Wednesday Feature: Lynne Stringer, author of the Verindon trilogy

It's Wednesday, so it time to feature another writer. Today's feature is Lynne Stringer, author of the science fiction trilogy, Verindon.

Lynne Stringer has been passionate about writing all her life, beginning with short stories in her primary school days. She began writing professionally as a journalist and was the editor of a small newspaper (later magazine) for seven years, before turning her hand to screenplay writing and novels.

Lynne is the author of the Verindon trilogy, a young adult science fiction romance series released in 2013. The series features the books The Heir, The Crown and The Reign. Lynne's latest novel, to be released in October 2016, is Once Confronted, a contemporary drama. Visit www.lynnestringer.com for more information.

Interview

What made you want to become a writer?

I have always enjoyed writing. I can remember writing a little book when I was eight and when I was a teenager I amused myself by novelizing movie scripts and episodes from my favorite TV shows.

Tell us something about how you write? i.e. are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have any weird or necessary writing habits or rituals?

I tend to make up my books in my head first. I always know where I’m going to end up, although sometimes things on the journey there can take me by surprise when I sit down to write. I don’t usually write a story outline. I haven’t found this helpful for me.

Do you think people have misconceptions about speculative fiction? Why do you think it is a worthwhile genre?

I’ve always enjoyed fantasy and speculative fiction. I like things that take me to new worlds.

Could you tell us a bit about your most recent book?

My most recent book is due out on 1st October but unlike my science fiction series, the Verindon trilogy, it’s a contemporary drama.

What gives you inspiration for your book?

Things in the every day inspire me. With the first book in the Verindon trilogy, The Heir, I was inspired by a pick-up line. You know, the one where the boy says to the girl, "You are the only reason I was put on this planet". I started to wonder about why a guy might say that to a girl if he meant it literally, rather than figuratively.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?

My favorite character is Keridan and he’s my leading man. I also have a soft spot for another character in my trilogy, although he scares the hell out of me. His name is Hajitis. If you want to find out why he’s so scary you’ll have to read the books.

Do you have a day job in addition to being a writer?  If so, what do you do during the day?

I am a professional editor by trade. People pay me to help improve their books prior to publication. It’s nice that my day job is not unlike the thing I love the most, which is writing.

The Heir (Verindon #1)

Sarah hates the prestigious high school she attends. Most of the other students ignore her. School is only made tolerable by the presence of Dan Bradfield, the boy she adores. Dan is the heir to his father’s multinational computer company, but he is dating Sarah’s best friend, Jillian.

When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah, but she can’t shake the feeling there is something strange about him. Is he protecting her from something? Is there something going on that she doesn’t know about?

And did she really see a monster in the bushes?

Sarah is desperate to uncover the truth, but it could take her to another galaxy, and change everything she believes about who she is. Will it bring Dan and Sarah closer together or tear them apart?

Buy on Amazon

Excerpt

It was well into the night by the time I went to bed, but my eyelids had begun drooping long before Dan could convince me to go.

“Come on, Sarah,” he said, dragging me towards the stairs. “We can pick this up in the morning.”

I was happy to go to bed by that time. I knew what would happen as soon as my head hit the pillow.

But as I was lying in my bed, waiting to fall asleep, I noticed a sound.

Drip … drip … drip …

I frowned. Had I left the faucet running in the bathroom? I jumped up and turned on the light. No. It was off. The sound wasn’t coming from there. Had I imagined it?

Drip … drip … drip …

I turned on the light in my room. Was there a faucet somewhere else? Or maybe it was some pipe in the wall?

Then I saw it and my jaw dropped.

On the bedside table, where I had tossed it, was my father’s computer device. And the table underneath it was melting!

I hurried over to check that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. No, it wasn’t. Directly underneath the device the table was oozing brown goo and dripping it all over the floor.

I snatched up the device. Was it hot? Surely it couldn’t be hot enough to melt wood! Was that even possible?

But no, it wasn’t hot, not that hot, anyway, although its readouts were still flickering dramatically.

I frowned and looked at the floor. Much to my astonishment, the brown ooze had disappeared, even though there had been a puddle a moment ago. Had it dribbled away somewhere? I couldn’t see any sign of it.

I reached down and touched the bottom of the table. It felt dry and smooth. No mark at all.

I jumped out of my skin as I heard a knock on my door. Still trying to explain the brown ooze to myself, I went over and opened it.

Dan was there. “Hey. Just making sure that you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” I said, trying to come back to reality.

His eyes flickered down to the box in my hand for a moment. “Okay. Goodnight, then.”

I shut the door and turned back to my room. Could grief bring on hallucinations? I had no idea. I had been under a lot of stress. Maybe that’s what it was.

I put the device back on the beside table and watched closely to see if anything started to melt under it. Nope. It looked fine now. And when I turned the light off I could hear nothing. Definitely imagination. I sighed and went to sleep.

In the morning the first thing I did was check the bedside table to make sure that there was no problem with it. As expected, it looked completely normal, but there was something different in the room from when I had gone to sleep.

My father’s little device had disappeared.

I searched all around, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I checked all the nooks and crannies I could find – behind the bed, in the bathroom – everywhere I thought it might fit. I even checked my bag again just to make sure I hadn’t put it back in there. There was no sign of it. It was gone.

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