Welcome Zumaya author, Alana Lorens!

Hi, Alana! Thanks for being here today - I must admit I hadn't heard of Zumaya Publications before your interview. Could you share a little about them after our chat??

Let's get started...

Thanks for having me today, Rachel!

1)   Did you set any goals for 2012?  I wanted to meet all my writing contract deadlines—a little challenging when I’ve got six novels coming out. I think I’ll meet all but one. J

2)   What is the best part of the writing process for you?   Figuring out how to get from here to there in my plots. I often know where I want to end up, but sometimes I’m thinking, “How did I get myself into this box??” Making the loose ends come together in a satisfying way is wonderful.

3)    

The worst part?  Being on deadline and landing in the open middle of the story where finding each word sometimes feels like walking on hot coals to get to the other side.

4)   What is the book you wish you’d written?  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. She captured not only the interesting and unique characters, but the whole feel of an historical era very well.

5)   Favourite author/s & book/s?   I’m a big fan of Anne McCaffrey, who wrote a fantasy series about dragons and many others. She drew characters who were underdogs that you couldn’t help but root for, and her female characters are all delightfully strong and stubborn, too.

6)   Tell us about your latest release? SECOND CHANCES  is the story of

    Inessa Regan, a 10-year associate at a Pittsburgh law firm, who gets a pink slip when the economy tanks. Insecure, her pride wounded, she flounders helplessly until she meets Kurtis Lowdon, a man 15 years younger than she, an Iraq War veteran with cancer.  He helps her take the first steps back from the pit of despair after she loses everything that defines her.

     

    First as her client, then as her landlord, then as her partner, Kurt shows her the power of  believing in oneself. Their journey is tainted with secrets from Kurt’s own past, as well as some of the horrors of war that have followed Kurt and his friends home from overseas. When his cancer returns, she must take control of her own life and fight to survive.   His battle teaches her how to live; and she risks everything she holds dear to save him.

7)                  Tease us with a blurb/short except

                  

The courtroom of District Justice Donatelli was small and crowded, but Inessa didn’t need a program to identify her client Rafe Johnson’s wife. The petite woman sat in a corner chair, hands jammed in the pockets of the maroon prison coverall, glaring at the people near her, snapping at anyone who got too close.
Bar Association card in hand, Inessa wiggled through the throng to catch the attention of the overwhelmed public defender.
“How are you doing?” she said with a smile, showing the bulky young man her card. “I’m Inessa Regan. Some calendar you’ve got.”
“John Moore. What can I do for you?”
“Are you representing Susan Johnston?”
Continuing to sort through the stack of files before him, the gray-suited attorney stopped short of rolling his eyes.
“Her? She applied for a PD, but she’s done nothing but fight with me since we met. You here to take her off my hands?” The plea in his tone was almost palpable.
“I’m counsel in a domestic matter involving Susan and her husband. So, you’re finding her difficult?” Perfect.
“Heck, she’s right out there with Manson, that stare she thinks will kill you.”
He glanced at the woman in question, who was cursing at another female prisoner seated in the row behind her. The cacophony of voices in the room got louder as the time approached for the magistrate to begin.
“She hasn’t said anything helpful in the least.”
“You know she’s just back from Iraq? She had a hard time there.”
“She’s a vet? Oh, man.” He found the file he was looking for and flipped it open. All that was inside was a printed copy of the application for the appointment of a public defender and a set of the charges.
“She’s got some mental health issues. Listen, have you thought of invoking Rule Five-twenty-three-point-one?” Inessa handed him the printout she’d made earlier.
“Hadn’t really thought about it.” He looked over the paper. “I can’t use this unless I think she’s not competent. Or if she’s severely mentally disabled. I mean, don’t get me wrong, she’s unpleasant as hell, but I wouldn’t say she’s not competent.”
Talking quickly, before Rafe could hear her, Inessa gave the public defender the short version of Rafe’s story, and added Kurt’s observations.
“The woman’s not thinking right and not acting like herself. She’s either off her meds, or overdosing, and she’ll be no good to you as a client like that. You can request as a condition of bail that she be examined at the Behavior Clinic. Maybe they can give you solid grounds for your defense. At least they can verify PTSD or something that would give you a handle.”
Susan screeched across the courtroom at her husband. “Who’s that woman? You stepping out on me, Rafe? I’ll kill you!” Although the two broad-shouldered bailiffs had Susan back in her seat in a couple of seconds, she seemed in danger of popping up if they hadn’t held her there.

8)                  What is your favourite attribute of the hero and heroine?    Inessa is 42, a little overweight, a little self-absorbed, having fallen into a work rut. When she gets laid off, it really shakes her up and opens her to new possibilities.  Meeting Kurt, who’s 12 years younger than she is, is a real jolt for her, because he’s fighting cancer and living every day as fully as he can, because he doesn’t know how many he has left. They have a lot to learn from each other.

9)                  What’s next?  I’m working on two manuscripts already under contract, both due in mid-July, THE ELF GUARDIAN, which is the fourth book in my Clan Elves of the Bitterroot urban fantasy series (written as Lyndi Alexander), and THE COLOR OF FEAR: PLAGUE, which is the first book in a post-apocalyptic YA trilogy.  But, in September, contemporary romance THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE comes out from The Wild Rose Press as well as supernatural mystery LOVE ME, KISS ME, KILL ME, from Hydra Publications. So I think I’ve got a busy year ahead!

10)                  Tell me where you write? I’m married to an absent-minded computer geek. Together, we have a dozen computers, seven children and a full house in northwestern Pennsylvania.                   

11)                  Where would you like your career to be in 5 years?   I’d be very excited if I could give up the day job—by then, if all the contracted books come out as planned, I’ll have 16 novels in print and hopefully more time to write things I want to.

12)       Where can we find you?  My romance/women’s fiction books are at  http://alanalorens.com. My fantasy/sci-fi/mystery books are at http://lyndialexander.wordpress.com. My personal blog is at http://awalkabout.wordpress.com. 

For the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyers debut, I’m having this contest:

DUAL BOOK/BLOG TOUR!!

CONVICTION OF THE HEART (release date June 8, 2012)

And SECOND CHANCES (release date July 2012)

The first and Second books of the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyer Series!

Come by the following blogs or live booksignings and leave a comment to be entered in a drawing—at the end of the tour, Alana will give away one ebook copy of each book and one paperback copy of each book—Four lucky winners! Check out all the websites at http://alanalorens.com

Here’s the addy for the book trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEMtSxd6FQQ&feature=youtube

Great interview and trailer, Alana!! I cannot believe you have six books published this year - that is amazing! Wishing you all the best :)

Comments?