Hello Dee and welcome to FAR. Pull up a chair and let the readers get to know what’s been happening with Dee Dawning.

Hi Linda, You and I go back a while don’t we? You wrote my first review on my first book a little over two years ago. I’m so happy to have you interviewing me again.

So tell me, Dee, how have you been? I noticed you have some more delicious stories out for the readers. Forbidden Passion is a cute erotic romance fantasy with a hot cover.
Hollywood Witches is another winner, with another sizzling cover.

That’s true and I have an even newer release, On the Heels of Evil, and would you believe it’s a mainstream action/thriller about terrorism. Men love it because it has action and some sex. Women like it because of it contains two strong willed alpha females as well a strong alpha male. One thing though. My pen name is D.E. Daum on this book.

Can you tell the readers a little about Forbidden Passions?

Forbidden Passion is about a young couple who fall in love on the planet Gala, where love and sex have been outlawed for six hundred years. And you were right, if I were to summarize Forbidden Passion in one word it would be ‘cute.’ Everything from the characters to the ending is cute. But don’t be fooled, there’s plenty hot sex in there too. Think of a hot fudge sundae. Cool, tasty and melt in your mouth hot!

Why not discuss Hollywood Witches? The readers would like to hear about this story, too.

Ah yes, my first venture into paranormal and fantasy, though Forbidden Passion has the feel of fantasy. Hollywood Witches is about a model in Hollywood, January James, who attends a Halloween costume ball with her friend at a fancy country club and meets a beautiful woman named Alyson Adams. To her surprise, January finds out that Ally, as she prefers to be called, is a powerful witch belonging to the Hollywood Sisterhood. After a short trip to the magical land of Avalon, she informs January she has the potential to be a powerful beneficent white witch like her. January takes Ally up on her offer and that’s when the fun begins.

Would you say that writing erotica is your favorite genre when composing?

Probably, but I also like to write about worldly events and things that affect our everyday life as I did in On the Heels of Evil.

Is there anything new in the works that you would like to share with us?

Linda, I don’t think you have enough time for me to tell you all of what I’m working on so I’ll be brief. Under D.E. Daum, I have two books under way. A crime, suspense novel titled Achilles 42 and the sequel to On the Heels of Evil, A Woman of Valor.

Let’s see…as Dee Dawning, in various states of completion, I’m working on another exciting, but as yet unnamed sequel to Legs. You liked Legs, didn’t you? Then there’s The Atheist and Sister Laurel, Bathing Suits Optional, The Mating Game, The Mascot, Thanks a Million and The Contract. There’re a few more but there on the back burner.

Coming in May or June will be my first ménage mfm with Ménage Amour. (Siren) For that novel and two sequels, I will use yet another pseudonym. Sorry, that’s all I can say for now. *grin*

Would you say your stories come to you easy or is it often hard to come up with just the right characters to begin your book?

As you can probably tell from my work in progress, I have no problem coming up with ideas and characters. My problem is finding enough time to finish a story before another idea pops into my mind, monopolizing my thoughts and tempts me to switch to the new fresh idea. I have a dozen unfinished works.

Which book took you the longest to compose?

At 95,000 words, that would be ‘On the Heels of Evil,’ ‘Fortune Cookies’ is next. The rest weren’t too bad. Two to four months.

Do you have to go through many drafts or edits to get the story polished just right?

Some yes. I find the longer I write the less problem I have. My earlier books needed more, but lately a lot less. Even the publisher’s editors aren’t bad.

What you would classify as the three most essential ingredients of an excellent novel?

Number one would be the story. The story has to be interesting enough to keep them pages flipping.

Two would be to tell the story in an interesting way. Snappy dialog and insightful narrative helps. As you know, I sometimes try to throw in a little humor, too.

For number three I would select character. It’s important for the reader to like (or dislike) your characters. To feel close and identify with them I try to tell my stories in first person, which I feel brings you even closer to my characters.

You didn’t ask but other important factors would be pace, flow and consistency. In addition, I try not to get too detailed, because I think it slows down the pace.

Finish the sentence: Life is short, so...?

I better get cutting on my first hundred novels. *grin*

Your editor decides just when your book is about to go into e-book and print that she/he wants you to immediately change the characters and the storyline and you have one day to get it done.
Do you change your manuscript to please your editor or do you stand your ground and insist it be left the way it was originally contracted?

Oh my. That actually happened to me with, Legs—twice. It probably wasn’t a day, but once when it was originally released from Amira, the publisher discovered an explicit lesbian scene and wanted it deleted. I did, but I thought the scene was so hot that I wrote a short story called Tattoos around it.

Then when Legs was about to be re-released from eXtasy, the editor had a big problem with the recounting of the rape/gangbang of then sixteen year old Kelsey. The scene is still in the book, but has been toned down substantially.

If you could go anywhere in the world for a romantic getaway for two, for two wonderful weeks, where would you choose to go?

I love this question. I’m going to cheat a little and name several romantic getaways. Destination numero uno would be Paris, followed by New York, Hawaii, Prague, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Australia and our own scenic wonder, Sedona. If I lived long enough or didn’t run out of money I’d like to island hop around the Caribbean, too.

You wake up one morning and learn you and your spouse have been given the chance to change places for the day. Do you think it would be harder on her to be you, or vice versa?

That’s easy, it would be much harder on my wife.

I suppose by now everyone knows I’m a man. Strangely, I have no problem thinking like a woman or putting myself in a woman’s place. Maybe in a previous life I was a woman. I do believe we come back, you know.

Anyway, my wife, whom I adore, is extremely feminine. A tough cookie and a loving mother, but in many ways very delicate.

Dee, why not share all your links with us today: your website, blog, or myspace.

www.deedawning.com

http://deedawning.wordpress.com/

http://www.myspace.com/dedawning
http://www.authorsden.com/deedawning

Do you have a favorite TV show?

Well on February 1st it’ll be the Super Bowl when my Cinderella Cardinals take of the tough heavily favored Steelers.
Other than that, my favorite show is probably ‘Sixty Minutes.’

Dee, it has been an honor to have you as our guest today. You, indeed, are an excellent storyteller. I look forward to more of your stories. I must tell you, though, that Legs, still rings loudly in my head.

Anytime Linda, All you need do is ask and thanks for having me.

Looks like somebody I know is waiting for the sequel to LEGS. I guess I’ll have to jump back on it.

Please check out Dee’s website to read more about his releases.

Interviewed by: Linda L.