Author Interview ~ Christine DePetrillo

Here on this lovely Monday, we have another author who has volunteered for the third degree on our leopard print couch.

Welcome, Christine, it's very nice to meet you. So, where are you from?

I’m from Rhode Island, the lovely Ocean State, where I enjoy sailing in the summer, gardening in the spring, the harvest foliage and pumpkin pie in the fall, and snow—lots of it this year—in the winter.

Ugghh.. snow :::shudder::: Sorry. Ahem, why don't you tell us your latest news!

My latest news is the release of my very first ebook! THE LAST STALLION, a short romance, was the Grand Prize Winner in Whispers Publishing’s “Resolutions” Contest. It was published this February.

Oh, YAY! Congratulations, hon on your first eBook release! How exciting. Okay, well what book (if any) are you reading now?

Right now I’m reading THE COURTIER’S SECRET by Donna Russo Morin. I just finished A VEILED DECEPTION and NEVER BEEN WITCHED, both by Annette Blair. I’m in a writing group with both of these talented authors. I’m also a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton and her Anita Blake series.

I love Laurell K. Hamilton. I'll have to look into the other authors. So, do you see writing as a career?

Teaching is my career. It is what I have a Master’s degree in and how I spend my days. It is how I pay my bills. I enjoy spending time with my students and watching them grow.

Writing, however, is my passion. It is what I think about while I’m doing everything else. It consumes me. I don’t think of it as a career right now because I only spend nights and the summer writing. Perhaps in the future, I’ll think differently, but currently, writing is something I do because it makes me ridiculously happy.

What a wonderful way to put it. I have to agree on your viewpoint. It never leaves, it's our passion. Okay, did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

If you can say something in less words, do so. It really does sharpen the story.

Good advice if you ask me. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Writing is a four-part process in my mind. It starts with Inspiration—when your Muse whispers a great idea to you. Dedication is next. No excuses. Sit down and write. Make the time. Regulation is where you comb through your manuscript and apply all the writing rules, sharpening the way you’ve told the story. Publication is the final step. If you’ve made it through the first three steps, you’ve done the work of a writer. Slap a cover on that baby and call her done!

Sounds like a great plan of action. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I first realized I wanted to be a writer when I discovered crayons could write on walls. All that space, all those colors, so many stories to be told.

Seriously, when I was in high school, a friend and I started a story about a nun who fell in love with the hunky convent groundskeeper. One of us would write a scene, then pass it to the other to continue. We wrote this story for years, and that’s when I had my first taste of actual story composition. I was hooked. This same friend and I used to swap Sandra Brown books as well, and so began our love of romance novels.

Oohh... a round robin! And that is a great way to realize that you want to do this. Now for our "Absolutely Nothing Related to Writing" Questions:
What animal do you think makes the best pet and why?

Cats are THE writer’s pet. I open up my laptop to settle in for a writing session, and my cats curl up nearby to keep watch. When I hit a rough patch, a couple of kitty kisses always do the trick. There’s nothing like the sound of a deep purr to relieve the stress sometimes caused by a blank page. I put a cat in all my stories to honor the two I call my own.

Hmm... I like cats, but my dh doesn't. Not really gonna push that one. When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

I need a haircut followed by I wish I were still in bed.

Don't we all think that way in the morning? LOL What were you doing at midnight last night?

Dreaming of summer. Seriously. I was wearing a dress and sandals in the dream and basking in the warm sunshine. It has apparently been a looong winter in Rhode Island.

I'm pining for Summer too. What do you want to know about the future?

Nothing. I like a good surprise. Besides, every decision I make changes the course of events. What may be true of my future today might not be tomorrow. I like seeing where each day takes me.

That seems like a grand philosophy to have. What is one thing scientists should invent?

A transporter device like in Star Trek. I’m so waiting for this one. If I could beam to Hawaii for the weekend, that would ROCK! Please tell me someone is working on this!

How awesome would that be! Are you a morning person or a night person?

I’m a high noon person. Mornings are near fatal, but I don’t like to stay up all night either. By noon, I’m at my peak. It’s an army crawl on my belly to noon, followed by several hours of me being on my game, ending in a stop, drop, and roll to bedtime.

LOL, love that description! Do you like thunderstorms?

I love a thunderstorm especially on a hot summer’s night. It’s nature’s fireworks. The best thunderstorm I ever witnessed was in Niagara Falls. Bolts of lightning crackled down from the heavens and disappeared down the rushing water. It was pure art.

Isn't that the truth. Do you sleep with the light on? Why or why not?

Lights off. The darker, the better. I think I need a dark canvas on which to dream. The light on would only make me feel like someone was watching me sleep. That’s kind of creepy, don’t you think?

I have the opposite reaction, I swear someone is watching me if all the lights are off. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?

I hate all soda. I’m a fruit juice gal. White grape pomegranate juice is my favorite. Full of antioxidants and so tasty. Guzzle some of this and I’m fueled to write, write, write.

Well, it was so much fun doing this interview and getting to know you better, Christine. I hope you stay a friend of The Menagerie.

Short Bio: Christine DePetrillo spends her days teaching children to love reading and writing and her nights writing everything from adult romance, young adult romance, science fiction, and poetry. She fell in love with writing the first time she held a crayon in her hand and realized the blank wall in her bedroom was full of possibilities. Since then, she have been mystified by the magic of words and enjoys playing with them every chance she gets.

You can reach her, and keep up with her books at her blog.

The Last Stallion by Christine DePetrillo
Large animal veterinarian, Cassie Stone, is done with cowboys. It’s her New Year’s resolution after she catches her current rodeo clown in bed with another woman. On her sister’s invite, Cassie heads to New York City where the chance of corralling another cowboy is slim. Or so she thinks.

Blake Mareson is traveling from Louisiana with his four horses. He stops briefly in New York City to make some money, and soon his plans to hide in the quiet woods of Vermont change when he meets Cassie. Her long red hair and sharp green eyes reel him in immediately, but he’s not looking for love. In fact, he’s trying to avoid it in order to protect his secret—a secret he’s sure would send any woman running.

Though Cassie initially sticks to her New Year’s resolution and dismisses Blake, she can’t totally erase the blue of his eyes from her memory. When she sees him again, the pull toward him is too strong to resist. Will Cassie regret ignoring her no cowboy pledge or find the stallion she’s been looking for?

Perhaps she’ll find so much more.