Sunday, March 20, 2011

Interview--PL PARKER

BIO: Author P.L. Parker is a dreamer, an avid reader of fiction, a sometimes gardener, and an inept crafter. She resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, three sons and baby granddaughter. She loves to travel, but always returns to her beloved Idaho. She choreographed, performed, and taught dance for 27 years and quit to try her hand at writing. Other titles include: Fiona, Riley’s Journey, Heart of the Sorcerer, as well as two free reads at The Wild Rose Press--Prophecy’s Bride and Songbird.

Thanks for being here, Patsy. It’s a pleasure.


#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

I’m married, mother of 3 sons, ages 36, 29 and 17. LOL – can’t imagine having more than one small child at a time. My mother was grateful for my hysterectomy, the time was drawing near for another one. I also have one granddaughter age 3 ½ who is my little sweetie. My husband is my best friend and greatest fan. He waits patiently each week for the next chapter for the current working manuscript. In real life, I’m a legal secretary. I have been in the same position for 13 years and I like my job (that is, if I have to have a real job). I’m an avid reader of fiction, love movies and travel.


#2- Can you tell us a bit about your new book, Aimee's Locket?

Aimee’s Locket is a time travel novel. Aimee is thrust back in time to 1847 and the start of the Oregon. Trail. She wants to get home to modern day Seattle but with no prospects and lacking funds, she undertakes a marriage of convenience to procure a seat on a wagon train going to the Oregon territories. Jake, the wagon scout, is her ticket to Seattle, but along the way, love develops.


#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

At first I was slammed, but as time went on, I realized that, like me, one person’s good is another person’s bad. I don’t always like a story, but that doesn’t mean someone else does. Now, I am pretty good about forgetting and just focusing on the good ones.

#4- You first wrote your story, Fiona, after watching the Discovery Channel's segment on Urumchi Mummies, deciding they needed a better ending. Tell us about that.

One of the mummies, a young blonde woman, was dismembered, perhaps a sacrificial victim. Why was she there – and why sacrificed? With her was the body of a small boy – was it her son? An older woman was also in the tomb. A mother? A lady of high status? The more I began thinking about the blonde young woman, the story of Fiona developed. A modern young woman is catapulted back 4,000 years to ancient China to a region which, at that time, was a crossroads between east and west. She experiences the life this woman might have had and ultimately returns to the present. But was her life really back there? Little is really known about the Urumchi Mummies, other than for approximately 1,000 years, these Caucasian people dwelt in what is now the Taklamakan Desert of Northern China. A great number are almost perfectly preserved. Exciting page of history.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?

I love Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Rollins, Dobbs, pretty much anything paranormal. I have to admit, when I was young, I snuck my sister’s “Angelique” series books – pretty heady reading for a young girl, but I think I read most of them. I also loved Bride of the McHugh.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I have two in the submission stage – keep your fingers crossed for me – Absolution (a vampire story) and Into the Savage Dawn. My website is www.plparker.com and my blog which is where I keep my readers updated, www.plparker.blogspot.com.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Just that I feel fortunate to be a part of the romance novel group. I’ve learned a lot – don’t always agree with what I’m told is the norm – but I learn something new every day.

Thanks for inviting me to participate.

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