Denise, would you give the readers your bio to start off the interview.
Well, certainly. I’ve written my entire life.
Having journaled and penned short stories since I was in grade school, after the prompting of a friend I decided to turn a short story I’d written into a book. My first book, A Walk in the Rain, was published in 1999. I’ve been at it ever since. To date, I have several books published. This includes five single titles and several anthologies, and single title novellas. I’ve also had several short stories and essays published. I have an alter ego and her name is Alexis Ke. She writes erotic romance. Oops, some people still don’t know that. I guess I just gave away the secret. I am an avid reader of any genre that is well written and it keeps my interest. I will always love a good page turner. I also love to travel, people watch and just chill. I live in the Tidewater area of Virginia with my hubby Leon.
1. So, Denise, who are your favorite authors and do you read them in print, E for both.
Oh my. I have so many favorite authors. I love any author who writes tight books that keep my turning the pages. I love those books that when I'm reading them I know I'm going to over sleep in the morning before I can even get to bed. They are just that good. But I must tell you, the book Body and Soul by Felicia Mason will always be near and dear to my heart. A great friend gave me this book when I didn't even know we were writing romance and it was contemporary. I fell in love. And After I meant Felicia at a workshop she presented at a local book store it was then that I realized everyday people wrote books. That's when I decided to follow the pushing of friends and write my first book. And as for formats. Geez, I love the print book. I have over three hundred on the book shelves in my home today and I go to the book store at least once a week. I have a Sony E-reader, the Nook on my tablet and the Kindle on my phone. I will never be caught without a book.
2. If you could be one of your favorite heroines. Which would it be and why?
Now why do you have to go and ask that? While I love all of my heroines I must say, I’m in a mood today was well. I just finished a contemporary romance and the heroine has a tattoo right above her hip bone on her stomach. I keep threatening to get a tat but keep changing my mind. It’s probably because I know my hubby isn’t into it and he definitely won’t fall off a roof trying to look at it like the hero did in my book. There are things in each of my heroines that I love. Dominique the cop in Whispers in the Dark,
because she is tough and is also a take no prisoner kind of gal, Jade the medium in Visions in the Dark
because of her softness and wanting to help Hunter and Samantha the CEO/owner in Masquerade
because of herself assuredness and hey, she doesn’t take prisoners either. There is also Stormy in Sleeping Beauty
because of her strength and the will to do anything to save the man she loves. And there’s Deatra in Yesterday’s Promises, the sequel to Sleeping Beauty that will be out in Feb/March of 2013 because she held secrets no one knew of and when she let them out all they could say was ‘wow.’ I think, now that I think about it, I’d have to be a heroine that covers them all.
3. Okay, so maybe I'm not so subtle. How about you tell us a bit about your latest book or books.
I actually have four latest projects. My book Retribution was released in August.
It’s a paranormal romantic suspense. Got the idea of a day walking female vamp and a male werewolf. They are both running from who they are until they are shoved together to save each other’s life. It’s now available in E-book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It will be in print by the end of the year. The other is the sequel to Sleeping Beauty, ‘Yesterday’s Promises.’ The title speaks for itself. In Sleeping Beauty, if Stormy could embrace her beast she could break the curse. In Yesterday’s Promises,
we realize that the things that may have been promised aren’t necessarily the truth. And lastly, last year I feel in love with Zumba and was very impressed by my Zumba instructor, Anika. Well, her energy and the transformation I saw in my body inspired a book. The heroine is an exercise instructor who has tailored her business to fit her desires. Her business is called Rhythms and ‘Rhythm of the Soul’ is right now sitting on an editors desk and I’m hoping she’s reading it and smiling and laughing. And lastly, I am waiting for the edits on Lost in the Dark, book three of my St. Agnes series. This one has St. Agnes’ newspaper publisher lost when he wakes up with amnesia. Now he has to trust the cop who has vowed to help him and find out who is trying to kill him. Especially since he is already supposed to be dead.
4. What's your next project?
I visited New Orleans back in August and while there I got the inspiration for a story. I’m still working it out in my head and jotting down notes. I’m hoping to be ready to start this one in November. I also will be starting book four of my St. Agnes series. This book circles us back to Dominique and Jericho. If you remember from Whispers in the Dark, Jericho mentioned a crazy ex girl friend who came after him with a knife. Well… She’s backkkkk.
5. What mistakes have you made in the writing journey that you'd like to help others to avoid?
Don’t jump at the deal. When my first book came out, I realized I knew nothing about writing, and my publisher was just as green. Learn the business, learn the market. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. We all want that big pay day, that contract, but when it comes, read it a hundred times, sleep on it. Get a lawyer to read it and go with your gut.
6. Turning the table for a moment, what genre do you the writer read?
Any and all. My favorite is romantic suspense. I love the page turners with the love tossed in. It makes a great mix. However, paranormal, scary, certain historical, fiction, nonfiction you name it. If it’s good I can get down with it. I’ve been reading books since I could hold one. I remember winning a book reading contest in the seventh grade. I read more than any other student in my school. I guess it’s ingrained in my blood at the atomic level.
7. Where can the readers reach you and will you write them back if they email you?
I write back to all everyone who contacts me.
My website is: www.denisejeffries.com
I’m also on face book.
I have two blogs. www.denisejeffriestheauthor.blogspot.com. And www.4getthedishes.blogspot.com this is my travel blog and its loads of fun.
And finally, my monthly newsletter, Shenanigans. If you email me I will make sure you are on the list and you are entered into that months contest.
Until next time…
Having journaled and penned short stories since I was in grade school, after the prompting of a friend I decided to turn a short story I’d written into a book. My first book, A Walk in the Rain, was published in 1999. I’ve been at it ever since. To date, I have several books published. This includes five single titles and several anthologies, and single title novellas. I’ve also had several short stories and essays published. I have an alter ego and her name is Alexis Ke. She writes erotic romance. Oops, some people still don’t know that. I guess I just gave away the secret. I am an avid reader of any genre that is well written and it keeps my interest. I will always love a good page turner. I also love to travel, people watch and just chill. I live in the Tidewater area of Virginia with my hubby Leon.
1. So, Denise, who are your favorite authors and do you read them in print, E for both.
Oh my. I have so many favorite authors. I love any author who writes tight books that keep my turning the pages. I love those books that when I'm reading them I know I'm going to over sleep in the morning before I can even get to bed. They are just that good. But I must tell you, the book Body and Soul by Felicia Mason will always be near and dear to my heart. A great friend gave me this book when I didn't even know we were writing romance and it was contemporary. I fell in love. And After I meant Felicia at a workshop she presented at a local book store it was then that I realized everyday people wrote books. That's when I decided to follow the pushing of friends and write my first book. And as for formats. Geez, I love the print book. I have over three hundred on the book shelves in my home today and I go to the book store at least once a week. I have a Sony E-reader, the Nook on my tablet and the Kindle on my phone. I will never be caught without a book.
2. If you could be one of your favorite heroines. Which would it be and why?
Now why do you have to go and ask that? While I love all of my heroines I must say, I’m in a mood today was well. I just finished a contemporary romance and the heroine has a tattoo right above her hip bone on her stomach. I keep threatening to get a tat but keep changing my mind. It’s probably because I know my hubby isn’t into it and he definitely won’t fall off a roof trying to look at it like the hero did in my book. There are things in each of my heroines that I love. Dominique the cop in Whispers in the Dark, 
because she is tough and is also a take no prisoner kind of gal, Jade the medium in Visions in the Dark 
because of her softness and wanting to help Hunter and Samantha the CEO/owner in Masquerade 
because of herself assuredness and hey, she doesn’t take prisoners either. There is also Stormy in Sleeping Beauty 
because of her strength and the will to do anything to save the man she loves. And there’s Deatra in Yesterday’s Promises, the sequel to Sleeping Beauty that will be out in Feb/March of 2013 because she held secrets no one knew of and when she let them out all they could say was ‘wow.’ I think, now that I think about it, I’d have to be a heroine that covers them all.
3. Okay, so maybe I'm not so subtle. How about you tell us a bit about your latest book or books.
I actually have four latest projects. My book Retribution was released in August. 
It’s a paranormal romantic suspense. Got the idea of a day walking female vamp and a male werewolf. They are both running from who they are until they are shoved together to save each other’s life. It’s now available in E-book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It will be in print by the end of the year. The other is the sequel to Sleeping Beauty, ‘Yesterday’s Promises.’ The title speaks for itself. In Sleeping Beauty, if Stormy could embrace her beast she could break the curse. In Yesterday’s Promises,
we realize that the things that may have been promised aren’t necessarily the truth. And lastly, last year I feel in love with Zumba and was very impressed by my Zumba instructor, Anika. Well, her energy and the transformation I saw in my body inspired a book. The heroine is an exercise instructor who has tailored her business to fit her desires. Her business is called Rhythms and ‘Rhythm of the Soul’ is right now sitting on an editors desk and I’m hoping she’s reading it and smiling and laughing. And lastly, I am waiting for the edits on Lost in the Dark, book three of my St. Agnes series. This one has St. Agnes’ newspaper publisher lost when he wakes up with amnesia. Now he has to trust the cop who has vowed to help him and find out who is trying to kill him. Especially since he is already supposed to be dead.
4. What's your next project?
I visited New Orleans back in August and while there I got the inspiration for a story. I’m still working it out in my head and jotting down notes. I’m hoping to be ready to start this one in November. I also will be starting book four of my St. Agnes series. This book circles us back to Dominique and Jericho. If you remember from Whispers in the Dark, Jericho mentioned a crazy ex girl friend who came after him with a knife. Well… She’s backkkkk.
5. What mistakes have you made in the writing journey that you'd like to help others to avoid?
Don’t jump at the deal. When my first book came out, I realized I knew nothing about writing, and my publisher was just as green. Learn the business, learn the market. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. We all want that big pay day, that contract, but when it comes, read it a hundred times, sleep on it. Get a lawyer to read it and go with your gut.
6. Turning the table for a moment, what genre do you the writer read?
Any and all. My favorite is romantic suspense. I love the page turners with the love tossed in. It makes a great mix. However, paranormal, scary, certain historical, fiction, nonfiction you name it. If it’s good I can get down with it. I’ve been reading books since I could hold one. I remember winning a book reading contest in the seventh grade. I read more than any other student in my school. I guess it’s ingrained in my blood at the atomic level.
7. Where can the readers reach you and will you write them back if they email you?
I write back to all everyone who contacts me.
My website is: www.denisejeffries.com
I’m also on face book.
I have two blogs. www.denisejeffriestheauthor.blogspot.com. And www.4getthedishes.blogspot.com this is my travel blog and its loads of fun.
And finally, my monthly newsletter, Shenanigans. If you email me I will make sure you are on the list and you are entered into that months contest.
Until next time…
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