I discovered Dawn’s blog and fell in love instantly! I love her Plot Swap Fridays. How she finds the oddest stories and hilarious texts is beyond me, but it keeps me in angst all week for it. She also does Tell Me Your Story Tuesdays, where she interviews other writers/authors.
Dawn is super cool and I think you’ll dig her blog.
Dawn is a high school teacher by day and mystery writer by night. She has been married for 13 years to a wonderful, hockey playing, husband. They have two girls, ages 8 and 9, born just under 13 months apart which she often says is proof that God often has plans that you don’t.
J:I gotta say, Dawn, I’m a kinda glad those weren’t His plans for me! So dish, when did you get the writer’s bug? Has it always been something in you? Did you pen your first story with a jumbo crayon?
D: I started writing stories in elementary school. I would make “books” using colored folders with brads. Each one had a title page, back of the book blurb and a place for reviewers to write their comments.
I stopped sharing my work sometime in high school, but I never stopped writing. In the past five years or so, I decided it was time to let a few people in on what I had be doing. Much to my surprise, no one laughed. That inspired me to focus on improving my craft and pursuing publication.
J: Very cool. You still have those old “books”? And even more importantly, do you snack while writing? Is so, what do you munch on?
D: I actually rarely snack while writing. If I do, it is baby carrots or mixed nuts and a glass of ice water nearby is an absolute must.
J: Carrots and nuts? Do you write for rabbits? 🙂 Kidding! What do you love most about writing? What do you find most challenging?
D:I love the process of creating the story. I walk around for days with a little movie playing in my head about my latest plot. Most challenging? Definitely editing and revising.
J:Honey, you ain’t just whistlin Dixie. Although, editing can be fun if I re-live the story and not just try to fix it. How do you come up with story ideas?
D:I get ideas from everywhere, news stories, conversations between the people behind me in line, pictures, songs, everywhere.
J:Again, y’all have to check out her Friday Plot swap. Great and hilarious fodder there! So tell me this, Dawn, if you could be one hero/heroine from a book who would you choose and why?
D:Stephanie Plum. I love that she is so much like a real person, making mistakes and bumbling her way around. Of course, having two hot guys love me would be a nice bonus.
J:Uh, yeah it would! If you could be one villain from a book who would you choose and why?
D:This one really stumped me. I suddenly can’t remember a single villain from any book I have ever read.
J:Okay, well if you think of one, drop it in the comments. There must be one! What are you currently working on? Tell us a little about it.
D:I have three manuscripts going in various stages of completion/revision right now. Here is the one I am working on today. 🙂
After the death of her father, Haylie Bradford is facing life alone with her non-existent love life and half of a college education. When the decision to stay one more night in her father’s empty house ends with her witnessing a murder, she finds herself running from a professional killer to the only person she knows can keep her safe, Race Welburn.
Since their father’s were best friends, Race has known Haylie most of his life but he doesn’t believe himself capable of protecting her. After all, the last woman in his care died in front of him, along with his own father. But, Haylie is clearly in danger. Can he put his insecurities aside enough to keep them both out of the crosshairs of a hitman?
J:Okay, I’m all about it. I totally love guys who feel like crap about themselves but really they’re like the greatest thing ever. (That was my inner teenager talking btw!)
Is there a question you’d like to ask everyone? Because everyone who hangs out here, is the coolest and would love to answer your questions, right, everyone? See, they all cheered!
What is your favorite kind of hero? Strong and confident? Quiet and wounded? Sweet and funny?
You can connect with Dawn, and you so should by hanging out at her blog, find her on personal facebook page, her author facebook page, and twitter!
How fun to see Dawn on your blog, Jessica! I love chatting with her on Twitter. :)She's so encouraging.
My favorite hero is usually tough and wounded, but willing to Macarena for the right woman…
And I'm not buying the carrots, nuts and water thing. I think it's really cheeze doodles, Hershey kisses and Mountain Dew. Fess Up.
Katie~ You are too sweet. Love your blog and I am mulling over my vision statement today!
Teri~ love ya and your macarena obsession!
And, honest, it is carrots, nuts and when I am feeling really crazy, popcorn. I gave up sugar and chocolate over six months ago. I don't share that too often because in the writing world, giving up chocolate is a mortal sin. Shh, don't tell.
Nice to meet you here, Dawn, and I'm going to check out that Plot Swap Friday on your blog.
Jessica, hilarious as always! 🙂
Time to get all mushy – I'm picking "sweet and funny" because it reminds me of my husband!
Yeah, go ahead. Laugh.
Nice to meet you, Dawn!
Great to hear from Dawn!
My favourite kind of hero is probably some weird combination of all three. I like heroes who are very human in their wants and attitudes. Decent people who want to do the right thing, who might make mistakes along the way, but muddle on through and rise to their challenges. I'm not a fan of most anti-heroes, really.
Great interview! I like the sweet and funny hero. I'm a sucker for a great sense of humor. I've learned recently that quiet and wounded are the toughtest for me to write.
Erica~ Great to meet you. Hope you enjoy the Friday Plot Swap. It started from my best friend sending me "research" articles for my writing.
Tinroofsky~ ahh, I think it is great you like a hero that reminds you of your husband. Shows the man must be doing something right!
Hi Paul! Good to see you. I am fan of the real-life kind of hero too.
Julie~ A great sense of humor is so important. On paper and in real life!
Nice to meet you Dawn! Awesome interview.
Good interview, Jessica. I'll have to check out Dawn's blog, and kudos to her on 13 months apart. That's definitely tough!
Great interview ladies!
Nice to meet you, Dawn. I've been following your blog. Love it.
Dawn, love the concept of the book and the hero's name is awesome. I too have a glass on water within reach when I'm writing.
Your own story would make a great premise, nurturing teacher by day and murder solving crime fighter by night. Best seller for sure.
I should go ahead and tell folks, we share the same last name but I'm not your mother. 🙂
Hi Martha! Nice to meet you.
Stacy~ Now 13 months apart isn't too bad (of course, they are 8 and 9) for the first year, I was pretty much suicidal. Lucky, another mom took me aside and said, "I promise it will get better." I clung to those words everyday!
Hi Loree! Good to see you. So glad you enjoy my blog.
Hi Jerrie! No, Jerrie is not my mom. But she does keep me warm at our RWA chapter meeting sometimes.
Great post, ladies. I'll be sure to check out Dawn's blog!
My biggest problem with Stephanie Plum is her character is suspended in limbo. After 20 books, there's very little character growth.
As for my favorite heroes–I like flawed ones who can e strong, sensitive or funny. Depends on the story I'm writing as to what kind of hero I need. I love reading military romances. Those heroes are often tough and wounded, but show their sensitive sides when the time is right.
Pretty sure I laughed out loud about 13 times during this interview. Excited to check out Dawn's books! (Also, my sis and I were born only 15 months apart – a bit longer than 13 months, yes. But I LOVED having a sibling that close in age…)
As for my heroes, I pretty much like all the things you mentioned ( Strong and confident…Quiet and wounded…Sweet and funny?) but probably funny takes the cake. Ooh, and if he happens to make a good cake, all the better…
Hi, Dawn! Happy to meet you! Wow, you're working on three manuscripts at once. That is a talent, for sure 🙂
Jessica, can I cheat and say that I like my heroes strong and wounded? They hide the pain. The strength is there. They just have to use it to overcome. That's my kind of hero!
Hello, everyone! Thanks for leaving Dawn some comments and answering her questions! I hope you check out her blog. It's way cool.
Thanks, Jesse, for this opportunity to get to know more about Dawn. She's a gem.
I like quiet and wounded heroes best but enjoy the others at times, too.
Fun interview!!
I love to read a quiet and wounded hero type but I write more sweet and funny. Go figure. 🙂
Nice to meet you, Dawn! And, I'm like you, love the movies that spin in my head, struggle through the edits and revisions!
Lisa~ I agree with you COMPLETELY about Stephanie's character. I really hope she will make a decision in the next book!
Melissa~ great to meet you! Glad you laughed during the interview.
Brandi~ Thank you for the compliment. I find myself bouncing around lot between manuscripts. I can't decide if that is a good or bad thing.
Strong and wounded, oh I like that!
Hi Keli! Thank you for stopping by.
Hi Jennifer! Nice to meet you.
Eileen~ Glad to know other people have movies spinning in their head all the time, too!
Jessica,
Thank you so much for having me. This has been a blast! I appreciate you directing people to the Friday Plot Swap. Guess I better make sure it is extra good this week!
Thanks for hosting Dawn, Jessica! I met her at a Dallas Romance Writers Assoc. meeting and she was so very friendly. I'm going to have to check out her Plot blog! 🙂
Can I say confident, but wounded? Awesome interview, girls!!
Sweet and funny! Hey Dawn, it is great to meet you!! Loved the interview:)
Great interview. Dawn sounds great. Heading over to follow now. 🙂
A teacher, a writer AND kids 13 months apart? That woman has gumption! Thanks for the great interview!
By the way Jessica, I linked to your blog last week in a post. I hope you got a few new readers from it!
Hi Tiffany! Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you Saturday.
Heather, Terri, Misha~ Nice to meet you also. Glad to hear you liked the interview.
Maggie~ Thanks for the compliment. I don't know if anyone has ever said I had gumption before, but I the sound of it!
Sweet and funny – that describes the hero I'm currently working on and I'm really liking him. 🙂