Here we go...
CW: Julie. You write like crazy and it amazes me. Just how many books have you written?
JL: I started writing about 3 years ago and since then I’ve written 8 novels, three novellas and two short stories. LOL I’ve started lots more that fell flat and the first three novels I wrote sucked eggs. They weren’t redeemable, but I learned a lot and that’s what counts. The two short stories have been featured in anthologies and the three novellas are under contract with Turquoise Morning Press as part of their new Honey Creek Books line. One of my finished novels is too. Another novel, Death by Chocolate releases next month from kNight Romance Publishing. A YA novel is out on submissions with editors and another YA is in the polishing stage with my agent. Right now I’m working on a cozy mystery to pitch in June J
CW: You're also a Social Networking maven. How did you develop such a vast platform?
JL: Social networking is just about being friendly and consistent. I’m online every day. I respond to every tweet or email and I reach out to others often. Lucky for us the online writing community is made of awesome and it’s so simple to connect. I leave comments on blogs I love telling them I love them and I tweet at people who say witty things. I follow anyone who has anything to do with the industry. I learn from agents and editors and authors. Plus, I find amazing fellowship with others who are in the same boat I am. Accepting rejection or muddling through a tough writing situation is easier with friends doing the same thing. It’s even better when you have friends who have been there and survived to encourage you onward. Take the plunge, stop lurking and introduce yourself. That’s my great advice LOL I know whomever you say Hi to will be glad to make a new bookish friend too.
CW: What does the future hold for Julie Anne Lindsey? What books can we look forward to?
JL: There will be two more novellas out this year in my Seeds of love series. All are sweet romance and ebook format, about 100 pages. I have a full length sweet coming in March 2013 to the Honey Creek line too. Next month my debut novel Death by Chocolate arrives. It’s a silly tale of a housewife who takes inept to a whole new level and a lot of people die – accidentally of course. LOL She and her bestie do their best to cover their tracks and get the heck out of town J Not a romance but fun and different for sure. And of course I have hopes to see on or both of my YAs in print next year but they are waiting to find a home. I’ll keep you posted!
And now for a sneak peek...(Click the pic to purchase on Amazon!)
The screen door banged hard against the house, and Cynthia broke into a sprint across the field separating her home from Mitchell’s. Mad as she was, it felt good to run. The treadmill couldn’t compare to the outdoors, sun on her back, grass under her feet. Sparrows swooped and played along the creek beside her as she ran. A smile nearly made it to her face when the barn was back in view. It looked like Mitchell was loading something onto his old pickup. He had it backed up to the barn, tailgate down, but he was nowhere in sight.
A stitch in her side pulled her to an abrupt stop. She bent down at the waist, gripping her ribs with both hands. Skinny jeans were nice for showing off the goods, but not so great for running. She looped her thumbs under the waistband and pulled. On the treadmill there’s always a steady supply of water. Her house was too far away for a retreat, and his house wasn’t any place she wanted to go with her pants unzipped. So, she popped the top button of her jeans and folded her body onto the ground, backside first.
Honeybees and apples hung thick in the tree over her head. It was one more sight she didn’t know she missed until she saw it again. She missed home, and her friends, and her grandma. Her grandma talked to a stuffed cat. She’d have to think more about that later. Was it grounds for assisted living? She didn’t think so. If her grandma was rich, people would call her eccentric and move on. When she closed her eyes, she could see her grandma playing hide and seek in the field with her. She’d duck into the tall grass and wait for Cynthia to get close then pounce like a cat scaring the bejesus out of her over and over again.
With the hot sun against her eyelids and the smell of fresh cut grass in her nose, everything faded away, until a cloud appeared.
“What are you doing, City?”
Her eyes popped open. Mitchell stood over her, arms crossed on his chest and the usual frown on his face. His regal blue eyes and intensity took her breath for a moment, and she didn’t mind the frown as much. His jaw was wide and square, his nose perfectly angled, and his lips were parted enough to put more than one romantic thought into her head.
“Are you getting undressed again?” he asked, motioning to her pants. “Do you do that a lot back home, take your clothes off and walk over to see the neighbor? Or is that something special you save for your homecomings?”
“I’m not getting undressed.”
“No?”
Sure her pants were unbuttoned, but she’d been running. She’d come to tell him what a horse’s-rear-end he was. For some reason he singled her out to pick on, and she wasn’t the kind of woman to put up with bullying. Her mouth opened again, and nothing came out. It was like he stole her words. They were sucked out by his brilliant tan and ridiculous body. What was there to say?
“If you’re going to ignore me, I’m going home.” He shifted his weight onto one foot and waited.
“I came to tell you you’re mean. There, I said it.” She hopped up, stood straight, shoulders back, and threw her chin up until she could look him straight in the eyes.
“Is that what you were coming to do last night too?”
“As a matter of fact.” Her zipper scooted further south but she refused to grab onto it until this was resolved. Zipping her pants now would only make her look more insane.
“And you find it easier to talk to me in your underpants?”
The zipper crept another inch lower, and there was nothing to do but zip. She smashed her eyes shut and pulled. One button more and she was righted. This time she tested the water with one eye at a time. The first eye found him smiling.
“Are you laughing at me? Again?”
He shrugged and lost the smile, but his shoulders still moved.
“You’re such a pig.” She turned to flee, but he caught her by her wrist with one massive hand.
“Wait a minute now. You came to tell me something, and I think you’d better have out with it before you come back again and I have decent folks here. I don’t want them getting the wrong idea.” The smirk was back. “Also, you should apologize.”
There were way too many things wrong with what he’d said. She couldn’t pinpoint where she wanted to start. Okay, one thing did stand out. “Apologize for what?”
“It’s not nice to call names.”
“It’s not nice to laugh at people.’
“But you’re funny.”
“And you’re a pig.”
“I forgive you.” He smiled wide. He wasn’t even trying to hide it. She blinked back the sting of embarrassment and tried not to notice his perfect white teeth and what else? A dimple.
“I didn’t apologize.” Her voice lost steam with each word, but her blood boiled.
“Really? Because I feel like you did, and I appreciate it.” He turned to leave her.
“Hey.” Her arm shot out and grabbed the hem of his shirt, stopping him in his tracks. His muscles tensed. He turned to face her, and she dropped her arm back to her side. “What’s your problem with me?”
Mitchell took a step in her direction, closing the space between them with caution and authority. Her heartbeat quickened, and she held her breath to keep from saying something she’d regret. He leaned down, inches from her face, and every muscle in her body went rigid. His mouth stopped beside her cheek, and she shut her eyes to control the trembling.
“I don’t like you.”
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About Julie:
I am a mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus. Most days you'll find me online, amped up on caffeine & wielding a book.
You can find my blogging about the writer life at Musings from the Slush Pile
Tweeting my crazy at @JulieALindsey
Reading to soothe my obsession on GoodReads
And other books by me on Amazon
