Friday, December 13, 2013

Welcome Denise Patrick today

Please give a warm welcome to author Denise Patrick who joins me today in talking books, holidays and more.

Thank you for having me here today. A little about me. I have lived around the military for most of my life. I was born in an Army hospital, joined the Army myself after I finished graduate school, then married another Army officer just before I got out. The ability to travel and learn about different places has inspired me more than anything else. When we lived in Europe, I was in awe of the history and the possible stories. Imagination is a wonderful thing.

I grew up reading Barbara Cartland romances. They were mostly Regencies and pretty tame by today's standards, but I still like them. My writing is also pretty tame and I have been reminded of that by reviews that say, "This is from Samhain!!" I believe strongly in truth in advertising, so I tell people that if they are looking for erotica, look somewhere else. Even if they are looking for graphic sex, they should look somewhere else. I don't shy away from sex scenes, but not all my books have them because sex is not always necessary in a romance (especially in a historical if I want it to be accurate).

To get us started can you tell us a little about what you are working on or have coming out?
I am currently working on the third in my "Scarred" series. The first two, The Scarred Heir and The Scarred Heart, were released in 2012, but I'm a slow writer, so The Scarred Heiress isn't finished yet. I hope to get it done by the first of the year and send it off. Wish me luck!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Somewhere in Europe - probably Germany. Both my husband and I were in the military and spent considerable time there. We now go back at least once a year for a visit to old haunts and new places we didn't make it to before. Even though I have done extensive research on England and write books set there, I have yet to make it there for a visit. It's on my list.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?
The Importance of Almack's - for two reasons. 1) It's not part of a series - yet. I do eventually plan to write about the brothers in the book, but it hasn't happened yet.  2) It was my first book, and is still a favorite. It will tell you whether you will like my style of writing and storytelling.

If you could collaborate with one author who would it be?
RaeAnne Thayne. Even though she writes contemporaries and I write historicals, I'd love to be able to add the emotional punch she writes consistently into her books. I'm working on my emotional depth, but the style and ease with which she writes it is breath-taking. She would probably tell me that it isn't easy, but when you read her books, the writing just flows, so it seems like it's easy!

Do you have a book that was easiest to write or one that was the hardest?
I don't know that any of my books was easy to write, but the one that seemed to pop into my head fully formed was The Importance of Almack's. The hardest to write was The Scarred Heart because it was much more emotional than any of the others. I made the decision, while writing it, to stretch myself emotionally. From the feedback I've received so far, I succeeded, but it's something I really want to get better at.

What can readers expect next from you?
Well, as I said earlier, I'm working on the third Scarred novel. After that, I will be trying to finish up an Inspirational Historical that has a currently working title of "Expectations." I'm not holding my breath because I've been working on it for a few years and I keep running out of steam. I also have sketchy outlines for two books that would follow Almack's - about the two brothers in the book. 

My latest book is a Christmas story called Love For Christmas. The hero/heroine were secondary characters who never met in Family Scandals. Here's the blurb:

’Tis the season—for love.

Falling in love at first sight—with another man’s wife—was hell for Phillip Houghton. Never mind that he knew Julianna’s husband to be a thoroughly unsavory man, the ring on her finger meant she was off limits.

Even after the man’s untimely death, Phillip put even more distance between them, leaving the country to give her time to heal. Three years later he is back, and determined that nothing will let her slip through his fingers. Not even his status as a second son.

To all outward appearances, Julianna is content with her life as a widow with two small children. On the inside, the scars of her husband’s abuse feed her general distrust of men. Phillip makes her painfully aware of how lonely her life truly is, but why marry again when she has all the family, and security, she needs?

Yet as Phillip wins over her parents and children, she finds herself drawn to him. Dare she trust her mind—and her heart—for a second chance with forever written all over him?

Warning: Never underestimate a man who is willing to deal with a two-year-old in tantrum mode.

Buy links for Love for Christmas

Find Denise on the Web at
Blog (I don't blog much, but there are links to all my reviews)
CT Forum (descriptions and background on all my books)

Yahoo Newsletter Group (very low-key group, mainly announcements)

Check out our review for Family Secrets

2 comments:

Rebecca Gillan said...

You had me hooked with "don't trust a man who's willing to deal with a two-year-old in tantrum mode." LOL!

Denise Patrick said...

Thanks again for having me over - and for the review of Family Scandals.