Regina Andrews Interview

Joining us today is Christian Romance Author, Regina Andrews. Welcome, Regina. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?

[Regina] Hi Anne, and thank you so much for hosting me today. I am a big fan of yours! I am a native Rhode Islander, and grew up near the ocean in a very happy, loving, close-knit family. Always loved school, music and the outdoors but I was never good at sports, lol! Currently I live on the East Side of Providence and am Ecopy Manager for Ross-Simons Jewelry. My husband and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary in June, and 4 months ago we went to the shelter and brought home a new "daughter", Tiana, a 2-year old calico mix. I love to travel, sing, visit museums, play mini-golf (read that – win at mini-golf lol) and j'adore everything French!

[Anne] When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

[Regina] Right from the get-go. Before I went to school, my mother read with me every day. Boy, was that a special time. Then, right before I started first grade I jumped out of a tree and broke my left arm. Couldn't wait to tell that story to anyone and everyone!

[Anne] Tell us about your latest book.

[Regina] Destiny's Designs is an inspirational romance about an interior designer based in Newport, RI, with various locals around the world. My heroine, Lisa Machon, loves beauty and security, yet her life has been filled with chaos and upheaval. As a result, she tends to try and control as much of her life as possible. (She and I share a love for interior design, and the happy world she tries to maintain is the happy world I come from.) Neil Lamont, the hero, is a carefree sailor who seems to have no control or governors on his life. (Haven't we all know – and swooned – over a guy like that?) They both see in each other the opposite characteristics of their own make-up. They open their hearts to God's word and to His love, and together, they enjoy the world of happiness and love that I wish everyone could have. Newport is close to home. The other locales – Paris, Milan, the Algarve, Monaco – are all areas I have visited. Lucky moi!

[Anne] What inspired you to write this story?

[Regina] I actually worked as an Assistant Interior Designer and saw some really well-off folks who were starved emotionally, even though there was so much beauty and opulence around them. God's love, once they opened their hearts to it, filled the void they were experiencing.

[Anne] How did you go about researching your book?

[Regina] My wonderful sister is a French professor and brought me along on her travels from a very early age. Thanks to these experiences, I was able to cull from them authentic material for the various settings and locales in the book.

[Anne] Do you have anything new in the works?

[Regina] Exciting news, yes! Thank you for asking, Anne. A new inspirational series, the Sterling Lakes Series, has just been given the green light from Desert Breeze Publishing. The first book, "Light of the Heart" will release in March 2011. The story line centers around the refurbishing of the church in Sterling Lakes, and how this process ultimately transforms the hearts and lives of the entire town.

[Anne] What is your writing process like? Are you a plotter or a pantster?

[Regina] Actually I'm what I've termed a "head panster, and a doc plotter". By that I mean I watch the whole book in my head over and over, for ages, getting to know the characters and seeing how they operate; when they finally ring true enough for me to say "okay" then I get it all down in a word document. Which I then copy five or six times and send everywhere, plus print out and keep in my purse, just so I don't ever feel like it's not with me. I know. It's weird. :-)

[Anne] If you could be anyone of your characters, which one would you chose to be and why?

[Regina] That's easy! I'd say Helen Middleton, the brave nurse in "Spotlight on Love" – I modeled her after my mother! While I really love Cascade Preston, the stained-glass artist in my new book "Light of the Heart," I don't know her thoroughly yet; and Haley Hawthorne from "In Good Faith" was the greeting card maven I almost became :-).

[Anne] You’ve just been informed that your latest release was a NY Times bestseller and Hollywood wants to turn it into a movie. What actors would you choose to play your main characters?

[Regina] Hmmmm, probably Drew Barrymore and Chris Noth if there was any chemistry between them. Don't laugh, Anne, but there's so much chemistry between Katie Perry and Russell Brand they popped into my head too.

[Anne] Oh, great choices!  What type of books do you like to read when you’re not writing?

[Regina] I love biography and of course romance. I'm reading "5th Avenue 5 AM" by Sam Wasson about Breakfast at Tiffany's right now. Deliciously juicy!

[Anne] What advice would you give to any aspiring writers out there?

[Regina] Always learn, always listen to constructive advice, always grow, always read, never give up, always be honest and always buy lots of boxes of tissues, you're going to cry from despair or happiness (or both) every single day so you'll need them.

[Anne] Where can we find you on the web?

[Regina] www.reginaandrews.com and my blog is www.reginaandrews.wordpress.com Please visit soon, I'd love to hear from you!

[Anne] And where can we purchase your books?

[Regina] Amazon Kindle, Barnes& Noble Nook Sony Reader, and at my publisher's websites: www,desertbreezepublishing.com, www. Awe-struck.net and www.trebleheartbooks.com

[Anne] Is there anything else you’d like to add?

[Regina] Thank you so much for having me today, Anne. What fantastic questions. I hope to talk with you again soon and wish you all the best in your writing.

[Anne] Thank you for coming, Regina. You’re such an inspiring person, and a wonderful friend!   Folks, pick up a copy of Destiny's Desgins.  You won't regret it!!!