Welcome Desiree Holt today and a Contest

CONTEST INFORMATION: Desiree is giving away to one lucky reader One ebook from her backlist. All you need to do is comment to be entered in to win. Leave your email address along with comment in order to be contacted if you win. Contest ends March 3rd, 2012.

How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination?

I think I've been writing on scraps of paper all my life. But my dream was to write fiction. Actually mystery fiction, because that's what I grew upon. I had no time to do this until I retired but then I sat down and said, okay. I'm doing it. But after three weeks I still had the same three chapters in front of me. Then I read Linda Howard's r/s CRY NO MORE, and that was it. I was off to the races. I wrote RUN FOR YOUR LIFE (which eventually released as TARGET) and the characters talked to me the entire time I was writing.

What makes your characters so vulnerable yet strong? Can you describe them to us? What do you do when characters stop talking to you when writing?

I'm a character-driven writer. I think it's because someone said to me when I was still green s grass "I can't 'see' your characters." I finally figured out what she meant and ever since then the toughest and emotions and internal dialogue of the characters, what makes them tick and how they react has been what drives my plots. When they stop talking to me I punish them by working on different characters in a different setting. My original characters get ticked off and attack my head in the shower. That's where I get some of my best ideas.

You have some great secondary characters in your books. Will we see spin offs in regards to them in their own story lines? Do you prefer writing series books over non series or does it matter?

Thank you. Yes, I really do like writing series books. I have several going right now and I'm getting requests for stories about the secondary characters in so many stand atones that I'm outlining their stories to work on when I finish my current WIPs.

What do you think is the level of sensuality/heat in your books? What can readers expect from your books with respect to sexual content and sensuality?

I write a very high level of sensuality, graphic and explicit but always within the context of the story. My inspiration is Joey Hill, who brings so much emotion to her erotic romances. Again, because my stories are character-drive, the sex is never gratuitous. It always fits into the story line.

Please tell us about your latest/upcoming release(s). What are they/it all about?

Of course, LUST BECOMES YOU, the Valentino's Delight story that is part of Decadent's The Edge series, a warm love story about reunited love. And I just released OUT OF CONTROL, from The Wild Rose Press. It's a very gritty romantic suspense, and although the sex is, again, graphic, it doesn't overshadow the story. The plot may not be easy for everyone to read and writing it was really a stretch of talent for me but I'm very proud of it and hope everyone will read it. Coming soon from Ellora's Cave: TRAINING AMBER, a sequel to TEACHING MOLLY. And from Decadent: DARK SECRETS, part of the Western Escapes series

What genre do you write in? Is there a genre you haven't tried yet but want to in the future?

I write all sub genres of erotic romance except scifi, fantasy, urban and horror. They don’t really appeal to me although some really excellent writers have books in those genres. I think I'd like to try and stretch myself to lean a little toward mainstream and expand my audience. I'm hoping to do that with OUT OF CONTROL.

What is the last line of your last WIP you worked on that you wrote?

She could relax into it and study the man next to her.

What do you do for fun/relax? Any hobbies?

I read. Love to read. August to the end of January I watch football, football and more football. But writing is also my enjoyment so it takes up a lot of my time.

Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it?

I thought a bout that in OUT OF CONTROL. I'm anxious to see the reaction to it.

If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be? And why?

Faith from JUNGLE INFERNO, because she learned how to rappel from  helicopter and fire an AK47 to help rescue her lover, all the while meeting her book deadlines!

What do you do on a typical writing day?

Wake up, feed my cats and the deer outside my house. Answer email. Do my treadmill. Shower and dress. Write until 4:00. Feed the cats and deer again. Answer email. Break at 6 to eat dinner and watch Jeopardy (I'm an addict). Then to bed with my cats to read and watch TV and make notes for the next day. And somewhere in their do edits.

Can you please give us an idea on what you are working on for the future?

Okay, I guess the best thing is to list them:

HAMMERED (in process) AND NAILED for ERECTOR SET

TOUCH ME for The Phoenix Agency

BRANDED BY LUST for Night Seekers

The next NEMESIS book with Cerise Deland

AFTERSHOCK, sequel to JOY RIDE

Sequel to STARK NAKED

And two as yet untitled

What’s better to write about-perfect characters or flawed ones? And why?

Oh, flawed. Absolutely. Seeing their redemption and the reasons for it is very emotional.

When you have writer's block how do you break free?

You mean besides banging my head? Do an extra 30 mins on my treadmill. Read something totally different than I write. Sometimes it's as easy as going from one WIP to another.

Few fun ones:

If you could travel to any time period, where would you and why?

The old west because I love those cowboys and I want to wear petticoats.

Hollywood has come calling and is interested in JUNGLE INFERNO. You get to pick the actors to play the main characters (Faith and Mark). Elizabeth Shue for Faith and either Gary Sinese or Chris O'Donnell for Mark. Yummy.

What is your one favorite foods to enjoy? Pizza, pizza and more pizza.

Any weird cravings when writing? Cool Whip and blueberries

Anything else to add?

Thanks, Dawn, for the opportunity to appear here today and reach out to readers. I love all my readers and hope they will always tell me how they like my books, good or bad. And I don't think I'll ever stop writing.

LUST BECOMES YOU by Desiree Holt

Decadent Publishing

Contemporary/BDSM

Buy HERE

Kylie Monroe fell in love and in lust with Sam Cooper, reaching new highs of ecstasy as they explored the world of BDSM. She foresaw a rich life together filled with love and erotic sex. When Sam dumped her to pursue success in the legal field, telling her there was “always tomorrow,” she never quite recovered from the hurt.

Ten years later, Kylie’s still gun-shy in the love department and frustrated in the sex department. Nobody could replace Sam. Then on a snowy Valentine’s Day she has an unexpected opportunity to reconnect with him. But can Sam persuade her that their love is real this time? Can he woo her back with the kind of sex she’d been missing?