Monday, November 3, 2014

Interview with Barbara Bradley

Please Welcome Barbara Donlon Bradley

Barbara Donlon Bradley’s writing started innocently enough, she kept diaries, journals, and wrote an occasional letter but her vivid imagination had her writing scenes and short stories, adding characters to her favorite shows and comic books. As time went on the passion for writing became too strong to ignore. Humor dominates her life. Write something deep and dark, will never happen. That humor bleeds into her writing. Since she can’t beat it she’s learned to use it to her advantage. Now she lives in Tidewater Virginia with two cats, one mother in law – whose 87 now, her husband and son.

THE INTERVIEW 


What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
I guess that would be taekwondo. I have a third degree in this martial art.

What adventure would you like to have that you haven’t done yet if money and skill were no problem?
I would love to go to Ireland and Australia. My family (the Donlon side) is from Ireland and I would love to see where we came from. My husband has family in Australia and we would love to go there.

Who are some of your favorite authors?  What commonality do you see in them?
I love JoAnna Lindsey and Katherine Woodiwiss. They write very strong characters that are believable.

I believe color says something about a person’s personality.  What’s your favorite color?
Purple.

If you could have a do-over life, what one thing would you do differently?  What would you do again?
Hmm, when I was in college I had a chance to buy into a new company called HBO (does that show how long ago that was?). I never got the chance to do that and have wondered what would have happened if I had so I think I would change that. What I would do all over again is marry my husband and have our son. They are so important to me I can’t see my life without them.

What is your writing process from conception to finished MS? I write linear. Not real sure why but I start at the beginning and work my way to the end then go back and fill in the blanks until the book is ready for submission.

Are you a planner, panster or both? I consider myself a panster because my stories are character driven. They tell me what to write so to speak and I do most of my plotting in my head.

How did you research for your book? I write SF/futuristic erotic romance so I do more world building than research, but there is a lot of world building needed when you have your characters interact with aliens.

What is your all-time favorite movie?  TV show? I have several movies, ID4 and the Star Trek franchise movies. I think the newest ones are my favorite. My favorite TV shows are the Addams Family, Star Trek again, and my newest favorite is Grimm. Just love that show.

How important do feel writing workshops are to any writer? I feel they are very important. You can always learn something from a good workshop.

If you could learn one new skill, fear and money no deterrent, what would it be? I’d like to learn how to make jewelry. There are some pieces I have in my head that I would love to create.

If you had a million dollars to donate to any one charity, what would it be? Oh boy, can’t spread it around? Feeding our starving. We spend so much money feeding other countries and we need to take care of our own.

What advice would you like to give to an aspiring writer? Write every day. No matter how tired you are or how much you have to do. It’s so easy to let other things get in the way of writing and never finish that book.

Did anyone mentor you or help you along the way?  Please tell us about your mentor and what you feel they contributed to your writing career. I was lucky to belong to one of RWA’s local chapters, the Chesapeake Romance Writers when I first started writing. I learned the basics with them and found my publisher through them.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Never give up. Writing is a lonely job and not everyone will like your work, but don’t let that get to you.

If you could live anywhere in the world you wanted to, where would it be? (Language is no barrier) I’m quite happy living in the United States. I was lucky enough to be a navy brat and we got to move all over the country. We have a beautiful country with lots to see.

Where do you write? Believe it or not I sit in my recliner in front of the TV in the living room. I know a lot of writers lock themselves away from everyone and in the beginning I tried that, but my then young son kept barging in on me asking if it was okay to talk to me or my husband would ask me if I was done yet. So I talked my husband into letting me get a laptop so I could be a little more assessable. Now that’s my way. TV blaring doesn’t bother me. I can tune it and the family out when I need to but I’m with them and it keeps them from interrupting me a thousand times in a night.

How much time do you devote to writing each week?  Do you have a day every week that you take off? I write every day. Because I edit for a small house I actually set side one day just for me to write, not dividing my time between edits, promoting and writing, plus caring for my mother-in-law, husband and son and working part time. I live for that day.

What is a genre that you have not attempted that you would like to try? Umm, I’ve written an historical, a time travel, or two, several sf/futuristics and a contemporary, plus fantasies. I honestly can’t think of any I haven’t done that I want to do.

Is there anything you would like readers to know about you? Like what? I’m slightly bananas? Humor rules my life? I just heard that I sold book eight of the Vespian Way to Phaze and I’m doing the happy dance?


 STOLEN DESIRE

Stolen Desire by Barbara Donlon Bradley
Released July, 2014 from Phaze Books
Sci-fi Romance, Paranormal/Shifters
 
eBook
978-1-60659-806-1
$5.99

Paperback
978-1-60659-807-8
$12.95
When Heather is confronted with her time traveling self she fears the worse. The woman came to warn them of a terrible accident but something isn’t right. The visitors her future self says are there to help only wants to kidnap her and kill her mate.
Using her mind she tries to protect her friends and family. Yet she wakes up as a prisoner after seeing the ship Storm is in blow up. She is now alone, and trapped.
Somehow she has to figure out a way home and hopefully reverse all the horrible things that have taken her family from her.

Buy:

Excerpt
Heather sighed as she opened her eyes and stretched. Before she could move she felt a warm hand on her breast.
“I see you’re awake.” Storm’s breath brushed against her cheek.
She looked up at her mate, who had a knowing smile on his face. “And I see you are awake too.” She was referring to the erection pressed against her hip.
“True, but I can’t help it when I have such a wonderful partner lying beside me.” Storm nibbled against her throat. “We still have time before we need to be anywhere.”
“Why didn’t you wake me earlier?” She smiled as he settled himself between her thighs. “You could have had all the time you want if you had.”
“Because the twins aren’t allowing you to get enough sleep yet. I don’t mind watching you sleep when I know you need it. It gives me time to appreciate having you in my life.” He dipped his head to her mark. “And waking you up this way is an anticipation I look forward to. I don’t mind stretching that out a little.”
“Because you know what will happen when I wake.”
“That is the best part.”
She felt him smile against her neck as he pulled the soft tissue of her mark into his mouth before he worked his way down her body.
“You are incorrigible.”
“And that is why I’m your heart.” His tongue lathed her nipple before drawing the tip into his mouth. She arched up against him and he slipped his hands under her.
A growl escaped him when they were interrupted by the computer system. “Heather, you have a communiqué from Admiral Barrister.”
She sighed again. This time in frustration. What did he want now?
“The last time he contacted us you ended up being whipped.” Storm blew against the tip before he climbed back up her body. “I’m inclined to not let you answer him.”
“Storm, I’m still part of Earth’s security.” She looked up at him, his face only inches above hers. “I can’t ignore him.”




4 comments:

Sarah J. McNeal said...

I agree with you about the Star Trek movies. I think the newest ones are fantastic and filled with humor and excitement.
Your interview was fun to read. I enjoyed reading your answers. Ireland and Australia are at the top of my list of places I want most to visit.
If you had invested in HBO, you would probably have plenty of money to do anything you wanted. Maybe you could even write for Game of Thrones.
Barbara, I wish you every success and happiness. Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you at The Romance Room.

Unknown said...

A wonderful interview Barbara. I would also enjoy visiting Australia and Ireland. Congrats on the seld-defense lessons. You sound like one lady not to mess with. All the best for the book.

Barbara Donlon Bradley said...

Thank you for having me Sarah. I'm glad you liked my answers some of them made me go hmmm but they were fun to answer.

Barb:)

Barbara Donlon Bradley said...

Thanks JoAnne - I don't see myself as some sort of bad a** but the lessons did give me the confidence to feel safe all the time.

Barb:)