Getting to Know you Thursday's with Sandra Orchard

Please join me in welcoming Sandra Orchard to my blog today. I have gotten to know Sandra through the Craftie ladies of Romance blog. I also happen to love her latest book.

1.    Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m from the beautiful Niagara region of Ontario, Canada. I live on a hobby farm with my husband of twenty-five years and our two youngest, college-age children. My eldest daughter lives nearby with her hubby, so I get to see my one-year-old granddaughter a lot, too! I majored in Math at university, taught high school math for a couple of semesters before starting our family, then stayed home and home educated the brood. I got “the call” on my youngest daughter’s first day of college so it was a fun “graduation” present for me. (Jenny here. I have been to the Niagara area about 3 years ago when I was in the area for a wedding)

2.    When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

Oh, yes, and it has a cameo appearance in my current release. It’s a picture book called The Monster at the End of This Book, starring lovable, furry old Grover (of Sesame Street fame). The first chapter book that I remember truly inspired my interest in books was The Wind in the Willows. I was also a big Trixie Beldon fan, which might explain my love of writing romantic suspense. (Jenny here again, I remember the Trixie Beldon books but they were not ones I read.)

3.    Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and write?

I love to write inspirational romantic suspense. I love reading all types of inspirational romance, but I do prefer the faster pace of the romantic suspense and the interesting historical elements of the historical romance.

4.    Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Not so much growing up, but while home schooling my children, I discovered many classic young adult books from The Trumpeter Swan to The Indian in the Cupboard. I loved reading those books to my children and was inspired by the authors’ creativity.

5.    When did you know you wanted to be an author?

In Grade One after one of my stories was printed in the school yearbook. Eventually school killed the creative side of my writing. I thought I’d write non-fiction. Then after my mom died, I discovered Christian fiction. Seeing characters face and triumph over trials similar to my own helped me tremendously. After several years of reading novels, a yearning grew to write them.

  

6.    How did you go about becoming an author?

When I was twelve, I found a publisher’s guide in the library and sent off queries to all sorts of magazines. I didn’t hear anything back for a long time. Then one very sweet university press editor sent me a nice letter explaining the query process and that all submissions should include a self-addressed stamped envelope for their reply. I’d wondered what SASE meant in the guidebook! LOL I soon grew more interested in boys than spending a fortune on stamps. Thank the Lord for email, now!! I wrote my first novel in 2004-2005. I read a lot of books on writing, took courses, attended conferences, connected with other writers, and entered several contests and wrote and wrote. Then in 2009, I won the Daphne DuMaurier Award, which led to signing with my agent and making my first sale to Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense. (Oh I love that story about SASE what a nice guy he was to let you know)

7.    If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I’ve always been a Jill of all trades so I’d probably dabble in a little of everything.

8.    Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I used to do a lot more than I do now: painting, cross-stitch, knitting, crafts, as well as carpentry, renovating and gardening. Now, my free time is much less task-oriented—playing with my grandbaby, walking my dog, kayaking or bike riding with my husband, or walking the beach. I also love to play board games with my kids and friends.

9.    Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

I’d love to visit Australia. I’d also like to visit the West Coast of Canada. I love the East Coast. I love being by the ocean.  (when you come let me know and I will come and meet you. I love the west coast of Canada. I got go to Whistler and the Sunshine coast and got to see where the Beachcombers was filmed. It was so cool. I even have a t.shirt saying Molly's Reach)

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

Well…at this very moment, I’d like to sit down with a police detective, a diving-for-treasure expert, and book therapist extraordinaire, Susan May Warren, to help me sort out a compelling plot for my next novel. (Would love to be a fly at this dinner). 

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will

be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

Shades of Truth released in March. It’s the second book in my Love Inspired Suspense series, Undercover Cops: Fighting for justice puts their lives—and hearts—on the line. However, you won’t be lost if you haven’t read the first novel. Each story stands alone. They are linked by setting, theme and characters. For example, the heroine in this book was the friend of Deep Cover’s heroine. 

Back Cover Blurb: Big city detective Ethan Reed is working deep undercover at a Christian youth detention center. The kind of place he spent some harrowing time in as a kid. Ethan’s mission: ferret out who’s recruiting resident teens for a drug ring. He expects help from the lovely, devoted director of Hope Manor. But Kim Corbett won’t tell Ethan anything— even when she’s threatened and attacked. When Ethan discovers what Kim is protecting, his guarded heart opens just a bit wider. Enough to make this the most dangerous assignment of his career. 

The next book in the series, Critical Condition, is due to release October 2012. ~A nurse. An undercover cop. A killer who’ll stop at nothing to avoid being caught.

Zach, the hero, was first introduced in book one and I’ve been longing to write his story ever since.

I love to connect with readers, and have created “novel extras” (deleted scenes, location photos etc) to enhance readers’ experience of my books.

Check out these and other resources for both readers and writers at my website: http://www.SandraOrchard.com.

For updates on new releases, special subscriber-only reads and giveaway opportunities, please sign up for her newsletter at http://bit.ly/OrchardNews

I’d also love for you to connect at: http://www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

And join in the conversations about characters on my blog at http://www.SandraOrchard.blogspot.com