Tell us about Black Woods.
Avid mushroom hunters and volunteers with the local Search and Rescue Department, Laura and Julie, who are in their sixties, remember that first encounter in the woods years ago.

Four young men, who are fun by nature, travel to the woods with high hopes of a hunt they won’t forget.

A call to the Search and Rescue Department will bring them shockingly together in the…

… Black Woods.

What genre is it?
Mystery/Suspense.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
I think it appeals to a wide range. Readers who love mysteries, female protagonists, hunting, hiking, older heroines. . .

Complete this sentence for us: If you like ___________, you’ll love Black Woods.
That is hard to answer. I wrote Black Woods totally from my own experiences while mushroom and turkey hunting, throwing in some hidden fears. (Giggle) I’m not sure if this book is similar to another. But authors who inspire me are, Michael Koryta, Michael McDowell, Stephen King, and Dean Koontz.

You don’t often come across elderly main characters in books. Did you deliberately set out to do something different? Wasn’t it a risk?
Yes on both accounts. There is so much emphasis on youth. I believe the elderly have so much to offer, and most often get over looked as valuable.

How is the follow up coming along? What can you tell us about it?
The second book in the series is, Black Woods Revealed. I’m almost done with the manuscript, just a few touches. Then it will be handed over to my editor. I’m estimated the release in January 2013.
Here is a brief description:

There’s something lurking in the waters surrounding the black woods. Laura has visions of disastrous events. Can the disasters be stopped before anyone dies? What is the creature in the black woods and now a monster in the lake? Find out when Laura and Julie reveals the truth.

Black Woods has quite an arresting cover.
There is a story behind this cover. My son, Andy, now 15 took this picture for a 4-H project 2 years ago. One day while mushroom hunting, he looked up and realized how beautiful treetops can be. He edited the background to red and entered in the black and white category (monochromatic) to prove it can be colourful. He won Res. Grand Champion and the photo went on to our state fair. He is my inspiration for this book, so it only fit to use his photo.

Writing a book is never easy, but other than that, what has been the toughest part – editing or marketing?
Editing! This was my first published novel and I didn’t know how important editing was. I learned the hard way to let a professional do the editing. I still edit my own work at least twice before I give it to my very patient editor.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a native of Noblesville, Indiana where I was born in 1968, but I spent my childhood in the small town of Shoals. My current residence is Linton, Indiana. I come from a supportive loving home, and as the youngest of six children, probably enjoyed being the “baby” a little more than I should.

Have you got a blog where readers can keep up with your work?
I don’t have a blog, but I do have a website where I share information about my books and what’s coming next. It’s www.llpix.com

Where can we buy Black Woods?
It’s available on, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and iTunes.

Which indie author should we interview next?
Now that is a tough question. I know so many talented indie authors. But if I must choose one, then it would be, Melissa Wright. She is a great author and also my niece. She has written a great fantasy series called, Frey. This is her website, www.melissa-wright.com

What’s next?
My paranormal novel, Broken Soul, will be published soon.
Here is a quick description:

Enter a century long journey of love and pain as an old log cabin shares its memories in. . . Broken Soul.
Meet Aca Wayne Duran III while he narrates the many faceted stories of the house he calls home. An elderly man who thought he may be crazy as the visions were revealed to him through vapors and smoke.
From beginning to ending, the stories within will captivate you while you struggle with the realization of human impact upon a wooden structure.
Is it just condensation on the walls, or the normal ‘ cracks, pops, and pings ‘ of a house settling? You be the judge as you read about, murder, love, lust, kidnapping, torture, and more.
Each vision shared was painfully recorded by both the house and the writer. While some tales are softer than others, they all relate to the cause of. . . Broken Soul.