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ERICA SPINDLER Hello Erica, AdC:Wow! It seems as if we have been reviewing your books for what seems like forever. I remember your Harlequin romances, and I’ve watched your career grow over the years. Congratulations! When did you start writing and why? ES:Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself being a multi published, bestselling author. I’d planned on being an artist and university art instructor. I studied and planned for that career, had earned a MFA from the University of New Orleans and secured a teaching job at a local university when I was bitten by the writing bug. I came down with a summer cold and stopped at a local drugstore for cold tablets and tissues. A free category romance novel was dropped into my shopping bag. I’d always been a voracious reader, but had never read a category romance. Well, I read that one and became addicted to them. For the next six months I read as many as I could get my hands on. Sometime during that reading frenzy, I decided I wanted to try my hand at writing one. The moment I did, I knew I had found my true calling. Goodbye paint and brushes, hello tablet and keyboard. AdC: How difficult was it to make a transition from your early writing to your writing today?ES:The writing transition was organic: In 1996 I came up with a story in which the hero was a NOPD homicide detective and there was a serial killer subplot. (FORBIDDEN FRUIT) I had so much fun writing those parts of the story--it felt so right--that when I began plotting my next novel, I decided to focus more on the suspense. Then with the next novel, I pushed the suspense even more. And on and on. My publisher came willingly along for the ride--a fact I really appreciated. AdC: What have you learned about writing since you started? AdC: I’ve seen so many authors, excellent writers, disappear. How do you account for your longevity in such a dog-eat-dog world? ll that said, s**t happens. Editors leave, lines fold and trends change, markets dry up. We certainly can’t control any of those--so I try to control what I can. I strive to write the best book I’m capable of, every time. And I try--sometimes with more success than others--to be flexible and stay positive. It’s worked so far, thank God! AdC: What has been the biggest change in the industry you’ve seen over your career? AdC: You started off writing contemporary romance. Now you are writing romantic suspense. Is there anything else up your sleeve or are you content? AdC: Tell us about your new release, debuting this month. Congratulations on the very positive reviews you’ve gotten on them. Here’s the set-up: Stained-glass restoration artist Mira Gallier had it all: a career she loved. An idyllic marriage. A bright future in her favorite city. Then Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and Mira lost everything—even her husband, swept away by floodwaters, never to be seen again… Mira has spent the last five years piecing together both her life and the city’s magnificent stained glass windows. But another storm is about to enter her life, a psychopath determined to shatter her world again--and who will stop at nothing until he possesses her body and soul. AdC: at is your idea of a perfect day? AdC: You have three series running right now. Did you set out to write a series, or did you find out that your characters have more stories to tell than would fit in one book? AdC: Do you have any hobbies? AdC: 10. What authors do you admire? AdC: What is the worst thing about being an author? The best thing? The worst thing: The days the words won’t come. I really hate those days. AdC: What do you expect to be doing 10 years from now? AdC: What can we expect from you next? AdC: Pass on some words of wisdom, please, to aspiring authors. PREVIOUS AUTHORS OF THE MONTH • Betina Krahn - July/August 2009 • Tracy McNish - September/October 2009 • Shelly Laurenston - November 2009 • Terri Brisbin - December 2009 • Julie Kenner - January/February 2010 • Patty Briggs - March/April 2010 • Seressia Glass - July/August 2010 • Kate Douglas - September/October 2010 |
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