Interview with novelist Liz Schulte

Liz Schulte is in the hot seat today to talk about the second book in her Choices Guardian Trilogy.

Bio:

Many authors claim to have known their calling from a young age. Liz Schulte, however, didn't always want to be an author. In fact, she had no clue. Liz wanted to be a veterinarian, then she wanted to be a lawyer, then she wanted to be a criminal profiler. In a valiant effort to keep from becoming Walter Mitty, Liz put pen to paper and began writing her first novel. It was at that moment she realized this is what she was meant to do. As a scribe she could be all of those things and so much more.

Welcome, Liz. Please tell us about your current release.

Hearts break. Loved ones are lost. Life keeps moving. 

Olivia Martin’s afterlife was more dangerous and confusing than her life ever was. She thought she was ready to come back, to forget about Holden and to let go of the rage consuming her. Fulfilling her destiny as a guardian was all that mattered—the past could stay hidden in ...the crevices of her mind. However, when guardians are murdered and the evidence points towards jinn, she has to do something. To save anyone’s future, Olivia will have to confront the one person from her past she is terrified to see.

Holden waited for Olivia with the hope he would see her one more time. But when she didn’t return, he found salvation in darkness. The black and twisted road made it easier to forget what he lost than to live with the memory of what he had. An unexpected promotion shoves him into a world of intoxicating power and influence. Holden will have to choose between his new life and the woman he thought was gone forever.

From the ashes of Secrets, Choices are born that will change everything.  

What inspired you to write this book?

It is the second book in a trilogy so the story has pretty much fed itself. The first book was initially inspired by a dream then it seemed to take on a life and a voice of its own. Now I find myself of so often immersed in this world that I often talk to people about it as it if is real.

Excerpt:

            Philip Pemberton come on down, you’re the next contestant on Sorry I Destroyed Your Life.

            Damn it all to hell, I felt bad for old Phil. He made his deal with the demon and was well on his way to avenging his family and becoming cursed to this cruel and Godforsaken existence. And because of yours truly. What did she ever see in me?

I walked away from the warehouse where I’d taken Phil to meet his destiny. All hope was gone for him now. I glanced at my watch, not even 11:00 pm—the night was just getting started. What else could I do this fine evening? Anything that could possibly squash this surge of humanity, I was up for trying.

It hit me like a tidal wave. One moment I was walking down the street, planning on having a little fun and the next moment I was nearly knocked over by a crushing light that washed over my mind and blinded me to anything in front of me. I staggered, fought to gain some sort of control, then I heard her voice. She said my name—I tried to reply, but she was gone as quickly as she came. It was like I’d been struck by lightning. Her voice rang in my ears.

I’d warred to forget the sound and timber of her voice. I’d battled to obliterate the memories of the smell of her skin and the taste of her lips. This one word from her and all that I tried to forget flooded back.

Could Olivia be alive? Was it a fluke, a coincidence? Did I finally reach her on the other side? Or had I lost all grip with reality? Instead of going out, I caught a cab home. I walked into my empty apartment and stripped the sheets from my bed before collapsing onto it. I searched my mind for any change, any clue that she was really there, and I wasn’t just losing my sanity.

            Please don’t let this be a hallucination, I begged the universe.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am working on the third book in the trilogy, Consequences. After that I am working on a follow up mystery novel to my first release Dark Corners called Dark Passing.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I seriously believed I could achieve the publishing dream.

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 do not write full time. I work for a university as my day job. It isn’t easy to find time to write. I try to write over lunch and pretty much from the time I get home until I go to bed then I start all over again the next day. I am not as much fun as I used to be.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t know that I have a writing quirk per se. I usually don’t have character muses like a lot of authors. I let the characters introduce themselves to me then get to know them gradually rather than planning out every detail about them in advance.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A veterinarian then about junior high I decided I would like to be a Supreme Court Justice.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you so much for reading this today. I would love to hear from you.

Thanks, Liz. Readers, you can stop by any of Liz's other tour stops and find out more, if you like. Or you can just say 'hi'. :)