Ask C.J. Lyons!

[Cathy]

Hi CJ
I'm reading Lucy Guardino's story now and really enjoying the character. Do you plan additional stories for her and do you generally find a series preferable to a standalone book?

[C.J., Author of Edge of Shadows]

Cathy wrote: "Hi CJ
I'm reading Lucy Guardino's story now and really enjoying the character. Do you plan additional stories for her and do you generally find a series preferable to a standalone book?"

Hi Cathy! I'm thrilled you're enjoying Lucy's adventures!

I'm hard at work on AFTER SHOCK, Lucy #4, so she'll definitely be around for awhile...I enjoy both series and standalone stories, it's all about what fits the characters' stories best.

I do know that my readers enjoy series more than standalone stories, so I try to develop series whenever possible. But it all depends on the characters.

[Toni]

Hi CJ - I can't wait for the next Caitlyn book. Will we see Goose again?

[C.J., Author of Edge of Shadows]

Toni wrote: "Hi CJ - I can't wait for the next Caitlyn book. Will we see Goose again?"

Absolutely Goose is back, and yes, sparks will fly!

[Toni]

C.J. wrote: "Toni wrote: "Hi CJ - I can't wait for the next Caitlyn book. Will we see Goose again?"

Absolutely Goose is back, and yes, sparks will fly!"

Yay! I always liked him better than the doctor. :-)

[C.J., Author of Edge of Shadows]

Toni wrote: "C.J. wrote: "Toni wrote: "Hi CJ - I can't wait for the next Caitlyn book. Will we see Goose again?"

Absolutely Goose is back, and yes, sparks will fly!"

Yay! I always liked him better than the ..."

Yeah, Paul was a perfectly sweet, perfect normal, perfect guy--no match for Caitlyn!

[Amy]

Hi CJ! Just a quick question for you... How do you think your career as an ER doc reflects in your writing style? Do you draw from past experiences or use writing as a way to escape the world of emergency medicine for a while?

[C.J., Author of Edge of Shadows]

Amy wrote: "Hi CJ! Just a quick question for you... How do you think your career as an ER doc reflects in your writing style? Do you draw from past experiences or use writing as a way to escape the world of..."

Hi Amy! I was a writer long before I was a doctor--writing has always been my way of making sense of the chaos surrounding us...but yes, working in the ER and seeing the highs and lows of humanity as well as tragedies and unexpected heroics has certainly impacted my writing style.

I think that's why I always tie the emotions of a character into their decisions that move the plot along...just like in the ER where the right or wrong decision can mean life or death.

KILL ZONE is probably the best example of this. The entire story takes place in four hours and every choice Lucy is given is a lose/lose proposition (yeah, I'm cruel that way, setting things up so she had no way to win) so we truly see someone forced to make life or death decisions in a split second knowing that even if she makes the right choice someone will die...

[Cindy]

C.J.,
I enjoyed reading all of your answers to our questions today. I feel as if we've gotten to know a little bit more about you and your books.

Thanks!

[C.J., Author of Edge of Shadows]

Cindy wrote: "C.J.,
I enjoyed reading all of your answers to our questions today. I feel as if we've gotten to know a little bit more about you and your books.

Thanks!"

And thanks to everyone who dropped in to ask a question or comment! It's always tons of fun hanging out with readers who enjoy thrillers!

For anyone who wants to continue the conversation, you can always find me at the Thrillers with Heart group here on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/8...

Until next time, happy reading!
CJ