Sandra Orchard

Sandra Orchard was the 2009 Daphne DuMaurier Award of Excellence in Mystery/Suspense winner in the unpublished category and sold to Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense the following year. Her newly released debut novel, Deep Cover, is the first book in her series, Undercover Cops: Fighting for justice puts their lives—and hearts—on the line. Sandra hails from Southern Ontario, Canada and she's here to talk to us today.

About Deep Cover, Book One, in the Series

Maintaining his cover cost undercover cop Rick Gray the woman he loved. Sweet Ginny Bryson never really knew Rick. He never gave her the chance. Not then, and not now, when he's back with a new alias to gather evidence against Ginny's uncle. The man's crimes led to Rick's partner's death, and Rick wants justice to be served. But his investigation is stirring up trouble, and Ginny is smack-dab in the middle. Someone wants Ginny to pay the price for what her uncle has done. But how can Rick protect her without blowing his cover, jeopardizing his assignment...and risking both their lives?

Intrigued, Readers? I know I am. And now it's time to learn all about Sandra Orchard.

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DONNELL: Good morning, Sandra. Are you a big city or small town girl?

SANDRA: I’m a country girl. The nearest house is ½ kilometer away. That’s um…3/10ths of a mile.

DONNELL: What’s your favorite room in your house, and why?

SANDRA: I live in a big old drafty farmhouse so in the dead of winter, my favorite room is definitely the family room. I know, I know, I’m a romance writer. It should be the bedroom. But, hey, I write inspys. The family room has lots of big picture windows to look out on the snow, and a cozy wood stove with a window so I can watch the flames flicker, and reclining chairs so I can curl up with a good book, or my laptop.

DONNELL: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

SANDRA: Deep Cover is my first book, and it doesn’t actually hit bookstore shelves for another five days. But many book club members and eHarlequin shoppers have already read it and so far the reviews have been great. Yup, I read them. I am delighted every time a new letter from a reader pops up in my mailbox. The positive response to DC has definitely spurred me on as I languish in revisions to the third book in the series. But, yes, I dread the inevitable negative ones to come.

DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

SANDRA: Oh, I’m proud to say I cleaned it last week. Good thing, because I couldn’t have identified half of what I cleaned out of there. Although my pup liked the job of helping. Now, it has dozens of eggs. (We have our own hens—country girl, remember) Lots of fresh produce, milk, butter, yogurt and condiments.

DONNELL: Is Elvis really dead?

SANDRA: Not in my heart. His song “Only Fools Rush In” is my husband’s and my song. We got engaged after only dating a couple of months, and have been married almost 25 years.

DONNELL: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

SANDRA: Oh yes. I check email, surf the net, eat, match socks, complain, lament, complain. Oh wait…you mean how do I break out of it? Well, that’s a topic for a whole other blog. (Sept 19^th at Seekerville to be exact.) But I’ll tell you that one of my most consistently reliable methods is to jump ahead to a scene that I can visualize and start writing from there. Oftentimes, things will present themselves that allow me to work backward.

DONNELL: Dog person or cat person?

SANDRA: Definitely dog. Dogs teach us so much, such as: Don't bite when a simple growl will do. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Eat with gusto. And my favorite, when you're happy, jump around and wag your whole body.

DONNELL: What would you do if you had a time machine?

SANDRA: Sell it on Ebay. I'd fetch a mint!

DONNELL: How much money does it take to be happy?

SANDRA: Not much. My pleasures are simple--walking in the woods, playing with the grandchildren, kayaking or beachcombing. That said, I'd love to have a cook and a housecleaner, if only I could find a time machine to sell on Ebay!

DONNELL: What dreams have been realized through your writing?

SANDRA: To touch people's hearts with the message of God's love for them.

DONNELL: What’s the first thing you do when you finish a book?

SANDRA: Thank God. And I mean that most sincerely. Some days I feel like I’m ripping the words from my brain to come up with anything good to write, and I pray a lot. So when the story all comes together, I feel profoundly grateful.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE REVEALED SANDRA'S UNDERCOVER SECRETS, IT'S HER TURN. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WILL EARN YOU A CHANCE TO WIN "DEEP COVER." WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE'S HER QUESTION FOR READERS: What character trait, quirk, or action in a heroine drives you crazy?

THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING WITH US, SANDRA!

Thanks for having me, Donnell.

Connect with Sandra Online:

Visit her website ~ http://www.sandraorchad.com

Visit her personal blog ~ http://www.SandraOrchard.blogspot.com

Like her Facebook Page ~ www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

Subscribe to her newsletter ~ http://http://bit.ly/OrchardNews

Buy Deep Cover now from eHarlequin ~ http://http:/bit.ly/DeepCover

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an electronic Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

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