Lauren, please tell us a little about yourself.
I’m all about variety! I’m a fan of Downton Abbey, but I also enjoy Game of Thrones and everything in-between. My music tastes range from Kelly Clarkson and The Eagles to Fall Out Boy, Matchbox 20, and One Direction. I eat almost anything you put in front of me (especially if it involves dark chocolate). I’m the same when I read. I love to cozy up to a good thriller, romance, biography, mystery, or horror novel.
I love firsts, so tell me about the moment when a publisher told you they wanted to publish your book.
I’d attended a writing conference in Houston and met with Debby Gilbert, the founder of Soul Mate Publishing. She asked for the entire manuscript of the book I pitched to her—not three chapters. Not a hundred pages. The WHOLE enchilada! Two weeks later, I heard from Debby. She’d fallen in love with Music For My Soul and wanted to publish it. I did my Happy Dance, delirious to know that I would be able to share Garrett and Madeleine’s medieval love story with readers. Fabulous!!!!
If it isn’t too nosy. How about the first time you kissed your true love?
It didn’t take a kiss to know. I met my husband and clicked with him instantly. He called out of the blue one night and said he was in my neighborhood (on purpose) and asked if he could stop by. As we sat talking on the couch in my apartment, a calm washed over me. I knew I was looking at my future husband. Of course, it took him a bit longer to realize that!Other than your own, who are your favorite (heroes/heroines/writers) in your genre?
Up till now, I’ve published six historical romances. My favorite historical heroines are written by Amanda Quick. They’re smart, quirky, and fun to read. And there’s nothing like a Julia Quinn hero! Now I’m branching out and releasing my first romantic suspense, with a plan to alternate writing and releasing in those two sub-genres. So in romantic suspense, I’d have to go with the heroes and heroines that Linda Howard and Julie Garwood create. They’re intelligent, interesting, and make perfect couples. Amanda Quick and Julia Quinn are two of my favorites too. I love anything Jayne Ann Krentz writes under any name.
What is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career?
I believe it’s a tie between seeing my characters come to life on my very first cover and holding my first paperback in my hand. Those are watershed moments.
What is your favorite pastime, other than writing?
I’m going to cheat here and say walking. I do a long (4-5 miles) walk each morning and a shorter one after dinner each evening. I enjoy the physical activity, the way my mind clears and stress melts away, and I love the music I listen to. Of course, being a writer, sometimes I “walk out” problems in my books, or I brainstorm creating characters and think of plot lines as I’m walking. I guess no matter where or what, I’m always writing. I'm impressed. two miles is about my limit, unless I am at Disneyland. I do somewhere between a mile and two every day. Longer if I am lucky enough to be at the beach.
How do you motivate yourself when inspiration takes a vacation?
I’ve found that I need to put aside anything that’s stalling. It’s not worth fretting and tearing my hair out and staring at a blank page. I start something new! Eventually, I’ll come back to what was working. I’ve found the break from it helps me view it with new eyes and a renewed spirit.
Got a recipe you want to share?
Tortilla Soup is a standby in my family, especially during cold weather. My daughter always wanted it when she came home from college. It’s easy to make and tasty.
(The Tortilla Soup link will take you to the recipe. If you want to check out the whole recipe page, click here) You have no idea how much I wish I really knew HTML code.
Any advice for new writers just starting out?
My first piece of advice is to keep reading. So many time we writers get caught up in our own work. You need to take time to see what’s out in the market, as well as enjoy the pleasure of reading. Second? Write. Every. Day. Make that commitment. Writing is like a muscle. You need to keep using it to keep it in shape!
What genre or genres do you write?
I write historical romances that take place in the medieval era or the American Old West. I’m now writing contemporary romantic suspense, as well.
Tell us about your latest release.
The easiest way to do that is to share my back cover blurb and an excerpt for Leave Yesterday Behind.
Callie Chennault vaulted to fame on the nighttime soap Sumner Falls, but after a decade of playing the same role, she is ready for a new acting challenge. When Callie is attacked by a stalker on the streets of New York, she takes a leave of absence from the show and returns to her roots in Aurora, Louisiana, to heal both physically and emotionally and determine her next career move.
Former professional baseball pitcher Nick La Chappelle has also come to Aurora to lick his own wounds after a messy divorce. A Cy Young winner and one-time ESPN broadcaster, Nick longs for the quiet of a small town in order to write murder mysteries under a pen name.
Chill out. Just move.
“Jessica?”
She turned automatically and saw a man standing behind her. He was probably the reason she’d had the feeling of being followed. He seemed a little out of breath, as if he’d been keeping up with her awhile. It had happened before. She knew it would happen again.
And always with this type.
He was non-descript in every way—average height and build, brown hair, glasses. Harmless looking. Dopey grin on his face, like he’d hit the lottery because he’d actually had the balls to speak to the crush of his daydreams. She knew enough to be firm. Give him a brief little personal moment, a smile and her signature on something, and get back to her life.
Then a quick flash of John Lennon signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman zipped through her brain. He’d been average, too.
And he’d killed Lennon hours after someone snapped a photograph of them together.
“You don’t look like Jessica up close.” His voice was silky, almost caressing, yet the tone was definitely disappointed.
Her pulse quickened. She took a step back to put a little distance between them and brushed against a brick wall.
“I like to give my skin a rest away from the studio. All that heavy make-up and hairspray can cause a girl some damage.” She kept her tone calm and friendly as she glanced over the man’s shoulder.
No one was in sight.
“I want to see Jessica. She’s my favorite.”
He pulled something from his pocket and held it up. “Put this on. It’ll help. It’s the perfect shade.” He smiled shyly. “I’ll even let you do it. You’re the expert.” He reached out and grabbed her wrist and laid the item in her hand before letting go.
Chills ran through her as she opened her palm. In it lay a gold tube of Jessica’s signature Ravenous Red.
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Linwood/e/B00CSSG8BC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406670019&sr=8-1
Excerpt sounds great.What’s your current WIP?
I literally have just finished another romantic suspense called A Dance Around Death, about a journalist and a Dallas cop working together to track a serial killer.
And finally, where can we find you?
Website: http://www.laurenlinwood.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurenlinwood
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LaurenLinwood
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Linwood/e/B00CSSG8BC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406670019&sr=8-1
Email: laurenlinwood@gmail.com
Thank you so much for being here! Lauren has graciously offered an ebook of Leave Yesterday Behind to one lucky reader. Do the Rafflecopter thingy. Bless you for dropping by. Have a happy week.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sparks fly when Callie believes Nick is taking advantage of her great-aunt’s hospitality, but they resolve their differences—and surprise themselves by falling in love. Their bond is tested when both Nick and Callie become the focus of a serial killer nicknamed Lipstick Larry. Can they outwit a murderer bent on seeing them dead and survive to build a lasting relationship?
Excerpt:
Maybe she should take a cab home. But her subway station was only a block and half away. It would be foolish to stand out in a downpour after nine at night when she could duck in and be on her way downtown in a couple of minutes. Callie liked that people left her alone on the subway. A few sometimes stared at her and frowned, wondering if they’d ever seen her before. Most turned away, not quite able to place her.
After all, she left Jessica behind at the studio every day. No chic clothes, Ravenous Red mouth, or fancy hairstyle. She didn’t often get recognized in real life unless it was a die-hard fan. Even then, most New Yorkers were cool about it and simply ignored her.
Maybe she should take a cab home. But her subway station was only a block and half away. It would be foolish to stand out in a downpour after nine at night when she could duck in and be on her way downtown in a couple of minutes. Callie liked that people left her alone on the subway. A few sometimes stared at her and frowned, wondering if they’d ever seen her before. Most turned away, not quite able to place her.
After all, she left Jessica behind at the studio every day. No chic clothes, Ravenous Red mouth, or fancy hairstyle. She didn’t often get recognized in real life unless it was a die-hard fan. Even then, most New Yorkers were cool about it and simply ignored her.
Chill out. Just move.
“Jessica?”
She turned automatically and saw a man standing behind her. He was probably the reason she’d had the feeling of being followed. He seemed a little out of breath, as if he’d been keeping up with her awhile. It had happened before. She knew it would happen again.
And always with this type.
He was non-descript in every way—average height and build, brown hair, glasses. Harmless looking. Dopey grin on his face, like he’d hit the lottery because he’d actually had the balls to speak to the crush of his daydreams. She knew enough to be firm. Give him a brief little personal moment, a smile and her signature on something, and get back to her life.
Then a quick flash of John Lennon signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman zipped through her brain. He’d been average, too.
And he’d killed Lennon hours after someone snapped a photograph of them together.
“You don’t look like Jessica up close.” His voice was silky, almost caressing, yet the tone was definitely disappointed.
Her pulse quickened. She took a step back to put a little distance between them and brushed against a brick wall.
“I like to give my skin a rest away from the studio. All that heavy make-up and hairspray can cause a girl some damage.” She kept her tone calm and friendly as she glanced over the man’s shoulder.
No one was in sight.
“I want to see Jessica. She’s my favorite.”
He pulled something from his pocket and held it up. “Put this on. It’ll help. It’s the perfect shade.” He smiled shyly. “I’ll even let you do it. You’re the expert.” He reached out and grabbed her wrist and laid the item in her hand before letting go.
Chills ran through her as she opened her palm. In it lay a gold tube of Jessica’s signature Ravenous Red.
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Linwood/e/B00CSSG8BC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406670019&sr=8-1
Excerpt sounds great.What’s your current WIP?
I literally have just finished another romantic suspense called A Dance Around Death, about a journalist and a Dallas cop working together to track a serial killer.
And finally, where can we find you?
Website: http://www.laurenlinwood.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurenlinwood
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LaurenLinwood
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Linwood/e/B00CSSG8BC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406670019&sr=8-1
Email: laurenlinwood@gmail.com
Thank you so much for being here! Lauren has graciously offered an ebook of Leave Yesterday Behind to one lucky reader. Do the Rafflecopter thingy. Bless you for dropping by. Have a happy week.
Thanks for hosting me today, Susan! It was a fun interview, and I enjoyed sharing some of Callie & Nick's story with your readers.
ReplyDeletefun interview
ReplyDeleteThanks, BN! I was happy to stop by Susan's blog & share.
DeleteEntertaining review! Happy release day, Lauren :)
ReplyDeleteAppreciate it, Joanne. Thanks for tweeting!
DeleteFun interview. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Ryan Jo!
ReplyDeleteHappy release day! Love the cover.
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt, Lauren. Good and creepy!
ReplyDelete