Interview with Author Monique DeVere

Welcome Monique! Please tell us about your latest release.

Hi, Stacy, so happy I get to hang out with you today!

My latest release is entitled Let’s Pretend. It’s a rom-com re-release, which was first published by The Wild Rose Press in 2010. I’ve reworked it a bit and changed the cover.

Tell us the inspiration behind this story.

That’s a good one. I love second chance romances. There’s just something about two people who got married for love losing their relationship along the way, for whatever reason. Then finding that spark of something deep and tangible that makes them fall in love again, or in the case of my romances—because my H/hs never falls out of love with each other—makes them unable to walk away from that one true love forever.

What’s the one thing you want readers to know about this book?

I don’t know that this is something I want readers to know about Let’s Pretend, but it’s certainly important to me. I hadn’t long started to write Let’s Pretend who my little girl (then 7) got sick. After about three weeks of chasing down doctors and trying to make them see than my baby was sick, we finally discovered she had Leukaemia. Even now, that word stings my eyes with tears. Once she was diagnosed, she was rushed to a hospital ward then transferred to a specialist hospital miles away the next morning. I ‘live’ at the hospital with her for five weeks while she went through the initial chemotherapy to get her into remission. While I was there, I finished writing Let’s Pretend and sent it to my publishers. Meg is now 10 and in complete remission. She spent 2 ½ years in treatment and will continue to be monitored for the rest of her life but she’s fit and healthy, happy and amazing. I have absolute faith she will continue in good health.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I loved reading and writing stories as a child, but my dream was to be a pediatrician. I wrote my first full romantic mystery novel at age 15. Then when I became a mum, I discovered I couldn’t bear to leave my baby for someone else to raise, so I made the decision to drop out of med school and become a full time mum. Since writing was one of my loves, I found myself writing in my spare time. It was my lifeline sometimes. One day it dawned on me to try to get my work published. I put total focus on cracking the HMB market—still haven’t done it! Meanwhile, I was having stories published and read on radio. I’ve since given up the HMB dream, and hope to move forward into other areas/genres and pursue my screenwriting. I’m currently working on a Christian Romance series, in which I’m leaving the bedroom door wide open. I like to think of the “Forgiven and Redeemed” series as Christian Romance with flava J.  I’m also working on the sequel to More Than Friends, as well as Mia’s story. We meet Mia in Let’s Pretend, she’s Belle’s sister. I’ve given her her own romance with a sexy underwater archeologist on a private island in the Bahamas—the same private island from More Than a Playboy.

What draws you to write romantic comedy?

I love to laugh. I laugh all the time. Our home is always full of laughter and I feel on top of the world when I make those around me laugh. Sometimes it’s at my expense and entirely unintentional—but hey, I’ll take it. If love is the tree of life, and music is the fruit of love, then I think laughter is the lush leaves that give it colour.

If I were to snoop your bookshelves tell me what I would find.

You would find a ton of Christian spiritual development books as well as another ton of books on the writing craft, how to write different genres, and books on screenwriting.

What puts you in the write frame of mind? In other words what do you do to get you geared up for writing?

I meditated for a couple of minutes before I begin to write, and pray about what I wish to achieve. I ask the Lord to send my creative angels to help me and to let me only write what is pleasing in His sight.

Tell us about your writing style.

I would have to say my writing style is sophisticated, fun, feel-good and fast-paced with a twist of naughty.

What authors inspire or influence you?

I don’t think any authors inspire or influence me. I like Sidney Sheldon—God rest his soul. And lately I’ve discovered Christie Craig’s novels. I tend to read books rather than follow authors. If I come across a book that sounds good, I’ll check it out and quite possibly purchase it if I like what I see.

What’s your biggest writing challenge?

Time! And an inability to work on only one project at a time.

How do you overcome that challenge?

I haven’t yet. Any suggestions?

Before we go give us your best writing advice.

The ability to create entertaining stories is a gift from God. Writing is a craft that must be learned, practiced, honed and refined to publication standards. Don’t look at the badly written books out there and think that because the big name authors get away with it, you can too. They have a following—you don’t—and it’s highly unlikely their followers will run out and grab copies of your book just because you recreated all the big named author’s mistakes. Spend time discovering who you are as a writer, and make no apologies.

Let’s Pretend by Monique DeVere

Blurb

“WARNING: Some scenes will leave you breathless!” —Teresa Blue, author of Man of Her Dreams.

 

True love needs no pretence

  When A&E trauma surgeon, Dr. Isobel Murphy, married sexy Irish firefighter, Lucas Delaney, she knew it was going to be forever. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise forever would only last five short years.

  Keeping her failed marriage from her family seems like a piece of cake, until her grandmother calls a family gathering and Belle suspects she’s about to announce a critical illness. Making excuses for Luc’s absence, she flies home to Connecticut. Then delicious Lucas arrives for the three-day get-together and Belle knows things are going to get dicey. Especially since he still has the power to make her heart miss a beat, and her stomach bottom out.

  When Belle asks him to pretend they’re still deeply in love, Luc doesn’t have a problem. He sees an opportunity to reclaim the love of his life. And he goes all out to remind Belle how it used to be between them, before long work hours and clashing schedules invaded their marriage. What he needs to know though, is, once the pretence is over, will Belle be applying for her decree absolute? Or will they be renewing wedding vows?

Purchase Links

AmazonUS: http://amzn.to/13yW7FF

AmazonUK: http://amzn.to/14PliSw

AmazonCA: http://amzn.to/XFfXc9

Tell us where readers can find you?

My blog:  Monique DeVere Blogspot

My Website: Monique DeVere Romance Author

My facebook page: Monique DeVere Facebook

My Goodreads author page: Monique DeVere Goodreads

Twitter: @MoniqueDeVere

Amazon: UK: Monique DeVere AmazonUK Author Page

Amazon: US: Monique DeVere AmazonUS Author Page

LinkedIn: Monique DeVere LinkedIn Page

Monique’s Bio: Monique DeVere grew up on a plantation on the beautiful island of Barbados, where her childhood was all about exploring and letting her imagination run wild. She spent her teen years in the UK where she still lives with her amazing hero husband, four beautiful children, and two incredible grandkids. Monique wrote her first novel at age fifteen but had her heart set on becoming a doctor until she discovered that raising her kids was far more desirable. Since writing had always been her favourite pastime, she naturally turned to writing as her preferred job and has had short stories published and read on radio. Sure that medicine is her second calling, she still has a desire to heal, and has gained degrees in Homeopathy and Herbalism and currently has her eye on a Holistic Nutrition degree course. However, her first love will always be writing. She loves to create fun, emotional romances and movie scripts. Her stories come in three categories: sweet, sensual, and sizzling Rom-Coms. Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her by visiting her website: www.moniquedevere.co.uk or blog: http://moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk to learn more about her and check out her other books.

Win Your Own Copy of Let’s Pretend
Post a comment with your email address and Monique could select you as the winner of an autographed copy of Let’s Pretend. Two lucky fans will win!

Filed under: Authors, books, Writers, writing Tagged: Author, Interview, Let's Pretend, Monique DeVere