Interview with Author Sandra Orchard

2013/September by Marji Laine 9 Comments

I’m so excited to host Sandra Orchard at Faith~Driven Fiction. I loved her book, Critical Condition and you can see my review of it from Monday’s post. And hearing about her next book has me drooling!

Marji: What’s the next book you have coming out?
Sandra: Fatal Inheritance, a Love Inspired Suspense, released last month. Here’s the blurb:

“YOU DON’T BELONG HERE.”
Someone wants to stop Becki Graw from claiming her inheritance. Police officer Joshua Rayne is just as determined to keep his beautiful neighbor safe. She may not be the tomboy Josh remembers, but she’s just as stubborn. Becki is intent on keeping her grandparents’ remote farmhouse-no matter the danger. Becki’s feelings for her childhood crush may be rekindled, but she’s seen too much to risk opening her heart. As the threats against Becki escalate, the list of suspects grows longer. Josh must convince Becki to trust him with her heart-and her life-before a madman ends their chance at happiness…permanently.

Marji: I’m intrigued! What was the greatest challenge you had when writing that book?
Sandra: This was the first book that I hadn’t completed at least one rough draft of before signing the contract. I asked for 3½ months to write it, because I was already working on the second book in my “Port Aster Secrets” series with Revell, and in those four months, I also had an ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference to attend, and a book releasing, for which I had numerous events and blog tours planned. That was scary enough, then … my characters decided to develop minds of their own and the story took a different direction than I’d plotted, the villain turned out not to be who I thought he or she was!

I warned my editor ahead of submission, and was positive that I’d have extensive revisions to do. But thankfully, she loved the changes and the manuscript went straight to line edits. RT Book Reviews agreed, giving it 4½ stars.

Marji: Oh my gosh, several challenges in all of that. But I’m stinking impressed. I’m getting faster, but I don’t know if I can go soup to nuts in 3 1/2 months! Is the book part of a series? If so, how does it fit in?
Sandra: Fatal Inheritance is actually my first stand alone book. Critical Condition (which you reviewed) completed my “Undercover Cops” series.

Marji: Will there be other books that follow this one?
Sandra: Perilous Waters, also from Love Inspired Suspense, releases in April 2014. A gallery heiress races against time and betrayal to prove her innocence to the undercover FBI agent she’s falling in love with on an Alaskan high seas escapade. It’s set on an Alaskan cruise. The hero’s brother introduced in the book will be the hero of a 2014 Christmas book to follow.

Marji: Wow, you are one busy writer! Do you write anything else such as short stories, novellas, or non-fiction?
Sandra: As I mentioned earlier, I’m working on a trade-length mystery/romantic suspense series for Revell Publishing called “Port Aster Secrets.” Deadly Devotion released in June to positive reviews from PW, RT Book Reviews, and USA Today’s HEA blog.

Each book in the series is a standalone mystery, but the romance between a herbal medicine researcher and an FBI-agent-turned-small-town-detective, and an underlying suspense plot will arc the series.

The second book, Blind Trust, is in the copy edit stage, as I write the yet-to-be titled third book.

Marji: You really ARE a busy writer! How do you celebrate each completed project?
Sandra: I had back-to-back-to-back deadlines this summer so I didn’t stop to celebrate each one, but … it was worth pushing through for one big celebration just in time for my new grandson’s arrival! It’s going to be hard to match that celebration.☺

Marji: I bet. What non-writing activity do you do between books.
Sandra: It’s been awhile before I’ve had a “between books” time and will be for the next 12 months. But in downtime, I like to read and spend time with my family, especially playing with my two young grandchildren. I used to do a lot of other craft or renovation projects, but these days I prefer to not add something else to my “to do” list.

Marji: I’m not surprised that you don’t have much between books time since you write so many books! You need a super hero cape! But I have to ask, have you ever made a mistake or been embarrassed during your journey? 
Sandra: At my first writing conference as a published author, during the first general session, Brandilynn Collins (from the stage, for all to hear into perpetuity on the conference CDs) asked me to stand up so that my roommate could find me, because I’d “locked her out of our hotel room.” Of course, what really happened was that the front desk staff couldn’t find her name on my room, because my roommate from the previous night hadn’t been properly checked out. But for the rest of the conference, people in the elevator recognized me as the person who locked out her roommate.” So…I decided to play it up and would reply, “Oh, it’s all a publicity stunt for the release of my debut book.” Then I’d hand them one of my bookmarks. Deep Cover sold out of the conference bookstore within a day.☺

Marji: Oh that is priceless! Free advertisement and you on your toes enough to use it! Well done! 

I’m so glad that Sandra shared a little of her busy life with today and I look forward to reading more of her romantic suspense novels. Here’s a little more about Sandra.

Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense with Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense imprint, and Revell Publishing. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and The Word Guild (Canada). A mother of three grown children, she lives in Niagara, Canada with her real-life-hero husband and now writes full time…when not doting on her young grandchildren.  You can learn more about Sandra’s books and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect atwww.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard