  At the time my boyfriend asked me to move in with him and two months later I was in England!  New home, new country, didn’t know anyone except my boyfriend… it was an incredibly impulsive thing to do and I did it!

R: What one thing would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

L: I barely sleep when I’m writing. I’m lucky to get four hours of sleep a night when I’m in the mode.  If I’m not actually at the keyboard writing then I’m still writing the story in my head while I’m eating, sleeping, etc. It is a 24 hour a day job at times! 

R:  If you could travel anywhere back in time and meet one person, who would it be and why?

L: I get that question a lot too, and still don’t have an answer. There’s really no one in the past I’d like to meet…except maybe my mother. She passed away almost twenty years ago and I still miss her. I’d love to go back in time and have tea with her.

R: Just for Fun:

L: Beach or Mountains?  Beach, only because of the water.

Vampire or Vixen? Vampire.

Duke or Prince?  Duke. The prince has too much responsibility.

Lake or Ocean?  Lake. Oceans have sharks

Cat or Dog????????  Sorry Rocco… dog!

Your favorite:  I’ll qualify this by saying I don’t have one absolute favorite anything.  

Book:  I enjoy Dean Koontz’s older works. Tick Tock is the first one that comes to mind.

Movie:  I enjoyed How to Train Your Dragon.

TV show: I’m really enjoying Eureka! Right now.

Actor: Don’t have one.

Actress:  Again, don’t have one.

Thanks so much for a great interview, Lynsay! 

Here’s a list of Lynsay’s 2012 releases:

:
February 28 2012 - The Husband Hunt - Lisa's story - 3rd book in the Madison Sister's series
April 24 2012 - Under A Vampire Moon - Christian's story - Book 16
July 31 2012 - Lady Is A Vamp - Jeanne Louise's story - Book 17

Visit her on the web at:

http://www.lynsaysands.net/

Okay, Kitties:

Lynsay will be giving a SIGNED copy of Under a VAMPIRE Moon to one lucky reader!

All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address.  Winner will be chosen at random using random.org. For extra entries, you can:

Friend me or the HUMAN on FB

Friend Lynsay

Follow any of us on Twitter

Tweet or FB about this contest (3 extra entries)

Contest open to US residents only, ends Midnight EST Sunday, May 13th!

Get Tweeting!

ROCCO

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