Thursday's Interview -- Linda Andrews

Today's guest Linda Andrews writes in a number of genres but loves happy endings.

1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?



My books are either romances or have elements of romance in them. I am drawn to the feel good ending that is a requirement for the genre. That said, my short stories are not romances, but have an element of hope in each of them. Even the horror ones:-).


2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?

My genres definitely choose me because if I could write what I'd wanted to originally, I'd be writing mysteries. I love mysteries. They are my first love, then Science Fiction and Romance. Lately, I've been combining all three although they're predominantly Science Fiction with those other elements. The horror story came from a really dark place, but I'm proud of it. It is a scifi too so I didn't stray too far from my area of normal.


3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't? I would love to write a straight Victorian mystery a la Authur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock was my first crush; although in the new BBC series I definitely lean more toward Dr. Holmes. As for what I won't write, it would be zombies. I love, love, love zombies. Good, bad and decaying I leave them alone and only visit them for entertainment purposes.

4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?

I read romances, mysteries, scifi, and urban fantasy.


5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,

Growing up I never wanted to be a writer. I hated English class and detested dissecting other people's writing. But I was an avid reader and would go through ten books or so a week. To me books were to be enjoyed, not taken apart and interpreted according to the teacher's foibles (As a straight A student I knew how to play the game, even as I despised it). But reading so much for years on end comes with a price and eventually I'd get bored so I started changing things to amuse myself. Gradually the story fairy began visiting me on a regular basis and, for some reason known only to God, I chose to write them down instead of drawing them--once upon a time I was a budding artist. Since I picked writing, I'm determined not to give it up until I'm an overnight success. I heard it only takes 20 years so I don't have so far to go.


6. Which of your characters is your favorite?

The wizard Alistair Eugene Holmes is my favorite character. He made appearances in A Knight's Wish and A Hint of Magic, but starred in Dancing in the Kitchen. He was the ultimate anti-hero that is the perfect mate--an alpha male disguised as a mild mannered beta hero. Since he competes for the heroine's affection with the ultimate cliched romance hero, he makes the perfect underdog. And he makes me laugh. Gotta love a man who makes you laugh.


7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created? Each of my books has a villain or two. Most of my SciFi have nature or circumstance as the bad guy the hero and heroine have to overcome to survive and thrive. My villians are created in part by the plot, but they are also have many of the same characteristics of the hero/heroine, with a few turned 180 degrees. So if my hero is giving; my villian will be selfish. I once read that the villian is the hero of his own story. And while his story must end badly so the hero and heroine can triumph, he should in his own mind at least, think he's in the right and have motivations other than villiany.

8. What are you working on now?

I just finished the first round of edits for Fiona's story. It is a Victorian ghost story set in London with a mysterious disappearance. So I did kind of manage to achieve my dreams of writing a Victorian mystery. As I wait for the next round to begin, I'm writing a surviving the apocalypse book.


9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?

With Fiona's story due to be released late summer, my latest release is Hiding Space--a science fiction book with romantic elements. Like most books it started with the What If? question. In this case, what if alien abductions are real and they didn't just want to experiment with you, but wanted to keep you? That led to the question of why and who would be the worst character to put into the situation? So the premise of Hiding Space is this: A single mother finds herself and her three children kidnapped by aliens. Since she's a fan of scifi, she knows this isn't likely to end well and demands to return home. Unfortunately, someone on board the ship refuses to let her leave and another plans to kill her and her family.

But why would any society go to the trouble to collect people from Earth? Well, it seems my heroine and her children aren't as human as they believe. As for the aliens, they're bordering on extinction. While many are determined to survive no matter the cost to their culture, a few are determined to maintain racial purity. My heroine's ancestors were on the brink of solving the problem before their ship disappeared down a wormhole and they passed the knowledge their genetic memory. But the truth won't set her free; it will get her killed for sure.



August 25th 2007

Missouri, USA

12:05 AM

“Must I stress once more, Commander, that Alderina of Rutgers and her progeny hold the key to Terrillian survival?” Yellow lights from the nearby systems console cast a cadaverous glow to John Doe’s features. The former Exalted Leader of the Terrillian colony of Neith’s short red hair stood on end as he raked his fingers through it.

“I am aware of what the hybrid represents.” Which was exactly why Commander Brongill of Da'Hap hoped not to locate Alderina of Rutgers. Brongill's chair creaked as turbulence rocked the XT Planetary Explorer zipping zero point one arcs above the fertile fields of the alien planet Earth. His left thumb stroked the control sphere rising from the con in front of him. Data streamed down the transparent Terveyza banding his saucer shaped shuttle, partially obscuring the view of the thunderclouds in the distance.

"Then do you think you could find her, Commander?" In his impatience, Doe leaned back, bumping against the other two seats in the spherical cockpit designed for two but now stuffed with three Terrillians.

"Aye. Sir." Brongill added the title as an afterthought. Glancing to his left, he caught his chief medical officer/navigator Tula of Ferrite wince as she wiggled, gaining a little space between her flat stomach and the protruding console.

Sludding politicians, she mouthed, before rolling her eyes and focusing on the medical readouts scrolling down the wedge of Trevayza in front of her.

Brongill nodded and jammed his own chair against Doe's. The politician was merely a tourist on this mission, Brongill and Tula had jobs to perform and for that he needed a little elbow room.

"Well do you think you'll accomplish the mission today?" Doe tried to turn his chair. The tight quarters prevented the action, but not his will. The politician clamped both hands on the chair and yanked, grunted and twisted.

With Doe's frenzied actions transmitting through his chair, Brongill's hand slid off the control sphere and accidentally activated weapons. He locked his retort behind his teeth and took the arms off line. Politicians. He hated the lot of them. Especially the bumbling incompetence of the man at his right. The fool never ordered, he shambled, whined and sniveled until Brongill did as requested. "Sir, please remain still."

Muttering under his breath, Doe collapsed on his immoveable seat. "We must find the woman."

"And we will."