FAQ:
The following is a list of frequently asked questions about Lindsay and her work.
HOW CAN I REQUEST AN ADVANCED READER COPY (eARC) OF UPCOMING BOOKS?
I’m always looking for committed readers and reviewers to join my team. Sign up here for a digital Advanced Reader Copy of my upcoming books in exchange for an honest review.
HOW STEAMY/SPICY ARE YOUR BOOKS?
All of my stories are fade-to-black.
I love to focus on slow-burn, pining, and falling in love. There is lots of romantic tension, kissing and all the delightful butterflies… but no explicit detail or on-page sex.
My books are sweet and swoony, with just a touch of steam. If they were movies, they would be PG-13.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?
As an avid reader, I have loved writing and storytelling for a very long time. I wrote my first novella, an adventure story about pirates, in senior year of high school. It was a delightful mess that only my mom and brother have read, but it was my first completed story, and I still have it tucked away on my bookshelf to this day!
In 2017, I was a stay-at-home mom of two young children and I was in desperate need of a hobby other than dishes, laundry, and diaper duty. Over the following year, I wrote and published (under a different pen name) three contemporary romance novels before switching over to the fantasy romance genre.
FATE CALLING was published in 2021.
In between household chores and homeschooling, the writing career of my dreams has become a reality. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
WHAT’S YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE?
World Building (6+ months)
I spend a lot of time in this stage, but the work is passive as various ideas simmer in the back of my mind over the months. I keep track of these ideas in the different notebooks I’ve dedicated to each of my worlds. When I am ready, I sit down and actively focus on how my worlds are constructed.
Plotting (1 week)
This is a basic brainstorming for all the key elements in a story, including major and minor beats, character backstories and emotional arcs, and a full list of scenes.
Outlining (3-6 months)
I am a hardcore plotter. I write very detailed outlines that include complete chapter summaries with dialogue, description, and as much information as I can think of. This is the longest active stage in my process.
Drafting (1-2 months)
In the drafting stage, I sit down and hammer out a very messy first draft. I avoid editing as I go because I want to see the full story come to life.
Revisions Round 1 (1 month)
After walking away from the manuscript for a week to clear my head, I return and begin revisions. This stage involves large structural edits like adding and removing chapters, adjusting plot flow and pacing, tweaking the romance and emotional arc threads, and prettying up the descriptions and dialogue.
Beta Readers (1 month)
My beta readers give me feedback on the developmental side of the story such as pacing, continuity with other books in the series, and how the book resonates them as a reader of the genre.
Revisions Round 2 (1 month)
I incorporate the feedback of my beta readers (along with anything else I’ve thought of) and polish up the last of the manuscript.
Line Edits (1 month)
Line edits focus on grammar. Now that the story is as it should be and there are no more major changes on the horizon, we begin looking line by line for grammar, syntax, continuity, and pacing.
Proofreading (1 week)
The final read-through, looking for any last minute typos. (Though, there’s always some typos that sneak through to the finished version.)
Formatting + Print Prep (1-2 weeks)
The final stages involve formatting all those carefully written words and getting them uploaded with the cover layout to the printer.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF WRITING FANTASY ROMANCE?
The romance is always my favorite part.
I love creating individual characters and figuring out why they fit together as a couple, how they make each other better, and how their wounds are healed because of love.
But it’s also very challenging because it needs to feel organic and believable, and the progression of them falling in love is so important. It can’t be insta-love, and the slow-burn can’t drag on for too long.
The romance is one of the hardest parts, but it’s also my absolute favorite.