Special Guest: Louann Carroll

Today on the blog, I had the opportunity interview Louann Carroll, one of very favorite authors!

So, without further ado... Here's Louann!

Don’t give away any secrets, but what’s A Shadow of Time about?

If you like the paranormal, and creepy haunted houses with a dark romantic twist, venture into the estate called, Shadow Ley. 


Imagine a blip in time, a dimension if you will, that doesn’t make it to fruition. Within this shadow, people sense something isn’t right. They know it because their world isn’t as bright as they would like and their dreams contain other worlds and possibly, other dimensions.


Consumed by a childhood filled with terror and pain, Kellyn O’Brien strives to create the perfect family. Then, disaster strikes. Her husband is dead. Three weeks later, she discovers her son is heir to Shadow Ley, a nineteenth century estate located in the Sierra Nevada foothills. 

Still reeling from Michael's death, Kellyn moves to Shadow Ley. Soon after her arrival, the ordinary becomes the extraordinary: broken drinking glasses repair themselves, stair rails that were once old are now new, and suddenly the estate of Shadow Ley is not what it seems. 

She turns to the local historian and hears the tale of Shenahobet, the portal guardian, and the Hutto-pah, a tribe of Native Americans related to the Maya. She meets John, a doctor, who experiences visions of other times and places. Her dreams turn into nightmares with windows into past lives, hints of multidimensionality, and the promise of life beyond death. 

Legends abound and so Shadow Ley, the home Kellyn had hoped would bring peace to herself and her children, becomes mired first in doubt, then in terror, and finally in love eternal.


What inspired you to write A Shadow of Time?


Theoretical physics fascinates me. The possibility of multiple dimensions and the consequence of interaction between varying planes can spur any writer on. I mean you can have one soul that populates various dimensions. Some souls might be mad, others, kind and loving. How they interact makes one heck of a story. 


How did you come up with the title?


When studying theoretical physics I was fascinated with the idea of a dimension being somewhat like a person. Maybe some dimensions come into being too soon and they die early because the souls that populate them aren’t ready to take them farther. I came to call these dimensions, shadows. So there you have it, A Shadow of Time. 


Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?


With so much horror and sorrow in our world today, you might try being more aware of your surroundings. Try to examine the coincidences that come into your life, but more than anything else, remember magic exists. Use it to brighten your life and the lives of others around you. 


If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about A Shadow of Time?


Not a thing. My editor, Lynn, found the gem within the stone. 


Do you have plans for a new book? Is A Shadow of Time part of a series?

Shadow is a stand-alone book. My other novel, Gemini Rising is book one of a three part series.


How long does it take you to write A Shadow of Time?


One year—start to finish.


What do you think makes a good story?


Mystery with a dash of passion, a cup of romance, a hint of horror, and a happy ending. 


What do you do when you are not writing?


I play on Facebook, Twitter, and my website to promote my books. If I’m just kickin’ it, I’m outside swimming, boating, or hiking. Sometimes I clean the house. 


Do you have a day job as well?


I do, but my employer likes me to keep my private and professional life separate. 


What is your work schedule like when you're writing?


Two hours networking, four hours writing, and jamming life in between. 


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?


I write by the seat of my pants. I wish I could do an outline and know exactly where I’m going, but my brain doesn’t work that way. 


What does your family think of your writing?


They don’t. They don’t even ask when my next book is due out. They are more concerned about the frozen chocolate chip cookies I should have available in the freezer. Either that or we’re arguing politics. 


What books have most influenced your life most?


My writing life? 

The Stand, by Stephen King, Earth Abides, by George Stewart, and Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand.

I love the mystery of The Stand, the eeriness of Earth Abides, and the romance of Atlas Shrugged. 


If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?


Judi McCoy—romance writer. She passed away this year and I will be forever in her debt. 


What book are you reading now? 

I just finished the ARC for Fallen Masters by John Edward. The novel is due out this September. I really enjoyed it. 

We'll all miss Judi, she was a rare gem, willing to do whatever she could to help aspiring authors, old and young alike. 


Do you work with an outline, or just write?


Eh, I just write. Makes for harried nerves, but that’s how my brain works. When I do get the germ of an idea, I write it down on yellow legal paper. 


How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?


Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and I’ve done a ton of blog hops. You have to work hard at getting reviews. People just don’t like to leave them. Being a reviewer myself, I understand why, but writers need reviewers, just like they need readers. It’s a symbiotic relationship. 


Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks, or hardcover?


Paperbacks. I have a Kindle, but I can’t take it into the bathtub. 


Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?


Maybe the Hunger Games. King definitely doesn’t translate well into movies. 



Fun Questions:


What’s your favorite gadget?


My android phone. Love the thing. I think it’s smoother than the iPhone. 


If you were a Star Trek® [or Star Wars® ] character, which one would it be?


Princess Lea. I always wanted to be a princess. I was accidently born into the wrong family. *grin* 


If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be?

Kathryn Kelly. She’s my MC in Gemini Rising. She starts out being almost neurotic, but as she grows, she finds love, strength, and a purpose for living. She’s smart, but doesn’t really understand just how intelligent she is. She, like most people, grows into herself. 


If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?


Linda Hamilton. She starred in the Terminator. She’s tough, strong, and can take on the bad guys like nobody else.


If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?


If I could have just one superpower, it would be to bring love into the hearts of others. Love is the strongest emotion in the universe. If used correctly, that emotion alone will solve humankind’s problems. 


If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?


I would start a charitable trust that will help people with Crohn’s disease and Hepatitis C to get the medicines they need. I have Crohn’s and my medication costs over two grand a month. My brother has Hep C and his medications are well over one thousand. Millions of people need assistance, and while we have insurance, there are many who don’t. 


If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?


Bleu cheese. I haven’t had it in years due to my condition, but if I remember correctly, I loved it. 


If you were a car, what kind would you be?


Candy apple red nineteen sixty-six Corvette. *shudders* 


White wine or red?


White. NEVER red. 


Coffee or tea?


Coffee 


Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?


Always chocolate. 


Dogs or cats?


Dogs. I have two, Chelsea who is seventeen and Gus who is going on fourteen. 


Sleep in or get up early?


Sleep in. Saturday mornings are my favorite. My husband brings me coffee. 


Dark or milk chocolate?


Both 


Rocks or flowers?


Rocks. I collect them. My best find is a forty-five million year-old fossil of brain coral I dug out of a dry Nevada lakebed. Then, there’s my dinosaur egg. That is way cool. 


Night or day?


Twilight. We take the boat out on the lake and swim. There’s nothing better. 


Favorite color?


Blue.


Crayons or markers?


Crayons. I still color with the grandkids. 


Pens or pencils?


Pencils with a sharp point. Just love ‘em. 


Thanks Louann for a fun interview!! Can't wait for you to come back again!

Please visit my website at www.louanncarroll.com and readers can always reach me at carroll.louann@yahoo.com 


Thank you! 

Remember to visit Louann sometime! Friend her on Facebook and Follow her on Twitter!