Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Meet Danielle Ravencraft -


 Welcome to the Party!!

Meet Danielle Ravencraft
Erotic Romance Author

     Thank you for stopping in at the House of Blues to join our release party for erotic author Danielle Ravencraft! This is her debut book, with more on the way! I hope you grabbed your party hat at the door - the bar is over there then come join us down front and center over there! Hurry! Today is party day - we only have Danielle here for one day so we have to make it great! Let me tell you a bit about her before we jump into her interview.
    Danielle Ravencraft graduated from the International Academy of Design and Technology with a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her two Pomeranians. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, her writing is influenced by the multi-cultural urban society of her youth which she continues to visit each summer.
Deanna:  Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.

Danielle:  Something the readers don’t know? Hmm. Well I don’t think I’ve mentioned that I’m half Hispanic yet. I am, on my mother’s side, but you’d never guess from looking at me. Most people think I’m white or even Irish. I have a lot of freckles and often color my hair red (though my hair has been every color of the rainbow). I love my heritage. And I really love Mexican food, haha.
 
Deanna:  What do you do to relax?

Danielle:  I read. Reading has always been a mode of escape for me and I like it more than watching T.V. I also enjoy music, sunbathing by the lake, boating, and walking or training my dogs.
 
Deanna:  As authors, we’ve sometimes been accused of being several people. How many personalities live in your mind?

Danielle:  Oh gosh, probably more than I can count. I have enough ideas on the back-burner to last me ten years. It’s a real party in my head with all those fictional characters.
 
Deanna:  What type of hero do you like best?

Danielle:  I love men who are a little dark and mysterious but that also take charge and protect their lover.

Deanna:  How many plots do you include in one of your books?

Danielle:  Usually one, though if it’s a long novel, I’ll have several subplots going. “A Trace of Love” is a short story and pretty much only has one plot arch.

Deanna:  Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Danielle:  Ah, I don’t have much of a life to speak of. LOL. I pretty much lock myself in my writing cave all day and work. I check email, update my social networks, promote, blog, write (which can really be anything from plotting to actual writing to editing).

Deanna:  Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Danielle:  So far they all take place on modern-day Earth and center around every-day issues that are threatening to the heroine. Disease, trouble baring a child, old love gone stale, etc. Even if there is magic or paranormal elements, I like writing about every-day struggles because we can all relate to them.

Deanna:  Tell us a bit about your release, where the idea came from, how long it took to write.

Danielle:  My debut short story, A Trace of Love, is an Erotic Romance about a young woman with a secret. She bumps into her old high school crush and decides to have a one-night-stand with him. The problem is they end up falling for each other. She knows she has to break it off before he finds out about her secret.
      A Trace of Love is the first part of the three-part mini-series. The idea for the story came from a dream I had. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and the more I thought, the more the idea grew. It took me about a month to write, edit, and submit it. My publisher wrote me back asking if I could change the ending a bit and I did. So, in all, it took a couple months.

Deanna:  Give me three words that best describe your book.

Danielle:  Romantic, Emotional, and Fun.

Deanna:  If you had a chance to go back in time which era would you pick as the perfect time to begin your writing career and why?

Danielle:  Oh, I wouldn’t go back very far, maybe just a few years back so I can let myself know that I do, indeed, get published, and that I should start sooner! I can’t imagine going back to a different decade and having to write or edit before wide-spread use of the computer or the internet. I admire those who did! If anything, I would rather go into the future just so I can use faster, more efficient technology that, hopefully, doesn’t break down as much!

Deanna:  How would you describe your editing process while writing and also during the process with your editors?

Danielle:  Self-editing is a necessary evil. It’s right up there with getting your teeth drilled, lol. On the other hand, I absolutely love working with my editors! I’ll take editing with the editors over self-editing any day of the week.

Deanna:  Tell our readers how your book differs from others in the same genre.

Danielle:  I write stories that I like to read. I wouldn’t publish anything I didn’t feel passionate about. That being said, my books don’t always have a happily-ever-after ending. I like twists and cliffhangers. I love that “oh-my-god!” feeling you get when you’re so engrossed with a book and then get to the cliff-hanger end. It’s frustrating when you have to wait a year to buy the sequel, but you can bet that I’ll be the first in line for it.
      But more importantly, I like my books to be a little more realistic than most. The reason I’m not a huge fan of happily-ever-after endings is that it seems to me that some authors can’t pull it off without sounding like everything was a huge coincidence. I make my characters fight tooth and nail for their H.E.A.

Deanna:  What advice would you give new writers?

Danielle:  First, learn as a much as you can about writing and the industry. If your grammar is bad, take a class. If there is an area of writing you’re unfamiliar with, find a workshop for it. Know your genre inside and out, read as many books as you can that are similar to what you write. And keep on learning! Trends change, the market changes, and the industry changes. So you are never done learning.
     Second, write! Every day, every spare hour you get. Just sit down and type! Writing is a skill that gets better with practice, so keep writing.

Deanna:  Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know?

Danielle:  Yes, I will giveaway one PDF copy of “A Trace of Love” to a lucky commenter. Please include Name and Email address in the comment. 
     Thank you so much for having me, Deanna. Also, readers, you can find me at the following websites:


Deanna: Readers, thank you for taking the time to read about Danielle and her new release. Don't forget to leave a comment with your email addy so Danielle can contact the winner! Good luck everyone!
 

6 comments:

  1. Danielle, your enthusiasm and energy burst through the computer in this interview. Of course, Deanna's questions, as always, lead the way. I'm from Chicago, born and raised there,now in NY. I agree with your thoughts on HEA-especially in sequels where the story is a cliffhanger and is to be continued-soon to the readers hope. Success ahead for you.

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  2. OOPS! Didn't leave the addy-just in case.
    cgordon3@verizon.net

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  3. Hi Danielle. Really great book cover. The story sounds very good. I don't always like a happy ending. Love twists and turns too. Kind of depends on what kind of book I am in the mood to read as I enjoy many kinds. Enjoyed your interview.
    Sue B

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  4. Charmainegordon - Thanks for the kind words. I hope you are right about the success. ;-)

    Katsrus - Thanks so much for coming out and taking the time to comment

    It's great to meet both of you.

    Deanna - Wow, that pic of the House of Blues is awesome! Thanks for having me today.

    - Danielle Ravencraft -

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  5. Danielle, congrats on the release and we all wish you a great success with more to follow!

    Ladies, thank you also for stopping in to take the time to read and comment. Your support is awesome!

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  6. Charmaine - you are the winner!

    I'll be in touch with you via email for your prize. Thanks again

    Danielle Ravencraft

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