*~*Houston Author Event – Author Spotlight Day 3: Amanda Bennett & TWO Giveaways*~*

I was super excited to be asked by Emily of Lalone Marketing to take part in an ‘Author Speed Dating’ event right before the signing. Basically, each blogger that participated would get 5 minutes to talk to all 10 authors – hello! Yes, please! I was so excited because I’ve done interviews before but never in person – this was both amazing and scary at the same time, but it was an absolutely wonderful experience.

So, each day for the next two weeks, I’ll be spotlighting one of the authors that I got to sit down and chat with last Saturday – in case you missed it, Day 1 was S.C. Stephens, yesterday was J. Sterling and today we have…the lovely Amanda Bennett.  So…there is a story behind Amanda’s interview.  She was my half way point – I had interviewed 4 other authors, so I had gotten into a little bit of a groove, but I interviewed her right after S.C. and I don’t know if I was just overly excited or what but instead of saving the audio – I deleted it!  I hated myself – and we were on a time schedule so I couldn’t just be like oh hey – let’s re-do that!  :-\  Awkward!  Well…luckily I went out to dinner with her (and Tara Sivec) that night and with a few beverages and sitting on Tara’s lap, we recreated the interview.  It was so much better the second time around – especially the instances where alcohol and Tara influenced the answers.  I severely edited this interview – once again…so glad people cannot hear this audio!

We asked last week on our Facebook page for some questions for the authors – so I tried to incorporate as many of them as I could into the interview…I added the name of whoever ‘asked’ the question! Now…let’s get to the interview… 🙂

Lisa:      We asked our followers to give us some questions – so I’ll start with those, what are some of your favorite books that you’ve read? (question from Kristen Kocher)

Amanda:  The Thoughtless Series, Rebecca Donavan’s series – I love Jenn Foor’s books.  LOVE!

Lisa:      Is there anything in any of your books that you would change if you were given the chance? (question from Kristen Kocher)

Amanda:  No

Lisa:   If you weren’t a writer what other profession would you be working in? (question from Deborah Favorito)

Amanda:  Forensic Psychologist.

Lisa:    How long from concept to completion of your first book? (question from Tanya Gaunt)

Amanda:  1 ½ to 2 years – now, not so much.

Lisa:    What is your go-to snack food when writing? (question from Nicole Montgomery)

Amanda:  I don’t eat when I write – I can’t.

Lisa:    Which of your characters will you always hold a certain soft spot for?  (question from Andie Lea)

Amanda:  Dax  (from Forever and Almost Always)

Lisa:    Which character can you relate to the most?    (question from Andie Lea)

Amanda:  All of them – because they’re all a part of me.

Lisa:    What do you think is the most difficult…beginning or ending a storyline?  (question from Andie Lea)

Amanda:  Ending – no beginning!

Lisa:    How often are you thinking and jotting notes down about the characters and storyline that come into your head?  (question from Andie Lea)

Amanda: All the time, everyday – all day.

Lisa:    If you could sit down face to face with one of your characters, who would you choose?(question from Andie Lea)

Amanda:  Madison Raine  (from the Raine Series)

Lisa:  Why?

Amanda:  Cause he’s HOT!

Lisa:    Who decides who and what goes on your covers?  (question from Lorie Glowania)

Amanda:  I find stock cover photos that kind of fit what I’m writing at the moment and then I send it to Robin, my cover designer and she works her magic.

Lisa:    Where is your favorite place to write?  (question from Cynthia Mae)

Amanda:  In my bedroom, on my bed – in my yoga pants, tank top and usually ugg boots or socks.  And then my husband gets mad because I have boots on the bed – but I have to take smoke breaks!

Lisa:    What was your original inspiration to start writing?  (question from Rachel Talavera)

Amanda:  My dad died when I was 12 and I started writing poems and then it just went from there.

Lisa:    What are the top 3 things on your bucket list? (question from Kimberly Talbot)

Amanda:  To hang out with Tara Sivec – Skydiving, go to Italy – omg what else – oh and have one of my books made into a movie.

Lisa:    Favorite Characters POV to write in?

Amanda:  A man’s.  I LOVE writing in a guy’s POV – my favorite one to have written in so far was definitely Madison Raine in the Raine series – he’s yummy!

Lisa:    Favorite sex scene you’ve written?

Amanda:  My life!  Just joking!  Any of them in Misguided Heart

Lisa:    Who do you FanGirl over?

Amanda:  Tara Sivec!  It would be like old school people – like F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Bronte Sisters, Hemingway.

Lisa:    What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Amanda:  My kids and sitting in Tara Sivec’s lap!

Check out all Amanda’s Books!

 

Misguided Hearts (Standalone)

Add Misguided Hearts to your GoodReads

Faithless (Standalone)

 Add Faithless to your GoodReads

Raine Series

Add This Love of Mine to your GoodReads  ♦  Add This Trust of Mine to your GoodReads  ♦  Add This Heart of Mine to your GoodReads

Forever and Almost Always (Standalone)

Add Forever and Almost Always to your GoodReads

Broken Series

Add Beautifully Broken to your GoodReads  ♦  Add Breaking Beautiful to your GoodReads  ♦  Add Unbreakable Heart to your GoodReads

Time To Let Go (Standalone)

Add Time to Let Go to your GoodReads

 

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I am as the old saying goes… “Never judge a book by it’s cover”…. unless of course that cover is awesome:) No, in all actuality I have been fortunate enough to be a million different people in my stories and books, and I am grateful everyday that I get to do the thing that I love the most. I am a hopeless romantic at heart and I do believe in happy endings. I also believe that it takes a bit of bad experiences and rough roads to get you there, but in the end I strongly believe it is worth it. I am “THAT” person who does believe that everything happens for a reason:)

Amanda currently lives in Utah with her many men (her husband, two little boys, and two dogs). She is an avid San Francisco 49ers and Dexter fan. In high school she developed a love for writing and story telling, and in the past couple years has made it her passion, as she just released her ninth book.