A WORLD-WIDE BLOG TOUR

Sandy Bruney invited me on a blog tour with her and other writing friends.

Sandy Bruney was born in New York State and moved frequently during her early years.  She was an educator until she moved to North Carolina.  Her writing career began there as a

reporter for a local newspaper (where she later became the city editor) and, for ten years, wrote a column called “Confessions of a Yankee Housewife.”  But writing fiction was her first love, so she resigned from her position and wrote her first novel, I’d Rather Go to California.  Since then, Sandy has written three novels, Angels Unaware, The Lunch Club, The Almost Bride, and co-wrote Plotz with Elbert Marshall.  One of her novels, Angels Unaware, is partly based on her life during her battle with cancer.  Her stories are about women, their loves, their friendships, their trials, and how they uplift and support each other.  For more information about Sandy Bruney, her novels, and her new release (coming soon!) go to her website, www.sandrazbruney.comor visit her on her blog, ww.sandybruney.blogspot.com.

Now, I am supposed to write a bit about myself and my work.

I have been globe-trotting since an early age and my refuge has always been novels, although I am not real keen on biographies.  To relax, I read some more, but I love playing video games (which I am awful at, but I try) and, yes, I do admit it, I am a junkie of Facebook games.  When I am stressed, I watch Twister and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  My husband knows my mood just from listening to the television.  Gardening is a calming hobby and hanging out with my friends at our “Whine” parties is a joy.  Part of my heart is also in teaching literature to middle school students and imparting all the knowledge I have and am still accruing.

I am currently working on my second novel, The Book of Hours, which is the sequel to my debut novel The Coin.  It is a romantic suspense and set both in California and London.  This novel will complete the story of Gabriela and Richard, and I can’t say more.  It is on the editing stage and should be published very, very soon.

I don’t think my work differs from others of its genre.  After all, it has romance and it is suspense, but it does stray from others out there by the characters I create and the settings I use.  My characters are as real as possible, with true moral dilemmas, painful choices, and angst.  My settings are based on places in which I have lived and are an integral part of the plot twists and action of the novel.

Why do I write what I do?  Because I LOVE it.  I have always had a predilection for murder and mayhem, with love thrown into the mix, and a few twists to the story.  I have been wanting to write this genre since I read Mary Stewart’s Madam, Will You Talk? and Anya Seton’s Stranger at the Gates. I also love TV shows like Sherlock Holmes, CSI-Criminal Investigation, and anything that touches on detectives, police procedurals, and criminals.

My writing process is slow.  I like to digest scenes, dialogue.  I usually go back to the chapter just written and improve, tweak, add or discard until I feel it is perfect.  I am not the type of writer who can dish out 10,000 words at a pop.  The latter being said, the action scenes are the ones that come more easily and I can really pop those out.  Don’t know why. 

But, enough about me.  Let me introduce the next author on the blog train:  Mari Christie.   She loves to write historical fiction, Regency romance, and poetry.  Please visit her site and support her by leaving a comment or like at www.marichristie.info.