RomanceEverAfter

Romance Authors Corner

Wendy Lindstrom

You can visit Wendy at http://www.wendylindstrom.com.  She has articles and links for readers to peruse!

What do you find romantic?

An unguarded look between two people in love. A man who values love more than his pride.

Why do you like reading and writing romance?

Reading and writing romance novels is always an act of discovering something special about life and love. The deep longing for love, whether it's the longing for a parent's love or that of a romance interest, is something I think everyone has experienced at one time or another so they're able to identify with the fear of falling in love and trying to understand themselves and the world they live in.

What inspired you to become a romance author?

I read a touching memoir about the 149th NY Volunteers, a group of young men who fought all the major battles of the American Civil War, and I wondered how those men could possibly get back their lives and a sense of normalcy after surviving such a horrific war. This prompted me to write Shades of Honor, a story of an emotionally wounded soldier who comes home in search of peace, but unwittingly falls in love with his brother's fiancée, a woman whose healing compassion gives his life meaning again.

Has becoming a published author changed your life in any way? If so, how?

Actually, I think it's the other way around. I changed my life then became a published author. I took myself and my dreams seriously. I stayed disciplined and focused, especially during those exhausting rewrites. I rarely got impatient with myself or my abilities. Most importantly, I didn't shove my book into the world the minute I finished my first draft. I studied and read tons of writing books, I entered contests and used the feedback to make my book better, then I approached agents and used their feedback for another rewrite. Selling my book was simply the next step. That said, it truly was thrilling to make my first sale and that excitement and energy keeps me focused on writing great books.

Your debut novel is "Shades of Honor," which is part of a trilogy. Share with us what you enjoy about writing a trilogy. Also, tell us some of the challenges you face writing a trilogy.

The joy of writing a trilogy is that you can stay in the world of the characters that you (and hopefully your readers) love. The difficulty is keeping the time line and details straight, but I've found that charting the books and characters keeps everything in proper order.

How do you go about selecting the names of your heroes and heroines and his/her personality? Do the characters write themselves?

When I hear a name I like or think I can use in a book, I make a note of it. I also use "The Character Naming Source Book" by Sherrilyn Kenyon. It's a great reference tool. I don't think I've intentionally tried to give a character a specific personality, but all my male characters tend to be strong men with deeply guarded emotions.

Tell us about your debut novel, "Shades of Honor."

Shades of Honor won both the prestigious Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart award and the NJRW BEST FIRST BOOK award.

Radford Grayson, an emotionally wounded Union soldier, returns to his small hometown, looking for a comforting and stable place to raise his young, motherless daughter. Despite his crippling nightmares, he hopes to reconcile with his family and put his dark secrets behind him. But he doesn't count on falling in love with Evelyn-his brother's fiancée who gives Radford and his daughter a reason to enjoy life again.

When Evelyn Tucker accepted Kyle Grayson's marriage proposal, she thought their lifelong friendship would be a strong enough bond for a happy marriage. But after Radford arrives home, Evelyn realizes that Kyle's friendship can't compare to the undeniable passion she feels for Radford. Now their forbidden desire threatens to shatter family ties and destroy newfound dreams-unless their love has the power to overcome all obstacles.

What other projects are you currently working on?

The sequel to Shades of Honor (titled THE LONGING) will be released in April 2003. I'm currently working on the third book of the trilogy and planning for a fourth book in this series. I'm also working on a huge mainstream women's fiction project that I'm very excited about.

What are your three favorite bookmarks (web sites)?

I don't surf much unless I'm researching a project, but I visit Romance Writers of America and Romantic Times Magazine sites to keep up with what is happening in the romance industry.

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