Chat and Win with Lynda K. Scott

Happy Monday, all! My guest today is a lovely speculative fiction author, Lynda K. Scott, here to dish on all things writing and romance. She's also giving away a signed paperback copy of her recent release, Heartstone:

Eric d'Ebrur is out of time. He must find the legendary Heartstone and fulfill the ancient Gar'Ja bond he shares with the Stonebearer. But when he finds her, he discovers that love can be more dangerous than the Gawan threat. Eric can defeat the mind-controlling Gawan but will it cost him the woman he loves?

After terrifying episodes of hypersensitivity, Keriam Norton thinks she's losing her mind. When handsome shapeshifter Eric d'Ebrur saves her from the monstrous Gawan, she's sure of it. But insane or not, she'll find the Heartstone and, if she's lucky, a love to last a lifetime.


Beneath the jump is an excerpt for Heartstone and a nice long chat with Lynda.

What draws you to romance?

What draws anyone to romance? Romance is one of the few genres that always provides a Happily Ever After. That’s a tremendous draw. I like to know that the people I’ve just been reading about, watching them overcome life or death odds, or struggling with their own inner demons, have found their one true love and the HEA. That’s their reward for persevering and mine for following along with them ;-)

Do you prefer alpha/omega relationships in stories, or alpha/alpha relationships, and why?

I like alpha/alpha relationships. These require two strong individuals who learn to accept someone as not only their equal but as a valuable partner. It’s part of their journey and makes them far more interesting. Plus I like to see them fight and make up, LOL

Have you ever written outside the romance genre? If not, do you ever plan to?

As a matter of fact, I started out writing straight science fiction. But I found myself drawn to give my heroes and heroines a love interest, even if it was only slight. Then my very astute writer friends said, ‘Hey Lynda, why not write romance? You’re practically doing it anyway.’ So I did ;-)

What’s the sexiest feature on a man to you? And on a woman? Why?

On a guy, I’m always drawn to strong shoulders. Equally attractive are long legs. I suppose that says I’m looking for strength (and height?) in a man…which makes sense if you think about the biological imperative of finding a mate who can provide and protect ;-) Um, I also like that light dusting of chest hair that trails down to the abdomen and beyond. Then there are the rippling six packs, the long muscles of the back, large graceful hands…

Oh wait. You wanted only one? Sorry, men are a pleasure to watch. It’s hard to pick just one little part of them, lol.

On a woman, I like to see a lithesome build, one that is graceful yet speaks of her physical and mental strength to stand up to life’s troubles or dangers. I like large eyes, classically shaped lips. And because I don’t have beautiful thick hair, I like to give my heroines what I don’t have ;-)

What’s your own sexiest feature?

I’ve been told my eyes are sexy. But when I look in the mirror, I just see me, lol.

By night you’re a caped cru— er, romance writer. What do you do by day?

I recently gave up my day job – I’d been a computer programmer/operator. Now, I spend my days writing, working in my garden (during the summer) and doing a bit of gourmet cooking. I like to bake bread and find new ways to serve vegetarian meals…not that we’re completely vegetarian but the Hubs and I have found that we enjoy the lighter veggie meals. Then there’s the time I spend adoring, rightfully so if you ask her, my alien kitten, Wookie. Wookie helps me with all my contests and tells me when I have good writing ideas. She also lets me groom her long, fluffy fur and insists that I hand feed her the organic cat grass I grow especially for her. No, she isn’t spoiled. I’m just well trained, lol.

What’s your earliest childhood memory?

I remember my mother baking a strawberry chiffon type of cake for my birthday party at school. Second grade, I think. We were poor and didn’t have a lot of fancy kitchen equipment so she did the beating of both the cake batter and the frosting by hand. It was the best, absolutely the best cake I’ve ever had. I like to think I inherited a little of her cooking ability but, so far, I’ve never made one of her dishes as well as she did.

What was the very first romance you ever read? How old were you? Were you being naughty and sneaking it off the shelf before you really even knew what sex was? How did it make you feel, and is that what hooked you on the genre?

I’m not sure which was the first…I’m thinking it was one of the books written by my writer friends who sent me some of their backlist shortly after I met them. Linda Wisdom used to write regular romance but now writes paranormal romance (mmm, maybe I corrupted her? Only fair since she was one of the ones who told me to write SF/F romance, LOL)

Who are your latest crushes (celebrity, book character, or otherwise)? Do you ever keep those people in your mind when writing your own works?

Gerard Butler is sizzling hot, always. Then there’s Chris Hemsworth, the yummy actor who starred in Thor. When my best bud and I saw the movie, I told her Chris would be the star of my next novel.

If you could pick anyone in the world to be the cover model(s) on your latest release, who would it be?

Chris Hemsworth would most definitely be Devyn MacGregor of Altered Destiny. Chris has a mischievous and sexy smile he lavishes on the Valhalla court.  That smile is identical to Devyn’s though Devyn uses his as a form of armor, a shield to keep people from getting to close to him.

What’s your favorite hobby outside of writing?

Cooking. I love to experiment with spices and new veggies. The Hubs refers to me as the Mad Scientist of the Kitchen, lol. But I also like to eat, so it’s a good thing to know how to how to use different foods and spices.

What would constitute your own personal happily ever after?

I married my hero. He has his faults (we all do) but he also has so many good points that they outweigh the bad ones.

Do you own an ereader? Why or why not? If so, what’s on it?

No, I don’t have an ereader yet. I can’t make up my mind which is best but I’m saving my nickels and dimes to get one. I’ll probably load it up with so much FFP genre stories I’ll end up having to buy extra memory for it, lol

Are you a book hoarder?

(Looking around office at the stacks and stacks of books) Um, yeah. Hello. My name is Lynda K. Scott and I’m addicted to books. I’ve been forced to donate some to libraries. I’ve given quite a few away as gifts and prizes for my newsgroup readers too. That doesn’t seem to have dented the quantity though. I think they have unprotected sex when I’m not looking.

If you were doomed to spend the rest of your life on an island with only one book, one person, one food (coconuts and fish aside), and one object from the modern world (computer, deodorant, vibrator, etc.), what would they be?

Don’t laugh now. I’m a practical person so I’d want the Encyclopedia of Country Living which has lots of tips and tricks you could use to make shelter or food. The Swiss Family Robinson would have lusted after that book. One food? Chocolate, without question.  And I’d have my computer, Black Beauty II, so I could write all the stories that would continually pop into my head.

Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you’ve written? If so, who is it and why is s/he your favorite?

I think Devyn MacGregor might just be my favorite. He’s strong, heroic, handsome as sin, and has a vulnerable side that makes a girl just want to hold him and kiss him and…make him feel better, lol.

Speaking of online hangouts, where are yours? Where can your readers find you?

My website is www.lyndakscott.com Check out my contact page for Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Myspace and especially for my newsgroup. I’ve always got giveaway drawings (either my own or by guest authors on my blog) that readers are eligible to enter. Lots of cool books and other nifty stuff ;-)

What’s your current book list and where can we buy them?

Heartstone, available at Mundania Press and Amazon in print and ebook format

Altered Destiny, available at Amazon.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for inviting me here! It’s been a blast. I hope your readers have enjoyed the interview and if they’d like a print copy of Heartstone….{drum roll} I’m giving away one signed copy (US and Canada only). Here’s how to enter the drawing.

Leave a comment on this blog post with your email address and the answer to this question: What actor do I think should play Devin MacGregor in a movie?

I’ll have my alien kitten, Wookie, help me choose a winner on June 30.

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Not sure how to answer the question? Here's a tease of Heartstone to inspire you.

After Eric rescues Keriam from her Gawan-infested ex-fiancé, he forces her to accompany him back to his home world to protect her and to locate the legendary Heartstone. But though he can’t identify it, he senses a danger following them through the wilderness.

The aura of danger passed, leaving Keriam shaken. Eric's stiff posture eased but he continued to stand sentinel in the middle of the clearing. He finally answered her question, his voice edged with frustration. "I don't know how your friend became Infested. The Gawan should not have Gatefold technology. Should not have known of your existence."

What he didn't say, didn't need to say, was that Earth now lay at risk. She shuddered, repulsed again at the memory of the snake-like creature probing her mouth. Her stomach heaved, her heart ratcheted in her chest. An icy blast washed over her. Would Marc infect, Infest, anyone else? Janna? Her adopted family, Aunt Cookie, Uncle Ed? She squeezed her eyes shut and bit back a moan. She didn't know what to do.

She was only sure of the threat to her home and family after having witnessed Marc's terrifying transformation. She eyed Eric. "If Marc is infested, he's a danger to Earth."

"When we reach Antiare, I'll send back warriors. They'll find him...and any others who have been Infested."

"And do what? Kill them?" She didn't want anyone to die.

"It is the only way to stop the Gawan."

She licked dry lips and fought to take her mind off that terror. A turquoise lizard-bird lighted near her feet, sniffing delicately at a discarded tepe'en pit. "What are these things?"

"They're linlies," he said, after an absent look.

"Linlies?" Keriam's curiosity sharpened. About as large as Eric's palm, the linlie blinked bright blue eyes at her then vanished into a hole she hadn't even noticed, taking its prize fruit pit with it. She wished she'd thought to roll one of the tepe'en toward it.

Eric continued to study their back trail. He tilted his head and blinked slowly as if listening and focusing on something far beyond the range of her own senses. Finally, he pulled the smoky green gem from within his shirt. As he breathed on it, it glowed softly as if lit by an internal fire.

How did the stone work? Could anyone use it? Her fingers itched to snatch it from him and return to the safety of her rural farmhouse. Fat chance, she sighed. He'd knock her down and hog-tie her until they got wherever they were going. Somehow, she had to get it away from him. Except...

She had promised to not escape. She clamped her teeth together in frustration. 

Abruptly Eric stuffed the amulet back into his shirt. "We must be on our way."

Keriam put her hands on the ground and tried, really tried, to bend her legs. She gave an unladylike grunt when her stiffened joints refused to move. Sheesh, she'd always thought she was in pretty good shape but this cross-country trek blew that theory. Eric cast her an apologetic look. "I am sorry, Stonebearer, but we have a long way to travel before true dark."

Keriam paused. "True dark?"

"When both suns set."

Groaning, she attempted to stand, then felt his big hands slip under her arms. Just like that, she was on her feet. He stood close enough she could feel the heat pour off his body and smell the slightly exotic scent that fit him so perfectly. His hands rested lightly on her shoulders for a long moment before his fingers trailed down the length of her arms, tangled with her fingers, then made a return journey. One of his hands, warm and slightly callused, moved to her neck. Focusing on the crisp hair peeking out of the deep V of his collar, she held her breath, once more aware of the curious tension that coiled deep in her body. If she looked up, she was sure he would kiss her.

Or worse, she would kiss him.

* * * * *

Thanks so much to Lynda for stopping by, and don't forget to leave a comment with your email and the answer to Lynda's question for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of Heartstone!