Meet Veronica Lynch/Kat Henry Doran

I’m pleased to introduce Veronica Lynch who also writes as Kat Henry Doran.

Thanks for being here today, Veronica. Please tell us about yourself. 

I started writing in the late 60’s as a nursing student and haven’t stopped. I began to seriously pursue publication in romantic fiction in the late 80’s and after much trial and error, research and practice I was published in 2004 under the name Kat Henry Doran. In 2011, writing as Veronica Lynch, I branched out into shorter length romance and have had five novellas published in the last 18 months under both names. With this length I believe I’ve found my niche. 

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Often my ideas come from real life, perhaps an article from the newspaper or on-line. I also ‘borrow’ from events which occurred in my past professional lives as a register nurse, victim advocate and insurance investigator. I am a firm believer in writing what you know and believe life is always stranger than fiction. Shamelessly, I’m not afraid to use my experience as a mother and grandmother.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?  

I design and make tote bags of all styles, sizes and functions. This includes diaper bags, baby blankets and other infant care items like boppy covers and slings. FMI: http://www.KatsKarryAlls.blogspot.com

Those totes are really pretty and useful. Your creativity is amazing. How many books have you written? 

I’ve written a ton of novels [all horrible], but in terms of those which were published, I’ve written two full length novels, both romantic suspense and five novellas all straight romance.

Which is your favorite? 

I love them all, don’t get me wrong, but my fave is the book of my heart, “Try Just Once More”. That baby took 20 years to write [and re-write] till it became something I’m extremely proud of. It’s a full length contemporary romantic suspense set in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York State. The heroine is me, sort of. The hero is a compilation of every good cop I had the privilege to know.

What do you think makes a good story?  

Realistic [meaning they have a few warts] characters with great conflict, goals and motivation; an interesting setting; compelling external conflict; snappy laugh-a-minute dialogue. I also believe accurate research is vital. I recently tossed a NYT’s best seller against the wall because of blatant medical inaccuracies. The kicker came when I checked out the author’s website and learned he’s married to a physician. I will NEVER read another book by this author again. EVER.

What is the best part of writing for you? 

Developing characters.

What do you enjoy most about writing?  

Plotting. 

What do you enjoy most about life? 

The joy brought by my grandchildren. Being a sober, responsible woman. Major league baseball. The characters of TV’s “Justified”.

Where do you start when writing? 

Finding the kernel of the story, the ‘what if’ question, then developing the characters right down to their favorite foods and color of underwear.

What are some jobs you’ve done that would end up in a book? 

Nursing supervisor [Try Just Once More]; trauma nurse [Captain Marvelous]; victim advocate [Raising Kane from the Out of the Dark anthology and Those Who Wait]; conquering morbid obesity [The List]. 

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

Try Just Once More because it’s fun, funny and celebrates women who refuse to give up even when crushed by those in a power positions.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?  

As taste for social injustice and why we should fight it every day of our lives.

What two authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing? 

Sorry, I couldn’t stop at two. I really like Elmore Leonard who writes the stories behind TV’s “Justified”; Linda Castillo whose latest is the fourth in a series in Amish country in Ohio; Daniel Silva whose latest is “Fallen Angel” because Gabriel Allon is one of the tortured heroes I adore; and of course Nora Roberts who, IMO, hit one out of the park with The Witness. Simply brilliant.

Excerpt from Try Just Once More by Kat Henry Doran:

The woman showed more brass than the Marine Corps Band. “Look, Miz McGuire, could we start over?”

She glared down her nose at him, like she’d just stepped in something foul. “You’re too late, Chief. Much too late.”

With that, she stalked toward the exit door, leaving an open-mouth Mike wondering where he’d lost control of the situation. Staff at the desk immediately sought avenues of escape. As two nurses slipped past him, one said, “It’s always a treat to watch the Reigning Queen of Man-Haters kick some guy to the curb.”

“That Maggie,” the other sighed. “She’s my hero.”

Taking a slow count of three, Mike bolted for the door, and found the Queen in the parking lot. Posture military stiff, she strutted toward a red Saturn, hair flowing around her shoulders in a halo of copper. Despite his mounting agitation, he couldn’t help but admire her guts. And her fanny.

“Maggie. Please. Let me apologize.”

Still moving, she called over one shoulder, “As I indicated before, you’re too late.”

Bitterness, an emotion tied too closely to his failed marriage, scalded the back of his throat. “You know something, lady? A couple hours ago, I couldn’t decide if your beef is just with cops, or men in general. Clearly that’s not the case.”

She came to a stop, drew back her shoulders, then turned. “Who awarded you the right to pass judgment on me?”

The verbal exchange gave him the time needed to reach her side. To get in her face. “Don’t try to convince me that all men rank as a lower life form with you. Not after I saw you hanging all over Investigator Jackson.”

She reached down to jab the key into the door lock. “Obviously, my convincing skills need a bit of polishing.”

Great excerpt. Where can readers find your books?

Go to www.thewildrosepress.com, type Kat Henry Doran or Veronica Lynch into the box marked Author or Title. The website will take it from there. 

Where can readers find you?

My website is www.KatHenry.com. My blog is: www.wildwomenauthorsX2.blogspot.com.

Thanks for having me, Diane. I enjoyed answering the questions because they brought up things I don’t often obsess about!

It’s been my pleasure having you, Veronica.