Oct 2, 2009

Interview With Linda Wisdom


I recently reviewed Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom, if you missed the review, click on the link to check it out.  It is the fourth book in her paranormal, romance series.

Today, Linda took time out of her schedule to answer a few interview questions on her tour stop with Sourcebooks.  Let's give her a warm welcome.

What inspired you to write about sassy witches? 

They chose me. I used to hear “write dark edgy vampires” and my muse said “not for you”. Shapeshifters didn’t pop, but Jazz did. And the minute she entered my imagination I knew, just like Goldilocks in that third bed, that this was just right. To this day, I haven’t felt as if this was a wrong decision.

Have you always been interested in the paranormal and have you had a paranormal experience?

Yes, I have. I wrote my first paranormal romance in the late 80s and a few others after that and knew there was more in my future. As for paranormal experiences, I’ve had a few. We have a house ghost who likes to take things and we had something dark in the back yard several years ago that I still don’t like to think about! 

Could you describe a typical writing day for you and what helps you punch through writer's block?

After I’ve had enough caffeine to feel human, I check my email, see if there’s anything that needs immediate attention and check any blogs I’m on that day. Then I pull up my book file and write. I refuse to stare at my screen when I’m blocked. I shut off the computer for an hour or so. Sometimes do something around the house or I go out. There’s been many a time that ideas flow when I’m driving around.

Do you read books in the genre you write or could you name some of the most recent books you've read that you enjoyed?  

Definitely. I recently finished Victoria Laurie’s Doom with a View, Wendy Roberts latest. 

Some writers have obsessions or listen to music while writing.  Do you have similar obsessions and what are some of your favorite groups or bands? 

For me it’s movies. I watch all genres and it depends on my moods. For music it’s Celtic and golden oldies. I tend to change playlists according to the witch I’m writing at the time. Maggie, my present witch, leans toward Zydeco. 

If you were a witch with magical powers, what spell would you love to conjure and why? 


Oh, the power! I’d want to snap my fingers and see the house magickally cleaned. And I’m talking all corners, grout, high places, and top of the refrigerator. :} Anything else I’m fine with, but I’d sure love to have a clean house in the wink of an eye.  



Sourcebooks is offering 1 U.S. or Canadian reader a copy of Hex in High Heels and Wicked by Any Other Name
by Linda Wisdom as a set to 1 winner.  

To Enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this post about an interview highlight.
2.  Leave a comment on my review of Hex in High Heels and leave me a comment here.
3.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook this giveaway and leave me a comment.

Deadline is Oct. 9, 2009, 11:59PM EST.



40 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I love your questions! They're pretty unique! :--) And what interesting answers! I'm wondering about the "ideas while driving" though! - Linda, do you pull over and write them down? (or not pull over!!!) :--) Or wait till you get home? And yes, I too would like that house cleaning magic power!!! One of my favorite fantasies is that one day everything in the whole house will be disposable!!! :--) (Oh, and biodegradable, of course!)

Linda Wisdom said...

Thanks Rhapsodyinbooks.

I've been known to call a friend and tell them something to email me. Did that while on a trip while dh and I stopped for gas. Or I'll repeat it to myself until I can pull over. I keep a small notebook in my bag and in the center console.

Oh yes, clean house and laundry doing itself!

Linda

Julie P. said...

Great interview! You captured some really interesting tidbits about the author. I so agree about the magic. I would certainly wish for something to help keep the house clean.

Anna said...

I totally wish I could clean my house by magic, too. That would give me so much more time for reading and blogging. :)

I left a comment on your review, and I posted the giveaway in my sidebar.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Serena said...

Wow, you all want to clean and I want to snap my fingers and have any dinner I want!

Andreea said...

Great questions and great interview!

Pam said...

I regularly wish for the witch powers to clean my house magically too!

melacan at hotmail dot com

Pam said...

commented on the review

melacan at hotmail dot com

Patti (@TheLoveJunkee) said...

I think wishing for a clean house is a very popular wish!! I like that Jazz just came to you and clicked. I'm assuming that means writing her is usually fun?

I posted a comment on your review. Thanks!

Linda Wisdom said...

LOL all and Serena, dinner can be easy too 'reservations' and 'take out'.

Linda

Serena said...

Linda: I like take out and reservations...but homecooked food is better

Linda Wisdom said...

Patti,

Writing Jazz is a blast and so is writing the other witches. I'm working on Maggie, who's introduced in Hex in High Heels, and she's got the same energy as Jazz. But more kick ass.

Linda

bermudaonion said...

I want the power to snap my fingers and have the house cleaned too. I never liked Bewitched because I couldn't understand Samantha going along with Darren's dumb rule against that! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

holdenj said...

Great interview! I like Victoria Laurie's series as well, so I bet I'd like the Hex ones.
Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Linda Wisdom said...

Very true. At least Samantha figured out ways to use magic, but I'd be "fine, you clean, you cook, and we'll talk."

I'm not fond of cooking, but I love to bake and have the dangerous recipes to prove it.

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

I love both of Victoria Laurie's series. I just finished her latest Abby Cooper book.

Linda

Bridget said...

Hi! No need to enter me, just posted about this on Win A Book.

The Book Chick said...

I LOVED the reply about having the magic power to clean the house- if only I could do that! I cleaned all day, and my three boys came home from school and rapidly un-cleaned it....*sigh* I give up!!!!

Please enter me, these books have really caught my attention- they look great! (And I love the sassy covers!)

jonitathebookchick@gmail.com

The Book Chick said...

I read (and commented!) on your review yesterday!

jonitathebookchick@gmail.com

DarcyO said...

I enjoyed the interview. I, too, would like some magic for housecleaning!

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

The Book Chick said...

I've added your contest to my sidebar over at http://book-chic.blogspot.com!

jonitathebookchick@gmail.com

throuthehaze said...

I used to have a house ghost too :) It could be kinda creepy sometimes though.
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Ladytink_534 said...

I really want to read her books! My library doesn't have them though :(. They sound so cute. Victoria Laurie is on my TBR list as well.

I've never had a paranormal experience, at least I don't think so but then again I grew up in a supposedly haunted house so I may just have become used to it lol. I know I've always been interested in the paranormal though.

Ladytink_534 said...

I left a comment on your review!

Linda Wisdom said...

Frank, our house ghost is pretty laid back. I never understood why he took our potato masher. One day it was gone, and stayed gone for a year. Then it appeared in the same place it disappeared from. Other things have done that.

Linda

Belle said...

The house ghost and that bit of darkness in your backyard sound so intriguing! And if anyone ever does develop an instant-clean-house spell, I'm all over it!

Jenny N. said...

Its cool that you Linda has a house ghost but for me I dont think I could ever be comfortable knowing that there is another presence in my house.

jen4777[at]hotmail.com

Jenny N. said...

I commented on the review.

jen4777[at]hotmail.com

M.A.D. said...

Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Another great interview with Linda! And very interesting questions, also. Linda, I've done the same thing with creative ideas myself - I love to write (had my own column in a newspaper) and when I DIDN'T have pen to paper, that is when the ideas would kick into free flow! It drove me nuts trying to get the inspirations or dialogue written down before I got distracted by the mundane and forgot my gems of brilliance lol

Seriously, it seems that when our minds are at rest is when the ol' creative juices get flowing, especially at 1:00 a.m. when a tired body is desperate for sleep ;)

You are one talented, funny lady and I cannot wait to read your books! Much success always ~ Mary

Reading said...

Please count me in. Thanks for the chance. I love the magical power she would choose- to have her house magically cleaned. Thats a power I want!

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Linda Wisdom said...

Thanks Mary.

There was the time when my husband and I were at Disneyland and I stayed in the bathroom for over an hour writing on paper towels. :}

I started carrying a small notebook with me after that.

Linda

Linda Wisdom said...

Between the dogs and Frank I always see our house as pretty safe.

Linda

brizmus said...

What a great interview! What fun questions! Reading her answers totally makes me want to read the book!
I'm going to comment on the review now.

zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com

Heidi V said...

Funny she drinks enough coffee to fill a human LOL!!!

Blogged about the giveaway @
http://theblackcell.com/blogs/index.php/set-of-linda-wisdom-books-giveaway-ends-10-09-2009/

Thanks
heidivargas [at] live dot com

Rue said...

I thought it was interesting that Ms. Wisdom likes to get away from the computer and out of the house when she's stuck on something. I find that when I'm working through a tough problem at work, getting up and going for a walk around cubeville, or even just out to the drinking fountain, will often give my brain the break it needs to figure out the solution.

Thanks for the chance to win!
ruthann (dot) francis (at) gmail (dot) com

donnas said...

Great interview. I liked the book recommendations and obsessions.

Left a comment on your review.

Posted on sidebar here: http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/

bacchus76 at myself dot com

Renee G said...

I enjoy learning what others are reading. I haven't read Doom with a View, but I admit that it sounds interesting as well.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

Froggy said...

he book sounds great and I also would love the power of snapping my fingers and having my house cleaned!!

Froggy
froggarita@gmail.com
http://froggaritavillesbookcase.blogspot.com
A Blog with Bite!
http://blogwithbitereviews.blogspot.com

Froggy said...

I commented on your review on hex in high heels

Froggy
froggarita@gmail.com
http://froggaritavillesbookcase.blogspot.com
A Blog with Bite!
http://blogwithbitereviews.blogspot.com

Froggy said...

I added your link on my sidebar

Froggy
froggarita@gmail.com
http://froggaritavillesbookcase.blogspot.com
A Blog with Bite!
http://blogwithbitereviews.blogspot.com