The SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS column on Mondays and Wednesdays is a place at Shannon Muir’s author website open to interviews and guest posts from other authors. One thing Shannon firmly believes in for readers not only to learn about new books available, but about those who craft the tales behind them. As its name implies, SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS weekly column features writers from all genres of fiction who want their potential audience to get to know them, and their works, better – and occasionally may offer features from Shannon herself that support readers to discover words.
Today, find out more about LINKED.
LINKED by Judy Serrano, Paranormal Romance, 265 pp., $10.99 (paperback) $2.99 (kindle)
Author: Judy Serrano
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 265
Genre: Paranormal Romance
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
What initially got you interested in writing? I have been writing since I could pick up a pencil. I always loved poetry, and writing has been sort of an emotional release for me ever since I can remember.
How did you decide to make the move into being a published author? Deciding to become a published author was one of the most terrifying choices I have ever made. I had a teacher in college who asked me why I hadn’t published. After a long talk with her, and a long talk with my family, I decided to give it a try. It was a dream that I was always afraid to pursue. I could not be happier that I leapt into that pool.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works? I want them to be able feel like they are in the same world as my main characters. My characters have a vulnerability that I think my readers relate to. I want them to take away a feeling of hope, love, romance, and fantasy.
What do you find most rewarding about writing? I love to travel in my imagination and live the life that my heroes/heroines live. I drive nice cars, wear expensive clothes, and have handsome men fighting over me on a daily basis. What can be more rewarding than that.
What do you find most challenging about writing? For me, the biggest challenge is finding the time. As a teacher, I grade essays. A lot. It can be a challenge for me to find quiet time to simply sit and write. My youngest son is on his way to college this year, so it looks like time will be opening up. Bittersweet.
What advice would you give to people who want to enter the field? Write what you love and love what you write. Do it because you love it. Writing is a hard field to get into, as are all creative fields, so be prepared to work hard and research the kind of publishing you are interested in pursuing.
What ways can readers connect with you?
Website – www.JudySerrano.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JudySerranoAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AuthorJSerrano
Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Judy+Serrnao
Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Judy+Serrano?_requestid=358183
for that dreaded parent-teacher conference. With much preparation and
anxiety, she encounters the unforgettable Charlie Cross. His charm and
good looks, win her over but rumors of his involvement with organized
crime make his continued disappearances disturbing. In walks Heathcliff
Vanderpool, creating a love triangle of unusual sorts. Unknown to
Daphne, Heathcliff and Charlie are old friends: Older than she could
have imagined. With Charlie away on business, Daphne and Heathcliff
discover a passion between them lying beneath the surface. As their
souls link, pulling away from Charlie becomes next to impossible. Will
his involvement in organized crime consume them both before she’s able
to get free? When you become “linked,” the choice may not be your own.
veins and when I looked down, my hands were shaking. All that schooling and
relentless training still did not prepare me for what was coming next. What
would I say, and how would they react? All the uncertainty was driving me mad.
Sometimes I doubted my very own motives. I took this job out of necessity, not
out of a passion for my craft, and with every passing day, I grew just a little
more disheartened.
is my very first parent-teacher conference. Sometimes the meager pay that I
bring home for this incredulous journey hardly seems worth it. I earned my
degree, got my certification, and couldn’t find a job as a teacher. So, the
principal promised me a teaching position if I would just do this one last
thing… be a long-term sub for a high school English class. This has not been my
finest hour. The teacher I replaced had already made a mess of things and the
students were failing left and right. One of the moms called and demanded to
know why her little Michael was failing. Maybe
if he did his homework… is of course what I wanted to say, but now I have
to face her and tell her why little Michael is my least favorite student in the
class.
sat back down at my desk when Michael walked through my door. “Michael,” I
started. “What are you doing here?”
walked in behind him. He was about 5ft. 10, blond and blue-eyed, wearing faded
jeans and a button-down, powder blue sports shirt. When he smiled, my knees
went weak and I’m sure my face flushed. “I’m Charles Cross,” he said, putting
out his hand to shake mine. “My friends call me Charlie.” He smiled. “You look
surprised. We do have an appointment today, don’t we? I hope I didn’t get the
date wrong.”
Michael’s mother,” I told him. “And yes, we have an appointment. I’m Daphne
Foster.”
continued. “So now I guess you’re stuck with me.” He pushed Michael ahead of
him so that he would move farther into the room. I’m sure my face was still
red.
did he know that my insides were doing somersaults. “Please, sit down.” I motioned to the two
chairs that I had strategically positioned in front of my desk.
really a teacher,” was his icebreaker.
not to sound too defensive. “I have just been unable to find a full-time
position. But I assure you, Mr. Cross, I am more than qualified to teach your
son’s class.”
sitting back and starting to relax. “Michael is generally a good student,” he
continued. “But he appears to be carrying a 60 in your class. Tell me what you
think the problem is so that I can help him fix it.”
floor with his baseball cap on backwards. I’m sure if he was standing up, we’d
both be able to see his boxer shorts, peeking out beneath his sagging pants.
“For starters,” I bravely began, “he can lose the baseball cap.” Michael
sneered at me. “He’s not allowed to have it on during school hours, yet he always
walks through the door with it on his head. This is a continuous waste of my
valuable time, since we seem to need to argue about its importance, daily.”
Charlie laughed, which frustrated me a bit. “He hasn’t turned in one homework
assignment since I’ve been here, and he is very disruptive during class.”
in a condescending tone, “sounds to me like you have a problem with my son.”
conceal the agitation in my voice, “you
are the one with the problem.” He sat up, giving me his full attention. I must
admit that I began to feel my blood pressure rise. “I suggest that you get a
handle on this boy before I fail him and do not underestimate me, because I
will do it.”
am?” he asked. Michael smiled at this point and looked me square in the eyes.
long lost son. He doesn’t do his work, he fails… pretty simple, really.”
son to stand. “I suspect that you will change your mind.”
out my hand. “Thank you for coming in to see me, Mr. Cross… Michael.”
tongue like music. “Such a beautiful name.” He shook my hand. “The pleasure was
all mine.”
and was an adjunct professor at a local college. Currently she teaches
high school English and is a freelance writer for certain on-line
publications. Judy also writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance
novels. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series,The Linked Series, and Ivy Vines, Visions.
Although originally from New York, Judy resides in Texas
with her husband, four boys, four dogs and now two cats. She sings and
plays guitar when she has time and enjoys singing with her very musical
family in church when she is able.
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