Author Spotlight - Q&A with Tina Pinson

STEPH: I don't know much about "When Shadows Fall." What's it about?

TINA: When Shadows Fall is what I call my Oregon With the Wind novel. Because it takes place in 1862, during the Civil War and then on the Oregon trail.

It is the story of Rebekah St. James-Montgomery and her plight to find her husband and keep her sanity through the turmoil and loss of war. When she finds Robert he is barely alive and has lost both his legs. She fights to save him, but loses the battle. And nearly forfeits her sanity in the process. Seeing an old friend, and love, Matthew Cavanaugh, has her dreaming of things she believes could never be hers. When she learns that Robert wanted to go west, Rebekah decides to stop dreaming and wallowing in what might have been. She makes plans to head west to the Oregon, the new Eden, in the hopes of finding life again.

Matthew learns of her plans and her loss and decides he is going to be the one who helps her west, whether she wants him to or not. Because his dream isn't the west, his dream is to have Rebekah for his own.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

TINA: It took a year and some 900 pages. I wrote the story twenty years ago and found it was too long and no one wanted it. So I cut it into a serial and sent it to Desert Breeze and Gail took a chance on me.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

TINA: I did a lot of research about the trail and some on the Civil War. I really wanted people to get a taste for the lives of those during that time. That was my main reason for story in the first place. I was tired of reading stories where the people went on the Oregon Trail or the Santa Fe Trail and within a chapter had already reached their destination.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

TINA: The cover encapsulates a scene in the story where Rebekah stands over two crosses under a weather-bared tree with her son, Andrew. The gray and black signifies her life and the life of the country. The touch of light is a reminder that even in the darkest days there is hope.

STEPH: Rebekah is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness?

TINA: Her strength is her ability to fight for those she loves and keep pressing ahead. Her ability to forgive. Her weakness is that it takes so long for her to forgive herself and trust in someone's love when she didn't anything wrong. And maybe her strength is sometimes her weakness, because in some aspects it makes her mule headed to make things right.

STEPH: What does Matthew find appealing about her?

TINA: He's loved her since she was a child. And he loves her strength and her tenderness.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

TINA: I've considered the theme in detail, and I suppose it would be that through the toughest times, through pain and sorrow, through Shadows there is someone to walk with you.

I have a little poem in the beginning of the story that Rebekah wrote and it talks about the Shadows of life. How some are good, like the shadow that cools off the day, or the shadow of man cast across the land. And some are bad, that the shadow of loss or longing, or the shadow that fills your mind and torments you.

That says a lot about the story and why I gave it the name I did.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

TINA: I draw inspiration from the world around me. From things that seem of little consequence. The mundane. I draw inspiration from my life. Rebekah is one character that has been cast after me and how I see myself. I believe God gives me inspiration, and hope that my stories will inspire others.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

TINA: I have a second edition Kindle. I like it. Although I have tempted to get something newer. Maybe an IPAD. Someday.

STEPH: Fun question: What are your plans for Memorial Day?

TINA: We plan to head to Colorado and clean out our trailer and move some things in our shed. Now, don't everyone get all envious and want to go along. Sounds like we'll have too much fun. Or not much at all. But we will get to see family while were there and I'm looking forward to that.

When Shadows Fall http://tinyurl.com/d93p77a
In the Manor of the Ghost http://ning.it/dB0zAj,
Touched By Mercy http://ning.it/9OJZ5r
BLOG http://tinapinson.blogspot.com/
Website http://www.tinapinson.com Twitter @Tina_Pinson
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD... " Jer. 29:11

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery"

Thanks so much for supporting Kris during her spotlight week. Leave a comment on today's post today, Saturday, or Sunday and you'll be entered for Kris's giveaway. Kris is giving away a "Norway is the New Scotland" mug and a keychain from the cathedral ruins in Hamar, Norway. Remember to leave your email with your comment so we can get a hold of you. Enjoy this excerpt from Kris's release, "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery."

Smiles
Moderator Steph

***********

He had nothing at stake. He and Niels were merely escorting a woman and one or two of her servants around the southern tip of Norway. And earning three hundred dalers in recompense. In addition, he would soon make a profit on the money he spent paying off Skogen's debts.

If he was to be nervous about anything it should be facing his family again after stomping out of their lives eight years ago. He wasn't certain he would even be welcomed. He might be forced to let Niels complete the woman's delivery if his own reception proved hostile.

But he couldn't think about that now.

And he certainly couldn't think about romancing the beautiful widow.

Niels reined the pair of horses to a halt in front of Lady Regin's manor. No -- he must think of her as the Baroness. Or Lady Kildahl. Or Jarl's wife.

Not Regin. Not the woman whose unbowed determination in her desperate situation had touched his heart and gained his respect. Not the glossy-haired blue-eyed noblewoman who stooped to selling eggs in the village market. Not the intelligent beauty who figured out a way to give up her family's estate and regain it through the same action.

Thoughts like those could only lead him down undesirable alleys with no way out.

"Ready?" Niels asked.

In answer, Brander jumped down from the carriage seat. The cousins climbed the steps and Niels knocked on the massive wood door.

The door was opened by a maid dressed in traveling clothes who ushered them into the entry hall. Lady Kildahl stood at the bottom of the staircase. She wore a lavender bodice and sleeves over a long-sleeved linen blouse and a matching woolen skirt. A brown fur-lined hooded cloak waited, draped over the stair railing. Her back was straight, chin high, and hands clasped under her bosom. She appeared controlled and calm.

Until she saw Brander.

The words, "It's you!" rounded her pink lips. Her brow lowered.

Niels made the introduction, and his hand swung around to Brander. Brander gave the lady a deep bow.

"You are Lord Olsen?" The incredulous look on her face hovered on furious. Even so, her hand floated upward toward his. "Why didn't you - when I saw you--"

Brander took her hand and pressed it to his lips. The blisters on her palm surprised him; the reassuring scent of lemon soap did not. He straightened and his eyes never moved from hers.

"Why do you stare at me so rudely?" she demanded. "Will you not at least speak to me?"

Her startled gaze jumped to Niels and rested there a moment. Her cheeks paled, then flushed with disturbing radiance. Brander didn't turn away; he assumed what Niels was saying.

She looked at Brander again with eyes huge and dark.

Her hand covered her throat. "Oh!"

He didn't know how to react so he stood still, rooted stupidly by her surprised consideration.

"You can't hear me?"

He shook his head.

She frowned again. "But you know what I'm saying..."

He touched the edge of his eye, his lips, and pointed to her.

Her features relaxed a little. "You--" She pointed at him. "Watch--" She touched the edge of her own eye and slid her finger down her cheek to her lower lip. "My mouth."

He nodded, pleasantly surprised. No one had ever mimicked him with such respect.

Her head tilted. "And how will I know what you are saying?"

He blinked, momentarily unable to think coherently. She was talking to him. Not to Niels about him. That never happened. When people found out he was deaf, they spoke to his valet and cut him out of their conversation.

They never asked how he would communicate with them!

Brander lifted his hands, palms up and fingers splayed.

"You talk with your hands?" Her expression lightened. "That makes sense."

He clamped his hands together to signal 'and.' Then he mimed writing on his left palm with his right hand.

"Well of course! You write!" Lady Kildahl blushed again. The way the heightened color complemented her eyes made Brander's pulse jump. Steady, man.

*****


Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotlight - Writing a Deaf Character

Needless to say, writing a deaf character as a hearing person does present some challenges. The first was ignoring what American Sign Language I do know; those gestures didn't exist in the 1700s so I had to make up new signals. Signals that a seven-year-old boy might invent.

Next was remembering that Brander Hansen can't hear. Seems obvious, but I lost count of how many times I started to have him react to something as common as a knock on the door! Of course, I'd also write the heroine Regin Kildahl doing something inappropriate as well. When I caught myself, I would write that into her action: "She lowered her voice until she remembered she didn't need to."

Third, Brander's multiple methods of communicating needed to be conveyed to the reader in an easy-to-follow manner so that I wasn't constantly having to use cumbersome tags and explanations. By Book Two, "A Discreet Gentleman of Matrimony," I'm trusting the reader to know and understand how Brander is communicating without them.

Fourth - and this was an easy one - was explaining my visual code to my publisher. I needed them to know these quirks weren't mistakes, they were intentional. I settled on the following formats:
"Spoken words are always in quotation marks."
Written words are always in italics, whether in dialog or letters.
Brander motioned: When the dialog is gestured, there are no quotation marks.

Fifth - and this was the hardest one - I had to be sensitive to the deaf community and walk the line between 18th-century attitudes toward the deaf, and Brander's own identity as a deaf man. I think I've done well based on early readers' responses.

Here is the silent ASL trailer for "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzBMPPVdZq8

And here is the traditional trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjj986aaTR8

Enjoy them both!

Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotlight - Kris Tualla is on location - part two.

Arendal, Norway is the ancestral home of my fictional Hansen family and is pivotal in the plot of "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery" (Book One) and "A Discreet Gentleman of Consequence" (Book Three, coming in December). My Hansens have lived there since Viking days, but were very nearly wiped out during the Black Death (1348-1354) ~ until Rydar Martin Petter-Edvard Hansen returned from his family's exile in Greenland. Along with his Scottish wife, Grier MacInnes, he reclaimed the family estate and busily set about reestablishing the family dynasty.

The first thing I noticed was the church in the center of the town, built in the 1700's. Norway's early churches (ca 800ad-1100ad) were of wooden stave construction. When Christianity reached Norway (ca 1100ad) some of them were repurposed. But unfortunately, most of those ancient buildings were torn down and rebuilt. I chose to say that when Rydar arrived in Arendal in 1354, there was a wooden stave church in the center of town.

I placed the heir-disputed Hansen Hall on a rocky bluff west of town, about a one-mile walk from the church. Today that bluff is crowded with homes. The shipping docks of Arendal, a summer vacation destination for many Norwegians, are now used mostly for pleasure boats, upscale shops and housing. But Arendal holds onto its history, with many restored and inhabited 1800s houses!

My trip to Norway was so much fun ~ and I had no problem imagining my Hansen heroes living there so long ago. In fact, I think I saw one of them out of the corner of my eye… ☺

My photos of these places and additional commentary are posted here: http://www.kristualla.com/News___Links.html


Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotight - Kris Tualla is on location - part one...

I began writing my Norse heroes in 2006. Five years later, in the summer of 2011, I had the privilege of traveling to Norway for about 10 days. What a spectacular trip that was! And I visited places I wrote about, of course.

First, I had the privilege of exploring the fortress called Akershus Castle. Akershus is still a functional military installation ~ which explains why no floor plans were available either online nor in person.

This also explains why my imaginings and reality don't always line up. But, considering that this fortress is over 700 years old, and has been added to and remodeled countless times in the interim, there is every reason to believe that some of the areas might have looked as they do in my descriptions. And some of the descriptions do match!

When I picked the little town of Hamar for Lady Regin Kildahl's home in "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery" all I knew was that it was the right distance from Christiania (Oslo today) and it didn't have any non-English letters in its name.

I soon discovered there is a cathedral there, built in the 13th century and burned in the 16th century by warring Swedes. I was able to place my hero Brander Hansen at the ruins where a conversation with a priest proves pivotal to his one of his investigations.

Hamar Cathedral wasn't as polished as other great cathedrals, such as the ones in Italy where craftsmen excelled in creating fantastic buildings of marble…

Even so, Hamar remained an important religious and political center in Norway, organized around the cathedral until the Reformation.
Today the cathedral ruins are under a canopy of glass to prevent further deterioration. That also allows the ruins to be used for such momentous occasions as weddings. Can you imagine a more romantic setting?

To be continued…



Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spolight - Q&A with Kris Tualla

STEPH: I don't know much about "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery." What's it about?

KRIS: This is the story of Brander Hansen, a disinherited son passed over because he became DEAF at age 7 as the result of multiple ear infections. We find him in 1720 Christiania (now Oslo) practicing a trade as a 'discreet gentleman of discovery' - a private investigator. He's saving every penning until he can buy an estate of his own and prove his father's choice wrong. He's on the verge of doing so when the Baroness of that estate writes to him asking for his help in saving her ancestral home from creditors. In actuality, that means saving it from Brander.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

KRIS: Generally it takes me four months to write a novel, and a couple more to edit and proof.

STEPH: What was the inspiration for the story?

KRIS: An article in the Romance Writer Report (RWR) which talked about how women are attracted to men who stare at them like they are the only person in the room. I thought, "Who stares like that? Deaf men!"

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story?

KRIS: A friend of mine offered to be on the cover and grew his hair for 6 months before the photo shoot. His curls and reddish-gold color are perfect for Brander. The background is a photo I took at the cathedral ruins in Hamar, Norway - a location where Brander has a crime-solving epiphany.

STEPH: Brander is the hero. What are his strengths? Weaknesses?

KRIS: Oh, he's brilliant. So strong and capable. And he uses his deafness to solve crimes, especially by reading lips. As he often states: When people find out I'm deaf, they forget I'm in the room.

STEPH: What does Regin find appealing about him?

KRIS: When she first sees him, she thinks he's a creditor come to claim her estate. Later, she is surprised to find out he's deaf; unperturbed, she speaks to him, not to his valet about him. She's fascinated as Brander tracks a serial killer. She feels safe around him - unlike the husband who bankrupted her estate before turning violent.



The glitch is that she doesn't know who Brander really is for the first 3/4 of the book!

STEPH: What do you hope readers take away from reading the novel?

KRIS: That a "disabled" hero can still be a memorable, sexy, and desirable hero! *fans self to keep from swooning*

STEPH: What attracted you to setting the story in Norway?

KRIS: Norway is the new Scotland. It's time for heroes who don't wear kilts! All of my heroes ("A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery" is my 6th novel) and one heroine are Norse. The stories take place in America, Scotland and Norway over 5 centuries. So far.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

KRIS: My name is Kris and I'm a Kindleholic. Don't cure me.

STEPH: Fun question: Spring is in the air. Are there any spring festivals in your area? How do you embrace spring?

KRIS: I just attended the Highland Games in Phoenix and checked in with my clan: Bell of the Borders. I do love men in kilts even if I don't write about them!


Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Shirley Kiger Connelly

STEPH: I don't know much about Say Goodbye to Yesterday. What's it about?

SHIRLEY: This is not exactly the blurb, which you can read on the Desert Breeze site, but here is a brief synopses.

Annabelle Lou Jordan walked away from her faith years ago and now faces one set of trials after another. In need of a fresh touch of God's Grace, she's in no hurry to return to her faith.

Her story begins in 1878, several years following the secret delivery of her second child. Still unwed, Annabelle and her two daughters reside in the home of an aunt and reverend uncle where the children live as wards of the church. Annabelle remains convinced she must keep both her physically-impaired girls hidden from the father, who vocalized his distaste for children with imperfections, naturally giving her cause to finally send him away.

But when the community discovers her and her daughters’ fifteen-year-old secret, it changes everything. Booted from town by the church folks and most of the community, Annabelle is forced to take the girls to the father after all. She convinces herself he’s her only choice. If he comes through with his old marriage pledge, her children will finally have the security, home, and future they so desperately need.

But that was before Annabelle found herself drawn to Major Carlton Radcliffe. How was she to know she’d fall carelessly in love with someone far beyond her reach, loyal to the faith she’s fleeing, and possibly pledged to a wife and family of his own?

STEPH: Where did you find the inspiration for it?

SHIRLEY: Part of my inspiration came from the many years I’ve counseled with people who have gone through similar problems. I also found in my historical research that this type of thing was happening a lot more in the 1800s than was ever brought out for our knowledge, and, yes, even in the Christian community. Times have not really changed that much.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

SHIRLEY: FOREVER! (smile). I mean really forever. I am a very slow writer. I must have rewritten this thing a bazillion times. But maybe it’s because I find so much that can be improved upon every time I go through it. (I’m so proud of those who can do four books a year in one fell swoop.)



STEPH: How important is setting to the novel?

SHIRLEY: I love to write about the east coast mostly. There’s so much history back there, but it seems that I find myself pushing westward in my stories during the 1870s and1880s, maybe because so many people were venturing off in that direction back then. I guess I would have to say setting just has to fit with the time and the particular situation.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research for the novel?

SHIRLEY: I did a lot, but I love to do a lot. I see a great importance to dig for what REALLY happened during a certain time. Not just what they SAY happened. Really learning about it. I also love anything that involves military life. That takes extensive research too.

STEPH: Hollywood just told you they want to make a movie of your novel. Cast the leads!

SHIRLEY: Oh, that’s a great question. Well, already I know who my hero would be. I see a young Val Kilmer but with curlier hair and not the blond streaks in my particular story. Okay, whose my heroine? Hmm, let me think. Drew Barrymore could be my Annabelle. For my Geraldine, who plays a very strong role in my book, it would have to be the little girl that was in the recent movie called Matilda, with Danny Devito. But I don’t know her name. (I mostly watch old TCM movies.) When you read the book, you’ll have to picture who the nanny would be. She is in a league all by herself.

STEPH: What do you want people to take away from the novel?

SHIRLEY: Life can be very difficult, and often is for a lot of us. It’s the choices we make that determine the difference in where life will take us, and we need to realize more, how our decisions don’t just affect ourselves, but rather affect everyone around us and not always for the best.

STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

SHIRLEY: More of a pantser than a plotter. After I’m well into the story, I can begin to plot a little better. But I usually write just what comes to mind in the middle of the night or while I’m looking at the computer screen. Maybe that’s why I take so long to flesh out my story.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

SHIRLEY: My husband built me a great computer stand for my laptop that rolls around wherever I feel like going. I have an office where I keep my printer, but I don’t like to sit in there at my desk. I also have a lovely vintage parlor with a small roll top desk but I can’t sit in a straight back chair for very long. So I go where my mood takes me…out on the front porch, in the parlor on the small couch, in the living room, wherever.

STEPH: Tell us a little about the state you live in.

SHIRLEY: Right now I’m on the southern coast of Oregon. It’s beautiful. Have lived by the ocean for years, back east, up north, down in California, and right now I can see parts of the Pacific Ocean right from our front yard. But I would rather be in Texas, I think. Somewhere around Austin

Author Spotlight Week - Daniellle Thorne shares her passion for Historicals

I love a good adventure, no matter where or when it happens. Historicals are one way I like to escape because they take me away. Three hundred, two hundred, even one hundred years ago, the world was a different place. As much as we have in common with our ancestors, the changes we have seen in science, medicine, the Arts and entertainment, and especially society, give each century a culture all its own, creating places I love to visit and experience.

I'm often asked what draws me to write about the Age of Sail and piracy eras. I wasn't born in a coastal town, and I'm not related to any great Naval heroes. The only explanation I have is I feel a kinship with the sea and distant horizon. I feel it in my blood, perhaps from my Rhode Island ancestors that sailed on merchant sloops up and down the coast. The Golden Age of piracy and the history of the West Indies intrigue me because of the exotic freedom it offered from cold parlor rooms. I can relate to wanting to escape the repetitious routines of every day life and strike out to see the world. Although the brutal history in this era is disturbing in many ways, I focus on the excitement that was to be found. I try to incorporate truths, even if they are painful. In essence, I love the marvelous changes of history, but I do not write about it with rose-colored glasses. Our ancestors from long ago experienced the beauty in this world the same way that we do – they felt the same happiness, fear, excitement, disappointment…Historicals are not just a way to experience the past, the genre offers a way to connect and learn about who and what came before us.

Author Spotlight Week - Q&A with Danielle Thorne

STEPH: I don't know much about The Privateer. What's it about?

DANI: The Privateer is about a West Indies privateer with a pirating past. Julius Bertrand is doing the best he can to make it in society while carrying out clandestine work for the government. When a new doctor and his precocious daughter arrive to his island colony, Bertrand finds himself distracted by the idea of choosing a wife. His ambitions lead him to make regrettable choices that almost kill him and those he loves when his past catches up with him.

STEPH: I understand this is a re-release. How did it find a home with Desert Breeze?

DANI: The Privateer was contracted in 2007 with another company that sold out months before publication. Unfortunately, it saw little editing, and the new publisher did not honor the contract or my other subsequent books there. When The Privateer's sequel, By Heart and Compass, published with Desert Breeze, we discussed moving it to join its companion, and fortunately for me, it all worked out beautifully!

STEPH: How long did the story take to write?

DANI: The Privateer took me over a year to write, as it required massive amounts of research (including my first trip to the Caribbean). I was new to the Age of Sail genre, as well as early eighteenth century life in the West Indies, but my attraction to this period as well as my love of non-fiction history made it easy to garner the information. It opened up my imagination and made The Privateer truly an adventure to write. The Privateer was my first ever completed novel.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research on the story?

DANI: Tons. I spent many long days on the upper floors of the Memphis City Central Library digging through old West Indies journals when I wasn't glued to documents online. I also read and reread the entire Jack Aubrey series (Master and Commander) written by Patrick O'Brian. His novel, Post Captain, inspired my story. I do not profess to be an expert, but I gave one hundred percent to the accuracy and atmosphere of this time. Age of Sail research is a continual learning process since I don't have a ship in my backyard.

STEPH: Do you cast your characters? If so, who are the leads?

DANI: My hero, Julius Bertrand, is a complete figment of my imagination, a probable patchwork of people I have known or read about. His companion, British officer Shane Adair, was inspired by Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey. However, I did yearn to make him cleverer and less clumsy than O'Brian's lovable sea captain. As you can see, I’m don't usually type cast, but I do confess my heroine was based on the beautiful actress, Nicole Kidman, who takes my breath away.


STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? Which one?

DANI: Yes! I have a Sony Reader, about a year old, that I love very much. I wouldn't turn my nose up at a Kindle though!

STEPH: How long have you been writing?

DANI: I started writing in second grade and received my first national recognition at fourteen years old. Poetry came natural to me, but working up to novels has taken a lot of study and perseverance. For me, short story writing is the most difficult. I always find it a challenge and admire anyone who can create a strong message in so few words.

STEPH: Which state do you live in? Can you tell us a little about it?

DANI: I currently live in Georgia, although I was raised in Tennessee. I'm a bit of a gypsy, being born in Chicago and having lived all over the South. I've also lived in Idaho and Oklahoma. My favorite thing about Georgia is I'm only a few hours away from the Smoky Mountains in one direction, and the beach in another. I love the people here, the landscape and the culture. Living less than an hour from Atlanta is a blessing, too, because I love Theater and museums. Of course, my favorite place to visit is the Georgia Aquarium.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

DANI: My office is a small converted bedroom with a small secretary, bookshelves, filing cabinet, and a craft table heaped with every gadget you can think of, from a laminator to printers to a postal scale. I also have my other interests crammed into other corners—couponing supplies and Cub Scout stuff.

STEPH: What country would you like to visit that you haven't yet?

DANI: I am dying to visit England, which is the primary country of my ancestors and the focus of my historical research for novel writing. I've done my genealogy back to the 1700's in two northern coal mining counties (as well as in Wales). I dream of walking where my ancestors walked. Plus, I want to sneak a visit in to Jane Austen's neck of the woods. And Whitehall. Who wouldn't?