Today I am speaking with Denise Fleischer. Hello Denise and welcome. It is good to have you with FAR today.

As a Time Travel/Paranormal author, you have a very busy schedule, not only with your writing but your Gotta Write Network website, with your interviews, reviews, as well as being a Lifestyle editor and other events, that you have going, along with your mystery in progress. If we were to follow you around for one day, what would we get to see as your day begins?

It begins at a newspaper office in the Northwest suburbs of Illinois. As the Lifestyle Editor there, I’m responsible for preparing copy for several communities and special sections, writing articles, taking pictures, laying out and reading pages. I just went back to full time hours and started attending society events, so there’s a lot to do. After making dinner for my daughter and I, there’s review requests to post, interviews to arrange and reviews to publish on gottawritenetwork.com. For the last three months, I’ve been networking with people all over the world on IMVU. After hosting a chat on a 3D world, I’m ready to do it in my own room on this exceptional site.

Of all the genres, does the Time Travel/Paranormal interest you the most?

My gosh, yes! I am addicted to Time Travel and paranormals. I actually search for them in several bookstores in town. With so few time travels being published, it’s a miracle when you do find a new one on the shelves. Paranormals are everywhere. No problem there. I love books on witches, vampires, ghosts, normal people with exceptional powers and more. I easily have 1,000 books to chose from these days in my at home library. Though the majority of the books I read these days are review books www.gottawritenetwork.com receives.

Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

With The Guardian, my first time travel/paranormal/SF novel, the storyline came from a dream about a funeral. Don’t ask me why it began at the end of two peoples’ lives, it’s just how Crusader Lea Netera’s story came about in the very first draft. For years now, my stories are revealed by the characters themselves, one line of dialogue at a time. Would you believe blasting music in the dark is another great inspiration?

Can you recall the first story that you ever wrote?

It was a detective who needed to remain an outsider, not involved in the craziness of society. I had to write it for a Humanities class I was attending back in the 80s. I published it in a Gotta Write anthology years ago.

From what do you derive the most inspiration for your writing? Is there a particular song or maybe some other ritual that helps you get in the mood to write?

As I stated before, listening to music with only the light of my computer helps to kindle my imagination. I’ve started to rip my CDs and my daughter, Lauren’s, on my computer so I can have a vast library available. One minute I’ll be listening to Nickel Creek or Fiona Apple and the next Celtic music.

Is it hard for you to decide what names to give your characters?

No, their names just pop in my head.

What advice would you give an author who is just starting out?

Don’t talk about writing, write. Don’t wait forever to send in a query letter and synopsis to a publisher. Attend online chats. Go to a writer’s convention. Never fear rejection.

Internet Publishing is growing rapidly. Where do you see it in the next three years?

Internet Publishing can only be successful if readers buy e-books and trade paperback’s online. I have several thoughts on this topic: One, that an e-book has a much longer shelf life then a print book on Border’s shelf. But my main concern is what type of attention is put into editing these manuscripts when so many are being published monthly.

Do you have any bad writing habits?

I don’t write enough and it’s difficult to be motivated when a manuscript is sitting in a publisher’s computer.

Of all the individuals you have created, in your stories, do you have a particular favorite? What appeals to you the most about this character?

Gosh, I love them all. I love Crusader Lea Netera Payton for her attitude and ability to deal with the most difficult challenges. I love Lord Azaron for the way he supports his wife. Dakota for being Lea’s bodyguard through all the eras she travels in and Galaxy, the dragon, for the cute way he’s always interfering.

What do you think makes a good book to you?

When it grabs your heart and your attention from the first page and doesn’t let go. When you can’t put it down because it’s so darn interesting and when you hate to read that first page.

Do you believe every story should have a happily-ever-after ending, or sometimes a cliffhanger?

It should have whatever is necessary to make the story complete. Life doesn’t always have a happy ending nor should stories. I like cliffhangers for the end of chapters, but don’t feel they’re good for books. If you don’t have resolution you feel cheated.

Is there anything special you do to relax?

I go to movies, bookstores, out to dinner and read.

If you could be anyone or anything else for one day, what or who would you choose to be? Whether person or thing.

A big press author. What a dream that is.

You wake up one morning to learn you are a farmer and have to plant. What crop would you begin planting on your farm?

I’ve never heard that question before, but it would be trees to save the Earth. There’s plenty of corn and wheat already.

Can readers learn more about your books at this website? www.gottawritenetwork.com

Yes, or by emailing me at Netera@aol.com or IMing me at IMVU: I’m LeaNetera there, I’ll be more than happy to tell you about The Guardian and Altar of Freedom, my books.

Thank you so much for sharing your time Denise. It has been a delight.

Thank you Linda and thank you Fallen Angels!

Interviewed by: Linda L.