Interview with Lynn Rush

 Lynn Rush is providing a free copy of her short story, Prelude to Darkness. Follow the link for your FREE copy of the prequel to the Wasteland Trilogy Free copy of Prelude to Darkness

A prolific author who began her writing career in 2008 now has more than 25 novels to her credit. Six are currently under contract with Crescent Moon Press. Wasteland, the first novel in the trilogy was released in August 2011 and continues to receive five-star reviews. Currently in the advance reader phase, the second in the series, Awaited is garnering rave reviews and scheduled for a May 2012 release.

Never planning on becoming an author, Rush says an idea for a new book may hit her when she’s waking up or going to the grocery store. One such idea came to her as she walked through a local bookstore. A girl wearing a blue tutu with a red leather jacket passed her. “She ended up in the opening scene of one of my novels,” Rush laughingly explains.

Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush – since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books, including “Wasteland,” are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake.

Rush holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. Originally from Minneapolis, Rush currently enjoys living in the Arizona sunshine by road biking nearly 100 miles per week with her husband of 15 years and jogging with her two loveable Shetland Sheep dogs.

Can you tell the viewers a little about your new series?
The Wasteland Trilogy is an exciting set of books about two clashing worlds: Guardians and Demons. They’re actually more entwined than any of them ever expect. Wasteland, book one, is about David, a four-hundred year-old half demon seeking redemption from a blood contract his mother signed before he was even conceived. In Wasteland, we also meet Russell, a centuries-old Guardian, but he was so intense we needed to give him his own book—Awaited. It just released May 1 and is receiving strong reviews. We jump into Russell’s world three months after the conclusion of Wasteland and he’s floundering. He’s not sure what to do as a Guardian any more … throw in a few battles, a plane crash, and an intense love affair and it sets things up for book three—tentatively titled Tainted. That’s slated to release early 2013!


Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can't find on the internet?
Oh dear. I’m pretty much an open book on the internet—so I’m not sure if I can come up with three things…I’ll give it a try.

1 - I like odd numbers. As in, if the volume stops on an even number, I kick it up or down one notch to get it on an odd number.
2 - Endurance athletics flow through my veins. My dad has run over 90 marathons including the Boston Marathon, NYC Marathon, and London Marathon. Plus he’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Blanc, and Mount Rainer. I think that’s why most of my Facebook and Twitter posts are exercise related!  **LOL** Now that I think about it, this might be mentioned online somewhere.
But as I already said, I’m an open book online. LOL. I got two things…does that count?


What is a typical writing day like for you?

I wake up and work out. I play around on social media then head into work. I work part-time in a bookstore, so I have lots of flexibility in my schedule. If I’m not going into work that day, after I work out and socialize, I’m writing or editing all day long! I’ve been known to have to set a timer to remember to get up and walk around a little bit because I get so engrossed I lose track of time.
And yes, I’ve set off a couple of smoke alarms forgetting things on the stove because I was writing. LOL!


What made you want to become an author?
I got the writing bug after reading a book by Frank Peretti. He described demons so wonderfully and it must have triggered a story deep in my brain. I started writing—and I’ve never stopped.  I love it!  I love creating worlds and complex characters.

Out of all of your books, what scene stands out to you the most?

Oh dear. Such tough questions. **big grin** I’ve penned twenty-six novels to date, so I’m hard pressed to pick one scene that stands out the most to me. But one of my favorite scenes in my newest release Awaited is how Russell first meets Annabelle. It’s in the first chapter and there happens to be a plane crash involved … So that’s fun!

Do you have a favorite character?
I just finished penning a rough draft of a novel (not contracted by any house yet) and the main character is a Hades Gatekeeper. He’s pretty different from any other type of character I’ve written. I think that’s why he’s on the forefront of my mind. But in the Wasteland Trilogy, I’d have to say Durk, who is what a friend called, “A scene stealer.” And it’s true about him! Durk gets his own book to end the Wasteland Trilogy, so readers get a good look at him come winter of 2013. He was super fun to write.

What are you working on now?
I’m just receiving edits on my newest novel releasing this October called Violet Midnight. It’s the first of the Violet Night Trilogy and I’m super excited. This trilogy is very different from the Wasteland Trilogy. Whereas the Wasteland novels are all male, first person point of view, Violet Midnight is written in third person point of view from both the hero and heroine. It’s set on a college campus in northern Arizona and the heroine’s a reluctant Vampire Hunter. She woke up after a crash that claimed the lives of her entire family a little … well … different with a mysterious tattoo that glows when Vamps are near. She no longer needs to eat or sleep. And her body temperature is a steady 74.7 degrees! Add that her brown eyes morphing into violet eyes allow her to see better than any human ever could and you have a very interesting story!

Can you tell us a little about Awaited?
It’s book two in the Wasteland Trilogy. It’s Russell’s story. It’s unique because it’s told in the male, first person point of view, like Wasteland. Here’s the official blurb:

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who’s lost faith in his purpose. So when he’s charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it’s the red-headed beauty who’s been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian’s Mark.
He soon realizes she’s been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate soul to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon—her voice.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Khelsey, thanks so much for having me here and being a part of the Awaited book tour.

 Thank you so much for an awesome interview Lynn!

 Lynn Rush is providing a free copy of her short story, Prelude to Darkness. Follow the link for your FREE copy of the prequel to the Wasteland Trilogy Free copy of Prelude to Darkness

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