Welcome to Gina’s World of Good and thank you so much for visiting. Today, we are so fortunate to have author Danielle Thorne visiting with us. Danielle will be discussing her new book, CHEATED, which was released by Desert Breeze Publishing on September 12.
Hi Danielle, it's nice to have you today. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Thanks for having me for a visit, Regina. I'm a Southern girl, writing from south of Atlanta, Georgia. Besides wearing the caps of former editor and freelance writer, I'm also the author of six novels. I write clean fiction in both contemporary and historical romance, as well as paranormals for young adults.
How long have you been writing? What's the most rewarding aspect of it?
A lifelong writer, I decided to tackle working professionally in the field in 1998. Having the opportunity to express myself and be creative is the greatest reward. Research is a lot of fun, too. I love to learn new things.
You have a new release. For those who haven't read your book yet, would you tell us a little about it?
Cheated is a stand alone paranormal about relying on our friends and family as we face our fears. It features high school senior, Athena Gray, who has the gift to bring people back or help them cross over. Athena is determined to finish her senior year without any paranormal interruptions. She's certain it's best to ignore her ability to help spirits cross over, but a new phantom in the backwoods of Omega is watching her every move. Determined to protect her sister and her best friend, Dan, Athena pays no attention to strange events at school until they follow her home. When the mysterious spirit causes a near fatal accident, she must come to grips with an angry and jealous ghost who wants her dead because somewhere between this life and another, Athena's adversary thinks she cheated. It will take the power of family and friendship to survive her own personal haunting and reclaim her life before supernatural forces extinguish it forever.
That's so interesting! Could you tell us what to expect in any other books you’ll be releasing?
I'd love to! This fall I am also releasing my third historical novel, Proper Attire. This novella features sweet romance set in the Regency era of the West Indies. Here's a quick snapshot:
Pressured to marry for money, Julia Scott flees England and a cruel stepmother to determine if the West Indies is the paradise of her dreams. Attacked by pirates and desired by island natives, the only person she can trust is John Smith -- if that's her rescuer's true name. Reaching her uncle's station in English Harbor, Julia must find a way to face her feelings and deal with her traitorous family, a dashing new suitor, and the guardian angel, John Smith, who has no qualms sporting counterfeit names and less than what is proper attire.
This novella will be available at Amazon.com for just .99 in only a few weeks.
What themes do you write about?
I find there's a continual thread of experiences requiring self-reflection and great courage in my books. It takes stepping outside of our comfort zones to understand ourselves, and that's what I like to make my characters do.
Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite author is probably Patrick O'Brian. He writes wonderful sea fiction with riveting description and deep character development. I reread his Master and Commander series as much as I do my Jane Austen collection.
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Danielle. Good luck with your releases and please come back again soon!
JUST FOR FUN
What is your favorite word? "Really?" I say it, I write it. It's a problem.
What is your least favorite word? The word "plethora" really gets on my nerves. It's overused.
What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? In another life I'd love to be a forensic scientist or marine biologist. I love science.
What profession would you not like to do? Act. I'm phobic about cameras or too much attention. It's just not my thing.
What is your favorite place in the whole world? At sea.
Excerpt from Cheated:
In answer to my thoughts, something nearby snapped. I bit my bottom lip and tried to breathe normally. When I turned around, the surprise of seeing a small, pale girl standing at the clearing's edge almost made me fall back onto the rock again.
"You," I said, like we were in some kind of detective novel.
She said nothing but continued staring with large, gray eyes. I watched the atmosphere around her blur in and out like a wormhole and realized this was the ghost from my cell phone picture. She was the same girl I'd noticed watching me from the woods at the season's first ball game. Except she wasn't really a ghost. Or was she?
"Who are you?" I asked. I really needed to know, and for the first time despite my Poppy's former warnings to not issue invitations to supernatural visitors, I wanted to know.
"Athena," she answered in a quiet whisper.
I didn't know if she was answering me or addressing me. "Who?"
Her mouth twitched slightly at the corners of her mouth, but her eyes remained dead and cold, sparking off and on with a flickering light.
"What do you want?"
Her expression flickered for a quick second before she caught herself. This ghost was playing it cool.
"I don't know who you are, and I don't care," I lied. "Go away and leave me alone."
She laughed, and it was in a creepy, low tone. To make things feel worse, she still hadn't smiled or stopped glaring at me with those dead eyes.
"You cheated," she said, after I decided not to say another word.
A wary tremor ran down my backbone. I'd heard this before. She shimmered like a desert mirage. The power of her glittering appearance waned.
I caught myself biting my lip again, hard. I fought to not feel afraid, fought not to speak.
"Cheated," she repeated in an angry whisper, and her blue life light flickered once more and then went out, like someone had blown across a candle's burning flame.
Links:
Desert Breeze Publishing: http://www.
Amazon.com: Available September 11th
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Thank you for visiting Gina's World of Good today. Leave a comment for Danielle, and join me in wishing her the best of luck with her writings!
