Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn1. Hi Dana and welcome to the Divas’ dark den…first of all I’d like to ask you about your Dioni Chronicles series. How did the idea come to you for this series and how many books do you envision being in it? I also believe it’s coming out in print soon. Is this correct?
Yes, The Dioni Chronicles will be in print later this year. It didn’t really start as a series. I came up with the idea from the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons. I asked one of my friends if all the creatures did was fight and conquer to get to the next level. When he answered yes that kind of bugged me (don’t know why). So I decided if my nocturnal creatures had to fight they would have something to fight for. And, since there is nothing worth fighting for more than love, I turned it into a romance. After the first one was done people started asking me if I would write a story for other vampires in the pack.
2. You seem to enjoy writing contemporary romances as well as fantasy/paranormals…which are your favorite?
I like contemporaries best. The rules in the real world are already locked in place. When I do fantasy it becomes complicated trying to keep the rules of the world you create in order and kinda sorta realistic.
3. With such a prolific output, do you write every day? What is your writing routine like?
Oh yes, every day, without fail. Even if I only get an hour I still take that hour and put pen to paper…well, fingers to keyboard. My schedule is erratic at best. Some days I have more time to write than others because of my nine to five, but I am never too busy to improve on my craft or do what I love.
4. I read on your website that you were something of a poet when you were a small child. Can you share with us a sample of your youthful work?
Oh no! I left that hickory dickory dock stuff back there in the 80’s. LOL
5. Is it true you wrote your first sensual romance at the age of 7? LOL and what was the story about?
No, not 7! LOL Seventh grade! Geesh! I wasn’t thinking like that at 7, I shouldn’t have been thinking like that in the seventh grade! I can’t believe I’m telling you this. Keep this between us, AJ. I had a major crush on Zorro and had a dream that a mask man was running around kissing making love to all the girls in the neighborhood. I later found out what I thought was sex was not, at best it was something similar to dry humping, but what did I know? I was 12!
6. You’ve collaborated with our mutual friend Kendra Mei Chaiylin on the Cupid’s Arrow anthology. I was very intrigued by the time-travel theme of these stories. Did you enjoy the collaboration? How did you do the actual writing together?
I love doing that book. It was a lot of fun to write off another and collaborate on ideas. The concept was Kendra’s and she asked if I wanted to do two stories for it. I read the stories that she did to get an idea of what she wanted and wrote my own to complement hers.
7. What can we expect to see from the two of you coming up? And will there be any other pairings coming up for you?
We have been talking about doing a cop series for a while. It will be contemporary, but it will touch several sub genres…if it comes to past. It is up in the air.
8. You have some new books coming out this year, including The House through Whiskey Creek Press-Torrid, To Have and To Hold with Red Rose Publishing and Happy Feet coming at the end of the year with Phaze, I noticed. Congrats! Please tell me what is coming soon and a little about your forthcoming projects.
I did a story for Take Over Publishing for their version of the seven deadly sins called Street Vices. My story was for anger. I called it Blaze’s Black Widow. I am working on a Halloween, too, but it may be too late to send it somewhere to be published except Red Eclipse Writers.
9. I know you have a public appearance coming up with a book signing for the Street Vices anthology in Indianapolis during Black Expo weekend (July 17-19) at Circle Centre mall. Do you enjoy these public experiences and how have they been for you so far?
Unfortunately, the book signing at Circle Center is cancelled because I had to move to Kansas City, Missouri this summer. But on the up side, I am working on a book signing there for the end of the summer. I have done only two other signings and they have been really cool.
10. What is your greatest fear?
I really, really don’t like the water. Up to my waist is as far as I go.
11. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I may be a little too trusting. It has cost me to have a lot of pain and to make a few bad decisions.
12. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
When people don’t say what they mean and mean what they say.
13. Which living person do you most admire?
I really like Oprah. She has all this money and power and yet she makes it her business and thinks it’s really important to give back. I think that is awesome.
On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Dana Littlejohn for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out the following links:
websites: http://www.danalittlejohn.net/
and http://www.liljohndana.webs.com/
My blog: http://www.danalittlejohn.blogspot.com/
My videos trailers: http://youtube.com/shantemaria
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