Spotlight Author with Sara Lindsey

Hi to all. Lord it seems like months since I have sat down to work on my blog. Well in all honesty it has been! ;-) We have moved into our new home, but are not unpacked! Not even close. In fact we just got the fridge and the beds yesterday! Yikes. I hate moving! It has kept me away from all of the things that I love so much for a very long time! I am sore, tired, and have some how turned ugly! Well uglier than I remembered at least. Could it be the new mirrors in the house? Let's just blame it on them!;-) I guess the old saying, "housework makes you ugly" is true! At least in this case anyway. Enough about me. I have another wonderful guest today. Her name is Sara Lindsey and she has a lot to share with us about her new release TEMPTING THE MARQUESS and much more! So let's get started.

Tell us a little bit about your latest release, TEMPTING THE MARQUESS, Sara.

TEMPTING THE MARQUESS is the second book in the Weston family series (PROMISE ME TONIGHT is the first, but you don't need to have read it to enjoy TtM) and it features the hopelessly romantic, yet utterly pragmatic Olivia Weston. Livvy is preparing for her upcoming Season (if you didn't already know, my books are set in the Regency era), but she knows marriage in real life will never measure up to the passionate romances she loves to read.

When the opportunity for an adventure presents itself, Livvy seizes on the chance to have a bit of fun before settling into matrimonial complacency. She travels with her aunt and her cousin to Wales, where they will spend the holidays with her aunt's stepson (the marquess) in his haunted castle. Olivia is instantly attracted to the brooding, mysterious marquess, and she yearns to learn hi deepest, darkest secrets... but will she discover them before she loses her heart to him?

Can't wait to get my hands on it Sara!!! It sounds like a page turner! Can you give us the 411 on what you are working on right now?

Right now I am working on Henry Weston's book, A ROGUE FOR ALL SEASONS, which comes out May 2011.

What do Sara Lindsey fans have to look forward to in 2010?

The majority of the 2010 excitement has already passed now that TEMPTING THE MARQUESS has taken its place beside PROMISE ME TONIGHT on the bookstore shelves. It's still hard for me to believe I've released two books this year! I'm still looking forward to the RWA national conference this July - Walt Disney World, here I come! - and participating in my first publisher and literacy signings. If you're going to Orlando, be sure to find me and say hello!

What is your writing process? Do you plan your stories step by step or let them take you for an adventurous ride to the end?

I always start with an outline of the story, but it usually falls by the wayside as the characters take over and tell their stories. I often get the feeling I should be thankful they allow me along for the ride. Ungrateful wretches!

What would you say is the hardest thing about your job as a writer?

Writing. It's the truth. i like having written. The actual writing process is like pulling teeth. The next hardest part is writing to a deadline. You can't just write when you feel inspired - you have to write every day, whether you're in the mood or not. It's a job and, as with any type of work, you have to show up if you plan to keep your job.

Did you receive rejection letters during your journey to become published? If yes, what is your best advice to someone who's received their first one?

Oh I definitely received my fair share of rejection letters. I'm not going to lie - t totally sucks. On the other hand, if you're at the stage where you're querying agents and/or editors, then you've written a book. Think about that. You. Wrote. A. Book. That's a huge accomplishment. AND you were brave enough to ask someone to read your book. That's another huge step in the right direction.

Okay, now that we've celebrated your achievements, let's go back to that rejection letter. If you need to, set it aside for a few days before you read it. When you're ready to look over it, see if anything the agent or editor wrote resonates with you. Most rejection letters are form letters, but if the sender took the time to write *why* the book didn't work for him or her, make a note of it. Don't rush to change anything just yet, but if you repeatedly get the same comment, maybe some revisions are in order.

Now file the letter away so it's not staring you in the face and do ssomething positive with your book. Send out another query. Work on your elevator pitch. Look up contests you could enter to get more feedback. If you're a RWA member, that rejection letter qualifies you to apply for PRO status. The important thing is to keep moving forward on your journey to publication, and spending a lot of time fretting over a rejection letter isn't going to help you get closer to that finish line.

How long did it take before you got "THE CALL"?

I finished the book that became PROMISE ME TONIGHT in March 2007 and signed with my agent in May of the following year. I went on submission soon after that and got "The Call" on June 16, 2008, so it took me a little over a year to go from having written a book to getting contract.

Do you have any advice on writing, getting published, or finding an agent?

Keep writing. Put your butt in the chair and write. No one is going o publish part of your manuscript. You have to finish your book to take the next step.

Keep reading. Read as much as you can. You can learn a great deal about writing by trying to figure out what makes you love certain books and dislike others.

Keep learning. Join Romance Writers of America or another professional writer's organization. Read books on craft. Attend workshops. Take classes. Stay informed about the industry. Writing is a craft and a business, and there is always something new to learn.

Keep trying. If being a published author is something you truly want, don't give up. This is a tough market into even in the best economic times, and these are not the best economic times. Be aware that your first book may not sell. Accept that you may have to query dozens and dozens of agents and receive countless rejections. Contest judges may tell you that your book is horrible beyond words. This profession is not for the thin-skinned or the faint of heart. Getting published takes an incredible amount of determination and persistence.

How long does a manuscript take yoou to complete from the time the idea sparks until you type THE END?

I'm not entirely sure. When I wrote my first book, I had self-imposed deadlines, but I was also working on other projects, so I had a number of breaks (sometimes months long) throughout the writing of the book. My second book took me the better part of a year to write. I'm still working on the third book, but it has become increasingly clear that I am *not* a fast writer. Hopefully I'll get quicker with practice...

Which of your characters is your favorite, and why?

Oh, that's a tough one! I love all of my characters for different reasons, but Charlotte is probably my favorite character to write. Charlotte is the daughter of Lady Sheldon (a.k.a Aunt Kate), and she tries to steal every scene I put her in. What I love about writing Charlotte is getting use to all the funny stories my mom tells me about myself as a child and the incidents I remember from when my siblings and cousins were young.


Thank you, Sara, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to spend with all of us here at Micole Writes Romance. It has been a pleasure having you as a guest. You have given us great advice! I wish you much success on your new release, TEMPTING THE MARQUESS. I hope you'll stop by again and let us know how your career is going. Good luck on finishing that third book in a timely manor!;-)

Fellow readers, you can find out more about Sara and her books at www.saralindsey.net

Thank you for stopping by. Until next time friends.

Hugs

Micole