Today I am speaking with Dara Edmondson.

Good Morning Dara, thank you for taking time to talk to Fallen Angel Reviews today.

Dara, I must tell you that I read Wrong Way Kay and really enjoyed it. Why not start off by telling us something about the life of Dara Edmondson after she wakes in the morning.

First of all, thank you. It always makes my day to hear that someone enjoyed one of my books. Well, my day begins early when I do the school carpool. Then I head to the gym, home to shower and then I chain myself to the computer and write or edit. My husband works nights so by time he wakes up, we have a little while alone together before the kids arrive home. Afternoons are filled with taking my kids to various after school activities – play rehearsals, work, girl scouts, etc. We try to have dinner together before my husband goes to work at the jail. Then I work on my manuscript du jour while the kids shower, play video games and such.

Would you like to tell us something about your upcoming releases?

Compromising Positions, a Lady Lit novel, was just released October 2nd from Triskelion. It’s about three women in their forties facing obstacles and overcoming them with style and humor. It’s really pretty funny. The print version will be released in February. I can’t wait!

Do you have to do much research in your writing?

For some books, I do quite a bit. I finished one recently that required me to become an expert about a rare liver disease and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Authors really need to not guess at things – it helps to make the stories and characters believable.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

Several of my characters have some of my personality traits and many have my sense of humor. People have always confided in me and I’ve used bits and pieces of the experiences I’ve heard, particularly the emotions that accompany certain things in life I’ve not experienced. For example, one of my best friends recently separated from her husband and I gleaned a lot of insight about how that feels.

Do you get much contact from your readers?

I have a Yahoo group some readers have joined and some come to chats and author days I do on other Yahoo groups. I love hearing from readers and I always answer them when they write. It’s such a thrill to have someone connect with my work.

Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

Absolutely. I’ve had a few letters from readers asking me to write a sequel to Wrong Way Kay. I plan to do that when I finish everything I’ve already started.

Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

Yes. One reader told me the scene in Wrong Way Kay when Kay baby-sits her niece and nephew was so funny, she nearly peed her pants when she read it.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

I actually wrote part of a murder mystery while I was in college twenty years ago. But I took it up again after my husband started working nights and I had some time alone after the kids went to bed. I finished my first ms in about six months. Then I joined the Romance Writers of America and learned the finer points. I realized that first one wasn’t viable. But the second, Wrong Way Kay was. I sent it out on the advice of an author in my RWA chapter and the rest is history.

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

Three months if I work on it five days a week. Six if I’m busy with other things.

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

A little of both. I try to write during the day mostly. If I get stuck, I answer emails or play Scrabble on the computer.

Where do your ideas come from?

Everywhere. I have a really fertile imagination. Some ideas come to me as I read the newspaper or talk to friends at a party.

For Fun: Name the best appliance ever created?

The air conditioner. After Hurricane Charley, we had no power for a week – in Florida in August. Definitely the air conditioner.

No interview of a writer would be complete without this question: What is your favorite comfort food?

Chocolate chip cookies.

Do you have another website than www.daraedmondson.com that you would like to share with your readers, like a blog or links to your books?

For now I only have the one. There’s a page that lists my upcoming appearances. And of course, I have a link to join my Yahoo group.

Dara, I have enjoyed our talk and thank you for taking time to share some insight with us about Dara Edmondson. I wish you the best in your writing endeavor with all your fantastic books.

Thank you, Linda. What could be more fun than talking about yourself?

Interviewed by: Linda L