By L. A. Sartor
Hi Caroline, thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity to meet your readers and hopefully help them find six new authors in this boxed set.
Hi Caroline, thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity to meet your readers and hopefully help them find six new authors in this boxed set.
Were
you the shy kid or the tomboy? Married, single? Children?
Not shy at all, in fact,
mom always said when someone wanted to help me with something I’d say “Lessie
do it.” I’m still that way today. I’m
married to the man I met on a blind date, arranged by his father and a
coworker. I told the woman that I didn’t
want to meet this man because I knew I’d marry him. Yep, going on 30+
years. (I was a child bride J hehe)
We don’t have children. I have a blood condition
that would make carrying a baby full term very difficult. My brother and I were
very lucky to be adopted, and Gary and I thought about going that route. But we
both had demanding careers, I owned a jewelry business and he is an attorney.
It just became a non-starter. But I love
watching babies grow into children (skip the teens) and into adults.
How
long have you been writing?
Mom says I’ve been telling stories since I was 3 or
4 years old. Later I wrote what would
now be fan-fiction in Jr. High School until my English teacher called a
conference with my parents and me and told us I’d never be a writer because I
hated grammar. That all I apparently wanted to do was tell stories.
Mom recounted this story years later when I told her
I was going to write a book. Apparently
I stopped writing that very day. I didn’t recall the incident at all. It’s amazing what a bad teacher can do, just
as it’s amazing what a good teacher can do.
My editor told me recently that anyone can learn
grammar, but not everyone can tell a story.
I’m keeping that close to my heart.
Where
do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?
I write either in my home office or during the spring, summer and fall, outside. I need quiet and solitude, which makes
writing outside difficult. But being inside on a gorgeous day is criminal J I love music, but can only listen to it
when I’m trying to get into a mood. Some of my favorites are Pirates of the
Carribean’s I Don’t Think Now is the Best
Time from World’s End. It has so
many emotions in that one song. Or when I was writing Stone of Heaven, I’d
listen endlessly to All That I Am by
Rob Thomas.
I write on a laptop and edit on my PC. I have an iMac as well that I use for my
photography. I love computers.
When
you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?
When I left the day job, I turned into a writing
machine. Everything got pushed
aside. This year, I decided it was time
to pull back and play. I’m relearning the piano, it’s amazing what happens when
you leave it for even a short time. It’s
certainly not like riding a bicycle. I love photography
and I am honing my skills. I enjoy the
artistic editing of photos and paper crafts…oh and sewing. So I could literally spend all day just
playing. And that doesn’t include my
need for beach and travel time.
What
do you hope your writing brings to readers?
I love this question, it’s never been asked before.
We authors love to find the perfect setting, the perfect guy (eventually), but
a satisfying romance is more than glamour
and all that is attendant with the genre.
So at first, I
wanted to answer your question with the word “escape”, and I still like that
answer. I want to visit places and learn things when I read (from newspapers to
books, I love to read). But as a writer, I
also want to bring a sense of believing in the power of yourself. Of learning to trust yourself and trust others.
Trust is a theme I use a lot in my writing. The biggest compliment I can get from a reader
other than “I loved your story,” is “wow, you understand exactly what I’ve been
through.” They identify with some part of the story, even the sad parts. If you
smile or cry or laugh, then I’m a happy
writer.
Thanks for asking such wonderful interview
questions.
My links are below and I’d love to meet your readers
on any of my social media.
I have
two wonderful book related things happening this year. A new book Prince of Granola, set in
Costa Rica (maybe Caroline will ask me back when it’s finished and I can tell
you about it.) And my participation in this boxed set: SIMPLY THE BEST -- A COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL AWARD WINNING ROMANCES. Six award-winning authors, six books, one incredible collection, all for 99 cents. Yep, that's right.
Links:
THE BOOKS:
HAUNTED
BY DEATH by Dale Mayer
Suspense Winner
Death haunts
anthropologist Meg Pearce... In her last summer before college, an
innocent camping trip ended in a friend’s disappearance...and destroyed her
life.
ANGEL'S
ASSASSIN by Laurel O'Donnell
Historical Winner
Damien is an assassin, a
man with a tortured past. Sold into slavery, he is trained to kill. Lady Aurora
of Acquitaine is the epitome of purity and goodness. When Damien enters
Aurora's life, tempting her with promises of forbidden lust, he threatens to
tear her peaceful world apart.
** BE MINE THIS CHRISTMAS NIGHT by
L.A. Sartor ** ME J
Short Contemporary Winner
Children’s author Annie
Hamilton’s dream of having a family resurfaces when Cole Evans moves next door
with his two young boys during the Christmas
season. But the lure of happily-ever-after with the brilliant scientist
is overshadowed by the risk that revealing her secret will destroy this chance.
AHUNTER4RESCUE by Cynthia A. Clement
Paranormal Winner
A unit of elite alien
warriors, known as Hunters, crash lands on earth and their leader is torn
between getting his men to safety or protecting the human woman he has bonded
with.
THE
FINE ART OF KEEPING QUIET by Charity Tahmaseb
Young Adult (Contemporary) Winner
No one expects the girl
who has mastered the art of keeping quiet to join the speech team. But Jolia does. When a crush-worthy rival offers to
coach her in secret, she can't say no. But secrets have a price, and this one
might cost Jolia everything.
THE
MAPMAKER'S WIFE by Kathy L. Wheeler
Short Historical Winner
A flippant proposal and
an attack on her person finds one young
woman married to the mapmaker who only needs someone to take control of his
ungovernable child. Feelings quickly shift into something less platonic and
when the enemy gains vital secrets, her suspicions land her in jail.
THE AUTHORS :
DALE MAYER is a USA Today bestselling
author known for her page turning plotlines and heartwarming characters. A
prolific writer, she specializes in Romantic Suspense, but also writes
thrillers, comedy, and contemporary romances.
And if you’d like to try out one of her books for
free – click here - http://dalemayer.com/starterlibrarytc/
LAUREL O'DONNELL
is a best-selling author and has won
numerous awards for her medieval romances, including the International Digital
Award and the Holt Medallion Award. You can visit her website at www.laurel-odonnell.com to
stay up to date on future releases.
 |
| L. A. Sartor, Author |
L.A. SARTOR is a bestselling, award-winning author
writing novels with a dash--or a lot--of romance. She lives in Colorado
with her husband whom she met on a blind date. Find her at www.lasartor.com for book information and sign up for her
mailing list.
CYNTHIA A. CLEMENT is an award-winning author who began writing when she was a teenager. Her
novels reflect her love of romance, strong honorable heroes, and suspense
intertwined with the intriguing and unexplained.
CHARITY TAHMASEB has slung corn on the cob for
Green Giant and jumped out of airplanes (but not at the same time). She’s worn
both Girl Scout and Army green. These days, she writes fiction (short and long)
and works as a technical writer.
KATHY L WHEELER
Award-winning author Kathy L Wheeler loves
travel, fantasy football, NBA and musical theatre.
As an avid reader of romance and patron of the theatre,
her main sources of inspiration come mostly from an over-active imagination.
Kathy writes contemporary and historical romance, from sweet to spicy.
6 comments:
Welcome, Leslie, and all the ladies. Sounds like your box set is "simply the best" and I look forward to reading your books. Thanks for sharing with us today. I apologize for the white streaks--no idea why they appeared. I deleted and reposted, but so did the streaks.
Hi Caroline, I had the best time answering your questions. Thanks so much for hosting me.
The white streaks are probably the BG color when you copy and pasted. I get those once in awhile as well, they are a BEAR to remove.
I hope you enjoy the set. And I'll see you soon on my blog. Can't wait.
Hugs to all,
L.A.
So fun!!!
Hi LA!
I love your editor's philosophy - anyone can learn grammar, but not everyone can write a book. There's truth in every word of that! I can't count how many contest entries I've judged by unpublished authors where not a word or comma was out of place, but the story didn't have heart.
I've read all of LA's book and I promise there's plenty of heart in each of them. I know this collection will not disappoint either.
Thanks for sharing your inner secrets and thank you Caroline for hosting LA!!
Fantastic.
Thank you Caroline for hosting and Leslie for your wonderful interview.
Fun questions, Caroline, and great interview, Leslie Ann! I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you overcame your teacher's bad advice to write the stories that you do. And, boy oh boy, what wonderful stories you write--definitely why you are an award-winning author. I'm so looking forward to your next tale.
What a thrill for you to gaze upon your book as part of a box set with other award-winning authors. Congratulations--you so deserve it. Keep up the exemplary work!!!
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