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
