So, Linda and I met in the hotel bar during the Toronto Bouchercon. She and my daughter had an interesting conversation about all manner of things before the talk turned to writing. Sometimes the best experiences come with a beer! I’m pleased to feature her as April’s Author.

Georgia Author of the Year, Linda Sands is the multiple award-winning author of five books in four genres. Always on the hunt for unique characters, fabulous settings and compelling storylines, Linda divides her time between the suburbs of Atlanta, the beaches of The Emerald Coast and a secret place in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In the Cargo Series, Linda introduces badass crime-solving trucker Jojo Boudreaux. The adventures of Jojo and the CARGO cast of characters are directly influenced by stories of real truck drivers that Linda interviewed and photographed for a coffee table book on the modern truck driver. Book 1: GRAND THEFT CARGO, Feb 2017 is joined by Book 2: PRECIOUS CARGO, April 9, 2018, with plans for three more books in the series.

Linda, why do you write in the mystery/thriller genre?

I finally figured out after writing a legal thriller and a historical fiction/southern gothic story that years of research isn’t that fun. I started writing the kind of books I like to read, the kinds of books I grew up with.

What is the most challenging aspect of your writing life?

Balancing what I want to do, with what I have to do. I guess that could be said about anyone’s life, but as an author with a small press, there is a lot of “business” writing that precedes story crafting. I’m learning to put my creative self first and honor that.

What piece of writing advice has had the most influence on you?

There’s a joke that goes like this:

Q: What’s the difference between a published writer and an unpublished writer?  One quit.

Just for Fun:

Name a favorite food you use to reward yourself.

Pizza. The best I can find.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be? Why?

Wow. This was a hard one. I’ll go with Claire Fraser of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. It’s sad that it took me way too long to think of one strong, smart, respected and complex female character, yet I had three male characters pop up immediately.

Contact Linda Sands at Amazon –  https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Sands/e/B00596OLLY or her website – http://lindasands.com/

Pre-orders for Precious Cargo are available at    https://www.amazon.com/Precious-Cargo-Linda-Sands/dp/194650257X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520878397&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=precious+cargo+%2C+pre-order