Interview: "Brianna" by Linda Andrews

I have Linda Andrews here today for a interview and spotlight for her new book "Brianna". So lets give Linda a warm welcome to Romance Book Junkies.

I know you get asked this question over and over but can you tell us a little about yourself? Maybe something juicy. ;)

I started writing back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, er, actually in 1997. Hey it was so last century. I wanted to write mysteries. They're my favorite genre right next to romances. Imagine my surprise when I wrote a romance, then ghosts appeared. I've always heard if you want to hear God laugh, make a plan. Well apparently, I'm hilarious because here it is 15 years later and I still haven't written a mystery. Ah well, there are some suspense elements
in my historicals so I'm getting closer:-)

When did you first start writing? Are you a full time author or do you do it on the side? 

I started writing in 1997. I recorded my stuff on tape
during a 65 mile (one way) commute to my job at the time. On the weekends, I'd transcribe the recordings and edit on my lunchtime. I work full time as a chemist so I forgo a lot of TV to write in the evenings.

Do you have a author that has really inspired you? 

I would love to write like MM Kaye or Arthur Conan Doyle. Of course, I'd love to have their careers too.

How long does it normally take you to write an average book or your last book? 

When I first started it took me a year to write 80K. Now I can write
130K in three months. Once I wrote 90K in 6 weeks. It really depends on how much the characters talk to me.

What do you think makes a story great? 

Characters. Everything comes from them, including the suspension of belief in paranormals and SciFi. The scary part is that readers graft their own thoughts onto what they read and change the characters from the way the author may have meant a
statement.

Have you done lots of research for your books or do the stories just come to you? 

Everything I read, hear and watch is research. But when I write my
historicals, I tend to read about 40 general books (including diaries--I love diaries) of the era and from that the characters and story arise. Later, if need be, I'll research a specific thing. In Brianna, I had the ship quarantined because of a death during Victorian tiimes. In researching quarantine measures I found that letters coming off a ship into an Egyptian port were chemically sterilized. he idea that disease could be spread through a letter was ridiculed in the enlightened world in the early 1900s and so the practice was discontinued. I wrote the story after the anthrax attacks in 2001 that came by the mail.

What are you currently working on? 

I am currently working on book three of my apocalyptic series, Redaction. For it, I got to visit an abandoned hard rock mine. Very, very cool!

Can you tell us about some of your prior achievements? 

I think anyone who finishes writing a book has achieved something amazing. So whether you're published or not, if you've typed the end on a manuscript pat yourself on the back.

Is there anything that I didn't cover that you would like to talk about or say to your potential readers? 

Brianna is the last in a four book series set in Victorian times. When I was editing it, I realized that the era still is drawing me back and I plan to write several historical romance novels next year.


Just for fun:
Hardback or Paperback? ebook. That way no one can tell how many books I have. I think I need to join booksaholic anonymous.
Dog ears or Bookmarks? Dog ears
YA novels or Adult novels? Adult
Library or Bookstore? Library for tangible books
Reading glasses or No glasses? I have glasses but I don't always use them
Snack while reading or No snacks? No snacks while reading
Beach or Mountain? Mountain
Vampire or Werewolf? Werewolf (although ghosts are my favorite)
Hot or Flirty? Usually flirty
Movie 1st or Book 1st? Movie
Contemporary or Historical? Historical
Page-Turner or Tear Jerker? page-Turner


Thanks so much for having me!

Love, lies, and an ancient Egyptian curse. Brianna Grey holds the key

to mankind's destruction and someone is willing to kill for it. Having spent most of her life dying of consumption, one man's kiss has resurrected her desire to live. For US Treasury Agent, Duncan Stuart, love means death. He works alone, lives alone and plans to die alone until he meets Brianna again. Under the harsh Egyptian sun, Duncan will break all his rules to save her but will it be enough to overcome the secrets that could get them both killed?