Interview with Author Donya Lynne and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to RFTC author, Donya Lynne. Donya is celebrating the anniversary of her book Rise of the Fallen and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give Donya a warm welcome.

Donya resides in Indiana, with her husband and a small zoo of cats and dogs. In fact, her writing buddy, Lucky, might become more famous than she is, based on the feedback the ever-present feline receives on her Facebook page.

As a little girl, Donya always had a book in her hand. As she got older, the books became pens and notebooks, which she filled with stories and poetry. For as long as she remembers, she has been writing and dreaming up stories. Seems writing was her destiny.

Donya loves music and often finds inspiration for her stories in the wide range of music she listens to. Nothing like a little Korn to propel the angst in a scene, or Enya to evoke softer and more romantic storylines.

Places to find Donya:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
I have a Lamborghini imagination but look like a Toyota Corolla. I'm the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. LOL.

Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes, I just didn't realize it until about ten years ago. But I've been writing since I could walk. I always had a pencil and paper in my hands…or books. I loved carrying around Charlotte's Web. When I was in junior high and high school, I wrote for the paper and yearbook, and remember being very serious about learning how to write for publication. In elementary school, I won a writing contest for a short story I wrote about animals who saved a kidnapped child. I also wrote short romance stories for my friends from junior high on, and they voted me Most Likely to Become a Romance Novelist. How prophetic. Still, it wasn't until I saw The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and having an epic romance story invade my mind, that I figured out that I was supposed to be writing books. I immediately signed up for two intensive, in-depth writing courses through the Long Ridge Writer's Group: one for short stories, and one for novels. I haven't looked back since.

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
I'm 80% pantser and 20% plotter. I come up with a general idea and direction for a story, but the magic doesn't happen until I start writing. Anything can happen and all plotting can be thrown out the window once the characters get hold of the story and start speaking through me as I write.

Where do your ideas come from?
Everywhere. I get my best ideas for current WIPs while driving or while I'm taking a shower, but get my best ideas for new works from looking at pictures on Pinterest or Facebook while listening to music (I have eclectic tastes in music). Sometimes a song comes on that completely captures the spirit of a picture, or vice versa, and suddenly I have an entire story taking shape. That happened just recently for three stories I'm working on. But I can also get ideas or inspiration from commercials, TV shows, movies, or other books.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Tormented after losing his mate, Micah seeks death, only to find an angel who will save him for an eternity, if she can escape her own past.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
Paranormal, erotic, and contemporary romance that pull me along and allow me to sink into the fantasy. Ones that are well written, free of errors, and have HEA endings without cliff hangers. Cliff hangers rarely work for me. 99 times out 100, I will never buy another book by an author who leaves me with a cliff hanger.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I don't have a favorite book. But I will say that my favorite book from 2012 was If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones. This is the 1 out of 100 who knows how to write a cliff hanger so I'll buy more books.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
None. I'm comfortable writing just about any scene. But from a content perspective, those that require me to do research are hard simply because I can't write them until the research is done. But I love those kinds of scenes. I find them challenging in a rewarding way.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
J.R. Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Stephen King. J.R. Ward is my fave author, Sherrilyn Kenyon just seems so down to earth and funny, and Stephen King is just plain epic.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I'm working on about ten projects right now. It's a zoo in my mind.

Which do you prefer and why: vampires, werewolves, or fallen angels?

In the streets of Chicago exists an uneasy, centuries-old truce between vampires and their distant cousins, a race of shifters called drecks. Vampire enforcement agency, All the King’s Men (AKM), is charged with maintaining the truce, but when volatile enforcer Micah Black loses his mate and falls into the biological agony that results from the broken bond, he tests the boundaries of the truce by seeking out Apostle, a leader in the dreck community. Micah wants Apostle to kill him, a request Apostle is more than happy to fulfill.

When ex-Army medic Samantha Garrett inadvertently disrupts the plot and saves Micah’s life, a chain reaction sets Micah’s heart on a collision course with Sam’s, but he will have to protect her from Apostle and her obsessive ex-husband, Steve, if they will have a chance at forever. Can Micah hold his emotions together to keep Sam alive?

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords |

Currently FREE at Amazon!

Check out the All the Kings Men series:

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Donya Lynne's 

RISE OF THE FALLEN 

1 year Anniversary Blog Tour 

3/18 - Pimpin' Reads

3/19 - I Smell Sheep

3/20 - Close Encounters With The Night Kind

3/21 - Books-n-Kisses

3/22 - Urban Girl Reader

3/23 - Ramblings From This Chick

3/24 - Jeep Diva

3/25 - Book Lovin' Mamas

3/26 - The Reading Cafe

3/27 - Mad Hatter Reads

3/28 - Cocktails and Books

3/29 - My Secret Romance

3/30 - All The Fun Starts After Dark

3/31 - Riverina Romantics

4/01 - GraveTells

4/02 - Reading Between The Wines

4/03 - Alexx Mom Cat's Gateway

4/04 - Paranormal Book Club

4/05 - Book Monster Reviews / Literal Addiction

4/06 - Page Flipperz

Want to win some goodies from Donya? Check out whats up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 lucky winner will win the following:
• An AKM fleece blanket
• A set of all my AKM books in ebook format
• An AKM keychain
• A set of bookmarks from me, Lara Adrian, Louisa Bacia, and Jeaniene Frost

To Enter:

• Please answer this question: Which do you prefer and why: vampires, werewolves, or fallen angels?
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form
• US ONLY

One person who posts a comment on each blog during my tour will be entered into the drawing, which will take place after I draw for my grand prize.

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY:

Two prizes will be given away, as follows:

Grand prize

• A prize back worth the envy of all your friends to include:
• Autographed copies of Lover At Last and Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
• Autographed copy of Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian
• Autographed copy of Last Chance to Run by Diana Love (she co-writes with Sherrilyn Kenyon, as well)
• If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones (my favorite book from 2012)
• Primal Bonds by Jennifer Ashley
• Covet by J.R. Ward
• Bookmarks from me, Lara Adrian, Louisa Bacia, and Jeaniene Frost
• Confessions of a Naughty Nurse by Lily Harlem
• The Art of Love by Michelle Graham
• Year of Acheron ceramic travel mug from Sherrilyn Kenyon (I want this! LOL)

And from me:

• An AKM fleece blanket
• AKM Bookmarks
• AKM keychainA Rebel Obsession canvas tote bag
• A Rebel Obsession notebook2013 
• AKM desk calendar
• A set of all my AKM books in ebook format

There are two ways to enter the Grand Prize drawing:

• The first will guarantee you an entry. Just email a screen shot or link to a review or rating you've written for any of my AKM books (Rise of the Fallen, Heart of the Warrior, Micah's Calling, or Rebel Obsession) on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble (or any other site) to me at donya@donyalynne.com. Details can be found on my fan page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonyaLynne. 
• The second way to enter is to leave a comment here.  This does NOT guarantee you an entry, but gives you a chance, because one person who comments on this blog will gain one entry in the drawing, which will take place on April 15.

Good luck and happy reading!   

a Rafflecopter giveaway