Lea Barrymire

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Science Fiction Paranormal Vampires/Werewolves Futuristic Contemporary

Lea lives in Western New York with her hubby, three children, and miscellaneous critters. Before the rugrats, she lived a life of adventure, following her husband all over Europe with the US military. She’s slept in a car outside Paris, drove six hours just to see tulips in the Netherlands, and knocked ash from her shoes at Pompeii. Now she spends her time in life’s adventures at soccer games, PTA meetings and school plays.

Lea has loved reading from a very young age, spending many sleepless nights devouring books. Science fiction and paranormal were her favorite genres to read as a teenager, and that love bled into her adult life. She started writing during a bout of insomnia, to fill time, and found it filled a creative void. Now she communes regularly with the characters in her head and tries not to laugh out loud when they say something funny.

When Lea isn’t reading, writing or corralling kids, she enjoys watching movies and sciencey shows, or just kicking back and listening to some music.

Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?

A: Actually, I was one of those brainy girls growing up. Even when I was little I wanted to be a marine biologist. I love the water and grew up near Lake Ontario. My dad taught me how to fish and we used to dissect the catch before cooking it. I won’t gross anyone out, but I loved that part!

Q: Where do your story ideas come from?

A: Honestly, I’ve gotten ideas from just about everywhere. In line at the grocery store, talking to a friend on the phone, dreams, television shows, etc. Sometimes they just pop into my head, sometimes I dream the entire book in a single night. I have a little notebook that I carry everywhere with me so I can jot down ideas.

Q: What is your writing day like?

A: I still have a day job, although I get to work from home. Between working and taking care of my kids, I don’t have a typical writing day. I sneak in writing when I can, and then try to take a few hours after bedtime to get writing done. My husband is really good about letting me “hide” or runaway during the weekends to write as well.

Q: Do you connect with your characters?

A: Absolutely! My characters are more important in the writing process than I am. Once I settle in on a book the characters almost become “real” to me. They drive the story just as much as I do. I find that a book doesn’t flow as well if I don’t like the characters and their personalities.

Q: Do you work on one book at a time?

A: No, I usually have a couple of them going at the same time. Sometimes I find the characters and the plot of one book need to stew, rest, contemplate, while I work on another. The most I’ve ever had going at one time was three and that was too many. I spent way too much time going back and reviewing chapters to get back into the swing of the book I was going to work on. Two at once seems to help me channel better, and it keeps the characters from being too stubborn.

Q: What do you consider necessary to the writing process?

A: Music, chocolate and caffeine, in that order. I can’t write in silence, my brain needs to be distracted by something with a beat. I listen to alternative and metal most of the time when I’m writing, but I do have a few stations of classical I flip to once in a while. I tend to listen to classical when I’m editing; it keeps me calmer. I have favorite sources of chocolate, like peanut butter M&M’s, but any kind will do in a pinch. I tend to get my caffeine fixes from coffee or diet Coke, but on the off chance I can talk someone into running to Tim Horton’s I get mocha cappuccinos.

Q: What type of heroes do you like to write?

A: Alpha males top my hero list. I love writing hard-nosed, intelligent, difficult males. They have to be confident, masculine and (eventually) devoted. I want my heroines swept off their feet by the big, burly, scary male. Well, unless the heroine is strong, then the males tend to just be their equals.

Q: Who are your favorite authors?

A: Geez, that’s a hard one. I have many favorites, but recently I would have to say that Cherise Sinclair, Laurann Dohner, Sophie Oak, Eve Langlais, and JR Ward.

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