HH: What do you like best about Nick and why will readers love him?
DP: I like the tenderness Nick shows toward Lillian when she is wounded and believe this shows his best side.
HH: What sort of research did you do to bring this stunning story to life?
DP: This is my second western historical romance and both are set in the 1860's, so I used some of the research I had done for the first novel, but the research I did specifically for Dangerous Ties was hands on. A friend who does Civil War reenactment taught me how to shoot black powder pistols and shotguns. We were out in a field in Mississippi in the heat of August. The heat, the sweat, the smoke, the weight and feel and sound of those guns beat any amount of research I could have done. Experience is the best teacher. I came home and rewrote all the gun scenes.
HH: What makes you story stand out amongst fierce competition?
DP: Dangerous Ties has a fairly unique start with Lillian strung up over a mineshaft and the rope breaking. A unique and a strong start make a story stand out.
HH: What else do you have in store for lucky readers?
DP: Lucky readers can watch the book a day give away here at TRS for a chance to win a copy of my first book, A Desperate Journey on August 30th!
My third novel, Aboard the Wishing Star will be released Oct 21, 2012. This is my first contemporary romance and it's set aboard a cruise ship. There will be a release party here on TRS for Aboard the Wishing Star.
Also in October 2012 I'm taking part in Lucy Monroe's Online Reader Retreat Oct. 8th to 12th which is going to be lots of fun with online parties, games and prizes.
I have a recipe from one of the dishes served on the cruise ship in Aboard the Wishing Star in the free cookbook Desert Breeze is releasing in November 2012.
For readers who like historical romance I'll have a fourth book out in April 2013. Trapping the Butterfly is set in 1920's Hot Springs and yes there are gangsters.
HH: How long have you been a writer and what keeps you writing?
DP: I've been a writer since I was in elementary school making up poems, but I didn't become serious about it until I went to college for an English Lit degree. For a few years I wrote poetry and short stories and then I switched over to fiction, specifically romance. I write because I love it. It's a unique kind of joy, creating a story. That's what keeps me going when the career gets bumpy.
HH: What goals have you set for yourself at this point in your career?
DP: My goals are to write as many books as possible between now and the end of 2013. I want to learn what my pace is so I'll know how many books to reasonably contract for in the future while juggling those deadlines. Alternating between genres, for instance this year I'll have had one historical release and one contemporary and then the one out after that next year is a historical. Once I know a reasonable pace for me I can plan farther out.
One change is that in 2013 I'll be attending smaller reader based conferences rather than the big ones because I enjoy meeting readers and it is harder to do that at the large conferences. I like to hear from my readers. It's one of my greatest joys.
HH: What do you enjoy reading?
DP: I'm a voracious reader and I read widely across genres, from romance to mystery to fantasy to literary fiction to poetry and nonfiction.
HH: What are you most looking forward to before the year's end?
DP: I'm most looking forward to visiting my father for his 79th birthday in Oct. He's aging fast and the only thing he's asked me for is another ride in my convertible. I'm thinking a ride through the country to the dairy farm that serves ice cream would make good memories for us both.
=)
HH: Thank you!
