Interview with e-book author of Oregon historical western romances, Dorothy A. Bell

Where are you from?

I was born in Iowa and moved to Oregon with my mother, father and older sister when I was ten. So I think it’s safe to say I’ve been and Oregonian most of my life.

Tell us your latest news?

I’m very excited about the coming release of my new western romance Dance Hall Road. It will be my third western romance with Freya’s Bower Publishing. I also have a contemporary romance Reinventing Mica Avery, on the queue for editing, which will make number four. And I’m currently finishing up western romance number five Do-se-do, another Dance Hall Road western romance.

I’m also beginning a new venture into workshops for writers. My first workshop, due to take place August 16^th, will be a motivational workshop: Spark Your Igniter. Aimed to aid writers and scribblers at all levels to hone in on the art of positive thinking to inspire creativity, increase productivity and spur their imaginations.

When and why did you begin writing?

Many, many years ago, I loved to read Regency romance novels. My husband said, “I bet you could write one of those.” So I did. I wrote a lot of them, and once in awhile I would send them off to a publisher. I came close to being published once, but I lacked the basic mechanics. I had the story, it was strong but my writing skills were limited to say the least. I took some writing classes, kept submitting my work and finally Wild Child Publishing/Freya’s Bower took me on, hooked me up with a superior editor who has the patients of a saint and here I am a published author.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve known I’m a writer for a very long time. What I didn’t know was that I can only become an author after I have one of my books published. And, I can only be an author for a brief period of time before I must revert back to being a writer again. When I write my novels, I am a writer, if they get published, then and only then can I declare myself an author: it’s a process I go through each time. It keeps me humble and grateful.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I found inspiration for my first published book The Reprobate from a photograph shown to me by one of my aquatic exercise class participants. It was a photo of a woman dressed in a long duster coat standing in from of a freight wagon and a team of six mules. The woman was small, the wagon and mules looked enormous. The story behind the photo? The woman delivered goods, all by herself, in the late eighteen hundreds throughout the Oklahoma Territory.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I believe every writer has their own distinct writing style. I couldn’t say what mine is, really. I write to entertain myself first so I have to have humor. I’m a people watcher so my stories are character driven. And romance, gotta have some steamy romance in there somewhere or the story doesn’t interest me.

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The first two books take place in a small little outpost way up in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon called Laura Creek. The publisher attached the title of Laura Creek Romances to both The Reprobate and The Cost of Revenge. Both are Oregon historical western romances about the O’Bannon brothers and their struggles to conform within a small, close-knit community of regular folks.

Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

The Reprobate an Oregon historical western romance: The Fiddle playing Reprobate, Royce O’Bannon and the lonesome, broken music teacher, Cleantha Arnaud break conventions rules.

The Cost of Revenge an Oregon historical western romance: Storekeeper, Quinn O’Bannon plays too many games. The thieving, vengeful, vixen, Tru McAdam has forgotten how to laugh. Both will forfeit their hearts when destiny makes the rules.

Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

I would hope that my stories would appeal to both adult men and women. If you have ever watched any of the John Ford movies such as Stage Coach, which I consider a romance, then you will enjoy reading my books. My stories have more heat than anything John Ford put up on the screen.


 Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

My cover designs are a collaborative effort. I work with Tinker Productions, who works for the publisher. I choose a photo or a picture that I think portrays or represents the story. Tinker and I come to an agreement on how we want it to look. Tinker provides the graphics, and wah-lah we have book cover.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

My favorite character so far is Buck Hoyt, he’s the proprietor of the whore house in the yet to be released Dance Hall Road. I love him because he’s a grump with a heart as gooey as a marshmallow. I had fun softening him up with some tender loving care and good lovin’.





Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

In all of my stories, I portray my leading ladies as strong, independent, intelligent women who command admiration and respect. The heroes of course, have problems with strong, independent, intelligent women, that’s where the humor comes into play. As a writer, it’s fun to manipulate through dialog and inner action the transformation of a man’s opinion to bring about his acceptance and inspire attraction.

 What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?

So many good westerns to choose from. I think in movies, not books. Usually old movies. Stage Coach, High Noon, Cimarron, The Big Country, Saratoga Trunk, even Gone With The Wind, a big love story. Plenty of action in all of them to be sure, but basically character driven love stories.

Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

I was an aquatic exercise instructor for eighteen years. I’ve retired, but I go to the pool several times a week and I walk and work in my garden. We have three dogs: two West highland white terriers and one long-haired Dachshund, they are my hobby.

How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

Fallow me on my blog at http://dabellm3.wordpress.com. You’ll find old family photos, poems and all my buy links there plus several short stories that I’ve put up on Amazon cloud for easy access.

Buy links:

 http://freyasbower.com

The Reprobate, Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Reprobate-Laura-Creek-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B00C6Q8AC6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406144437&sr

The Cost of Revenge, Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Cost-Revenge-Laura-Creek-Novel-ebook/dp/B00FEMQ9DQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406144692&sr=8-1&
 

What can we expect from you in the future?

I have many, many more books in me and they are coming as fast as the publisher can get them out there. And I have more workshop ideas. Look for Dance Hall Road coming before the end of summer and Reinventing Mica Avery before the end of the year.

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

There’s the story about the woman who’d won over a hundred cooking contests in one year and received multiple blue ribbons and trophies. When asked how she’d done it, she answered simply “I entered.”

That’s it, right there, you have to submit your work. Refine it, learn all you can about plot development, the difference between character driven and plot driven stories, point of view, passive voice, showing instead of telling, the mechanics of course. And for God’s sake be human in whatever you write. Even monsters have feelings. Reveal the truth in your characters. Expose their soul, their underbellies.

And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Excerpt from the Reprobate:

Music teacher, the crippled goddess, Cleantha Arnaud dared the reprobate, Royce O’Bannon to come to her, climb in her bedroom window, and prove to her she could enjoy all the pleasures of the flesh.

With no light Royce couldn’t see her scars, but with his hands

he’d found the long, rough trenches of thickened flesh on

each side of her body, from her waist down to the top of her

thighs. On the right hip, his fingers traced the worst of

the scaring, the gash felt wider, the flesh rougher and more

sunken-in over her hip-bone.

He couldn’t take the chance of hurting her by putting his

weight on her, and yet the need to sink himself into her

warm moist slit undermined his resolve to take it easy and

slow, give her time, give Cleantha pleasure.

Thank you.