TBR welcomes Lorrie Unites-Struiff

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Lorrie. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Lorrie: Sure I will since you asked so nicely. I live near Pittsburgh, PA. I’ve been writing now for a little over ten years and have several stories and a novella with varying publishers. Mind you, I have no college education.

What surprised me the most, I guess, is I’m a person who loves to learn. I’ve always been an avid reader and honestly,*laughs* it did look soooo easy to do. Wow, easy my fanny!

I had a lot to learn, so the first few years were all about learning the process and then learning to use it.

Bless all of you authors out there. Now I know how much time and hard work goes into putting out a story. And shame on you for making it look so easy when I read all your wonderful books. I shall never take you for granted again.

I also find that I love dabbling in different genres and just writing a story that I feel readers will enjoy.

TBR: Tell us about your latest release and where it's available.
Lorrie: My latest are really two short stories while I await the release of my next novel later this year. Wild Blackberries and The Last Dance

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Lorrie:

Wild Blackberries

Morgan is researching on an Indian reservation in Prescott, Arizona, for her new paranormal novel. She doesn’t believe in the paranormal, but writes it for the trend and the nice royalties. That is until her soon to be divorced husband tries to kill her, and she survives by her wits and a little “strange” help.

Buy site

http://www.bookstogonow.com/page27.html

The Last Dance

Bren is in love with a troubled boy named Rip, and she hopes he asks her to his senior prom. The most popular girl in school, Jean, plays on Rip’s tortured soul. Does Bren get her revenge?

Buy site

http://www.amazon.com/-The Last Dance ebook/dp/B004O6MUNG/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1297999351&sr=1-26

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?
Lorrie: Definitely a panster. I start with rolling a story around in my head for a week or so, then sit down and start writing. Of course, I run into major plot holes, but my main characters always manage to find a way out. Believe me, no easy feat with all that burning of my brain cells.

TBR: How do you develop your characters?
Lorrie: I never base them on people I know. They come right from my imagination, and the characters build themselves. I like to put odd characters together and have fun seeing how the story will turn out. The one novel due out his year is a western/ romance/action/humor. I wondered how a sheriff who is afraid of critters would get along with a ringtail monkey that decides to adopt him. Would the critter interfere with his love life? Better yet, let’s make the monkey a thief and

boil the pot a little. I had a lot of fun writing it.

TBR: Did any music inspire your book? Do you have a playlist?
Lorrie: I like absolute quiet when I write. I love music. I once was a gold medalist ballroom dance teacher and manager of a famous name studio. If I turned music on while I’m writing, I’d probably end up listening to the music and not writing. So give me silence.

TBR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
Lorrie: Matt Boulet from Gypsy Crystal. He is intelligent, witty, and knows what he wants. Ah, did I forget to mention he’s a hunk?

TBR: While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?
Lorrie: *Laughs.* How much hard work it is. How much time it takes to write. How much a fantastic critique group can help the story. How many rewrites then touch-ups you have to do. But the most wonderful thing I have learned is how many authors out there are willing to help you on your journey.

TBR: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.
Lorrie: I’d say the weird characters I mix together. A gypsy with a vampire. A sheriff with a monkey. An elderly woman who speaks to the dead before they are buried and her buddy Fat Phil.

TBR: What's next for you?
Lorrie: “A Heap of Trouble” from Muse will be released this fall.

I’m working on the last in a five short story series of Winnie and the COD (Call on the Dead) Club. Winnie is quite the character. I haven’t submitted them as yet.

TBR: Any other published works?
Lorrie:Instead of listing them, I think it would be easier to check out my website at http://struiff.wordpress.com/

TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Lorrie: The most challenging for me, and don’t laugh, is punctuation and hyphenated words. The most rewarding is when readers like my stories. It gives me so much satisfaction.

TBR: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Lorrie: “How can you think up so many stories and different characters?”

TBR: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Lorrie: Wow, that is a loaded question. There are too many to name. As I write in different genres, I also read in different genres.

I love Nelson DeMille, Nora Roberts, David Baldacci, Peter David, etc, etc.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Lorrie: My website again is http://struiff.wordpress.com/ Also on Face Book, appearances on several blogs and the bookstores on Amazon and B&N. Probably more places but I can’t think of them off the top of my head.

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Lorrie: Yes. What is the first thing, other than your preferred genre, do you look for in a book?

TBR: Readers, Lorrie will give away a PDF of either short story to one lucky commenter (winner’s choice). She'll pick a winner next week and announce the winner here. Be sure to leave your email address so s/he can contact you.

Thanks for visiting TBR, Lorrie. Best of luck to you.