Very very thrilled to welcome L.J. Sellers. She is touring for her latest book The Arranger on the virtual space and since I have read the book i'd say she has done a great job - a clever manipulation of the scenarios in the book. I would definitely suggest you people to try it. Well without a further wait....I present before you all the good stuffs.....read on and be surprised.
SUMMARY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Sex Club by L.J. Sellers won The Spotted Owl Award in 2008.
Where you can find & follow L.J. Sellers:(Click The links below to enter)
Author Website
Author Blog
Twitter
Facebook Page
Facebook Profile
Goodreads Profile
You should have given me a word limit. J But I’ll try to be brief. I’ve lived in Oregon most of my life and earned a journalism degree from the University of Oregon. I worked for magazines and newspapers, raised three boys, and wrote novels in my spare time. I finally developed a small readership when I published the first Detective Jackson story (The Sex Club). But I never made any money with my fiction until last year when I went indie and put all my novels up on Kindle. Within six months, I was making a living and writing full time. I am deeply grateful to be in this position.
Q: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?I think that should be modified to say “a good short story.” It’s a difficult genre, and one that I still haven’t mastered. I do have one short story on the market, Dirty Jobs, and it seems popular, but it’s not an award winner. Still, every genre is different and every writer has a niche. Some novelists can’t write short stories or nonfiction. Some journalists can’t write novels. Again, I’m grateful that I can write both fiction and nonfiction, and I plan to get better as short stories as I write more.
Q: How to do you research for a book before you begin the writing process?
I do some digging around on the internet, but most of my research is conducted through interviews with experts: homicide detectives, medical examiners, a SWAT sergeant, a crime scene technician, whoever I need to talk to for the specific details that will make my story realistic.
Q: What is the best part of writing for you?
I love plotting and the process of taking several ideas—often a character, a crime, and a social issue—and bouncing them off each other until I find the connections. It’s challenging, exciting, and ultimately rewarding when it all comes together. I enjoy the daily writing too, which often surprises me, because I can’t tell for sure how a scene will play out until I see it and write it moment by moment.
Q: Did you always have in mind to be a writer or it just happened?
I’ve always loved to write, even as a child. I loved nonfiction-writing assignments in school and I enjoyed creating stories too. But as a young adult, I started to believe I couldn’t write fiction, that I wasn’t creative enough. Eventually, near age thirty, I read a really bad novel that made me think: I could write a better story than this. I took that as a challenge and a couple of days later, I started my first novel. I loved the process and got hooked. I’ve been writing novels and screenplays since.
Q: How would you describe THE ARRANGER in a sentence?
An ex-detective witnesses a crime, then competes in the Gauntlet, but a mysterious assailant wants her dead and sabotages her chances of winning.
Q: When you sit down and write, do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your ideas develop as you write? I always outline first and often develop character profiles. I typically know how the story will turn out too, but I may not have the specific ending scene mapped out until about halfway through. I write complex crime stories, so I have to have an ending in mind that works with all the events, evidence, and subplots. If I didn’t work it all out carefully, I would leave my readers scratching their heads or feeling cheated.
Q: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?
I watch very little TV, only about an hour at the end of the day, but the shows I like might surprise some people. Entourage, for example, is about a group of young men in Hollywood, and Rescue Me, is about a group of badboy firemen. I love political comedy too: Jon Stewart and Bill Maher are my favorites.
Q: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?
The best aspect is the creative joy I experience in bringing my stories to readers who enjoy them. The worst part is not having enough time to read novels or the lack the focus and attention when I do have time. The more I write, the less I’m able to lose myself in other people’s stories. I miss that.
Lara Evans is our typical heroine, 42 years old, ex-cop a homicide detective and now a freelance EMT is rather a reckless person rushing into scenes without thinking and is a rather determined and point to be noted wants to win at the Gauntlet games and breaking the notion that woman don't win there. But as usual trouble follows and after her roommate is found dead she must do all she can to stay alive and simultaneously try to catch this mysterious attacker.
Where you can find & follow L.J. Sellers:(Click The links below to enter)
Author Website
Author Blog
Facebook Page
Facebook Profile
Goodreads Profile
Exclusive Interview With L.J. Sellers
Q. Tell us something about yourself.
You should have given me a word limit. J But I’ll try to be brief. I’ve lived in Oregon most of my life and earned a journalism degree from the University of Oregon. I worked for magazines and newspapers, raised three boys, and wrote novels in my spare time. I finally developed a small readership when I published the first Detective Jackson story (The Sex Club). But I never made any money with my fiction until last year when I went indie and put all my novels up on Kindle. Within six months, I was making a living and writing full time. I am deeply grateful to be in this position.
Q: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?I think that should be modified to say “a good short story.” It’s a difficult genre, and one that I still haven’t mastered. I do have one short story on the market, Dirty Jobs, and it seems popular, but it’s not an award winner. Still, every genre is different and every writer has a niche. Some novelists can’t write short stories or nonfiction. Some journalists can’t write novels. Again, I’m grateful that I can write both fiction and nonfiction, and I plan to get better as short stories as I write more.
Q: How to do you research for a book before you begin the writing process?
I do some digging around on the internet, but most of my research is conducted through interviews with experts: homicide detectives, medical examiners, a SWAT sergeant, a crime scene technician, whoever I need to talk to for the specific details that will make my story realistic.
Q: What is the best part of writing for you?
I love plotting and the process of taking several ideas—often a character, a crime, and a social issue—and bouncing them off each other until I find the connections. It’s challenging, exciting, and ultimately rewarding when it all comes together. I enjoy the daily writing too, which often surprises me, because I can’t tell for sure how a scene will play out until I see it and write it moment by moment.
Q: Did you always have in mind to be a writer or it just happened?
I’ve always loved to write, even as a child. I loved nonfiction-writing assignments in school and I enjoyed creating stories too. But as a young adult, I started to believe I couldn’t write fiction, that I wasn’t creative enough. Eventually, near age thirty, I read a really bad novel that made me think: I could write a better story than this. I took that as a challenge and a couple of days later, I started my first novel. I loved the process and got hooked. I’ve been writing novels and screenplays since.
Q: How would you describe THE ARRANGER in a sentence?
An ex-detective witnesses a crime, then competes in the Gauntlet, but a mysterious assailant wants her dead and sabotages her chances of winning.
Q: When you sit down and write, do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your ideas develop as you write? I always outline first and often develop character profiles. I typically know how the story will turn out too, but I may not have the specific ending scene mapped out until about halfway through. I write complex crime stories, so I have to have an ending in mind that works with all the events, evidence, and subplots. If I didn’t work it all out carefully, I would leave my readers scratching their heads or feeling cheated.
Q: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?
I watch very little TV, only about an hour at the end of the day, but the shows I like might surprise some people. Entourage, for example, is about a group of young men in Hollywood, and Rescue Me, is about a group of badboy firemen. I love political comedy too: Jon Stewart and Bill Maher are my favorites.
Q: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?
The best aspect is the creative joy I experience in bringing my stories to readers who enjoy them. The worst part is not having enough time to read novels or the lack the focus and attention when I do have time. The more I write, the less I’m able to lose myself in other people’s stories. I miss that.
Q: How similar to it’s the principle protagonist and the main cast are you?
Most of my characters have at least one element of my own personality, and some of my female protagonists are a lot like me. Lara, in The Arranger, shares some of my teenage/college background experiences and my obsession with physical exercise. Of course, she is much more disciplined than I am, and I’m jealous of the great shape she’s in. My other main character in The Arranger, Paul, shares some character parallels with Lara that I found interesting. They’re both loners with food/body issues who are trying to salvage their lives.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about what you are going to do next?
I’m currently working on the sixth novel in my Detective Jackson series. I also just released a nonfiction book of blogs, articles, and writing advice. It’s called Write First, Clean Later after my blog. It was a fun change of pace, but crime fiction/suspense is my true love, and I’ll continue to write in that genres.
Now some simple questions and more fun.
-Your favourite books and author?
My all-time favorite author is Lawrence Sanders, who was incredibly versatile. He wrote police procedurals, women’s suspense, an amateur sleuth series, and a futuristic thriller called The Tomorrow File. That book is one of my favorites and inspired me to think I might someday write a futuristic thriller. Some of my other favorites are Michael Connelly, John Sandford, Perry O’Shaughnessy, and a dozen other crime fiction authors.
-Your favourite band/singer?
I like any music I can dance to, but some of my favorites are Nickelback, Steve Winwood, Kid Rock, and any kind of funk.
-Twitter or Facebook?
I’m on both and I enjoy both. I love social networking.
-Favourite place in the world?
Biking along a country road on a warm summer day. I’m also fond of the beaches in Maui.
-Last movie you watched at the cinemas?
The Guard, with Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. It was a crime story with an element of humor and we really enjoyed it..
-The last book you’ve read?
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson.
-Have you ever googled yourself?
Of course. Sometimes, I look specifically to see which websites and blogs come up first. I don’t make a habit of it though, and I don’t watch my rankings on Amazon every day either.
-If you wouldn't be a writer, what you would be?
I lived in Las Vegas before I was ten, and if we hadn’t moved, I might have grown up to be showgirl. If my parents had money, I would have gone to med school and become a doctor. I’m fascinated with medical science!
-And last one....print or ebooks?
I read both, because people still send me print books. But I see a future in which I read almost exclusively digital.
Most of my characters have at least one element of my own personality, and some of my female protagonists are a lot like me. Lara, in The Arranger, shares some of my teenage/college background experiences and my obsession with physical exercise. Of course, she is much more disciplined than I am, and I’m jealous of the great shape she’s in. My other main character in The Arranger, Paul, shares some character parallels with Lara that I found interesting. They’re both loners with food/body issues who are trying to salvage their lives.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about what you are going to do next?
I’m currently working on the sixth novel in my Detective Jackson series. I also just released a nonfiction book of blogs, articles, and writing advice. It’s called Write First, Clean Later after my blog. It was a fun change of pace, but crime fiction/suspense is my true love, and I’ll continue to write in that genres.
Now some simple questions and more fun.
-Your favourite books and author?
My all-time favorite author is Lawrence Sanders, who was incredibly versatile. He wrote police procedurals, women’s suspense, an amateur sleuth series, and a futuristic thriller called The Tomorrow File. That book is one of my favorites and inspired me to think I might someday write a futuristic thriller. Some of my other favorites are Michael Connelly, John Sandford, Perry O’Shaughnessy, and a dozen other crime fiction authors.
-Your favourite band/singer?
I like any music I can dance to, but some of my favorites are Nickelback, Steve Winwood, Kid Rock, and any kind of funk.
-Twitter or Facebook?
I’m on both and I enjoy both. I love social networking.
-Favourite place in the world?
Biking along a country road on a warm summer day. I’m also fond of the beaches in Maui.
-Last movie you watched at the cinemas?
The Guard, with Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. It was a crime story with an element of humor and we really enjoyed it..
-The last book you’ve read?
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson.
-Have you ever googled yourself?
Of course. Sometimes, I look specifically to see which websites and blogs come up first. I don’t make a habit of it though, and I don’t watch my rankings on Amazon every day either.
-If you wouldn't be a writer, what you would be?
I lived in Las Vegas before I was ten, and if we hadn’t moved, I might have grown up to be showgirl. If my parents had money, I would have gone to med school and become a doctor. I’m fascinated with medical science!
-And last one....print or ebooks?
I read both, because people still send me print books. But I see a future in which I read almost exclusively digital.
Q: The cover of THE ARRANGER is really awesome. Did you have any input in it?
I designed it. I chose the images and envisioned how they would work, then sent my ideas to my graphic designer who did an excellent job of execution. This is how I developed most of my covers, which I have a strong hand in.
I designed it. I chose the images and envisioned how they would work, then sent my ideas to my graphic designer who did an excellent job of execution. This is how I developed most of my covers, which I have a strong hand in.
Q: What advice would you like to give budding authors or those who want to start writing?
If you love writing, then learn everything you can and stick with it. If you get feedback from professionals who say your writing is marketable, then make an investment and publish it yourself. Waiting for an agent or publisher is no longer necessary or prudent.
If you love writing, then learn everything you can and stick with it. If you get feedback from professionals who say your writing is marketable, then make an investment and publish it yourself. Waiting for an agent or publisher is no longer necessary or prudent.
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What a fantastic interview! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI am very excited about this book and would love to win!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing! I try my chance to win it...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the offer! I really look forward to this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and I loved the interview, kisses
ReplyDelete@Liachristo - r u entering the giveaway?
ReplyDeleteNEW FOLLOWER....LOVE your header.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
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