Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
As it says on my Twitter feed (@DeniseAAgnew) I’m the coffee-slurping, genre-hopping author of over 60 novels. I love writing in a variety of different genres including paranormal, romantic comedy, contemporary, fantasy, historical, erotic romance, and romantic suspense. Two of my passions are archaeology and archery, and I’ve been fortunate enough participate in both. I’ve lived in England, Hawaii, Colorado and Arizona. I’m also a paranormal investigator, Reiki Master and Certified Creativity Coach. I’ve got a great life with my hubby and my Mini Schnauzer, and both of them keep me on my toes!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This year the stars have aligned in a way that means I have multiple books out in a very short time. It’s been a super crazy year. In September I have a novella out in my Wasteland Trilogy which is a post apocalyptic romance trilogy.
In particular I’ve been working hard on a box set called Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes. My contribution to the set is Saved By The Marine which is a combination of some suspense and hot romance. It’s also a story of new beginnings because the hero and heroine aren’t spring chickens. The heroine is forty and she isn’t eager to indulge girlish dreams of happily ever after. When she meets a hot marine who has just retired, she finds not only a man who is interested in putting down some roots after years of being in war, but he’s just the hero she needs when they’re caught up in a dangerous situation.
I have other stories out this year, such as Heat Wave which is now on preorder everywhere. It’s also a novella and features a quirky paranormal, erotic story line. Plus I’m writing three things now off and on when I can squeeze it in. It’s been a rollercoaster.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Wow, good question. I’d say I’m an unusual writer all the way around. I love to write what I want and when I want. A long time ago I learned the only way to keep my creativity intact was to write in a variety of subgenres within romance. I can’t stick to long series or race after trends. That cripples my creativity. I have to go where my inspiration demands.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
That’s also a great question because there have been many over the years. When I was a teenager I wrote gothic novels on pen and paper (in the dark ages before personal computers), so I was influenced by Victoria Holt and numerous other writers in that genre. Along came Kathleen Woodiwiss and writers who wrote the steamier stuff. I also read in many different genres and not just romance, so I loved Stephen King and in particular Dean Koontz. Later on came writers like Linda Howard and Barbara Samuels, and I thought, “I wanna be like those writers when I grow up.” I think I admire Dean Koontz not only for his sense of humor, but because he writes outside of the box like I do.
What are you working on now?
As I mentioned before, three stories! One is a historical romance set during the Krakatoa volcano eruption in 1880’s Indonesia. One is a quirky paranormal romance with a heroine who can predict when people are going to die. The other is the first in what I think will be a short series. It’s a post apocalyptic, rather grim survival story which is also romance and there’s even a hint of zombies in there or something that “might” be zombies. Because I’m a pantser writer I don’t always know where the story is going to take me. I also have preliminary ideas for about three other stories that are just simmering in the dark dungeons of my mind.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Good question! I’m not sure honestly. I have a fabulous website I think, and I have a newsletter as well.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Please, please, please pay attention to what inspires you and hang on to that. If you chase trends you might have a lot of success or you might not. As a creativity coach I’ve worked with a lot of burned out and used up authors who were following the next big thing and allowed other people and society in general to say to them that “success is this.” But what they discovered is that if you don’t define for yourself what keeps you creative, motivated and genuinely happy, eventually you’ll run into a whole lot of disappointment, blocks and disillusion. It’s extremely important to define your reason for writing and keep that in mind. If your reason for doing this writing thing is about making gobs of money you’re most likely going to flame out big time at some point in your career. I’ve seen it happen over and over.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you want to write and don’t let anyone influence you to do otherwise.
What are you reading now?
I’m a bit ADD when it comes to reading. I’m usually reading upward of three things at a time. Hell or High Water by Julie Ann Walker, It by Stephen King (read it before but wanted to read it again), Close Encounters of the Fatal Kind by Nick Redfern.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Promoting Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes, also promoting Heat Wave and Nightfall. There’s also the possibility this fall that I’ll be in yet another box set and there may be another novella coming out in December if I can squeeze myself into it. I’m sort of rolling with it as it comes. It’s the only way to stay sane. I have some rights back to certain books that will come out again in 2016.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Probably a Dean Koontz book, a Linda Howard book, a Barbara Samuels book and a Stephen King book.
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