Getting to Know you with Lesley Ann McDaniel

Please welcome Lesley Ann McDaniel to my blog today. Lesley Ann is a Heartsong Presents author who is also being featured on a blog tour with ACRBA this week. My post will be up tomorow

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but my first love is theatre. When I started to write seriously about eight years ago, my plotlines just naturally seemed to revolve around the entertainment industry. It’s fun to see how some of the work experiences I’ve had have come out in my books. Not to mention people I’ve known, but I’m not naming any names!

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

I had so many favorites. “Little Women”, “A Little Princess”, any of the Nancy Drew mysteries. I pretty much enjoyed every book I read. (I loved Little Women when I did read it)

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

As a reader, I do seem to gravitate toward romance, but I prefer substantial plotlines. I love well-written suspense, and Young Adult. It should come as no surprise that those are the genres I write in as well.

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

Definitely Jane Austen. Who doesn’t want to write like her? I want to write description of setting like Margaret Mitchell, although she’s wordy for contemporary tastes. F. Scott Fitzgerald did such an amazing job of creating characters. I love Truman Capote’s way with words, although I’ll never be able to bring myself to read “In Cold Blood”. I got to see him speak one time, and he read one of his short stories. What an amazing experience that was.

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

I used to say I wanted to be an author when I was a child, then set that goal aside for a number of years. I have a theory about why so many of us seem to take up writing as a second career at a later point in life. We need to have some life experience to draw on in order to have something interesting to write about.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I started by writing the novel I’d had in my head for about fifteen years. By the time I finished, I knew it was terrible, and that I needed to set it aside for a while. I took a year to write what became my first completed book, “Saving Grace”, then went back to rewrite that first book. It’s a YA novel called “Pure Hollywood”, which I’m planning on publishing soon.  

I went the standard route of submitting my proposals for those first two books and eventually got an agent. Ironically, it was my third book, “Lights, Cowboy, Action”, that finally sold to a publisher (Heartsong Presents). Now that things are changing in the publishing world, I’m happy to call myself a hybrid author, with some books traditionally published and some indie published.

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

The other things I already am; a mom and a theatrical costumer.

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

I love to spend time with my kids, cooking, watching movies. I love to travel, but rarely get to these days. I also love going to the theatre, when I’m not backstage.

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

So many places! My number one favorite place I’ve been and would love to revisit is Paris. The one in France.

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

That is such a hard question. I’m going to say the first three people who pop into my head. Angela Lansbury (one of my favorite actresses, and I’d just love to hear all her theatre stories), Cher (loved her show when I was a kid, and I’ve always wanted to meet her), and Brandilyn Collins (my favorite suspense writer- I have a hundred questions for her). I’m sure those three ladies would find each other fascinating. I’m such an introvert, I’d love to not have to do too much talking at this make-believe dinner. (I would love to meet Angela Lansbury she is so versatile and had a great career, it would be an interesting 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.

Well, since you asked…

My Montana Hearts series with Heartsong Presents:

“Lights, Cowboy, Action”

“Big Sky Bachelor”

“Rocky Mountain Romance”

Book 1 in my Madison Falls series:

“Saving Grace”

All my books are on Amazon http://amzn.to/1iBgFUc and my website www.lesleyannmcdaniel.com

I also have a romantic suspense coming out soon. “Tide Will Tell” will be book 2 in the Islands of Intrigue series. Check out book 1, “The Unrelenting Tide” by Lynnette Bonner at http://amzn.to/1nCtxy0


SHEILA MACINTOSH IS HEAD OVER HEELS FOR BEN JACOBS 

But they haven't spoken since his sister Courtney's wedding last summer. Now that they're back together again on Courtney's Montana ranch, Sheila's wondering if she only imagined that Ben cared for her—and their time together was just a beautiful dream. 

Ben's crazy about Sheila, but he's too shy to tell her, and he's praying for another chance to win her affections. Can this sweet computer expert overcome his shyness and show her that sometimes dreams really do come true?