I would like to thank Lorrie Kruse for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions about herself and her book, A Life Worth Living.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m just your every-day, average girl who has people living inside her head. I have a wonderful husband (Brian), a seventeen-year-old son (Tyler) that I’m very proud of, and an Alaskan husky (Token) who brings many a swear word from my mouth but also brings plenty of smiles. One thing that people quickly learn about me is that I love teddy bears. You cannot stand anywhere in my house without seeing a bear of some sort. Because I like to eat and have a roof over my head, I’m forced to have a full-time job, but I’m lucky enough that I enjoy my job as a legal secretary. When I’m not working or writing, I’m probably creating jewelry or crocheting yet another pair of socks.
Can you tell us about your book A Life Worth Living?
A Life Worth Living is Matt’s journey after he wakes up in the hospital to discover he’s paralyzed. The poor guy has a highly physical job working for his father in construction. He needs the use of his legs. But what’s he supposed to do when he is forced with the reality that he might not walk again? That, right there, is the true story, Matt’s learning how to adapt to his new world.
What was your favorite part of the writing process of your book?
I loved getting to know the characters. It is so weird how they take on personalities of their own and how they do what they want to do instead of what I want them to do. Crystal was probably the character who asserted her independence the most. I kept trying to urge her to be a nicer person and to think more about Matt than herself, but she insisted on being who she wanted to be. I must admit though that the Crystal in the final book is so much nicer than the original Crystal (thank heavens!).
What is your favorite scene from A Life Worth Living and why?
My favorite scene is when Matt goes to visit Abby in the physical therapy gym after hours and they play Yahtzee. I love this scene because you can see Matt and Abby’s friendship growing roots. I also love this scene as Matt shares a childhood story about the time he took apart his mother’s toaster. It’s just so neat the way his memories turn him into a “real” person. Oh, and we can’t forget the moment at the end of the scene where Crystal walks in to find her fiance alone with Abby in a quiet room playing games.
What has been the best advice you have ever been given?
To always wear clean underwear (thanks Mom!). Oh, wait, you probably mean the best writing advice, huh? That would be to develop a thick skin and to be persistent. Without those two qualities, A Life Worth Living would be A Life Stuck in My Computer Forever. Once upon a time, I thought all there was to writing a book was to sit down and write it and then it’d get published quite easily and everyone would love it. Silly me. There is so much more to it than that. I discovered you actually need a plot (A plot? Really??). And that I couldn’t just write whatever sounded logical to me. Instead, I actually had to do this thing called research. But, I truly believe I found a plot that will interest most readers. And I have to say that doing the research for A Life Worth Living was a real eye-opener. I never realized just how much a paralyzed person goes through. I have developed a huge appreciation for my health.
Do you follow a writing schedule or do you just write whenever?
I used to write every day during my lunch hour and then I spent most Saturdays curled up on the couch with my laptop. These days, however, I’m forced to resort to writing whenever I can squeeze it in. Someday my life will settle down again and I’ll be able to devote more regular time to writing.
Who is your favorite author and why?
You want me to narrow it down to just one? How cruel. That’s like asking me if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, which of the hundreds I love is going to be the life-long winner. At this moment, I have to say I am really enjoying Jeff Lindsay, the author of the Dexter series. His writing is so fresh and unusual. I mean, to create a serial killer that you actually like? Making readers love someone you should hate is really a sign of a great writer. Harlan Coben is like that, too. Not that he writes characters you should hate, but that you end up loving the characters. (Like the way I snuck in another favorite writer?)
What is the best book you have ever read and why?
Yikes! Again with the narrowing it down to just one. Okay, I’m going to go in a different direction from what first came to mind. The best book I have ever read is Albert Zuckerman’s Writing the Blockbuster Novel because it was the first book on the craft of writing that made sense. I learned that your characters have to have motivation for everything they do and that everything they do must relate to the plot in some way. My writing improved drastically after reading that book.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Doing another interview with you for another new release, hopefully not just a second book but a third. Hey, why stop there? Let’s make it a fourth book. Shall we shake on it?
Most definitely Lorrie! Come back anytime..:D
What is coming up next for you?
I am working on an anthology of short stories of the thriller/paranormal genre. After that, I have to get back to the romantic suspense that’s percolating in my computer. Poor Jason and Katrina are dying to know if they resolve their differences, solve the murders, and live happily ever after.
AUTHOR INFO
Lorrie is many things besides a writer. By day she’s a legal secretary (not to be confused with the illegal secretary of her evening hours). She’s a wife (to a wonderful prince of a husband, Brian) and a mom (to a non-furry two-legged critter (Tyler) and a very furry four-legged critter (Token, an Alaskan husky)). Lorrie rarely sits idle. If she’s not writing or working, she’s probably making jewelry or crocheting another pair of socks (much to the dismay of her hubby who says why don’t you just buy socks at Walmart). And, if there’s a wayward teddy bear in need of a home, Lorrie’s your go-to-gal, as long as that bear doesn’t mind living in a log home in the country in often-chilly central Wisconsin.
AUTHOR LINKS
BOOK BLURB
A surefire way to jinx your future is to perfectly map it out and then expect your journey to go as planned. Twenty-six year old home builder, Matthew Huntz, is on his way to making his dreams a realty - gorgeous fiancée, perfect job, and the house he’s always wanted - until the accident. Paralyzed from the chest down, with his GPS offline, Matt is forced to recalculate his path in life.
PURCHASE A LIFE WORTH LIVING
