Welcome, today we are talking with Dorothy F. Shaw! I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy writing schedule to answer a few questions.
First, I think it’s important for readers to get a little insight on an author that they don’t necessarily get from your professional bio, which I found on your Amazon author page. You’d be surprised at what readers connect to, and sometimes the simplest ‘I can relate to that’ grabs their interest where nothing else can. Don’t answer anything you feel uncomfortable with.
Can you share a little something about Dorothy F. Shaw that’s not mentioned in your bio? Sure…and this is where I stare at the screen and think: what on earth should I share? There’s a lot, you know? Or maybe you don’t or you wouldn’t be asking. And now I’m rambling—leave it to a writer to ramble in print.
Okay so, lets see. The basics, yet not so basic:
My father was a long haul truck driver – a totally badass one, so I was practically raised in an 18-wheeler. I spent many summers in the truck with him and I always wanted to learn how to drive a rig.
I have several tattoos. One of my favorites is a half sleeve dedicated to JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She signed it for me at an RT convention in 2012—meeting her was one of my most incredible moments ever.
I ride a motorcycle.
I absolutely love pink roses and antiques.
I think that’s plenty of random, basic, yet not so basic somethings. I’m kind of a walking contradiction. =)
What is your favorite:
Animal – Cat. I have a cat named Harley. She’s almost 16 years old, and in her old age, she meows constantly.
Food – Italian. (Especially my family recipes passed down from my Noni.)
Movie – Somewhere In Time
TV show – Banshee
Actor – Ummm…I don’t have one. Weird I know.
Singer – Oh, lordy, lordy, lord. This is so hard! I have too many favorites. Seriously, I’m kind of a music hoarder. Okay, Florence + The Machine just rolled up on shuffle, and I love her. So she gets the tag.
Author – Hands down, JR Ward.
What are your pet peeves? – People who lack integrity or loyalty. People who chew with their mouth open. Snoring. Rampant nose hair. People who let their kids run wild in public places where kids should not run wild. I could go on and on, but I’m just going to stop before this gets scary. lol
Who is your hero? – Wow…can I have more than one? Because I have more than one, and in several area’s of my life. Let’s go with it.
My mother – she always worked hard for what she wanted. I get my tenacity from her.
My father – he was VERY flawed but I always knew that he loved me and accepted everything about me.
My maternal grandparents, Noni and Gramps – they loved me unconditionally and were a soft, safe place for me.
Author Megan Hart – she’s an incredible friend, and an impeccable example of discipline and realness as a writer.
Again, I could go on, but…
Name one thing on your bucket list. – Italy!
What would readers find surprising about you? – I adore love stories without a happy ending. I wont call it romance, but I will call it a love story. Even when it ends badly, it was still love. The tragedy of it draws me.
If you could go to heaven, who would you visit? – My father.
Any bad habits? – I drive way too fast and I am ALWAYS late.
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? – Whoa! No way. I can’t even begin to pick one thing. I am being totally serious. Funny things happen to me all the time, mostly because of the company I keep. I have the most amazing, hilarious friends and when we get together we laugh like crazy people, never mind the trouble we always accidentally/on purpose manage to kick up. Sidda Lee Rain, Megan Hart and I like to call that Monkeyshine! The three of us together is a sight to see.
Now that our readers know a little bit more about Dorothy, let’s get down to the business of your next release coming out in June, Stripped Bounty.
Okay, so here’s a big bummer for us – I’m a Samhain author and sadly, Samhain announced in February that it’s going to be shutting its doors. Soooo…Stripped Bounty is no longer coming out in June. =( BUT – I am currently looking to sell it elsewhere and hopefully it will be out sometime in 2016. Cross your fingers for me?
How long did it take you to complete your novel, and how did you decide on the topic and title? I think it took me about 3-4 months to complete Stripped Bounty. The storyline had been loosely plotted for a few years and at the end of last year, I decided to pull it out of my “to be written” folder and dive into it. The title was actually not easy to pick for this book. I had a few different options for it and then finally decided on Stripped Bounty.
Please tell us a little bit about Stripped Bounty.
Let’s go with the blurb:
After her drug-running husband gets himself killed, Rosie Santini figures Phoenix is a fine place to get a fresh start. Deuce’s strip club isn’t too fresh, but the money’s easy. As she works the pole, the only gaze she can’t ignore belongs to the club’s head bouncer, Drew “Badger” Baxter. But Rosie’s seen her fair share of tall, dark, and dangerous, and no way is she heading down that road. Not even for a hot hunk of muscle like Badger.
When he’s not bounty hunting, Badger runs security at Deuces. Rosie should be just another piece of fresh meat in the club’s stable of pole jockeys, but all her sexy parts add up to a ride Badger would like to test drive. Trouble is, Badger likes his women submissive, but not broken. She’s definitely got baggage he wants no part of. But when her husband’s killer shows up looking for stolen cash, she fits naturally under his protection—and it isn’t long before she’s hooked deep into his heart.
What was your hardest challenge writing this book? Well, I have to say, this book was a big change for me, therefore a huge challenge. In my series, The Donnellys, there’s a lot of angst, and the villain in the story is emotionally internal to the characters. Meaning: They have to fight their own demons or baggage to triumph in the end and get their HEA.
Stripped Bounty was different. There is an actual villain in the story. And although there was some angst for the main characters, it was nothing like what I’m used to dealing with. I also got to just let the hero and heroine fall in love without the emotional mess my other characters go through. That part was truly refreshing.
But the rest? Sheesh. The villain, the arc in the plot, the catalyst to get them through to the end, all of it was just misery for me to write. I’m not even kidding. Nightly I would be in FB chat or on FaceTime with one of my closest friends, Sidda Lee Rain, whining in agony about this book. I truly didn’t know if I could finish it, and as I typed each word, I hated every single one of them. How’s that for some angst?
Now? I. FREAKING. LOVE. THIS. BOOK!
I can’t wait for people to read it. I think it’s my most favorite I’ve written yet.
Going by your Amazon reviews your books are doing really good. Congratulations! I understand that you’re also working on Book 4 of The Donnellys Series. Can you tell us a little bit about the book and will it be the last one in the series? Thank you!
Book 4 takes us about halfway through the series. There will be at least 7, and maybe even 8 (or more). It really depends on what rolls up as I write.
Book 4 is Angie Donnelly’s story, currently titled, Jaded Heart. I’m still writing this MS, but I can at least tell you that Angie falls hard for an older man, who is also a former rock star from the 90s. There’s definitely angst, frustration and baggage, (normal for me) but for once it’s not the heroine who’s got the demons to deal with. It’s the hero.
I’m hoping to have this book out before the end of this year. Unfortunately, due to the happenings with my publisher, and the fact that they’ve already published the first 3 in the series, I will likely be self-publishing the rest of the books.
Any advice for aspiring authors? – Finish the book… the short story, the novella. Whatever it is you’re writing. Just finish it. I can’t stress this enough. You must finish!
Final words? First, interviews can be equal parts fun and equal parts stressful. But no matter what, I love doing them!
Second, thank you so much for having me! I’m honored. And I hope you check out my words. <3
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