Author Interview With Linda Anne Wulf!

I've read a lot of books already this year, and many of them were really wonderful books. The Heart Denied by Linda Anne Wulf being one of them. I truly enjoyed this book and I would have to say that it has definitely made it's way onto my favorites list! If you'd like, you can see my review of it here. 

I recently had the honor of being able to interview the lovely Linda Anne Wulf! 

So, without further ado, I'd just like to say welcome to my blog, Mrs. Wulf! It's such a pleasure to have you here!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First off a bit more about the author:

Where are you from?

Linda: I was born in Holyoke MA at Westover AFB, but raised in Louisville KY, where I still live.

Where is one place you've always wanted to travel to?

Linda: Scotland. And I wanted it long before Scotland became a popular film subject and tourist attraction. As far back as my 1950/60s childhood, the sound of bagpipes has brought me to tears, and I have no idea why. As an adult with lots of books on Scotland, I'm intrigued to realize how similar in appearance my favorite vacation spot, Lake Cumberland in KY (except for the trees), is to the Scottish Highlands and lochs. In the 1990s I learned that my Robinson/Robertson ancestors were from Perth and were part of the oldest existing clan in Scotland today, Clan Donnachaidh. So maybe I can blame my sentimentalism for Scotland on genetic memory. And after meeting an actual Scotsman wearing an actual kilt a few years ago--well, let's just say the experience did nothing to discourage my dream of traveling there!

Favorite kind of music?

Linda: It's a pretty eclectic mix, from classical to bluegrass to alternative rock to "new age." Right now the Twilight soundtrack is in my CD player, and right behind it was Sting and Chris Isaak. But if I had to choose one artist over all the others, I guess it would be Loreena McKennitt. Or maybe Clannad.

What are some of your hobbies?

Linda: My main hobby, also a business, is quilt art, landscape quilts in particular (see the lwulf shop at etsy.com). I also love reading, knitting and crochet, genealogy, working with herbs and oils, and studying the energy body and energy medicine. And I practice Reiki, a wonderful stress-reduction technique.

I just have to say her quilts are amazing! They're definitely worth checking out!

 

Name four of your favorite authors?

Linda: Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Sergeanne (Anne) Golon, and Phillipa Gregory.  

We would all love to know a bit more about your writing:

What started your interest in writing?

Linda: I wrote a short story for the school paper in grade school, and then was asked to write another. In high school, I spent my last two summer breaks writing two novels based on a classmate who really got under my skin, and it was then that I realized how cathartic writing could be--and better yet, how entertained my sister and cousins were by what I'd written!

What inspired you to write The Heart Denied? 

Linda: A dream--but a dream like none other I'd ever experienced. It was like watching a movie set in a bygone era, right down to the British-accented dialog and the old-fashioned house. A woman in a long, high-necked dress was raking her husband over the coals for being unfaithful to her. He, in turn, was begging for forgiveness, but what really got my attention was when he begged the woman to stop haunting him. I realized then that she was the ghost of his wife. I found myself sympathizing far more with him than with her, by the way. Anyone who reads the Heart Denied will see how that influenced the story, although it's only part of the overall plot.

 

Which character from The Heart Denied was your favorite to write? which was your least favorite?

Linda: Thorne Neville was definitely my favorite to write, with all of his qualities and flaws and his struggles--which are not always successful--to do the right thing. My least favorite was Lord Whittingham; he is so disgusting and unsavory, not to mention utterly without conscience.

Where did you draw inspiration from for the characters in The Heart Denied?

Linda: A ninety-year-old writer once told me the main character in your first novel is always you, the author. That's probably somewhat true of Thorne Neville, although I see some Edward Rochester (from Jane Eyre) in him as well. Caroline was inspired partly by Scarlett O'Hara. Arthur is somewhat based on John Gielgud's role as Hobson in the original Arthur movie. Everyone else is pretty much constructed from traits and quirks I've observed in myself and those around me. Except for Whittingham. I don't know anyone that despicable, thank goodness.   

Were you nervous about publishing The Heart Denied?

Linda: Not at all. Of the 23 people who read the original manuscript, several said it kept them up all night. Being a shy person who secretly wants to entertain, I can't think of a better way than to write something people lose sleep over!

 

When it comes to writing do you prefer to write by hand or on a computer?

Linda: Computer. In all honesty, I'm not sure I would ever have attempted this novel without a computer. The typewriter/correction fluid method just doesn't appeal to me. And my last longhand efforts were in high school.

How do you deal with the beast that is writer's block?

    

Linda: I just put two characters in a simple setting, and have one say something--anything--and soon there's a conversation/situation going. It may not be anything I can use in my manuscript, but it will lube the writing gears and get things moving again.

And lastly: 

Do you have any projects you're currently working on? Will there be a sequel to The Heart Denied?

    

Linda: There is one chapter written for a sequel to The Heart Denied, but I haven't decided whether it will go any further. Meanwhile, my second book, Heart of the Hunter, is in final edit and should be out early next year. It is a historical but is written more toward the romance market this time, with a strong emphasis on suspense; in fact there is a psychopath involved, and I can't tell you how much fun that was to write! The manuscript won first place in two national contests sponsored by Romance Writers of America, so I have hopes that it will do well as a published historical romance.

Oh that sounds like another great one! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Heart of the Hunter! :) 

I enjoyed this SO much!!! Thank you again!

Linda

Thank you, Mrs. Wulf for taking the time to do this interview. I really enjoyed reading all of your answers! :)

If you want to find more information about the author and her books, you can visit her site: http://www.lindaannewulf.com/ 

You can also find her on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4744566.Linda_Anne_Wulf

And on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Anne-Wulf/179786212050499