Interview with Danielle Thorne

It is my pleasure to welcome multi-published author Danielle Thorne to Sandra Kay's Musings Author Interview this week. Danielle has agreed to answer some questions and tell us a little about the woman behind the books--The Privateer and Turtle Soup.

Danielle, have you always enjoyed reading and writing?

The first book I remember reading was Pippi Longstocking. I started writing stories in elementary school and then poetry. I pursued poetry throughout my school years; it was cathartic for me. Stories came later. My parents gave me a typewriter for a graduation gift. It was like giving me the key to all my dreams.

Was there a defining event that began your writing career?

My writing career has been gradual. I gave up pursuing my BA after getting my Associates degree to have children. I know that being a mother is the most important calling I have in this life, so my writing successes were few and far between. Once the internet evolved, it opened up the universe. I was able to learn, make friends, and to move forward, all without having to work outside the home. It gave my ambition possibilities.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing seriously, with publication in mind, just over ten years ago. Beginning with reviewing and freelancing, I built up a modest resume as I continued to submit my poetry for publication. Meanwhile I studied and worked hard learning how to write short stories and put together novels (and I still do).

Why did you pick the genre/sub-genre you write?

I strongly believe in writing what you love-what inspires you. If you don’t feel passionate about what you are writing about, you will never have the endurance to make it in the business.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes! I love history, especially the Age of Sail. I’ve written around both the Caribbean and Regency England eras. Being a genealogist, I am a research junkie. There is nothing like bringing a world to life that existed just a few generations ago.

I also write contemporary romances. My first modern romance will be released in August. Titled TURTLE SOUP, I brought my love of the Caribbean to Georgia and created a couple of stubborn, ambitious characters that want to save the world. He is a sea turtle conservationist. She is a baker who likes to feed the homeless.

How do you plot? Ie: Outline? Pantser? Mood music?

I wrote my first few manuscripts by the seat of my pants. While it helped me to release creatively, I have found that I am an outliner. Traditional plot flow is a challenge for me and something I continue to work at. Outlining really helps me see the arc. My favorite methods are using index cards per scene and creating graphs to measure the action.

As far as mood music? No way. I end up singing. With a lot of distraction, I sometimes turn on a box fan. Box fans work great if you need white noise.

Titles are difficult for some writers. How do you come up with yours?

I love working up titles! That probably makes me the exception. The majority of the time, I have a title come to me first, just as the story ideas hit. I’ve even had titles come to me and worked stories around them. The hardest thing for me is having a story down with no title. Then I’m always at a loss.

Is there anything you’d like your fans to know about you, the person, not the author?

One thing most people outside of my family and friends don’t know about me is that I have four sons, and three of them are teenagers! Every writer I know is balancing something in their life against their writing and for me it is motherhood. I’ve learned a lot raising my boys. I’ve dealt with cardiologists, ADHD, Asperger’s, and even high I.Q.’s beyond my own. I try very hard not to let my marriage and children take a backseat. It isn’t always easy, but keeping perspective on what’s most important in life actually makes me a better writer.

Tell us a little about your latest release.

I am giddy over my new August release, Turtle Soup. It is a 2008 Short Novel winner from Awestruck Publishing. This is my first contemporary romance, a sweet to sensual story about realizing what IS most important in life. I hope everyone who reads it has a good time. My hope is for you to put it down with a smile and think “I need a Caribbean vacation!” or at least want to help save the world. J

Here’s a cover blurb:

· Book Title: TURTLE SOUP

· Author’s Name: Danielle Thorne

· Author’s Website: www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com

· Publisher: Awe-Struck Publishing

· ISBN: Not Available

· Buy Link: The Coming Soon Link is: http://www.awe-struck.net/comingsoon.html

Sea turtles may be endangered but after an encounter with marine biologist, Jack Brandon, nothing will stop Sara Hart from naming her deli, Turtle Soup. When Jack takes a job at the nearby Georgia Aquarium, Sara finds the environmental poster boy at her door, hungry and carrying a chip on his shoulder. Neither thinks the other has what it takes, until a scuba class reveals what lies beneath the surface. It will take food, friends, and a little help from Mother Nature, to help them see that making a difference isn’t all numbers and glory. It must begin with love.

A favorite scene:

A girl blossoming out of the last stages of pubescent awkwardness glanced up from the register. She glowed with innocence and an early tan. Her dark hair and eyes matched his and he felt an instant connection with her even before she opened her mouth.

“You’re Jack Brandon!”

Jack smiled, pleased at the recognition and correct assumption. “I haven’t been blackballed have I?”

“What?”

“I’m still allowed on the premises?”

“Why wouldn’t you be?”

“I’m not a favorite with the owner.”

“Oh. Sara.” The girl grinned. “I know, she’s my aunt.”

“Your aunt?”

“Yep. And she told me to be on the lookout for you.”

“Why’s that?” Jack glanced through the glass counter at homemade biscuits and cornbread. The niece reached underneath and pulled out a basket of free samples.

“She just wants to know if you stop by.”

“Don’t tell her,” Jack teased, and he gave her a covert wink. She held out her hand, adult-like, and shook his. “I’m Carly, and I’m terrible at keeping secrets.”

“Jack,” Jack repeated. He stepped back and raked the goodies with a hungry eye. “I better order something and make a fast getaway.”

Carly giggled. She pointed at the pots of warm soup. “Pumpkin bisque and minestrone, unless you want vegetable stew.”

Jack had already decided. He took a recyclable container of pumpkin soup and a half dozen wheat yeast rolls.

“How about a cookie?”

“Free?”

Carly shook her head. “We’re just trying to break even.”

“I’ll take a couple,” Jack said generously. He craned his neck for a better look. “Make it the oatmeal ones. I thought your place was doing well?”

“It’s going okay, but not good enough. Sara’s kind of a penny pincher.”

“Big surprise,” grumbled Jack. “So who named this place?”

“Sara.” Carly smiled a secret smile that said she wanted to say more.

“I’m flattered.”

The woman herself strode into the room from the back kitchen. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and there was a flush on both cheeks. “Don’t be,” she answered curtly. She gave Carly an irate look. “I’ll ring him up.”

“I already did.”

“She’s completely capable,” Jack said, enjoying the opportunity to interfere. “We were just talking about you naming the shop after me.”

“I didn’t name the shop after you,” Sara said.

Carly looked up in surprise and Jack smoked it.

“For your information,” she returned angrily, “this place has been in the works long before your arrival.”

“Really? I’ve been hanging around for at least half that and I hadn’t noticed.”

“I was waiting for a prime location.”

“This is prime?”

“If you knew anything about business I’d try to explain it to you but I’m not going to waste my time.”

“Right,” Jack grinned. “I don’t know anything about business.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” Sara punched something on the register, held her fingers out for the money and shoved it in the drawer. She let Carly dole out the change. “Why don’t you crawl your way back to your tank now?”

“That’s funny,” Jack said. “Ha, ha. I don’t know anything about money. I should stick to amphibians-”

“Sharks, sponges, spineless jellyfish,” Sara finished coldly. She marched back into her inner sanctum leaving him alone again with her niece.

“Lovely relation you have there,” he said.

***********

Turtle Soup, Coming August 14^th, 2009

Bio:

Danielle Thorne published poetry and more for over fifteen years while freelancing the family life market. Her first two novels, THE PRIVATEER, and contemporary romance, TURTLE SOUP, are available at www.Awe-Struck.net. Danielle is a member of Awe-Struck Authors, Epic, Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction, Classic Romance Revival, The Sweetest Romance, and is a Long and Short of It anonymous reviewer. She lives south of Atlanta, Georgia, with four boys, a cat with an identity crisis, and the best husband in the world.

I appreciate everyone stopping by for Sandra's interview. I’m going to have a drawing for a free e-book of Turtle Soup for all guests who comment on this interview, today through Friday, July 17^th. The lucky winner will be contacted and then forwarded on a copy of Turtle Soup on release day, which is scheduled for August 14th. Tell all your friends to stop by and say hello! I’ll let our hostess know the winner the day after the contest ends. In the meantime, I hope to see some new visitors at my website www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com. If you enjoy Historicals and are fascinated by real men that might have endured life and piracy in the Caribbean, you’re going to want to check out my current release, THE PRIVATEER (http://www.awe-struck.net/books/the_privateer.html).

Thanks, Sandra!