Giveaway & Interview with Women's Fiction & Romantic Suspense Author, Susan Crandall

Women's fiction and Romantic Suspense author Susan Crandall has stopped by today to talk about her latest Grand Central Publishing release, "Sleep No More" She has brought two copies along to giveaway. To enter leave Susan a comment including your email. Giveaway is open to all and runs until Jan 25, 2010. Remember: No email. No Entry.

Title: Sleep No More
Author: Susan Crandall
Publisher:Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release: January 1, 2010
Format: Print
Buy Now!

"A good cozy mystery wrapped in a solid romance... both an easy and riveting read."
-Romantic Times Book Review

DANGER NEVER RESTS

The night was always Abby Whitman’s enemy. As a young girl she walked in her sleep, and one night, started a fire that scarred her sister for life and left Abby with unbearable guilt, and a loneliness that echoes within her


AND EVIL NEVER CLOSES ITS EYES

Now Abby has begun blacking out again—with apparently fatal results. A car accident has killed the son of a prominent family. Even though the evidence seems to exonerate her, Abby is plagued by doubts—and soon by mysterious threats. A young psychiatrist, Dr. Jason Coble, is intrigued by Abby and offers to help her explore the dark recesses in her mind. Through this terrifying journey, Jason’s interest turns to passion, and he yearns to give her the love she craves. But first, Abby must trust him—and shed light on secrets that will rock this Southern town and reveal a danger that threatens them both.

Read excerpt.

Learn more about the Author of the Day.

Interview with author, Susan Crandall.

CSM: Please help me welcome Women's Fiction and Suspense author, Susan Crandall to Over the Edge. Susan, my readers and I are so psyched that you have dropped by to spend time with us. Thanks so much!

And thank you for inviting me, Christine! It’s so great to be able to share my love of books with other bibliophiles. I’m thrilled to be here.

CSM: Tell us more about yourself.

I live in the same small (now smallish) town in which I was born. Love, love, love it here. I spent enough years living in the Chicago area to really appreciate what small towns have going for them. Which is probably why most of my books take place in fictional small towns.

In my first career, I was a dental hygienist (yeah, yeah, I know, everyone loves us). All of that dislike thickened my skin for when I started writing.

I’m married and have two grown children – one of whom is also a writer. I’m an absolute fool for anything with fur; we’ve had almost every pet imaginable. Right now I’m down to a dog and a gerbil (which I inherited from one of my kids). My husband refuses to let me in the door of the Humane Society for fear of what will come home with me.

CSM: Besides being a total book junkie I’m also a music junkie. When I’m writing I have a sound track playing either in my mind or in my cd player. What’s your sound track? What type of music is on it?

I’m a music junkie also. However, when I’m writing, I must have quiet. I find music while I’m writing to be more of a distraction. I feel it also tends to make my writing more flat – I suppose because the background music is supplying the emotion instead of my words.

And as for my soundtrack, I’m pretty eclectic, just as I am with my reading. I’m a Daughtry fan. I like Mat Kearny (he’s a great lyricist). I’m not huge into country, but there are a few songs and artists that I really enjoy.

CSM: How would readers find out more about you?

Hey, just ask! I always answer my email personally (susan@susancrandall.net ). Also, there is a treasure trove of “Susan” insights on my website ( www.susancrandall.net ). I have three video interviews up now. Each book page has a “deadline snack of the book” listed. There are all kinds of things to supplement what is between the covers of the books themselves.

CSM: When did you write your first book?

I wrote my first novel in 1993, co-authoring with my sister. I wrote my first published novel in 2000-2001. In between I wrote four unpublished novels with my sister. I really learned a lot along the way.

CSM: Where and when do you write?

I have an office all to myself in my house (as I said, I need quiet). But whenever the weather is good, I write outside on my screened porch (we back up to a woods, so the isolation there is good too).

The when is greatly influenced by the looming presence of a deadline. Normally I like to write in the afternoon and evening. I’m not much good in the mornings. The evening writing usually comes on as the deadline gets closer. It takes me about 6-9 months to complete a novel. The first half of that is usually dedicated to the first 6-8 chapters. I’m a slow starter.


CSM: What is your must-have book for writing?

Don’t really have one. Depends on what I need to know for the specific book. I’m a real seat of the pants kind of writer.

CSM: What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Of course, write, write, write. Learn as much as you can about the craft. Trust your writing instincts. And then put on your armor and send your work out there. No one will come knocking on your door for it. Most of all, keep in mind, we’ve all had work rejected in one way or another.

CSM: What genre(s) do you write?

I’ve published in women’s fiction and romantic suspense. I love them both.

CSM: Among that you’ve written which is your favorite book and why?

Oh, now that’s a naughty question. I don’t have one favorite book. There are things about each of them that are especially dear to me for various reasons (much like a person’s children). I love the unusual plot of SLEEP NO MORE. I love SEEING RED, because it was really difficult to pull together and turned out so much better than I’d ever hoped. I love BACK ROADS, because it was my first – and I’m still in love with the hero, Will Scott. I love ON BLUE FALLS POND because of the character Granny Tula, who is an amalgam of a few women in my own family. I could go on, but you’re getting the picture.

CSM: Tell us more about your upcoming January 2010 release by Grand Central, “Sleep No More”.

Sleep No More is a romantic suspense about Abby Whitman, whose sleepwalking as a child resulted in the loss of the family home and the permanent scarring of her younger sister. Abby has structured her life to protect everyone from the danger she poses during sleeping hours. But all of her precautions prove not to be enough when she awakens behind the wheel of her vehicle at the scene of a fatal accident, with no recollection of how she got there. Shortly afterward, the mysterious phone calls and threats begin.

Psychiatrist Dr. Jason Coble is trying to help her resolve the mystery of not only her sleepwalking, but why someone is threatening her … before it’s too late.

CSM: Any new projects, works in progress?

Right now I’m working on two. One is a slow-boil mainstream suspense and the other is a women’s fiction that deals (naturally) with a women in crisis and dealing with a transitional time in her life. I can’t say more about either at this moment.

CSM: I want to take this time to thank Susan for stopping by and sharing with my readers and myself a little bit about yourself. This sure has been loads of fun. I hope you enjoyed being here as much as we enjoyed having you.

Thank you again,Christine. It was my pleasure!