INTERVIEW WITH LILLIAN DUNCAN

I’m delighted today to welcome American Christian Fiction Writer author Lillian Duncan to my blog. Lillian writes those kinds of stories that send chills down your spine and make you hear footsteps in the dark. Her e-book, The Christmas Stalking, will sneak up behind you and grab you by the throat, and … okay, so it doesn’t sneak. But if you are a fan of romantic suspense, you won’t want to miss this one.

Welcome Lillian!Christmas Stalking

First of all, tell us a little something about your book, THE CHRISTMAS STALKING

Overzealous fan or crazed stalker?

Country music superstar Destiny appears to have it all. Beauty, money, and fame. But it’s not all glitz and glamour. Being a celebrity comes with a price—loneliness, and now threats from an unknown stalker.

With Christmas approaching, and as the danger escalates in Nashville, Destiny has no choice but to disappear. She escapes to her grandparents’ cabin in the Adirondack Mountains near the tiny Village of Serenity & Peace. It seems to be the perfect choice for a hideout. Longing for the serenity and peace she experienced there as a child, Destiny sheds her celebrity persona and resumes her long-forgotten identity as Holly Stone.

Unfortunately, fame follows her to the tiny village—along with her stalker.

Connie: Yikes! (looking around, making sure my doors are locked!!)  So, writing suspense must require a bit different approach. Are your stories more character-driven or plot-driven?
Both!  Of course, being suspense it’s definitely  plot-driven. But as in real life, my characters have their own unique way of dealing with the problems being thrown at them.

Do you have any favorite or unique ways of coming up with story ideas?
Not really. Sometimes an idea will drop from the sky or a little scene plays out in my head and that’s the start. Last week, my brother gave me a suggestion. As he talked, I saw the story in my head. So inspiration can come from any source at any time. The important thing is to be open to it.

How much time do you spend getting to know your characters before you actually begin writing the story?
About 5 minutes!  The story I started last week, I didn’t even know the main character’s name, but I think I’ve got it now! I am what is known as a seat of the pants writer. No outline. No research. I sit down and start to write. I research the story as I write it. I learn about my characters as I write.
Connie here: Wow!! Every author has a different approach to a story. My characters won’t let me get started until I’ve spent days…weeks getting to know them. And they can be downright obstinate about giving up their story, sometimes!

Some writers love research. Others, not so much. How do you approach research?
I love the story—the suspense—the action. Not so much the research, but research and accuracy are important so I do it whether I like it or not!

They say to write what you know, but sometimes we’d rather forget what we know! Have you ever drawn upon your own gut-wrenching life experiences and injected them into your characters’ lives?
In fact I haven’t used the circumstances, but I’ve certainly used the emotions from the circumstances.

Has a character ever made you laugh out loud?
Oh, sure and cried. In my book, DECEPTION, there’s a letter from one missing twin to the other. I must have had to edit that letter 50 times, and I cried every time.

How do you work through writer’s block?

First of all, I don’t call it writer’s block! I call it getting stuck or making a wrong turn.  I go back to the beginning and start editing, making changes, and rewriting the story. (Remember, I’m the seat of the pants type writer.)

Usually, I’ll come to a spot in the story where I can see what went wrong.  I save that file in case I’m wrong, rename it and start making the BIG changes to get the story back on track.

That process works for me. It might not work for every writer, but I’ve only had one or two real cases of writer’s block in the seventeen years I’ve been writing so it works for me!

Have you ever served as a judge for a contest? What is the best advice you can give to an unpublished writer entering their story in a contest?
I’ve judged several contests in the past few years. My advice is do the best you can and then understand reading and writing are very personal activities. Because a judge doesn’t like your work or seems overly critical, it doesn’t mean your writing doesn’t have potential.

Thank you, Lillian, for your insight into the life of a suspense writer.
Lillian has graciously agreed to give away an e-copy of her book, THE CHRISTMAS STALKING. To be entered in the drawing at the end of the week, leave a comment on this blog post.
To learn more about Lillian and her books, check out her various websites:
www.lillianduncan.net
www.PowerUpWithGod.com
www.celebrateGODcreatively.wordpress.com  
And look for her on Facebook and Twitter:  @LillianDuncan

Lillian Duncan

Lillian Duncan writes stories of faith mingled with murder & mayhem. She writes the type of books she loves to read—suspense with a touch of romance. Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.


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This entry was posted in ACFW Author, character's occupations, creating characters, fictional characters, Guest Bloggers, romance suspense, The Christmas Stalking. Bookmark the permalink.

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