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