My guest today is Debbie White. Hello, Debbie! Welcome back to Writing in the Modern Age!
It’s such a pleasure to have you here.
Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book? When did it come out? Where can
we get it?
Passport to Happiness is about a small town girl
who immerses herself in books allowing her to dream big and about faraway
places. After she graduates from high school, she enrolls in the Foreign
Service. She gets her wish and travels the world where she develops
friendships, and experiences new things – she also falls in love. I love books
with a happy ending!
The Salty Dog was published in May 2014 and Passport
in August. Both of them can be found on Amazon.
Is there anything that
prompted your latest book? Something that inspired you?
Yes. I’m a military brat and married a man in
the Air Force. We’ve traveled to many places where I didn’t know the customs or
the language. I’m also from a small town, and I was a dreamer – I’m still a
dreamer!
That's great!
So, when did you know you wanted to write? Or has it always been a pastime of yours?
I started writing in college, and my professors
expressed to me both in the way of grades and in the way of comments that I had
a gift. I’ve always been a good story teller. However, writing is not just
putting your thoughts down on paper. I’ve learned that the story telling part
is the easy part. There is so much more to writing.
Well, that's certainly true.
Do you have any favorite authors?
I don’t have any favorite authors – is that bad?
I’m more into enjoying good books regardless of who writes them. In my early
days, I was a big Danielle Steele and Jackie Collins' fan. I slowly graduated to
Elizabeth Berg and Nicholas Sparks. I’ve enjoyed many indie authors’ books as
well.
Great! And no, that's not bad.
Do you write in a specific place? Time of day?
I work full-time outside the home so all my writing
is done evenings and weekends. My dream is to be able to write full-time. See,
I told you I’m a dreamer.
There's nothing wrong with that. We should all hold onto our dreams.
Are there any words you'd like to impart to fellow writers? Any advice?
My biggest advice is, of course, not to give up if writing is your passion. Be
prepared for long hours, rejections, and hours upon hours of marketing your
books. I didn’t realize just how much time is spent marketing. You must develop
a thick skin. That’s been the hardest for me. I get upset when I receive a negative
review. I’m getting better about it. I also review books, and I now realize
that not every book is everyone’s cup of tea. What I don’t understand however
is why someone tears down the work you so lovingly put together. I always try
to find some positive along with the constructive criticism when doing reviews.
What a good policy! I admire that, Debbie!
Thank you so much for stopping by to visit us today here at Writing in the Modern Age. :)
Readers, here is the blurb for Passport to Happiness.
To escape the often lonely and boring reality of living in a small rural
town, Jessica finds comfort in reading about the many places that exist
beyond her small corner of the earth. When she joins the State
Department and travels abroad looking for adventure, she gets more than
she imagined was ever possible. Passport to happiness is a story of
strength and determination, while exploring new places, but it’s also
about finding love and happiness – no matter where you hang your hat.
Debbie also wanted us to know a little bit more about The Salty Dog. Here is the blurb.
Libby and Luke give up the city life to move to a
small village along the California coast, where he buys a commercial salmon
fishing boat, and she runs a café the locals love. The two of them are
determined to live out his dream when an event even Libby couldn’t have
prepared for leaves her running both businesses. The Salty Dog is about a
strong, independent woman, who when faced with hard times, never gives up –
even in love.
Here is an excerpt from the book.
Along the sweeping coast sat a cottage above the jagged,
rocky coastline known as Bodega Bay. The little cottage was so typical with its
weather-beaten exterior, wood-shingled roof, and windows from which to view the
scenery. It was perfect in every way, and Libby and Luke loved their little cottage
by the bay. It was the extreme opposite of their high-rise condominium in San Francisco.
Looking back, giving up the noise and crowds was the best thing they had ever done.
Libby
pulled back all the drapes and threw open the French doors. She stood on her porch
and gazed across the blue waters before her. She took a deep breath and let it out
slowly, taking in the glorious view as she did. The sky was the color of a robin’s
egg, and the wind came from the southwest, bringing with it the smells of fish,
algae, and other coastal scents that made living along the coast so wonderful. She
slowly walked back into her modest, but comfortable, coastal shabby chic place and
proceeded to make her morning coffee. No morning could start without a cup of joe.
A day
didn’t go by that she didn’t miss Luke. He was the love of her life. They had met
while attending college in San Francisco. The first time she’d laid eyes on him
was in the library. They both were looking for a book in the same aisle. She wasn’t
paying attention to where she was walking, and literally bumped into him. The first
thing she remembered noticing was his beautiful smile and fabulous white teeth.
She would later tell him they were the whitest teeth she’d ever seen. His masculine
square jaw, broad shoulders, and perfect height and weight would have made him a
successful male model – except for his disdain for clothes. Libby sighed, thinking
about all the goofy times that Luke would act like he was a runway model. The next
time they ran into each other was in the cafeteria. It was during one of the long,
boring lectures in the big hall that they met again. Libby decided to break the
ice and casually smiled in his direction.
After
that, they were always bumping into one another. After they became a couple, Luke
confessed to Libby that he was purposely running into her so he could see her beautiful
smile. That was so typical of his fun-loving personality—the one Libby missed so
dearly.
Author Bio
Debbie
currently resides in beautiful Sonoma County, California, where the jagged
Pacific coastline meets the rolling hills cascading with vineyards. She writes romance novellas that feature
strong, independent women, who when faced with adversity, or tragedy, fine
strength and overcome the perils that stand in their way. She’s an avid supporter of animal rescue, and
happily donates a portion of sales from her books to rescue organizations. She has two adult children, and two
granddaughters. In her spare time, she
loves to garden, travel; enjoy family, and her beloved rescue dogs, Dash and
Briar. Her real passion, of course, is writing, and she uses her 20+ years as a
military wife as inspiration for her stories. The Salty Dog is her second
endeavor, and takes places in Bodega, a small fishing community she has the
pleasure of visiting often. Her current
release, Passport to Happiness, is about a small town girl who travels to
foreign places, another area she has experience.
Author Links:
Debbie's Books:
