Please help me welcome Lynn Crain to my blog today. She’s given me a great interview and a lovely excerpt from her book. Be sure and leave a comment to be in the running for her giveaway, listed later in the blog.

1. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

This is a tough one. I currently live in Vienna, Austria right now and many people would say this is a great place and it is. The place where I want to live most is Scotland. I’ve been there twice and each time I fall in love with it a little more.

2. Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

Yes, lots of them. I was in nursing. I worked with databases. I worked in publishing. But each and every time I came back to writing.

3. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Inspiration is everywhere. Living in Vienna, I get a lot of ideas from just walking around the city. I have an idea book that is filled with more than I’ll ever get to complete.

4. What is your typical day like?

Well, it’s hard to say. First, when I get up depends upon how late I’ve written the night before. Some nights, I get the writing bug and just can’t turn it off. Others, I’m in bed before 11. What I call a normal day is where I get up between 7 and 8. I’ll go to the computer and look at email, Facebook and Twitter. I’ll schedule a few promotional things then I go get breakfast for me and pup Harry. While, I’m eating, I’ll watch some sort of documentary probably about Scotland. Once breakfast is over, I delve right into my daily task list and try to cross off as many of them before dinner. All my writing tasks are in the list and I try to follow it as closely as possible. However, it’s not a rigid list and I find myself deviating from it occasionally.

5. What was the hardest thing you’ve found in the process of self-publishing? What was the easiest part of self-publishing?

The hardest part for me is the actual selling. The rest is easy because it is very task oriented. I have a list and follow it.

6. Can you list some Pros/Cons of self-publishing?

This is going to sound weird but they are basically the same thing: you’re in charge of everything. You can leave nothing to chance. If you aren’t a detail oriented person, then this may not be for you. Read some of the latest books like Write.Publish.Repeat. for a hard look at the self-publishing world. It is hard work but some of the most satisfying work you’ll ever do.

7. Do you have critique partners?

Absolutely. I belong to the fabulous Passionate Critters. We are a very work oriented group and regularly critique. We also talk every day about the writing life and life in general. There isn’t a better set of women out there.

8. How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Hardly ever. Sure, I’ve used some as a template for a character but I learned a long time ago, people rarely want to see themselves in a book.

9. Do you have a view in your writing space? What does your space look like?

I have a wonderful view from our flat. We overlook the Belvedere Gardens. My desk is quite different from the one I normally have at home. It’s smaller for one thing and there really aren’t any drawers but I love the top. It’s a heavy piece of glass that has the word love in many different languages. I will never forget what I’m writing about! LOL!

10. Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I try not to because I don’t want it to influence my own writing. Right now, I’m finishing up a contemporary erotic romance that is in its final editing stages. I’m reading non-fiction about writing and some hardcore science fiction.

11. Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not? How did you choose it?

My name is part of my legal name. I choose it because I wanted something easy to remember for both me and the readers. I choose it in particular because a friend mentioned to me that the easiest remembered names are one to two syllables. My name is actually a 2,1,1,2 combination. I just used the two one syllable parts.

12. Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

I just got over the worst case of writer’s block and lack of inspiration I’ve had in my forty years of writing. It was the combination of a move from all I’ve ever known and an illness.

13. What are you reading now?

Right now, I am finishing up Write.Publish.Repeat by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant with David Wright. It’s a very interesting book and depicts the self-publishing world in vivid color. If you haven’t read it you should because there are tips inside for every author, traditionally or self published.I’ve really enjoyed it so far.

14. Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

This is where my geek girl stands out. I’m going back to words from the movie Galaxy Quest: Never give up, never surrender. This is more true if you self publish because it does take quite a while to pull in the readers. If you keep at it, slow and steady will win the race too.

15. What’s next for you?

I have high hopes for the contemporary book I mentioned previously. I’m finishing up some final editing bits for my agent and she’ll be shopping it around hopefully next month. After that is off my plate, I have a book to finish for one of my other publishers and I’ll be publishing the second book in my A Taste of Vienna series, Night Train.

Giveaway:

Lynn will be giving away an ebook copy of A Viennese Christmas and one other ebook from her extensive backlist to one lucky commenter.

The heart knows the language of love.

Blurb:
Sign language interpreter, Amanda Kranz, wants to find her soul mate but fears her chance has past due to the death of her childhood sweetheart. Finding sexy historian Henry Jager during an outing in her new home of Vienna, Austria, may have been a stroke of luck. When his ex-fiancée shows up just as their relationship starts to sizzle, Amanda must decide if standing up for what she really wants will give her lifetime happiness. Or will she be destined to spend her life alone?

Excerpt:
Her disappointment must have been plain on her face as she found herself suddenly gazing into the greenest eyes in a very handsome male face. A question in German followed as she tried to ascertain just what he said.

“I’m sorry,” she stated, her confusion obvious. “I’ve only picked up a word or two since I’ve been here. Do you speak English?”

“You’re American?” he questioned without the accent most Austrians possessed.

“Don’t make it sound like such a curse. There are a lot of us, you know.” Her indignation evident in her tone.

His rich laughter filled the space, warming her to her bones in ways she hadn’t expected. “Sorry. I guess one does pick up the attitudes of where they live.”

She looked at him puzzled. “That’s that supposed to mean?”

“Henry Jager, American, at your service ma’am.” His sweeping bow brought a smile to her lips.

“Amanda Kranz and I hardly think I qualify as a ma’am.” She stuck her hand toward him. His firm grasp sent an electric sensation as she felt the spark deep within her. She swore he felt it too as his eyes darkened.

“Do you prefer Amanda or Mandi? I know there’s not much of a choice with Henry.” His serious gaze spot of his interest.

Laughter bubbled up in her, the first such emotion in weeks. “Henry is a fine, strong name. And it doesn’t matter much with mine.” His hot look made her want to shiver in anticipation of what she could only speculate.

“Really? I would have thought your business associates would call you Amanda. Now your intimate contacts I expect call you Mandi.”

She gazed at him. Intimate contacts, now there was a misnomer. It had been years since she’d had any intimate contacts of the male persuasion. “Sounds good to me.”

“You gave in too easy.” He reluctantly let go of her hand as his look took on a more serious aspect. “Are you meeting someone?”

She shook her head. “No one to meet.”

“Good.” He grabbed her hand again, placing it in the crook of his arm. “Have you ever been to one of these before?” Henry expertly meandered around people, baby carriages and more as he led her to the next booth.

“Not really. I saw them last year but being so new to the city, I couldn’t bring myself to go to one alone.” She gazed at the Rathaus beyond them, remembering how intimidated she’d been by building even though it had a Christmas tree in front.

His eyes narrowed. “Sounds like you’re still a relative newcomer.”

“I suppose so. I got here in November of last year.”

“Ah – your impression?” His brows lifted when he drew back as if to study her face.

“Very commercialized. I expected something more – ” she struggled to find the right word. “– more homey, more authentic – more Austrian.”

Henry gazed around a moment before looking back at her. “I see your point. This is probably the one Christkindlemarkt that’s got the least to offer in specialized, authentic goods in my opinion except it does have a certain ambiance. And of course, there’s the skating rink as well as the park decorations.”

Her brow arched in amazement. She really hadn’t expected anyone to agree with her. All the women she knew gushed over every one of them. “You agree with me?”

His naughty smile was breathtaking. “Most definitely. This is the one where most of the tourists come. While there are some very Austrian things here hidden amongst the drivel, most are not unique or special in any way.”

“My thoughts exactly. Where exactly does one find more traditional items?” Astonishment spread through her. She had not once heard anyone say a negative comment about Vienna. All her colleagues gushed over the city but as far as she was concerned, it was just another place to live.

They stopped in front of a food booth, the aroma tantalizing. “Would you like something hot to drink?”

The brisk breeze nipped at her cheeks and she felt the cold through her coat. She definitely could use something to warm her up. “Sure.”

strong>BIO:
Award winning author, Lynn Crain realized at an early age she wanted to write. She took the long road with many careers, all of which have added to her detail-oriented stories. Today, she’s a full time storyteller and weaves fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales as well as erotic stories for various publishers. She normally lives in the very hot southwest with her family and fur babies. Currently, her kids have the house because she’s run away from home. Her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband as he works at his dream job. You can find her hanging out at A Writer In Vienna Blog and various other places on the net like My Sexy Saturday, Twitter and her blog, XtraOrdinary Romance. Still, the thing she loves most of all is hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.

PURCHASE Links:

All Romance eBooks ~ https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-aviennesechristmas-1031953-149.html
Amazon US ~ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BBFDLOK
Barnes and Noble ~ http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-viennese-christmas-lynn-crain/1114313180?ean=2940016221441
Kobo ~ http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Viennese-Christmas/book-KLxTdvUwEkukzOyG93F9yA/page1.html
Smashwords ~ https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/282513

Where Lynn Is:
http://www.lynncrain.com
http://www.lynncrain.blogspot.com
http://www.awriterinvienna.blogspot.com
http://throughheartshapedglasses.com/
http://www.twitter.com/oddlynn3
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnCrain
http://www.youtube.com/lynncrain
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/684863.Lynn_Crain
https://www.amazon.com/author/lynncrain