Today I’m conducting a session with…L.C. Hayden!

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Enter to #WIN an ecopy of What Lies Beyond the Fence by @LCHayden1 Click To Tweet Rejection is a constant writer’s companion. @LCHayden1 #AmWriting Click To Tweet

Me: Tell me about an experience that had a profound impact on your life.

L.C.:  While in high school, my son was a member of National Honor Society, Band, the soccer and football team. He was awarded an academic scholarship. I knew I had nothing to worry about. Then graduation came and my son decided to party. He blew the scholarship, dropped out of college, and partied. Like any mother, I worried and prayed for him. There were times I felt alone. I had no one to turn to for help.

One day when I was very depressed, I heard a voice say, “He’ll be fine.” I looked around. I was by myself. Who had said that? At that moment, I felt a great burden lifted off my shoulders, as if someone carried the boulders I had been burdened with.

That day, I began to trust. I knew my son would be okay—and you know what? He is. He’s been married 14 years, has two great sons, is a teacher, and is now working on his Master’s Degree.

 

Me: What personality trait of yours helps you most as an author?

L.C.: I’m stubborn as heck and that’s great for writers. That means that I won’t give up on my dreams. When my writing career hits a slump, I’m stubborn enough to ignore it and work around it.

I’m stubborn as heck and that’s great for writers. @LCHayden1 #AmWriting Click To Tweet

Me: Gotta be stubborn to survive in this industry!

What personality trait of yours hinders you most as an author?

L.CI don’t like to impose on people. Therefore, I’m a terrible sales person. My approach to selling my books is, “This is my newest release. It’s a great book and it’s receiving lots of good reviews. But you don’t really have to buy it, if you don’t want to.” With that approach, not too many people want to!

 

Me: What was your high point as a writer?

L.C.: Probably the times my books have been nominated for major awards: like the Agatha Award for best novel and the Watson Award (Left Coast Crime’s Award) for Best Characters. I was flying high during those conferences and loved every minute.

 A very close second is when I do presentations for major cruise lines during their days at sea. I talk about my books and writing. People who attend the cruises get to know me and I’ve made some life-long friends.

 

Me: What was your low point as a writer—a time when you questioned your path?

L.C.:  Rejection is a constant writer’s companion.  When I receive a letter from a publisher or an agent rejecting my manuscript that I’ve worked so hard on, it crumbles my world. But thank God for my stubbornness, I push on. Try yet another agent, another publisher. Eventually the book is published, then there’s a bad review—but luckily there are also a lot more positive reviews. I focus on those.

 

Me: Which of your characters are you most like? Why?


J.C.:
 Strange as it seems, the character I identify the most with is a male character named Harry Bronson. He’s a retired detective (I’m a retired teacher.) He travels in his motor home getting into all kinds of mischief (I travel in my motor home promoting my books and having wonderful adventures.) He loves his wife (my hubby and I have been married for 47 glorious years.) If someone is in trouble or needs help, Bronson is the person to turn to. I hope others think of me in the same way. Bronson loves life (I love life,) and he’s stubborn. What can I say?

 

Me: How many books have you written? How long does it typically take you to write a book?What’s the most painful part of the writing process for you?

L.C.: I’ve written over 20 books. I have two mystery series: the Harry Bronson Thriller Series and the Aimee Brent Mystery Series. In addition, I have a mystery standalone. I’ve also have penned two children’s picture books and a nonfiction series about miracles and angels. In addition, I have done other genres.

Normally, I can get a book out in six months, but that depends on my editor and beta readers. I can’t hurry them, nor do I want to. But under normal circumstances, six months is an average time.

Promoting my books is the most painful part of the writing process. I hate asking people to buy my books. Wish I could just write and not worry about promotion. That being said, “Do you want to buy one of my books? You don’t have to, you know.” Sigh, there I go again! 

Promoting my books is the most painful part of the writing process. @LCHayden1 #AmWriting Click To Tweet

Me: Promoting my books in the most painful part of the writing process–> Amen Sister!
What’s your life motto? Why does that motto speak to you?

L.C.: “What the world needs now is love sweet love, not just for some but for everyone.” If we could all love instead of hate, if we could see not the color of the person’s skin, but what’s inside the person, if we could accept others not based on our own standards, but instead embrace those differences, if we could . . . Wouldn’t this be a better world to live in?

What the world needs now is love sweet love, not just for some but for everyone. @LCHayden1 #AmWriting Click To Tweet

Me: Tell me about your thriller, What Lies Beyond the Fence.


L.C.
:

I’ll have to confess, I may have a crush on Harry Bronson. He’s one of the good guys, a retired detective you’d want on your side in a bad situation. I picked up What Lies Beyond the Fence intending to take a quick peek, and read it later. I couldn’t put it down. The story goes from one edge-of-your-seat moment to the next. I couldn’t imagine how Harry was going to get out of each predicament, but he manages, because he’s Harry Bronson.

       Amazon Reviewer

 

Me: Share with us a favorite paragraph or two from your newest release, What Lies Beyond the Fence.

L.C: 

In spite of a cool breeze, droplets of sweat beaded on Bronson’s forehead. He set the backpack down, and that’s when he noticed it. The birds had stopped chirping. Even the howling of the wind had ceased. Bronson strained to listen, but the deafening silence shouted at him.

Something had changed.

Every animal in the forest had scattered and ran from danger.

Bronson thought of the wolves. Had they—

He paused.

No, not wolves. Something more dangerous, a predator all animals fear.

Mankind.

Someone from the compound had followed him.

Using the excuse of picking up the backpack, Bronson slowly pivoted. His eyes scanned the area.

No one.

Yet Bronson knew someone was out there watching him.

I love this passage because it shows it shows the mounting tension in the story. It sets the readers’ hearts racing, and I love to do that to the readers.

 

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Abbie Roads writes dark emotional novels featuring damaged characters, but always gives her hero and heroine a happy ending… after torturing them for three hundred pages. RACE THE DARKNESS and HUNT THE DAWN are available now! SAVING MERCY Book 1 in the Fatal Truth Series is now available for pre-order.

 

About the author: abbieroads