Author Interview & Contest with Lynda Hilburn

My author guest this week is Lynda Hilburn.

I loved her novel THE VAMPIRE SHRINK and the expanded/revised version of the book is coming out in the UK this month and in the USA in April, 2012.

Lynda is a big Paranormal blogger and her previous jobs include being a rock-and-roll singer/musician, a professional psychic/tarot reader, a licensed psychotherapist, a certified clinical hypnotherapist, a newspaper columnist, a university instructor and a fiction writer.

So I hope you enjoy getting to know this wonderful author! Also if you didn't read The Vampire Shrink way back when, then pick up a copy now. It is an unforgettable read!

Make sure you enter this weeks contest! Lynda is giving away one of her books and a CD!

------------------------

Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your amazing book The Vampire Shrink?

Lynda - The Vampire Shrink is the story of what happens to nerdy, introverted psychologist Kismet Knight when she discovers the vampire-wannabe group she's exploring isn't so "wannabe." Turns out Denver is loaded with the real deal. She meets a gorgeous, 800-year-old bloodsucker, an obsessed FBI profiler, a lost young woman, a serial killer and hoards of neurotic vampires. Just another day in Undead Oz!

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for The Vampire Shrink? Was it a slow process or did it just come to you?

Lynda - The idea for this particular book came from a client session. Like my main female character, I'm also a psychotherapist. One day in 2004 I was listening to a young client talk about wanting to join a non-human group (aliens, in this case) and some of her words reminded me of the various vampire books I read (I've been a vampire fan since childhood). I thought about how interesting it would be to walk out to my waiting room and find a gorgeous vampire sitting there. I went home that night and started typing. I had no idea I'd still be talking about the book all these years later!

Amber - Now I read The Vampire Shrink and the sequel, Dark Harvest, a long time ago when it first came out. Why is The Vampire Shrink being re-released?

Lynda - The Vampire Shrink has had three incarnations now. It was first published (along with what used to be the second book in the series, formerly called Dark Harvest) in 2007 by a small publisher. Then, thanks to my agent keeping the e-book rights for me, I was able to self-publish the two books on Kindle and BN.com, where they became best sellers. That caused me to come to the attention of my new agent, who told me he was certain he could sell my series to a large publisher. He got me a 3-book deal with Quercus in the UK (the same publisher who originally released Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Sterling Publishing/Silver Oak (Barnes & Noble) in the USA. So, The Vampire Shrink has risen from the ashes yet again! The UK version released Sept. 1 and the USA version will be published April, 2012.

Amber - So is this new version of the The Vampire Shrink different? Do I need to pick up a copy of the new release?

Lynda - The most excellent thing about all this is that I was able to make all the changes to the original book I wished I could! I read back on some of the early feedback and made the book better. I also got to add lots of pages. It's around 450 pages now! I will have the USA publisher send you a copy. They will have their own cover.

Amber - Did you want to change anything in The Vampire Shrink? Was it hard to go back to it?

Lynda - I don't think I ever left it! I've been doing edits and rewrites on it ever since it came out originally. But I think, after the UK and USA versions come out, that will be the last rewrite for me on this particular book! I do look forward to seeing what else I can write!

Amber - Will Dark Harvest also be re-released? Will there ever be a third Kismet Knight book?

Lynda - My editor at Quercus, Jo Fletcher, said she thought Dark Harvest jumped too far ahead in the series arc. I did that on purpose because my first publisher and I had come to a parting of the ways, and I'd been told by all the agents I spoke with that it was "impossible" to move a series from one publishing house to another. So, I thought I was just closing up some loose ends with Dark Harvest and that I'd write a third book to finish out the series and publish it on my own.

But since Dark Harvest isn't going to be book #2, Jo asked me to write a brand new book. So I'm in the midst of writing the new book #2, Blood Therapy. It takes place immediately after the end of The Vampire Shrink. Things aren't all smooth for Kismet and Devereux as a couple. Dark Harvest will have to be rewritten because I've made so many changes to the characters and plot in book 2 that it won't fly anymore as it is. But I hope to be able to use most of it. I don't know if it will be book #3 or #4.

Amber - Was it hard writing from the perspective of a Psychologist? Did you have to do a lot of research to be Kismet?

Lynda - No. It's easy. She's an idealized version of me. She's younger, prettier, thinner and having lots more fun, but all the psychology parts are just me. Her clients are much more interesting than mine, but therapy is therapy!

Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?

Lynda - Kismet has always been one of my favorite words. When I was young, I saw the musical at a gorgeous theater in downtown Detroit. It captivated me. When I started writing this book, the word Kismet nagged at me until I used it for my main character. None of the other names had any special meaning. I wanted to find a European name that could be very old, yet not necessarily associated with any particular country. Devereux claims to be from a secret, still-existing Druid group. Hey. If there can be hidden Druids, one can be called Devereux.

Amber - What's next? Are you working on any other projects?

Lynda - I'm trying to meet my deadline (which is flexible, thank heavens) for book #2, Blood Therapy. Then I'll have to jump into the rewrite of book #3. I really would love to experiment, but my contract specifies I can't work on anything else until the 3 books are turned in.

Amber - A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?

Lynda - Unfortunately, since I'm a musician/singer, music distracts me. I just float away on the notes instead of writing. My vampires -- especially Devereux, who is stuck in the past -- probably would resonate to heavy, intense classical music. Sarah Brightman's Figlio Perduto on La Luna reminds me of some of the dark, angsty vampires I've read.

Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately?

Lynda - I read a lot of psychological thrillers, romantic suspense, vampire books, psychology books. I just finished the latest Dexter book. I'm a fan of the books and the TV show. Who knew a psychopathic serial killer could be so interesting?

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Lynda - That's a tough one. I usually think I'd like to be a vampire, but the truth is I hate the sight of blood. And I don't think immortality is all it's cracked up to be. Maybe I'd be some creature I'd design myself. One that could live as long as it truly wished to, be able to read minds, become invisible, move via thought, eat anything without gaining a pound. LOL. I don't know if such a creature could exist!





----------------

Contest Time


Lynda is giving away a British version of The Vampire Shrink. She will also add a guided hypnotherapy CD (winners choice!)

How To Enter


A Vampire Shrink is an interesting occupation! What other cool paranormal jobs can you guys come up with?


No Answer = No Entry


'Please enter me' posts will not be counted as an entry!


Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?


You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com and Amazon.com links/Banners below and around the site!





The contest will stay open until Sunday 25th of September 2011 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.