Saturday, February 7, 2009

Author of the Month--Exclusive Interview with M.L. Tyndall!

Introducing you to books is a treat, but letting you get to know the authors behind the books is truly an honor. Enjoy reading a bit more about our "Author of the Month", M.L. (MaryLu) Tyndall:

1) Tell my readers a bit about you and your family, MaryLu.

Born and raised in Florida, I have an ongoing love affair with the sea and the tropics! My entire family still lives there and I travel back as much as I can. I live in northern California now and although the coast is absolutely stunning here, it is far too cold to swim. I’m happily married to a man who is my hero, and we have six children (all grown) and 4 cats. Our oldest cat, Sniffles, is nearly 20 years old and has only one eye. I’m going to put her in my next book as the pirate’s ship cat!

I worked for IBM for 15 years before I tried my hand at writing and have only been writing seriously for 5 years!

2) Your heroines are some of my favorites because they're a bit feisty. Any resemblance to you, and which is most like you?

I’ve always thought of myself as shy and introverted, but having said that, I’ve been told by people who know me best that I can be pretty spunky when I want to be, so perhaps I inject that latent sassiness into my heroines. They definitely say and do things that I only dream about! Of all the lady leads in my books, I would say Charlisse in my first book, The Redemption, is most like me.

3) I think most of my readers are familiar with your writing, but share with us about "The Red Siren", your newest project.

I’m very excited about this story! Faith Westcott is one of my strongest heroines. She is fiercely loyal to her sisters. Her mother left her in charge of them on her deathbed and Faith is determined to keep them from being forced into unwanted marriages. Without any other way to amass a fortune in 1718, Faith becomes a “secret” pirate, plundering ships off the Carolina coast. In steps Captain Dajon Waite, a British navy commander sent to Charles Towne to quell the recent pirate attacks. Through a set of circumstances, he is put in charge of Faith and her sisters while their father is away, but his main goal is to catch and hang the woman pirate who is terrorizing the coast. Little does he realize, she is none other than the woman he has fallen in love with.


4) Favorite Starbucks drink? Favorite M&M? Favorite color? Favorite flower?

Green Tea Frappucino (I know, I’m weird)
Dark chocolate purple M&M’s Yum.
Turquoise (the color of the Caribbean sea!)
Gardenia (Is there anything that smells better?

5) When did you know writing was going to be your passion?

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always written as a hobby. I wrote poetry, journals, short stories and even entire novels all my life, but I never tried to get anything published and never realized it was my calling and my passion until five years ago when God called me to write a Christian Pirate trilogy.


6) Any other passions you'd like to share with us?

I love to oil paint! And I love walking on the beach! And I love my family and spending time with God, reading His Word and just talking to Him.

7) What's on your bedside reading table right now?

The Privateersman by Captain Frederick Marryat

8) Share with us who most inspires you as an author.

If you mean where to I get my inspiration, I would have to say Jesus, and my family and friends around me. If you mean, who do I admire most as an author, I’d have to say Karen Kingsbury. She spoke at a mini-conference I attended recently and despite her great success, she was very humble and spoke about treating our writing as ministries, outreaches to those who are hurting and need God. It was very refreshing to meet someone who thought nothing of her own success, but instead made God’s work her top priority.

9) What one message do you want to come across in every one of your books?

God is the answer to every human need.


Happy Reading!

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How fun! I enjoyed the interview very much. :-)

Rel said...

Love ya, MaryLu :) And D, of course!