Sandy James's first book, Turning Thirty-Twelve is out today! Sandy took a little time out of her busy schedule to share the excitement of her first book being published with Romance Examiner. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as I ask Sandy a few questions about her writing and of course, her new book.
Sally: “Welcome Sandy. It's great having you on Romance Examiner, today. So when did you first start writing romance?”
Sandy: “I have always loved reading romance. While I might have drifted into enjoying mysteries and mainstream fiction, my heart always led me back to romance. I had never honestly considered writing until I ran across a book written by a well-known romance writer that involved a married couple as the hero and heroine. Always hating the notion that the thrill was gone once a couple married, I read that book with high hopes. When the thirty-nine year old heroine was described several times as still looking seventeen, I almost blew a gasket. I turned that emotion into motivation and started a story about a married couple with all the foibles and imperfections of real couples. Once I finished my first book, I couldn’t stop writing.”
Sally: “It sounds like a great book. What about this genre appeals to you?“
Sandy: "I love the hope that comes from reading romance. No matter what obstacles are placed in the path of true love, the hero and heroine always find a way to be together. I love the “happily ever after” and nurturing the belief that true love does conquer all. There is no other genre that promises and delivers so much laughter and so many tears while still leaving a reader feeling fulfilled when she reaches the end of a story.”
Sally: “I so agree! In the process of reading romance and then writing romance who had the greatest influence on your writing?”
Sandy: “When I finished my first book, I was a babe in the woods. I had no clue what to do to even approach the process of publishing. After joining Romance Writers of America, I decided to attend a meeting of my local chapter. At the Indiana RWA meeting, I met Judie Aitken. Judie is a multi-published author and Holt Medallion winner. We immediately connected, and Judie became my mentor. Her help and guidance shaped not only my voice but my career. She taught me about the craft, and she also showed me the business of writing from the inside. Any success I have, I know I owe to all she has done to help me. I have also been blessed with fantastic critique partners who have never been afraid to tell me when I need more work on a story. My online critique partner, Leanna Weissmann, and I exchange several chapters a week. Her suggestions have always made my books stronger.”
Sally: “Having a trusted critique partner is a rare find. It sounds like you have been blessed to find yours. What will readers find with your books that makes your stories unique?”
Sandy: “I write about women who have all the same problems as everyday women. My heroines have real personalities and real problems. For example, in Turning Thirty-Twelve, Jackie Delgado faces losing her husband to a trophy wife. She worries about being middle-aged. She faces the horrors of learning how to date again. I want my readers to identify with the problems my heroines face. In Free Falling, Laurie Miller calls herself a “size fourteen in a size four world.” So many women can empathize with that feeling.”
Sally: “Congratulations on your first book being published. Tell us a little about it and what readers can expect from you in 2009.”
Sandy: “My first book, Turning Thirty-Twelve will be released by BookStrand in ebook format on December 17th. The trade paperback will follow in a few months. I am also lucky enough to have a four-book series coming from BookStrand next year. The first, Murphy’s Law, revolves around the harness horseracing world. My husband and I own a small stable of racehorses, and writing Murphy’s Law was a way to share my love of the sport with readers. The sequel, Free Falling, was written because there was a character left behind who demanded I write him a story of his own. It also gave me a chance to highlight two of my favorite places – Montana and Chicago. All the Right Reasons returns to the racetrack and brings back all the Murphy’s Law characters while also allowing me to explore my Hungarian roots. The heroine is a descendant of Hungarian gypsies, and she falls in love with the hero who is a horseman and also a veteran of the war in Iraq. The final book, tentatively titled Faith of the Heart, is about a genuine faith healer who never anticipated having such a gift and an investigative reporter who hopes to expose her as a fraud.”
Sally: “Wow. You sound very busy. Those all sound exciting. Now everyone always wants to know what authors do during their down time. So I must ask, what do you do when you’re not writing?”
Sandy: “I’m a high school teacher, a job I absolutely adore. I teach social studies, specifically psychology and United States history. Both subjects are great, but as a writer, my study of psychology has given me a better understanding of what motivates people. The racehorses my husband and I own are also a big part of my life. My husband enjoys the business end of the stable, but I like getting my hands dirty. Literally. Luckily, I’ve been blessed to work around horsemen who have taken the time to teach me the ropes.”
Sally: "It sounds as though you have a very busy and full life. I love horses, too. Thank you, Sandy for spending the morning with us. I wish you great luck with the launching of your first book and those coming out in 2009.
Bio:
Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of over twenty-five years. She is a teacher who started writing when empty nest syndrome stared her in the eye, completing her first book the year the younger of her two children graduated from high school.
Sandy's Books
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