Having an idea is sometimes the easy part; implementing the final product is the challenge.

Lee Lindauer – 14 March, 2013

The Back Flap

After his brother dies under peculiar circumstances, guilt ridden Craig Ruger arrives in Costa Rica searching for answers. He enlists the help of tropical researcher Kathleen Devereaux and is immediately swept up into an environmental catastrophe that rapidly spreads across the Atlantic and to the United States. Pursued by assailants and viewed as suspects by the FBI, Craig and Kathleen hasten their quest to stop the lunacy.

With clues buried in a COLD WAR past, they race to a National Historic Landmark, under siege by a high tech method, more lethal than Vietnam’s Agent Orange. They confront the terrorists and find themselves in the fight of their lives.

SUDDEN AUTUMN is a fast-paced novel of continent hopping legwork and sleepless pursuits, sinister traps and unexpected twists. It is a story of tragic family losses and the redemptive power of new love.

About the book

When did you start writing the book?

This was my first novel, which I started writing in 2004. I am working on my forth.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took two and a half years to complete, with editing, re-writes and working with a professional editor.

Where did you get the idea from?

I wanted to write an environmental thriller and one day, I read about high-tech methods that could be used for defoliation. One idea struck me that could be viewed as more sinister than Agent Orange which was used in the Vietnam War.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I struggled with the reason behind the antagonist’s sinister plot. I had to create a motive that took several months to massage into reality. In the end, the motive worked well with the plot and made the story whole from the viewpoint of “cause and effect.”

What came easily?

When you are on a roll and the words seem to flow, writing can be fun, but when there are those times (and they occur quite frequently), the words fail to make an appearance, then writing can be a major drudgery. Having an idea is sometimes the easy part; implementing the final product is the challenge.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

In this novel, they are fictitious.

 We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I like all kinds of writers, modern and classic, but if one or two have been a major influence, I would have to say Steve Berry and Robert Ludlum. Others that come to mind with works that I have an affinity for are Gail Lynds and Preston Douglas. They all write thrillers with their own special strengths. Stephen Coonts, although more in the military thriller arena, is another that comes to mind that I have tried to emulate to a degree.

Do you have a target reader?

My target reader would be one who likes a novel that has a historic basis and incorporates either science or mathematics (in layman’s terms). I think there is great mystery when these ingredients come together. Thrillers can be mysterious and to me, that is what keeps the pages turning.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

For the past three years, I usually try to write for a couple of hours in the morning, then I go exercise at the health club, have lunch, do my errands, then return for another hour or two of writing. It sounds rather blasé, but it seems to work for me.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

Yes, but they are usually very forgiving. They are constantly in flux and not very pretty. I do not set out and do chapter headings because your novel will never follow your preconceived notion of timeline. Basically, my outline is mostly a conglomeration of notes that keep stacking up. One way or the other, they change as the novel progresses.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I will edit as I go on each chapter, but this is just a pre-edit. During the re-write after the first draft is complete, more detailed editing will occur. I usually have my wife help with this.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I have worked with Diane O’Connell at www.writetosellyourbook.com.  I have worked with her on three novels and truthfully, she has been more than an editor. I strongly suggest a new writer seriously consider having a second pair of eyes when churning out their first novel. There is more than editing, there is an important element called “craft.”

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

It depends. If I do listen to music, it usually is something mellow and new age but only when I’m writing something that may tend to be emotional. If there are guns and bullets, better to not be soothed into a nap.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I came close a couple of times at getting an agent, but fell short. I do believe it is extremely difficult to land an agent without some inside help. That said, I did land a publisher for my next novel which will be published in hardback in September ’13. We will see if I garner any attention from agents after that.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Professionally done.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I am working with a marketing professional who is helping with social networking and getting the book out to bloggers.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Do it, but make sure you have a good handle on the copyediting. Leave nothing short of a clean and well-written novel since it is indie published and it must be professionally presented.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Colorado

Where do you live now?

Colorado

What would you like readers to know about you?

I am a retired structural engineer, embarking on a new career as an author.

What are you working on now?

My novel, THE PERSIAN QUANDARY will be released as a hardback by a NYC publisher in September, ’13. I am working on a series with the next novel titled THE MÖBIUS SEQUENCE. The protagonist in both novels is a woman mathematician.

End of interview:

For more visit Lee’s Goodreads page or like his Facebook page.

Get your copy of Sudden Autumn from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.