Author Spotlight - Sandra Cox

Author Spotlight - Sandra Cox

Today, I have the honor of interviewing Sandra Cox, a wonderful author.  

Sandra, tell us what inspires you to write.

Anything and everything...books, movies, walks, people.

You have a wide variety of books.  How much research is involved in creating your stories?

It varies with the story.  As you know, historicals take much more research than a book with a current setting.  Though, every story requires some research: location, careers, weapons, etc.

How long does it usually take you to write a book?

It varies for me, sometimes a year, sometimes several months.

What authors influence you most?

The writers who have had the most profound influence on my writing are Nora Roberts, Stephenie Meyer, and Suzanne Collins.  They are excellent storytellers.

I couldn't agree with you more.  I think I already know the answer to this question, but for my readers out there, what is your favorite theme/genre to write?

YA fantasy or anything with paranormal elements.

That's why I click with you.  That's my favorite as well. ;-)  Which character is your favorite?

Whatever character I'm creating at the moment is my favorite.

I like that answer.  I might have to borrow it in the future. A lot of authors weave parts of their own lives into their stories.  Do any of your life experiences make their way into your novels?

If you are looking for it, you may occasionally find a vegetarian or someone who believes in animal rights in one of my stories.

When someone finishes reading your book, what do you hope they get from it?

I hope they feel like they've gotten a well told tale.

I know that every author hopes that his/her readers will leave a review after they've read the story.  Do you read all of your reviews?

Like any author, I LOVE good reviews, but I don't read the negative ones.  I mean...if I got a negative review, I wouldn't read it. :-) Ha. Yes, I have got them.  And no, I don't enjoy them, though I do feel if someone has paid their hard earned money for my books, they are entitled to their opinion, even if it's not the one I would have hoped for.

What type of books were your favorite when you were a child?

I loved horse stories.

So did I!  Do you have a job or career outside of writing?

I'm happy to say I'm retired.  I worked for many years in secondary education.   My last job was admin assist to the VP for Instruction at the local community college.

Lucky you.  I'm still working, and it's in secondary education. :-)  For those who visit my site who are aspiring writers, what advice would you give them?

Don't give up.  Write because you love it.  And if some days you feel depressed because of low sales, remind yourself that your story is up against over a million others, so any sale is a huge accomplishment.

You are so right!  Well, we've got to wrap this up. Any last thoughts?

I've enjoyed spending time at your place and getting the opportunity to interact with all of your wonderful supporters.  Thanks for having me!

It was my pleasure!

Sandra Cox writes YA fantasy, romance, and metaphysical nonfiction.  She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters and an occasional foster cat.  Although shopping is high on the list, her greatest pleasure is sitting on her porch, listening to the birds, sipping coffee or a latte, and enjoying a good book.  She's a vegetarian and a Muay Thai enthusiast.

All of Sandra's books can be found on her Amazon Author Page. Here are the titles to her works:

Mutant Series

Hunter Series

Cats of Catarau Series

Minder

Odin Cats

Sunset

Sundial, Time Travel Romance

Queen of Diamonds, Romantic Suspense

Flower Gardens and More, Nonfiction

Power Stones, Nonfiction

Here's a little look into Love, Lattes, and Mutants:

Finding love is hard, even when you aren’t a mutant.

Like most seventeen-year-olds, Piper Dunn wants to blend in with the crowd. Having a blowhole is a definite handicap. A product of a lab-engineered mother with dolphin DNA, Piper spends her school days hiding her brilliant ocean-colored eyes and sea siren voice behind baggy clothing and ugly glasses. When Tyler, the new boy in school, zeroes in on her, ignoring every other girl vying for his attention, no one, including Piper, understands why...

Then Piper is captured on one of her secret missions rescuing endangered sea creatures and ends up in the same test center where her mother was engineered. There she discovers she isn’t the only one of her kind. Joel is someone she doesn’t have to hide from, and she finds herself drawn to the dolph-boy who shares her secrets. Talking to him is almost as easy as escaping from the lab. Deciding which boy has captured her heart is another story...

Learn more about Sandra and her amazing works:

Twitter:  @Sandra_Cox

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/SandraCox.Author

Web site:  http://sandracox1.com

Blog:  http://sandracox.blogspot.com