Interview with Lindy S. Hudis, Author of Crashers (Kindle Fire Giveaway)

Lindy S.Hudis is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied drama. She is a former actress, having appeared on such television shows as “Sunset Beach” and “Married with Children”. Her romantic murder mystery, Weekends, is currently available from Lachesis Press. She is also a filmmaker, her independent short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival. She is co-owner of an independent production company called Impact Motion Pictures. She and her husband Steve, a Hollywood stuntman, have just completed the screenplay adaptation of Charmaine Hammond’s best selling book, “On Toby’s Terms.”  She lives in California with her family.

Visit Lindy on the web at www.crashersbook.com.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Well, I am a wife and mother of two and I live in California. I write because I like to create worlds and characters, I guess you could say I base my stories on my life. I also own a business with my husband called Impact Motion Pictures. We have several scripts that we are producing, so I am pretty busy.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Tennessee, but I lived in NYC for a while to attend NYU, then made my way out to Los Angeles in the early 90’s to seek my fortune in the movie biz. I love California though, and have made it my home.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

Traveling with my family. I loved taking family vacations during the summer! Actually, we are getting ready to take our summer family vacation right now. We used to go on road trips to Florida and to all different places. I just remember having fun riding in the car with the family.

When did you begin writing?

I started writing as a child, really. I used to write short stories that were inspired my Judy Blume – who was a huge inspiration to me as a kid. I would also write plays and have family members play certain roles. I loved to make up stories, I just put them on paper. Writing and reading to me was my childhood escape.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

As a mom of a preschooler and a nine year old, I write when I can. Mostly when I get a quiet moment – which is hardly ever in my house, haha!

What is this book about?

Crashers is about a trio of reckless young people who get caught up in the seedy world of auto insurance fraud. They stage auto accidents to collect the insurance money. Basically, an innocent, young couple get lured into the underworld of crime due to hard times and the desperate need for quick and easy money. It is a story of love, temptation and finally, redemption.

What inspired you to write it?

I was in a minor fender bender several years ago. One of the parties involved decided to pretend that she was seriously injured and decided to sue all the drivers involved. It was a very minor accident, no injuries or damage at all. Anyway, I was so mortified that somebody would actually try to pull this kind of a scam that I decided to channel all of that anger into a story. There are dishonest people out there that are ready and willing to do anything for money, people need to be very careful.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband is my biggest supporter, he is my cheerleader. I think I will get him a short skirt and some pom-poms, haha!

Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?

Never had an agent nor am I looking for one. Personally, I don’t believe they are really necessary. There are so many opportunities for authors to get their stories told now. Agents are no longer the gatekeepers of dreams coming true…thank goodness!

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Amazon.com, Borders.com, www.bookdepository.com, or any bookstore.


What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Never, ever, ever give up! This is a game of persistence. Hang in there and never even entertain the thought of giving up! There are so many fresh stories that need to be told. Just keep plugging away, and don’t let the rejection letters get you down.

What is up next for you?

Right now I am pretty busy with our production company, Impact Motion Pictures. My husband has worked in the movie business for many years. We are in the process of producing our own films. That is taking up most of my time, along with the kids and promoting Crashers! I have lots and lots of food on my plate, but I love being busy.

To get your paperback copy of CRASHERS: A TALE OF CAPPERS AND HAMMERS by Lindy S. Hudis at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Crashers-A-Tale-Cappers-Hammers/dp/1936332272

To get your ebook copy of CRASHERS: A TALE OF CAPPERS AND HAMMERS by Lindy S. Hudis in the Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/Crashers-A-Tale-Cappers-Hammers/dp/1936332272/

Visit Lindy S. Hudis’ publisher’s page:http://www.bettieyoungsbooks.com/authors/LindyHudis/index.htm

Like Lindy S. Hudis on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=736712042

Follow Lindy S. Hudis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Lindyscribe

Follow Lindy S. Hudis at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10311165-lindy-hudis

Like Lindy S. Hudis at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=17714000&trk=tab_pro

Visit Lindy S. Hudis film production company: http://www.impactmotionpictures.com/

~ ~ ~ KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

Pump Up Your Book and Lindy S. Hudis are teaming up to give you a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

Visit http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2012/07/19/pump-up-your-book-presents-crashers-a-tale-of-cappers-and-hammers-virtual-book-publicity-tour-2012/ for your chance to enter and win!

Doug Hewitt on Creating an Occupation for The Dead Guy

Today's guest blogger is Doug Hewitt, author of The Dead Guy--which we reviewed here.

Doug was born and raised near Detroit, Michigan and now lives in North Carolina. Along the way, he did a four-year stint in the Marine Corps and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. He has been writing short stories for over 20 years and has been getting them published for most of that time, with over 80 stories in print. His stories have appeared in anthologies such as The Dead Inn and 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories. He has appeared in the premier issue of Apex Digest and has seen his chapbook, Slipstream, published by Scrybe Press.

He turned his attention to longer works and had his first novel Spear published in 2002. The Midwest Book Review calls Spear “a thrilling and deftly crafted novel.” After remarrying in 2004, he and his wife, Robin, founded HewittsBooks.com. In addition to authoring a non-fiction parenting book, The Practical Guide To Weekend Parenting, Doug and Robin teamed up to write The Joyous Gift of Grandparenting.

Doug returned to his original passion, writing fiction, and wrote The Dead Guy, which St. Martins author Lynn Chandler-Willis calls a “high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal ride through the criminal underbelly of the automotive world.”

You can visit Doug Hewitt and read a free PDF chapter of The Dead Guy at www.HewittsBooks.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jack Thigpen works in Detroit, nicknamed The Motor City, the perfect place for a fraud investigator who specializes in car insurance scams. He is on a case he believes is a typical, low-level crime, but it quickly turns into a situation with ominous international consequences. Ironically, as he is targeted for death because of his investigation, Jack is diagnosed with a fatal disease that is untreatable, a disease that will end his life within months. And instead of killing Jack, the hit man shoots Jack's best friend. Struggling to come to terms with his impending death, Jack vows to track down his friend's killer.

Jack plunges into the world of corrupt car dealerships, chop shops, and fraudulent auto repair shops. He is soon swept into the darkness of Detroit's criminal underbelly to uncover the truth about power struggles within organized crime rings. Death is staring him in the face, but Jack doesn't back down. He pushes ahead, plowing through perilous roadblocks planted by his enemies, propelling himself toward the finish line and a teeth-gritting, heart-pounding conclusion.

Researching My Main Character’s Occupation
by Doug Hewitt

When I set out to write The Dead Guy, I wanted to write a good mystery novel, and the standard advice to authors is: write what you know.
That advice is very sweeping, though. What does it mean? One of the basic questions an author faces when laying out a new novel is where to set the action. I decided that I would place my mystery in Detroit. I grew up in a Detroit suburb (Mt. Clemens, to be specific), and I wanted my mystery to have a sense of place.

Okay, I was off to a good start. I would be writing about a place that I knew very well. Another thing I learned about writing is that in the best novels, the setting plays an active role in the storyline. So, I knew the ideal role that Detroit (the Motor City) would have in my novel would involve cars.

Now I was getting somewhere! Now, what about my main character, Jack Thigpen? What possible occupation could he have in the Motor City that would tie into the automobile theme and the sense of Detroit as a place in which cars carry more meaning than in other cities? Cars are the lifeblood of Detroit, and I wanted Jack Thigpen to have his fingers on the pulse of the city.

And so I decided he would be an investigator of car insurance fraud. This fit in perfectly with what I wanted, an amateur detective. Jack would know about investigative techniques, but murder would be way out of his league (or so it would seem, at first).

I began reading Internet forums that were dedicated to insurance fraud. I was surprised to find there were plenty to choose from! I also looked at online resumes. After reading these forums for a few weeks, I looked at some employee descriptions of insurance fraud investigators, and I found a few resumes online.

And so Jack Thigpen’s occupation was born! Jack was born to the job (of course), and it suited him perfectly. He finds himself investigating a low-level insurance scam, and suddenly there’s a murder attempt on his life. Instead of killing him, though, the hit man kills his best friend. Avenging his friend’s death becomes the driving force of The Dead Guy.