Grab a coffee (or Coke, as is my preference) and join me for today’s guest, Linda Carroll-Bradd, as she discusses her new release UNLOCKED TREASURE. (Be sure to read to the end where Linda is offering a Rafflecopter draw.)
Will a prophecy keep a lonely woman from accepting the promise of adventure?
Hello, Linda, and welcome to my blog. Please start by telling us a little about yourself.
As a young girl, I spent lots of time lying on my bed reading about fascinating characters having exciting adventures in places far away and in other time periods. In later years, I discovered and devoured romances. At a certain point, I grew cocky enough to think I could write one of these stories. Twelve years later, my first fiction sale was achieved–a confession story. Married with 4 adult children and 2 granddaughters, I now write heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor and a bit of sass from my home in the southern California mountains. (Mountains of southern California, that sounds beautiful.)
Do you have a process for coming up with character names and book titles?
I’m a real fan of unique names and even changed the spelling of my name in 2nd or 3rd grade by substituting a ‘y’ for the ‘i’ until my mom said ‘no.’ Since I first started writing, I’ve used The Writers’ Digest Character Naming Sourcebook. Picking out a name is part of my process for creating the character and the meaning is usually a small part of the individual’s personality. (I’ve never heard of that book, I’ll have to take a look.)
The title usually doesn’t come until very near the end of the book and often relates to the crisis moment. I have been known to change the title several times while writing—drives my critique group nuts.
Tell us about your current book.
UNLOCKED TREASURE is a new release (just yesterday!). UNLOCKED TREASURE is a novella published by The Wild Rose Press which is part of the Hauntings In The Garden series. The story, set the week before Halloween, takes place in Rhode Island—because I’ve never been there and wanted to research the area. My surprise was the incredibly rich pirate history of the region and I wanted to include that. Then I learned about the incredible mansions of the wealthy, that were their “summer homes”, and the rich heritage of sailing in the region. Took me a while but I figured out how all of those things fit together.
Here is a blurb from UNLOCKED TREASURE:
Aleen MacRae blames the lure of the sea for breaking apart first her family then her engagement. When her interest is caught by a man she sees both in person and in a dream, she resists—afraid to believe in her aunt’s prediction that her future is tied to the sea.
Braden Williams is on the hunt for treasure buried centuries earlier by Rhode Island pirates. His search brings him to the property where Aleen lives. Collaboration on genealogy research draws them closer, and Braden steers her toward his true passion–sailing.
Attending a party with Braden’s family lets her glimpse what she’s been missing. An unexpected discovery before her date with Braden at the Halloween Midnight Organ Recital forces a decision. Will Aleen play things safe or accept what this free-spirited man offers?
Ohhh, sounds very intriguing. Where can my visitors find your book?
UNLOCKED TREASURE can be found at:
AMAZON
WILD ROSE PRESS
Okay, so now some personal questions for Linda.
• Favorite book or movie? Book–Pride And Prejudice
• What are you reading now? I’m almost finished with Riders of The Purple Sage by Zane Grey, because it’s a classic but the writing style is so very different than what I’m used to (not to mention the anti-Mormon theme) that I’m struggling to finish. I do understand why his books were popular; they almost come alive as a travelogue about the geography, flora and fauna of the region.
• If they were to make a movie about you, who would play you and why? Although there’s not much physical resemblance, I like to think of myself as a person similar to the character Sally Field played in the TV series, Brothers & Sisters.
If you’d like more information on Linda, you can find her at:
Email: l.carrollbradd@gmail.com
Website: http://www.lindacarroll-bradd.com
Blog: http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806413.Linda_Carroll_Bradd
Link for Unlocked Treasure on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23252027-unlocked-treasure
Check out Linda’s Rafflecopter contest, running 10/20-10/26 with $10 gift card or Halloween anthology or backlist title as the prizes
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Charlotte Copper... 