Getting to know author Tina Donahue
Q: Please tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it and is it part of a series or a stand alone title?
It’s a stand-alone title and oddly enough, I got the inspiration for it from The Food Network’s and Bravo’s various food competitions. One night on Iron Chef there was a chef who was so hot I couldn’t stop staring at him. He was Latino with those smoldering dark good looks. I started thinking what it would be like if he was the judge and a wealthy restaurateur, the kind of man who is so rich he can have anything. And what if he was drawn to a young woman in the competition. And what if she lost the $100,000 prize on his vote? What then? The plot just snowballed from there.
Q: What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?
Emotional connection with the characters. You can have the greatest plot on earth but if the reader doesn’t care what happens to your characters, you’ve failed.
A fast pace. Books that have endless description or back story tax and irritate readers.
A satisfying conclusion. It doesn’t have to be happy, but it does have to make sense and it must be a logical outcome to what’s happened before.
Q: Do you have a strict writing schedule? How do you balance your personal and writing time?
-+s, I do have a strict writing schedule. I write or research my novels 7 days a week. I write a few hours before work and a few hours after. I’m able to balance personal and writing time by being very well organized. Unlike many women writers, I don’t have children, so I don’t have that added responsibility. I admire any mother who can balance work with children.
Q: What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and
writing?
I like to watch cable – a program that engages my mind or emotions. A good film is always great. The other day I saw “No Country for Old Men” for the first time. Wow. I was riveted. Although it’s not a relaxing movie by any stretch, it definitely satisfied me.
Q: What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?
Late 1400 Spain. Early on in my career I pubbed a book with Kensington, an historical romance that took place in that time period. I’ve been tinkering with another historical for awhile in that same time period. The research for the book made me fall in love with the Spanish people and culture.
Q: What character out of all your books is the closest to your
personality?
Probably Eden in my current book Deep, Dark, Delicious. She’s had it hard but she’s never stopped trying. And although those close to her have hurt her emotionally and she’s afraid of love, she still longs for it
Q: What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? What is one of your favorite authors?
Every type of book imaginable. When I was a kid, my parents used to tease me that I’d read anything – even a cereal box – and be happy. I love all genres. One of my favorite authors is Hilma Wolitzer. She wrote “Hearts”. It’s mainstream. I only bought it because I couldn’t find anything new from the usual authors I liked. To my surprise, “Hearts” captivated me from the first page. It was funny, sweet, sad. A tremendous read.
Q: Have you ever been nervous over reader reaction when a new book come out? How much does reader response mean to you over your books? What do you hope readers get from your books after they read them?
Always. I want readers to enjoy my work; however, I know I can’t please everyone.
I look forward to having readers tell me what they thought were the strong points and weak points of my work. It makes me a better writer.
I hope readers are moved as I was when I wrote the book. The biggest compliment I can get is if someone says – you made me laugh, you made me cry. That means everything to me.
Q: What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?
As weird as it sounds, I like the old musicals like Oklahoma and Carousal. It’s probably because I had trained to be a dancer and lots of the recitals had show tunes. So, my favorite movie (at least for movie musicals, because I have favorites for other genres) is Gigi. The music was so beautiful, the costumes were lush and the lead guy – Louis Jourdan – Wow, Wow, Wow – he was so gorgeous he didn’t look real. At the end, when Gigi captures his heart and he asks her to marry him, I broke down and cried. Happens every time I see that movie on AMC.
Q: Where can readers find out what’s new and how can they contact you?
They can go to my website: www.tinadonahue or my blog http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/ I post daily, all sorts of news and stuff. My email addy is tina@tinadonahue.com
Q: What is coming in 2010 for you? Anything you want to share with us?
Well, I have this newest release Deep, Dark, Delicious and I’m just finishing up a new novel for my editor at Ellora’s Cave – another erotic romance, what I like to call “heat with heart” – where the emotional aspect is as important as the sexual electricity between the characters.
Q: If the world ended, what would you be able to not live without (Computers, candy, etc)?
The net – if I wouldn’t do my research quickly like I do it now, I’d go nuts. J
Sneak peek into Deep, Dark & Deliscious:
When he sensed he’d frustrated her enough, he turned his head. Eden leaned against the railing, one hand stroking her throat, the other running down her fly as she took in his ass.
He straightened, depriving her of the view.
Eyes on his, she murmured, “Ready to roll?”
“I can’t wait.”
On the landing, she turned to the left and padded over the hardwood floor into the first open doorway. Lavender fabric softener scented the chamber. Though larger than he expected, nearly the size of her living room, it owned as much charm. A high-backed rocking chair had an extra blanket hung over its arm to provide warmth and comfort to a weary traveler. Two large windows with rounded tops allowed ample light to stream in from outside. Diaphanous white curtains rippled over the immaculate panes, stirred by the breeze of the white wicker ceiling fan. Carved wool area rugs in pale blue and white lay on either side of the queen-sized cherry wood bed. A four-poster clothed in a puffy blue comforter with a canopy of a gauzy material not unlike mosquito netting, which fueled no end of dark fantasies. Rafe pictured Eden’s wrists and ankles tied to the posts with the fabric, her eyes recording his approach, her voice begging for his touch, saying the words he most wanted to hear…she welcomed whatever he proposed. Her trust in him, her urgency to have him was complete.
Turning his head, he caught her reflection in the oval mirror above the bulky dresser. Fingers to her lips, she studied him, her expression unreadable.
He’d soon change that. “Which drawers are mine?”
Her attention went to the dresser and returned to him. “They all are, along with the closet.” She inclined her head to the left, the dark blue and silver beads hanging over a narrow doorway.
He put his bags on the floor and crossed the room for a better look. The glass globes created a representation of a chubby man in the moon who smiled broadly and winked as stars circled him. “Another design by Trish?”
“She’s got a lot of time on her hands. Her husband’s gone quite a bit. He’s an attorney.”
“He should quit law and get into marketing her work.” He turned. “Where are your things?”
The change of subject and his direct tone caught her by surprise. Expectation and a trace of caution flickered across her face. “In the guest house where I’m staying at night.”
“You’re staying in here with me. We’ll bring your things back here later.”
She hooked her thumbs into her shorts’ front pockets, an insubordinate stance.
“Do you want to argue about it?” he asked.
“Would it change your mind?”
“No.”
She studied him, deepening submission to his resolve shimmering in her eyes. “Then I guess I don’t want to argue. I’ll do what you want.”
“Good.” He stepped closer, his attention fully on her, his tone deceptively mild. “Take off your clothes.”
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