Q&A Friday: Interview with Lynda Filler, author of "Target in the Sun" and more
What's Q&A Friday?
Each Friday, I will have regularly scheduled Q&As with successful authors. The focus of my questions will be on their writing processes, and what they think of certain elements of the writing world. If you would like to reach out to me for a Q&A of your own, you can message me on facebook or twitter, or email me at japroctorfiction@gmail.com.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview Lynda Filler, author of "Target in the Sun" and over 15 other publications. You can check out her other works here.
Interview with author Lynda Filler:
When writing your novel "Target in the Sun", the first book in the Carlos and Mia series, was there a heavy planning stage involved before you put pen to paper?
Yes. Target is a unique story of the lives of Mia, an older Canadian woman, and Carlos, a twenty-year-old Mexican man who carry on an illicit relationship. Their love affair plays out long distance through emails. Mia has kept journals and within those pages are many revelations that could ultimately get them both murdered. So weaving in Carlos’ past in this manner creates a compelling and sympathetic character and a story that fascinates the reader. Yes, planning is necessary. I always use an Excel spreadsheet. I learned the necessity of plotting from NYT and USA bestselling author Russell Blake. You don't have to know everything but plotting makes the writing go much quicker.
How useful do you find beta readers and editors?
I’ve not really used Beta Readers but have started to do so with my 6th JET novella JET-Silk Road. It should be interesting. Editors are a necessity. However, they aren’t perfect. When I got my last novella back from editing, I found 13 mistakes. I find I’m often downloading and replacing an MS from Amazon to redo editing! I want my readers to have the best experience when they read my work.
How many revisions did "Target in the Sun" undergo before you were happy with the finished product?
I’m never totally happy. But Target went back and forth three times.
Your book "Target in the Sun" is an interesting blend of romance and thriller, and looking through your other novels, you seem to branch out quite a bit with genres. Is there any genre you wouldn't write?
I won’t write what I don’t read. It’s easier to answer what I love writing: action, adventure anything that my hi-tech super brain billionaire patriot Luke Raven wants to do. I like strong female leads/Navy Seals in suspense thriller. Yes I like Contemporary Fiction, edgy romance with complicated moral issues. I live in my characters lives—they become friends. But the future/fantasy/horror and full-on erotica are not genres I would write. But, I think this year I will do a romance series. I do tend to feed off my personal life and experiences. I think I might be ready for full-on romance, possibly along the lines of Nicholas Sparks.!
What's the one book you would recommend aspiring writers read, fiction or nonfiction?
On Writing by Stephen King. I don’t read his books but I love listening to his interviews on YouTube and his book is brilliant.
(Note from interviewer: next week's writer's craft book review will be this On Writing by Stephen King, funnily enough)
What would you cite as the main influences of your "Carlos and Mia" series?
1. A desire to share how much I personally love the Mexican people.
2. An understanding of the cultural challenges of growing up in Mexico, a country controlled by narcos.
3. Falling in love has no geographical or age limitations.
4. Leading with your heart—my personal viewpoint on life.
For a more generic question: What does your average week look like, as a writer? Do you aim for a set amount of words every day?
I’m always writing something. I’m a top writer on Quora 2018. I answer questions on topics like writing, relationships, life. I’m prolific. There are books or novellas in my WIP all the time. I have a part-time sales career so lots of juggling in my life. It’s normal for me to be marketing and writing into the night. I don’t put restrictions on word count but when I’m in the flow it takes a week for the first draft of 25k. I re-read sections for continuity and then edit somewhat as I go along. There’s ALWAYS a plot twist or else the story isn’t compelling or alive for me!
Book 1 of the Carlos and Mia series came out in 2016, and Book 2, "Vanished in the Sun", was released early last year (2017). Can we expect a third installment?
I’ve started a third but my fans wanted more JET so I stopped to add installments to that series. And then Layla showed up in Lie to Me. What can I say? I have no lack of themes and ideas!
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I'd just like to give Lynda a big thank-you for being the first author for featuring in Q&A Friday! I would urge anyone who's mildly intrigued by this interview to check out some of her stuff. She's got a lot of it out there, and it's quite well received.
Lynda Filler is a prolific author of several novels, including a number of separate series, most notably the JET series. She hails from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, and generally writes romance, suspense, poetry and non-fiction. She has been awarded "Best in Contemporary Fiction 2017" and "Top Quora Writer 2018". If you are interested in following Lynda, you can follow her amazon page, or follow her on twitter.
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