BE MY GUEST: Author Interview: Lorhainne Eckhart

Lorhainne is an advocate for children with special needs. She is also passionate about preserving our environment, wildlife, and protecting what natural resources we have left, so there will be a future for our children. But that is not all, she shares one passion that is common with us all and that is, books. She is an author of romance and mystery novels and today she is here with us, to talk about it. So let’s hear from her:

RG: Why did you think of becoming a writer? Did some person or incident in life inspire you? Or you thought you had the germs to be a writer?

To be a writer was always a thought in the back of my mind since I was young. I’ve written for years, but it wasn’t until after my daughter was born seven years ago that I actually sat down and wrote a novel. I read everything, non-fiction, every fiction genre, about writing, until the idea for a story came to me.

RG: What kind of books do you write?
I write Women’s Fiction, but lean more to romantic suspense.

RG: Why did you choose to write in those genres?

I actually didn’t choose to write a specific genre. I had a specific story to tell. My last story “The Choice” , doesn’t neatly fit into one specific genre. It is a romantic mystical suspense story.

RG: What books have you published so far and what are they about?

My newest release – The Choice, is a romantic mystical suspense. Here is a brief synopsis of the novel:

“Marcie Hollis is a Wiccan, who’s always played by the rules. That’s until she meets Dan McKenzie, a man who she believes to be the knight in shining armor she’s been searching for all her life. However, Dan’s not who he appears to be. He lures Marcie into his world of lies, greed and high-grade marijuana. But fate intervenes on Marcie's illicit trip for Dan to New Orleans, when she's robbed in a crowded airport. The thug not only makes off with her suspicious backpack, he knocks her down, her head slams on the concrete floor, and she loses her memory right in the path of DEA agent, Sam Carre.

After a six-month investigation into the activities of a big time drug dealer crumbles, the same day damming evidence is found stuffed in Sam’s locker – evidence suggesting he’s the notorious leak on the team, Sam jumps on the first plane home. Arriving in a crowded airport in New Orleans - his reputation and loyalty are in question. But even though Sam’s tired, disillusioned and haunted by a past that gives him no peace, he stops to help an attractive stranger when she falls in front of him. Then in an act of chivalry, he takes her to his home until the police can identify her. When questions arise about Marcie, and what she’s involved in, the answers lead them to the exact felons Sam investigated in the Pacific Northwest.

When her illusive memory returns, this complex case pushes them both to explain the unexplainable, and leaves Sam with a haunting question. Was she set up, or was this a game she played? Sam’s forced to make a choice, walk away from the attraction that connects them, or risk losing everything.”

My First Novel, “The Captain’s Lady” is a contemporary romance. It is a passionate tale of love during the Iraq War. To give you a glimpse into the story, here is a summary:

“Captain Eric Hamilton is a powerful force in the U.S. Navy, having earned himself a reputation of being a hard-nosed chauvinist. He’s commander of the USS Larsen, a destroyer, currently deployed in the Persian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Abby Carlton has just escaped from the man who held her captive for a year. Abducted while traveling in Paris, she was given to an Arab man as a gift, until one night she makes her desperate escape.

While on patrol one morning Captain Eric Hamilton discovers a dinghy floating aimlessly. Abby is found, battered and in an advanced state of pregnancy, lying in the bottom of the dinghy. From the moment she lay on the deck of his ship her honest innocence finds a way to penetrate his hardened heart. But time is running out. Eric is falsely accused of sexual assault and the CIA wants Abby and the baby for bait to flush out her captor, who is suspected of recent terrorist activity in the gulf.”

RG: If you could be one character from your books, who would you choose to be and why?

Now that’s a hard one to answer. I love the characters I created, with all their flaws, strengths and weaknesses. I’m very happy with who I am, with what I’ve accomplished so I wouldn’t choose to be anyone of my characters.

RG: Where do you get ideas for your stories and characters?

Ideas come to me from everywhere. It could be something going on in the community, in the news, something a friend or acquaintance mentions. When I sit down to write the story from that initial idea, the story unfolds from there and the characters come to life.

RG: List some suggestions/writing tips for those who want to venture into writing fiction.

Writing’s a lonely isolated occupation. So first you need to be comfortable with your own company. You must be self-motivated.

- Create goals and meet them.

- Manage your time constructively

- Read everything. If you want to write, you must read.

- Study your market. This is a business, so approach it as such.

- Hone your craft. By that I mean read everything on writing. And keep writing don’t give up, no matter how many doors close in front of you.

- If you have to re-write that novel eight times, then you do it.

- And here’s the big one. Don’t criticize other writers, whether you think they’re a crappy writer, don’t like the story, whether they went with a small press, self-published, or stuck it out to get a literary agent. And never publicly decimate another author’s work.

RG: Do you think that book blogs play a vital role in getting the books across to readers?

Absolutely. Social media plays a key role in promoting our books. Blogs are a creative tool in sparking interest in your novel. Blogs are a short read and if the topics are interesting, people are going to check out your novel.

RG: Printed books vs. E-books. What’s your take on this?

We’re in the electronic age. E-Books sales are souring. You can download several stories onto your e-reader. And many are priced at a decent price. But I believe there will be a market for print books, just not how it’s been. I believe you’ll see the industry turn to “Print-on-Demand” more and more. It’s an economical and smart way to produce print books.

RG: How much time did it take for you to complete one book? What was your routine for writing?

To write my novel took a few months, the editing is what takes time. And there is a lull time from the time my book goes into the editor until it comes back for me to complete the edits. “The Choice” took almost two years. I re-wrote the novel eight times, it’s a complex plot that I had extensive edits on. But during the lull times I was working on other novels. I never stopped writing.

My day starts early. Four am, I write a few hours until my children get up. After they’re in school, I write, work on edits or promote. Right now because I am busy promoting “The Choice”, there has been no time left for writing.

RG: How do you balance your family life and your writing commitments?

I had to learn structure, and time management. I don’t let much interfere with my writing time, the same goes for my family time. From early mornings until my kids get up that’s my time—the time I write. When they’re in school, I write. As soon as my kids are home from school that becomes family time. I schedule appointments, meetings outside of my writing time.

RG: Are you inspired by any particular author? Who is your favourite author?

I have several favourite authors. Suzanne Brockmann, Tess Gerritsen, James Patterson, Karin Slaughter. But I’d have to say James Patterson and John Locke inspire me. They are both authors who know how to think outside the box, I’d say they’re both a marketing genius. And really, what it takes to succeed in today’s marketplace is coming up with something different, not the tried and true, something that inspires people, and sparks that interest that starts people talking.

RG: Among other author’s books, any character which you could relate to and you will always remember? What was the character about and how could you relate to it?

That’s a hard one. There are so many well rounded characters I read about that I found myself identifying with. But one, Karin Slaughter created a character, Sara, a Pediatrician. A woman with strong morals, focused on her career, and deeply loved her husband before he was killed. She took on causes; she was a strong complex woman.

RG: I believe that there are only two categories of books: good books and bad books. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a “good book”? 

A book with a great plot, I love complex plots. And fully developed characters where the author uses deep point of view. I also enjoy novels that have at least two points of view. Head hopping is okay as long as the author is well skilled and I’m not left guessing who’s POV we are in, I don’t care what all the editors say, I do like reading that in a book.

RG: What suggestions would you give to aspiring authors who are entering the market? What mistakes they should avoid? 

Look at all your options. Because of the volatility of the market now, you need to explore your options. Whether a traditional publishing house, a literary agent, or self publishing are for you. Be very careful about putting out money. There are lots of people looking to take money from authors, for promotion, editing, building websites, etc. There’s a lot you can do yourself. You need to research. There are a couple of good books to read, John Locke’s “How I sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 months”. And Seth Godin’s, “Tribes”.

RG: I am sure the upcoming authors would have learned a lot from your wonderful suggestions. It was a great pleasure having you on my blog. Wish you all the best for your books. Thanks for joining my blog today and letting my readers know about another fantastic author!

About the Author:

Lorhainne Eckhart began her writing career in 2008, when she published her first novel, The Captain’s Lady, a Contemporary Military Romance.

Lorhainne Eckhart is a member of the RWA, Sisters in Crime and Victoria RWA. She makes her home on beautiful Vancouver Island, and lives in the country with her three children. The mother of a special needs child. And one of her greatest gifts is to learn, organization and structure, and how to stay focused on what is really important in life.

Lorhainne loves her garden, nature and all animals. When she isn’t being a busy Mom, working on, and promoting her next novel, you’ll find her horseback riding on the trails, working in the garden, or outside enjoying nature.

To know more about her, visit her website: http://www.lorhainneeckhart.com/index.html

You can also find her on Facebook here , and on Twitter by clicking here.

Her latest novel, The Choice, Book One of Walk the Right Road Series, is a romantic, mystical suspense. It explores an issue most women have fallen victim to at one time in their life. To buy this book on Amazon, click here.