Thank you for joining me today, Lynda.  Readers don’t forget to leave a comment with your email address in the comment.  Lynda will be picking a winner from those who leave their email address only

How did you get started writing?

I’m not sure. I started writing stories when I first picked up a pencil. Of course most of those stories featured talking animals, ie dogs or horses.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write Science Fantasy Romance. When I was a child visiting my uncle, I found an Isaac Asimov book, The Foundation and Empire, that just captivated me. There was adventure, science and romance all of which just spoke to my soul. That book gave me the desire to write similar stories and so I have.

Tell us about your current series.

Right now, I’m working with Linda Wisdom on an erotic paranormal series under the subtitle: Great Escapes. This series is an interactive series from Colilolquy where the reader can customize certain factors in the story. This is a bit different for me as an author but it’s so much fun!

What inspired your latest book?

I’m working on a futuristic series that features a symbiotic life form pairing with human beings. The first book, Rider, is actively seeking a home while I work on the second book.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I have two favorite parts: research and character development. I love research and find myself lost for hours at a time finding fascinating tidbits that might or might not end up in the book. Character development, well, that introduces me to a new set of friends. Yes, these characters are my friends. I end up knowing them better than almost anyone in the real world. The neat thing is that, like ‘real’ people, different facets of their personality comes out as the story progresses or situations change. Learning about these characters is just as fascinating as creating the world they live in.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Mmm, writing the synopsis so you can sell your finished book. I either make it so long, it’s pretty much a mini book or so short the reader just scratches her head and says, huh? I’m not much of a salesperson.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

Linda Wisdom and I are working on Great Escapes: Summer Solstice for Coliloquy right now. Then we might work on a July 4 or Veteran’s Day  themed Great Escapes.

What is your typical day like?

LOL, it’s pretty boring. Get up, feed the alien kitten, housework-exercise-email, prep posts if any for my blog Star-Crossed Romance, prep any guest posts for myself, review current edits or new material to prepare for the day’s writing, actually WRITE, give alien kitten lunch, WRITE,  feed alien kitten, relax by petting or playing with alien kitten, watch tv while checking email. Prepare for bed, feed alien kitten (she has to have small amounts because she gorges then vomits it back up which is definitely an eeewwww moment we try to avoid. The stuff smells bad going in but even worse coming out!)

How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

I try to do guest blogs on a regular basis but haven’t really counted up the amount of time. I like to have giveaways so readers can get introduced to my books which I think works best.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve only self-published one book, Altered Destiny, and it’s done almost as well as my Heartstone published by Mundania Press.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Dreams. I have strange and unusual dreams that have spurred ideas and scenes and characters. It’s as if I have a doorway to all the alternate universes I write about and the ideas come pouring out. Yep, I’m a bit odd, lol.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Prepare to self-promote as often as you can but first make sure you’ve edited your book so that typos and other assorted errors don’t live on every page. Nothing is as distracting as misspelled or misplaced words or grammar.

Do you have critique partners?

No.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

I’m a simple girl. I like chocolate in any form. Dark chocolate is the best but any chocolate will do.

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

If they totally tick me off, they might end up in a chalk outline on page 12 (I have a coffee cup that says that, lol) but generally most people won’t make an appearance.

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

I have a harder time writing conflict since I’m a peace loving person. But I always try to make it a case of defending the innocent or righting a wrong. That seems to make it a little easier for me.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

I’m not sure if was fraught with peril but it wasn’t a walk in the park either. I’d won or finaled in a number of contests and got some nibbles but it took a while to actually make a sale.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Great Escapes pitch – The heartbroken and lovelorn come to Great Escapes B&B in search of a relaxing getaway, only to embark on a weekend of sexual self-discovery, courtesy of the inn’s resident ghosts, who bring to life each guest’s deepest desires.

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

Right now my office is a disaster. I’ve been trying to clean my files so I have papers stacked and scattered everywhere. Then there are the piles of books. Luckily I firmly believe you can never have too many books…though I seem to be pushing that concept, lol.  I have a south-east exposure but no real view. I like the amount of morning light I get since it energizes me. I sure wouldn’t mind a view of a lake or woods though.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

I read what I write – science fiction, fantasy, paranormal. Luckily I also get to review a number of fine books in these genres so it’s win-win for me…and explains the stacks of books mentioned earlier, lol

What do you have planned for the future?

In addition to the futuristic books, I have an End-of-the-World book that I’m seriously thinking about. I’m still fleshing out the story and the hero, who won’t be exactly human, but it’s a story that’s becoming more beguiling to me as it grows.

How far do you plan ahead?

Five minutes?

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Read, then write. Then read some more. Craft books are fine but books by authors you admire are even better. Re-read them. Study how that author has developed the plot or the characters. Compare a book you liked to one you didn’t care as much for, discover why you didn’t like the one and preferred the other. Then read more books, write some more. Never stop writing. Never stop reading.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization?  Which one?  Have the helped you with your writing?  How?

I’ve been in SFFA, HWA and currently in RWA. I belong to several fine chapters that provide research possibilities to help me create background or worlds.

Do you have any rejection stories to share?

I started writing short fiction and one of the rejections I got actually said – we don’t want our readers to lose their lunch! Now…that really irked me because there was nothing in the story that was gory. Not. One. Thing. There was conflict, there was potential conflict. There were romantic elements. There was no gore. But that magazine publisher went belly up about six months later. I hate to see publishers of any sort go belly up, but that time I did the Happy-Dance-of-Revenge, heheheh.

I’d like to offer one person who leaves a comment WITH their email address a pdf copy of my book, Altered Destiny.  The time limit will be three days from the post date.

Thanks for having me here!

Lynda

 Where to find me on the web:

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   Heartstone

By Lynda K. Scott

Mundania Press

Science Fantasy Romance

Eric d’Ebrur is out of time. He must fine the legendary Heartstone and fulfill the ancient Gar’Ja bond he shares with the Stonebearer. But when he finds her, he discovers that love can be more dangerous than the Gawan threat. Eric can defeat the mind-controlling Gawan but will it cost him the woman he loves?

After terrifying episodes of hypersensitivity, Keriam Norton thinks she’s losing her mind. When handsome shapeshifter Eric d’Ebrur saves her from the monstrous Gawan, she’s sure of it. But insane or not, she’ll find the Heartstone and, if she’s lucky, a love to last a lifetime.

Available in print and ebook format

Buy Links: Mundania Press (use MP10 at checkout for 10% discount)

http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Heartstone

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Heartstone-Lynda-K-Scott/dp/1606592335/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3

Altered Destiny

By Lynda K Scott

Science Fantasy Romance

Available in ebook formats

Stranded on an alternate Earth, architect and Jill-of-all-trades, Liane Gautier-MacGregor must find her way back to her homeworld before she’s enslaved…or falls in love with a man who is the exact duplicate of her ex-husband.

Devyn MacGregor’s alter ego as the Reiver Lord is the only way he can fight the Qui’arel and their nefarious Bride Bounty, a tax paid with human females…until he meets the oddly familiar woman who claims he is her husband. And who sets in motion the rebellion that will either free his countrymen or destroy them.

Buy Links:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Destiny-ebook/dp/B00579FKFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308920443&sr=8-1

Nook http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Altered-Destiny/Lynda-K-Scott/e/2940012882417

Great Escapes – Valentine’s Day

By Lynda K. Scott and Linda Wisdom

Coliloquy

Interactive Adult Paranormal Fiction

The heartbroken and lovelorn come to Great Escapes B&B in search of a relaxing getaway, only to embark on a weekend of sexual self-discovery, courtesy of the inn’s resident ghosts, who bring to life each guest’s deepest desires.

Just as the ghosts transform to meet the needs of each guest, Great Escapes leverages the Kindle platform to deliver what each reader wants. Do you like your erotica steamy or romantic? Your hero to have blue or brown eyes? Anonymously fill out your preferences, and we’ll deliver the best version of hundreds of combinations prepared by the authors.

In Great Escapes: Valentine’s Day, Rose’s best friend gives her a weekend stay, where an invisible lover helps her to rediscover her sexuality. But will she open her eyes enough to see who is right next door?

Buy Link