Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Brooklyn. I joined the Air Force and saw the world. I got a degree in English literature from Saginaw Valley in Michigan and then became a science teacher at Miami-Dade. Figure that one out! I now live surrounded by mountains in a Caribbean island with my sixteen-year-old little dog, Wicked. I stay away from the news, pushy people and anything stressful.. I am finally doing what I always wanted to do; I read, enjoy the views surrounding my home and write. My first novel, Daniel’s Fork, is available at most ebook stores. On sale also is my novella A Time for Love and the short story Edge of The World. I am currently at work on my next novel. Zeecé Lugo is my writing name.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Strongheart’s Woman. It will be available at Smashwords, Amazon, etc. late 2014. It is part of the Daniel’s Fork series and was inspired by my desire to build a whole, complete, and logical world for the series. Characters must not exist in a vacuum. They must have history, motivations, lives that have come from somewhere to the point where we meet them. Setiyah, the healer, is a central character in Daniel’s Fork and destined to be the central character for Will Evers. Strongheart’s woman is about her; it deals with her years before she meets Will Evers.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I will go two or three days without writing and then write for twelve or fourteen hours straight. When I write, I do nothing else. I tune out the world completely.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Agatha Christie, Ursula K. Le Guin with her Earthsea fantasy world, Ellis Peters and her beautiful, simple, and complex medieval world and lovely prose. I loved Anne McCaffrey and her Pern series. In fact, in my series I have more or less fashioned myself after her in that I am building a future world that mimics the past. Although Daniel’s Fork is set in the future, it reads like a historical novel. I have also been influenced by more recent writers of paranormal romances like Karen Marie Moning and Kresley Cole in that I love their very male heroes and gutsy heroines.
What are you working on now?
I am working on two novels at the same time. I am doing the final edits to Strongheart’s Woman, and I am also half-way through A Time for Lords, which goes back to tell the story of how trekker Daniel Montero leads his ragtag group of survivors to start Daniel’s Fork. My next book after that will be the sequel to Daniel’s Fork. It will focus on Will Evers and the healer again, their adventures and developing relationship.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have done absolutely no promotions. This is the first site where I have actually listed Daniel’s Fork. I wanted very much to have something to offer the readers other than reading one book and having to wait for a year for the next one. Now that there are three titles available and another shortly to come out, I think it is time to start promoting. I do have a Facebook author page, and I am on Goodreads. My own website and blog are primarily geared to promote my work.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. There are a zillion indie authors and assorted people out there eager to get you to ‘like’ their pages and offer advice and trade reviews. It is easy to lose sight of what you really want to do. It can be overwhelming and take up incredible amounts of time. It can also lead to you following bad advice. Look at what the ‘successful’ indies are doing and model yourself accordingly.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, write, write. Then, edit, edit, edit.
What are you reading now?
Hercules Gone Mad by Kurt Brindley. By chance, I wondered into his blog, read a group of short stories he had posted, and I was hooked. I immediately went looking for his book.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing and building a fan base.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I have always been the type to read a book and then read it again years later. Some, like The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, I have read many times. I would bring the brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. I would choose my favorite four out of the twenty she wrote. Or I could go totally romantic and bring Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series. After all, in a desert island, highlanders and sex would be not too shabby.
Author Websites and Profiles
Zeecé Zeecé Lugo Website
Zeecé Zeecé Lugo Amazon Profile
Zeecé Zeecé Lugo Author Profile on Smashwords
Zeecé Zeecé Lugo’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account