Thursday, March 27, 2008

Say hello to Linda Wisdom!

Fluff and Puff welcome you!

A few days ago I posted a review of a funny and adorable book by Linda Wisdom. 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover is just one of many books Linda has penned in her career. She was so nice to answers some questions I had.

50 Ways to Hex Your Lover is a very funny read especially with your heroine Jazz who is a witch and her vampire lover, Nick. What made you decide to write a comedic type book rather than a darker more intense read, especially with the usual paranormal romances?

Linda: At first I thought this might come out darker, but the more I wrote, the more I realized it was snark and just plain funny. At least funny in my mind. I love reading the dark paranormal, but I do better writing humor.


Will Jazz and Nick be characters in an on-going series or is this a single title only?

Linda: They have a second book coming out in November, Hex Appeal. The books after that will feature the rest of Jazz's witch friends who start coming out next year.

Jazz’s bunny slippers, Fluff and Puff are real scene stealers. How did you come up with the idea for them and will we see them in future books?

Linda: I wanted something that you couldn't imagine a witch wearing and I love bunny slippers. You'd think they'd be the cutest, sweetest little critters around but these guys are way mischievous. They're in Hex Appeal and in major trouble that Jazz has to work getting them out of. And who knows, they could show up in future books. They hate being left out. I think that's why I've also written little shorts about them in my blogs.

You’ve written over 70 novels! WOW! How has the romance genre changed from your
point of view?

Linda: Sexier love scenes for sure, more complicated plots, more points of view and a very nice variety of genres for women other than the older traditional romances.

Do you feel your degree in journalism helped with your writing?

Linda: Actually, I didn't get my degree in journalism even though I started out there. My journalism advisor wanted me to go into newspaper work and told me I had no future in fiction writing. Her negative attitude was so much I switched over to Fashion Merchandising.

How hard is it to write love scenes? How important are they in telling your stories?

Linda: LOL! Sometimes I write "insert love scene here" and go on. I think they show the connection between the heroine and hero. You need to have the emotional link between them but the physical is needed too.

If you have to be a certain character in one of your books, which one would you like to be? What would your name be?

Linda: I'd love to be Jazz. My friends tell me they see me in her but there's parts of her psyche I'd like to have. And I'd stick with her name.

Who is your favorite hero of all time?

Linda: Oh wow. I adore Nick, but years ago I wrote a Harlequin American Romance titled Sometimes A Lady and the hero in it, Dean, is definitely my favorite. A sexy cop, smartass, totally funny personality and you never knew what he'd come up with next. Yet, in one scene he managed to hold it together while comforting the heroine's daughter when she had her first day of her period. A total keeper of a guy.

There are so many aspiring authors but have no clue where to start or how to get published. Is there any advice you can give?

Linda: Sign up for writing classes and if you're writing romance, check out Romance Writers of America. There's chapters everywhere and a great place to find out the basics. And be stubborn. You can't be easily dissuaded in this business.

How do you feel making the jump from category series books to single title?

Linda: I love it. I always tried breaking the rules in category and would hear "you can't do that". The minute I came up with Jazz I knew she was total single title and my agent agreed. I keep pushing myself all the time and luckily, my characters are pushing me too.


And this is not your normal, run of the mill interview because we are giving away 3 copies of 50 Ways To Hex Your Lover! All you have to do is post a question or comment for Linda, or myself *wink wink* by Monday in order to have a chance to win!

Katiebabs

28 comments:

Brooke Reviews said...

Hello! I'm a new reader of the blog :) I love the idea of the bunny slippers, it sounds funny. Can't wait to pick up this book.

Ana said...

Hey Linda and Katie, great interview.
I love funny books and I can't wait to get my hands on this one.

I love the cover by the way, it's very quirky - did you have any saying on that?

Sarai said...

Great interview I am curious about this book and the bunny slippers look interesting. Aw slippers how I wish I could wear you all the time.

Linda Wisdom said...

Thanks Brooke! The slippers are definitely something wild.

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Ana!

I love the cover too. No, I didn't have any say in this one and I admit I'm anxious to see what they do with the next book, Hex Appeal.

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Sarai,

The slippers can be very mischievous. They get into more trouble than a herd of cats. And now they're so real to me I keep looking at my own bunny slippers and wonder if they've been downstairs in the kitchen without me!

Linda

Tarot By Arwen said...

Linda, out of the upcoming coven sisters, who is the most NOT like Jazz? I love Jazz's snark but who is her polar opposite and what's her story?

Jill D. said...

Hi Linda and Katie Babs! Great interview and I enjoyed the review on 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover. It sounds like a very interesting and original book and nothing like I have read before. Sometimes a Lady sounds like a book I would be interested in too. I would read it just for the 'period' scene, but a sexy, smartass cop for a hero is definitely a winner!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Just swinging by to give a bandita Shout Out to my Sourcebooks Sister. Linda I'm THRILLED to be sharing a publishing line with you! I just know that your Hex series will be wildly popular.

Can you share a little insight with us on creating a series? Did you know up front that 50 Ways... would be a continuing series? What are some challenges you've encountered (besides keeping Fluff and Puff in line) in writing this series?

Happy reading everyone!
AC

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a cute quirky funny book. I have to check out the MySpace page for the bunny slippers. How did that come about anyway?

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Arwen,

Wow, that's a challenge! Each witch has her own personality and special gift. Stasi is a true romantic, but she steps up to the plate in her book when some frightening things happen. Blair is a bit like Jazz, but in a different way. Thea, the romance writer, is a true diva. Emma is really thrust into mortal issues and some scares in her book. I would probably say Neile, who's an herbalist. She has a quiet strength about her. I'd call her the serene one.

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

JillD,

Sometimes A Lady was fun. Dean, the hero, started out as a secondary character in a previous Harlequin American Romance, Sins from the Past and I knew he needed a book of his own.

And yeah, a very single guy dealing with a hormone-laden teenager with her first day of her period was fun to write because he had no clue what to do or say other than knowing if he said the wrong thing he was in deep doodoo.

Linda

Shannon said...

After reading the review of 50 Ways... I absolutely have to hunt down a copy. It sounds right up my alley. Fluff and Puff? Did you have a real life source of inspriration (for example, a pet) that helped shape them?

Speaking of inspiration, what authors have inpired you to write?

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Cindy!!!!

I knew from the beginning that Jazz and her fellow witches would be a series. And when Jazz came up so strong I'd hoped she'd be her own series and it looks like that could be happening since I've been asked to work up a third book for her.

One thing in writing a series is making sure everything is straight. I've got one flash drive that's nothing but notes for the books, character sheets that list descriptions, habits, you name it, any characters that might show up so the names stay straight. You name it. Plus, the witches wear ankle bracelets that have a tiny gold broom on it with a gemstone embedded in the handle, so I need to make sure those stones stay correct for each witch. It's a lot of little things.

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Anna!

I've always loved bunny slippers and I have quite a few stuffed animals that wear them. To me, they're quirky and fun. And I could see this totally chic witch prowling the house in bunny slippers that have a life of their own, get into trouble -- just ask Krebs, Jazz's mortal roomie -- yet have this cute look about them. The funny thing is they totally took off from their first scene. I gave them their own MySpace page because now they can write their own stories. Before their adventures were in my MySpace blog and are still there. Plus, they are true publicity hounds and good for promoting the books. :>

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Shannon,

As I said, more my love for bunny slippers. My dog Bogie is inspiration for Stasi's Bogie which shows up in this book.

I have so many friends who are writers that have inspired me, but I've been doing this for so long I think I would keep on doing it no matter what.

Sourcebooks Casblanca authors are fantastic, Yasmine Galenorn's series, Annette Blair, Candace Havens, I love Jim Butcher's Dresden series, Mark Del Franco has a great wizard series out. They keep my brain "out there".

Linda

lisabea said...

Katie!!!

Most excellent interview! Great questions. sorry it took me so long to get over here. How the heck do you get all this done? What is your secret???? Love the slippes.

KT Grant said...

Lisabea: My alter ego helps out from time to time ;)... and Michael of course. LOL

Christine said...

Fantastic interview, Katie & Linda! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm a first time reader of the blog, but something (the title of the book, I think) told me to stop by. And I'm glad I did- great interview!

Annette Blair said...

Linda, great interview! You did the Witchy Chicks proud. And thanks for the mention. 50 WAYS TO HEX YOUR LOVER is awesome.

Not to make your readers groan, but I have HEX APPEAL in my greedy little hands, and I can't wait to get started. Heh, heh, heh.

Annette

jo robertson said...

Great interview, Linda and Katie!

Fifty Ways sounds clever. Love the heroine's name and the bunny slippers idea is so clever, can't wait to see what trouble Fluff and Puff get up to.

Linda Wisdom said...

Hi Annette!!

She's a fantastic writer and an evil woman. What a great combination. :>

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

Thanks Jo!

Fluff and Puff have a great affinity for getting into trouble.

Linda

KT Grant said...

Annette!! Cruel woman! Or should I say lucky woman?
I have to say it is a nice change to read about witches for a change. And when you have a sexy vampire in the story, it leads to some interesting interactions between the two.
Hot magical lust :)

Annette Blair said...

Katie, you should say lucky. VERY LUCKY. :)

Annette

Linda Wisdom said...

I told you Annette's evil. :>

Linda

ElaineCharton said...

Linda!
You know how much I love this book.
Great interview!
Folks, a friend of mine let her teenage friend read it. This teen ager actually ignored her video games for 3 days to read this and can't wait to read more..

Neither can I....