INTERVIEW: Lyndsay Constable Says to Read the Authors Who Inspire

Welcome to the Tuesday Author Interview with Christina Boyd for the Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

CHRISTINA: I started following Lyndsay Constable on Instagram because of her Austenesque novels, and then I had the great fortune to work with her on one of her writing projects, The Puzzled Heiress: A Pomona Moriarty mystery, a Victorian mystery.

Do you listen to music while writing? Do you make up Playlists for your books?

LYNDSAY: I usually listen to classical, HALIDONMUSIC on YouTube. I just started getting into making Pinterest boards for my books to share the visual images that inspired me.

CHRISTINA: Ooh! I love when authors put together mood boards.

What comes first: plot or characters?

LYNDSAY: Definitely an unusual idea is first, then the characters emerge from the circumstances to contrast, deepen, and propel the action.

CHRISTINA: What is your current project or latest release?

LYNDSAY: A Mortal Heart's Desire, a Pride and Prejudice variation, will be out in early November. It is a wild adventure based on actual historical events. I love to place Elizabeth and Darcy in situations that force them out of their comfort zones and let their personalities pull and push against each other. Anyone interested in history will find this obscure moment intriguing.

CHRISTINA: Sounds delicious! I'm in.

What do you think makes a good story?

LYNDSAY: I'm not sure anyone will like this answer, but it is some indefinable connection with the author. I am reading In the Garden Behind the Moon - A Memoir of Loss, Myth and Magic by Alexandra Chan, and she referenced a neuroscience study from Princeton that studied the sensory area of our brain that lights up when we are listening to good storytelling. We literally feel like we are there, in a real sense, in the action of the tale when we are enjoying a good story. Not to mention the oxytocin (love drug) that rises during a good story. It's that elusive connection that makes a good story for me. When I'm rereading something I've written and forget that I wrote it because I am too wrapped up in what is happening, that's always a good sign!

CHRISTINA: Ha! I totally get that.

Best advice for new writers:

LYNDSAY: Trust your intuition. If you are intrigued by an idea, it is likely that others will be as well. And read! Tons of books. I am a mood reader and will pick up just about anything. I read JAFF (Jane Austen fan fiction) but also love murder mysteries, thrillers, literary fiction, classics. Read authors who inspire you. Take new adventures in reading. It will fire up your brain.

CHRISTINA: Indeed! Whenever I feel like I am in a reading or writing slump, I change genres for a bit. It's like a palette cleanser.

What are you reading now?

LYNDSAY: The Only One Left by Riley Sager. In the Garden Behind the Moon by Alexandra Chan. Sermons to Young Women by James Fordyce (for research, it's a bit excruciating!). Next up to be read is To Conquer Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds. I recently finished Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.

CHRISTINA: You are such a diverse reader. It's impressive.

Favorite contemporary authors:

LYNDSAY: Richard Osman, S.A. Cosby, Alexander McCall Smith, Martha Wells. JAFF (Jane Austen Fan Fiction)--so many! Mary Smythe, Summer Hanford, Nikki Payne, Jan Ashton, Heather Moll.

CHRISTINA: I enjoy your favorite JAFF writers too. Thanks so much for your time for this interview. I’m looking forward to reading A Mortal Heart's Desire. I hope the release goes smoothly. Congratulations.

Lyndsay Constable, author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lyndsay Constable has been a passionate reader since her early teen years and frequently selected books that could be successfully hidden behind the person sitting in front of her in class. Originally from North Carolina, she attended both the North Carolina School of the Arts and SUNY Purchase for dance. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband, child, dog, cat, and a small murder of crows who refuse to become friendly with her despite all of the peanuts she has given them. Whatever, she’s not bitter. Connect with Lyndsay via her website and her social media.