Author Interview ~ Sandy Sullivan

Today we are so very pleased to have hanging out on the couch with us today, Sandy Sullivan! She’s been a great friend of our site and of us all. So let’s all make her feel comfortable. Go ahead and sit back and relax, Sandy, and we’ll get started. Where are you from?

Technically I was born in California and lived there until I was about 14, before my parents moved to Washington State. I stayed around the Northwest for several years off and on until 2005 when my second husband and I moved to Tennessee. We now have a nice place with 20 acres for my menagerie of animals.

Well, you didn’t move around TOO much, lol. But as a Military Brat I can certainly relate to moving about a lot. So, tell us your latest news?

I have a release due in October from Siren-Bookstrand called Cowboy Love. It’s about a registered nurse who works in Dallas at a large hospital. Amy has had a pretty rough love life dating doctors and has all but given up finding someone she wants on a long-term basis, until she runs into Tanner. He’s a roughneck cowboy who sings on the side at a local bar.

Sounds very interesting! Will have to check it out. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’m a writer? Oh dang! That’s what all these novels on my computer are! Actually, I still really don’t consider myself a writer, I just put stories on paper or computer and hope someone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

LOL, it’s amazing how it sneaks up on you like that. You’re not the only author to feel that way, I assure you. But, hate to break it to ya… you are IN FACT a writer. :-D What inspired you to write your first book?

Let’s see. I was between jobs and had a lot of time on my hands. I’m an avid daydreamer and the story of Texas Lady, which is my first novel, kept swirling around in my brain so I started writing it down. I had a few friends read it and they kept saying it was fantastic. I kept going from there.

It’s so great when we have people in our lives who will keep pushing us forward to do the things that we need to do. The things that make us happy. How did you come up with your titles?

The titles seem to pop into my head. Sometimes before I’ve written the book and other times after. It just depends, but I always know when it’s the right title.

Lucky duck! I have such a hard time with titles… at least for myself. I an help others brainstorm for title ideas, but it rarely happens for me. So, I’m rather envious of you, ya lucky ducky. Are there any new authors that have grabbed your interest?

Oh yes, lots. I don’t just read one author specifically. If I like the sound of the book, I’ll read it.

I think quite a few of us are that way. You’ll have to let me know which ones you absolutely loved so I can add them to my lists! What are your current projects?

My current WIP is a series of 3 brothers, Chase, Cole and Justin. I think it will be called the Wild Series. The first book is name Wild Wyoming Nights and has Chase and Abby’s story. The second is Wild Rodeo Nights and is the story of Cole and Carrie. The third, which I’m in the middle of now, is called Wild Nevada Ride and it is Justin and Katrina’s story. I have blurbs of all three on my website at www.romancestorytime.com.

Sounds very intriguing, I’ll have to go check those blurbs out! Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

One of my biggest fans is a friend in Texas, Cathy Gehret. She and I met some 15 years ago over the internet when she asked a question online about Clay Walker. I just love that man! Anyway, that’s how we started talking. When I told her what I was doing, she took the ball and ran with it. Just about all her family are now some of my biggest fans.

Isn’t it great when we have friends like that who are our very own cheering section. It’s great when they do herke jumps for you! Do you see writing as a career?

I’d love it to be, but for me it’s something I enjoy doing so that’s why I do it. The money would be just a bonus.

Well, we all look at it that way, and I think when we stop enjoying it that will mean that we need to take a step back and reevaluate. Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

No. I wish I could travel more, but my full time job and responsibilities at home make it difficult. Thank the lord for the internet!

Who doesn’t wish they could travel more to promote their books! Then there are those who are done with it and would much rather stay home. Would love to get to that point where I’m so popular it’s preferable to stay home and let them come to me. LOL Who designed your covers?

I designed my first two book covers and Jinger Heaston designed Cowboy Love.

Oooohhhh…. You do other things too! We all have to find that second..or third creative outlet otherwise we are mired too deeply for too long in our worlds in our heads. *sigh* Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Just that I hope they enjoy the stories. Mine are usually light-hearted and fun, but also have a little bit of frustration for my characters. The road to love is never easy and losing yourself in a good story is the best release.

I’m sure they will! And if the road were easy we wouldn’t appreciate the love that grows from that turmoil. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I work full time as a registered nurse in my local emergency room so I write on my days off. I’m usually up fairly early and I’ll write most of the day, but if I get tired, I stop. If I don’t, I’ll get really frustrated with the story and how it’s progressing so it’s better for me to quit while I’m ahead.

I am the daughter of a Trauma Nurse, I know all about that insane schedule. I can’t get up early… it am a very mean mommy when I wake up too soon. Lol What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love to horse back ride, fish, travel and spend time with my husband. Unfortunately, our schedules don’t always mesh so that’s hard sometimes.

But, what a fun way to decompress when you get there. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

That writing the book is the easy part.

HA, I’ve learned that one. You can easily write the book and get it finished. It’s the refining and editing and revisions and “MORE” of this or that… yeah. I understand. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Not everything I have has been published, but I’ve written 5 novels and 3 short stories. Hopefully, I’ll have more that will be available on a commercial basis in the coming months.

Well, good luck with that! We’ll keep our eyes out for more of your stuff. And now for the “Abstolutely-Nothing-To-Do-With-Writing” questions: When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

Good grief where did all those wrinkles come from?

ROTFL… the wrinkle fairy whacked you upside the head with her wee want… the brat. What were you doing at midnight last night?

I was asleep. When I’m working at the ER, I’m usually up until just past midnight since I don’t get home until about 11:15pm.

OY, yeah, you need to sleep when you can. What’s a saying you use a lot?

I say, “ya think,” all the time.

Where did it originate from?

I haven’t the foggiest idea. I just started saying it one day and still do.

That’s really funny, my sister and I say that one a lot! Have you ever eaten a crayon?

No that I can remember, but I think every kid has. I’d have to ask my mother I guess.

Yeah, she’ll remember… they remember all the silly stupid things we did as kids that we wisely blocked out. What is your favorite animal?

I love all kinds of animals, but I guess my favorite is horses. They are such big babies! At least mine are and spoiled rotten.

LOL, sounds like you understand them. What is your heritage?

Scottish, English, German, Dutch and Irish. I guess you could say I’m a European mutt. My maiden name is Mauch (pronounced Mow like cow). It’s about as German as you can get.

LOL, my family says we are IHOP=International House of People. Have you ever cried during a movie? If yes, which one and why?

All the time. Couldn’t tell you exactly which one because there are several I’ve cried during. I love sappy movies and if there is a happy ending, I cry or if there is a sad ending I cry.

Nothing wrong with that… we women let our emotions out so that we don’t become all uptight like the men in our lives. Just saying. What is your favorite pizza?

Canadian Bacon and pineapple, which I don’t get much. There just seems to be a lack of it in the south!

Well, you and my son would get along great… he’ll stab you with a plastic fork to get at his piece. :-D Are you a morning person or a night person?

I do better as a night person. I’m pretty grumpy until I get a couple cups of coffee in me.

Oh, I can certainly relate, but since I don’t drink coffee, it’s usually caffeinated soda. Do you like thunderstorms?

I absolutely love thunderstorms and good thing too. We have them all the time in the south.

Ain’t that the truth. Miss those rainy, thundery nights when I spent summers down south. I still say Y’all… lol. And, last question: Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?

There is definitely a difference in the taste of the two. I prefer Pepsi, but I’ll drink Coke if Pepsi isn’t available.

I agree, I can taste the difference and I’m a Pepsi gal myself. Well, it was so great having you here at The Menagerie today, Sandy. It was great fun getting to know you better. Don’t be a stranger.

Sandy Sullivan is a romance author, who when not writing, spends her time with her husband Shaun on their farm in middle Tennessee. She loves to ride her horses, play with their dogs and relax on the porch, enjoying the rolling hills of her home south of Nashville. County music is a passion of hers and she loves to listen to it while she writes.

She is an avid reader of romance novels as well as an author, and she enjoys reading Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux and Susan Wiggs. Finding new authors and delving into something different helps feed the need for literature. A registered nurse by education, she loves to help people and spread the enjoyment of romance to those around her with her novels. She loves cowboys, so you’ll find many of her novels have sexy men in tight jeans and cowboy boots.

You can keep up with Sandy on the web at her website.

Cowboy Love by Sandy Sullivan

Amy Russell has sworn off men until she runs into Tanner Lewis. His muscular chest, soft brown eyes and drop dead gorgeous, sexy dimpled smile has her rethinking her decision. Can she learn to trust again, especially a cowboy, after her ex broke her heart? Will she let Tanner penetrate the shell around her heart?

Tanner's been burned. Yeah, he was in love once, until he caught his fiancée in bed with his best friend. Now all he wants is to get his singing career on the right path. Just when he thinks things are going perfectly, he runs smack into Amy Russell, horse tamer extraordinaire and registered nurse. As he watches her take a difficult horse and turn it into a docile pussycat with nothing more than soft words and a kind touch, he's fascinated, but Amy doesn't want a relationship. Can he convince her there's nothing better than a cowboy's love?

Note: This book contains anal sex.