Please welcome Amanda Alvarez author of Hunting Human!
Amanda would you please tell us a little about yourself?
Amanda would you please tell us a little about yourself?
Amanda: I'd say I'm pretty average. I'm 29, I live in Dallas, TX with my two (extremely spoiled) cats. I work as a lawyer during the day and sometimes, when I'm really lucky, I have the time and energy to write at night and on the weekends.
Laurie-What inspired you to write?
Amanda: I'm not sure inspired is necessarily the right word. Writing wasn't a childhood ambition for me and while I always enjoyed writing in school I never seriously considered it as a potential career choice. I can say that I have always loved reading - particularly during times of high stress. Books provide such a wonderful escape. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I asked one 'what if' question too many and started creating stories of my own. From there I considered it a challenge to see if I actually could write a book.
Laurie-Out of all the books you wrote, do you have a few that holds a special place in your heart. How about your heroes and heroines, do you have a favorite among them?
Amanda: Hunting Human is the the first book I ever wrote. It was the first plot that came to mind and Beth was the first heroine I envisioned, so naturally that book will always hold a special place in my heart. I learned a lot writing (and rewriting!) Hunting Human and I suspect those lessons and discoveries will be with me for every future book I write. But when it comes to character? I'll say that Chase is the one that fascinates me the most.
Laurie-What are some of your favorite authors and some of your favorite books you’ve read?
Amanda: My reading habits have been all over the place over the years but there are a select few books that I find myself going back to time after time. Lightning by Dean Koontz is a favorite. (romance, time travel and a strong heroine, what's not to love?) Harry Potter captivated me from the very beginning and I always discover something new to love when I read the series again.
Laurie-What was your favorite part of writing Hunting Human?
Amanda: Finishing it? It sounds funny but it's the truth. The best part about writing that book was discovering that I could do it in the first place. But the scenes I enjoyed writing the most were the scenes between the Edwards siblings, they always surprised me.
Laurie-Are you going to write more about the rest of the Edwards characters and make this a series? I know I would love for you to.
Amanda: Yes! I absolutely intend the continue the series with Caleb, Lucy and Chase.
Laurie-Do you have a reason you picked Portland as a setting?
Amanda: I did a lot of research on cities along the upper west coast and Portland just had the right feel for what I was looking for.
Laurie-Do you have a favorite quote in Hunting Human? If so what?
Amanda: Not off the top of my head, though I really enjoyed writing Lucy and Chase's banter.
Laurie-About how long did it take you from witting to having Hunting Human published?
Amanda: I finished the book in March of 2010 and I sold it to my publisher, Carina Press, in August of the same year, but writing the book took quite a bit longer. I got the first vague idea for the book in 2006. I let it rattle around for about two years before I wrote anything down. I wrote the first couple of chapters in the fall of 2008, took a lot of writing courses, learned a lot, and plotted the idea fully in early 2009. But the vast majority of the book I wrote in July and August of 2009. I let it sit for a while in the fall of '09 then spent most of the winter putting myself through the editorial process. So from first vague idea to the acquisition call I guess it took about four years. :)
Laurie-Would you tell us a little of what you’re working on next?
Amanda: My current work in progress is a romantic suspense with strong paranormal elements.
Fun questions
What your favorite color?
A: Green, to me it's a happy, energetic color.
Do you have any pets?
A: I have one regular sized cat with stripes and one jumbo sized cat with spots. They own me and they know it.
What your favorite movie and TV show?
A: Tough questions! I could never pick a favorite movie because I love movies for so many different reasons. Some are beautiful to watch, some make you think, some have excellent writing - picking a favorite would be like picking a favorite sort of chocolate. I've got room on my plate to savor them all! As far as TV goes I don't have as much time to watch as I might like, but there are a few shows I really enjoy. I watch Supernatural with a really good friend of mine - burgers, beers and boys are always a good way to end the week! I've also recently discovered Criminal Minds and I find the show fascinating.
Do you have a favorite food or place to eat?
A: Not especially, I like most types of food and just enjoy going out with friends in general. I will say that I have a sweet tooth so a restaurant with a good dessert (chocolate!) is always a winner with me.
Places to find Amanda
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