This post was originally published on November 30,2011 on my blog, collettescott.blogspot.com.
With the passing of the Patriot Act in what seems a lifetime ago, I think many Americans thought everything would be okay. However, Linda Hawley presents a different spin on the invasion of government into the private sector. What if the government was monitoring us via microchip inserted in our driver's licenses? What if the government was listening to every word we said at every time? Ms. Hawley has taken that line of thought one step further with the first book in her series, Dreams Unleashed. I am very pleased to announce that the lovely Linda Hawley is here to share a little more about her spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat thriller, the first in her series The Prophecies.
Collette: Welcome, Linda. I’m so happy to have you here. Can we start with the basics? Tell us a little about your background. How was The Prophecies Series born?
Linda: I was an executive on a plane flying from Dallas to Seattle when, upon landing, the plane nearly crashed.(I have flown all over the world in all kinds of weather, and it was the very worst experience on a plane that I'd had.) In the airport later, I wrote down the experience while it was fresh in my mind, amazed that I was alive. I then emailed it to my assistant. When I got back in my office the next day, my assistant said, "That was incredible; you should write a book. "I was shocked by his words, but let them marinate in my mind. Not long after, Ann Torgeson (my protagonist) was born.The final chapter in Dreams Unleashed (book 1 of The Prophecies) was inspired by my experience.
Collette: That’s some scary stuff. What is your writing process?
Linda: I'm a night writer. Some of my best scenes I wrote at one in the morning. I pretty much write every day. I usually know the first and last chapter of every book, and often write them first. For the rest of the novel, I write down 12 phrases of milestones in the story, and then write to them chronologically. I never get more detailed than that, because I need to keep it open to activate my creative juices. For the most part, I fly off the seat of my pants when writing stories.
Collette: Do you write full-time now?
Linda: Yes
Collette: Were you inspired by someone/something to write the genre you’re writing in?
Linda: Dystopian thrillers are what I love; both in books and movies. Nothing could be more exciting for me.
Collette: How long have you been working on the series?
Linda: I started Dreams Unleashed (book one) three years ago, but in March 2011, I discarded all but 1/8 of the book, and rewrote it; it was published two months later. I wrote Guardian of Time (book two) in three months; it was published Oct 2011.I am writing book three now; it's the final book in the series. I'm comfortable writing three novels per year.
Collette: Can you describe your research into your subject?
Linda: I'm a news junky; I read about five news sources every day. I understand what's going on in the world. I look for trends of discord to use in my dystopian thrillers. I research like crazy, because most of the technology, locations, and historical information are real. In The Prophecies, the fiction includes the characters and the things that they do. However, Remote Viewing, Project Stargate, RFID tracking, and many other things are real --all of them discovered in my research.
Collette: Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?
Linda: All except Chow Lai, and a couple of new characters in Guardian of Time.
Collette: Do you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?
Linda: Ann's character includes the best parts of me.
Collette: That’s pretty cool, Linda.
With the passing of the Patriot Act in what seems a lifetime ago, I think many Americans thought everything would be okay. However, Linda Hawley presents a different spin on the invasion of government into the private sector. What if the government was monitoring us via microchip inserted in our driver's licenses? What if the government was listening to every word we said at every time? Ms. Hawley has taken that line of thought one step further with the first book in her series, Dreams Unleashed. I am very pleased to announce that the lovely Linda Hawley is here to share a little more about her spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat thriller, the first in her series The Prophecies.
Collette: Welcome, Linda. I’m so happy to have you here. Can we start with the basics? Tell us a little about your background. How was The Prophecies Series born?
Linda: I was an executive on a plane flying from Dallas to Seattle when, upon landing, the plane nearly crashed.(I have flown all over the world in all kinds of weather, and it was the very worst experience on a plane that I'd had.) In the airport later, I wrote down the experience while it was fresh in my mind, amazed that I was alive. I then emailed it to my assistant. When I got back in my office the next day, my assistant said, "That was incredible; you should write a book. "I was shocked by his words, but let them marinate in my mind. Not long after, Ann Torgeson (my protagonist) was born.The final chapter in Dreams Unleashed (book 1 of The Prophecies) was inspired by my experience.
Collette: That’s some scary stuff. What is your writing process?
Linda: I'm a night writer. Some of my best scenes I wrote at one in the morning. I pretty much write every day. I usually know the first and last chapter of every book, and often write them first. For the rest of the novel, I write down 12 phrases of milestones in the story, and then write to them chronologically. I never get more detailed than that, because I need to keep it open to activate my creative juices. For the most part, I fly off the seat of my pants when writing stories.
Collette: Do you write full-time now?
Linda: Yes
Collette: Were you inspired by someone/something to write the genre you’re writing in?
Linda: Dystopian thrillers are what I love; both in books and movies. Nothing could be more exciting for me.
Collette: How long have you been working on the series?
Linda: I started Dreams Unleashed (book one) three years ago, but in March 2011, I discarded all but 1/8 of the book, and rewrote it; it was published two months later. I wrote Guardian of Time (book two) in three months; it was published Oct 2011.I am writing book three now; it's the final book in the series. I'm comfortable writing three novels per year.
Collette: Can you describe your research into your subject?
Linda: I'm a news junky; I read about five news sources every day. I understand what's going on in the world. I look for trends of discord to use in my dystopian thrillers. I research like crazy, because most of the technology, locations, and historical information are real. In The Prophecies, the fiction includes the characters and the things that they do. However, Remote Viewing, Project Stargate, RFID tracking, and many other things are real --all of them discovered in my research.
Collette: Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?
Linda: All except Chow Lai, and a couple of new characters in Guardian of Time.
Collette: Do you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?
Linda: Ann's character includes the best parts of me.
Collette: That’s pretty cool, Linda.
Moving on to Dreams Unleashed. Here’s the blurb for the story:
Book 1, The Prophecies, A Dystopian Thriller Series
It’s the near future, and society is government controlled. Technology tracks everyone, and personal privacy does not exist. The hope for freedom lies in the operations of an underground organization, GOG, which fights against worldwide oppression. Their most powerful weapon is Ann Torgeson, a paranormally-gifted operative. When her powers release the seal of The Prophecies, she becomes a weapon against the government, which relentlessly pursues her.
Question everything is the theme of Dreams Unleashed.
Collette: Your series is a mixture of adventure and intrigue, yet Ann still manages to remain a ‘woman’. She’s a female Jason Bourne but also a mother who loves her daughter and a wife who loves her husband. Can you tell us how you managed to balance her tough and soft sides?
Linda: I think women are amazing--smart, intuitive, joyful, spiritual, thoughtful, aware, loyal, sensual, funny, etc. In movies, however, women are rarely multidimensional, especially with their sensuality. I wanted to create a powerful, feminine woman who did not wear high heels, stockings, or a little black dress, but who was not a tomboy. I wanted her to be a thinking woman who considered the state of the world, and for her to be a warrior who was willing to risk her own life to fight for what she knows to be right. With all this intensity, I softened her character by making her laugh at her boyfriend's jokes, and to be enticed by compliments from her boss.
Collette: Yes, she is a multi-dimensional character, for sure. One of my favorite things about Ann is that she’s a tough and capable character with a strong sense of what is right. Can you tell us a little about Ann’s message?
Linda: Ann's message is to open your eyes and look around. Take something mentioned in one of the books, and Google it to find out what's happening in your own country. You're likely to be surprised. In The Prophecies, I'm not trying to scare you, but it's likely that I will do just that if you consider that most of the technologies in the book are real--right now.
Collette: What's the biggest surprise readers can expect from reading this series?
Linda: Adventure. Ann travels all over the globe, and I've described these adventures visually, so the reader can see it in their mind's eye. It's an armchair traveler's delight.
Collette: Without giving away too much of your story, can you tell us what’s in the works for Ann in later installments of The Prophecies Series?
Linda: I can't answer this one very well [without giving too much away], but I'll give you a little teaser. The final book in The Prophecies series (yet untitled) will answer all of the open questions from Dreams Unleashed and
Guardian of Time (books 1 and 2).The ending is quite spectacular; I suspect readers will be thrilled.
Collette: Do you have plans to continue writing following Ann’s final chapter? If so, what will your future projects entail?
Linda: I have a stand-alone novel I'm writing. My dad's father (my grandfather) died a hero in a notorious battle in Germany right before the end of WWII. The first scene in the novel is the final battle scene, and as he's dying, his life flashes before his eyes. Since it's historical fiction, I'm working hard to present a visual story (like all my writing).It's called 'An American Orphan.' It's a surprise for my dad. I expect to be finished in March 2012.
Collette: Ok, so make sure you don’t tell him we’ve posted this interview. Where can we find you
online?
Book Trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctR4NDgwSSc&feature=youtu.be
Author Website: http://www.lindahawley.com/
Facebook Fan Page:http://www.facebook.com/ThePropheciesSeries
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Unleashed-2nd-Prophecies-ebook/dp/B005YIQYIU/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319555407&sr=1-2
Amazon.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005YIQYIU
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/98527
B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreams2-unleashed-linda-hawley/1106955115?ean=2940013306615&itm=2&usri=linda%252bhawley
CreateSpace:https://www.createspace.com/3696178
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12973680-dreams-unleashed-2nd-ed
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/books/23896326/Dreams-Unleashed-(The-Prophecies)
LibraryThing:http://www.librarything.com/work/book/79452349
Collette: What formats are your books available in?
Linda: All eBook formats and of course Print.
Collette: Thank you so much, Linda! I wish you all the best with your writing projects!
Book 1, The Prophecies, A Dystopian Thriller Series
It’s the near future, and society is government controlled. Technology tracks everyone, and personal privacy does not exist. The hope for freedom lies in the operations of an underground organization, GOG, which fights against worldwide oppression. Their most powerful weapon is Ann Torgeson, a paranormally-gifted operative. When her powers release the seal of The Prophecies, she becomes a weapon against the government, which relentlessly pursues her.
Question everything is the theme of Dreams Unleashed.
Collette: Your series is a mixture of adventure and intrigue, yet Ann still manages to remain a ‘woman’. She’s a female Jason Bourne but also a mother who loves her daughter and a wife who loves her husband. Can you tell us how you managed to balance her tough and soft sides?
Linda: I think women are amazing--smart, intuitive, joyful, spiritual, thoughtful, aware, loyal, sensual, funny, etc. In movies, however, women are rarely multidimensional, especially with their sensuality. I wanted to create a powerful, feminine woman who did not wear high heels, stockings, or a little black dress, but who was not a tomboy. I wanted her to be a thinking woman who considered the state of the world, and for her to be a warrior who was willing to risk her own life to fight for what she knows to be right. With all this intensity, I softened her character by making her laugh at her boyfriend's jokes, and to be enticed by compliments from her boss.
Collette: Yes, she is a multi-dimensional character, for sure. One of my favorite things about Ann is that she’s a tough and capable character with a strong sense of what is right. Can you tell us a little about Ann’s message?
Linda: Ann's message is to open your eyes and look around. Take something mentioned in one of the books, and Google it to find out what's happening in your own country. You're likely to be surprised. In The Prophecies, I'm not trying to scare you, but it's likely that I will do just that if you consider that most of the technologies in the book are real--right now.
Collette: What's the biggest surprise readers can expect from reading this series?
Linda: Adventure. Ann travels all over the globe, and I've described these adventures visually, so the reader can see it in their mind's eye. It's an armchair traveler's delight.
Collette: Without giving away too much of your story, can you tell us what’s in the works for Ann in later installments of The Prophecies Series?
Linda: I can't answer this one very well [without giving too much away], but I'll give you a little teaser. The final book in The Prophecies series (yet untitled) will answer all of the open questions from Dreams Unleashed and
Guardian of Time (books 1 and 2).The ending is quite spectacular; I suspect readers will be thrilled.
Collette: Do you have plans to continue writing following Ann’s final chapter? If so, what will your future projects entail?
Linda: I have a stand-alone novel I'm writing. My dad's father (my grandfather) died a hero in a notorious battle in Germany right before the end of WWII. The first scene in the novel is the final battle scene, and as he's dying, his life flashes before his eyes. Since it's historical fiction, I'm working hard to present a visual story (like all my writing).It's called 'An American Orphan.' It's a surprise for my dad. I expect to be finished in March 2012.
Collette: Ok, so make sure you don’t tell him we’ve posted this interview. Where can we find you
online?
Book Trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctR4NDgwSSc&feature=youtu.be
Author Website: http://www.lindahawley.com/
Facebook Fan Page:http://www.facebook.com/ThePropheciesSeries
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Unleashed-2nd-Prophecies-ebook/dp/B005YIQYIU/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319555407&sr=1-2
Amazon.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005YIQYIU
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/98527
B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreams2-unleashed-linda-hawley/1106955115?ean=2940013306615&itm=2&usri=linda%252bhawley
CreateSpace:https://www.createspace.com/3696178
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12973680-dreams-unleashed-2nd-ed
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/books/23896326/Dreams-Unleashed-(The-Prophecies)
LibraryThing:http://www.librarything.com/work/book/79452349
Collette: What formats are your books available in?
Linda: All eBook formats and of course Print.
Collette: Thank you so much, Linda! I wish you all the best with your writing projects!
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