Interview and Giveaway with D. A. Featherling



Interview Questions/Sleuths and Suspects Blog

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
   Writing books has always been my dream. I’m blessed to be able to do that now, full-time, and decided to indie publish to be able to get my books out faster than the traditional route. As a result, I put my 5 –year-old home staging business on the back burner and started publishing and writing a little over a year ago. To date I have seven books on the market, in three different genres. Yes, I’m one of those multiple genres people. I call it my ‘fiction a la carte.’ Readers can choose their favorite from my menu of offerings.
2. Tell us about your most recent book/or the book we are focusing on.
   My most recent book (Making Over Caro) is the last (Book 4) in a romantic comedy series (Second Time Around series). All of the books stand completely alone, the common thread is that one of the characters in the book is looking for love a second time around. Caro Arnold is a successful realtor who quickly becomes involved in trying to discourage an unwanted suitor from her past. It takes the help of her best friend, and a group called The Pink Flamingoes, to help her succeed. Lots of fun and laughter along the way.
3. Why did you choose this particular genre?
   I love writing humor, and I like writing first person, so for me, romantic comedy was an obvious choice. Plus the humor has helped me (and others) through some tough times in life, so I like the fact it can offer some relief from the trying events we all go through.
4. What was your journey to publication like?
   I’ve been writing since the late 90’s. I did all the usual things to get published for several years, then family illness and health issues intervened, and the writing went on the back burner. I later became a small business owner and that took up all my time. But in January 2013 I decided I was going to pursue my dream of publication, so I’ve been doing that ever since.
5. What is a couple of your favorite books and what are you reading now?
   I love Dee Henderson’s The O’Malley series. And Jan Karon’s Mitford series. So many talented authors out there. I do tend to mostly read mysteries/suspense…one reason why I also write mysteries, so my reading tends to focus in that direction. Right now, I’m reading “Accused” by Janice Cantore. Haven’t read her books before and am enjoying it.
6. What are you working on now and can you give us a little peek inside it?
   As I said, I write in multiple genres…one of which is futuristic suspense. Book 1 of the Out of Time Series is entitled “Time Out” and is the story of a young woman who is accidentally transported into the future into the millennium. I’m getting ready to write Book 2, “Double Time,” which will advance the action in both the present time and future worlds as the millennium draws nearer its close and believers on earth are heading toward the Tribulation. My heroine is going to encounter bad guys both on earth and the future so she’ll have her hands full.
7. What advice would you give authors who are on their own journey to publication?
   Decide what’s important to you. How important is publication? Consider all your options for that – there are many these days. Then, don’t give up! Make yourself the best writer you can be. Produce the best work you can. There is so much information about writing out there today and so many resources, no writer can say they can’t get help in improving themselves. Be ruthless with yourself as well. Produce something you can be proud of.
8. Do you have any books or websites that have helped you with your writing that you could share with us?
   James Scott Bell has a couple of books out that are very useful. The Writer’s Digest series of “How To” books has some good titles in them as well. Look for books and/or websites that are written by people who have succeeded in their craft. You know what they did worked, so don’t settle for second best.
9. Is there anything you’d like to tell us we haven’t covered?
   My motivation for writing is to imagine a book I’ve written in the hands of a reader, who, when finishing the book and closing the back cover, has a smile on his/her face. That’s success in my opinion and what I hope folks will find with my writing.
10. Please let us know where we can find you on the web.
    My website is: www.dafeatherling.com and you can find my author page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/D.A.Featherling

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