Welcome K. Dawn Byrd! I'm announcing her new release: DOUBLE IDENTITY. It will be available on Dec. 11th. Read on to learn more about the book and its author. Then, mark Dec. 11th on your calendar so you won't miss this book.
Bio:
K. Dawn Byrd is an author of
inspirational novels in several genres, including, historical, suspense,
romance, and young adult. Some of her favorite things are chocolate, cars, and
her pets. Her hobbies include reading, writing, and riding down country roads
in the passenger seat of her husband's Corvette Stingray. When asked why she
writes, her response is, "For the simple joy of placing words on the
page!"
1) What would you like readers to take away from your book?
Double Identity is a young adult book about two identical twins, one a
Christian, one a non-believer. I'd like for the reader to take away that no
matter what happens, God is with us. Also, people need to learn to trust their
hearts.
2) Why did you choose to write this book?
I thought it would be fun to explore what it would be like to have an identical
twin. Of course, a young woman's boyfriend would love how she looked. Would the
fact that someone else looks just like her make her insecure?
3) What did you learn while writing this book?
I learned that being an identical twin can be hard!
4) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?
Finding time to write. I work a full-time job and also a lot of weekends, which
means that I have to be really devoted to my writing time. I set aside at least
an hour every night, six days a week if possible. The fact that I start with a
well-developed plot makes things move faster.
5) Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you
and why?
It's not really a book, but I'll tell you about it anyway.
Margie Lawson's on-line classes made more impact on me and my writing style
that anything else I've ever studied. They're very affordable too!
6) What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not?
I'm proud of earning a master degree in professional
counseling from Liberty
University. I believe
this degree helps me to understand my characters better and what makes them
tick.
7) What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel?
I fill out character sketches in order to get to know my
characters better. I ask myself what their goals are, what motivates them, and
what's keeping them from reaching their goals. Sometimes, I start by writing a
synopsis. This gives me information about the plot as it develops. I usually
have a pretty strong plot before I actually begin the story.
8) What are your favorite writing conferences and why?
The ACFW conference is my favorite because I absolutely love
the worship. It blesses my heart. It's also really nice to chat with
like-minded people.
9) Why do you write?
I write because I can't stop. It's more than a hobby, it's a
passion. It's the most fun I've ever had in my life!
10) Are you a plotter or a pantzer?
A big time plotter. Because I write all of my books in
30-day marathons, I have to start with a thorough plot. That doesn't mean that
sometimes the story doesn't take a life of it's own, surprising me when it
takes me down a road I hadn't planned to travel.
11) What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a thriller about a serial killer. It's a
difficult story because there are several twists and turns and I have to be
careful how I write it for everything to fall into place correctly.
12) What's next for you?
I have three releases in 2012, all young adult. Something
Beautiful in January. The Hot Line Girl in June. Luck of the Draw in November.
13) What would you be doing if you weren’t writing?
Probably still riding a Harley. I sold my bike in order to
have more time to write. On weekends, I'd rather curl up with my laptop and the
story in my head.
14) Tell us a little more about yourself , with three things
not many people know
about you.
a)
I have a masters degree in professional counseling from
Liberty University.
b)
I'm an animal lover. I have two hairless Chinese
Crested dogs, an African Gray parrot, three ferrets, and several aquariums in
my home.
c)
I love sour foods. I'd rather have olives, pickles, or
dilly beans than something sweet sometimes.
15) Do you listen to music when you write and if
so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?
I must have total peace and quiet when I write. I
hate it because it keeps me from writing sometimes when I'd like to.
16) What do you do for fun when
not writing?
When not writing, I love to read.
Romantic suspense or young adult novels are favorites.
17) Tell us about your latest
release and what you think readers will enjoy about it.
My latest release, Double Identity, was a lot of fun to
write. I think readers will like it because it will keep them on the edge of
their seats. When both twins fall for the same guy, who will he choose? How
will he tell them apart?
18) If you were an animal, which
one do you think you would be, and why?
I'm not sure which animal I would
be, but my step-daughter was recently joking and said that if she believed in
reincarnation, she'd want to come back
as one of my ferrets because I take such good care of them. That was the
ultimate compliment!
19) What is your personal
definition of success?
My
personal definition of success has nothing to do with money. To me, a
successful person is one who is happy and enjoys life.
20) How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email,
website)
Twitter: kdawnbyrd
Pinterist: kdawnbyrd
Facebook: kdawnbyrd
Hook:
Seventeen-year old Bree is shocked when she discovers she has
a twin sister, even more shocked to find that she's an identical twin. When
Bree's sister becomes obsessed with her boyfriend, Luke, Bree must decide who
wants who and who's telling the truth.
Cover blurb:
Seventeen-year
old Bree has always wanted a sister. She's shocked when she learns that her
father is alive and her identical twin sister, Cassie, is coming to live with
her. She can't wait for Cassie to arrive. She just knows they'll be best
friends.
Bree soon discovers that even though they look alike, they're totally
different. Cassie is wild and impulsive. She hates Bree's little town and
everything in it, except Bree's boyfriend, Luke. When Cassie becomes obsessed
with Luke, she'll go to any length to have him for herself.
Luke has a secret, which Cassie learns and uses against him. She's off her
medication and will stop at nothing. She says he's in love with her. He says he
loves Bree. Will their secrets destroy them and their relationships?
.
Excerpt:
I'd
just stepped out of the shower when I heard Cassie giggle. She must have come
in while I was indisposed. Almost too tired to wiggle, I dreaded facing her.
All she did was complain and her mood swings made me want to scream or break
something or both. Some days, I long for Dad to get well and take her back
where she came from.
I breathed in the scent of strawberry shower gel that lingered in the air. Luke
had texted, saying he loved me. He'd wanted to get together, but I'd been
working. Would we find any time together once school started? When we'd gone to
the same school, we'd had lunch together and I'd always ridden home with him.
His schedule for the upcoming year was so different than mine, and he had night
class. Could our relationship survive?
"Boy, can he kiss," Cassie said. "Even better than Mick. One
kiss and I forgot Mick ever existed."
I paused by the door, considering making some kind of noise so she'd know I was
in the next room. I pushed the thought away. Why should I? There had been
several times recently when I'd had suspicions that she'd been spying on me. I
poured my favorite vanilla lotion into my hands and rubbed it on my arms. Why
was the bottle so low?
Cassie groaned. "If I could just get him to see that little
Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes isn't the one for him. He has to be attracted to me, you
know?" She laughed again and paused for several seconds. "Pretty
smart of me to fix my hair like hers. Mom can't even tell us apart."
She was talking about me, but who was she talking about kissing? Luke? Had she
kissed Luke? Hot, seething anger rumbled through me. Tying my robe so tightly,
the belt dug into my stomach, I flung open the door so hard it hit the wall. I
hated confrontation, but it was time.
Cassie's look of sheer shock morphed into a look of pure horror. "Maggie,
I have to go. I'll call you later." Hands on hips, I glared at my sister.
"Who were you talking about?"
"Just girl talk with my friend, Maggie, back home."
"Who were you talking about kissing?"
A flush colored her cheeks, barely visible through her slowly fading California tan.
"Mick. I was talking about Mick."
"You said someone kissed better than him. Who?"
"Jake. Not that it's any of your business."
I wanted to slap the I-know-something-you-don't-know smile off her face. Having
a sister wasn't all it was supposed to be. She'd been nothing but a pain since
she'd landed on our doorstep.
"Jake." I laughed, relieved that she had a thing for Luke's farm
hand. Jerking my clothes from the hangers, I headed back to the solitude of the
bathroom. Was I paranoid? Was I losing my mind?
Purchase links:
The book isn't available at
the time of this writing, but will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
christianbook.com, Desert Breeze Publishing, etc.
