SUSAN SHAY - AUTHOR OF 'BLIND SIGHT'

I am thrilled to welcome Susan Shay to my Blog today. Susan's latest book 'Blind Sight' has just been released by the Wild Rose Press.

Good Morning, Susan. I'm sure the readers are looking forward to hearing more about you and your work, but first lets's have a sneak preview of 'Blind Sight':

Brand New! From The Wild Rose Press

Blind Sight

By Susan Shay

Touch psychic Cassie Reynolds has tried to live a normal life but when she begins channeling a killer in quiet Stone Hill, Texas, she can't hide her gift any longer. Cynical Keegan Flynn, who believes in nothing or no one, is the only one Cassie can turn to for help. Will she be able to convince him or will Christmas this year be murder?

Excerpt:

“Hey, Cassie.” His voice was melted chocolate, warm and soothing.

She bit her lip as she forced herself to wait several moments before

she turned to him. His dark eyes mesmerized her, as well as the tiny

scar next to his upper lip and his square jaw. She took a much needed breath.

“Oh, hey, Keegan.

How was your day?” Where were you all this time?

But it wasn’t her business where he’d been, and she wasn’t going to touch him in order to find

out, on the off chance she could tell.

Concentrating intently, she forced herself to walk into the kitchen. While she put the things away, she

couldn’t move him from the forefront of her mind. The way his eyes crinkled as he spoke, the way he

stood, hipshot; his smile, even his frown, played again and again in her mind.

Pulling into herself, she was still for a moment as she felt for the underlying tremor each person had—

as individual as a fingerprint.His was new, one she’d never sensed before, and it sent vibrations of warmth flowing through her.But in that impression, she could discern nothing that might be a danger.

When she’d rinsed the sink, she dried her hands and picked up a bottle of spray cleaner. Going back into

the coffee shop, she wiped tables and straightened chairs a final time.Glancing down, she saw a cup left behind on a seat. As if in slow motion, it toppled off the edge. Without thinking, she caught it—then remembered she’d forgotten to replace her gloves.The vibration crashing through her was like thunder from a colossal drum, quaking long and hard and painful,deafening her to the sounds going on around her. A brilliant

flash stabbed into her eyes and, as her irises contracted painfully, she nearly collapsed to her knees.

The bookstore disappeared.

Her body shuddering in the cool air of night, Cassie smelled dust and rain on the breeze. A

feeling of devout piety stole over her as her heartbeat slowed to a sluggish thud. Casting her

gaze downward, she saw a young woman, her face white and still as if it had been carved from

alabaster, lying near the edge of a rocky crag. With hands that were not her own, she crossed the

girl’s stiffening arms over her cold, unmoving chest, then straightened her skirt, pulling it to her

knees.

As gently as if she were putting a child to bed, she slipped the body over the precipice where it

crashed helplessly into a tree, flipped almost completely around, hit the ground, and rolled

down the steep slope until it rested brokenly against a jagged boulder.

Stomach heaving at the shock of the vision, Cassaundra leaned heavily against the table tostare at the broken cup lying at her feet.

HL: Wow, this sounds an amazing read Susan, I can't wait to get my hands on it. OK, tell us a little bit about yourself

SS: I have a wonderful husband, three sons, one daughter-in-law and one daughter-in-law to be. I work in the family business where I claim the title LMOTP (Low Man on the Totem Pole).

I've been making up stories to keep from getting bored all my life. Before that, I made up twin imaginary friends—Arlie and Orley—so I got a head start on character development. My first piece, a children's story, sold in 1987. It published twice, I was paid once. (That happens when you sell all rights.)After that I sold a pile of confessions. The first one was called, "Pistol Packin' Soccer Mom." I loved that title. After a long learning curve, I sold my first book to The Wild Rose Press in 2007. Blind Sight, just out, is my second published book.

HL: *Grin" I can see why you love the title 'Pistol Packin' soccer Mom' - who could resist reading that one? So, susan,. what do you do for fun when not writing?

SS: Would you believe I divide my time between skydiving and alpha testing new jet designs? Okay — I garden and knit, which may be why I have such a vivid fantasy life.

HL: Love the first - but the second are good productive hobbies too - I love gardening too , so rewarding to see things grow. What comes first: the plot or the characters?

SS: For me, I go through, "I wonder what would happen if . . ." thing, then fill in with a little plot and the characters that fit. That's unless it all works backwards. My newest story started with a character and was so quickly followed by the plot it was hard to tell which happened first.

HL: Yes, sometimes those characters just insist they dictate what 'really happened' don't they! Tell us a bit more about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it

SS: Blind Sight? Happy to!

Touch psychic Cassie Reynolds has tried to live a normal life but when she begins channeling a killer in quiet Stone Hill, Texas, she can't hide her gift any longer.

Cynical Keegan Flynn, who believes in nothing or no one, is the only one Cassie can turn to for help. Can she help him believe in time or will Christmas this year be murder?

HL: The more I learn aboutt his book the more intriguing it sounds. If someone were to play one of your characters in a movie, which character and what actor would it be and why?

SS: Oooh, I vote for Russell Crow. He's yummy.

HL: He certainly is!
I always think writing is a 'learning curve' in different ways for each author. What have you learned about writing since you were published that surprised you the most?

SS: No matter how hard you work to write a book, the day you make the sale is when the real work begins!

HL: Isn't that the truth!What’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?

SS: At first I wrote a chapter and wouldn't go on until my critique partners had read it and I'd fixed all my problems. Now because life keeps us from getting together as often, I write several chapters or entire books before sending them to the CPs. CPs always see them before they go anywhere else. That part hasn't changed. Thank God for Twisted Sisters.

HL: Crit Partners! Where would we be without them? A good CP or CPs are worth their weight in gold. Speaking personally, I love to listen to music when I write. Do you ? And if so, what kind of m usic – or do you find it distracts you?

SS: I like to listen to music, but I tend to sing along and pretty soon my manuscript is full of lyrics.

HL: Well now, that could lead to a very interesting MS. .Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?

SS: My support system begins with my DH, Gary, then the rest of my family. I belong to the BEST AND MOST SUPPORTIVE WRITERS' GROUP IN THE WORLD, ROMANCE WRITERS INK! We're a RWA chapter, so I belong to RWA, too. And of course, I wouldn't be anywhere without the Twisted Sisters. (http//:3twistedsisters.wordpress.com)

HL:.What is your personal definition of success?

SS: Doing what you love and loving what you do. If you can make a living doing it, you've got the best of all worlds.

HL: What a great answer Susan, and so true. I love to ask my next question: .If you were an animal, which one do you think you would be and why?

SS: Right now, a wolf. I just finished a werewolf manuscript, so I did a lot of wolf research. If I write a manuscript about horses, I'll probably want to be a horse.

HL: I love wolves - but I love horses even more, talking about which, I can't resist putting up your cover for 'Toi School A Cowboy'. Isn't it gorgeous!

: And finally, I like to ask my interviewees to choose the 'current hunk'.

SS: Do I have to pick only one? Russell Crow is beautiful, but so is Matthew McConaughey, Kurt Russell, Keanu Reeves—I like 'em all!

HL: Ooh, so do I! Unfortunately, I don't have room for more than one hunk at a time! *Sob* Life can be very difficult sometimes! O.K. I think we'd better go with your first choice. Eyes right, and down a bit,folks.

Thank you so much for being my guest here, today Susan, it's been fun meeting you and hearing all about your books, especially 'Blind Sight'. Congratulations on its release and I hope it sells billions for you!

You can purchase 'Blind Sight' from:

The Wild Rose Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Visit Susan at her Website http://www.susanshay.net/