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An Interview with Linda Conrad
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This month we will be talking with Linda Conrad about her career, her latest book to be released in September 2007, and what is to come in the future. Thanks Linda for taking to time to talk with us! I personally did not discover Linda’s works until her Night Guardians series but have thoroughly enjoyed each and every book I’ve read. So I’m quite happy about the chance to get to talk to her this month. 1. Congratulations on your newest release, Shadow Whispers, due out in September. Can you tell us a little bit about the story? Sure! SHADOW WHISPERS is the last book in my Night Guardian series. The secrets of the Navajo Skinwalker are revealed, and sparks fly between Sunnie Begay and Cisco Santiago as they work together to bring down the Wolf! Anyone who has read the first books won’t want to miss this one.
2. What inspired you to write the story of the war between the evil Skinwalkers and the courageous Night Guardians? Is this something that has always interested you or is this a new idea to appeal to you? Funny you asked. I was telling someone the other day about what I read as a child and which movies I loved best. My favorite books as a child were the Wizard of Oz books (14 Complete Books of Wonder by L. Frank Baum) and one of my favorite movies was the first Star Wars Trilogy. When I thought about it, it seemed both those series stories were about regular people who became heroic figures in their quest to make things right and to conquer the bad guys. I just finished reading the final Harry Potter book and realized J.K. Rowling did the exact same thing there. It’s a universal theme, but I didn’t know it at the beginning.
3. Tell us a little bit about Sunnie. When she was first introduced in Shadow Watch, did you realize at the time she had such a story to tell? Or did she surprise you with what had become of her since she was betrayed by her fiancé in Watch? I had no idea when I first wrote Sunnie's character (April) in Shadow Watch that she would become the heroine of the last book. It came as a complete surprise, but she pushed her way out of my imagination when I was preparing for the last book and insisted on letting her own story be told.
4. How much research had to go into developing such an in depth story? Ohmygosh, tons! I knew very little about the Navajo when I started and there are literally libraries full of information. After my decision to write about the Skinwalker legends, the hard part was picking which other things to write about. I did make a trip out to the Navajo reservation, but I would’ve had to spend years there to pick up everything. Their legends and traditions are rich and fascinating.
5. Shadow Whispers is the concluding title in the Night Guardians series. How did it feel to bring the series to its conclusion? Is there anything you’d change if you could, looking back on the series as a whole? Do you have any plans to bring some of the characters back in future stories? Finishing the series was difficult. I had spent so much time with those characters that I felt like someone in my family had died when Shadow Whispers was complete. And there are LOTS of things I would do differently in looking back. But I think I accomplished what I set out to do. I brought the legends and the Navajo culture to the stories and I told tales of some fascinating characters. I don’t have any plans for these characters again. But then, you never know.
6. Let's see if we can do this without giving away any spoilers for those who haven't read Shadow Whispers yet. Oftentimes, authors talk about how they end up being surprised by what their characters do and how the story ends. Have you ever found this to be true? What about with Whispers? Did you have it all worked out in advance how the saga would end? Or did the Navajo Wolf manage to keep his identity secret from you until the end was near? I seldom have things 'all worked out' before I write them. And that was certainly true in this case. But I do seem to remember that it was about at Hunter's book (Shadow Hunter) that I realized the way this story had to end. I've had a few readers tell me they recognized who the Wolf must be at about that point too. But it sure surprised me at the time.
7. I know from your biography on your website that your mother played a large role in turning you to writing. Was it a surprise to find you had a knack for this career? Or have you always known you had strong story telling abilities? Ha! My mother used to say I was one of the ‘best liars’ she ever knew and that was saying something coming from a second generation Irish story-teller. J She was great at making up things herself. I’ve been spinning tall tales for almost as long as I can remember. Even as a bitty girl. It’s the writing them down part that has surprised me. I never really knew I could do it until I tried.
8. If someone were to ask what you felt to be your trademark in your writing, what would you say? The idea that, while it may be difficult to understand the wisdom hidden deep within each of us, seeking to understand that truth is the key to finding true happiness in life.
9. Let’s talk characters. Two of my favorites would have to be Teal Benaly from Shadow Surrender and Michael Ayze from Shadow Warrior. Teal is a young woman, strong willed and determined to make a difference but unwilling initially to accept the mysticism of Lucas’ gift. What woman can resist a heroine who turns the tables in romance and rescues her hero on more than one occasion? And Michael… <sigh> Passionate, convinced his path is crucial to the survival of the People, yet come completely undone when he meets his destined soul mate. I know this is probably difficult for an author to do, but if you had to pick a specific character or two that were your favorite, who would you say and why? You want me to choose between my characters? That’s like asking which child I love best. L All right, if I must. I have a special affinity for Hunter in this series. He’s a man who thought he knew who he was and what he could do. An earthy, primal man, he’s constantly surprised to find out what’s inside him. I also liked writing Lucas’s character. He’s the first really sensitive and non-macho male I had ever written and it was tougher to get him right than I’d imagined. There are other characters I have written before this series that I loved too. Gray Wolf Parker in THE GENTRYS: ABBY, for one, was just so sexy he’s hard not to love. Manny Sanchez in DESPERADO DAD was a shining star. And Annie Riley in SEDUCTION BY THE BOOK was an interesting young woman who had lots to learn.
10. If you had to think back and pinpoint who it was that inspired you to be a writer, who would you say? Would you say these same people have been most influential on your writing style? If not, then who? All the great romance and mystery writers have been a huge inspiration in my writing. And when I first decided to try writing a romance novel, both Merline Lovelace and Suzanne Brockmann’s writings gave me the courage to try. But I can’t say my style is like either one of them.
11. This is one of my favorite “signature” questions to ask in an interview. If you had to write a short paragraph about your writing to convince readers to give your books a shot, what would you tell them? If you like vivid imagery, wonderful romantic and internal tension, strong and sympathetic characters, along with a gripping suspense and a touch of the paranormal, then my books are for you!
12. Traveling as much as you did upon meeting your husband, and experiencing so many different fields to work in, would you say any of these has had an impact on your writing? How so? All your experience goes into making up the person you become. Authors are people who really observe and encounter everything that might come across their paths-- in order to express those experiences in their stories for others to enjoy. Every place and every person that I have ever seen becomes part of my writing in one way or another.
13. How much advance plotting goes into your writing process? Do you plan everything out ahead of the time or do you just start writing and see where your characters lead you? I need a beginning and an ending in my head, and then I need to know my characters. After that, if it was up to me, I would just begin and let the characters take the story where it goes. Unfortunately, professional writers need to make at least a vague outline of the story so the publisher will know what to expect. My stories rarely turn out exactly as I planned, however. The characters take it where they want it to go.
14. You have three different miniseries listed on your website that you’ve written books for. Did you plan to write everything as parts of a series or did the individual stories come to you first and later you chose to turn them into a series? It has always been my intention to make each story a part of a series. There is just something inside me that wants to know more. Like: what about the neighbor? Or: what happened to the charming and bitter brother? Or did the couple we just left go on to get married and have kids? Actually, all my books have been part of a series except for one. (SLOW DANCING WITH A TEXAN) But they were not all listed correctly when they were published and weren’t given a series name by the publisher. Also, the book THE LAWS OF PASSION, was part of a multi-author series. (It was book #10 of 12) I guess it’s just part of my voice to write in series.
15. You have written for two different lines at Harlequin, Silhouette Desire and Silhouette Romantic Suspense (formerly Intimate Moments). Now that you’ve penned several for each line, which one did you like best and why? How difficult is it to change gears like that since they have specific requirements that are so different from one another? Have you thought about expanding out into other lines as well? When I began writing for Desire, the two lines were fairly similar except that Silhouette Desire was quite a bit shorter than Silhouette Intimate Moments. Several authors at that time wrote for both lines. Today the two lines are very different and my writing has changed just enough that my voice no longer fits the Desire line. But I loved writing for both. Yes, I have considered writing for a couple of other lines as well as for a single title. We’ll just see where the stories take me in the future.
16. What do you have planned to work on next? Can you give us any teasers? I’m glad you asked! I just finished a draft of the first book in my next mini-series for Silhouette Romantic Suspense. It’s a wonderfully fun series called the SAFE KEEPERS. It’s about a Texas family whose business is body-guarding children because they have been cursed and cannot have children of their own. Oh, and they can do witchcraft too!
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with me about your latest works, Linda! Do you have anything you’d like to say in closing? I write because it’s my connection to the world. I can’t seem to keep all the thoughts, emotions, ideas and ‘help getting through the day’ locked up inside me. My hope is that my readers will get just some of what I have gotten from books in my lifetime. It’s my way of returning the favor. So when I say “Enjoy!” I really mean it! Visit Linda's website! Read reviews of Linda's books: Reviewed by
Kelley: Reviewed by
Debbie:
Interviewed by Kelley |