Author Interview: Lynsay Sands + giveaway

One of Heather’s favorite paranormal books is Single White Vampire. Whenever anyone is looking for a good vampire read she tells them to read this book and then go back and read the rest of the series. She has had to replace it several times as she keeps giving her copy away. So when the opportunity to have Lynsay on presented itself she almost leapt through the computer to grab it. BTW did I mention they share a last name? Yep Heather Sands and Lynsay Sands…wonder if Lynsay’s last name comes from Norway like hers?

Ok enough gushing on Lynsay…let’s get down to why she’s here…to talk about herself and that yummy Anders. Come on girls admit it we’ve all been lusting and wondering about him. So with that thank you Lynsay for coming on TBRG today.

LS: Thank-you for having me Book Reading Gals. 🙂

TBRG: First question…is your last name from Norway or Wales?

LS: LOL. Actually, neither that I know of. I’m a mongrel of sorts with ancestry that includes German, Scottish, English, Indian, and I think Spanish… There may be more, not sure, but Norway and Wales have never been mentioned to me. Sorry I can’t be more helpful there.

TBRG: Really did anyone think I wasn’t going to ask that?

LS: Well no one has asked that question before that I can remember so you did take me by surprise. LOL

TBRG: Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?

LS:  My mother and a seventh grade teacher were the largest influences on my writing. My seventh grade teacher, Mr. Brady, really encouraged my writing and told my mother that if she gave me the least little bit of encouragement, I’d some day be published. She took it to heart and always encouraged me in that area….despite wanting me to be a singer or a lawyer, lol.

TBRG: What is the one thing your readers would be the most surprised to know about you?

LS: I write for myself, meaning even if was not a published author and I had a different career, I would still be writing stories.  Luckily there are a few readers out there that enjoy them.  J

Other than that… I find it difficult to write non-funny stories.  When I do so I have to go back and remove the funny parts because I naturally write them in. Shrug

TBRG: Where is the one place you have always wanted to go, a place on your bucket list?

LS: I have always wanted to go to Australia but the travel time to get there and get back is a little daunting!

TBRG: What was the first romance book that you read?

LS: That was so many books ago that I don’t remember.  Since I can remember on practically a daily basis I was picking up a romance book, reading it and tossing it aside for the next one on the shelf.

TBRG: Who are some of your go to authors, and what are you reading right now?

LS: Lately I’ve been reading Molly Harper’s series Nice Girls Don’t and I’ve really enjoyed them.

TBRG: If you weren’t writing and keeping us in books (thanks for that by the way), what would you be doing?

LS: Jeez… well that I just can’t imagine as writing is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.  But I guess if I couldn’t make a living writing then I’d be working in a different career. Perhaps a psychologist as that’s what I have a degree in.  The only downside to being a practicing psychologist is that I know I would find it very hard not to bring my work home with me.

TBRG: What is your guilty pleasure?

LS: My guilty pleasure is Presidents Choice Triple Nut Toffee squares.  Wow those are good but don’t tell my fiancé this as they were gone so quick that he didn’t get a chance to try them the last time I bought them. Shhh!

TBRG: Who is on your playlist when you are writing?

LS: It depends on what I’m writing as I tend to listen to different music depending on the genre.  However I tend to listen to pop and rock a fair amount so artists like Pink, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and Nickleback to name a few.

TBRG: Where do your ideas/characters come from?

LS: All from my noggin… scary, huh? I tend to write about what I know so I draw from things I experience or those close to me experience.  As for my characters, I tend to draw from people I know or meet. So each character will have their own quirks and temperament, etc. Different personalities lead to different responses and reactions to situations, which leads to different situations developing from the original ones.

TBRG: Are you a planner or a fly by the seat author?

LS: I am definitely a fly by the seat of my pantser.

TBRG: You wrote historical romances, which I love btw, so how did you come up with the Argenau series?

LS: Two writer friends and I were chatting on MSN, one of them was Christine Feehan who writes the Dark series, the other, Melanie Jackson, didn’t write vamps, but suggested the three of us should write an anthology together for Halloween. CF could do a dark story, I could do humorous and Melanie would do her own version. I laughed and said if we did that you know my vamp would have to faint at the sight of blood or something. I threw out a couple more ideas we laughed over and we laughed at the ideas then changed the subject. We never did the anthology but the ideas stuck with me and I finally had to write them down. The minute my editor heard I was writing it, he asked to see it and then contracted for the first three books.  It was kind of a fluke I guess. I never planned to write vamps, it just happened.

TBRG: Tell us about the series?

LS: The general story line . . . there are immortal people living among the mortal population today.  They are descendents of an ancient civilization that was advanced technologically to the point that they began to work with bio-engineered nanos as a medical aid to fight disease and repair injuries from inside the body without the need for invasive surgery. These nanos used blood to make repairs and fuel themselves which meant the host needed more blood than a body could supply to support the nanos. In that civilization this was dealt with through transfusions. However, when a series of natural disasters (earthquakes and volcanoes) brought an end to that civilization, only those people the nanos had been tested on survived, and they suddenly found themselves without their advanced technology and joining the rest of the world, which was still in the dark age technologically speaking. Without their much needed blood transfusions, many died, but in others the nanos lived up to their programming to keep the host at their peak condition and forced a sort of evolution on them, bringing on fangs and other skills so that their hosts could get the blood they needed.

That’s the background, but my stories are based mostly around one particular family of immortals, the Argeneaus. They are your typical family. I think everyone would recognize at least one member of their own family among this group. My stories tell how each member finds his life mate despite all the good intentioned interference and harassment of their loving family.

TBRG: Tell us about Immortal Ever After.

LS: Immortal Ever After is about Valerie, a survivor who escapes a rogue serial killer vampire only to land in Anders’ arms. He quickly discovers she could be the life mate he’s waited over 600 years for. The only question is… when Anders finally explains things to her, will Valerie be able to accept him for who he really is, or will she only see him as a bloodthirsty vampire like the monster she escaped.

TBRG: What do you want us to know about Anders and Valerie?

LS: Anders is a rogue hunter that has worked with Lucian for quite a while. He is an older immortal and is a bit of an enigma. He’s loyal, strong, tends to be concise with his words, and surprisingly a dog lover at heart.  Valerie is a mortal that was abducted by a rogue vampire. The rogue hunters answered her 911 call and she fell into Anders’s lap while he was on the job.

TBRG: Using 3-5 adjectives describe Anders and Valerie.

LS: Anders is: Dark, Powerful, Devoted, Loyal, Concise

Valerie is: Brave, Honest, Clever, Resilient, Tenacious

TBRG: What are you working on now?

LS:  I have two books due over the next month and a half, a vamp and a historical. Right now I’m working on the vamp, a story about a gal who forgets something at work, goes back to get it at night, and stumbles across a couple of rogue hunters which changes her life forever. It’s amazing how one little thing like forgetting something can change the entire course of your life, but it happens all the time.  In this instance, it’s a good change. At least I think it is. LOL.

TBRG: We want to thank Lynsay for coming on and talking about one of Heather’s favorite series and putting up with her fan girl behavior.

LS: No problem. It was a pleasure. Thank you for thinking of me.

TBRG: We are giving away a winners choice book from this series….just tell us what you love about this series, or if you’re new to the series just tell us you want to start reading it.

A kiss doesn’t mean eternity . . .

Valerie Moyer doesn’t believe in vampires—until she is kidnapped by a fanged psychopath! After escaping her bloodthirsty captor, she’s through with creatures of the night. Until she finds herself under the protection of the darkly handsome Anders. Not only is she expected to accept that Anders is immortal, but also that she is the woman destined to be his life mate!

. . . Or does it?

Anders felt a connection to Valerie from the moment he cradled her bruised body in his arms. But before he claims her, he must destroy the vampire who almost stole her from him forever. His job would be easier if Valerie didn’t fight him every step of the way. Still, Anders loves a challenge, and the green-eyed beauty is worth fighting for!