Author Denise Wheatley
S: Good morning, Denise! Thanks for joining me this chilly day.
Why
did you become a writer?
D: Writing
has always been a huge passion of mine. I’ve been obsessed with books for as
long as I can remember, and during elementary school, they inspired me to write
poems, short stories, plays, and other things. A story I wrote for a creative writing course
during college titled, “Too Hot to Handle,” motivated me to take a stab at
writing a novel. Shortly after graduation, I did just that, and the rest is
history.
S: (Nods.) Passion. That's the key to a great writer. You need to have passion for storytelling, as well as your characters and their stories.
What
attracts you to the romance genre?
D: I
love, love happy endings! I was that kid who bought into the fairy tales and
in all honesty, I still do! When it comes to various genres of entertainment,
from films to sitcoms to books, I’m just naturally drawn to romance. I enjoy
writing it just as much as I enjoy reading and watching it.
S: (Smiles.) There's nothing like a great romance. I tend to rate them by the number of tissues I go through!
Do
you write in other genres?
D: While
romance is my primary genre, I do write in several subgenres, including contemporary,
chick-lit, erotica, and paranormal. One of my recent releases, "Wards of Women," is a romantic suspense novel about three heroines who buy men from a
prison to fulfill their every need. I
haven’t ventured outside of the romance genre because I’m so drawn to
love-related story lines. But I’m definitely open to exploring other categories further
down the road.
S: Buying men from prison. Sounds like a fascinating tale!
If
you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
D: Absolutely.
I truly found my calling when I began writing books. I am at my best when I’m in
that creative head space, formulating plot lines and developing characters. While
writing can be challenging and even frustrating at times, nothing compares to
the feeling I get after finishing a novel. In the end, it’s all well worth it.
S: I know that feeling. It's so satisfying!
What
do you crave?
D: Love,
French fries, Los Angeles, writing, conversations with my mother, chocolate
chip cookies, true crime television, celebrity gossip, and of course, books.
S: Wow. That's quite a list!
Tell me about your holiday book, "A Naughty Jolly Christmas."
D: This is Book One in The Holiday Chronicles. Here's the blurb--
Someone is about to have the best
holiday ever…
Sasha
Williams is an African-American public relations powerhouse who’s come a long
way from the south side of Chicago to glamorous Los Angeles. While she loves
her LA life, she hasn’t forgotten her roots and always goes back home to
celebrate Christmas with her tight-knit family. This year, however, Sasha’s
holiday plans are nixed when she’s forced to accompany her sexy, notoriously
naughty new client Drake Lancaster on the press tour for his upcoming Christmas
movie.
Sasha’s
furious, yet finds herself overcome with lust when Drake strolls into her
office. She’s surprised considering she’s never dated outside of her race, but
Drake’s brooding Italian good looks have her thinking she may need to broaden
her horizons. His attraction toward her is just as intense, and pleasure eventually
overtakes the pair’s business relationship.
Despite
Sasha’s promise to keep things strictly professional during the press tour, her
and Drake’s secret trysts heat up even further while out on the road. In the
end, Sasha must decide whether their cultural differences, along with her
secret painful past and his playboy reputation, are worth risking her heart and
career—especially without knowing whether this is the real thing or a racy
fling.
S: (Grins.) Wow. I never met that type of client when doing public relations! Sounds like a hot, sexy tale!
Where can readers buy your book?
D: It's available from all major booksellers, including--
Barnes
& Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Denise%20N.%20Wheatley
eXtasy
Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/denise-n-wheatley/
S: Denise, thanks so much for joining me today! If you would like to learn more about Denise and her books, please visit--
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/denisewheatley
