Hello Dee Tenorio, Welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews. It's a pleasure having you here with us.

Thanks! I'm excited to be here. :)

Can you tell us more about yourself?

The problem with this question is that I rarely know how to answer it. I'm pretty much a "what you see is what you get" kinda girl. I love to write and read romances, live for a good laugh and I'm an utter slave to the expression of wit. (Thus why I hunted, trapped and hugged-until-he-gave-up-escape my husband. He's the wittiest soul I know.) I'm a mother and wife, I'm addicted to color coding and balance and I've never met a non-chocolate cookie I didn't love. Oh, and I love art. It's my other creative side, so I do some technical art on the side.

When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?

I think the notion really hit me back in middle school, when I started a series called "Adventures in...", which were basically snark infested commentaries on my classes and teachers. I let a friend read them and I accidentally started an underground column for eighth graders. It only lasted a few months, but man, talk about addicting. I toyed with interior and/or clothing design in high school, but writing is where my heart is.

What has inspired you to become a writer?

A sad event, actually. My brother died suddenly at the age of 27. He was healthy as a horse and in an instant...he was gone. I had always had dreams of someday becoming a writer, when my epic career at Walmart ended, of course. But I realized my brother had a whole list of dreams and goals he never got a chance to achieve and I promised myself I was going to stop putting mine aside. I wanted to live enough life that if it ended as quickly as his, I wouldn't have any regrets.

Easier said than done, really. I floundered with submitting for a long time. Finally my husband said, "Do something with it or don't do it at all." (He's got a way of pushing me when I need a good boot to the butt.) I sent the first (horrible) book in and haven't looked back.

Are you currently working on anything right now?

Oh, I'm always working on something. My next project is a book about a "perfect" couple, six months after they've broken up and they're faced with figuring out what went wrong or finally letting go. It's called "Kiss Me Again" and should be out in the fall. This is one of my favorite projects because it's really about understanding there's a difference between loving the man you know...and knowing the man you love.

After that I plan to return to Rancho del Cielo, the setting for my first book, "Betting Hearts". Not in sequel, exactly, but a few more stories from that town of characters.

Could you tell us about your current release or soon to be releases?

My current release, "Test Me!", is an erotic romantic comedy about two scientists who didn't realize their rivalry covered a love they weren't ready for. Vetta St. Claire has closeted herself off from people because of her father's money and her mother's stardom. She's found most people only want to use her. Travis Carmichael is earthy, driven and at rope's end. He's one the few people Vetta has allowed close, mainly because he wants nothing from her. But now that he's lost the funding to continue his studies, they have to face life apart. Saying goodbye, however, takes an interesting turn...

When you are writing do you listen to music, watch tv or do you need it to be completely quiet?

Music, definitely helps me write. Each book has a soundtrack to help me focus on character, tone and overall feel. My last project heavily featured Marroon 5, Christina Aguilera and Joss Stone. The one before that was one song from Santana. You just never know what might set up a book. :)

How long did it take for your first book to be published?

Over 8 years, believe it or not. I'm still a little surprised I lasted that long, lol. It's really worth it, though. Plus those times of intermittent heartbreak really do help write good angst. (It's what I keep telling myself.)

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do any of them read your books?

My Mom is the reader/writer, so she's proud. Even if she does occasionally smack my arm for writing "dirty". She tells everyone to read my books. My father read several, which still makes me blush...then he banned my nieces from ever reading them, lol! But yes, overall, they're incredibly supportive.

Is there any other genres that you would like to explore in your writing?

Oh, definitely. I'm hard to box in. I have some paranormal ideas, even a suspense or two. Those will have to wait a little, though. (I'm working on my cluing skills. Right now it's a dream)

What is the most valuable piece of advice that you have ever been given as an author?

Listen to your editor, but never stop listening to the story.

What authors and genres do you enjoy reading?

I love paras, like Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series and Kressly Cole's Immortals After Dark. But I also love a good regency and westerns. Give me a rom com any day, though, and I'll be your best friend.

If you go any where for a week with one of your hero's from your book who would you choose and why him?

Oh, boy, that's tough. I think I'd go with Raven, from "Midnight Temptation". One, he's rich. I don't have to worry about a dessert budget. Two, I've never quite fallen out of love with him. An Alpha dark angel type, he's got a sense of humor and I could just stare at him for hours.

When you are not writing, what are you doing for fun?

I play video games. I'm a wild Tomb Raider girl. I used to scrapbook and I do Flash work in my spare time. I also sing for my kids, dance badly with my son, and rearrange furniture. Oh, and I clean. I love to get things in order. It soothes me.

What do you hope readers get out of reading one of your books?

My biggest hope is that the get a true sense of romance. My goal is the readers always feel the emotions of falling in love. When they close the book, I want them to sigh and smile and maybe feel a little bad that it's over already.

Seeing you have wonderful covers do you have any say in what you want on them or what you want them to look like?

Thanks! I just love my covers. All of them were done by the great Scott Carpenter. I admit, I do ask for certain things, and since I'm a control freak, I generally send a very basic comp of what I'm hoping for. Scott takes that and runs miles with it. He's wonderful.

Would you like to share your web site's where readers can visit you?

My site is at www.deetenorio.com. The best place to see me is at my blog, www.deetenorio.com/Blog. (My "Trailer Park" is where all my novel trailers are housed and are always great to check out)

Thank You Dee Tenorio for taking time out of your busy day to answer our questions. If anyone is interested in learning more about Dee Tenorio and her books please visit her website.

Interviewed by: Linda H.