Tell us about you and your books
Do you plot or let the story unfold
as you write?
My stories are pretty much character-driven
so, while I know the outline of the plot, mainly the beginning and the end,
incidents along the way unfold as the characters develop. I know there’ll always be a black moment, as
well, a point where either the hero or the heroine calls it quits with the
intention of leaving, but I’m never quite sure where that will be. I like lots of conflict and faulty
characters. Cooper Byrnes in Always on My Mind is a prime
example
Are your characters based on real
people?
I think every writer incorporates a
certain amount of people they know into their characters, but I’ve never
created an entire character out of one person.
You may take a quirk of one person you know, along with a habit of
another, and a facial expression of someone you’ve seen. Cooper was an amalgam
of a lot of guys I knew way back when, and Cassie incorporates some women from
that period. I people-watch a lot so
beware if you’re sitting waiting for a flight, opposite me in the boarding
area.
How did you do in English as a kid?
Is this a prompt to boast?! I actually did very well, and majored in
English in college and then took my MA in American Lit., and ended by teaching
English Language at university level.
But I also took every ‘creative writing’ course available in both high
school & college and got top marks.
Hasn’t got me on the NYT best sellers list though…
Do you have trouble saying goodbye to
characters?
Yup!
I’m still in love with Jesse from Loveland,
my first book. I don’t think I did him
justice, so he niggles me a lot.
Do you have to travel researching
your book(s)?
I like to have a good sense of the setting
of my books. I spent several days in the
Loveland, CO, area for Loveland, and
also traveled to Hill Country, TX, for Dances
of the Heart. I’m lucky enough
to have a place outside of Jackson, WY, in the Tetons where I have been setting
my latest books. For Dearest Darling, I went out to
the Cunningham Cabin in Grand Teton National Park and set Daniel’s ranch
there. It’s a spot I now return to whenever
I can; once a ranch, it is really off on its own and you can just imagine how
lonely it must’ve been to live there, especially in a Wyoming winter. Coop’s
ranch is set on the road that leads from Jackson to my place, so I know it
well.
and for a little fun...
What did you want to be when you grew
up?
It was a close call between being a writer
or an actress. I was really dying to do
theatre at university but I was sixteen when I went to college and my parents
nixed it. They did let me do a summer
course at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and, of course, I had parts in
school productions. But then I got
involved with a group of poets and began to have other ideas.
Do you ever wish that you had an
entirely uncreative job, like data entry or working in a factory?
Absolutely not. I was once on a train in Britain, one of
those with the closed cabins that sit four people either side. I was alone with three factory girls—their
job was to put the tiny tube for spray deodorant in the bottles as they passed
on the conveyor belt. I can’t think of
anything more horrible that doing that all day. Hopefully, that’s automated by
now.
Do you enjoy giving interviews?
Come on. Who doesn’t like talking about themselves on
paper? If it was an in-person interview,
it would be something else though.
Do you have any hobbies?
I used to do handloom weaving and macramé,
but nowadays it’s more cooking and making ice cream. Oh, and eating.
What is your favorite comfort food?
Do you really need to ask?! Chocolate, of course. Okay, so wine is a close second…
Where can we find you online?
Download Always on My Mind on amazon and other online retailers
https://www.amazon.com/Always-My-Mind-Andrea-Downing-ebook/dp/B082S8TQD1/
Thanks for letting us get to know you, Andrea.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed learning more about you, Andrea. Stay well and best of sales.
ReplyDeleteAnna, thank you! The TWRP group seems to be an ever-changing club and all of it wonderful. I'm proud to be a part.
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlotte for those good wishes. Much appreciated. Hope you are well, too.
I so enjoy these interviews! The Roses are an interesting bunch.
ReplyDeleteSure are, Liz. We're many and varied.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your interview. Chocolate is a favorite of mine, too. :)
ReplyDeleteInterviews on online are fun. In-person, I'm a nervous wreck. lol