Elvis, Literacy and Advice for Aspiring Writers: An Interview with Deborah LeBlanc

[Sheila English]

Reader's Entertainment caught up with author Deborah LeBlanc while she was on the road and somehow convinced her to answer our "interesting" questions. lol

Thank you Deborah for finding the time to chat with us! Let's go right to the Q&A!


Question: Who are in your top 10 spaces on MySpace?

DL:

I have MySpace set on random top friends, so today my top 10 are:

1. Stephen
King
2. Dean Koontz
3. Lorrie Jones
4. Georgia Ghost Hunting
Society
5. NJ Horror
6. Vanessa
7. Mike Marrano
8. Harry Shannon
9. Ella
10. Scott Nicholson



Question: Using the Twitter method of answering (140 characters or less) tell us why you decided to
be a writer.


DL: I come from a long line of storytellers and, aside from making up special stories for my daughters
when they were young, writing was the only way I knew to tell my stories.


Question: In one paragraph tell us about Literacy Inc. and why it should be important to society
at large.

DL: Literacy Inc is a non-profit organization I founded in 2007, and its primary mission is to fight
the growing rate of illiteracy in America’s teens. If anyone’s interested in finding out more about the org, they can visit www.literacyinc.com


Question: What professional organizations do you participate in?

Arggg, too many! Let’s
see….

Horror Writers
Association

International Thriller
Writers

Sisters in
Crime

NINC

Writers Guild of
Acadiana

Mystery Writers of
America

National Association
of Women Writers

Louisiana Oil
Marketers Association



Question: If you could meet one of these people who would it be and why-

Elvis Presley

Stephen
King
Eleanor Roosevelt
Barack Obama
Mickey Mouse

DL: Elvis Presley—Elvis! I’d love to find out what all that hunk-a-hunk of burnin’ love was all about.


Question: Many of your books take place in the bayou. What makes the bayou such a perfect backdrop to
your tales?

DL: I don’t know of any creepier, more mysterious, more daunting place than the swamps…there are some deep, dark place in the bayous of south Louisiana that many folks have never seen. And many places some people have attempted to explore…and never returned..mwaaahaaa!


Question: Using the Twitter method of answering what is the one bit of advice you'd give to an
aspiring writer?

DL: Oh, this is an easy one. That advice is to: read, read, read…write, write, write…and NEVER give
up!



Question: Are you on Facebook, and if so what do you do there?

DL: Yep, I’m on Facebook, but to be totally honest, I’m still trying to figure out how to work my way
around that site!



Question: If you could only read one blog, what blog would you read?

DL: The one I read religiously is Circle of Seven’s blog. It’s informative, insightful, and always
up on the latest and greatest regarding book marketing and promotions.



Question: Where do you get the majority of your research information for books
you write?

DL: It depends on the topic, of course, but my research information usually comes from some of the
oddest places. Some of my research adventures have included being locked in a casket, sneaking into an abandoned insane asylum, working in embalming rooms and autopsy suites, crime scenes and purported haunted locations. I’m an avid paranormal investigator, so I always come across great fodder for stories.


Question: Have you ever written something and scared yourself? Tell us about it.


DL: Unfortunately, no. Even in every day life, I have a tendency to get involved in and/or witness some
pretty bizarre situations, like ghost hunting, crime scenes, working with the dead in funeral homes, etc, so it takes something REALLY off to frighten me. The challenge is, with writing anyway, when I write about something REALLY off, something that would frighten me, it usually comes across to the editor as over
the top.


Question: You're stranded on an island all by yourself. You were able to save 5 things to bring with you. What are they?


DL-

1. A knife
2. paper
3. pencils
4. pictures of my kids
5. chocolate!




Question: Most books are made up of cross genres. What genres would you say the majority of
your books are?

DL: Hmm, my books have been called everything but romance and westerns. If I had to give them a
cross-genre title, I’d say the two closest would be paranormal suspense or supernatural thrillers.


Question: What was the last online game youplayed?

DL: I’ve never played anonline game…honest!


Question: Tell us where the top 3 places online are wherewe can find you.

DL: Only two really….my website and my MySpace page, answering messages.



Question: What is your current book that is out or about to come out? Tell us about it in one
paragraph.


DL: WATER WITCH, and it’s about a dowser who goes to a small town in Louisiana to help locate two missing children who are feared lost in the swamps. What she finds, however, is the source of every horrific nightmare that’s invaded the town since the early twentieth century.



Thanks for joining us today!


To find out more about Deborah LeBlanc go to www.deborahleblanc.com!