*Put in your name and email addy in the comment section at the bottom of this interview for a chance to win a free copy of Denyse Bridger's new novel!
Welcome to BRB, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was excellent. My illness has finally started to subside, which means I was able to enjoy some much needed time away from home. And, I also felt well enough to write a proper introduction for todays guest. Welcome to my blog, Denyse. It's wonderful to have you here. I love it, a lady who likes to give, what I like to call, full-bodied answers to the interview questions. :) What a treat! So enough of my banter, let's get the party started!
Welcome to BRB, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was excellent. My illness has finally started to subside, which means I was able to enjoy some much needed time away from home. And, I also felt well enough to write a proper introduction for todays guest. Welcome to my blog, Denyse. It's wonderful to have you here. I love it, a lady who likes to give, what I like to call, full-bodied answers to the interview questions. :) What a treat! So enough of my banter, let's get the party started!
What genre do your currently write? And, is
there a genre you'd like to write, but haven't tried yet?
I write mostly fantasy and romance, but
when I do romance, I tend to employ many subgenres at various times. I like to
mix things up, it keeps me from getting bored. I have done a lot of paranormal,
and I love historical. Fantasy worlds keep me most interested because I like
the world building and the possibilities of it. You can write any number of
supernatural and magical beings into fantasy stories, and give them whatever
powers are needed to make the story work. They can be sensual or you can
eliminate that aspect entirely, and the story doesn’t require a set of elements
that must be present in straight romance. The thing I haven’t tried, and doubt
I ever will, is hard science fiction. I just have no affinity for it at all.
These days I’m leaning heavily back to fantasy, and a softer romance than erotica.
I call it sexuous – sexy and sensuous, without the graphic content of erotica.
It works for me!
Many authors use a nom de plume, and they
may use one opposite to their own sex. Do you think an author's sex or sexual
orientation should dictate what genre they write?
Absolutely not. Any author’s voice is
uniquely their own, and what you write should always be what your imagination
dictates to you. Some of us have active dislikes of certain genres, which means
we are unlikely to write in them, but other writers are thrilled with those
genres, so they write beautiful stories. The only thing that should ever hold
you back is an honest acceptance that you are not doing yourself credit if
you’re writing what you don’t know or feel. Then it’s time to shift back to
what you do feel and what makes your creativity sing. I write solely under my
own, real name. Always have, really. Only a couple of exceptions when I was
curious how well an experiment would work, and even then I told people
afterward. But, in publishing professionally, it’s always my real name on the
covers.
Some authors have issues with character
development, writer's block, plot summary etc. What is the biggest challenge
you face when writing? How do you overcome the problem?
For me, the biggest challenges are knowing
when to stop the story, because often what begins as a short ends up being a
novella or more. Sometimes that’s good, sometimes not so good. Wordiness is an
issue I work on a lot. I hate the first draft, the editing afterward is a lot
of fun for me. I polish it, rework it, then rework it again with a good editor.
I don’t understand writers who think they don’t need editors or edits, no one
is so good they write a perfect story.
What has been the single most successful
marketing tool you've used to date?
I find my blogs are really active and
popular, plus I have a chat group with a very loyal group of people who are
always on hand to talk about anything, lend their eyes and ideas in support of
a new project. The combination of blogging and Twitter is a powerhouse
marketing combo. I’ve also found a great deal of visibility by using wonderful
sites like The Romance Studio, Coffeetime Romance, and Long and the Short of It
Reviews. Facebook is over-rated in my opinion. You can get the news out
quickly, but it’s so saturated with people selling whatever products they’re
selling, I don’t think too many people pay attention. Newsletters seems to hit
with readers, too, because they can read them from their email and at their
convenience. One of my goals this year is to get my newsletter out monthly, and
feature a short author interview in each one to introduce my readers to other
voices they may enjoy discovering.
What are you currently reading?
Reading for me is always a hit and miss affair.
I read craft books and writing guides constantly. For fiction at the moment I’m
reading Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardians series, and loving it, as well
as Lucy Monroe titles. Lori Foster is a must read for me, too. Lara Adrian is
one of my “absolutely adore her” authors, as well.
How do you measure success?
Success is measured in how happy you are
with your work, I think. I’ve been unhappy with the stuff I’ve written for a
while, so at the advice of a very good friend, I went back to what I do
genuinely enjoy–and life has been much happier since then! I don’t think anyone
who’s been in publishing for more than five minutes measures success by the
money they make–you have to love the craft of writing, and be willing to learn
with each new work. There are a lot of people who think this is easy, and maybe
for some it is, but if you mean to make it a long-term profession, you have to
be willing to learn, adapt, and grow with your audience as their needs and
desires change.
Just for fun–
What is your favourite drink?
Tea, or white wine, sparkling not dry.
Are you a cat or dog person?
Dog – Siberian Husky all the way!
Love or lust?
Why not both? Love absolutely if there is
only one choice.
If you could spend the day with any famous
author, who would it be? And, why?
I’d be so torn, it would have to be Lucy
Monroe or Lara Adrian, but damn… what a choice… I love them both!!
If you could indulge free of any
consequences, what would be your ultimate sexual fantasy?
Honest to God, I really have no idea. How
sad is that? I know WHO, but not what…
Website Link: www.denysebridger.com
TRIAD OF POWER: First Quest
Blurb:
Book One of Three: During the time before
the Great Forbidding was created, it was believed the defiance of the Renegades
could be contained. To that end, the Council of Power called upon their Ancient
Gods for assistance. In response, the Gods ordered creation of the Triad of
Power–three swords, each one imbued with the essence of a gift unique to those
who would wield the weapons as the Guardians of Foress. Like all magic, each
crafted blade contained the driving sorcery of its creator–not all wizards are
immune to the weaknesses of men, and within the Triad, conflict itself was bred
without conscious intent or knowledge. So begins the legend, and the epic
fantasy of the TRIAD OF POWER.
Excerpt:
As contented peace steeped the air around
them, and they were able to breathe in near silence again, Sherindal
contemplated her surroundings. On her knees, with the Prince of Ember still
sheathed within her, she had never known a moment of more perfect serenity and
completion. Her senses hummed with awareness of everything: the texture of the
bed linen, cool silk, caressing her heated skin, the subtle patterns swirling
amid the tapestries that hung on the stone walls of the bedchamber, even the
heavy scent of candle wax added another layer of appreciation to her happiness.
“You really are magnificent, Sher,” Rienn
whispered, his arms wrapped around her, drawing her close.
She leaned to one side, looped her arm
around his neck and drew his mouth to hers in a kiss that was filled with
gentle passion.
“I do love you, Rienn.”
Rienn nodded. His hands on her waist moved
her. She shivered as he slipped free of her. “I’ll order a bath and some food,”
he told her.
She grabbed his wrist and shook her head.
“Later. I want you to hold me.”
Rienn stretched out and pulled her down to
him, spooning her body to his when he pressed her back to his chest.
They’d only slept for minutes when the huge
doors of the Prince’s chambers were flung open and the spacious room was
invaded by numerous men, all bearing swords.
“Rienn.”
The word was a warning, and Sherindal
slithered from the bed when he released her. She scooped up her weapon as she
rolled, oblivious to her nakedness. She whirled to face the first rush of the
attack. Somewhere through the early morning hours since they’d made love, Rienn
had thought to retrieve his breeches, she noted from the corner of her eye. He
had managed to gain his weapon, and they fought, back to back.
Sherindal hissed in fury and pain when the
second of the men who engaged her slipped past her defense and inflicted a
wound near her waist. It was a surface injury and she quickly rewarded him by
slicing off his sword hand. Howling in agony, he toppled back, then fled as he
recovered his footing several feet away from her.
Rienn had killed two men and was about to
run through the third when Sherindal’s voice filled the room, and the blade she
wielded, Huntor, rose with her song. The attackers froze momentarily, those two
who remained, and she smiled when the weapon cut them down, then drifted back
to her outstretched hand, coming to rest in her grasp with near peaceful ease.
“Your blood-thirsty weapon has been sated
nicely this morning,” Rienn observed with a tense glance at the gleaming blade.
“Who are they?” she asked, her tone cold as
she met his gaze.
“Why would you assume I know?” he retorted
instantly. “This is hardly what I would consider an invigorating start to the
day!”
“Really?” One eyebrow rose in emphasis of
her sardonic tone. “It is one of the more interesting diversions you might have
provided, Rienn.” Her laughter was faintly mocking, and not a little bit
ironic.
Rienn’s handsome features suffused with
rage and he reached for her, gripped her bare arm with fingers that dug into
her flesh like steel bands.
“You can be an evil bitch,” he whispered
darkly.
Sherindal smiled, and this time it was
genuine. She nodded, kissed his chin, the closest she could get to his mouth
from her disadvantaged height, then she gasped as a fiery lance reminded her of
the slash near her left hip.
“Enough, Rienn,” she said.
He released her, scooped her into his arms,
and placed her in the center of the feathered mattress of his bed. He looked
closely at the injury, yanked the bell pull, and then went to the heavy
wardrobe at the far end of the chamber.
His guards were rushing along the corridor
when he returned to the bed and helped Sherindal into one of his linen shirts.
She bit her bottom lip against another stab of pain and laughed in macabre
amusement when she spotted the duo who entered the room.
“They look rested enough, my love,” she
muttered.
Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
Thanks for stopping by, Denyse! It was great to have you on BRB, all the best. :)
Thanks so much for letting me visit with you and your readers today!! Why don't we give away a copy of this book to one of your readers??
ReplyDeleteHugs, D
You're welcome and that sounds like an awesome idea. I'll post a new notice around along with the interview link; tell everyone to leave their name and email addy in the comment section, and then you can pick someone. We'll run it until Wednesday when the next post is published. How does that sound?
DeleteWednesday it is! As soon as I can get back online properly, I'll do the Twitter and Facebook thing, too! :) Hugs and blessings...
ReplyDeleteSharon Perriello
ReplyDeleteSPerriello@optonline.net
Blak, I guess we're giving the book to Sharon!! :)
ReplyDeleteSharon's been sent her book... Thanks for having me as your guest today, Blak. Hugs, D
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! Any time. :) And thank you for sharing.
Delete