AMANDA ASHLEY

CATCH UP ON WHAT CHRISTINE FEEHAN HAS BEEN DOING RECENTLY

1. What have you written since our last spotlight?

Christine: It's been awhile, Carol. I think I've written at least six or seven books. I know I hadn't written A Very Gothic Christmas or The Awakening, both anthologies. I had never planned to write a short story, yet I wrote three of them this last year along with three full novels.

2. Has anything new happened in your writing career that you would like your readers to know?

Christine: I've had the opportunity to work with a couple of other publishing houses and enjoyed it very much. I hope to offer a couple of my contemporaries along with some new paranormal ideas in the near future.

3. What do you have planned in the near future as far as writing?

Christine: I have a wonderful story idea I've been researching heavily for months. I think it's a unique twist on a contemporary-paranormal idea and I'm excited to have the time and opportunity to actually work on it in the near future. 4. Do you have any book signings coming up in the near future?

Christine: I won't be signing anywhere until May. I'll be attending the Celebrate Romance for online readers in Las Vegas this year and look forward to meeting with online friends and signing books.

5. Do you feel your writing has taken you down any new paths since our last interview?

Christine: I'm much more focused on writing now. In the beginning I wasn't certain I would continue to publish, but the response has been so wonderful that I've decided to focus full time on my writing.

6. Do you have any insights you would like to pass along to new authors?

Christine: Writing is a discipline and it requires forcing yourself to sit down and write no matter what. It also isn't just the creative process. You do have to learn the business end whether you want to or not, if you intend to be successful at publishing.

GET TO KNOW CHRISTINE FEEHAN THE PERSON

Below are the questions we have in order to get to know our authors as a person. Many times people have misconceptions about an author and who they really are. Many people don't always think of an author as a real person. Some think authors don't feel the same things or go through the same things as we do. They don't think about the fact that you the person may have had traumas, jobs, a home life and all the other things that we go through in life.

7. What misconceptions do you think people have about you as a person or a writer?

Christine: I think the biggest misconception is that an author, particularly one on a bestseller list, is wealthy. You can be on ALL the bestseller lists and still not make a great income. I think people would be shocked at how little a writer is actually paid.

8. Do you have children?

Christine: Yes, I have a yours, mine and ours family. Altogether we claim eleven children and certainly raised more than that. At present, most of them are grown and have their own homes. I have two left in the house, a 17 year old daughter and my youngest, a daughter of 11.

9. What kinds of things do you like to do in your spare time?

Christine: I'm basically a family person. I love to do things with my children and husband. I love the ocean and go there when I have the opportunity. I enjoy the theater and reading to my daughter. Mostly, I love visiting with my mother.

10. What hobbies do you have?

Christine: I do Creative Memories. Scrapbooking. I love to have my children and grandchildren help with the albums. We remember all the good times together, and have fun writing about what we were doing and thinking and we decorate the pages.

11. How would you describe yourself?

Christine: Easy going. I rarely get upset over things. I'm usually very happy.

12. What's your favorite color?

Christine: I'm not certain I have one favorite color, but probably blue. I love various shades of blue.

13. Do you have any pets and if so what kind?

Christine: This is embarrassing. Please keep in mind I have children. We have four big dogs. And I mean big. The largest is 170 pounds and the smallest is 70 pounds. And yes, they are house dogs. We have a cat and a couple of birds. And lots and lots of fish. I tell everyone fish are calming. LOL

14. Is there anything you would like the readers to know about you the writer or you the person?

Christine: I appreciate all the readers who have been so wonderfully supportive of me. This past year has been a difficult one for my family and for me. I can't tell you how often readers sent me a thoughtful, cheery card or just a quick note to let me know they are thinking of me. I am overwhelmed at how truly kind they are.

15. Have you found you are treated differently now that you are a known published author?

Christine: Yes. There are many ways I'm treated differently, some are good and some I could do without.

16. Do you work out of the house at a job as well as caring for your family and writing? Or is writing your main full time job? Since as we all know caring for your family is also a full time job.

Christine: I retired from teaching karate. I worked as an instructor for nearly 25 years, but now I write full time.

17. Has life become any different for you then it was prior to your writing?

Christine: I'm gaining weight at an alarming rate!!! OUCH!!! I used to work out all the time, every day and now I write from morning until night and forget to leap around. I don't see as many people or go as many places. I think writing full time isolates a person and most writers are people who enjoy being alone so its easy to slip into the pattern of staying home.

18. What is your favorite food?

Christine: I love Chinese food.

19. What gives you the creeps? What scares you?

Christine: That's a good question. I rarely am scared and most movies or books don't have that kind of effect on me. But Barbara Michaels wrote a great creep-me-out book titled A Stitch In Time. Definitely did it for me. I also have an aversion to scorpions. I've been stung a couple of times and it wasn't pleasant. Looking at them turns my stomach.

20. As our final question is there anything you would like to tell your readers that I haven't addressed already? Or is there something that I haven't mentioned you would like them to know?

Christine: I think if I could have one wish it would be that readers remain open minded when reading a book by any author. I think when you have preconceived notions about how a particular book should go before you pick it up you'll never be satisfied. My daughter took a film class and she went to a movie with the class. They all loved the movie and came out of the theater, happy, laughing, saying how great it was. They went back to the class and had a lively discussion about how wonderful it was. Then the teacher asked them to critique it, to deliberately look for flaws. By the end of the period they were all saying how bad the movie actually was. They were looking for bad things and mistakes and they found them. The teacher pointed out the difference to them. He told them to be willing to be entertained. I like that idea. When I open a book, I want to be willing to be entertained. I wish that for my readers.