Interview With Dani-Lyn Alexander, Author of Dune Road

I’m delighted to have fellow Wild Rose Press author Dani-Lyn Alexander as my guest today. Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of her romantic suspense novella, Dune Road.

Hi, Dani-Lyn! Thank you for being my guest! Tell us a little about Dune Road:

Thank you for having me!

Dune Road, gateway to the Hamptons, where the rich come to play.

When Cole spots Ashleigh on Dune Road, staring out at the ocean, her vulnerability calls to him. A playboy at heart, he wrestles with developing feelings he doesn’t understand. But he’s also hiding a secret–he’s not who Ashleigh thinks he is–and someone is trying to kill him.

Wary of strangers and struggling with ghosts from the past, Ashleigh fights her attraction to Cole. Will she lose him when she tells him that for her it’s marriage or nothing?

When Cole realizes just how different Ashleigh is from the women he usually dates, he not only puts himself in danger, but her as well. Ashleigh and Cole are both keeping secrets. Will those secrets tear them apart? Or bring them closer together before the killer has time to cover his tracks?

What are you working on now? Do you have any releases scheduled for this year?

Right now I’m working on edits for a young adult fantasy novel I just completed. I’m very excited about it because it’s the first young adult novel I’ve written, and I love the characters.

Truth and Deceit is the second novel in my Realm of Light series and is due to be released on August 23, 2013.

What did you learn from writing your first book or what do you wish you’d known before becoming published?

I have learned so much since I first started writing. To start with, I had to learn to use Microsoft Word. I wrote the first half of my first novel, Trust and Betrayal, in a looseleaf binder. When my husband realized I was serious about writing, he went out and bought me a laptop. Of course, I had no clue what to do with it, so a good friend taught me how to use Word. Now, when writing by hand, if I’m unsure of the proper spelling of a word, I start writing and patiently wait for the red line to appear. Lol. How quickly we get spoiled!

Do you have a favorite time of day for writing?

I love writing in the early morning. I work best when the house is quiet, so I often stay up until two or three o’clock in the morning to write. I suffer for it the next day, but I do my best writing then.

How do you balance writing and everyday life?

It’s not easy! I think it’s just a matter of prioritizing, for me anyway. If I’m in the middle of a scene and the kids are content, I’ll let things go a bit to write. Other times, there’s utter chaos, and I know it’s best to forget about trying to write.

Where is your favorite place in the world?

Disney World! My kids are twenty two, fourteen, and two, and they all love Disney.

What is your favorite food to cook or eat?

I have several favorite foods: Chocolate cake, beef stew, and pretty much anything Italian! But my most favorite food is Cracker Ball Soup. It’s chicken broth, with chicken, carrots, onions, celery and balls made from crushed Saltine Crackers. There’s nothing better on a cold, grey winter day!

What do you like to read?

I love to read anything paranormal. I’m a big fan of Christine Feehan, Jacquelyn Frank, Kay Hooper, Dean Koontz, Stephen King. When I want something a little lighter and more fun, I read Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I can’t get enough of Grandma Mazur and Lula, and I can’t ever decide between Ranger and Morelli.

These are few of my favorite things:

1. Kids

2. Big dogs

3. Chocolate

And now, Dani-Lyn has a giveaway and question for you: Dune Road in Westhampton is a huge tourist destination. I live ten minutes away, but always go to Florida for vacation. Where is your favorite vacation spot? I will give away an e-copy of my novella, Dune Road, to one random commenter.

Excerpt:

Ashleigh’s heart stopped. She had just finished vacuuming, turned to pull the plug and get ready to go home, when she spotted a man standing in the doorway. Startled, she screamed. Her heart stuttered and then raced so fast and hard, she thought it might jump out of her chest. She gasped for breath.

“It’s okay.” Cole held his hands out in front of him, palms toward her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Are you crazy? What are you doing here?” Upon recognizing him, she had initially been relieved, but should she be? Maybe he was stalking her. The sudden realization that they were alone, in a deserted beach house, in the middle of the night, started her heart pounding even harder.

When he began to step slowly toward her, she took several steps back. “Please, don’t be scared. I’m so sorry. I went for a walk on the beach when I left the club. I was sitting by the water when I saw the lights. I thought I’d check on the place.”

His excuse sounded plausible, but she was still nervous. When he stepped closer, she continued to step back until she hit the bar. Her heart raced. Cole reached for her and she froze, unable to take a breath.

Bio: Dani-Lyn Alexander lives on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband, three kids (ages twenty-two, fourteen and two) and three dogs. She has always loved working with children: first teaching dance, then directing and choreographing school plays. Her love of reading began when she was three, and she’s had a book in her hand ever since. When her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep at night, she decided to try her hand at writing and loved it. She’s been writing ever since.

You can find Dani-Lyn at:

Blog/website: http://danilynalexander.com/blog.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danilyn.alexander.1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaniLynAlexande

You can find Dune Road at Amazon.com