Virtual book tour stop for fantasy author Lindsay Buroker

Today is a Goddess Fish virtual book tour stop for author Lindsay Buroker and her science fiction/fantasy romance Encrypted. There's also a chance to win an Amazon gift card. Details are below.

Welcome, Lindsay. I'm glad to have you stop by as you do your virtual book tour.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I've been writing fantasy novels and short stories since I was seven. I've been finishing them since... well, that's a more recent development.

I'm a professional blogger for my day job, and I live in the Seattle area. I have two vizslas who are as spoiled as most people's kids. Occasionally they let me leave the house to play tennis, go to the coffee shop, or take a yoga class.

My short stories are available as free ebooks around the web, and my fantasy novels are up at Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.

Please tell us about your current release.
Encrypted is a high fantasy adventure story with shades of science fiction mixed in. Between the killer monsters, puzzling alien artifacts, and deadly assassins, there’s a romance as well. As warm and cuddly as monsters are, they’re just not as fun as the awkward moments between a couple characters falling in love.

What inspired you to write this book?
I’d finished my first novel, The Emperor’s Edge, and I wanted to write something that stood alone rather than doing a sequel (at the time, I wasn’t aware of the whole e-publishing movement, and I was still thinking I’d end up hunting for an agent for my work).

I wanted to do a story with a heroine a little different from the warrior women, sorceresses, and priestesses one often finds in high fantasy. While I was mulling that over, I stumbled across The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. Wouldn’t it be neat, I thought, to have a fantasy heroine who specialized in cryptography?

Once I’d decided on that character, it was a matter of creating a story that would let her use her talents. I knew it’d be a mystery, but it turned into more of a thriller than I expected, and she’s probably not happy with me for all I’ve put her through!

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m e-publishing a steampunk novella set in the Yukon during the gold rush, and I’m planning to do a series of shorter works in that setting with those characters. There’s adventure, magic, steam-powered gadgetry, and of course a love story, though that will develop over time.

The first story should be available by the time this interview goes live. It’s called Flash Gold if folks want to look it up. It’s a 99-center so a good deal for those with e-readers!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always liked to make up stories, so it was a matter of finding time to learn the ropes and developing the discipline to start finishing things. That discipline thing, in particular, took a while, and I’m still working on perfecting it.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I’m a professional blogger for my day job, so technically I do write full-time, but, like many storytellers, I’d love a chance to spin tales for a living.

I work from home, so finding time isn’t usually that hard, but making good use of that time is a challenge. Between email, Twitter, and looking things up on the internet, I’m good at whiling the hours away (Does anybody actually say “whiling” any more? Hm.)

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I get bored easily. Bet that wasn’t the answer you were expecting!

Basically, though, I’m quick to skim over “the boring parts” when I read, and I get restless with my own stories if there’s not enough going on, so I end up writing fast-paced adventures with something happening every chapter. Sometimes it’s a battle, sometimes it’s digging for clues in a mystery, and sometimes it’s dialogue between characters, but I try to make sure there’s always something at stake to keep things interesting. I figure if I’m bored writing it, someone will get bored reading it.

I don’t know that this makes for award-winning literature, but at least nobody has left a review saying “what a yawner” yet!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to be a writer. I got the message, though, that writers don’t make money so I’d better study business or something else along the way. I ended up joining the army, then starting an internet business, then finally getting back to writing years later.

I’m sticking with it this time, and the e-publishing revolution is making things fun. It’s inspiring how well some indie e-book authors are doing (yeah, writers can make money…who knew?), and the technology is changing quickly, too, so it’s great to watch all the changes to the industry. I’m enjoying being a part of it all.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If you want to hear more from me or about my stories, visit my blog where I talk about e-publishing and e-books. I’ve got a newsletter you can sign up for to keep abreast of contests, free books, and what’s happening in the industry.

I’m also on Twitter regularly, so send me a tweet and say hi!

Thanks for stopping by. Folks, remember, leaving a comment on this blog enters you for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift certificate from todays' featured author.