1: Thank you so being for being here Janet Lane Walters.
First up is the obligatory question. When did you first begin writing?
If we don't count papers and doodling with stories in high school or care studies in nurses' training, I'd say my first attempts began in 1967. I was first published in 1968 with a series of short stories and some poetry. Then I graduated to novels when an editor said my short story sounded like a synopsis for a novel.
2:Great way to start. Tell us, What or Who inspired you to write?
Not sure anyone inspired me. I've always been a reader with a library card since I was four years old. Actually I wanted to be a journalist but college was out of the question so I became a nurse. Reading was my inspiration. We were living in a small town with a limited library leaving me with nothing to read. That's when I decided to write my own stories. Took a few years of reading books on "How to" and sending stories out in the mail, retyping them when they came back and sending them out again before I sold a short story. Then I was hooked.
3:Ah the dreaded rejection and felling of elation from that first sale. I remember it well. What do you like the most and least about writing?
There is nothing about the process of writing I don't like. To me they're all part of the process. From the idea to blocking the story to writing and re-writing, revision I find each part has its own joys. To me all is a challenge and knowing I'll reach the end of a story always spurs me on.
4: It's definitely a challenge. Okay tell us, what do you do for fun and relaxation when not writing?
When not writing I do a lot of reading, crossword puzzles, listen to classical musicals and catch up on favorite crime show. I also spend a lot of time tending to a semi-invalid husband. Plus phone calls to distant in location grandchildren and visiting with the ones close at hand.
5:Sounds like a busy life. So, which authors do you like to read?
This is a very hard question since I read a lot and read a variety of authors. There are many of the BWL authors stories I enjoy, plus people I've been reading for years and contemporary authors. As to picking a favorite often it's who I'm reading or re-reading at the time. The list would take a page or two on your blog so I'll just say they cover every genre except horror.
6:Great answer. I always found that question difficult to answer also. Tell us one thing you’d most like people to know about you?
Interesting question And I really can't think of much. Maybe that I'm a Cancer with six planets in that sign a Taurus Ascendant with Uranus, the planet of the unexpected sitting on the Ascendant. Makes life interesting.
7: Wow, sounds interesting. Tell us about your current novel, where I can find it and your website/blog.
My latest published novel is part of the Opposites in Love series. This one is called The Gemini - Sagittarius Connection. The heroine is a nurse with a pair of ten year old twin sons. She's a widow and has brought her sons to Eastlake to remove them from bad influences in the city. She has a connection to the heroines of the other stories in the series since they all went to the same college nursing program. Liz doesn't want another husband. Her dead husband was a hero who died rescuing children from a fire. She figures once is enough. She is a Gemini.
The hero is the Sagittarius and he often suffers from foot in mouth disease. He's a widower and isn't looking for another marriage. His first one was perfect in his eyes until she died. He is taken by the twin boys and steps in to be a male figure in their lives. Once he realizes he loves Liz he knows he must find a way to persuade her to take a chance.
8:Sounds like a great book. I'm a Gemini. Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?
Tips for the aspiring author. 1. Write every day even if it's no more than a paragraph. 2. Persistence pays so continue writing and sending your stories out for people to read. 3. Listen to what your editor says. 4. Remember your words aren't carved in storm. You can delete and change them at will.
9: Great advice. A question I'm sometimes asked, do you base your characters on real-life people?
Perhaps in a general way but not on particular people. Sometimes I use people I know traits but most of my characters are pulled from the air and from my observation and by using Astrology to develop their inner nature, their emotional nature and the face they show the world.
10:I love using Astrology for my characters traits. So then where do you get your ideas?
I'm not sure where my ideas arrive. A number of my stories are based on my love of ancient Egypt. Four of the YAs were inspired by my grandchildren. My work as a nurse definitely inspired other stories. I may have a twisted mind and something I read or see might trigger the idea for a story.
11:I know what you mean, it's strange where our ideas come from. Off the topic of writing, what’s one thing no one knows about you?
I'm not sure there's anything that someone doesn't know. I've met and made friends of many people in my many years of life.
12. Who’s your favorite author and what’s your favorite book?
There are a number of books I've read more than once. One author is Jane Austen and I've read all her books more than once. Tolstoy is another. Read all his books. I really can't name a favorite author or book but Anna Karenina comes close to being a favorite. This book also nearly found me kicked out of school in the third grade.
Excerpt:
When she reached the nurses' station, she halted abruptly. Jeff Carter, the man who'd resided in her daydreams for years, stood at the unit clerk's desk. "Where's the new nurse manager?"
"Here," Liz said. "I'm Liz Jordan, and you are?"
"Dr. Jeff Carter, not to be confused with my son." He smiled.
Liz grasped the edge of the counter. "Since I know Alex, there'll be no confusion. Is there a problem?"
He nodded. "On Friday, there was a medication error involving one of my patients. I was told the incident report was in your office. I want to see it."
She frowned. She'd looked through all the papers that were in the basket and hadn't seen any incident report. "Let me look."
"Don't you think incident reports are important?"
"I didn't find one on my desk, but I'll check the drawers."
As they strode down the hall, he told her what he'd learned. "Someone on this unit is responsible. I spoke to the pharmacist on duty. He said a nurse had insisted she'd spoken to me, and I'd ordered penicillin on a patient who's allergic to that medicine. No one called my office. I want to know who's behind this."
"So do I." Liz checked the papers on her desk and searched the drawers. "Not here. Maybe Delores put it with the things she removed from the office."
"Find her." Ice coated his voice.
"On my way."
"One thing you'd better make clear to your entire staff. Any time there's a question about one of my orders, I expect a phone call."
Liz turned. "That's standard practice. Who signed off the order and sent it to the pharmacy?"
He shrugged. "Writing's on a par with mine."
Liz smiled. “Won’t be a problem when the computers arrive.”
“Not you, too. Find that incident report.”
Liz found Delores in the lounge. "Dr. Carter would like to see the incident report from Friday. It wasn't in my office."
Delores smiled. "Maybe I accidentally put it with my things. I'll check my locker and bring it to you."
"Thanks. He's a tense man."
Delores laughed. "Maybe he should be."
Ten minutes after Liz reached the nurses' station, Delores arrived. "Found it. Dr. Carter, I understand your patient was fortunate."
Jeff Carter's mouth formed a taut line. "Weren't you in charge Friday? Where were you when the incident occurred?"
The blonde rested one hand on her hip. "Taking some comp time. I'm sure I told the clerk to call your office."
The thin woman wheeled in her chair. "You never."
"Then I must have told the patient's nurse. These new grads let everything fluster them."
By the time the stories were checked, Liz had no idea what had happened. The incident report was no help. She frowned. Delores had signed the report, yet she denied being on the unit when the wrong medicine was given. "How could you sign a report when you weren't here?"
Delores opened a drawer. "Pre-signed forms. The nurse manager only needs to sign that the nurse made it out."
Liz lifted the forms from the drawer. "This won't happen again."
"Better not." Jeff picked up a stack of charts. "Mrs. Jordan , I'll speak with you after I've seen my patients and talked to their nurses."
Liz watched him walk away. She would rather hide, but she couldn't. She returned to her office and added more items to her growing list. How could one person sort out chaos?
"Mrs. Jordan ."
His deep voice sent chills along her skin. "Dr. Carter, come in."
He closed the door. "I know it's your first day, but do you have any idea when you'll have a smooth operation here?"
She wanted to laugh, but that would be the wrong approach. "I've a list of areas where improvements are needed and some ideas of how they can be accomplished. But to give you a date, sorry."
"I wish you luck."
"Thanks. I'll be speaking to all the doctors and asking for suggestions. Do you have any?"
He smiled. "A few hundred. We should name a time and place for a meeting."
"I'd like that." She mentally ran through a list of those who should be included.
"How about joining me for dinner on Friday?"
"Sure. No, wait . . . ." She'd answered before she thought, before she remembered this was real and not part of a fantasy. She shook her head. "Not dinner."
"Strictly business."
"We can meet here, or you could tell me now." Did he hear the panic in her voice?
"Can't today. I've office hours, and I need to organize my ideas. Not here either. Too many curious eyes."
She frowned. "Why would anyone be curious about a meeting in this office?"
"Don't ask."
"Let me talk to Eric. I'm sure we can use the conference room and ask the other doctors to come."
"Friday. I'll pick you up at seven."
"Tell me where, and I'll meet you." She'd also ask Eric and Jenessa to join them.
"You're new in town."
"Not that new. I went to Grantley with Megan." She chewed on her lower lip. Why had she reminded him? Evidently, he didn't remember how she'd made a fool of herself. Liz stared at her desk. This was the moment she'd dreamed of for years. Dreamed was the key word. Reality wasn't safe.
