Demon's Slave Interview and Giveaway

Hello and welcome to this stop on Danielle's tour of her latest book Demon's Slave!  I was lucky enough to be able to grab an interview with her and get some insight into her life.  She has also agreed to give one lucky commenter a copy of her book.  Let's take a look at what she had to say:

Hello Danielle and welcome to CEWTNK!!  I’m so glad you could make it today! Let’s jump right into the interview!

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?

My mother would tell you I started the fire burnin’ when I was just a wee toddler. I apparently dictated a poem to her that involved such symbolic imagery as “eyes are windows”, etc. Yeah, I was THAT kid! Purple prose was in my future, apparently. I was always making imaginary worlds up and filling them with what I thought were interesting characters, and I started actually writing them down when I was around nine.

Amazing!  That is an incredibly young age. Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?

It’s all a clusterf*** mishmash, to be truthful. Sometimes it’s listening to music, or watching a movie or documentary, or taking a shower and having “lighting strike” while I’m standing there shampooing (this works especially well for working out dialogue). I have walked into bars, tattoo shops, museums, or public bathrooms and had inspiration hit me like a freight train—you know, those creative “ah!” moments. Reading, of course, is a huge influence—reading the right story by the right author can lubricate my own artistic pathways and get the juices flowing.

Books can lubricate many things!!  LOL!  What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?

Honestly? My art. Drawing out my characters naturally led to me telling their stories in prose form. Art and the written word compliment each other quite well. When I draw, I want to write. When I write, I want to draw. They go hand-in-hand.

I can understand that!  I love to draw as well. I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write?Probably the scenes involving a very deep, emotional conversation between two or more characters. You have to put in a shit ton of effort to make the conversation, argument, or passionate professing of love or hate seem real—not stilted. Sometimes that’s hard for me, since my natural writing style is more poetic, more metaphoric. I have to sit and envision the characters in my head, as if it were a movie reel, to come up with the most real-world, believable dialogue. When I’m successful, it’s a great triumph.  

Are sex scenes difficult for you to word?

Heck, no! That’s the easiest part! Writing sex is very natural for me, and it tends to flow the easiest.

Lol!!  Do you see yourself writing in another genre?

Not as of right now. Paranormal fantasy and horror are where it’s at for me!

Has your family been supportive?

Incredibly. My husband said, “Go for it,” from the start. My parents buy both print AND Kindle edition copies of every one of my titles, including the ones that are as hardcore as they come. I have been very blessed to have such great support. No one has called me crazy…at least not yet!

Family support is always awesome! Are any of your characters reflective of you?

YEP!!! You bet! But not the character that everyone assumes. Everyone guesses that I’m Psyche, the artist heroine of “Psyche’s Gate”. Sorry, kids, it just ain’t so. Nope, I’m the hotter-than-hell, platinum blond, heavily tattooed half-demon hero with a prison body and a kielbasa between his legs…at least on the inside. Skriker’s laid-back side, AND his vulnerable side, are totally reflective of yours truly.

lol!  What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I paint, draw, watch foreign films, documentaries, and episodes of Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead. I love sampling local food and wine in my California hometown, and enjoying the local museums. I love getting tattooed and pierced (when I can afford to get the best work). Oh, and I change lots of diapers. Lots…and LOTS….of diapers. My son, Ryker, is the center of my universe.

Who is your favorite book heroine?

Rose is my fave heroine in my own books…she is dreadfully complex and therefore very interesting, and she’s also kick-ass without being cheesy, and she ain’t perfect. Her body may be beautiful, but she bears scars on her face, and in her heart, that make her a fragmented creature.

Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?

I always have a beer, a whisky, a coffee, or a diet soda within reach, and I usually smoke a cigarette or two before and after a writing session. If I get stuck and need to mull over my next steps, I take a shower. Yep, it’s strange, but true. For some reason, soaping up and rinsing off really helps—it’s like lightning strikes the most easily when I’m spacing out with shampoo in my hair.

What is you favorite mystical creature?

It’s a tossup between gryphons and mermaids. If you’re talking just strict mythology, I love angels and demons. I have a huge library focusing on A&D as a subject, and I’m not talking about Dan Brown’s books!

What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?

Landing that first contract. Every author gets TONS of rejections from publishers, agents, and PR firms in the beginning. There were days I refused to get out of bed, I was so depressed. But the key, as with all things, is persistence, not giving up. Charge on into that good night, and eventually you will find triumph! Or something like that.

How do you feel about reader comments?

Love ‘em! Send ‘em my way. I’m not one of those authors who gets butt-hurt if someone didn’t like my work. Not to say I don’t get hurt feelings…I can be quite thin skinned at times. But the difference is that I don’t go on a tirade with readers. I keep my injury to myself. I adore hearing from new readers and fans alike. I wish more would approach me!

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Don’t give up!!! And be professional. Make sure your book is polished, polished, polished! Follow submission guidelines EXACTLY. Believe me, when you sign the dotted line on that publisher’s contract it, will all have been worth it.

Where are your books available?

Everywhere! My biggest retailer is:

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3ADanielle+D.+Smith&keywords=Danielle+D.+Smith&ie=UTF8&qid=1326660700&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B003S863Y8

For other retailers check out: http://www.danielledsmith.com/buybooks.html

What can we expect from you in the future?

The Black Dog and Rebel Rose graphic novel is a HUGE thing for me right now…the biggest non-corporate (*cough* NOT Marvel or DC *cough*) comic book pubs will be getting proposal packages. I am also hard at work on the next Psyche’s Gate Saga book, “Nephil’s Curse”, and on the first Skriker and Rose holiday adventure, “Ghosts of Winter”, due out in spring/summer 2012. (Who said you can’t have Christmas in July?)

Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?

Visit my website:

http://www.danielledsmith.com

My blog:

http://www.theangelsgate.blogspot.com

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=522911002

Or find me on Twitter:

@DaniDSmith

You can also visit and join:

Skriker’s Facebook fanpage, Lovers of the Black Dog:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/181560128573594/

 Thanks so much for stopping by!!  Let's take a look at Demon's Slave:

Rose, Nephil daughter of a Warrior of Heaven, has betrayed her celestial heritage by falling for the guy from the wrong side of the tracks: Skriker, tattooed half-demon hunter, and the most irresistible chunk of hard meat that she has ever taken to her bed.

Rose knows that there is no love in all of Creation more forbidden than that between an angel and a demon, and that knowledge has left her terribly fragmented, despite her passionate love for her Halfling bad boy.

As Skriker's "Dirty 30" approaches, she will offer him the ultimate birthday gift: she will be his devoted sexual slave for three days and three nights, laying aside her angelic pride to fully commit to his pleasure (and hers) with every part of her being...and neither Heaven nor Hell will have any power to stop it.

**Publisher's Warning: This sordid tale contains graphic BDSM sex, including forceful oral and anal sex, bondage, blindfolding, slapping/spanking, nipple clamps, toe-curling dirty talk, hot wax, and crazy hardcore sex in a church.**

I just love the warning label :)  Makes it that more tempting to read!!  Just fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win!!  Be sure and check out the rest of the tour here:  Demon's Slave Tour schedule.  Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway