SANDY BLAIR
Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Author Sandy Blair!
Welcome, Sandy--please start off by telling us about yourself; where you were born, where you are now.
I was raised in a small New England town, then went to college in Boston where I received my degree in nursing. I’m now living in the Dallas area, working as a full-time author.
Is there anything about your life that would surprise most people?
I didn’t learn to read until the 6th grade. I could sound out words but had no comprehension up until that point.
One of my favorite writers, Katie MacAlister, was once a taxidermist. Any strange jobs before you began writing?
As a college freshman I worked as a ticket seller at a Boston “arts” movie house. I was so naïve at the time I had no clue it was a porn theatre until my fiancé came to pick me up one night and da*n near had a heart attack.
Please tell us about the stories you write.
My light-hearted tales are usually set in Scotland, often have a paranormal element, and feature brawny Highlanders and their determined heroines. The periods range from 1065 to present day. My goal in writing is to entertain; to make you laugh and hopefully shed a few cathartic tears.
What are some of the ups and downs you have encountered before becoming published?
To be truthful I’ve had very few.
What do you think is the key to a memorable romantic story?
Whether or not the tale rings true on an emotional level with readers. You can’t force sexual tension…or love.
Where do you get your story ideas?
Many come from history. I love to take a real moment in time then interject my hero and heroine into the chaos of the period.
Which of your stories has been your favorite to write?
That’s a hard question. I loved writing them all for different reasons.
Which character have you had the most fun creating?
Most likely Birdie, the heroine in A Rogue In A Kilt. She’s not only the most naive of my heroines but she’s also blind, so I could only view her experiences/world through scent, taste, feel, and sound.
Which character have you had the hardest time creating?
Kate, the heroine in A Thief In A Kilt, gave me the most grief. Initially I’d crafted her as a petite beauty, a type I knew my hero would be instantly attracted to, but that left me with little more conflict than two beautiful people with opposing agendas. (Yawn!) Then I received a letter from a reader requesting I think about crafting a “big girl” heroine…like her. I thought about the confusion my hero would feel falling for a woman he could look in the eye, imagined him holding her for the first time—feeling body parts align perfectly--and thought, “That’s it!” The rest of the story wrote itself.
How many hours a week do you spend writing?
I write 40 hrs per week. More if I’m on deadline. (There’s nothing like a little external motivation to keep me banging on the keyboard.)
What challenges do you face in your writing endeavors?
I really dislike writing proposals…more specifically the synopsis. Mainly because the joy I derived from writing comes directly from watching the story unfold beneath my finger tips.
Do you believe a writer should pander to the current market trend in order to make a sale?
Good heavens, no. You’ll never catch up. By the time you polish a “trendy” book that trend will likely have waned and editors will be looking for something new/fresh.
What is the best advice you've received in your career.
Maggie Osborne once told me to remain focused on “what the story is about.” In other words, have a Universal theme firmly in mind as you write each scene and you’ll never find yourself written into a corner or find yourself staring at the computer screen wondering where the h*ll this book was going.
There are a few old-school, well established authors, who have voiced their dissention about the e-book revolution. What is your take on this booming industry?
The E-book revolution, like good wine, has legs. Thanks in great part to the evolution of portable book readers and companies like Kindle, we’ll see more and more e-book formatting with time. Which do I prefer? I love the smell and feel of a hard copy book.
How many manuscripts did you submit before you were offered a contract, and have any of those rejected stories been published since?
My second manuscript was published. The first is still under the bed awaiting revisions.
Any of your titles been translated into other languages?
Yes, all but my latest novella has been translated, and hopefully, this one will be as well.
Some authors live and die by reviews. How do you deal with reviews, good or bad?
I wish I didn’t read reviews, but they’re like car accidents. I feel compelled to look. The “good” ones I forward to my hubby (in the hopes of justifying all the money I’m spending on web site maintenance, etc) and the “bad” ones I read slowly. If the criticisms are valid, I take them to heart and try to keep them in mind as I write the next book. The rest I forget about.
What's next for you?
I’m currently working on my new Highlander Romance and my first mainstream biographical fiction.
Where can readers find you?
At www.SandyBlair.net where readers/aspiring authors will also find my working glossary of Auld Scot and Gael, articles on writing, photos of the castles I’ve stayed in and loads more.
Your parting shot—
Becoming published isn’t simply a matter of developing a compelling “voice” but of you getting the right manuscript on the right desk at the right time. Be tenacious!
Thanks Sandy, I appreciate you letting me put you in the hot seat. Best wishes for your continued success.