Author Spotlight: Dayana Knight Answers All

Hello, everyone. Welcome and thank you all for joining me today.  I am also doing a simulcast with The Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers Blog today, so hop over and check them out, too. Who knows what questions are going to be asked of me:)
As promised I am open and ready to answer whatever question you toss at me to the best of my ability, LOL  Many people have responded via email. I have posted each of the questions below along with the name of the person who asked it.  Feel free to shoot questions at me today as well if you just dropped by and hadn't had a chance to email me one.  If I receive a lot of questions within the comments section, I will set up a second post so everyone is visible on the blog and readers don't have to peruse the comments for Q&A.

I will drop in this evening(day job you know) and over the next couple of days to catch up with people who may drop in later.
Something tells me that these questions will have nothing at all with the craft of writing and everything to do with...

hmm...

well shall we begin?

Jennifer Mathis asks:

Well since it is April Fools, I have to ask are you a practical joke kind of person and if so what do you think is you best practical joke?

Actually, Jennifer, like the clipart at the beginning denotes, no, I'm not really good at that kind of stuff.  I was always lingering in the background so as NOT to be the brunt of a practical joke. But, hey! You know, this stunt here might change things up a bit.  LOL I'd have to say this is my best practical joke--and it's on me!

Mary Marvella asks:

How old were you when you lost your first tooth? 
Geez, I truly don't remember but I do remember the agony of the tooth hanging by a thread and why is it you couldn't help but to play with the darned thing with your tongue.  I also remember placing the errant tooth under my pillow, the Tooth Fairy visits and finding some  cold hard cash in the morning in place of that pesky tooth:)

Do you remember your first boy friend?
Absolutely!  He was awesome and probably all but 12:) I used to go to the Little League field to gaze upon him.

Who was the first boy you kissed and how old were you?
His name was Joe and he lived in the next town over. I think I was 13 and he was 15.  He gave me my first piece of jewelry too.  It was a small garnet birthstone pendant that was simple and very pretty. I still have it.  He broke up with me by telling me I was too good for him. My translation: He was wanting more than  I could give:)  A gentleman at a very young age. A very special memory.

Do you have a tattoo, where, and of what?
No. Not a one.  I have wanted to get one for years--a tramp stamp which is the low back one, LOL but I am too chicken:) I don't like needles all that much.  Do what I have to but the thought of being poked at a constant rate for a long period of time... I don't think so. 

What is the strangest food combination you like?
M&Ms and cornflakes in milk(weird when I did it but now we have Chocolate Cheerios, so... And yes, I like them*grin*)  I also used to put maple syrup in milk as a kid.

Sharon Donovan asks:

What birthday was hardest for you to deal with and what did you do that could be considered zany to combat it?
Clever way to ask me how old I am, LOL.  Let's see. No birthday was really that hard for me but with age comes other changes that are very painful for me.  That midlife spread around the middle is haunting me now and I just cannot seem to get rid of it.  I find time has stripped some of my energy as I get into things I did without any thought and now realize I'm not as--shall we say-- spry as I used to be, LOL  BTW: I stopped aging/celebrating at thirty-five, just so you know *grin*

Mary Ricksen asks:

Do you have dreams involving sex? In color?
Absolutely!  Where do you think I get some of those sex scene ideas?  Color? Not sure. I think they are but I'm usually too busy to notice:)

Do any of your stories have a basis in reality?
Yes. Actually I mention or use several things from my life in my first book.  I do model character's morality, thoughts, mannerisms around people in my life. And sometimes things I myself have experienced.  In fact, my second book Curse of the Marhime was born of a real life rather strange experience. I believe that there is a certain realism added through "real" life in fiction.



Lisa Finch asks:

What is the freakiest paranormal thing that ever happened to you?
I would have to say messing with a Quija board when I was probably at the cusp of my teen years.  My neighbor had a board and a creepy house.  She was older than me(late teens, early twenties) but she tolerated me, LOL We were playing with the thing one night and it began to take a life of its own which totally freaked us both out and needless to say we abandoned the thing, and I never touched another board in all these years!  I have to add I never will expecially after watching Paranormal Experiment.  That just plain freaked me out!

Keena Lykens asks:

If you could time travel with any fictional character, who would it be with, where would you go and would you eat the local cuisine?
I would have to say Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.  I would go anywhere with him, LOL  As far as partaking in the local food, it would definitely depend on what the local cuisine was.  I do draw the line at organs and bugs, etc. As well any animal in depicted in the story Bambi:) But generally, I'm not a picky eater:)
 
Jackie Sajonjo asks:
 
What is the scarriest thing you've ever done?
You may not believe this but I have to say my scariest moment was when I posted my first piece of writing to a critique group(my first) and hit the 'send' button.  I was so nervous, I shook and was near to panic and remorse as I awaited the first response.

My next panick-filled fearful moment was when I sent my first manuscript to an editor per her request.  I beat myself up and refused to open her eventual email for fear of what it would say. LOL she asked my why I was hiding my work.  She loved it and wanted to contract it.  As FDR said, "the only thing to fear is fear itself." And I firmly believe that, LOL Though each time I put myself out there I am honestly afraid.  Afraid I or my work will be rejected.  Natural, but significant.

Paranormal fright?  Well...the Quija incident I mention above and I used to have nightmares that I awoke bodily harmed afterwards--meaning I would have bruises and marks on my body in the exact places I was hurt in my dreams which were all very strange.  I discovered that the root of my very frightening dreams were all the hardcore horror books I was reading.  When I stopped reading them the dreams stopped. 

Oh and once my brother hid under my bed in the dark. I came in (I never worried about turning lights on, still don't to this day. Good night vision. Must be one of shifter traits:) sat down on the bed he grabbed my ankles.  If I weren't so young,  I would have died on the spot of a heartattack.  What are brothers for? I ask.

Catherine Bybee asks:

Where was the most outragious place you ever.....???
On the X-ray table in my office.  It was cold and very uncomfortable but we had nowhere else to go. I wondered what the heck I was thinking...  I mean geez, all kinds of people touch and lay on this table.  Why in the world would I ever...

Oh! No!  you are all thinking...

No... no... I'm talking about having lunch in the X-ray room because the kitchen was already full of people and...

Oh get your minds out of the gutter. Next you'll all be thinking I lured some unsuspecting hunk of a patient into my lair on the pretence of an extended x-ray exam and well...you get the picture I'm sure;)


Thank you for all the wonderful questions. And, not a one about writing! This has been a blast. Please be sure to tune in on Thursdays and check out who is in the hot seat each week. Also, if you'd like a heads up on what's going on here, please join Dayana's Happening. Just scroll down on the right sidebar of the my blog and click Yahoo Group "Join this group".

Oh and thank you Fuzzies for inviting me to simulcast this event on your blog today as well.
Dayana

Author Spotlight and April Fools with a twist:)

As you all know April 1st is not only the kickoff of my Author Spotlight this year, it is also April Fool's Day, so I thought I would put myself in the hotseat on for this silly holiday. Foolish I know but I am opening myself up to YOUR questions. Send me a question between the dates of March 21 and 27th, and I will answer the things YOU want to know about moi:)

Almost anything is game. Let's have some fun, shall we? Best question will earn you a surprise gift. The jury's still out on what that will be but surprises are always nice, aren't they?
Send your questions to my email addie: gothscribegirl@aol.com and please put "Fool's Questions" in the subject line.  Please DONOT post questions on this blog as comments. They WILL NOT be answered.
Looking forward to receiving your questions, so think up some doosies, LOL

As promised, Jason Barrett and Debra St. John spotlight dates are Jason, April 8th and Debra, April 15th. I will also have Barbara Monajem, April 22nd.  Stay tuned for many more of your favorite authors throughout the spring and summer months.

Now I'm back to my new erotic, working title, Unchain My Mortality.

D~

Good Morning! Just a quick note to let you all know and invite you over to Faith Smith's blog today. Faith and I are gabbing over champagne and chocolates and we may even have some special hunky guests dropping by. Isn't that right, Faith?

Have a wonderful weekend!

D~

Author Spotlight: Traci Hall, Author Young Adult Paranormal

Traci Hall is a friend and a fellow Florida Romance Writer member. I met Traci over three years ago when I wandered into the Super Saturday celebration our local RWA chapter, the FRW. At the time, she was President of our RWA Chapter and did a mighty fine job of it! The rest as they say is history.

Welcome, Traci. It’s so nice to have you here today.

Tell me about yourself. What makes you angry, happy, sad, snoopy dance?

I am simple I don’t like to be angry or sad, so I avoid those emotions at all cost. I smile whenever possible because my grandma said that frowning causes more wrinkles.

I have to tell you, I follow the same rule of thumb with frowning. I prefer less wrinkles, especially as that number climbs each year, therefore smiling lots is the only option!

So tell us, how many books have you written?

Over twenty.

Wow! That is quite an inventory. Are they all published?

Thank God, NO, lol. I wrote a book about a 19th century heroine who was raped by the local sheriff. She had a blind son, and an MIA dad who turns out to be the star of the traveling show just come into town. (hanging head)

Ho! Boy! Which brings to mind my next question How do you decide on a topic?

Usually something will ignite the creative spark and a title comes to mind, which then leads to theme and plot.

Hmm…so you title your works before you actually have written the story? Interesting. Titles are usually the hardest for me.

What works best to keep you focused and on track?

Duct tape my ass to the chair, and self-bribery of diet coke, sunflower seeds and Good and Plenty candy.

LOL Unique tactic and dangerous! Have you ever tried to get duct tape off of anything? My preferred bribery is chocolate―dark chocolate:)

Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?

I love money, don’t get me wrong, but so far writing has been a break-even affair. Book marks, travel expenses, and don’t get me started on an hourly wage:)

I hear you, Traci. Anyone who thinks writing/publication will gain the average newbie fortunes is delusional, LOL I write because I love to see my stories build on those blank pages.

Hourly wage? Did you say we should be charging an hourly wage?! *grin*

When was the first moment you felt comfortable saying, “I am a writer?”

I remember going to a Florida Romance Writers conference back in 2003, and I walked around wide-eyed at the way people talked about writing like it could be a business. I had no clue – about anything! One of the first things I learned from that conference was to take myself seriously – which meant practicing saying – before being published - “I am a writer”.

Oh, I do remember the wonder of that first meeting! You were the chapter president at the time and how great you were at it. You welcomed me like I was a long lost friend. We have a wonderful group at the FRW.

Thank you!!! You were so friendly that it was easy to be nice:)

What type of stories do you like to write and why?

I like writing stories about families, and about possibilities. I like action, and happy endings. Always happy endings!

Where do you write?

I have a very small house, so my ‘office’ is a corner of our bedroom. It works for me:) And my hubby knows better than to complain about the book piles and post it notes.

LOL I can definitely relate to that. Where do you go to think?

The beach – the inspiration comes in (prepare for bad joke) waves, lolol

LOL good one! Do you have an upcoming release?



Yes, Something Wiccan This Way Comes is the second book in my Rhiannon Godfrey series(the first being, Her Wiccan, Wiccan Ways) – Rhiannon Godfrey is a teenaged girl who has recently moved to a small town. Her parents are Wiccan, but she is still searching her heart for her spiritual path. She’s psychic, almost fifteen, and confused, lol, as only a teenager can be. I really love this girl *grins*

Where can we find your upcoming release?

Amazon.com is the easiest way to order, although Barnes and Noble and Books A Million carry it on their websites too.

When will it be available?

September 1st! Here’s the purchase link:
Something Wiccan This Way Comes

Sneak Peak:

What’s a girl to do when trouble finds her at every turn?
A Rhiannon Godfrey story.
Being different is nothing new for Rhiannon Godfrey. Neither is hiding who she really is to all but a select few. So far she’s managed to walk that line, but now someone is spreading rumors that the Godfreys’ New Age store is really a front for witchcraft, complete with cauldrons and eyes of newt.
The whole town is turning against them—even Rhee’s boyfriend is suspicious. Then there’s her ex-crush Matthew, who just showed up uninvited on her doorstep carrying a single suitcase—and a heavy secret.
Rhiannon tries to be good, she really does. But it’s hard when trouble pounces at every turn, and her unsuccessful spells seem to prove that science is the only path to enlightenment.
Hiding her gifts and running from confrontation is easier than standing up for what she believes in. But this time, there’s more at stake. And the possibility she may have to find the inner strength to banish one friend in order to save another.

More about Traci Hall:

Traci Hall writes young adult paranormal stories, and medieval paranormal romances. She is an active member of FRW, and she lives in Southern Florida with her family – you can contact her at traciella@aol.com or visit her websites at www.tracihall.com or www.traciehall.com

Thank you, Traci, for taking the time to join me today. I’ve really enjoyed talking with you. Wishing you well with you series and your newest release.

Thanks for having me – it’s been a blast! By the way, I will be drawing a name over the weekend from all visitors who’ve left comments for their choice of print or ebook copy of Something Wicked This Way Comes, so tune in on Monday for the winner.

Oooohhh, that sounds great, Traci. Have a wonderful weekend! Thank you all for joining us today. Don’t forget to check in here on Monday to find out who won Traci’s book.

Please join me...

...at Books, Books, and More Books (Ruthie's Book Reviews) all week. Ruthie has graciously invited me to stop by for coffee and some small talk. I'd love for you all to drop by and join us. One lucky visitor will win a free download of my novel, Curse of the Marhime.

I will be sharing news on a great new multi-author blog event for February and much more. I look forward to seeing you:)

Dayana~

Coming up next...
My thoughts on Time Management in the new year.

Tonight's The Night!

In exactly 20 minutes I am doing a blog radio interview at the Paranormal Palace (www.blogtalkradio.com/paranormalpalace) with Royce Holleman. I will be posting the interview in its entirety for anyone who is interested in taking a listen later but if you have a mind to please drop in tonight live at 9pm EST.

Dayana