Through online networking, I’ve met some truly interesting
authors. Linda O’Connor is one of these and I’m so pleased she consented to an
interview for today.
Please tell us about
growing up. Share anything that lets readers get to know the real you.
I haven’t always been an author –I’ve been a physician for a
lot longer! I work part-time at a clinic, but I also spent many years teaching
clinical skills to medical students. As part of that job, I wrote a lot of
roles for the standardized patients (actors portraying patients). That was
great experience for character development in my stories! I grew up in
Carlisle, a small town in Ontario, attended university in Toronto, lived in
Ottawa, and settled in Kingston. Lots of info for a variety of settings!
Who are your favorite
authors and favorite genres?
My favourite genre is romance because I love the
happily-ever-after endings. I’m usually reading for relaxation so I enjoy any
lighthearted, fun read. My favourite romance author is Nora Roberts. I also
really enjoyed Priceless by Marne
Davis Kellogg and Garlic and Sapphires
by Ruth Reichl. Graeme Simsion’s two Rosie books are very funny!
When you’re not
writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?
Zumba. I love dancing. Not that I’ve ever taken any formal
lessons, but it hasn’t mattered! I really love being outdoors too, so if it’s a
day without a Zumba class, I’ll go cycling or cross-country skiing.
How long have you
been writing?
I’ve
been writing for about 5 years now. The first manuscript took about nine
months to write. I loved that I could take my time and as the story unfolded in
my mind, write it down. Now it takes closer to three months (and fewer dinners
are made along the way).
Where do you prefer
to write?
My house is on the water, so when I’m writing, I usually sit
where I can watch
the waves on the lake and listen to them lap (or crash
wildly) onto shore, which is very relaxing. When the weather is warm, I’ll
write outside. I prefer silence. When I hear music, I like to get up and dance!
Are you a plotter or
a panzer?
I start with an idea
for the beginning, middle, and end of the story and then develop the
characters. I try to get to know them very well, and I have to nail down their
names. Male names are the hardest because I don’t want to use my sons’ names or
the names of any of their friends. It has to be a completely new person in my
head and not remind me of anyone (kind of like naming a child!). I’ve tried to
make a detailed plot outline, but the characters often do something unexpected
and it goes off the rails. Usually by the fifth chapter I can start to outline
in more detail.
Do you do your
research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?
It depends. If I need to research something about the
character - like their job or hobby, I'll research before I write. But it’s not
unusual to do more research along the way, depending how the story unfolds.
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?
I set aside two days a week to write without interruption.
And it’s protected time – no meetings, no repairmen, no lunch dates – maybe a
scheduled UPS delivery, but that’s about it. I work part-time at an Urgent Care
Clinic, and on the days I work at the clinic, I’ll edit or write blog posts. If
I have time on the other afternoons, I’ll sit and write then, too.
One of the things I love most about writing is being able to
write at whatever pace I choose. As a kid, I always found it tough to come up
with a story when the teacher asked because I had too many thoughts racing
around in my head and needed time to mull it over. Luckily, now I have time to
mull it over! So I don’t get too wound up about completing a certain number of
words a day. Lately, I’ve tried to complete a novel within a season. It’s
easier to keep the characters and storyline details in my head if it’s a
shorter timeline.
Tell us something
about yourself that might surprise readers.
I don't drink coffee. (Luckily chocolate has caffeine. :D)
What do you hope your
writing brings to readers?
I hope that readers will laugh, relax, enjoy the stories
I’ve written, and maybe learn something too!
What advice would you
give to unpublished authors?
Finish 2-3 novels before you start querying publishers. Once
you're published, and it will happen, you will invest a lot of time in
marketing and promotion. Having a backlist of 2-3 stories will make life a lot
easier.
My #Romantic idea:
Roasting marshmallows
together around a campfire!
Tell us about your
latest release.
The blurb for PERFECTLY
PLANNED:
Perfectly Planned
She has it all Perfectly Planned . . .
Chloe Keay is on the hunt for the perfect sperm donor, but
who knew it would be this hard? So many things to consider in a father – sure
height and hair color are important, but what about the real issues. How does
he feel about bagpipe music? Does he buy the extended warranty? Skittles or
M&Ms? She doesn’t want an average Joe. She’s narrowed it down to two
candidates and has the perfect plan to pick the heir and the spare.
Staff Sergeant Rip Logan, head of the elite Tactics and
Rescue Unit, has a gut feeling that Chloe Keay is trouble. She’s a sexy little
spark plug who radiates innocence, but it doesn’t jibe with her suspicious
behavior and probing questions. The fact that he’s attracted irritates him.
What exactly is she after? And should he go with his gut or follow his heart?
Planning for love – what could possibly go wrong?
Excerpt from PERFECTLY
PLANNED:
For pretty much everything her parents needed, from house
repairs to health questions, they had a child on speed-dial. And bonus, funds
flowed freely to pay for their place in a retirement home.
Perfectly planned.
That’s the kind of retirement plan she was after. Maybe not
six kids. Six was a bit of a handful, especially flying solo. But she could
handle one, at least to begin with.
It would’ve been easier with Roger, but oh well, on to Plan
B.
Sperm bank.
She had been poked and prodded and deemed a healthy
receptacle.
But, oh how to choose which little swimmers to let loose?
She needed smart (had to earn the big bucks), features similar to hers (hair
color notwithstanding), family oriented (obviously had to love their momma),
and not too nasally a voice (very annoying). They needed to be screened for
reverse traits—ones that would make her wish she could reverse the whole
process.
She needed more than the measly amount of info available
online.
No problem. She had applied for a job as a weekend
receptionist at the sperm bank, interviewed quite successfully (naturally), and
waited patiently while they narrowed down their selection.
She had started three weeks ago.
The job was straightforward, certainly not as creative as
painting. In fact, it was kinda slow. She liked the music in the waiting room,
though, especially with her mouse clicking. She could get quite a beat going.
Left click. Right click. Left-right-right click. She could see it catching on.
In fact, it should be posted on YouTube because it’d give her something to
watch at work, too.
She hadn’t lost sight of her plan, but it wasn’t obvious
where all the data was stored. She had opened several files, but it wasn’t
until she rocked and clicked to The Jaded Gentlemen, that lo and behold, the
folder popped up.
Now, she wasn’t a computer genius or anything, but who uses
1234 as their password? You’d think all that confidential information about
sperm donors would be behind a bigger firewall. Nope.
So, her two top matches now had names.
4652 Ripley Logan
2485 Jared Clayton
A few social media clicks later, and voilà, she set up
friend requests with both.
Even better, it looked like Ripley’s baseball team had a
rain-date game on Friday, seven o’clock, right here in Rivermede at Fairfield
Park.
He was sporty. She clicked a happy beat.
She could go to the game and check him out. Try to learn
more about him, but keep it quiet, fly under the radar.
She spun around in her chair and smiled. Perfect.
How can readers learn more about you?
Website: http://www.lindaoconnor.net
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/lindaoconnor98
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA
Linda O’Connor started writing a few years ago when she
needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at
HomeSense. It turns out she loves writing romantic comedies and has a few more
stories to tell. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic
(well, even when she is writing she’s a physician, and it shows up in her
stories J).
She hangs out at www.lindaoconnor.net.
1 comment:
Thank you so much for hosting me Caroline! It was a pleasure meeting you :D
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