[Anne] Welcome back, Danielle! Why don’t we start with you telling us a little about yourself?
[Danielle] Thanks for having me again, Anne. You have a great blog. As far as myself, I'm a Southern sweet romance author who enjoys working history and sea themes into my stories. I've been writing since I could hold a pencil and won my first award when I was a tween. I grew up with four crazy brothers and have four sons of my own. Having a family and my books makes me feel complete. As far any hobbies, I try to garden and cook, love to travel and scuba, and I am really into geocaching right now.
[Anne] I hear you have a new release. Congratulations! Will you tell us about it?
[Danielle] Of course! BY HEART AND COMPASS is my newest sea romance adventure. Here's a little blurb: When Lacey Whitman buys a restored Victorian home, she never dreams discovering an antique diary will lead her back to sea and into the arms of the dive bum she’d rather forget. Her habit of living in the past comes to a screeching halt as diver Max Bertrand and the diary of his ancestor take Lacey on the quest of a lifetime: To discover and raise the privateer ship, Specter, and bring the treasure and legacy of a true hero home again. But will finding it cost her heart?
Anne] What inspired your story?
[Danielle] I really enjoy learning about sea exploration and pirate ships. Since I wrote my first Caribbean privateering novel, I've always known I'd want to do a contemporary romance about discovering a shipwreck. The wonderful documentaries on the Titanic and the current Queen Anne's Revenge undergoing excavation, get me super excited. The sea holds so many secrets and some of them are from our own past.
[Anne] Do you ever suffer from writers block? If so, how do you usually move past it?
[Danielle] I’m a plotter, so I don't have too much trouble with writer's block. When I do, I take a break and concentrate on my hobbies and things that inspire me. Watching movies and reading some of my favorite authors almost always re-lights the fire.
[Anne] I know we all grow as writers through the years. Is there anything in particular you know now that you wish you’d known before being published?
[Danielle] I certainly like to think my story telling has improved! The more you write, the more you learn, so the formula comes with experience. I can't say that I have any regrets, because every step has been a learning process, even the ugly ones.
[Anne] What is the neatest thing that has happened to you since becoming a published author?
[Danielle] The biggest blessing in my life since being published is actually pretty personal. I’m not someone who was born with a plethora of talents, so having the one thing I ever felt like I was good at be recognized is a wonderful reward. It certainly has done wonders for my self-esteem, and also, I can honestly say it continues to help me overcome issues of shyness and anxiety that I have always struggled with. Still do.
[Anne] I can’t imagine you being shy, Danielle. You seem so outgoing, and you’re such an inspiration for so many. What is the hardest lesson you’ve learned?
[Danielle] The hardest lesson I have learned as a person AND as an author is that no matter how kind or professional you are to someone else, it doesn't mean you will be treated the same way in return. I am developing a thicker skin.
[Anne] Is there anything new on the horizon for you—anymore releases coming out this year?
[Danielle] Yes! I am thrilled to have my first Regency romance coming out this winter with Whimsical Publications. Titled JOSETTE, it is my tribute to Jane Austen and all her stories and characters. JOSETTE is about a spunky young woman who falls for a less than charming sea captain and how she must weather all of her obnoxious relatives. It's my way of saying "thanks" to Jane.
[Anne] Where do you see yourself as an author five years from now?
[Danielle] Hmm. I am a rather quiet, subdued person but I dream big dreams. In five years, I would like to have at least a dozen novels out, including the first juvenile fiction story I wrote as a young mother and a chapbook of my poetry. I also have goals to win an award for a best historical or contemporary novel, and I want to eventually start my own editing business. I love giving feedback and helping people, just as much as I love writing.
[Anne] Name three of your all-time favorite books you’ve read.
[Danielle] Easy!
1. POST CAPTAIN by Patrick O'Brian
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen
3. HARRY POTTER by J.K. Rowling
[Anne] If you could meet any author (living or not) who would you choose?
[Danielle] I would love to sit down in a cozy cottage along the Irish coast and listen to Patrick O'Brian tell me all about the sea stories he read and the papers that inspired his work in the MASTER AND COMMANDER series.
[Anne] Where can we purchase your new book?
[Danielle] BY HEART AND COMPASS is available at www.DesertBreezePublishing.com.
[Anne] How about on the web?
[Danielle] Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other online bookstores.
[Anne] Now for my final question: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you that you’ve never shared before in an interview?
[Danielle] I guess I will dig deep for this one, Anne. People may be surprised to know that I am a passionate genealogist and that is because my mother grew up in an orphanage outside of Chicago. Even at a young age, I dreamed of finding her family and that dream came true and then some. I have all but one of my mother's lines traced back to the 1600 and 1700's, through the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and overseas. Whoever you are and wherever you are from, when you have times that you feel like nobody, go back to your roots and find out where you came from. It can give you a whole new outlook on life!
[Anne] Thank you so much for joining us today, Danielle. I wish you great success in all your writing endeavors!
Thanks, Anne!
