Friday 30 August 2013

Lindy Spencer


My Spotlighted Author today is the mysterious Lindy Spencer...I really want to dress up as Columbo...or Inspecter Clousea...but I'm probably more like Inspector Gadget!


Lindy Spencer currently lives in Oklahoma with her superhero family - Amazing Husband and Super Smart Dog. Her children have grown and flown, and are currently working on populating their own branches of the family tree. 

When Lindy isn't writing she enjoys spending time reading, riding motorcycles, and shooting things with a Canon. Currently she is working on her next novel as well as several other short stories, and she plans to publish a compilation of the collection of photographs she took and were recently on exhibition at the Oklahoma Historic Route 66 Museum.

Her first novel, The Boomerang Effect, is available in print and for e-readers on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Lindy loves to visit with her fans and can be found at www.facebook.com/LindySpencer.Author 

I feel like a detective on this interview...you know like Inspector Clousea...fake mustache...big magnifying glass and an awful French accent...I love mysteries....
Do you write as yourself or under a pseudonym? Why?
I write as myself. When I decided to write I felt that if the story is my work filled with my blood, sweat and tears, it should wear my name as well. Besides, how fun is it to see your name on the cover?
What made you want to be a published author?
While I was reading the forward to a book by one of my favorite authors a sentence she said stuck with me. “If you think of a story you would like to read that hasn’t been written yet, you are charged with writing it.” The kernel of my first story, The Boomerang Effect, came to mind one day and took hold. I remembered what I’d read and took it as a challenge.
What genre do you write in and why?
My preferred genre is mystery. I want to write what I want to read; murder mysteries and darker topics are interesting to me. I’m not a huge fan of romance novels and I don’t believe I would write a good story if reading it wouldn’t hold my attention.
If you could talk to your 12 year old self, what advice would you give?
Moving isn’t a bad thing, it’s just a change; you’ll make new friends. Junior high doesn’t last forever, hang in there. And the most important piece of advice I would have to tell me is to keep working hard, it will pay off and you will be ok, I promise.
Have any other authors influenced your writing through theirs?
Every book I read influences my writing; not only the research books, but the fiction I enjoy in my downtime as well. Everything you take in makes you a little bit different than you were the minute before.
If you are a self-published author what made you take this route and what was your experience (good or bad)?
The reason I self-published was so that I could keep control of my content. I would rather publish my own story my way than have someone else tell me they would be happy to publish me if I would rewrite my story their way. No thanks, all the same. My experience was good; I researched several companies and was getting depressed by the cost of self-publishing when I heard about Smashwords. This company doesn’t charge you to publish your book – they take a small percentage of each copy sold and that is their fee. Nothing up front, no extra hidden charges, none of that. I think their company made my decision into a good experience. If I could go back and do it again, I’d do it the same way.
How would you rate your writing?
Oh, gosh. I write and rewrite and rewrite again until I think my writing is the best I can produce, so I’d have to say I rate my writing as good. I work hard to make it good. It doesn’t come out that way to start with, but by the time I’m done I’m proud of it.
How do you react to poor reviews of your book?
Knowing that my work can’t please everyone I don’t take the poor reviews personally. For whatever reason they didn’t enjoy their journey and I respect that. When a poor review gives constructive criticism, though, I can appreciate it as much as a great review.
What influences your choice of book covers?
I take the overall story into account, pick out important details, and go from there. I like to visit with my cover designer and let them have some input as well into the design. My preference is to go with something original and not pick up a pre-made cover that may have been used on another book somewhere else, or can still be made available for others to use.

How do you balance your writing with your real world responsibilities?
The writing gets balanced on the cookie that’s on the plate being balanced on the wine glass. smiley My writing doesn’t get as much time as it deserves; my real world takes precedence. My writing is for pleasure – if it takes longer to get the next story out, well, that’s how it goes. I hope my readers understand that writing isn’t paying the bills (yet) so it sometimes takes the back seat.
Do your characters drive the plots of your stories or do you plan out your plot?
Both. I plan the plot and then my characters argue with me. Sometimes they’ve got better ideas than I had to begin with, so we go with theirs. Sometimes I make them do what I say. Give and take!
Do you ever write what you dream? Give an example.
Actually, little known fact, the scene in my book where Tom is talking to Katy and telling her what he had dreamed the night before was a dream I actually had. It was recurring, and once I put it in the book it stopped. To know what that dream was you’ll have to read my book!
Do you market yourself or pay a professional?
I market myself, though I’m not sure that’s the way to go. Come January I’ll be re-evaluating my marketing strategies, reviewing the year, seeing what worked and what didn’t, and perhaps changing that option.
What are your tips for editing?
Don’t do it yourself. Well, use the spell checker yourself, no reason to be silly about it, but let a professional do it. Sometimes as the writer we can’t see the forest for the trees and obvious mistakes slide through unnoticed; don’t let your work go out the door unpolished.
What inspired you to write your current WIP or current published work?
My current WIP is a sequel to The Boomerang Effect. I was inspired by the constant badgering I was getting by readers who wanted to know what happened to this person or that person or how would this situation be resolved. They demanded a sequel, so they’ll get one. Now, I can’t promise it will turn out the way they would like it to, but that’s yet to be seen.
Do you prefer to write stand-alone novels or a series? Why?
I’m not sure yet. I’d thought my book would be a stand-alone novel, but it has turned into the opposite. I’ve got another story in the beginning stages that I expect to stand alone. Ask me again after that one comes out and we’ll talk then.
If you could change one thing in the publishing process what would it be?
I would require all manuscripts to contain the code that disallows the work to be shared. I believe that would go a long way toward getting rid of piracy.
What advice would you give to a new author?
Don’t quit. You’re closer than you think, just back away for a few minutes or a few days and let your brain work it out. You’ll get there as long as you don’t stop working toward your goal. (When you think you can’t take any more and you want to throw your half-finished manuscript up in the air and watch the pages flutter to the ground, don’t do it; especially if the pages aren’t numbered. Don’t ask me how I know.)
Share a favourite quote from your book.
“Karma is a well-thrown boomerang.” ~ Andrea Parker

I agree with the piracy thing...it's heartbreaking when you've worked so hard, put you heart and soul into your story to see it on a piracy website. It's not like we charge a fortune for the months of sweat and tears and most times our books cost less than a (deep breath) skinny expresson mochachino latte with extra cream and sprinkles! Anyhows lets have a looksy at her book...
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can end your life - or worse, postpone it indefinitely.

In Aspen Grove, Oklahoma, fifteen-year-old Katy had everything going for her, until an innocent decision to walk home from school set the karmic wheels in motion. Katy suffered a brutal attack, leaving her comatose. The legal system failed to convict the men responsible for this heinous crime - instead found them not guilty.

They’ve gotten away with it, or so it seems. Darnell and Jerome, then boys, now men, continue on with their lives; Bruce Hanson, the attorney tasked with convicting the two attackers, brushes off his loss and continues his climb up the legal ladder; Office Webster, the policeman who responded to the call for help, the man who destroyed evidence, forgets all about his part in the crime and moves forward in his lazy life; all of this while Katy lies in a hospital bed, still comatose, her life postponed, her loved ones outside of that room hoping and waiting.

Several years go by, bringing us to now. Something, or someone, has found a way to bring these individuals to justice; the perfect murder has been created and is being unleashed on the individuals responsible for Katy's situation.

Are they accidents? Could it be coincidence? Perhaps long-awaited payback in the form of the perfect murder? Revenge is a dish best served cold... and karma is a well-thrown boomerang.

I love mysteries...whoops my TBR has another addition! So here's where everyone else can grab a copy...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Boomerang-Effect-ebook/dp/B008MC1BV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376909962&sr=8-1&keywords=Lindy+Spencer+Boomerang+Effect
And you can stalk her here...

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