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.

Writers And Procrastination

Someone (the attribution is unclear) said that writing is easy--you just sit down and open a vein. Raymond Chandler put it this way: "I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, inspiration strikes at 9 AM each day." James Scott Bell sets a daily word count, and starts his morning by writing three hundred fifty words. Habits of writers differ, but most of us have one thing in common. Given the opportunity, we'll put off writing.

When my middle son, Brian, was doing sound for our church's youth choir, he coined what he termed Lovell's Law (named for the choir director, who is--incidentally--a great guy): "Never put off 'till tomorrow what you can completely ignore 'till the last minute." Some of my former colleagues on the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center faculty used to wait until the last minute to prepare book chapters and lectures. They functioned best under the pressure of deadlines.

I have an office. Admittedly, it's a small one, but it's a nice place where I can sit down at the computer and write. I've even purchased writing software that makes it easier to shuffle scenes around and clarify my ideas. And I have a pretty nice idea for my next book. But still I find myself putting off sitting down to write.

I've thought a bit about why writers procrastinate. Many of them have other things to do. Sometimes it's another job, because most writers don't earn enough to depend on it as their sole source of income. Sometimes it's family responsibilities. And there are times, admittedly, when we just don't want to work. But there's yet another factor, one I'll admit plays a role: fear.

I'm fortunate to have nine novels and two novellas in print. So-called "traditional" publishers have awarded me contracts. My two self-published novellas are doing well. My novels of medical suspense have garnered great reviews, some have won contests and appeared on best-seller lists. But, like most authors, I want my next one to be even better.

The fear that creeps up on me on a regular basis is that the next one won't be as good as my previous novels. I won't get good reviews. The book won't sell. Besides that, I may not even have a contract for publication, and I don't know if I'm ready to self-publish a full-length novel. Am I through as a writer? So I put off writing.

There you have it. Am I a procrastinator? Or is this a normal emotion? Do you think this emotion is confined to writers? Let me know in the comments. And one commenter (who remembers to leave their email address) will receive a signed copy of my novel, Miracle Drug. So let me hear from you.

Tweet with a single click: "Why do writers put off writing?" Click here to tweet.

Hot new suspense and mystery!

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  A Fool and His Monet (Serena Jones Mysteries #1)

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  The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder (Herringford and Watts Mysteries #1)

  
  

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  In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

  
  

  
  

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS!

It’s another great week on the Suspense Sisters!

From Marji:

This week Marji reviews A FOOL AND HIS MONET by Sandra Orchard! Marji says: “With moments of riveting action and a mystery that swept me right up, I highly recommend A Fool and His Monet! This is Christian fiction at its finest!”

Read the rest of Marji’s review on our REVIEW PAGE!

On Tuesday, Dana Mentink will share What’s Hot in InspirationalSuspense and Mystery!

 

On Wednesday and Thursday we’ll hear from Suspense Mister Richard Mabry. He’ll be talking about writers and procrastination. Read his article and leave a comment. Someone will win a signed copy of MIRACLE DRUG!   

Friday, Roxanne Rustand interviews author Linda J. White.

Don't miss this great interview!

That’s what’s happening this week on the Suspense Sisters! Don’t miss a single day. Sign up through email so you’ll get updates in the exciting world of inspirational suspense and mystery!

The Suspense Sisters! We love books!

INTERVIEW WITH JULIANNA DEERING

JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuted from Bethany House with Rules of Murder (2013) and is followed by Death by the Book and Murder at the Mikado (2014), Dressed for Death (2016) and Murder on the Moor (Coming 2017). Also, as DeAnna Julie Dodson, she has written a trilogy of medieval romances (In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered) and six contemporary mysteries for Annie’s Fiction. She is represented by Wendy Lawton of the Books & Such Literary Agency (www.booksandsuch.biz). For more information about Julianna, visit her website! 

INTERVIEW

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

I’m a work in progress.

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

I love to do cross stitch and quilting. Applique is my special favorite. There’s something about handwork that’s very soothing. Plus it gives me something to do when I watch hockey so I’m not just sitting there in front of the television. Needless to say, I love to read, too. I’ll never catch up on my TBR pile!

What was your favorite book as a teen or child?

I’m not exactly sure why, but I loved “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” when I was a little girl. Even after I was old enough to read it for myself, I used to make my dad read it to me all the time.

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

1.      I’m a die-hard Dallas Stars hockey fan.

2.      I’m a native Texan, but I absolutely cannot drink sweet tea.

3.      I used to write “episodes” of my favorite TV shows when I was growing up.

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

My first series was medieval romance. I still love the genre and would love to go back to it someday, but I also love mystery. Since I’m such a fan of the classics of the 1920s and 1930s, I couldn’t resist giving it a try myself.

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

When I was still working on my very first book, I took a “Writing Christian Fiction” class at my local college. The teacher was kind enough to offer to read my manuscript and critique it. She very nicely told me a lot of hard things I needed to do to make the book work. The worst part was cutting the manuscript down by about a third. But she was absolutely right about what needed to be done. I doubt I would have ever gotten published without her invaluable help.

The greatest compliment I ever get is when a reader tells me he stayed up all night reading one of my books.

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

There are so many I’d love to try! I think that must be because I enjoy reading so many different types of book . . . as long as they’re historical. I’d love to try some Regency or Gothic romance. I’d love to write about World War One or World War Two. I’d love to write more medieval stories.

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

I think I would have started training to be a novelist in high school. Maybe even junior high. I would have taken writing classes and probably worked on the school paper and all that. Since I didn’t set out to be a writer, I missed all that good training. I’d still like to take some college courses on fiction writing. I’m sure I have a lot to learn.

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

Read. Read more. The best way to learn to write is to read good writers.

A REGENCY-ERA COSTUME PARTY SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN AN AMUSING DIVERSION, BUT IT SEEMS, WHEREVER DREW FARTHERING GOES, MYSTERY—AND MURDER—ARE ON THE GUEST LIST

Drew and Madeline Farthering arrive at a Regency-Era house party at Winteroak House, excited to be reunited with old friends, including Drew’s former Oxford classmate Talbot Cummins. Tal is there with his fiancée, Alice Henley, and though many present seem worried about the couple, nobody is prepared when Alice dies from an apparent overdose. Tal refuses to believe she’d taken the drugs intentionally, and a dark question arises of whether the death is an accident or murder.

The police have their own information though, and Drew is shocked when they arrest someone he’s trusted and admired since his childhood—someone who’s been smuggling drugs into the country for years. Stunned by what has happened, Tal begs Drew to get to the bottom of everything, but Drew’s never felt more unsettled. Questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, Drew doesn’t know who to trust, and he’s not ready for the secrets he’s about to uncover—or the danger he’ll bring down on everyone he holds dear.

Leave a comment, along with your contact information, for a chance to win a copy of DRESSED FOR DEATH! (U.S. only please.)