Interview with Author Debbie White

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?

http://www.amazon.com/Passport-To-Happiness-Debbie-White/dp/1500579920/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1424411518&sr=1-2


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.
http://www.amazon.com/Passport-To-Happiness-Debbie-White/dp/1500579920/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1424411518&sr=1-2
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.
 

http://www.amazon.com/Salty-Dog-Debbie-White-ebook/dp/B00KDICM4Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423720622&sr=1-3&keywords=Debbie+WhiteLibby 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:   

http://www.amazon.com/Passport-To-Happiness-Debbie-White/dp/1500579920/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1424411518&sr=1-2



http://www.amazon.com/The-Salty-Dog-Debbie-White/dp/1496055691/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1424411518&sr=1-1


2 comments:

  1. Thanks for having me. It was a lot of fun.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great interview. The questions were presented well and the answers personable and informative. Thanks

    ReplyDelete

Featured Post

A Character Interview with Dillon from MOUNTAIN BLAZE, plus a conversation with author Debby Grahl!

Today we're bringing something different to Writing in the Modern Age in the form of a character interview. These character interviews, ...