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Writer Wednesday: Meet Debra Druzy

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Margaret — 28 Comments ↓

Didja miss us? Didja miss us? Writer Wednesday was on hiatus last week while I worked to meet an editing deadline, but now we’re BACK and we’ve got contemporary romance author Debra Druzy in the interview hot seat (well, really, I hope it’s just a comfortable, relaxing, warm seat, because I want authors to enjoy being here).

I don’t know about YOU, but with a book entitled Sle eping with Santa, Debra’s got me dying to know more about her and her books (if Santa looks like the guy on her cover, I’m so in)! So settle in while Debra takes over the mic and shares a bit about herself, and what’s next for her writing.

Thank you for having me on your Writer Wednesday blog, Margaret. And Hello to your fabulous followers!

I’m Debra Druzy, author of Sleeping With Santa, a contemporary romance. These questions were a nice break from revising my current work in progress. And a helluva lot easier than third grade Common Core math homework.

What inspires you to write?

Everything. Dreams. Conversations. Driving. Grocery shopping. Doing laundry. Watching the news. Music is especially inspirational—I call it songspiration.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

Contemporary is my favorite because I relate to the time, place, and language better than some other genres.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book.

I learned that I must plot the story rather than write from the seat of my pants. I can’t drive my car anywhere without my GPS guiding the way, so I don’t what made me think I could write without knowing where the story was going.

Name two things people don’t know about you.

I can’t fall asleep with the television on. [ML says: People can do that? I sure can’t!]
I was born the day the Mets won the World Series, the first time.

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

I have the privilege to beta read for two writer-friends. Arla Dahl’s Immoral Virtue Trilogy gives the Salem witch trials an erotic twist. I consider Arla’s style Fifty Shades of Shakespeare. And Stephanie Kepke’s Goddess of Suburbia is a chick-lit romance. I compare reading the story to taking a road trip with a good friend as she recaps a nervous breakdown with heart and humor. I have to mention Cherry Adair—she is a fabulous writer and mentor. If you like action-adventure-romance, check out Cherry’s books.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

Plot first!
It’s fine to sit and free-write to get the juices going and warm up the muse. But like cooking, driving, building a house, sewing a dress—having a recipe, a map, a blueprint, a pattern to follow is a tremendous help. Set up the framework for the story before layering the details.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

Although contemporary is my favorite genre, Thea Devine’s historical romance, Secret Pleasures, is my favorite story. It’s a little bit of everything decadent—murder, mystery, romance, erotica. I bought the book when it first came out to read on my train ride to work, and it proved to be a naughty escape during the long roundtrip commute. The paperback is still in my nightstand drawer.

Thanks again, Margaret. And thanks to your followers for stopping by.

If you haven’t slept with Santa yet, you can get the SLEEPING WITH SANTA
e-book on sale for only 99 cents, until October 29.

When Nick reluctantly accepts the temporary transfer to the Scenic View Fire Department he doesn’t plan on playing Santa Claus for the kiddie Christmas party. Sticking around town for the special assignment will give him a chance to get to know lonely, local sweetheart Lily and find out why she wants nothing to do with him.

Lily is a lifelong fixture in Scenic View, sick of living hand-to-mouth in a place where everyone’s nose is in her personal business. Just when she’s ready to move out of town, she meets the gorgeous newcomer, and it’s lust at first sight. The only thing is she doesn’t date firemen, which is too bad, because charming Nick seems like a real keeper.

With a little Christmas magic and help from the Santa suit, will Nick find a way into Lily’s heart and change her mind?

You’re gonna have to sleep with Santa to find out.

Get SLEEPING WITH SANTA for .99 October 16 – 29.

Find it here:

TWRP store: http://tinyurl.com/n2fqx4x

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1628307374

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/sleeping-with-santa

All Romance EBooks: http://tinyurl.com/owen27w

Bookstrand.com: http://www.bookstrand.com/sleeping-with-santa

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/ok8vx8b

BN Nook: http://tinyurl.com/ko9rohd

For more information and links for where to buy, please visit http://www.debradruzy.com/

A bit about Debra:

Debra Druzy is a married, stay-at-home mom, writing romance in between running errands and doing household chores. Sleeping with Santa is her first published book, but there are plenty of unfinished stories in the closet and under the bed, which is probably bad for feng shui, but a good lesson in persistence pays off.

Want to connect further? Find Debra here:

Debra Druzy Online: http://www.debradruzy.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debradruzyauthor

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/DebraDruzy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/debradruzy/

Thanks so much for being a part of Writer Wednesday, Debra! It was a pleasure to have you with us!

Monday Funnies: A Literary Diagnosis

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Margaret — No Comments ↓

There are worse things to hear, right? And yes, I certainly hope I do!

By this point, I’m putting on the final touches of A Matter of Time and getting ready to deliver it to you. The labor pains might be slightly less painful than with actual childbirth, but they last a lot longer, I tell you!

The Truth In Fiction: The Florence Pictures from A Man of Character

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Margaret — 2 Comments ↓

Just for fun, I thought I’d share with you a photo of the Florence pictures hanging in my dining room. They were the impetus behind the posters Cat Schreiber describes hanging on her wall in A Man of Character, and behind her view of Florence as the ultimate romantic destination.

See, in 2004, my husband and I were privileged enough to travel to Florence for a week. By ourselves. It was the first major vacation we’d taken since our son was born in 2001, and the whole week was magical. The Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi, the gelato… Heaven.

A view you don't often see of Michaelangelo's David... — A view you don’t often see of Michaelangelo’s David…

I remember the mesmerizing architecture, the stunning artwork, the 440+ steps to climb to the top of Giotti’s Bell Tower, the absolutely orgasmic food. Hubby remembers trying to climb up high enough to take a picture over a plastic barrier in the Duomo, and getting cussed out by an Italian security guard.

My husband was there for a conference, so there were days I had hours to myself, and I happily spent them exploring old churches and just soaking up the sights and sounds of the city. Everywhere you turned, there was history. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Though London is my all-encompassing love now, to this day, Florence holds a huge spot in my heart, and I would love to go back (though my waistline is probably happy I haven’t – I cannot rave enough about the food we ate while there).

I’ll throw in a few pictures below to show some of the spots we saw, including one from the day we zipped down to Rome.

What’s your ultimate fantasy destination? A tropical island? A European city? Backpacking in Asia? Let me know!

fl4 — The sense of peace inside the monastery walls was phenomenal. I loved strolling and just sitting to soak it all in.

The marvelous interior of an 11th century church.

My darling husband as we sat in a cafe, preparing to snarf down our next delicious meal.

Flash Friday! Fiction: Donne In

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Margaret — 4 Comments ↓

Naufragos/Shipwrecked. CC2.0 photo by Luis Marina.

Donne In (112 words)

No man is an island, Donne said. Maybe. But it sure as hell sucks to be marooned on one.

One thousand four hundred and thirty seven days, I’ve watched the gulls crash into each other, fighting over the same fish, never giving quarter. One thousand four hundred and thirty seven days, I’ve thought back to that night, that splitting of fate, forking of destiny.

If only I’d gone left when you turned right. If only we’d never met, never touched, never tangled. You’d still be alive, and I wouldn’t have spent one thousand four hundred and thirty seven days ruing his temper, my passivity, and his damn boat that dropped me here.

The challenge? Take Moby Dick, and distill it down into 100 (+/- 25) words. Okay, not really – but Moby Dick was our novel prompt. A tiny tale based on a whale of story? Ayup. Captain Rebekah gave us these guidelines:

Today in a brilliant marriage of form and theme, and to the great relief of Literature students everywhere, we’re daring to condense one of the world’s densest novels into a flurry of flash (which is where many students feel it belongs anyway). That’s right: today we’re tackling Moby Dick, the blubber-infused tale of a raging, peg-legged sea captain bent on avenging himself on the white whale responsible for his injury. (Reminder: you are not required to have read this novel to write stories inspired by its elements. Second collective sigh of relief.)

Story elements (base your story on any TWO of these elements; be sure to tell us which two you chose.)

* Conflict: man v self, man v nature (not gender specific)
* Character (choose at least one): a wooden-legged sea captain, a pacifist forced to help with someone else’s revenge, an easygoing storyteller oblivious to danger, a chief’s son/prince working on a ship, a mighty whale.
* Theme (choose one): revenge, fate v free will, the power of Nature, friendship, the cost of obsession
* Setting (choose one): a whaling ship, a sea port, an island, the middle of the ocean

I went with the cost of obsession and an island. What do you think? Did I need another 100,000 words or so to flesh out my fiction?

Swim on over to Flash Friday! to read more sea-worthy selections, and perhaps contribute one of your own!

Monday Funnies: How YOU Doin’?

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Margaret — No Comments ↓

Bwah ha ha! This struck me even funnier after my son waggled his eyebrows the other day and said, “Hope you brought a library card, because I’m checking you out.” I begged him never to say that again, and then stumbled across this…

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