Interview with Chris Redding

Welcome to the Friday after Thanksgiving. I know this is a manic day, so thank you for stopping by the blog.  Today, I have Chris Redding here for an interview!

Welcome, Chris, and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions! 

tell me about yourself, and your writing.

I live in New Jersey with my husband, two kids, and various animals. I work part time at my local hospital. I am published in romantic suspense, but am working on a romantic comedy right now.

How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?

I have been writing since I was ten. I’ve been writing for publication for 14 years. I have 6 books out, all but one is romantic suspense.

Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?

I am dabbling in writing romantic comedies. I tend to put humor in my books anyway so this isn’t that much of a leap.

Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?

I was always a pantser. My time is limited now so I have learned to work from a rough outline. That way I can sit down and jump right back into the story.

What is a typical writing day like for you?

Sadly, I only get to write for about an hour in the morning. If I do any revising, that will be in the afternoon.

Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?

I do not have a favorite author. I’ve found too many have stopped putting out quality once they get really big.

What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

Next year, I would like to make an amount with 4 figures in it.

If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?

To stop time. I would stop time, go to sleep, then when I woke up I would then have a full 24 hours to get stuff done.

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?

Kraken. In a big tank in my living room.

Tell us a little about your latest release.

Incendiary is a romantic suspense about a firefighter and EMT who have to join forces to track down a serial arsonist. They are former lovers and there is a lot of baggage between them that they keep tripping over.

What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members)

Music. I’m not a musician. I can’t sing. I just love music. I write to it. I run to it and music makes both of those tasks easier.

Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?

Yes, James Patterson and I’d write whatever he wanted me to.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?

I love this question though my answer is not an author per se. I’d love to spend a day with Julia Child. My husband watched her cooking shows to learn how to cook when he was still single. We watched her later show on PBS together when we were first married. I have several of her cookbooks so I feel she has been a huge influence in my cooking life. And I’d love to write a cookbook. I don’t think I could list just one question that I would ask her. And we’d spend the day in the kitchen.

What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?

I recently started running again. Last week I finished my first 5K. I find I have to be very in the moment when I’m running at this point so it’s good psychologically to be able to stop my brain from thinking about everything else.

If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?

Ghost Road Blues by Jonathan Maberry. I think it would lend itself to be a good horror movie.

What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?

I wish I could sing. I’m tone deaf. When my sister sings, it sounds like angels have descended. Me, like someone’s killing Yoko Ono.

Favorite color?

Puple.

Weather: Hot or cold?

Cold

Favorite place to read?

In bed.

Favorite meal

Pizza.

Favorite non-alcoholic drink.

Diet Coke, though I drink very little of it anymore.

If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?

I would like to dive the Great Barrier Reef. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid an watched Jacques Cousteau.

What if your past comes back to haunt you?

Chelsea James, captain of the Biggin Hill First Aid Squad, has had ten years to mend a broken heart and forget about the man who'd left her hurt and bewildered. Ten years to get her life on track. But fate has other plans.

Fire Inspector Jake Campbell, back in town after a decade, investigates a string of arsons, only to discover they are connected to the same arsons he'd been accused of long ago. Now his past has come back to haunt him, and Chelsea is part of that past.

Together, Chelsea and Jake must join forces to defeat their mutual enemy. Only then can they hope to rekindle the flames of passion. But before they can do that, Chelsea must learn to trust again. Their lives could depend on it.