While most paranormal characters offer an escape from reality, fellow Crimson Romance author Lynn Crandall’s offer a hearty dose of everyday life issues. An escape into her world of were-lynx creatures is not necessarily an escape from reality. I’m so pleased to have you as my guest today, Lynn.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for hosting me on your lovely blog and letting me talk about Probabilities.
Talk about the books you’ve written. What was the first seed of an idea you had for this book? How did it develop?
My latest release, Probabilities, which released Oct. 12, is the fourth book in my Fierce Hearts series. I have enjoyed writing the stories of each of the various characters in the series. The series is comprised of five paranormal romances that follow the lives of a colony of were-lynxes.
When I started doing characterization for the first book, Secrets, I had ideas about the hero and heroine, who they were, what inner and outer conflicts would be, etc. Then I had the thought, “What if the hero, Casey Mitchell, was a were-lynx?” That excited me. I created characters for the members of Casey’s colony and gave them a Big Problem to face throughout the series.
I enjoy all the characters, but in Probabilities, I particularly connected with the characters’ inner struggles and their path to love. Quinn Arons is a genius, but a bit awkward socially. I like those two characteristics because general society doesn’t typically imagine a brainiac having feelings of rejection and not belonging, or appreciate that a genius IQ could create painful experiences.
Quinn’s heroine Tizzy Sands is sparkly and outgoing, a personality Quinn has a difficult time engaging with. But Tizzy has problems of her own that are sucking the life out of her. Diagnosed with cervical cancer, she lost her dream of having children, and she believes the cancer will rob her of a long, happy life. She doesn’t let herself consider a love relationship because she wouldn’t feel right about committing when she may die young.
These characters and the others in the series’ books are were-cats, not typical humans. But like humans, they face their own problems in trying to live meaningful lives and forge loving relationships. Oh, and as the unofficial and unrecognized heroes of the city of Laurelwood, they also face death and the destruction of their world in battles against the nefarious, powerful members of The Nexus Group.
What books have influenced you as a writer?
I’ve been a reader all my life. I don’t know that I could separate out books that didn’t have some kind of at least tiny influence on me and my outlook. But, for a number of years now I’ve been reading paranormal romances and learning a lot about life. Really. I see reality and myself in the traits, abilities, and difficulties of the witches, vampires, werewolves, and demons in Kelley Armstrong books. I’m sure Armstrong never intended to “teach” readers anything, but I found in her books ways of looking at reality in healthy ways. So when I started Secrets, my brain naturally leaned into creating a hero with paranormal abilities.
Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you?
I’m a natural redhead. Anyone who is [a natural redhead] knows that it is a profound part of you.
I love life but that doesn’t mean it’s problem free. Problems, issues, past woundings, disappointments are a part of being alive, I believe.
And, lastly, one more mention of Probabilities. With it, as with all my books, I’ve tried to emphasize that humans are complex, life is not what it seems, and family is made up of people, not necessarily biologically related, who truly accept you as you are and love you for it.
Probabilities book blurb:
Bubbly were-lynx Tizzy Sands thought she knew the path of her life: teaching kindergartners, eventually marrying, and starting a family. But when cancer stole her dream of having children, she fell into a dark place where she believes her life would be too short and too empty to engage in a lifelong relationship. As a member of a were-lynx colony that faces constant danger from nefarious The Nexus Group, she focuses on helping the colony defeat them and tunes out any developing feelings for colony mate Quinn Arons.
With his genius IQ, Quinn isn’t the most socially skilled were-lynx in the colony, and can’t imagine party girl Tizzy could give him a place in her heart. Though his past of molestation as a boy and alcoholism as a young adult haunts him, he cares deeply for Tizzy and can’t accept her attitude that cancer will return and claim her life soon. Instead of persuading her she’s wrong, he patiently shows her life is what you make it.
When working as partners to prevent powerful TNG from launching its Project Powering and changing the world, Tizzy and Quinn begin to wonder whether their individual paths lead them together or send them apart.
Probabilities Excerpt:
“I still have nightmares and want to douse them with alcohol. That’s when I turn to Lara and her healing touch. But times when I’m keenly aware I’m different, I’m back in my childhood when being different made me a target.”
His shoulders hunched over, he still stared at the table, his head in his hands, as he seemed to struggle with regaining his composure.
Tizzy let down her walls and felt the entire room, the whole house, vibrate with energy. It streamed through her, grounding her in the moment alone with Quinn and his pain.
Probabilities is available at:
Amazon Link: http://amzn.com/B015P79X7I
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/probabilities-lynn-crandall/1122682663?ean=9781440589560
Visit Lynn at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynnCrandallAuthor?ref=hl
Website: http://lynn-crandall.com/
Thank you, HiDee, for stopping by.
Good points, Lynn. Congratulations on the new release!