Visit with Linda Kage

www.lindakage.com

I'm happy to be visiting with Linda Kage, author of THE STILLBURROW CRUSH, which was published by The Wild Rose Press on 1/27/10!



Sixteen year old, Carrie Paxton, isn't the most popular girl in her small town. But that's never concerned her before. Her life revolves around her writing and she loves her job as the student editor of the school paper.

But when she gets assigned to interview the football team's beloved quarterback, she takes one look into Luke Carter's blue eyes and is a goner. Suddenly, she doesn't like her lowly rank so much.

Then her dreamy, popular crush surprises her when he starts to act as if he likes her in return. But there's no way Luke Carter could possibly ever like a nobody like Carrie Paxton.

Is there?



I had the chance to ask Linda a few questions about her life and writing, so enjoy!

Your own six-word memoir.

New mommy, new author, so tired.

Twitter your newest or upcoming release in 140 characters or less.

Carrie Paxton has a crush. Luke Carter has a secret. The small town of Stillburrow will never be the same.

What was your favorite book growing up as a teen?

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. It’s been so long since I read it, but I still love it.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An author, of course. Or a librarian. Then there was that artist phase (but we won’t go there since I can’t draw a straight line to save my life).

Your favorite subject in high school – and your least favorite.

5-English rocked, all the way. Science sucked…still does.

The one book everyone in the world should read.

I’d say the Bible because, well, it’s the Bible. But every time I say, “I’m going to read the Bible, and I’m serious this time,” I never get past Genesis. So, I’ll just go with GREEN EGGS AND HAM by Dr. Seuss for my answer.

The book you wish you had written.

GREEN EGGS AND HAM by Dr. Seuss.

Your five favorite reads from 2010 (books you read during the year; they do not have to have been published during 2010).

I’ve been getting into the PERCY JACKSON series this year. Had to watch the movie, but I like the books better.

The 2010 release you’re most looking forward to reading.

TORMENT by Lauren Kate.

If your mom wrote the author profile for the jacket of your next book, what would she write?

I think every teenage girl should have to read Linda’s book, THE STILLBURROW CRUSH. It covers so many different issues and made me cry. Her adult romance, however, I could do without a few of those “bedroom scenes” but they still cover some interesting issues. She’s my baby, the youngest of eight and has been writing since she was a little girl. It was a trial to get her to clean her room, but I suppose that’s just how it is with them artists.

Using the letters J L W (my initials!), create the title of your next bestseller. (For example, Jumping Love Walrus.)

Just Like Wardrip (sorry, was that too much of a suck-up answer?!)

What is your astrological sign? How closely does it match your personality?

I’m a Libra. My dream (besides publishing a book) was to marry the man of my dreams someday, and I did find myself an extremely wonderful husband, so that follows my horoscope pretty good. It is very hard for me to tell people “no” when I know I don’t really have the time for something, so that’s true about me too. And I like having scales as my sign. I can see two sides of a situation so much that I’m not very good at taking an extreme stand on any controversial issue.

You’re going off your diet for one day and only eating food from restaurants. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? (Include the restaurant each meal comes from.)

Oh, I wish this were true. I hate to cook. But for breakfast, there would most definitely be fruit. Then maybe some waffles with peanut butter and maple syrup. And some biscuits and gravy on the side. Lunch would be seafood, all the way. Yum. Crab legs, lobster tails, shrimp (I’m drooling too much, can’t go on). And then for supper: Salad, onion rings, LOADED baked potatoes and steak tips (medium well) with of course, more fruit for dessert. And now, I’m totally starving.

You’re invited to a White House function, and you have the chance to give a 10-minute speech to the President and everyone else attending. What do you speak about?

Dude! It’d take me 10-minutes just to find my voice if I were to ever meet the president. But if, by miracle I could actually comply, I’d probably get all patriotic and talk about what a great country the USA is and how proud we should all be to live in it.

Your publisher has instructed you to write a new series based on an endangered species. What animal do you choose?

Wow, I had no idea there are so many endangered creatures. But I’d probably have to go with Devil Fish. That just sounds like a good paranormal mystery series.

A movie is being made of ONE of your books. Which book is it, and who will star as the main characters?

It’d have to be THE STILLBURROW CRUSH. And Taylor Swift would have to be my heroine Carrie with Zac Efron (sigh) as Luke, the hero.

You’re writing a book where you can change one major historical event. Which event do you change? (For example, Abraham Lincoln wasn’t assassinated, or Japan never bombed Pearl Harbor.)

(wiping my hands together with a mischievous grin). Oh, the power! Not sure I can handle all this power. But seriously, I’d like to make America lose the Revolutionary War just to explore what would’ve happened if we hadn’t started out with freedom. Would we have grown into the richest country in the world? Would other countries have fought so hard to gain their own independence? Would the TWILIGHT series even exist today??

Remember those “classics” that you were made to read in high school English class? What was your favorite, and which title should students never have to be subjected to reading?

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was one of those stories I was forced to read for a high school class assignment (otherwise I never would’ve picked it up). And I’m glad I was. It was too beautiful to put down.

But Joseph Conrad? Ugg. Why? That’s all I want to know. Why torture us this way?

Someone tells you that you’ll never publish another book that you write. Do you still keep writing?

Of course. There’s always some story or another floating around in my head. Writing them down is just a way to relieve some of the commotion up there so I can attempt to focus on the real world again for a while…until another story begins to brew and, whoops, I once again get caught spacing off in my la-la fiction land! So, I guess we could say I HAVE to write or I’ll go crazy.

A group of teens ask you the best way to become a published writer. How do you answer the question?

Write, read and find a writer’s group. Writing will get you into practice and keep you wanting to write more (and there’s also that fact that you’ll never finish a story if you don’t write). Reading will help you see how others approach story-telling (plus reading’s just plain fun). And writing groups will teach you the craft and introduce you to the publishing world and show you how to enter it. You also meet so many people like yourself in a writer’s group, they become the best emotional support you could ever have.

**Thanks so much to Linda for visiting with us today! Before I let you know all of the places online you can find Linda, be sure to check out BAD BOYS DON'T PLAY HERO, a free eBook read you can get right here at Linda's website!

And besides her website, you can also find her at her Blog, on Facebook, at MySpace, at Twitter, on Goodreads, at YouTube, and at Amazon! Also feel free to email her directly at linda@lindakage.com.

Linda has been kind enough to offer to send one lucky poster today a copy of THE STILLBURROW CRUSH, so be sure to leave any comments or questions you have for her in the comments section!