Destiny Booze Interview & Book Giveaway!

Joining us today is Romantic Suspense/Thriller Novelist, Destiny Booze. Destiny began her writing career with the Fincastle Herald as a community journalist. Her first novel was released in May of 2009 by Whimsical Publications. She is now a full-time novelist. She resides in Botetourt County, Virginia, with her husband, son and a house full of pets.

[Anne] A house full of pets. That sounds like my house. Welcome Destiny! Thank you joining us today. Let’s begin with how your writing career started. How difficult was your journey to publication?

[Destiny] I started writing as soon as I was old enough to know how. Playing make-believe was my favorite games. Creating stories was a fun escape, a hobby, a desire and a calling. I finished my first novel in high school. That book remains unpublished. The writing wasn’t strong enough in that first book to get published. My journey to publication was very difficult and long. Rejection after rejection after rejection was the theme in my writing life for a very long time. But, I kept writing. I wrote my second book in college. Six years later, it was that book – Altered Beginnings – that became my debut romantic suspense novel.

[Anne] And I hear you have a new release. Please tell us about it.

[Destiny] My latest book is called Predetermined Endings, the second book in my Outer Banks Suspense Series. It is the sequel to Altered Beginnings. It can be read as a part of the series or as a standalone. Here’s the blurb:

Angelica Chappell’s story makes huge headlines. Only a few months ago, she released a new pharmaceutical drug called Krytonix that effectively slows the spread of cancer cells. She has no idea her story will attract the attention of a serial killer. Suddenly, she is a target whether she realizes it or not. This killer is interested in more than her life. He wants her reputation, too. His first mission is to sabotage Krytonix.

William Pierce worked undercover for the FBI for five years to bring down a ruthless mobster that he ultimately is forced to kill. Two months passes by since that assignment. Still, William saw things he couldn’t talk about. He did things he couldn’t talk about. He believes his soul is damned. Returning to “normal” everyday life isn’t an option. He isn’t the same man he used to be. He refuses to return to FBI headquarters. He becomes a rogue agent with an agenda.

These two characters literally collide when Pierce's agenda leads him to Chappell. It will take both of them to keep Angelica alive and to figure out who is trying to kill her. William soon finds himself developing feelings for Angelica. Too bad for her killer, William worked as a trained killer for the mob. Will he find her killer and hand him over to the legal system to see that justice is served or will he search and destroy?

[Anne] Where did you come up with the concept for your story?

[Destiny] Good question. Where, indeed? Honestly, I often just conjure story ideas from a wild and crazy imagination that I have. This plot is a perfect example. The hero, William Pierce, was a secondary character from Altered Beginnings. Developing him was a lot of fun. He’s such a complex, deep and dark individual. As someone that spent five years undercover in nonstop tense and high stress conditions, it was a challenge to figure out how such a rough past would determine his current personality. I enjoyed it.

[Anne] William sounds like an intriguing hero. I look forward to reading more about him. Okay, say you have this great idea for a book, what do you do next? How much plotting do you do?

[Destiny] Personally, I don’t do a detailed plot outline. I do a general skeleton outline of my plot. Then, I do a detailed character profile for each of my characters. As soon as I’m “in character” the story will play itself out by what that person would naturally do in each situation. At least, that’s how the writing flows best for me.

[Anne] In your opinion what are the most important avenues an author should take in promoting their works?

[Destiny] Networking. I can’t stress that enough. By far, networking has helped further my career more than anything else.

[Anne] I couldn’t agree more! What is one of the most memorable thing’s that has happened to you since you’ve become a published author?

[Destiny] I remember a chance meeting with a fan at a restaurant that took me by complete surprise. She was my waitress and she recognized me. She was so excited to meet me. Speaking of Altered Beginnings, she told me that she loved my book, that it helped her in a time when she needed it by helping her to understand some things about her daughter. Tears filled her eyes and she hugged me. I was happy. I was humbled. I was even a bit embarrassed. It is a memory I will never forget.

[Anne] I bet that was a great experience. Now for a little fun! Do you have any unusual or not so unusual hobbies you’d care to tell us about?

[Destiny] I have a slight obsession with animal shows, especially involving sharks. I love to learn about all things involving sharks. I find them fascinating and exciting. They’ll probably find their way into one of my books one of these days. The funny part is that I didn’t realize my little obsession was rubbing off on my child. We’re supposed to go on vacation to the beach this year. My son, age six has never seen the ocean. I knew he would be excited. He said, “Yay! But Mom, I’m not getting in the ocean. There are sharks in there!” Oh dear. Time for damage control.

[Anne] LOL. What snack are we likely to see sitting next to your computer when you’re typing away on your next best seller?

[Destiny] Hmmm… That’s a tough one. I don’t keep snacks by my computer. I’m a gum chewer. I can get noisy, too. I like to pop bubbles. When I’m alone, it doesn’t matter. Other times, I have to make myself keep my gum quiet.

[Anne] Now let’s pretend you’ve been stranded on an island somewhere in the pacific. What are three things you would miss the most?

[Destiny] Fast food – I can’t possibly imagine a life without cheeseburgers. Family – (I probably should have thought of them before cheeseburgers.) I might as well work while I’m there to build a boat and come back if my family’s not with me. Music – My singing voice just doesn’t do it for me and I love music.

[Anne] What advice can you offer for any aspiring authors out there?

[Destiny] Unfortunately, there is nothing I can tell aspiring authors that will guarantee publication for them. I can pretty much guarantee rejections and failures. This business is tough and getting tougher. You have to want it more than anything to make it happen. What I can say is it DOES happen. Believe in yourself. Dream big and persist in that dream. Don’t give up. Learn everything you can about the business. Work to develop your writing. Don’t let rejections and failures make you bitter, just get better.

[Anne] Excellent advice! Where can we purchase your books? And do you have a website we can visit?

[Destiny] My Website is: http://www.destinybooze.com

And my books can be found at Barnes&Noble; Books-A-Million; Amazon.com; and Whimsical Publications.
[Anne] Is there anything else you’d like to add?

[Destiny] Yes. I would like to thank my readers, friends and family for all of their support. It means so much to me.

[Anne] Thank you for joining us today, Destiny. It’s been fun getting to know you better. Friends, Destiny has generously agreed to give away a free download of her new release, Predetermined Endings. To be entered in the drawing, just leave a comment with your email address. Entry deadline is Sunday at noon (CST)!


Also, coming up Thursday is my interview with NY Times Bestselling Author, Erica Spindler. Erica has written 28 novels, including Last Known Victim, Copycat, Killer Takes All, See Jane Die, Dead Run, Bone Cold, and Break Neck. She’ll be talking about her new thriller, Blood Vines.