Interview with Amy Lignor

1. What (and how many) works have you released? What are they about?

The Heart of a Legend is a work of historical fiction that focuses on the romance between Billy the Kid and Paulita Maxwell. Not a great many people have heard of this lady, or their partnership, but it has been said that Paulita was the mother of Billy’s son. (And if you take a look at the picture, the legend certainly ‘looks’ to be true.) I have released the first eBook in the Tallent & Lowery adventure series titled, 13, which we are now looking at getting into print. These are great adventures based on the slightly sarcastic Head Librarian at the New York Public Library. Leah Tallent runs across a strange man who’s very interested in attaining a treasure that’s buried inside the cornerstone of the NYPL. When this particular artifact is found, they are led on a journey that actually ‘connects’ the Winchester Mystery House to the Vatican, Jack the Ripper, Aleister Crowley, Loch Ness and Ireland. I love doing the research on these and a bestselling author has actually stated that these titles are, “The DaVinci Code with heart.” I also released a YA titled, Mind Made, over a decade ago that was based on my daughter. A paranormal world where a quartet is stuck in some seriously odd situations where they must find a way to get out of the ‘nightmare’ they’ve landed in.

2. How did you get the idea for your work? What lured you to your topics?

Angels have always been a true passion of mine, so I was absolutely thrilled when YA fiction began coming out with more and more titles that focused on angels and not the vampires that have been the ‘top of the heap’ for so long. J I wanted to do something different, however. I wanted to write a story that was still filled with the suspense, adventure and romance that a YA book should offer, but I didn’t want my angels to be tormented souls or ‘fallen.’ I wanted to have them be ‘fresh off the line,’ so to speak, and have to go through the same human emotions we all have to, while keeping their faith in each other. After finishing Book II now, I have to say that they’ve become my absolute favorite characters.

3. What scene, topic, or section was the most intense (or visual) for you to write?

I love when Matt and Emily - the angel/warrior team - is training. As best friends, it’s beyond exciting to pit them against each other in various situations, and when they are battling, the intensity of the two that stems from the love and power they have for each other is really thrilling.

4. In the event that your book became a screenplay (or documentary), who would you like to see included in the casting?

The two young characters I would want to be completely unknown. Seeing as that the premise of the story is about ‘new’ characters, it would be thrilling to find ‘new’ actors out there to play them. For the teachers, I would like the actors we all love. One of them I would love to be played by Keifer Sutherland, for the magnificent voice, alone. And Gary Oldman would make a great ‘counterpart’ to him.

5. If you could meet anyone or see anything (characters, locations, events, abilities, creatures, etc) from your novel, who or what would you choose?

The 'up above’ factor comes into play here. I would love to see everything without having to leave this earth for good. I’m not ready quite yet J Those hallways, those rooms, and that incredible library would be a magical place to visit.

6. How did you go about selecting your cover?

I had the idea for the angel, seeing as that the warrior will be the cover for Book II. Emily is incredibly strong, but she can break - and the artists at Tribute Books ran with that and honestly produced a cover I was just astounded by. They deserve 100% absolute credit for the amazing job that was done!

7. Do you have any upcoming projects? When can readers expect them?

Books II of The Angel Chronicles has been completed, so hopefully that will come along soon. And the Tallent & Lowery series (Book II) which is called, The Sapphire Storm has also been completed and we are currently looking at turning them from ebooks into hardcover editions. I am also working with a YA story called “Meet The Reaper” which began on Goodreads and seems to have caught on, so I am continuing to put that one together and hope to have it completed by the end of the year.

8. Why did you become an author (or start writing)?

I loved books when I was growing up, and I had one of those brains that would not stop. I had this imagination that constantly thought up new places and characters…all I wanted to do was tell stories. My favorite class in grade school and high school was writing, and it was really he only thing besides English that I was any good at. J I’m not exactly a mathematician. Writing took hold and became my passion, and it hasn’t let go yet. Thank goodness!

9. What do you love the most about being an author?

I feel such a sense of accomplishment and excitement when that cover is put on and readers tell me that they enjoy the book. It makes me so proud and so happy when a story makes someone else feel good, or even inspires them to write. And I love working with authors. My company, The Write Companion, was started because I wanted to help debut authors, and the ones I have met are such great people and truly good friends, that I am thrilled that I can help them.

10. What or who inspires you to write?

My family. My mom was a career librarian and taught us all about books and how much better they were than any other form of entertainment, and I’m glad I listened. She is so inspiring, and she and my daughter, Shelby, are always there to support me, cheer me on, and even lift me up when I have had a seriously bad day, or far too many rejection letters to deal with. LOL. They are my true inspirations.

11. What is the top cause you champion?

Animals. ASPCA, the World Wildlife Federation…I want so much to be able to stop the killing and senseless abuse of animals. If I had billions I would buy a million acres of land and become Noah. I would even build an ark if they wanted one. Animals should NOT be harmed. Children should NOT be, either. It makes me truly sick when I see headlines (and they ALWAYS seem to be there), where an animal or child has been hurt. That is the moment when I believe we should bring back public hangings.

12. What advice do you have for anyone who is interested in becoming an author?

Don’t throw your work in a drawer because of a rejection letter. I know - boy, do I know - how awful and depressing and frustrating it is to receive one. But, unfortunately, you’ll receive more than one. These letters are not sent because your book is bad. 90% of the time it’s a form letter anyway that’s sent because there was no time for the person on the other end to even read the book. They got through two paragraphs of your query letter and didn’t want that particular subject. Please keep going! You absolutely do not know if the next letter you receive will be that acceptance. And, believe me, every one of your favorite authors received rejection letters. Just think how awful the literary world would have been if they’d stopped.

13. What is one thing your readers should know about you?

I love humor. I love to make people laugh, so if some of my words or characters are a bit flippant or sarcastic at times, it’s because I truly think that without humor - especially in this day and age - we’d all be zombies.

14. If you could do anything (for a career), besides being a writer, what would you do?

I’d work with animals in some sort of capacity. I don’t think I could be a vet, though, because I’d never be able to send them to the great beyond when their time was over. I’d want them to live forever.

15. Aside from writing, what are your hobbies?

I love movies! Spending time with my daughter, reading, reviewing, and working with other authors.

16. What is…?

…your favorite author? I have no idea how people narrow this down to one because I have a different ‘fav’ for each genre. Ummm…I’ll go with Dean Koontz on this one.

…your favorite book or series? The Kommandant’s Girl by Pam Jenoff

c. …your biggest literary inspiration? Hypatia: The first and last female librarian and philosopher in the Royal Library of Alexandra. (And…Stephen King. The man has a brain that’s packed with everything from humor to horror and I don’t know how he does it).

17. Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what artists? If not, do you have other muses? No. I’m one of those that needs all quiet to hear my own brain. But my mammoth dog, Reuben, sits beside me each and every day that I get on the computer. He ended up being the inspiration for a book I wrote called Precious Stones, which I will someday - hopefully - get published.

18. Is there anything that helps you write or is unique about your writing process?

I still am one of the ‘old schoolers.’ I constantly keep a pad of paper and pen beside me, because I will be working on a chapter, or sleeping, or doing the dishes - and a line or a locale or a ‘twist’ hits me square between the eyes and I am constantly writing things down.

19. Which, if any, character do you feel has the most of your characteristics (behavioral or otherwise)?

Leah Tallent. She is a real pain in the butt but she loves books and she can solve puzzles that others would give up on. I love puzzles and I am a bit brusque at times J, but I absolutely LOVE books and would KILL to live in the New York Public Library.

Thank you for participating!

Thank you for having me! J

Title: Until Next Time
Series: The Angel Chronicles

Author: Amy Lignor
ASBN: 9780983741855
ISBN: 9781465992697
Pages: 295
Release: February 1, 2012

About: How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul? Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache. When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literallychange an angel's path and a warrior's plans. From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

Author Bio: Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories. Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13. She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer. Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.