Money For Nothing was the winner in the Paranormal category for the 2022 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Julie Tetel Andresen.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Money For Nothing was published in 2020.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Wendy tripped lightly down the steps leading from her apartment over the garage.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
One mysterious device, consumed by a dead boa constrictor. Two star-crossed werepanthers on the hunt for a missing person. Three gangs of international mobsters in on the chase. Welcome to Florida!
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Florida inspired me. No kidding. I’ve had a long-time fascination for Florida, with its unique ecosystem overlaid with a veneer of Americana. I’ve lived in both Orlando and Miami, and I always knew I wanted to set a story in these two places.
Money for Nothing is Book II in my Shapeshifter Series, so the plot was inspired by events in the first book, Buy Me Love, which involves an international online love scam ring.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The two main characters are Wendy and Jackson, both werepanthers. Wendy is a loner and an excellent tracker, as a werepanther would be. Jackson is next-in-line to be Prime of the Florida werepanthers, and he’s a man who does his duty even though he feels trapped in his position.
I’m into Korean drama these days, and so Wendy reminds me of any young woman in a K-drama who works in large corporation in Seoul, likely as a temp, who dresses plainly, and who doesn’t get invited to do things with the other young salaried women who wear the latest styles and know all about make-up and hair. Wendy follows her own path with clarity and dignity.
I think of Jackson as the Beast (of Beauty and the Beast). However, Jackson is a panther, not a lion (or the Disney buffalo/bear/boar). And he isn’t cursed by an enchantress because he had no love in his heart. Nevertheless, he is cursed by his position because it seems to entail living without love.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
If you want a vacation to Florida which includes stops at Universal Studios and Miami Beach, if you like murder mysteries and romance, and if you’re curious to learn about the world of werepanthers and their encounters with humans, then Money for Nothing might be for you.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
It would be great to find Miccosukee actors for the parts, but if none exist, I’d go for almost any young Native Americans.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I was in my 20s when I realized I could write down the stories that had always been in my head. Since I was little, I’ve always told myself stories when going to sleep. I thought everyone did that. When I discovered this was not the case, I thought, “Hey, I’d better start writing these stories down.”
Is this the first you’ve written?
I mentioned above that Money for Nothing is the second book in my Shapeshifter Series. So, no, it’s not my first. I’ve written quite a few.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I am a professional linguist and have a career in teaching.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I have always kept a daily writing log to keep track of my production. Keeping track cuts down on my anxiety. For instance, yesterday and the day before, I marked down two big Zeroes for writing progress. Then this morning I got up and have now devoted a good five or six hours to my current writing project (a revision of an existing story).
During the two days of non-production, I wasn’t happy about the zeroes. But then this morning as I looked back over my log of the 10 days that preceded them, I could see that I was ready for a break.
So, the answer to the question about the time I spend on my writing is: It’s variable. The key is to keep at it constantly, knowing that some days will be nothing. Sometimes fifteen minutes at my desk can be a good day.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part about being an indie is the freedom to go from project to project as I wish. The hardest part is finding the audience that I believe is out there for my work.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
If a traditional publisher came calling, I’d listen to what they had to say. When you sell your book to a publisher, they own the copyright. So, you have to balance what you can do for yourself against what they can do for you. It may or not be a good idea to sell your copyright.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
If fame or fortune motivated me, I would have chosen a different profession, and I wouldn’t have gone indie. My motivation is my vision. I have a vision for what I’m doing, and I want to realize that vision with every story.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Marcel Proust comes to mind. I was thinking about him this morning. Talk about a writer who stayed true to his vision! His In Search of Lost Time spans seven volumes and brings to life the people and intrigues of Belle Epoque Paris.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Here I draw a blank. I don’t, for instance, wish I could have written In Search of Lost Time. I admire it, but I wouldn’t have wanted to write it.