Interview with Lynne Marshall

 

by Sharon Archer

I’m thrilled to bits to be welcoming Lynne Marshall to the blog today. 


She writes contemporary and Medical Romance for Harlequin and The Wild Rose Press.  And her debut for Harlequin Special Edition is out next month!

Hi Lynne!  It’s fantastic to have you visit!

At the LoveCats, we always love to know about the non-humans in your life…

First off, hello and thank you for having me as a guest today!  Our non-human status is a touchy subject at the moment.  We lost our beloved Rogan in March of 2011, and though we miss him terribly, don’t feel ready for a new dog yet.  I have plans though.  Big plans.  This time, when we search out rescue dogs, I want one for me and one for my husband.  DH is a one-breed man (Rhodesian Ridgeback).  I also love that breed, but just to mix things up a bit, I’d like to find a medium-sized girl doggy for me.  We prefer short hair, so, when the time comes, and I feel that time grows closer every day, we’ll be hunting for two new additions to our family.  I’ve got to fill that empty nest with something, right?

Oh, I’m so sorry to blunder into a touchy subject, Lynne, I know how hard it is to lose a much-loved pet.  I’m sure when you’re ready that there will be a couple of very special additions waiting for you to find them. 

What’s the most unusual experience you’ve had at work?

I was a Registered Nurse for twenty-six years and went through quite a lot in that time, but the most unusual thing that ever happened, hands down, was also the eeriest thing to happen in all those years.  At the time I worked on the eighth floor of the hospital in Orthopedics.  It was a ten story building and was shaped like a figure eight with sliding glass doors off patient rooms opening to balconies.  The view was beautiful when it wasn’t smoggy. :/  Anyway, one night (I was on the evening shift at the time) while helping prepare patients for dinner, I saw something whiz by the balcony window as the hair raised on my arms.  Came to find out that we’d had a jumper that night.  I guess someone didn’t like their diagnosis.  Very sad.  We could hardly carry on, yet we had to for the other patients’ sakes.  I’ll never forget it, and I bet you’re sorry you asked!

That's so tragic… it must have been dreadfully hard for everyone...  actually your answer could qualify as a response to my next question…

What’s the most difficult thing you’ve tackled?

I’m assuming this question is directed at me personally, not in writing the book.  Hands down the hardest thing I ever had to do was break the news to my ninety year old mother that she had two brain tumors.  Bringing her into our home on hospice care may have seemed hard at first, but the rewards far outnumbered the difficulties.  Her usual droll reply was “You mean I lived this long only to get a brain tumor?”  She’d always hoped she’d pass away in her sleep (who doesn’t?) and actually, she did, three and a half months later.

Lynne, your mum sounds like she was a character.  How lovely that you had that very special time with her. 

But, gosh, my questions so far have turned out to be really tough.

Share three interesting things you’ve learned…

Oh, good, a fun question.  I was beginning to get depressed. 
1.    It’s never too late to fall in love
2.    Our bodies age, but our minds stay forever young
3.    Life is filled with miracles if we’re attuned to watching for them

I love the things you’ve learned!  They’re something we could all count as great lessons.

Tell us about the inspiration for COURTING HIS FAVORITE NURSE

The inspiration began with a vision of three teenagers dressed up and ready for their high school prom.  What struck me about the image of the two young women and one guy was they were all bald.  Two of them had shaved their heads in honor of the other.

That’s all I’m going to say about that right now if you don’t mind.

Of course!  Author’s prerogative!  We’ll look forward to finding out more when we pick up your book.  But as an inspiration that is amazing and poignant.  The three  young people were obviously true friends.

Here's the back-cover write up for COURTING HIS FAVORITE NURSE! 

Anne Grady knew better than anyone that love was complicated. When she’d left her hometown, she thought she was leaving her past heartbreak behind for good, as well. But practically the moment she returned to care for her injured parents, she stumbled headlong into their confidant—her first love, Jack Lightfoot.

Jack had been unable to deny his feelings for Annie when he was a teenager dating her best friend, and he certainly couldn’t muffle the spark twisting between them now—even if memories of the past kept threatening to push them apart. This time Jack wasn’t going to let history repeat itself—he was going to show Annie that the two of them were meant to be much more than best friends!
 

So tell us, what do you do just for fun?

I’m a very silly person, and have the ability to slip into adolescent mode easily.  I’m a giggler by nature. I love to laugh, to say goofy things and have a good old fashioned belly laugh with my friends and family.  Nothing is more fun than that.

What are you reading?
Deadwood by Pete Dexter.  All I can say is, thank God I wasn’t born at that time or anywhere near Deadwood, South Dakota.

What are you watching?
In the Middle and Modern Family. 

What are you listening to?
Michael Bublé and Adele for popular music, and Beethoven for the classics.

What’s making you smile?

• Realizing that I have a debut Harlequin Special Edition coming out in a few weeks!  
• That somehow I’ve managed to land myself in a wonderful second career that is full of surprises.  
• That I’ve met the most amazing people all around the world because of writing for Harlequin, and I couldn’t be happier.  
• And that lovely people such as the ladies of LoveCats Downunder invite me to be a guest.  Thank you!

Still smiling.

Lynne, I love the things that are making you smile - in fact, I'm still smiling, too!

And I'm sure it'll make our readers smile to hear that you'll giving away a pdf copy of your March 2012 e-book release, An Indiscretion!  

To be in the draw, please share the name of one of your pets, past or present.

An Indiscretion: 

A doctor… A nurse… An indiscretion…Paul Valverde is stretched to the limit, caring for an elderly relative while running a business and maintaining a full-time medical practice at St. Stephen’s Hospital–with no time for a relationship.

RN Carrington Hanover leaves her money-hungry fiancé at the altar and moves on to a new job at St. Stephen’s Hospital in Los Angeles. The next man in her life must love her, not her money.

All work and no play has made Paul an unfulfilled man, and the resurrected redheaded crush from his youth is driving him to distraction. Can their complicated past become untangled by their newfound attraction–or will their love be doomed by mistrust and long-held resentment?