Today I've had the pleasure to interview author Pandora Richardson. In May 2012 she released Lost, a preternatural book that she'll tell you about below. Please join me in giving her a warm welcome.
I’m originally from NJ and now live in the Washington, DC area. Outside of being a writer, I’m an IT consultant for various government and private sector agencies.
What is the title of your novel and tell us in three sentences or less what it is about.
My novel Lost, is about Amelia Jones, a 25 year old, werewolf detective who takes on a case that challenges her emotionally and causes her to do things she thought she’d never do. As she struggles with events as they unfold, Amelia tries to make sense of the mess she’s in and at the same time hide her preternatural nature.
What was the hardest part in writing your novel?
Since Lost is the first novel in my series, I struggled with how much to reveal and when. There are several plots and subplots that will be dealt with gradually in future books, so it was really difficult to decide on what I wanted to say. My major goal was to create a character that readers would enjoy and care to read more about. I accomplished that.
Tell us about one or two of your characters.
Amelia Jones is conflicted character. Having found out she had lycanthropy when she was nine, she and her adoptive parents Derrick and Thomas Jones, have tried to live a normal life and struggle to keep her condition a secret. Her upbringing and experiences have made Amelia an introvert of sorts while at the same time highly invested in proving she can be an independent adult. Her inexperience and reliance on her parents leave her unprepared for the many challenges that she is presented with in Lost.
Amelia’s parents Derrick and Thomas are an interracial gay couple that adopted her when she was an infant. They are the backbone and lifeline for Amelia and are concerned about her development or lack there of as a young woman. Derrick is the practical and sensible parent, Thomas on the other hand is Amelia’s BFF. Their interactions with Amelia in the book and beyond are critical the various plots and give more depth to why she reacts and thinks the way she does.
Who designed your book cover?
It took several days, but I designed my book cover and plan to do so in the near future.
Who inspired you to write?
Charlaine Harris. I read a post of hers online somewhere and she said something to the effect that if you’re a fan of the paranormal and is well read in the subject, you’re well on the way of being a writer in the genre. Considering that I have read over 200 books in these genres combined with a pinch of naïveté, I decided to give it a shot.
What message are you trying tell your readers in your novel?
I wouldn’t say that I have a definitive message per se, but I do introduce several elements like Amelia’s gay parents and her struggles as a 25 year old virgin that I want readers to be able to look at as perfectly normal. So you can say that I subtly promote my politics in my novels, but I’m not pushy, or at least not in this novel.
Are you an am, pm or whenever you have time writer?
I’m mainly a whenever I have time writer, however if I happen to be up writing past midnight, I find that my writing begins to veer toward the erotic. Go figure.
Tell us about your other published stories or novels? Or perhaps, do you have something else in the works that you’d like to share.
I currently have two erotic short stories published as part of my Pandora’s Intimate Encounters series. They are titled The New Guy and Remembrance. I’m also hard at work on my second Amelia Jones novel, which is currently untitled. It takes place a year later after the events of Lost and Amelia finds herself in the middle of an ideological war that threatens her family and their way of life.
Share with us the sites that we can stalk you on?
My main site is http://pandorarichardson.com I can also be found on Twitter @authorpandora and my Facebook page, authorpandorarichardson
Thank you Pandora for stopping by. I enjoyed your company.