Welcome This Week's Featured Author
CONTEST: Comment below for a chance to win: Zip file of two books, winner’s choice: http://www.denysebridger.com/booksV2.php
ABOUT
Canadian born and bred, Denysé has been signed with
over a dozen publishing houses in the past nine years. Recently winning the
prestigious title of Best Author of 2012 from the Predators and Editors site,
the best-selling author has been nominated for and won numerous awards. Never
confined to one genre, she writes in many and has garnered a loyal audience of
readers over the past decade.
RECKLESS ASSIGNATION
A haunted and abandoned hotel on Halloween is the
setting for a very private party between two lovers, one of them a world-class,
sophisticated intelligence operative who’s trying to teach his young and
innocent lady that curiosity can sometimes take you places you’d be better not
to go. Amid elaborate trappings meant to scare and entice, Rick’s seduction
takes some unexpected but wickedly wonderful twists. But, Rick also has a
lesson to learn, when his past collides with his present, and almost destroys
everything he cherishes most.
EXCERPT
Rick
drew away from his seductive tormenting and looked up into eyes that had gone
soft and drowsy, matching the breathless whisper of Cinthya’s voice. He saw the
change in her, the tantalizing intrigue she was feeling, and he smiled indolently.
He caught her soft lips with his and was rewarded with the eager thrust of
Cinthya’s tongue plunging into his mouth. After long minutes, he eased back and
watched as her chest heaved. The steady rising and falling motion spilled her
lush breasts farther out of the bra, inviting him to slip the clasp and let the
garment fall away from her.
Cinthya
had barely recovered her breath when Rick leaned into her again, his lips
finding the sensitive curve of her neck. He could feel the tension building in
her shoulders as his tongue traced the hard ridge of her collarbone, then
stopped to play over the curve of her throat when she tilted her head back in
silent request.
Her
hands knotted into fists as she strained against the restriction, betraying her
desire to touch him. She arched closer, encouraging his caresses as her entire
body flushed with familiar passion, shuddering when his large, gentle hands
dropped to her hips and eased her toward him. She slid forward as much as her
position would allow, her breath fluttering in what he recognized as
anticipation of his touch.
Rick
stared into her face, enjoying the softness that always came into her smooth
features when they made love. The faint blush of longing that colored her pale
skin was evident even in the shadowy candlelight. She shivered, her body caught
up in the tide of desire. He settled back on his heels and waited for her huge
blue eyes to focus on him.
“You
seem a little breathless, sweetheart.”
She
tried to glare at him, but the expression was more like a plea than a wordless
retort. Her body shook from the excitement that clearly coursed through her.
“Untie
me?” she implored.
Rick
considered the request. He could feel responsive ripples of passion in his own
body but he was far from ready to allow her to see it. Still, after a
reflective silence, he nodded. Going down on his knees in front of her, he
tugged at the scarves he’d used to tie her ankles.
She
surprised him when she hooked a leg around his waist and pulled him forward. He
complied with the demand, a soft chuckle escaping before he captured her eager
mouth another time. He let his hands slide down her sides then traced the denim
waistband of her skirt to the front and gave the snap a tug. The zipper slid
down and her hips moved toward his hand.
“Getting
a bit anxious, Cindi?” he teased, his tongue moving to trace the curve of her
ear.
“Rick,
please.”
The
tremor in her voice become more pronounced as Rick’s lips brushed soft kisses
over her face.
“Relax,”
he murmured, sliding his hands into the waist of her skirt. He moved her hips
forward so she was hardly touching the chair, then eased the denim off, hooking
his fingers into her underwear and taking them too.
THE INSIDE SCOOP
Thinking back on your first book, is there
anything you would have done differently?
I think I
would probably have taken more time and care in the crafting of the story, but
I was on a 48 hour deadline when I began writing, so it was a bit of a blur. I
think for me, the thing I mostly would have done differently was to have
written a longer story.
Has your perspective on the writing process
changed since you became published?
Very much
so. While the actual writing part remains challenging and something I love, the
“business” of writing is something I’ve become very jaded about on a lot of
levels. But, I find now, after almost ten years of professional writing that I
can write more freely and whenever and wherever I find time and opportunity. I
used to think I needed to be in the mood to write, but I realize now it’s like
any job, when you get good at it, you can do it easily and naturally.
Do you work best on a deadline, or do you
need freedom from time constraints?
A deadline
helps me structure my time and my goals with a book. If I know it has to be
done by a certain date, it is done, no exceptions. I set internal deadlines for
myself all the time, even with promotional things like this. It’s a discipline,
like all creative jobs, and you have to be dedicated to your professionalism at
all times.
How do you know you’ve written a good book?
The truth
is, I never know, and rarely believe I have written a good book. There are very
rare exceptions, and those occur when I have created something quickly and with
a genuine passion for the words and story. Oddly, it’s often the books I love
most, and feel are among my best work, that sell less than those I personally
dislike. It’s quite confusing at times! *lol*
How do you keep your characters and stories
organized?
I recently
bought an excellent writing program called Write Way Pro, and it’s the most
amazing piece of software. You can create note cards, storyboards, character
sketches, etc., even your research–and keep it all at the bottom of your screen
as you write–anything you may need to double-check is right there for you. When
you’re done, you have the option of creating your own eBook, or exporting as an
MSWord document file. But the ease of having all your notes at hand to look at
is great! (http://www.writewaypro.com)
Did you have any bad habits when you began
writing? How did you correct those habits?
I was
notorious for head-hopping, and it took a long time and a lot of work with good
editors to break the habit. I used to write from the point of view of the
director, zeroing in on the important view point of whatever character was
“reacting” to a point, it took awhile to realize I needed to write from the
perspective of the principle “actor” in the scene and thing and see through
his/her eyes and mind.
What are you currently working on? How is
it different from other books you’ve written?
The book I’m
working on finishing at the moment is my first full novel in awhile, plus it’s
non-erotic. It’s a mainstream romance, very sensual and romantic, set in Italy . I think
it’s different in some ways because the focus in this is the building of a
forever relationship between very different kinds of people.
What types of scenes are your favorite to
write?
I love
writing dark, atmospheric nightmares for some reason. But I also love to write
internal dialogue that evokes emotional connections for the reader. Sex scenes
always hang me up because they’re tedious.
When and where can readers look forward to
seeing you this year?
Noble
Romance will be releasing my first title with them in over three years, and
it’s an historical Western, highly erotic and romantic, and very naughty! I’ve
also got my first genie story set to go soon, and the prequel to my Ellora’s
Cave debut, Hide and Secret. So it will be a busy year!
Do you feel there is anything the market is
oversaturated with right now?
Honestly,
too much of this kinky billionaire crap that is nothing more than cashing in on
the Fifty Shades craze. If I have to read one more book about some fucked up,
abusive bastard with issues that require a good shrink, not a submissive idiot
heroine, I may retire and hide in a cave somewhere.
How do you feel about the term “Mommy
Porn”?
Like all
media terms, it’s just a catch phrase, and it means nothing. I know there are
some authors who really find it offensive. I just find it amusing. It’s a
label, in a world where people allow the media to create labels to
compartmentalize things. It means nothing, just a catchy way to say “Erotica”
as if it’s something dirty and shameful.
Do you prefer to write 1st or 3rd
Person POV? Why?
Third person
mostly. I know some people believe that first person creates more intimacy with
the POV character, but I find it limiting, big time. You can only see one view,
and hear one reaction. Relationships are about two people, so in order to
understand and feel for both people, you have to know them, and not just how
they relate to the POV character.
What do you feel are the most important
aspects to a good romance?
You need
strong, passionate characters who are confident and have lives outside of each
other. Unbalanced relationships are no fun to read about, and less engaging to
write about, really. Your hero and your heroine have to balance each other,
each will possess unique strengths that the other doesn’t, so a perfect harmony
comes from uniting those strengths and weakness and making them complement each
other. When you achieve that, you’ve created characters people will genuinely
care about when they read their struggles, adventures, and the reader will fall
in love along with the characters in your story.
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