Interview with Julieanne Lynch, author of Beneath the Lighthouse

What can you tell us about your new release, Beneath the Lighthouse? My latest novel is a thrilling, creepy, paranormal adventure for lovers of Young Adult horror and chilling mysteries. It follows Jamie McGuinness, the sixteen-year-old protagonist, whose life is less than ideal. After the death of his sister, Jamie sinks into depression. His grief controls every thought and action. Those who should care the most have changed and become monsters before his eyes. He struggles to cope, and his only saving grace is the lighthouse where his sister was found dead. But it is here where his journey truly begins. It’s not your average teenage horrorfest. It deals with some serious themes; such as physical and mental abuse, depression and sacrifice. All give an edge to Jamie’s story, providing the reader a deeper understanding of his thoughts and feelings, and add to the overall reading experience.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve always been a reader. Books were my savior when I was growing up, and they became a source of comfort to me. It was my love of books that inspired the storyteller within me, and authors like Stephen King, Raymond E Feist, Terry Goodkind, and Terry Pratchett stirred the desire to pen my own work.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Dracula by Bram Stoker Great Expectations by Charles Dickens The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Oh, there are so many, but I think my first guest would have to be Stephen King. I would ask if he hadn’t been such a phenomenal success as a writer, would he have continued teaching. And if so, would he have been satisfied.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

I love the escapism it gives me. I find it therapeutic to go into my office, close the door, and just lose myself to my imagination. Whether I’m working to deadline, or writing for pleasure, the whole process allows me time to unwind from the often-chaotic life of a mother of five.

What is a typical day like for you?

My days vary. Normally before any writing gets done, I’ve lunches to make, and school runs to do. Between the hours of 9:30am and 1:40pm I write. (I’m normally always working to deadline.) I break from writing to get my youngest child from school, and I find that once the homework is done, dinner is cooked, and everyone else gets in, I can’t really go back to work until after their bedtime. I do however like to write at night. That’s when my creativity is at its best.

What scene in Beneath the Lighthouse was your favorite to write?

Without giving too many spoilers away, I’d have to say the scene towards the end, involving Jack, Iliana, and Jamie inside the lighthouse was my favorite. I loved having Jamie completely taken over by Iliana. The duress Jack was put under in his final moments was one of the most thrilling, if not emotional, scenes I’ve ever written. It’s complex. It’s edgy. It’s gripping. As a writer I felt very pleased.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Yes. Every day I recite the following, because even on my darkest days, I need to remind myself that there is hope. “Even if the hopes you started out with are dashed, hope has to be maintained.” Seamus Heaney

Julieanne Lynch is the author of the new book Beneath the Lighthouse.  Connect with Julieanne: Author Page Twitter Buy The Book