Guest Blogger - Author Sandy Lender

Today I welcome author Sandy Lender to my blog. Please give her a warm blog welcome.

Fantasy enthusiasts will recognize Sandy Lender as the author of the breakout novel CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS and a leader of workshops on world-building and characterization. Her four-year degree in English and seventeen-year career in magazine publishing augment her book publishing experience for a variety of presentations.

Q1: How long have you been writing?
Sandy Lender: I’ve been at this since I was little. I think it’s funny that my first stories were in speculative fiction, but, of course, I had no clue that was what you’d call it way back then. I wrote this story for my great grandma about a squeaky spider that got caught in the fresh whitewash on an old woman’s ceiling. So the old woman smashed the spider and its squeaks haunted her the rest of her days. Bwuahahaha. I think I was a disturbed kid… But Grandma used to share the stories I wrote with all the neighbors in her building.

Q2: What drew you to the subject of Choices Meant for Gods?
Sandy Lender: I don’t think I can pinpoint just one aspect of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS that drew me in. I know the antagonist, Jamieson Drake, revealed the lovely Amanda Chariss to me years ago and I fell in love with her instantly. Then the world she lived in intrigued me. So the subjects of Amanda Chariss and Onweald were the original draw. Once I dove into her story and struggle, I got interested in the idea that the god she’s chosen to protect is losing His followers to complacency and disinterest, which leaves them open to the danger of the big evil bad goddess who wants to usurp His power.

Q3: What do you know now that you are published that you didn’t know pre-published that you wish you knew?
Sandy Lender: You know, I had a pretty good idea that marketing is an expensive venture, but I wish I’d done more research. There are oodles of ways to spend your money when it comes to advertising, swag for your tables, postage, etc. I attended a writer’s workshop that my publisher held prior to my first novel’s release and learned some good stuff about prepping for conferences, doing speaking engagements, sending out review copies, etc. My problem was the rose-colored glasses I wore until my first conference, the first stack of books I walked into the post office with, the first time I sent out post cards. I’m very fortunate because my publishing house has a marketing package together for its authors that includes templates and goodies to make life easier. I don’t have to pay a vendor to build an ad for me or build bookmarks; but I do have to pay to run the ad and print the bookmarks. Now, I’m not complaining because this is life and all us authors have to do it. I just wish that I’d taken a better look at all the different things that were worth spending money on and added up the total—and started a savings account—or opened a certificate of deposit when I was 12.

Q4: Tell me one thing about yourself that very few people know?
Sandy Lender: I once swam with adorable dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center down in the Keys. Kibby, the dolphin who painted a picture on a t-shirt for me, stole my heart and still has it… The swimming experience was amazing. First, you have a class/seminar to make sure you know what you’re doing and won’t harm the animals. Then you slide off this dock into the lagoon and whatever dolphins are “into” the event that day come over and interact with your group. Well, I’m a moron and not a good swimmer, so I slid off the dock and just kept right on going under to drown. The thought in my head was, “Great, one of these dolphins is going to have to save me.” Luckily, the survivor instinct kicked in and I treaded water back up to the surface and lived. J I had the greatest time. One of the “actions” the instructor had me do was swim out a certain number of feet and pretend to be drowning so a dolphin could rescue me and bring me back to the dock. I found that to be the ironic moment of the adventure. I’ve got a picture somewhere of two dolphins kissing my cheek. It’s fabulous.

Q5: What do you consider your strengths in terms of your writing?
Sandy Lender: I consider dialogue one of my strengths. I’m very thankful that I can write a scene where characters speak to each other and readers feel as though they’re sitting in the room with the characters, hearing it happen, or watching it on a movie screen.

Q6: What three things would you want with you on a desert island?
Sandy Lender: Am I allowed to cheat? Because I think a trip to a desert island for about two weeks would be a GREAT idea. Bring it on. Just let me have plenty of pens and paper. But, at the end of the two weeks, the items I want with me on the island:
1) the aforementioned writing utensils
2) a motor boat
3) a GPS

Q7: What place that you haven’t visited would you like to go?
Sandy Lender: There are two places I’d like to visit. One is the Archie Carr Research Center (because I’m quite the sea turtle enthusiast) and the other is Venice. The thing about Venice, though, is I’d need a guide. I don’t want a high-pressure tourist-group kind of guided tour, but a guide who speaks the language, knows where he’s going, won’t let me end up mugged or stabbed, and who will keep quiet when I’m writing. J (I don’t think I make a great vacationer.)

Q8: Who is your greatest cheerleader?
Sandy Lender: A writer friend in Canada who actually started out as a reviewer for me. Jamieson Wolf. I met him through an online group a couple years ago. When I learned that he was a reviewer, I contacted him outside of the group and asked if he’d read and review CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS. He was very polite and forewarned me that he didn’t have a lot of patience with fantasy but would give me a fair reading. He loved the story and we started e-mailing back and forth…we became pals and he’s been an amazing supporter of mine ever since.

Q9: If you have a day job, what is it?
Sandy Lender: I’m editor of a national magazine. Construction.

Q10: If you could ask your readers one question, what would it be?
Sandy Lender: Now that eBooks are gaining so much attention (and my publisher has my books available as such), do you find it easier to find time to read? I guess I’m asking, are you more inclined to pick up and carry an eReader around with you to the doctor’s office or the airport than a paperback or hardcover for those quick snippets of reading time?

About Choices Meant For Gods:

CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS is a Girl Power fantasy adventure where prophecy twists out of control. Captivating humans, wizards, Ungol, and dragons populate the realm of Onweald where even the gods must turn to an unlikely fugitive for help.

Thanks for stopping by Sandy and best of luck on your next venture