Interview with Amanda Uhl, Author of MIND WAVES
Please join us in welcoming author Amanda Uhl to Books & Benches for a 5 Question Q&A.
Amanda writes contemporary romantic suspense with a paranormal twist. Mind Waves is her first novel.
"Author [Amanda] Uhl gives us a well-written story with an exciting, smoothly paced plot and twists...an enthralling read."
—Goodreads Review
5 QUESTIONS FOR AMANDA UHL
In 250 words or less, what can you tell us about your newest release, Mind Waves?
Mind Waves was inspired by frequent trips to Edgewater Beach in Cleveland, Ohio, to gather beach glass. I spent hours by myself, head bent over the sand, interrupted only occasionally by the interest of strangers who wondered what I was doing and if I found anything. That got me thinking: What if someone watched me gather beach glass day after day, and they were reading my mind. And what if they fell in love with me, and I had no idea. What would happen next? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
What story are you working on next, and what inspired it?
I am working on a contemporary, humorous office romance, called Charmed by Charlie, inspired by reruns of Gilmore Girls and the characters' somewhat snarky dialogue. The book deals with dashing charmer and creative genius, Charlie Solanger, who shows up as the new guy in the office. Charlie soon has all the woman vying for his attention, but the one he wants, math whiz and star product manager Valerie Wilson, proves maddeningly elusive. Val’s sworn off charming men after catching her fiancé and the owner's son sleeping with her best friend. There's no way she'll let a flirt like Charlie steal her away from her safe and placid boyfriend, George. But when Charlie discovers a mysterious sales trend is draining the company funds, Val must join forces with him to solve the mystery. But can she be around Charlie for any length of time without falling victim to his charm?
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
I wear my favorite motivational phrase around my neck as a constant reminder to never, ever give up on my writing. It reads, “Creativity takes courage. Don’t give up.”
If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
I love Charlotte’s Web. It is so well-written and such a beautiful and classic story for young and old alike. I most admire how the climax of the story also provides the moral. The perfection in the timing takes amazing skill and talent on the part of the author.
What are three things people may not know about you?
—I have fourteen siblings all from the same parents.
—My dad is 91 and has published a book available on Amazon of his memories as a foot soldier in WWII – it’s called “Dear Mom.”
—I can’t tell a joke properly. I almost always forget the punch line.
"Finished it! And really, really enjoyed it! You nailed the characters of David and Grace–David was so intriguing and mysterious and completely likeable. Grace’s mental commentary made you feel like you knew her and made her relatable right from the start. All the characters for that matter were really well developed and unique. I loved the story line as well. Such a cool concept. I kept wanting to read more, especially as the book progressed and their predicament was building."
—Advanced Reader
THE AUTHOR
Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be haunted, you might say she was "born" into it. After a brief stint in college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a master's degree in marketing. Over the past twenty years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently specializing in cyber security. Amanda is an avid reader and writes fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she's not reading or writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children, gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Visit her online at www.amandauhl.com and follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amandauhlauthor or Twitter at @AuAuthor.
FEATURED BOOK
Mind Waves
2015 Rudy Bronze Medalist from the Chesapeake Romance Writers
If he can control her mind… Government operative David Jenkins is skilled at controlling his emotions. Feelings are lethal when your job is to infiltrate minds, erase and implant thoughts, and guard the nation’s intellectual capital. But even he can’t fight his strange attraction to Grace Woznisky. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect her from a madman intent on possessing both their minds. Neither suspect their dangerous enemy has a larger motive, and David may be Grace’s only chance for survival. Can he control her heart? All freelance artist Grace wants is steady-paying work and to see her flighty sister to the altar. But after David offers her a job, she finds herself in the middle of a mental tug of war—one that has her reeling from nightmares and fighting for her life. She must decide: Are her growing feelings for her new boss authentic, or is she a victim of his mind-altering abilities?
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: October 7, 2016
