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An Interview
With CA-You've
read her reviews: Hello,
Lynne, and thank you for taking the time to let me pick
your brain. LH- THE RETURN is book one in the Heritage Of Horror series from Hard Shell Word Factory. It's a young adult historical horror novel about zombies during the Revolutionary War. CA-What was the inspiration for writing THE RETURN? LH- It combines two of my passions--history and monsters. I've always wanted to write about the classic monsters, zombies, werewolves, mummies, and vampires. Zombies are my favorites so I started with them. I have an entire cursed family tree worked out where the Grays will battle all the classic monsters. CA-Do you have a favorite scene? LH- My favorite scene is probably where the hero and the heroine, sixteen year old twins Molly and Jacob Gray, have captured a zombie arm in a bag. To get rid of it they take it out in a rowboat in the middle of a pond to try to drown it. Of course it gets out in the rowboat and much mayhem ensues. Terribly fun to write. CA-Of all the character's you've written about, who would you say is most like you? And why? LH- Logan Silva in my new technothriller LOGOUT (Booklocker, October 2002) is a lot like me. He has Jimmy Buffett dreams of leaving the corporate world disappearing on some remote Carribbean island. I'm a huge parrothead (Jimmy Buffett fan, for the uninitiated) and although I got to quit my day job this summer to write full time, I'd still love to fade into a tropical sunset. CA-Is there a book out there that you're just dying to write but for some reason haven't? LH- There are a ton of books I'm psyched to write but haven't. I want to do at least three more Heritage Of Horror novels, as well as the sequel to LOGOUT. And then there's an adult horror novel I'm working on about insane asylums at the turn of the century. The only reason I've not written them is lack of time. As you can see, I have quite a few diverse interests and not only does that keep me bouncing between several projects at the same time, it means that marketing and promotion takes more time. I can't just bill myself as a young adult author, or a thriller writer, or a horror writer. I have to build separate campaigns around each book. CA-Lynne, you've also written a booklet called Good, Fast and Cheap. Personally, as an author, this is one of the best investments I've made in my career. It's fantastic! Please, share what authors can find in Good, Fast and Cheap. And where can they get their copy? LH- Thanks! I wrote GFAC because people were always asking me how to make this or that promo item I had created for my book. Through trial and error I learned that there were very specific things you needed to do to make promo items look professional. Sometimes it's a particular brand of glue or paper, or a special way to configure your printer. I put all of the things I had learned in GFAC, including step-by-step instructions. There's a sample chapter on my webpage at www.quality-promos.com. I also sell GFAC through mail order and Pay Pal on my website. CA- Staying in line with author promotions, I've heard that you'll be teaching an online course at Word Museum. What can folks expect when they sign up for this workshop? And what are the dates it's being held? LH- I'm teaching a course called "Book Me! Plan a Rejection-Proof Book Signing Event." It's a four week course that's geared towards helping people create their own unique multi-component book signing event. The next session starts October 25th, and registration ends October 20th. Each week has a lecture and a lesson that I review personally. Students will plan, prepare for, actually book and promote a book signing event that event the stodgiest bookseller won't be able to refuse. CA-What would you say has been your biggest writing challenge? LH-My speed. I write slow. CA-Is there anything out there that you'd like to do, but haven't yet been given the opportunity? LH-Play acoustic guitar in an all-writer band. (Yes, I'm a serious Rock Bottom Remainders wannabe.) CA-What would you consider your greatest accomplishment? LH-Finally saying "no" to being a corporate slave. CA-If you weren't a writer, what would you be doing? LH-Had I not been a writer, I probably would have been a teacher. Now though, if I could no longer be a writer I'd probably be flinging fish guts on a dock somewhere, or working to help bring the arts to kids. I don't ever want to work in any kind of super-bureaucratic system. CA-What's the non-writing world like for you? Is there a husband, a boyfriend, a couple of each? A day job? LH-My hubby Jeff Strand is also a writer, which means my non-writing life is very much like my writing life. When you're married to another hard-working writer, just about everything you do is writing-related. Even movies and road trips end up being research. CA-Is there a book that you've written, but we'll never see? Why? LH-I've got two really horrible adult horror novels that no one will ever see because they're, well, horrible. They say you have to write a gazillion bad words before the good ones start coming. I firmly believe that. CA-Are there ever times you consider giving up the writing? Bouts of writers' block? If so, what do you do to overcome it? LH-I don't believe in writers' block. Sit down in front of your computer. Rest your hands on the keyboard. Type. Repeat. That'll get rid of any block pretty darn quick. Seriously, though, now that I write full time I find variety is the key to the greatest productivity. I work on an assortment of projects at the same time and I match the job to my energy level at that particular moment. I do my young adult fiction, my adult fiction, technical writing, marketing and promotional consulting, ghost writing, and freelance editing to name a few. There's always something on my to do list to match my current interest and enthusiasm level. CA-Many
readers wonder what's going on in an author's head, and
here's the part where we find out<g>. LH-A perky, hard-working, organized writer who loves to travel. CA- (Finish this sentence) On a Saturday night you'll find me... LH-Writing. (I know, I should get a life, but when you do what you love...) CA-If I were a cartoon character I'd be... LH-Marvin the Martian. CA-If I could have one wish, I would wish... LH-I'd wish I could play the guitar better. CA-What kind of car do you drive? LH-A sensible 1998 Chevy Prism. CA-What kind of car do you *want* to drive? LH-A custom van complete with a fold out bed, captain's chairs, and a mini fridge. Road trip heaven. CA-Answer
the following questions as quickly as possible, but feel
free to expand on any of your answers (Hey, it's not a
test).: LH-Aliens. CA-Favorite song? LH-No way. Can't have just one. I've got over eight hundred cds. Here's a starter list: "One Particular Harbor" by Jimmy Buffett. "American Son" by Joseph Gray. "Wilder Than Her" by Fred Eaglesmith. "These Dreams" by The Five Chinese Brothers. "Seasons Of Love" from the Rent soundrack. "Pure Imagination" from the Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory soundtrack. "American Girl" by Tom Petty. CA-Favorite snack? LH-Chocolate chip cookies. CA-Favorite book? LH-The Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card CA-Soup or salad? LH-Soup. CA-Slacks or jeans? LH-Jeans. CA-Boxers or briefs? LH-Boxers. CA-Are blondes really more fun? LH-Yes, but only when I'm not dying my hair. (I'm a natural blonde and I usually go auburn.) CA-Have you ever held anyone hostage? LH-Only my psycho cat Pandora. CA-Do you believe in love at first sight? LH-No. CA-Are aliens real? LH-Yes. CA-If you could vote members off of Gilligan's Island, who would get the boot first? LH-Ginger. No woman needs that much competition. CA-If Godzilla and Superman got into a street fight (no weapons allowed), who would win? LH-Superman. He could be half as strong and still beat that stupid giant lizard. Human intelligence wins out every time. CA-What is one thing about you that very few know? LH-I love polkas. They're just impossibly cheery. There's no way you can listen to a polka and stay blue. CA-What is your greatest fear? LH-Rats. And getting sucked back into the corporate world. CA-If you could be anyone (dead or alive) who would you be? And why? LH-This one's really tough. I don't think there's anyone I'd rather be, actually. I'm kind of partial to my own life. CA-The one book I wish I'd written is... LH-Orson Scott Card's The Seventh Son. CA-If I could have a special power, it would be... LH-The ability to play bar chords. I know it's selfish, but my fingers just don't lay down that way and it's going to take a special power for me to ever get good at playing guitar. CA-And finally (and you can take your time on this one:-)), what's next for you? Your next book? Writing venture? Goal? LH- My next writing projects are
Moon Shadow (the second Heritage Of Horror novel about
werewolves in 1870's frontier Kansas) an extended version
of Good, Fast and Cheap, and then an adult horror novel. Remember to visit Lynne's Website |
