This morning I have the privilege of speaking to Amanda Burns. Hello Amanda and welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews. Please come in and grab a cozy chair, and share some conversation with us.

Why don't we begin with Nadja's Literary Cappuccino? I like the premise of the Java Bean franchise. Would you like to discuss this book or is there another one you would prefer?

Thanks for having me here! I'm thrilled to be here, and Nadja's book is the one I'd love to talk about. It's the coming together of so many threads in my life - a wonderful trip I took to Ukraine a few years back, some of my favorite local coffee shops, and of course a suspense line designed to keep readers madly turning the pages.

Nadja's also an example of one of the things I care about most - characters who surmount nearly impossible odds to reach their happy endings. My pen name honors two black-sheep ancestors and most of my heroines struggle with similar obstacles. I want my stories to offer hope and inspire readers to dare to follow their dreams.

Have you ever found yourself playing out the role of the character as you write the story?

Absolutely, sometimes even in my dreams. In the throes of writing, my characters become very real and are never far away. I do put myself in their shoes often so I can have a better feel for how they'll react to the obstacles I throw in their path. That's so integral to my writing process that I'm not sure how I could share their stories if I didn't take on their persona and roles.

Do you find it difficult coming up with a title for your books?

No. Titles come quite naturally-often before there is much on the page. Titles often help shape the scope and nature of the story.

Please share with us any upcoming projects.

I'm putting final editing touches and getting ready to submit The Painter is A Lady. This book was inspired on a trip through Duluth when I noticed someone in overalls unloading construction materials from a truck and discovered on closer inspection that the worker was female. The story took off from there and adds yet another chapter to the long line of Lake Superior mysteries. I've also completed drafts of two more stories in my horse racing series, just need to find the time to polish them.

Is your head always spinning with new ideas?

Yes, I could write twenty-four hours a day. I'm often making notes on several new stories while writing one. Sometimes I get so involved with a new set of characters that those I'm working with on the current draft begin to complain of neglect.

Do you have any bad writing habits?

That I'll confess to? Actually, sometimes the hardest thing is when ideas are coming so thick and fast that my typing and grammar completely fall apart. Makes for an editing nightmare! But I always take time to thoroughly polish everything before sending it off.

Is there anything special you do to get you in the ambiance to write?

I keep photos on my desk representing the hero, heroine and villain and sometimes even secondary characters. I'll study a character closely for personality characteristics as I get ready to start a day of writing, or I may go over the back-story notes I made before beginning to write. I also often edit the previous scene if I'm having difficulty getting back into the flow of the story. If I'm writing about a particular place, I'll have pictures to help me settle into the environment. For Nadja's story, I spent a lot of time in coffee houses, studied photos from my trip, and supplemented by going on line and spending virtual time in Ukriane.

Do you ever suffer writers block?

Not really. If I'm dragging, my characters will usually start chattering away. I'm never quite sure if I'm writing their story or if I'm their secretary transcribing their story.

When choosing a book to read, what first draws your attention, the blurb or the cover?

I usually notice the cover first, but I always read the blurb before deciding whether or not to buy, and sometimes even the first page or two (if print) or an excerpt (if e-book).

I understand you enjoy working with horses and dogs. If you could be any animal which animal would you choose and why?

You're right, it would be a horse - I was one of those horse-crazy kids and devoured every book I could get my hands on about horses. I still find them majestic and wondrous animals and have featured them in several stories, Detour Ahead being the most recent.

As a person who enjoys attending the theater, if you could perform in any theater production, which one would, you choose?

Contact. I had the awesome privilege of seeing this show in NYC not long after it won its Tony Award and it was the best evening of theater I've ever enjoyed. I'd want to be the girl in the yellow dress - not that I could, of course, but because it was so easy to get swept up in the magic and the rich tension of the moment. To experience that while delivering it to an audience - well, maybe that's why I write!

Can you give us your websites, as well as the links that we can find out about your books?

Website, MySpace

You wake up one morning to learn that you are a pilot of an airplane. One hundred passengers are eagerly waiting you to choose their destination, where would you fly the plane this morning for a fabulous weekend?

It's nearly the end of a long cold Midwest winter, so someplace warm and sunny - I'm thinking Coronado Island, maybe The Del Coronado: expansive white beaches and spectacular floral displays, luxurious suites with Jacuzzis, nothing to do but soak up the sun and totally relax. Ready to send me there?

Thank you so much for sharing time with us, Amanda. Anyone interested in reading more about Amanda and her books, please visit her website. I wish you success with your writing.

Interviewed by: Linda L.