Author Interview: Chris Redding
Recently, Chris Redding re-released her thriller novel, Incendiary, with a new publisher. Back in May 2010, I answered a post from Chris on the Writers Coffehouse Yahoo group inviting authors to provide a blurb about their books for one of her weekly blog posts. Chris was kind enough to host me on her blog and I am happy to be able to return the favor!
First, tell us where we can find you online.
http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/chrisreddingauthor
www.twitter.com/chrisredding
At what age did you realize your talent for writing and storytelling? What was the first story you ever wrote, published or not?
I was ten. The assignment was to write a short story. I wrote about an old lady who had a bunch of cats. I received an “A” and was allowed to read it in front of the class. Before I read I was the geeky, four-eyed know it all. The class had a new respect for me after I read my story. I don’t remember the name of it.
My current novels (both published and forthcoming) are both in the paranormal genre. As such, I was curious as to what inspired one of your early novels,
Corpse Whisperer
(Enspiren Press, October 2007 now self-published).
There used to be a show called Tru Calling. Tru worked in the morgue and when she touched certain people, she would rewind back in time to prevent their deaths. I took it one step further to only murder victims and made my heroine a paramedic.
Two of your novels, Blonde Demolition (Imajin Books, November 2011) and The Drinking Game (CreateSpace, June 2011) deal with characters in law enforcement (cops, the FBI and Homeland Security, for example). What attracts you to crime/mystery/action adventure as a backdrop for romance?
I love men in uniform? I have worked in EMS in some form for almost 20 years. The last few only tangentially, but it has brought me in contact with law enforcement. I am fascinated by their mentality. Also, when I was a kid I read 3 grades ahead of the one I was in so at a young age I was reading adult novels. Agatha Christie was something my mom felt comfortable letting me read so I kind of grew up on crime novels.
Gotta love a title like
A View to a Kilt
(Echelon Press, November 2011)! Can you give us a blurb on the story?
She’s an interior decorator with a secret. He’s a former FBI agent who needs to know her secret to solve his wife’s murder. Mayhem ensues!
You’ve recently re-released Incendiary (Imajin Press, September 2012), a crime drama dealing with arson. I recently had a long discussion with a few other authors about the value of a cover that really ‘pops’. What was the catalyst behind your decision to change the cover on Incendiary?
That’s easy. I changed publishers.
What can readers expect next from you?
That I will try many new things. I have the attention span of –oh look, a squirrel- lol. I don’t like to be bored. Right now I am dabbling in romantic comedy. I seem to have a sense of humor in my writing (as in life) so I am going with it. And the romantic comedies will involve dogs.
What does Chris Redding do when she isn’t writing?
I wish I had some witty answer, but I spend so much time on my writing career that I don’t have a fascinating hobby. I do like to cook and am thinking about writing a cook book. I also cart my younger son to and from cross country meets and 4-H rabbit shows. I used to cross stitch.
