The Scoop on Elysa Hendricks

How would you describe yourself using only five words?

Friendly. Optimistic. Loyal. Relaxed. Compassionate.

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

I can't think of anything I enjoy that I feel "guilty" about. I love writing, reading, gardening, crafting, spending time with my husband, family and friends, and of course -CHOCOLATE. I figure if I like it, it must be good for me, and therefore there's nothing to feel guilty about.

Name one thing readers would be surprised to know about you.

They'd probably be amazed to know that while my characters live fascinating, adventurous lives, and visit exotic locations, in "real" life my motto is: Boring is good. Excitement is vastly overrated. In TANGO IN PARADISE my grade school teacher heroine finds herself on the run through a South American jungle during a revolution with a dangerous mercenary. This is NOT the sort of thing I'd want to really experience. I'd much rather sit in the comfort of my home and write about it. In my sci-fi romance, STAR CRASH, the heroine is trapped in an alien zoo and expected to produce offspring with a sexy hunk. I'm definitely too old for that.

How do you get yourself in the mood to write?

The best way for me to get in the mood to write is to read. Reading stimulates the creative side of my brain. It turns my muse on and gets her eager to come up with new ideas. She a bit of a lazy slug, so I have to feed her lots of chocolate, and read to her to get her moving.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

I write in many different sub-genres of romance, western historical, contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, so which book I'd recommend depends on what a person likes to read. But for someone who wants to get a taste of my style, THE SWORD AND THE PEN, a contemporary fantasy with a twist, is one of my favorite stories. Probably because it's about a writer whose fictional character comes to life and throws his life into chaos. I call it my Xena - The Warrior Princess meets Stranger Than Fiction book.