Romance at Heart Magazine Author Interview: Dawn Rachel Carrington

Interview with Dawn Rachel Carrington:

Hi Dawn. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...

- Please tell us about your latest book.

Actually, I have three of them. With Love from Sam is a paranormal romance about a couple who has lost their son in a tragic accident and the ghost who helps them resurrect their love. It’s being released December 14th from Five Star/Gale.

Long Hard Winter is a short, spicy holiday story which is releasing from Ellora’s Cave on December 21st.

Nights in Black Satin is a romantic comedic with five witches, one hunk and a man who everyone thinks is dead. It’s releasing from Loose-ID on December 20th.

- How do we find out about you and your books?

Readers can go to my website at www.dawnrachel.com or my blog at www.rachelcarrington.blogspot.com. I try to keep both of them updated frequently.

- How may readers contact you?

My e-mail address is: dcarrington@yahoo.com

- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

Absolutely! In fact, not too long ago, I spent an hour with some of the readers on the Fantasy Club group and got their input for the next title of my book. They voted, and the highest amount of votes chose “Dangerous Spell” as the title for the fifth installment in my wizard series.

- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

I go shopping or I’ll go to the bookstore and just browse. To me, writing is relaxing, though. I rarely think of it as a chore or a job. I can get up and walk around when I need to, take a break from the computer, lay on my bed and flip channels until I’m ready to get back to the keyboard. So all in all, I don’t really require recharging to keep up the writing pace.

- What truly motivates you in general? In your writing?

I’ve always been an ambitious person, and I think the desire to succeed, to achieve every dream, whether that’s realistic or not, is what motivates me to keep trying. I’ve never been the type of person to need someone or something in particular to motivate me. I find motivation in every day life, especially when the troubles hit.

As far as in my writing, it goes back to that desire to succeed and to give my readers the best book they can buy. I have a lot of people now telling me they can’t wait to read my next book or they’re anxiously waiting to see what I’m writing next. That is motivational. To know someone truly likes what you do is powerful.

- Where do your ideas come from?

I’ve been asked this several times over the years, and my only response really is my imagination. I’ve always loved fantasy and paranormal movies and books. Some of my favorite movies are Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Merlin. My favorite television shows were Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel. There’s just something about the magic and extraordinary which draws me in, and it usually only takes a glimpse of something, a song lyric or something I hear someone say to spark my imagination.

- Do you feel humour is important in women's fiction and why?

Oh, absolutely. I think readers like to laugh. I know I do when I’m reading. Even in the darkest of books, I always insert a glimpse of humor. It gives the reader a jolt, and there’s nothing like being on the edge of your seat and finding out the hero or heroine is scared right along with you, especially when they make a comment which makes you laugh out loud. I used to love watching that on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel, when, even in the worst of times, one of the characters would make a wisecrack. It didn’t detract from the tension but rather, took us inside the head of that character which was a wonderfully added element.

- What do you think of critique groups in general?

I prefer critique partners to critique groups. I have one critique partner, and I prefer it that way. I've been involved in the large groups and all I can say is, unless you have very thick skin and can take harsh criticism, then stay away.

Unfortunately, in every large critique group, there is a self-appointed expert who feels the need to trash the work of others. For an experienced writer, this is merely annoying. For an inexperienced writer, this can be devastating. I always suggest caution when an aspiring author asks me about this.

- Where do you see yourself in five years?

Living in a lodge in the Smoky Mountains while writing full-time and spending my evenings with the man of my dreams…or my boy toy, whichever comes first.

- How many books have you written, how many have been published?

I’ve written well over seventy-five books, and at last count, I’ve had thirty of them published, but I have three more coming out this month and seven scheduled for next year.

- After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and read it?

I usually get author copies, so no, I don’t buy it and rarely do I read one of my own books. I guess I’m too scared I’ll find a mistake I missed, and then it’ll bug me for a long, long time.

- Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?

I have a tie between favorite books. With Love from Sam and Hell Hath No Fury. While both of them are paranormal, With Love from Sam is more emotionally-driven than Hell Hath No Fury which is more action-packed and sensual.

My favorite hero would have to be Gabe, the hero in Hell Hath No Fury. He’s self-confident, bold and sexy. My favorite heroine, though, is Tess, the lady in Indigo Spell. She has to come face to face with the fact that she’s fallen in love with a wizard, and she handles it with anger, humor and a lot of dignity.

- Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

This is another question I get asked a lot, but I never tire of answering it because I remember all too well what it’s like to be an unpublished author. You’re struggling to understand the market, the rejections and the envy of everyone else’s success.

The best advice I can give is move at your own pace. Don’t compare how fast you write or how you write to anyone else. Just focus on writing the best novel you can. And don’t try to fit in with a genre you don’t like. Just because paranormal romances sell well doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to write one if that’s not what you like. You should know your limitations as well as your abilities. Enhance what you have and make the best of it!

Thanks for the great questions, Rose!

Thank you for the answers, Dawn, and thanks very much for taking the time for us. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creations from your talented imagination! Please keep us informed as to what is coming next.

Yours in good reading,
Rose!

Dawn Rachel's Website Interview Ann Durand Review
Buy (Dawn) Rachel's Books At Amazon
Buy Rachel's Books at Ellora's Cave
Buy Rachel's Books at Loose-Id