I’m honored to have interviewed the wonderful Desiree Holt as part of her blog tour for her soon-to-be-released book Finding Julia.
Katya: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
Desiree: First was Linda Howard, who made me realize that romantic suspense was so much more enjoyable to write (for me) than straight mystery. I still have my copy of Cry No More. Next was Joey Hill, who writes the MOST beautiful prose in the world and the MOST beautiful erotic scenes and taught me that BDSM can be incredible to write about. I like the quirky humor in books by Marie Force and Robyn Carr. I reread all these authors all the time.
Katya: What do you hope readers come away from this book with?
Desiree: I want them to understand that my heroine was trapped in a situation that turned out to be not what she expected and that she came into the marriage without the resources to fight it. While she may appear weak at times, she finally gathers her strength and in the end she is the real survivor. And I also want them to fall in love with the love story, knowing people can overcome great obstacles to be together.
Katya: What have you learned through writing your latest book?
Desiree: I’ve learned that people have so many different facets to their character and, if I want my readers to fall in love with my h/h, I have to be sure they see every side of them. And I had the best time writing the love scenes.
Katya: How do you find inspiration for your stories?
Desiree: I find it everywhere. My stories are all character-driven, so I look at people or situations and play the What If game. What if he did this or she did that. One of my books came from a Letter to the Editor in our local paper. Others have come from my love of the military and covert ops. My brain is always busy with a lot of plots running around like gerbils on a treadmill. I have a sweatshirt that says “Be Careful. I Might Put You In My Next Book.”
Katya: What is your biggest challenge as a writer and how do you overcome it?
Desiree: Writing the first chapter. I want to grab the reader at once, give them enough but not too much information, and pull them into the story, all in one chapter. Once I get past this I’m good to go.
Katya: How would you characterize your writing style?
Desiree: Hmmm. Well, my stories are all character-driven and I think my voice is that of a story teller. I try to write crisp but not abrupt and to draw pictures with my words.
Katya: What is your favorite animal?
Desiree: Toss up between cats and horses, but since I can’t keep a horse in the house, I have three cats.
Katya: What is your favorite genre to read?
Desiree: I don’t think I have one favorite genre. I love romantic suspense, straight out romance and political thrillers the most.
Katya: Do you listen to music while your write? If yes, what’s currently on your playlist?
Desiree: Oh, lord no. I tried that before and kept stopping to sing along with the music. But if I could, it would be anything by Blake Shelton, Danielle Bradbery and a lot of the bands from the eighties and nineties.
Tour by N K Author Services
Pre-Order Links:
About the Author
You can find her at www.desireeholt.com and www.desireeholttellsall.com