Interview with the author
Meet Chris Stralyn, author of
This Time You Lose
1.What (or who) motivated you to start writing?
My writing career started completely by accident…literally. My family was on vacation in Florida when a wheel jumped off our van as we drove down the road. The accident and chain of events that followed made for a terribly unforgettable vacation.
A year later someone pointed out an essay contest for “The Worst Vacation Ever”. I figured our vacation definitely qualified, so I entered -- and won! That got me started writing other short stories and articles, and before I knew it I was writing a novel!
2.How many book have you written so far?
This Time You Lose is my first novel, although I’ve had numerous short stories and articles published over the years.
3.Can you tell the readers what is This Time You Lose about?
This Time You Lose is an intense read. It is the terrifying story of Lisa Kaamp, who operates a small childcare business out of her home in the sleepy little town of Nogeksum, Michigan. Highly respected and known for going the extra mile for her daycare kids, Lisa thought she had handled every daycare emergency possible.
But nothing prepared her for the nightmare she now faced. Lisa awakes one morning to find herself bound and gagged, four strange men in her home, and the daycare children being held hostage in the next room. Terrorized by her captors as the authorities work to meet the ransom deadline, she tries negotiating with the men for the release of the children, and soon realizes that at least one of them has no intention of letting anyone go. With the deadline quickly approaching, Lisa must do the unimaginable to protect the children and get everyone out alive.
But nothing prepared her for the nightmare she now faced. Lisa awakes one morning to find herself bound and gagged, four strange men in her home, and the daycare children being held hostage in the next room. Terrorized by her captors as the authorities work to meet the ransom deadline, she tries negotiating with the men for the release of the children, and soon realizes that at least one of them has no intention of letting anyone go. With the deadline quickly approaching, Lisa must do the unimaginable to protect the children and get everyone out alive.
4.Do you have a very special writing place?
I prefer to do my writing sitting at the computer, alone, in the early afternoon. But in reality…I write whenever and wherever I can. Much of This Time You Lose was written in the car, in the stands at my kids sporting events, even in the bathroom. (The only room in the house with a lock on the door!) I’ve also discovered that coffee and Tootsie Roll Pops are required while I’m writing, but that cookie dough helps with editing. J (check out my video here à http://bit.ly/chrisstralyn)
5.Do you listen music while writing?
No. I prefer to write in quiet.
6.What do you do when not writing?
My life is pretty low key. I work full time, raise a family, and write when I can. I enjoy reading, playing video games, Facebook, and mastering Roller Coaster Tycoon.
7.Do you like to travel and what's your favorite place?
Well, I live in Michigan - the land of cold and snow - so naturally I prefer to vacation somewhere warm and tropical. Anywhere warm and tropical! Someplace where I can walk on the beach in the morning, sit under a palm tree and read in the afternoon, and relax in the pool at the end of the day. :)
Chris Stralyn never intended to be a writer. Short-order cook, security guard, safety officer, childcare provider, and teacher were all titles she’d worn – but never writer. Then she entered an essay contest for “The Worst Vacation Ever” and won. Writing became her new hobby, and soon she had several articles in print with local publications. This was followed by a short story, The Khaki Pants, which was published by RDR Publishing in an anthology that went on to sell over a million copies.
A suspense thriller was her next undertaking, and in 2008 This Time You Lose was named a finalist in the TNBW Strongest Start Novel Competition. Four months later it earned the distinction of being a TNBW Readers Choice Top Ten Novel, and has remained on the Top Ten list ever since.
Chris Stralyn continues to put pen to paper in her endeavour to appease the Muse within. She lives in Michigan with her husband and family. Also, visit her at http://www.thistimeyoulose.com/.More information about This Time You Lose:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/JZViee
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/Mz4Koh
Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/ttylbooktrailer
AuthorTrailer: http://bit.ly/chrisstralyn
Book Sample: http://bit.ly/TTYLsample
Twitter: @chrisstralyn
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