Linda Conrad in The Dungeon

Please help me in welcoming Harlequin (formerly Silhouette) Romantic Suspense author LINDA CONRAD to The Dungeon!

Bestselling author Linda Conrad writes for Harlequin-Silhouette Books. Her novels have been translated into sixteen languages and are sold in over twenty-two countries.

Linda’s sensual characters and passionate stories have brought her numerous awards and raves. Over the years her workshops for RWA chapters and conferences have helped many writers learn new skills and techniques.

Growing up in south Florida, Linda made up stories and read everything she could get her hands on. After college, she taught first grade in Miami and tried to give the children as much love for the written word as she’d always felt. When her own true-life hero came along and whisked her away to five cities in seven years, Linda became a sales assistant, a quality control supervisor, a ninety-unit apartment manager and finally a stockbroker and Certified Financial Planner in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

When her mother suffered a disabling stroke, Linda moved to southern California to be close. “Mom couldn’t focus well enough to read anymore. So I began reading to her,” Linda recalls. “Eventually, my sister and I started making up stories to keep her entertained. Mom remembered my high school writing attempts. Before her death, she asked me to stick with story telling.”

Today Linda is back in south Florida, living with her husband by the sea and telling the stories in her heart.

So let’s put Linda on The Rack & get started…

What is your favorite color? Red

Favorite song? Too hard to pick one….  Love old rock like Fleetwood Mac and new country like Sugarland.

Favorite movie? Another hard one to pin down—I’m a smaltz kind of gal, so love movies like Love Actually.

And of course, favorite book? Yikes, one? Impossible!   But I would have to say I love being taken away, and I love a great laugh. So if forced to only one, I would say any of Janet Evanovitch’s “Stephanie Plum” books.

What was the first book in your chosen genre that you remember reading, or that made you want to write the same? Merline Lovelace’s Perfect Double

What do you think of Heidi?  She’s great, right? Absolutely!

How did you get started writing? I had stopped working to care for my widowed mother who’d suffered a disabling stroke. For my whole life, she had been the voracious reader—always with a book in hand. Then suddenly she couldn’t read anymore. She even had a hard time concentrating on audio books. So we started making up stories for entertainment. Right before she passed away, she reminded me that I had loved making up stories in high school and she asked me to go back to that. I had to try.

Tell us a little bit about your first (or most memorable, if you prefer) sale. I had finished a couple of unpublished books and was discouraged. Then I saw an article in the Romance Writers Report about how the editors of the Silhouette Desire line were looking for new authors. I went out and read a few (dozens) because I didn’t think that line matched my voice. But a couple of months later, I had a proposal ready for one and pitched it at a RWA national conference. Several months later, after a lot of requested revisions, they bought that book and I was off and running!

Fill in the blank—If you like [blank], you’ll love LINDA CONRAD! Cindy Gerard or Suzanne Brockmann

Which of your books would you like to pimp today? Tell us about it and why we’ll love every word. Hmm. Pimping? Well, ok. Here goes:

My latest novel is SECRET AGENT SHEIK from Harlequin Romantic Suspense line. It’s a little different for me: more James Bond style than I usually write. It’s the third book in my four-book “Desert Sons” series and is the story of Tarik Kadir (the third of the Kadir brothers).

Here’s the back of the book blurb:

Jass O’Reilly doesn’t trust ex-agent Tarik Kadir. A Bedouin from an ancient tribe, the dark and brooding Tarik isn’t who the lovely CIA agent wants by her side as she tracks down rogue nuclear weapons. Besides, the mysterious sheik is just too handsome for an agent—the passion burning in his eyes a little too hot.

Tarik knows Jass doesn’t want him by her side as they delve deeper into the sultry Rio nightlife. Well, tough. But before the Carnivale is over, he will have to question everything he thought he knew about the mission, his job and his family. His own heart, he just might find, is the traitor.

SECRET AGENT SHEIK is a fast and fun adventure that takes place in a sexy setting!

If your plane crashed in the Andes, would you convince the other survivors to eat Heidi first or last? Eeew! Never! She’s too sweet. Let ’em eat cake.  (Note from Heidi:  Oh, we like that answer.  So much. :Pretty )

If you could write anything—whether in the same genre/sub-genre as you’re writing now or another—what would it be? A psychological and paranormal thriller.

What are you currently working on? Writing a new series of my own for Harlequin’s Romantic Suspense line. The working title of my new series is “Chance, Texas” and it’s a lot of fun writing cowboys and suspense. I’m also working on one of the books in Harlequin’s Romantic Suspense line’s continuity due out next year. Actually, the hero of my story is also a rancher. Guess I’m doomed to write cowboys this year. LOL  (Further intrusive note from Heidi & Mistress Heidi:  Around here, our motto is:  “Save a horse, ride a cowboy!” so you will not hear any complains from us. :yougogirl )

LIGHTNING-FAST LASHES:

Leather or lace? Leather

Devil or angel? Devil

Angel food or devil’s food? Angel food

Hemlock or arsenic? Arsenic

Blood, sweat, or tears? All of the above

Cowgirl or missionary? (Hey, get your mind out of the gutter. I was simply asking what you wanted to be when you were growing up. :-p) Actually, I wanted to be the Queen of the Jungle or Tarzan (only tougher) and swing through the trees!

Photobucket

Thank you so much, Linda—your latest release sounds fabulous!

You can learn more about Linda & all of her books by visiting LindaConrad.com, & Linda has also very generously offered to give away an autographed copy of SECRET AGENT SHEIK to one of today’s lucky Dungeon bloggers.

To be entered in the drawing, simply ask a question or leave a comment for Linda during her visit today. (U.S. residents only, please.) A winner will be chosen & announced on March 27th during our regular “Happy Sunday” post.  So be sure to stop back to see if you’ve won! (Otherwise, I’m keeping the prize for myself, I swear. :angel )

Good luck & happy chatting!

Comments

22 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Linda Conrad says:

    Morning, everyone!

    Don’t you just love my new cover? One of my best. The book should be on shelves this week and on Kindle by next week.

    I”m so happy to be here playing with you today. (but I should be working) Let’s have fun with Heidi! :biggestgrin

    Love ya,
    Linda

    • Heidi says:

      Ha ha! Linda beat everybody else to the punch today…she wins the coveted Good Girl Lucky Shamrock.

      Congrats, Linda! :yougogirl

  2. Alex D says:

    Good Morning!

    Linda: Are you excited for the Plum movie coming out sometime either next year or late year? (I think it was supposed to be a summer release but they didn’t want to compete with other “big” movies or something, DON’T QUOTE ME~!) :cry

    Heidi: :blowkiss

    Have an awesome Monday!

  3. Debbie A. says:

    :feellikedancin

    I love the cover of your new book. (I also am a fan of the new country like Sugarland.)

    Best wishes for your latest book.

  4. CrystalGB says:

    Hi Linda. I love your books. Secret Agent Sheik sounds great. Nice cover.

  5. Donna says:

    Hi Linda,

    Harlequin has come a long way over the years. I remember reading my first romances from Harlequin. Then I must admit I gravitated away as they seemed to all be rather formulaic. I have just recently gone back (in part due to authors like Heidi, Kathy Lyons and Candace Havens) and am happily returning. I will have to check out your books now. I too like the Plum series but am having a hard time picturing Katherine Heigl as Stephanie. Who would you pick to play her?

    Donna

  6. Linda Conrad says:

    Yes, Heidi, I’m looking forward to the Stephanie Plum movie. Not sure I’m going to like the Stephanie Plum they chose. Don’t we all have pictures of her in our heads? But we’ll see.

  7. Linda Conrad says:

    Sorry, I meant Alex on that last post!

    Thanks Debbie! Yeah that cover grabs you. Glad to find another Sugarland fan.

  8. Linda Conrad says:

    hello, Crystal! I think you might be a tad prejudice. LOL

    Kisses & hugs!

  9. Linda Conrad says:

    Tks, Donna! Exactly what I think about Kathyrn Heigl! No way she can be a cross between Italian and um…what is Stephanie Plum’s other half? I could’ve thought of a half dozen people who would’ve been a better match.

  10. Heidi says:

    Welcome, Linda! Thanks so much for taking a week break from your deadline to be with us today!

    I, too, love your new cover. RS does such a great job with those, & they gave you such a great wash of colors.

    I’ve actually got a question for you that I didn’t think to stick into the interview… You used to write for Desire, as well, & I’m curious to know why you moved to RS, & whether you enjoy writing them more, less, or just about the same as your Desires. :cantputdown

  11. Mary Ricksen says:

    :hi
    I have to say that Linda Conrad in addition to being a fantastic author is also one of the nicest women I have ever met!!
    She is so supportive of others and her down to earth, sweet, and sensitive personality makes her a keeper for sure. I’m crazy about her and her books!
    Linda I am so glad you kept that promise and still to this day continue to make your Mom proud.
    Love you Linda!

  12. Kathleen Pickering says:

    Hey, Linda~ So enjoyed reading this blog. I can’t wait to read what’s behind that gorgeous cover for SECRET AGENT SHEIK! Count me in as one of your biggest fans. :Bigthumbs

  13. Traci Hall says:

    Linda, I knew there was a reason I adored you 🙂 besides your excellent writing skills, Love Actually is one of my all time favorite feel good movies! good luck with your sheiks!!

  14. Linda Conrad says:

    Heidi, Actually I loved writing for Desire. But it was getting harder and harder to keep the suspense out of my voice. Finally, Desire totally changed their guidelines and told me ‘nicely’ that my plots would be better over at RS. LOL.
    I’ve done more books now for RS than I did for Desire and I rencently took a couple of new contracts from them so I guess they were right. When I look back at my first few Desires, they were just smaller versions of what I’m writing now.

    • Heidi says:

      I never minded when Desires drifted a little into the mystery/suspense arena, but I love that you were able to drift so easily from one line to another into what you love writing most! :biggestgrin

  15. Linda Conrad says:

    Thank you, Mary. You make me blush. :blowkiss
    I think you’e pretty swell too.

  16. Linda Conrad says:

    I’m one of your biggest fans too, Kathy! Happy Reading!

  17. Linda Conrad says:

    Traci Hall, my road trip buddy! Love Actually sticks with me still. Wonderful feel good movie is right.
    Hooray for Sheiks! :winkwink

  18. Leni says:

    How did the concept for this series come about?

  19. Linda Conrad says:

    Hi Leni,

    My Desert Sons series began with my love of sheiks. When I was a little girl I dreamed about the dark, swarthy men of the desert who swept a damsel in distress off her feet.

    However…as an adult author, I don’t write about damsels in distress. I write about strong, independent women who are faced with challenges. And I write about situations that include danger and adventure. So, when I decided to write the Desert Sons series, I made my heroes from an ancient bedouin tribe who have become modern in dress and thought. But their family is facing a covert war with an ancient enemy. That gave me lots of ways to take the series into danger with each book.

    In this book, the youngest son is trying to make the world see the coming danger and to stop a nuclear threat from his enemy. It’s lots of fun. :winkwink

  20. Heidi says:

    Thank you so much for spending the day with us, Linda—we loved having you!

    And remember, everyone—Linda will be drawing a winner for her autographed copy of SECRET AGENT SHEIK very soon, so check back Sunday to see if you won! :party

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