Today I am sitting down with the great Mindy Larson! So grab a cup of coffee and let’s see what she is up to.
Hi, Mindy and welcome! Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop over. Let’s get started.
Me: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
Mindy: There are hundreds and hundreds of books and amazing authors. In some way or another they’ve all inspired my writing. But I love Kate Morton and her poetic style of writing; she has the uncanny ability to paint a stunning picture with her lyrical choice of words. Alice Hoffman is another huge influence, I love the hints of magic glittered throughout her stories.
Me: How did you come up with the title(s)?
Mindy: The title of my book, is a little crazy, and has received more attention than I thought it would, it’s called, This Morning I Woke Up Dead. And believe it or not, it’s actually a love story! My brother gave me the idea, immediately I got chills and was super excited. I just knew I had to write something amazing to go with such an amazing title.
Me: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Mindy: In the eight months it took me to write Hadley and Dominic’s story, I too fell in love. And not just with my characters, Hadley and Dominic, although I do adore them, but I’m thrilled to report that I met my soul mate and found my happily ever after. We’ve been together just over a year and are excited to be planning a wedding in the near future. Certainly the book wouldn’t be what it is today if not for my new experience with love, hope, and my new found passion for living life. What I was feeling in my personal life inspired Hadley and Dominic and their intense passion for one another. Although their situation of existing on different realms of existence is far beyond anything I’ve gone through, I enjoyed exploring how they dealt with it. What kept them going, and what drove them to the brink. All along I knew I wanted to give them a happy ending too. The ending they deserve. The ending we all deserve.
Me: What books have most influenced your life most?
Mindy: I’ve read a lot of books. A lot. Most influence me in some way or another, but to narrow it down: Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin. All of Alice Hoffman’s novels. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. Many Minds, Many Masters, by Brian L. Weiss. All of the books by Rhonda Byrnes… As you might be able to tell by my list, I am a big believer in positive thinking. And believing in yourself, your dreams, and anything is possible if you just believe.
Me: What book are you reading now?
Mindy: I’ve been so privileged to meet so many amazing authors! Currently I am reading a few of my friends novels.. Monsoon Reign by R.C Fetting. Bait by K.C Blake. Both are so good! I am also re-reading, a favorite, The Secret Garden, by Kate Morton.
Me: What are your current projects?
Mindy: Currently I am working on the sequel to This Morning I Woke Up Dead, entitled Wake up, We’re No Longer Dead. I am so thrilled to report I feel it’s even better than the last!
Me: Do you see writing as a career?
Mindy: Yes! Yes! Yes!
Me: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Mindy: That’s like asking if I would change anything about one of my kids or a family members. Sure, there are a few things that annoy you and you can nick pick about, but in the end, you love and appreciate them for who and what they are.
Me: How did you get started with the writing venture?
Mindy: I’ve been telling stories my entire life. It’s who I am. It’s who always be.
Me: Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?
Mindy: After I’ve been writing for hours and hours, it takes me a bit to come out of the ‘writing world’ and back to reality.. I can be a little quiet, deep in thought, and distant when I’m stuck in my head or my characters head’s rather.
Me: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Mindy: Keep on writing! Never give up. Always follow your bliss and do what you love. Most importantly, believe in yourself. It will cost you nothing to believe and everything not to.
Me: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Mindy: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Me: What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
Mindy: My novel is set in different realms. On one of them, everyone is dead but they don’t know it. Early on, it was difficult to wrap my head around what the afterlife might be like. After I learned to let go, the magic happened. Also I have to admit, killing off my main character on the first page, and breaking up a perfect relationship was heartbreakingly sad and bummed me out at times.
Hope kept me going.
Hope kept them all going.
Me: What genre do you like writing the most?
Mindy: Paranormal Romance. I love writing powerful love stories while adding something surprising, something to push the limit. I like to cause someone to stop and think about their own beliefs. Push someone into wondering, what if?
Me: Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Mindy: Not usually, but I’d be lying if I said it never happens…. When it does, I just take a break and try not to over think things and allow the magic happen!
Me: Do you write an outline before every book you write?
Mindy: No. That never goes well for me personally, I know others who swear by this but I find the story usually tells itself as I get going. And an outline would limit me and my character too much.
Me: Have you ever hated something you wrote?
Mindy: Yes. My very first novel entitled, Just Passing Through. It remains unpublished. Maybe one day, I will find it in me to give life, rewrite it, and tell it the way it is meant to be told. Maybe.
What is your favorite color?
I’ve always loved green. But lately, I have a fondness for purple.
What’s your favorite food?
Anything spicy!
Puppies or bunnies?
Puppies
Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate
Blurb:
Ever wonder what happens after you die? I do. This powerful question inspired me to explore and write about the afterlife and what it may be like. As well as the notion if what if we’re already dead and don’t know it? Am I embracing life? Am I giving it my all? What would I do differently if there was truly nothing to lose? This Morning I Woke Up Dead takes place in the afterlife and on another realm in which everyone is dead. The catch is, no one knows they’re dead. They’re existing just as we do now, they fall in love, have careers, go on vacations, ect. A powerful love story, between soul mates, Hadley and Dominic, is at the core of the story. They believe they are on the brink of their happily ever after and are even planning their wedding! But everything changes when Hadley crashes her car and ‘dies’, she realizes her true state and is forced to move onto another plane of existence, away from all of her loved ones. She can see them. Hear them. But can’t make contact. Hadley must learn to exist without them and her soul mate, Dominic. It doesn’t go well. It pushes her, as well as her beloved Dominic, to the brink of unraveling. I hated leaving Dominic behind, ‘alive’ and full of angst and torment. It was difficult tearing them apart and so early on!
Hope kept me going.
Hope kept them all going.
New friendships form as Hadley explores new worlds and sees her old one in its true light. Old friendships reunite between Dominic, and his sister, Emerson. They bond over their miseries of losing loved ones.
My book is about endless bonds, spiritual awakenings, friendship, true love, and leaves you wondering what if.
Excerpt:
*“Do you feel me, baby? Can you please realize something for me, baby, you’re dead too.”
He doesn’t respond. Now, it’s my turn to cry. In a way, I feel closer to him. We are both sobbing. It’s almost kind of nice to be doing the same thing. But frustrating as hell, too.
“Dominic, open your eyes!” I wail.
“Okay, kid, your times up,” Logan says firmly.
“No!” My world is crashing in. I need more time with him. “Why did I have to accept that I was dead? Why? I want to be with him. I need more time, please.” I look at Logan beseechingly. I don’t know what powers Logan personally has over this situation, but I hope he has some. *
You can buy Mindy’s book at all these awesome places!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/304264
You can find Mindy hanging out around all these cool places!
http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
https://www.facebook.com/ThisMorningIWokeUpDead?ref=hl
http://thismorningiwokeupdead.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/mindyraelarson/boards/
https://twitter.com/LarsonMindy
