Monday, November 9, 2015

A Bookish Conversation with Kimberly Dean, author of COURTING DANGER




When taking the Myers-Briggs personality test in high school, Kimberly was rated as an INFJ (Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging). This result sent her into a panic, because there were no career paths recommended for the type. Fortunately, it turned out to be well-suited to a writing career. Since receiving that dismal outlook, Kimberly has become an award-winning author of romance and erotica.  She has written for seven publishing houses, both domestic and international, and has recently focused her efforts on the exciting world of self-publishing. When not writing, she enjoys movies, sports, traveling, music, and sunshine. In her mind, a beach, some rock ‘n’ roll, and a good book make for a perfect day. 

Her latest book is the contemporary erotic romance, Courting Danger.

For More Information

Rielle Sands ventured too close to the fire once and got burned. Now when it comes to men, she’s vowed to play it safe. But then a dashing, mysterious man shows up at Luxxor Limited after hours, the agency she manages, needing an escort.
Darien Scott isn’t what he appears to be. Beneath the sexy smile and wicked charm, he’s hiding secrets. Yet the sizzling chemistry between him and Rielle is real. He tries to stay away, but his attraction to her keeps pulling him back. When he discovers that he’s not the only one haunted by danger, he changes tactics. To protect Rielle, he may need to stay close. Super close. Exclusive Luxxor contract close.
The reward is more than worth the risk.

For More Information

  • Courting Danger is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.


Thank you for this interview!  I’d like to know more about you as a person first.  What do you do when you’re not writing? 

I enjoy movies, sports, traveling, music, and sunshine.  I spend a lot of time in my flower garden during the spring and summer.

When did you start writing? 

I’ve been writing for about eleven years.  I’ve always loved reading, but I didn’t think about being a writer until I actually tried it.  Years ago, I went through a spell where all I was reading were books that disappointed me.  I thought to myself, “I could do better.”  That led to “Why don’t you?”  So I sat down and gave it a try.  I haven’t stopped writing since.

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life? 

It would have to be when I made my first sale – and it came from that first attempt to write a story.  I shipped the manuscript off to Black Lace Books in England.  I was on a roll, so I also sent in a short story.  I then went on to other things in my life.  One day several months later, I opened my mailbox to find a contract for Tiger Lily.  That knocked me for a loop.  All of a sudden, this writing hobby I’d sort of taken up became something real.  A week later, another contract showed up for Playing with Fire. That made my decision to keep writing easy.  If I’d run into a wall of rejection, I don’t know if I would have continued with my writing life.  It takes a lot of time.  I would have assumed that the answer to my assumption that “I could do better” was “No, you can’t.”

If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and why? 

I’d go to a log cabin in the wintertime.  If I went someplace warm or exotic, the last thing I’d want to do is sit in front of a computer screen.  It would be difficult not to get out and explore.  Traveling should be for enjoyment, not work.  A log cabin with a warm fire would make me want to stay put.

If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do? 

I have a short story that’s currently stuck in my head.  It’s getting in the way as I try to work on other things.  When I find a chunk of time like that, I’ll rush to get it down on paper.  Otherwise, some extra sleep sounds very appealing right now.

Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet? 

I use a lot of imaginary settings, but I’m fascinated by real-life places like Loch Ness, the Bermuda Triangle, the pyramids, and Stonehenge.  I don’t know if I’d write romances set there.  Those settings have so many stories of their own to tell.

Back to your present book, Courting Danger, how did you publish it? 

My Courting series is published by Mischief, an erotic romance line from HarperCollins UK.

In writing your book, did you travel anywhere for research? 

The book is set in Washington D.C.  I’ve been there before, but not for many years.  I did all my research through the Internet.  It’s amazing the level of detail you can find, but you still can’t really get a feel for a place without being there.

Why was writing Courting Danger so important to you? 

The heroine, Rielle, has been a quiet secondary character for several books now, but she had a big story to tell.  In this day of extroverts, quiet people are often assumed to be boring.  That’s so not true.

Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is? 

Music seems to spur some ideas, and that seems logical to me.  They come from the same place of creativity.  What’s more interesting to me is how I solve some of my most difficult plotting problems when I’m driving and not thinking about my story.  That’s one I can’t figure out.  Maybe spending too much time at the creative well makes it run dry.  When I turn away, it refreshes.

Any final words? 

Thanks for hosting me on your blog.  Just let all the readers out there know that I appreciate them, and I’m writing as fast as I can.  If anyone wants to get a taste of the Courting Series, I have a free short story they can try.  Courting Jealousy is available on at most major ebook retailers.

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