An Interview with award-winning author Linda J White

Linda J. White writes FBI thrillers from her home in rural Virginia. Her husband, Larry, was a video producer/director at the FBI Academy for over 27 years. She has received much help from current and former FBI agents in researching her books.

A “hybrid” author of five novels, Linda’s books have won the HOLT Medallion, HOLT Award of Merit, and have twice been finalists for the RWA National Readers Choice Award. 

She loves exploring the deep issues of faith—Where is God? Why did he allow this? How can I find hope?—through the mystery/suspense genre.

Mother of three grown children, Linda is also a national-award winning journalist, a Bible study teacher, and a speaker. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing with Keira, her Sheltie, reading a book, or dreaming of the beach. She is represented by Janet Grant of Books & Such Literary Management. You can find her at www.lindajwhite.net

An interview with LINDA J. WHITE

If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

I am passionate about Christ!

What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

I like doing anything with dogs—obedience training, rally, etc. Right now I have a Sheltie who tries to herd our cats.

What was your favorite book as a teen or child?

I loved the Albert Payson Terhune Books about the Sunnybank Collies: Lad, a Dog, Treve, and so on. I also loved Walter Farley’s Black Stallion books.

Tell us three things about yourself that might surprise your readers.

 1. I love antique Haviland china because it reminds me of my grandmother.

2. My great-aunt dated J. Edgar Hoover.

3. I am a pretty good shot!

What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? Why or why not?

I’ve always written FBI thrillers—I read mostly mystery/suspense before I started writing. My husband worked at the FBI Academy and so it was natural to write about the Bureau.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

A friend’s daughter put a really rough review of one of my books on Amazon. Turns out she likes steampunk, and my kind of book is just not her thing. But it really hurt!

My best compliment came from a reader I do not know, who said God was using one of my books to help her deal with her depression. Imagine that! I also love it when people say my books kept them up all night reading.

Any other genres you’d like to try? If yes, what and why?

I often think of writing YA or children’s books for my grandchildren.

If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be?

Oh, gosh, I’ve made so many mistakes! The worst, probably, was when I rejected advice to write shorter inspirational suspense. That probably set me back years.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors?

Persist. If God has called you to write, just keep going.

Win a copy of Linda's new book!  The winner will be drawn from those who leave a comment (USA residents only):  THE TIGER’S CAGE (releasing this week)

Northern Virginia, January, 1993: FBI Special Agent Tom Donovan has two great passions: his family and locking up bad guys. He’s about to nail Angel Ramos, when the drug kingpin does the unthinkable—he kidnaps Tom’s eighteen-year-old son, Kenny.

Touching an agent’s family provokes a powerful response from the FBI, but Ramos disappears with Kenny. Tom is furious, his wife is terrified, and Kenny is forced to cling to his newly forged faith to survive.

“The Tiger’s Cage” is a story of courage, faith, and endurance in a violent world.