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Guest Blogger Linda Thomas-Sundstrom -- There's Light At the End of That Dark Tunnel











Or
Loving the Supernatural... and Barbie !

Hi everyone. I'm paranormal author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom, and I can't tell you how happy I am to have been asked to join you all this morning, especially since I have a couple of pals with Sourcebooks. Linda W (with the funny slippers), and Judi F, my American Title 3 sista, with her Mer folks (Hi you guys!)

So, okay. I wave hello, then I blog.
I thought I'd tell you a little about myself first, then hope you'll chat with me about the paranormal, and writing it in as many ways as possible. That is, writing both dark and light supernatural stuff, at once. As in at the same time. Because in my book, that's called "sanity."

First of all, "Paranormal" is my middle name. It's true. I have never written anything that isn't paranormal. Ever. Way back when I started trying to get published (we won't mention the year, though I'm not that old), paranormal wasn't in vogue. Though all sorts of editors loved my voice, they just didn't know what to do with me. Reincarnation, hauntings, vampires? In a romance novel?
Unheard of.

Now look - it's like paranormal pie everywhere. And I have finally hit my stride with 8 books under my belt, three of those coming out back to back with Silhouette's Nocturne imprint in Jan, Feb, and March of next year. Yay!

And the light at the end of that dark tunnel, the title I used here, denotes the fact that in order to keep myself balanced, I listen two Muses; one for dark paranormal whisperings, and one for the lighter fare. What began with my Kensington book's dark, literary-toned historical vampire, very lush and Britishy (The Immortal Bad Boys anthology), suddenly moved to... (are you ready for genre whiplash?) Barbie and the Beast, this year's release from Dorchester that was a top finaling American Title 3 submission.

Dark and light. I'm operating from a split personality, for sure. There are spooky, creepy, sexy, fangy, funny, and just plain whacked-out things in my blood, in need of a story. It's a paranormal free-for-all in my head!

If I'm working on a deadline for my Nocturne series about criminal werewolves in Miami biting innocent people, and the six couples brought together because of one of those bites... dark stuff indeed...
After a couple hours of writing, I then switch over to a comedy, and allow myself to look at similar situations, with a laugh, from a completely different angle.

It's like channel surfing, and I love this! A few dark pages here, a few light pages there! It's how I read books, also, craving the variety. I mean, don't you?

Maybe you can tell those of us tuning in today about your writing/reading habits, blogsters? Do you like all dark chocolate in the box, or now and then appreciate something else? Something whipped and fluffy?

I get so serious and into my dark stuff that I need to laugh afterwards. Since writing is what I do, I write about those laughs.

Now, I really, really do appreciate the fact that I have been lucky enough to be able to write at both ends of the paranormal spectrum, and be published in both. There's no doubt that it's a dream come true. A dream I hope will continue until my D and L Muses get sore throats from singing so loudly all the time in competition with each other.

I love the steamy atmosphere in the sexy, lush dark tales I write. Werewolves shifting into their alternate shapes. Some poor soul starting an unexpected transformation - like in Blackout, my first Nocturne Bite novella.
But I also love the image from my Barbie and the Beast book of a twenty-something-year-old high school teacher traipsing through a cemetery at night in search of a singles party, and getting her heels stuck in the mud. Not to mention winding up with a werewolf named Darin.

I like reading Kim Harrison's Urban Fantasy, and spending rollicking good times with Janet Evanovich's feather-light mysteries. At the same time. Side by side on my night stand.
A few pages of one.... and a few pages of the other.

So, all right. Am I nuts? Skitzo? Or do you blogsters do the same thing?
I can't wait to hear.

Having said that ----- I do have a day job, and have to spend a few hours at work today. I promise though that I will come back often and answer questions and read all comments. But if you don't see me for little gaps... I'm not snoozing, I swear.

* And I'll send a book of your choice to one Blogster today for being my new friend - chosen at random by Ms Furry Slippers herself, maybe - the OTHER Linda.

I'm all ears...
And while you're at it, do check me out at:
www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com

Cheers- xo
Linda

Comments

  1. Hi Linda,

    Wow, you certainly got my head to spinning this morning! Your post was interesting and entertaining. Thank you.

    As for me, I always say "Go wherever your sanity takes you and you are where your supposed to be!"

    Good luck and congratulations on what sounds like a fabulous career for you.

    Amelia

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  2. Thanks Amelia, early riser! Great quote. I wonder what you're reading? Are you a genre chameleion, like moi?

    xo
    Linda

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  3. oops - pardon the tyo. It's CHAMELEON.... I tend to try to type faster than my fingers can handle the task.

    xo
    Linda

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  4. Thanks for visiting Casablanca today, Linda!

    What a great post! But no surprise there.

    The paranormal world is always fun to play in because you never know where you'll end up or with what. :}

    The Other Linda

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  5. Hi Linda! I have to say you certainly do get around these days, don't you?! I'm so happy for all of your success--it's so deserved!

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  6. Great post, Linda! I'm one of those chameleons, too, though I don't whiplash quite as hard as you do. :) Ghost stories were my first love as a child, and even when I added romance to my reading list, I always enjoyed a bit of the eerie, uncanny, or downright scary in a love story. Still do! Thank goodness there's so much to choose from these days. :)

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  7. Hey Linda! BIG THANX for joining the CasaBabes today!

    WOW! Being able to write Light & Dark at the same time must be some special skill. I envy your ability.

    I'm one of those 'binge' readers. I'll read a whole bunch of one type of book, then move on to another. Right now I'm on a Regency binge, and I can't wait to get Sharon and Amelia's new books! After that, I may go back to contemporary or paranormal or ???

    AC

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  8. Hi Linda! Thanks for stopping by our blog today.

    I love reading both dark and light paranormal--I love the dark stuff, but it's nice to be able to laugh, too!

    Danielle

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  9. Happy Saturday Linda! :) I had to work today too but now that I'm off, I get to do the things I like! :)

    I LOVE being able to read books wildly different as you do. My super naughty (Ellora's Cave, etc.) books are right next to J.D. Robb and early Beverly Lewis.

    My Amazon order came yesterday and in the box I had a book about a dog...and a Sarah McCarty western romance from Ellora's Cave. It balances me out, as weird as it is to say.

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  10. Well... thanks for welcoming me, everybody. Some very nice names here, indeed. Another AT3 sister, btw.

    KL Grady - ghost stories were my first love, as well. In our family, we'd have ghost nights - where we'd try to outdo each other with a good spooky tale. Can you imagine what the parents must have thought? The kids creating stories? I'd sure like to hear some of thse things I invented back then. I'm pretty sure I used sound effects, like egg beaters for wind. What a hoot!

    xo
    Linda

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  11. Dear Aunty Cindy - I do that too - read all of one author once I've found them. I just do it in two piles. Funny and Dark. I will even go so far as to listen to an audio CD of a tale in the car while to and from work.... usually a THIRD author. Don't have much trouble keeping the stories straight that way, when I vary the authors in those stacks. Sort of like shuffling cards.

    Sanity is worth any price!

    xo
    Linda

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  12. And hey - can somebody advise on how you got those nifty little photos and book covers in the squares beside your posts?

    Did I SAY I'm a technotard?
    Can't have everything! I've got decent front teeth, so I guess the technogods forgot to hand me some internet savvy.

    xo
    Linda

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  13. THIS IS A TEST of the public bradcast system. Trying to get a book cover in the little sqaure beside my post.Will it work without devine interference?

    LTS

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  14. *waves hi! I was at my chapter meeting today and just got home.

    I love the fact that you get to write both dark and light!

    Congrats, to a fellow AT3-er!

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  15. Wow! You really do switch from dark to light just like that? Sounds amazing, though I guess it does make sense. Congratulations. And your books sound great - dark and light.

    Barbie and the Beast - what a perfect title!

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  16. Thanks Sheila. Barbie is a real... doll. I loved writing her story. I call is goofy, girly, paranormal light.
    "Barbie and the Beast" is a romp through the world of paranormal dating.
    Dedicated to women of all ages who remember (or are curently going through) the trials (good and bad) of dating.

    I mean, how fun was that to delve into?
    And okay- I admit it, I adored my Barbie doll, too. Hence the title.

    xo
    Linda

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  17. Judi - see me waving back?

    Is Judi photogenic,or what? Look at that avatar photo!

    But I do wonder what JUDI is reading. huh?
    xo
    Linda

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  18. Someone just emailed me on my other email address with a question. Well now - interesting.

    Here's the answer.

    On my night stand, in my pile:
    Kim Harrison's latest hb, Simon Green's latest hb, Carlos Ruiz Zaphon's latest hb, Linda Wisdom's latest furry book, Stephanie Meyer's adult book "The Host," a Vicki Lewis Thompson oldie, The Power of Now, The Disappearance of the Universe (given to me by my mon as a must read), and Barbie and the Beast... just to remind myself that it actually was sold, and is in print.

    Any other "confessions of a night-stand?"

    xo
    Linda
    Linda

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  19. Loved the blog Linda!!! :)

    You don't sound insane, you sound balanced... I think it's very cool that you're able to publish in both genres too!

    Congratulations on all the new releases! You're on fire!

    Lisa :)

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  20. Hi Linda, I like to get both dark and light in one book. because thats real life. On the days I need to cry somehow I find laughter. but thats me.
    I love paaranormal it blows my mind the what ifs,
    Mary A

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  21. Goodnight Linda, :) It's been a long day.

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  22. Congrats, Mary!You've been chosen by this loop as the winner for a book.

    I'll get it to ya as soon as I get the info.

    Linda

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  23. *blushing!!!

    I'm reading A Mermaid's Kiss by Joey Hill. We're doing some workshops together at a conference the end of next month and I want to finish this!

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  24. I don't normally write anything light, but lately, writing the really crushingly dark stories I've been doing for Nocturne, I've been coming up with humor ideas left and right. Maybe it's the brain seeking balance, which leads me to think that you're very very well adjusted! ;)

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