Author Linda Griffin
This is Author Linda Griffin’s writing and publication journey in her own words…
I was born and raised in San Diego, California and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I wrote my first short story, “Judy and the Fairies,” with a plot device stolen from a comic book, when I was six. My love of books also led me to, a B.A. in English from San Diego State University, an MLS degree from UCLA, and a career as a reference and collection management librarian for the San Diego Public Library, including twenty-two years in charge of the Central Library’s fiction collection. Retirement allowed me to put writing front and center, and I’ve had stories of every length, from short shorts to novellas, published in numerous journals including Eclectica, Thema, and Avalon Literary Review. My nine books from the Wild Rose Press range from sweet romance and romantic suspense to police procedural and psychological thriller, and I’ve also written a few science fiction stories. In addition to the three Rs—reading, (w)riting, and research—I enjoy Scrabble, movies, travel, and visiting museums and galleries.
What inspired you to start writing?
I learned to read! My very first Dick and Jane reader ignited my passion for the printed word. As soon as I figured out that somebody had to create those words, I knew I wanted to be a “book maker” when I grew up.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced personally as a writer?
I am totally at the mercy of my characters. They are particularly fond of starting a conversation at bedtime or in the middle of the night, so I keep a notebook and pen next to the bed. They say what they want to say, and I just take dictation. Sometimes reading it the next morning is a challenge, but I’ve learned that if I try to recreate dialogue from memory, it’s never as good as the original.
What is your favourite line from your recent publication, “Beyond Stonebridge.”
That’s an impossible question, and I wouldn’t want to give any spoilers, but I’ll go with, “Rynna was not deceived. This curious missive was a love letter.”
What are some of your works and where are they available for purchase?
Seventeen Days
Reviews and more purchase links:
The Rebound Effect
Reviews and more purchase links: https://www.lindagriffinauthor.com/the_rebound_effect_134161.htm
Guilty Knowledge
Reviews and more purchase links:
Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking
Reviews and more purchase links:
Bridges
Reviews and more purchase links:
Reluctant Hearts
Reviews and more purchase links:
The Axe
Reviews and more purchase links:
Stonebridge
Reviews and more purchase links:
Beyond Stonebridge
Reviews and more purchase links:
Do you have any plans to publish further works any time soon?
My current project is producing audio book versions of my Wild Rose Press titles. Love, Death and the Art of Cooking, The Rebound Effect, and The Axe have already been released, and Guilty Knowledgeis in production.
What advice or words of encouragement would you give to other aspiring authors?
Read! Read anything and everything. The more different styles you read, the more easily you will develop your own. Read good writing, but even bad writing can teach you something. Read widely for background and intensively in the genre you want to write. Write what you want to write. Don’t worry about writing in chronological or logical order; it can all be sorted out later. Write for yourself and polish for editors. Read your story aloud before you submit it to anyone. Don’t give up. Sometimes a story will find a home when you least expect it.
