1. Can
you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live in Tucson, Arizona
with my husband, two teens and fluffy chow-chow. I started writing mystery novels when was
eight-years-old and this unleashed a passion for writing that’s burned in my
blood ever since. I’m employed as a fitness professional at a world-renowned
resort and an active adult community and do freelance magazine work at home.
Most of my published articles are health and fitness related.
The Open Water Swimmer, a romantic
suspense, is my first novel.
Message from
Viola Mari, a laugh-out-loud erotic sci-fi romance, will be released on or
before January 1.
2. What do you do when you are not writing?
My favorite hobby is swimming. Most days
I seek an endorphin rush in the pool early in the morning and anytime I can
escape to the ocean, I do and pack swim suits and not much else. I’m also a
read-a-holic. If you ask to buy your book, I’ll probably say “yes.”
3. Do you have a day job as well?
Four days a week, I provide personal training services and
teach a variety of group exercise classes at an active adult community and a
resort. One full day a week and nights and weekends, I write magazine articles
and books.
4. When did you first start writing and when did
you finish your first book?
I wrote my first mystery novel at age 8 (I still have a copy
if you want to read it – just kidding – it’s a little scary if you want to know
the truth—I think the squirrels are the main characters J). I published my first book, The Open Water Swimmer, with Extasy
Book, September 15th. My second book is coming soon!
5. How did you choose the genre you write in?
I attended a
three-week memoir-writing workshop in Prague in 2007 and a fellow writer
commented favorably on the more sensual parts of my work and said I’d make a good
romance writer. I noticed the more I wrote sex scenes, the more I enjoyed
writing them. Romance writing provides a great escape for me as a writer and my
aim is to provide readers with the relaxing escape they’re seeking, too.
Sometimes when life goes through the roof, I’ve found there’s nothing more
relaxing than immersing myself in distracting read.
6. Where do you get your ideas?
Usually they just strike. I read a headline or see a movie
and I start hearing dialogue and scenes in my head. I usually can’t sleep until
I start getting the ideas down on paper.
7. Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Yes, pretty often. By nature, I’m a “manic writer.” I will
write an insane amount per day and even into the night when I’m inspired and
then my writing will drop down to only meeting base deadlines for magazine work
for a month or more. Before you walk away thinking I’m advocating this style of
writing, I will say that if I chain myself to the chair and gut it out for two
hours when I’m feeling really flat, toward the end of the first hour, I can
usually produce reasonably good work. So I’m aiming to become more disciplined
during the “down” days so I can finish more books.
8. Do you work with an outline, or just write?
I always have a plan in my head, but often the characters
drive my writing and so I tend to make plot changes on the fly.
9. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either
growing up or as an adult?
Many authors influence my writing as I’m an avid reader.
Daphne Du Maurier’s Frenchman’s Creek
is my all-time romantic favorite, but I can only dream of delivering that much
romance… The exotic travel elements that shine in my stories were inspired by
Nicholas Cristopher’s A Trip to the Stars
and Jamie Zeppa’s Beyond the Sky and the
Earth. Jennifer Crusie is one of my favorite contemporary authors—I love
her humor and my books usually incite some chuckles. I always learn from
Elizabeth Lowell’s romances, so I try to deliver something new to readers in my
work without making the information cumbersome. I even learned from reading Fifty Shades, as much as I disliked
those books (how many times did Anastasia feel like Icarus flying close to the
sun – 1008?). But I’m a big believer that reading many books makes writing
easier, especially if you critique the books you read and try to decipher what
makes them work or not work so you can attempt not to make the same mistakes in
your own writing.
Blurb for Sabrina's new release:
When children's mystery writer Dana Thomas has recurring nightmares about a swimmer drowning in a race, she aims to change his fate. Her plan to remain objective makes a serious splashdown when she meets her "mission," a towering blue-eyed man with the best cut set of pectorals she's ever seen. Going incognito as a feeding station volunteer for FINA World Cup series races, Dana travels to Greece, Portugal, Honduras, and Tunisia to try to protect him. When heat between the pair sizzles, Dana falls hopelessly in love with this man destined to die.Elite swimmer and former Navy fighter pilot Jeff Dickson keeps dreaming he's drowning. Recently dumped by his long-time girlfriend, who found him too competitive, Jeff believes his driven personality and international travel schedule can't mix with love. When Jeff meets Dana, he's instantly attracted to her voluptuous body and mysterious personality. When Jeff learns she's been stalking him for weeks at swimming races, he decides she must be psycho.A series of fateful events before the final race lead Dana to believe her nightmare is about to unfold. Anticipating a dive-in and rescue scenario, Dana is shocked to discover that's only the beginning. Can she change the fate of the man she loves and survive?
Visit Sabrina at www.sabrinadevonshire.com
Happy Halloween! Do you do anything fun for the holiday? My kids are 14 and 15. The 14 year old doesn't like Halloween and never really has. He quit trick-or-treating long ago. My daughter loves the holiday. She convinced me to go trick-or-treating last year. We dressed up as twin demented dolls and I actually passed as a teenager. Awesome! But... I'd rather stay home. How fun am I? Here is my Halloween picture from last year.
This year my daughter gets to celebrate with her friends. Tonight will be her second Halloween party in the past few days. We have recently become fans of True Blood, so she is one of the True Blood vampires. This picture was taken from the party a couple of days ago.
