Hi Dee! And welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews! It is really wonderful to have you with us today. The readers are eager to hear about Dee Lloyd.

Wow Dee, what a quaint website, I really like it.

Thanks, Linda. Sue Waldeck, the founder of Road to Romance, designed it for me. I think it reflects me and my interests very well. The recipes in one section are family favorites and the LIBRARY IN YOUR HAND section contains my research into the devices best used for reading electronically (handheld readers, pocket PCs, and PDAs. I’m working on an extension to the article about reading on cell phones. Boggles the mind, doesn’t it?)

To start, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a mother of two grown daughters and grandmother of 6 teenagers! I was married to multi-award-winner, Terry Sheils for over forty years. With his horror novels and my romantic suspense novels always on the go, writing was as important as breathing in our house. It’s an impossible habit to break.

I have five novels published with Amber Quill Press and one with Awe-Struck e-Books. Awe-struck will be releasing my new Paranormal/Ghost/ Reincarnation romance, DREAM MAN, in January of 2009. I have a Valentine romance story and a romantic suspense story coming out in JEWELS OF THE QUILL anthologies from Whiskey Creek Press in 2009. Looks like 2009 will be a big year for me.

At the moment, I am working on another romantic suspense novel about a woman who has a radioactive substance pumped into her for an Echo Doppler test to check a suspected heart problem and experiences twenty-four hours of unexpected and unwanted mind-reading. Reading thoughts about a murder in a crowded room is not something she ever wanted to do.

I was Acquisitions Editor for LTDBooks for six years. I enjoyed that but now that it has closed its doors, I have a lot more time for my own writing.

What new release would you like to discuss with us today?

My latest release from Amber Quill Press is a Romantic Suspense novel called MINE. Cadie’s inherited gold mine in beautiful central Ontario has a string attached… a hostile but gorgeous ex-cop who refuses to leave the guest cabin. However, when someone keeps attempting to kill her, that’s not all bad.

I was delighted when Lena C. awarded it Five Angels.
Here’s how she sums up: “the book is great with all the action but to see these two come together it is as Cadie says “combustible”. Recommended for its fun-filled action and suspense that is full of rollercoaster fun with two people not looking for a relationship and about to find out that sometimes you have to take a chance and risk it.”

I believe you have an Eppie from a romantic suspense, Ties That Blind. How did you feel when you heard you had won?

I was astounded. As it was one of the launch books for LTDBooks, I was also thrilled beyond belief. Being the D in LTDBooks, the award was even more important to me. (The L was my daughter Laura Adlam and the T, my husband Terry.)

What is it about romantic suspense that intrigues you to take pen and paper and write?

My interest in romantic suspense is a long-standing one. Over the years, I imagine I’ve read thousands of mystery novels. The ones that I most enjoyed were those that had a good romance going in them.

I loved Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, the early Amanda Cross novels before she got too political. And of course, Mary Stewart. And Helen McGinness for her intrigue. I enjoyed reading John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee stories. It was refreshing to read male/female relationships from a male point of view.

Romantic Suspense simply has a heavier emphasis on Romance. It was a natural genre for me to write.

Do you write on a schedule or as inspiration hits?

I write almost every day…usually in the morning; however the length of time I stay at it varies with my mood. Some days, I run out of steam in a couple of hours. Other days, I can write for six or eight hours.

Which book was the hardest to compose?

I think I would have to say DREAM MAN. The difficulty lay in outside influences. I lost my husband, then various other members of my family had worrisome medical crises. I found it hard to concentrate on my story. At the same time, paradoxically, the writing helped me through the worst of it. Nothing demands your total attention like writing.

What is your best quality as a writer?

Reviewers tell me it’s my character development.

“Dee Lloyd has a real flair for characterization. Her characters are so life-like and three dimensional, they feel like neighbors-people you've known for a long time and have the ability to touch your heart. If you enjoy romantic suspense, take a look at In the Running by Dee Lloyd. This is a good one.” —Lisa Ramaglia for Simegan Reviews

“... Ms. Lloyd has a strong talent at creating believable scenarios and characters the reader will care about.”
Reviewed by Jody Allen for Under the Covers

“…everything it needs for success: suspense, romance, realism, and characters one can totally empathize with. I recommend it wholeheartedly.”
Reviewed by Lily Martin for Romance Communication

“Another strength of this author is the development of the relationship between her characters--it's a realistic progression with both sides having doubts and desires that both push them together and pull them apart.
TIES THAT BLIND is fast paced thriller, with all the tension and suspense without the gore. Ms. Lloyd has managed, again, to keep me at the computer--not working, but reading.”~Sue for ROAD TO ROMANCE

Is there anyone in the world that you would like to co-author a book with?

I don’t think so. My work in progress lives in my head while I am involved with it. I’d have trouble sharing that… even with one of the authors I most admire.

If you could go anywhere in the world for thirty days to work on a new novel, where would you go?

Perhaps Ireland. I fell in love with County Clare when I spent a week there watching my granddaughter perform in the World Championships of Irish Dancing.

Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc. that you would like to share with us?

I belong to EPIC, the organization for Electronically Published Authors, Jewels of the Quill, and Books We Love.

I read that cooking relaxes you after hours at the computer. I want to try your recipe for Peanut Chews and Bones ‘n Gravy. News that a famous chef is coming to your town and everyone is asked to prepare a dish for a cooking contest, what would you cook for the occasion?

I probably would prepare my Lamb chops in wine.

For Fun: Camping in the mountains or going on a ski trip?

Neither. I’m addicted to cruises in tropical waters. I’ve just booked my 27th for this coming February. I set CHANGE OF PLANS on a cruise ship…a small Greek one, only about 17,000 tonnes. My husband and I enjoyed a lot of weeks on those. The cruise details, believe me, are accurate for that size of ship.

If you were to replenish your cabinets with one junk food, what would it be?

I don’t know if bagels are considered junk food, but, in spite of the carbs involved, I really enjoy a toasted whole wheat bagel, covered with cottage cheese and small pieces of tomato.

Can you please share your website with us and any other loops you might belong where readers can click to get to know Dee Lloyd?

My website is www.deelloyd.com. I also have a page at Jewels of the Quill http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/jewelsofthequill.html and at Books We Love http://www.bookswelove.net/LLOYD.html. I’d love to have you visit and drop me a line in my guest book.

Dee thanks for being with us today. I had fun. Everyone be sure to check out Dee’s website and grab some books and enjoy the journey. It has indeed been a pleasure Dee.

Interviewed by: Linda L.