Throughout the month of April, I’m featuring fellow eXtasy Books/Devine Destinies authors. In the interview chair for today is author Daryl Devore who writes for the imprint eXtasy Books. She’s here to talk about her latest release What Happens in Bangkok, book one of the Two Hearts One Love series, a contemporary romance.
Daryl Devore on Writing:
1. First, what’s your favourite scene in the book? Not in regards to writing, but reading, and why?
Daryl: My favourite scene is Erika and Darien’s date. They go out for supper to a Mexican restaurant. They both live in Bangkok, Thailand. The home of Thai food. But Erika is in the mood for something different. What I find fun is Darien’s reaction to watching Erika eat. The final two lines of the scene are – Darien shuddered. He never knew eating Mexican could be so erotic.
2. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Daryl: No. It is the way it is. And if I change anything in book 1, it might affect books 2 and 3.
3. Share a “side story” about the characters.
Daryl: Brian, Darien’s older brother, is the lead star of the drag queen show. He is also the chief choreographer. But it is other job that makes life interesting. He is a supplier of information. How did he get this job? He was in a coffee shop with his friends. They were gossiping about this person, this company etc. The man seated behind him, turned, handed him a business card and said, “Call me this afternoon. I have a job for you.” Brian called and that’s how he slid into his second job.
4. If you could spend time with one character from your book, who would it be? And what would you do during that day?
Daryl: Sandee, one of the drag queens. She is the most giving, supportive character I have written. A day with her would be filled with laughter, happy and sprinkles – cause that girl knows how to do sprinkles.
5. Did the characters hijack the story or did you feel like you had control of your book?
Daryl: Oh – they hijacked the story and ran with it. Ran it right into a 3 book series. I had no control over anyone.
6. How did you come up with the title for your book?
Daryl: After about 4 years of the book being called The Book with No Name. I asked for help and an author friend asked her writing group and they came up with this title – What Happens in Bangkok, plus the title for the 3rd book. Between Despair and Ecstasy. If you know Broadway musicals – you’ll get the connection.
7. If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the leads?
Daryl: I really can’t answer that. I think the last movie I watched was the final Harry Potter one.
8. If your book was a candle, what scent would it be and why?
Daryl: Campfire smoke. Dark. Earthy. A scent that wraps you up with the fond memories of times sitting with friends, enjoying life out in the wilderness.
9. If your book had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Daryl: It has one. Donna Summers – I Will Survive. My husband and I were driving to our daughters’. Donna Summers song came on the radio. It triggered a memory about a drag queen show. I grabbed my laptop and wrote 3 chapters which eventually turned into 3 books. And the book is about surviving. Surviving the dangers and heartaches of life.
10. If your book was a colour, what would it be and why?
Daryl: Wow. What a difficult question.
11. What did you edit out of the book?
Daryl: Nothing. My editor and I worked well on this.
12. What can we expect from you in the future?
Daryl: There are two more books in this series. At the moment I am in writing LaLa land.
All About Daryl Devore:
1. What is something unique/quirky about you?
Daryl: LOL – there is a lot quirky about me. I’m a very relaxed, easy going introvert, who has a 2nd degree black belt and is a Raks Shaqari dancer (belly dancer). Also, I’m female. Daryl is also a feminine name.
2. What are some of your pet peeves?
Daryl: Don’t get me started. People who state that writers MUST DO THIS or they aren’t real writers. People who puke out falsehoods on the internet.
3. Where were you born/grew up at?
Daryl: Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Right across the Detroit River from Detroit, Mich.
4. Describe yourself in 5 words or less!
Daryl: A complicated introvert.
5. Who is your hero and why?
Daryl: I never understood this question. By definition a hero is – a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength.
Therefore, I am my own hero. I have faced danger. I have faced death. I’ve kicked adversity’s butt.
If people would step back and examine their life – they might amaze themselves at what they find. A hero lives inside all of us. It is up to each of us to either stand up and be our own hero – or not. Simple as that.
Daryl Devore on Reading:
1. What book do you think everyone should read?
Daryl: The Emperor’s New Clothes.
2. What do you think about the current publishing market?
Daryl: Frustrating. Hard to get noticed in such a massive place.
3. If you could have been the author of any of your fave books that you’ve read, which book would you choose and why?
Daryl: Gaudy Night – by Dorothy L Sayers. She was a British mystery writer. Brilliant woman. Fascinating life. To examine and describe life in a women’s college in Oxford in the middle 1930s when women were only just being admitted to higher education.
4. Share your favourite character from a book that you’ve read, and why they are your fave.
Daryl: Miss Marple. She is gentle and everyone doubts her as she is “old and fluffy” but the wisdom and patience in her is vast. She is in many of Agatha Christie’s mysteries.
5. On average, how much do you read every week?
Daryl: OMG – I have no idea. I don’t read a lot of books. I try to save those for vacations. But I am always ready tweets, blogs, critiquing chapters, doing beta reads, re-reading my latest work in progress.
****
Title: What Happens in Bangkok
Series: Two Hearts One Love, book #1
Author(s): Daryl Devore
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Heat Rating: 4 Flames
Publication Date: February 3, 2017
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Book Length: 247 Pages
To save Darien’s life his brother asks, “Can you walk in high heels?”
Blurb: Erika Bailey, owner/manager of a drag queen club in Bangkok, Thailand has happily settled into all aspects of her new life, except for her lack of a love life. When a new diva auditions, Erika is bewildered over her instant attraction to the blond God, Apollo.
Darien Scott is on vacation after a world tour and mistakenly figures the safest place to be is at The Black Dragon with the head of a Triad. When the club is hit, Darien is the only person to get out alive. Now he’s running from the police and a Triad. Mistake number 1.
Disguised as a drag queen, he’s hired by Erika, but falls hard for his new boss, then struggles with not coming clean with her. Mistake number 2.
Can he fix his mistakes and find a life filled with love or is he headed straight for mistake number 3?
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Kobo| Barnes and Noble | eXtasy Books
Sandee swallowed the last of his breakfast. “Do you know if they are looking for you? The cops, I mean.”
“I’d say they are.” Lennie looked up. “Watched the news this morning, and the cops have the security video from the Dragon. They did a body count and you’re missing. They have your face on the TV asking if anyone’s seen you.”
“Shit!” Darien thumped his hand on the table. “The cops are gonna want to know what I know about this. Bleeding Sun’s gonna wanna know if I saw their shooters, and Nai Jâhng’s gang is probably very curious about how I ended up being the only person who got out alive. They’re gonna assume I was involved.” He rested his elbows on the table and dropped his head into his hands. “I am so fucked.”
“Not necessarily.”
Darien’s brow furrowed as he stared at Stewart, who waggled his eyebrows at Brian.
“Brilliant.” Brian grinned at his brother. “Question. Can you walk in high heels?”
****
Daryl Devore (@daryldevore) lives in an in old farmhouse in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, a large saltwater aquarium full of fish, a black cat named Licorice and some house ghosts. Her daughter is grown and has flown the nest. Daryl loves to take long walks up her quiet country road, or snowshoe across the back acres and in the summer, kayak along the St. Lawrence River. She has touched a moon rock, a mammoth and a meteorite. She’s been deep in the ocean in a submarine, flown high over Niagara Falls in a helicopter and used the ladies’ room in a royal palace. Life’s an adventure and Daryl’s having fun living it.
Find Daryl: Blog | Facebook Page | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | BookBub | Linked In | Instagram | Pinterest | Newsletter Sign-Up
Maggie Blackbird 
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