Interview with Jeanine Lunsford

How did you become a writer?

I have always known in my heart I was meant to write, and I’ve always dreamed of becoming a published author. While in grammar school, I used to write and illustrate Dr. Seuss type books. In middle school, I would write short stories with a friend who also wanted to become a writer. The two of us had a “writer’s club” where we would meet on weekends, under the stairs of my house to share our stories. (We were critique partners without even knowing such a thing existed!)

Could you share some of your challenges as a writer?

As a writer, the pressure I create for myself with self-imposed deadlines is a relentless taskmaster. (Personal demand for perfection is a close second.)

How do you develop your plot and characters?

I have an incredibly vivid imagination. I am able to visualize my characters before I give them names and put them on paper. Once I have named them, they spring to life. It is as if I am able to get into their minds and understand their thoughts. I do have a general idea of my plot, but my characters fill in all the blanks—they are the ones who are telling the story as I am writing.

Tell me about your protagonist. What’s your favorite trait/or weakness?

Liliana Delgado is fearless and unstoppable. She’s a young woman with a heart of compassion for the marginalized, and a dream of becoming a physician at a time in history when there were few female doctors (1956). In my novel, “The Seduction of Revolution”, Liliana’s determination to open a clinic where she will offer free health care to the peasants who work the sugarcane plantations in her rural hometown emboldens her to find a way past numerous obstacles including her father, a Revolution, and even Fidel Castro himself.

What are your current/future projects?

I’m looking forward to writing a standalone sequel to “The Seduction of Revolution”.

What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you?

At diva.kingdompearl@gmail.com or the ‘Contact’ page on my website: www.jeaninelunsford.com