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Friday, October 16, 2015

INTERVIEW WITH DENISE HUNTER



Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including "Dancing with Fireflies" and "The Convenient Groom". She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close the pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are raising three boys.

You can learn more about Denise through her website www.DeniseHunterBooks.com or by visiting her FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/authordenisehunter


Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I’ve been happily married for 26 years, and I have three boys—two in college and one still in high school. I started writing my first novel 19 years ago, writing while my children napped, and here I am 27 books later and still writing. I feel very blessed! 

What do you do when you’re not writing? 

Having a very boy-centric household, our TV is pretty much permanently set to ESPN. It’s a good thing I love to read! When I’m not reading I love to travel with my family. Research trips are also a great perk of my job!

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise your readers. 

I’m an introvert (not surprising) so most people are surprised when they find out I play the drums. I taught myself to play when my husband and I were part of a new church start, and we were lacking a drummer. I’d always wanted to play, so I thought, hey, why not? I think my husband thought I’d flipped my lid because I’d never even played an instrument before. But I taught myself to play, I was the sole drummer for our church for almost ten years. I don’t play now so much anymore, mainly because life has gotten busy, and we had another drummer come along to fill my shoes.

Did you choose the genre you write in, or did it choose you? 

Oh, it definitely chose me. I’m such a romantic at heart. There’s something about the love relationship between a man and woman that I find intriguing. I’m also endlessly fascinated by the hurts in our past and how they affect our decisions and behavior in the present. No matter how many times I tell love stories, it never gets old.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? 

I won’t lie, it hurts to read a negative review. My stories come from the heart, and it feels very personal when someone hates what I wrote! Fortunately most people are very kind with their words. The biggest compliment is when someone tells me they made a change in their life because of something I wrote. I can’t imagine a nice compliment.

If you could go back in time and do something differently in your writing career, what would it be? 

You know what? I can’t think of a thing. Sure I made some mistakes. Things could’ve been easier, the road less bumpy. But all those bumpy back roads taught me something, and all those detours led me to where am I now—and I really like where I am now. 

Eden Martelli is too busy fleeing the clutches of danger to realize she’s running straight into the arms of a new love.

Speeding north through rural Maine, Eden Martelli wonders how her life came to this—on the run with her mute five-year-old son dozing fitfully in the passenger seat. When a breakdown leaves them stranded in Summer Harbor, Eden has no choice but to stay put through Christmas . . . even though they have no place to lay their heads.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem solver—for other people anyway. He left the sheriff’s department to take over his family’s Christmas tree farm, but he’s still haunted by the loss of his parents and struggling to handle his first Christmas alone.

When Eden shows up looking for work just as Beau’s feisty aunt gets out of the hospital, Beau thinks he’s finally caught a break. Eden is competent and dedicated—if a little guarded—and a knockout to boot. But, as he soon finds out, she also comes with a boatload of secrets.

Eden has been through too much to trust her heart to another man, but Beau is impossible to resist, and the feeling seems to be mutual. As Christmas Eve approaches, Eden’s past catches up to her.

Beau will go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?
 

 Denise is giving away a copy of her book, FALLING LIKE SNOWFLAKES! Leave a comment, along with your contact information, and you could be the winner! (U.S. only)

74 comments:

  1. That is really neat that Denise plays the drums. My husband plays as well. This book sounds interesting. I will be adding it to my TBR list. Thanks for the interview and giveaway! momrain(AT)aol(DOT)com

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  2. I am so impressed that not only do you play the drums but you taught yourself! There's hope for me yet! I'd love to win a copy of, Falling Like Snowflakes. I can't wait to read it.

    Blessings!
    judyjohn2004(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. There's definitely hope for you! Good luck in the contest.

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  3. Love the cover. Great interview. The book sounds like a really good book. grandmatinaof2(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I love the cover too! Good luck with the contest.

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  4. I have read a lot of Denise's books recently, just finished Married Until Monday. Would like the opportunity to read this one also.

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  5. Love this cover and looking forward to reading this book. sheri.carneal(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Love your interview . The cover on your book is beautiful , and it sounds good . Thanks for the chance to win it .
    lizd225(at)gmail(dot)com

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  7. A house full of men and ESPN! I can relate. I usually read like you or watch TV in another room while I crochet.
    I've always thought being a female drummer would be so cool, ever since I saw Karen Carpenter behind a set.
    Would love to win and read your new book. I've been a fan since the Smitten Series.
    tumcsec(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I should learn to crochet! Good luck in the contest, Gail.

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  8. Would love to read. Awesome cover.
    pooh_1334(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  9. What a great interview! That is sooo cool you can play drums, Denise, that's my fave part of a song :) Big time thumbs up to that revelation!! Would love to win a copy, your books are both funny and touching. Thanks for the giveaway!
    Blessings, Kara
    wman4jcATaolDOTcom

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    1. Playing drums is a lot of fun, Kara! Good luck with the contest.

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  10. I'm anxious to get my hands on this book! I'm sad to see summer go, but I'm ready to read a few winter romances. castfalk(at)verizon(dot)net

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    1. I love Christmas reads! I'm not a huge fan of winter though.

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  11. Love the cover and can not wait to read this book!!

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  12. Getting to do research trips sounds like a lot of fun. I checked Falling Like Snowflakes out from my local library and it was an amazing story! I couldn't put it down!

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  13. What a neat interview! Thanks for hosting a giveaway too!
    suzieq16132 at yahoo dot com

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  14. Great giveaway! I love all your books, Hope to win.
    mindiepack@gmail.com

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  15. 27 books? So I haven't read all of them? Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! beechtreehollow@yahoo.com

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    1. LOL, sounds like you've got some catching up to do. :-)

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  16. I loved learning more about you through the interview. I can relate to being surrounded by testosterone. I grew up, the only girl, with four brothers and then had 3 sons!! We do what we can to survive! ;) I'd love to win a copy of your book!

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    1. LOL Bonnie. Good thing testosterone poisoning isn't fatal.

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  17. I loved learning more about you through the interview. I can relate to being surrounded by testosterone. I grew up, the only girl, with four brothers and then had 3 sons!! We do what we can to survive! ;) I'd love to win a copy of your book!

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  18. Hi Denise,

    Thank you for letting me participate in your giveaway! I absolutely love to read, and I think that the cover of your book is just gorgeous and so romantic!
    Here is my contact information
    oh.hello.hiya@gmail.com

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  19. What a fun interview! I love learning more about the authors I love to read. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of FALLING LIKE SNOWFLAKES.

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

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  20. Great cover & I am so ready for Christmas/winter stories :)
    dkstevensne AToutlookDOT com

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    1. It's a great way to get in the spirit of the season!

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  21. Enjoyed the interview. Thank you for the chance to win this book.

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  22. I enjoyed this interview.Thanks for sharing with us Denise.I love your books and I am looking forward to reading this one.jackie_tessnair@yahoo.com

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  23. I just found Denise's books recently and have loved working my way through them. I'm mostly at the mercy of my local library which doesn't have this newest book yet, so I'd love to win a copy!

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    1. Oops, my email is janaizatt@gmail.com

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    2. So glad you're enjoying my books, Jana! Good luck in the contest.

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  24. Thank you for the giveaway and interview

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  25. Suspense Sisters, thanks for the interview with Denise. The story sounds very good. I would love to win it. Thanks Denise for a chance.
    Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  26. Beautiful cover, and I know it will be a great read. I'm off to Amazon to buy it!

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  27. Great interview. Wonderful cover and story. Maybe that'swhy you write such compelling stories, you're a romantic! :) justcommonly (at) gmail(dot) com.

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  28. Hi Denise! I enjoyed the interview! The book sounds awesome! I love Christmas stories! The cover is gorgeous! It is so cool that you play the drums! Thanks for the chance to win!

    dowelljanet(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  29. Great interview! I love discovering new authors, and Denise, your books definitely need to go on my TBR! Congrats on all of your success!

    cdunkin68 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  30. I think this will be a great addition to my holiday reading pile. I'm getting my Christmas shopping done early so I can enjoy some wonderful books with less stress (and maybe some hot cocoa ;) )

    Lea
    ladepooh AT hotmail dot com

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  31. I checked out your book "Falling Like Snowflakes" at the library. I loved it! I think that it would make a nice addition to my collection of books. I am retired and do a lot of reading and have enjoyed your books.

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  32. Can't wait to read this one! Blessings, Kristie Porter tklovenest (at) [aol] . {com}

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  34. Love your books. Denise! I have three boys too and writing is my favorite thing. I could do it all day.

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    1. We have a lot in common then! Thanks for entering, Tam.

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  35. I would love to win a copy of this book. The title just absolutely speaks to me!
    spotts06 at comcast dot net

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  36. Denise is a great writer and I would love to read her book. Thank you for the opportunity.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  37. I can't wait to read this! ReadingMama922@gmail.com

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  38. I don't know if you've announced the winner yet, but I absolutely love Denise's books! I recommend her as one of my top 2 favorite authors whenever someone asks for book recommendations! :-) mylittlebirdie at yahoo dot com

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  39. Summer is over and it's the perfect time of year to read Christmas stories - Thanks for writing such good stories!

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