Hi Heather and welcome......please tell us a little about yourself.
I'm in my late thirties, married for fifteen years, with no kids but one gorgeous cat. Writing is my third career: in previous "lives" I was a software developer for a major bank and an elementary school computer science teacher. In my spare time I read, crochet, play video games, run half-marathons (I've done one full marathon and that is just too far to run :), and play clarinet and drums.
What inspired you to write Planning to Live?
My original thought was of a woman trapped in her car who had placed a phone call to get herself rescued and what she would think about while waiting for rescue. When I started to explore that I decided it would be more interesting if she could not make that phone call - what do you do if your survival is entirely in your own hands?
Were your characters based off anyone "real" ?
If you could cast your book as a movie who would play the main characters?
Tricky, since I'm not entirely up on my current actors! I could see Christina Hendricks as Rhiannon. Andrew needs a tall good-looking but not "wildly hot" blond man, and I'm surprised at myself but I'm leaning toward Leonardo DiCaprio!
What authors have inspired your work?
Marian Keyes is a huge influence. I love how her characters seem so real and I work hard to do that myself. Also some of Sophie Kinsella's books (especially "Remember Me?") and Stephen King for his depth of
character and the way he writes what works for him without getting too hung up on what he "should" be doing.
What are you reading now....?
At the moment, I am reading "Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire" by Ruth Downie. Though I don't think I'll ever want to do the kind of research needed to write historical fiction I love reading it. I have
committed to reading 111 books in 2011, as part of a challenge at http://lifeisshort-readfast.blogspot.com/2010/12/111-in-11-challenge.html, and I'll be tracking all my reading at www.goodreads.com/heatherwardell and would love to have even more friends there!
Can you share any future plans?
I have a new book out now, "Stir Until Thoroughly Confused", and am aiming to release another three in 2011. It's going to be a challenge, since I "only" released three last year, but I think I can do it! I am
intending to keep my ebook price at $0.99 each throughout 2011, because I get lots of email saying how nice it is to not have to pay more. If you'd like to download my free book "Life, Love, and a Polar
Bear Tattoo", read excerpts of my other books, or see what I'm planning for the rest of 2011, you can visit my web site at http://www.heatherwardell.com/ and a huge thanks to Tina for letting me do this interview!
Heather Wardell is the author of "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" Planning To Live, Go Small or Go Home and the upcoming Stir Until Thoroughly Confused. To learn more please vist http://www.heatherwardell.com/
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Thank you for this, Tina! :)
ReplyDeleteLea. *drool*
ReplyDeleteI've never read anything by the author, but I've heard great things, and this was a fabulous interview :)
What a great premise to explore. Great interview. And is there anything Leo can't play?
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting idea for a book. And if the lead character is as gorgeous as Leo than it must be good. Great interview Tina :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with Alyssa. Leo is so good. Great interview ;)
ReplyDeleteI find that a bit of myself comes out in my main characters so far. Thanks for interview.
ReplyDeleteBrandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog