A Fusion of Science and Magic

1) What is your Author name; use your Pen name if you have one.

Lindsey Kinsella

2) What inspired you to become a writer?

I was initially inspired by what I saw as an absence of the kind of book I wanted to read. For as long as I can remember, paleontology has fascinated me—and for even longer before that it has been prime source material for science-fiction. Yet, that seemed to have fizzled out over the past few decades with very few employing the most modern and fascinating elements of the science.

As they say—write the book you want to read. That lead me down the rabbit hole of writing my first novel, The Lazarus Taxa, and I was hooked!

3) What is the best time of day for you to write?

Late at night when everyone is asleep—it’s the only time I get peace!

4) What is your favorite way to connect with readers? (Social media, newsletters or something else)

I find Facebook to be the most effective platform for me. It just has so much functionality with reels, groups, event, and such. However, Tik Tok seems to be the new frontier, so I’ll be trying hard to master it over the next few months.

5) What is the hardest challenge in being a writer?

Particularly as a writer who’s still pretty new to the game, it’s fair to say I find most of it challenging! But something I’ve really struggled with recently is deciding when a book is finished. The urge to do “just one more draft” is strong, and probably added about six months to my last book!

6) What is the most important bit of information you would want to tell a person interested in publishing a book?

My advice would be that writing is not solo act—you need outside influence. Alpha/beta readers and professional editors are invaluable sources of fresh perspective which really help to remove you from your little author “bubble”. It can also build your confidence as a writer—either by means of positive feedback or by having issues sorted early in the process.

7) Which book, other than your own, would you like to see turned into a movie or T.V. show?

There are a hundred which I’d love to see adapted for the screen again, since they got it so hopelessly wrong in the past (I am Legend springs to mind especially).

But, as for a book which has yet to be bestowed with the honour, I’d have to say Robert Bakker’s “Raptor Red”. It follows the life of a Utahraptor in the Cretaceous having recently crossed the land bridge from Asia to North America. It’s effectively a biography of an invasive species which is such a unique concept. With Bakker heavily involved in the script and creature designs, it has potential to be fascinating.

8) Which book villain would be the hardest to defeat?

I’m not sure he strictly counts as a villain, but the resurrected Gage Creed from Stephen King’s Pet Semetary always struck me as undefeatable. Not necessarily because he was especially powerful, but rather—how would one bring themselves to even attempt to defeat their own child? Or at least something with their likeness.

9) What is your favorite quote and why?

A quote that stuck with me recently was from Donna Marie West’s “The Mud Man.” It features a sort of internal monologue from a man who is, effectively, suffering from locked-in syndrome (that’s an oversimplification of his circumstances, but it would be a lengthy explanation!). There’s a brief chapter detailing his inner thoughts which goes:

“Something is in his throat. He wants to cough it out, but he cannot. He wants to scream, but he cannot do that either. And so, he screams inside.”

That still gives me chills! I find the idea of being trapped within your own body absolutely terrifying.

10) What is you preferred method of reading a book? (Audio, paperback, hardcover, or eBook)

I’m quite flexible. I do like to have a hardback on the shelf, and I love the feel and weight of it, so that’s my favourite if there are no time or space constraints. That being said, I can’t deny the convenience of an ebook for impromptu reading.

I think my current go-to is an audiobook, though. The hardest part of reading is finding the time, and so being able to “read” while driving has really allowed me to consume some more of that precious fiction.

11) Name one of your favorite authors.

Given that he passed recently, it seems only right to mention Douglas Adams here. For The Heart of Pangaea I had the opportunity to right some comedy—and it’s so difficult! The fact that Adams had me in stitches with almost every page is even more impressive to me now that I’ve given it a go myself. He was a genius and will be sorely missed.

12) What is the name of your book/series? Tell me a little bit about them.

My latest book is titled The Heart of Pangaea. It’s the story of a young girl called Robyn and her imaginary companion—the latter of which is our narrator. We follow the pair as they delve into a prehistoric world within Robyn’s subconscious in search of a cure for her sick mother.

It continues my trend of using fiction to bring the amazing world of paleontology to readers, only, unlike in “The Lazarus Taxa”, this time no one is viciously dismembered which makes it more accessible for children! Being a fantasy world, Pangaea is a wonderful fusion of modern science and magic. It’s full of laughs, action, emotions, and really embraces the bizarre nature of the concept. I hope it proves to be a fun read for all ages.

13) Do you have a website? If so, what is it?

I do indeed!

https://lindseykinsella.wixsite.com/lindsey-kinsella-boo

14) Where can we find and follow you? (Name your social media platforms.)

You can find me on:

· Facebook (Lindsey Kinsella – Author

· TikTok (@lindseykinsella)

· Instagram (lindseykinsellaauthor)

· Twitter (@lindseykinsella2)