Today I'm interviewing Leanne Davis, whose first novel, 'Poison' is just out with The Wild Rose Press and is free for download for a limited time only - if this interview whets your appetite, you can find a link at the end. 
Welcome, Leanne! ‘Poison’ is a
romantic suspense novel – what attracted you to the idea of writing romance
with a villain?
I was on vacation in
Long Beach, Washington, (the fictional town of Seaclusion, where Poison takes
place is based on it) and happened along the North Head Lighthouse which stands
over the Columbia River during a bad storm. It seemed like something evil
should happen there…and I began thinking about what it could be. I had long
before written about my character’s John and Cassie as a high school romance. I
decided to re-visit them ten years
later, and how they could end up
reuniting after a bitter betrayal. In order to give them some drama, I had
Cassie have a violent ex-husband who is hunting her and her son.
The cover is very
dark, almost Gothic. How did you keep
the balance between the challenging theme and the need for a romance to have a
more positive side?
The romance part is always easy for me. The villain was
singled out in his own point of view, and a few scenes go a long way…so it’s
not that tough to create the creepy feel of the villain with the developing
relationship of the hero/heroine.
The cover is designed by Debbie Tayler of DCM graphics off
of a photo I submitted to my publisher. The photo which tags my website was
taken in 2003, when I first thought up the setting and pivotal lighthouse scene
for Poison. So to see what I pictured in my imagination reflected on the cover
of my book…is still kind of déjà vu for me.
You describe your
novels as ‘romance you can relate to’.
What about Cassie and John do you think your readers will most relate
to?
John is very angry at what Cassie did to him ten years
before, and what broke up their high school romance. Many people deal with
anger…but forgiveness is not as easy. But forgiveness can change lives…and I
hope readers feel that between John and Cassie.
Also, Cassie believes she can never fully atone for the
mistakes she made in her youth. Her struggle is to make up for all the wrong
decisions she had made…and who hasn’t made bad decisions? It’s what we do about
them that counts.
My novels are realistic, contemporary romances, so my tag
line is to hopefully convey easily that my novels could theoretically happen.
‘Notorious’, the
second book in the series, has also been contracted. What will readers find in common between the two, and how are you
aiming to surprise us?
The surprise will be in that there is no villain in this
one! No psycho ex-husband or creepy stalker. This novel came about unplanned at
first. I was writing Poison and some secondary characters caught my eye…and
soon I had a story for them. The commonality, well for one the next book is
about John and Cassie’s brother and sister, Luke and Kelly. They meet in
Seaclusion to watch Cassie’s son while John and Cassie are on their honeymoon.
How would you sum up the philosophy, or message, behind
your books?
All of my fiction
could happen. I love the chemistry that romance adds to any story, and the
emotions that get stirred up. I bring in a variety of subjects and dramas to my
novels and enjoy writing how my characters deal with them. There is some
humour, some drama, and hopefully a reader can easily relate to who my
characters are in the lives I have created for them.
What kind of research did you do for ‘Poison’ and ‘Notorious’?
I toured the area that my fictional town is set in. I added
some real tourists spots to give it some authenticity. As with any novel there
I often small details that need to be googled such a details about jobs. I also
had to go to the library and check out a book about poisons and how they can
kill people. Luckily I found one directed towards mystery writers that included
more than a hundred different poisons and all their effects/results of taking
them. Kind of gruesome but necessary!
You’d been writing for a long time before releasing your
debut novel. Were there any moments
when you wondered whether it was all worth it?
And what advice would you give to a writer in that position?
I waited a long time
before I tried to publish. I have always written. It was part of my life and my
sense of self, and I have never needed anyone else’s opinion to validate that
for me. So I never felt like I had to justify if it was worth it. I did most of
my writing around other people’s schedules and raising young kids…so any time I
snuck away to write was my escape …and I simply wanted to write! It will ALWAYS
feel worth it…whether I become a bestseller, or it’s just my mom reading it.
There has never been
a better time to be a writer simply because there is so many more outlets for
publishing.
From Indie publishing to the Big 6 and everything in between I love
that a writer finally has choices! Ten years ago it was scary to submit
anywhere because if you were rejected, that was that, there wasn’t all that
many places to submit to. Now writers, even new ones, actually stand a chance
of getting to market.
To any writer I
first say write, and spend as long as you need perfecting that writing until it
is marketable…and then find your own path however and wherever you want,
regardless what anyone else says.
What do you do when
you are not writing?
I get outside. After too many hours in a chair
writing…nothing feels better then to get outside. We have acreage I take care
of (along with my young kids :-) ) And we spend a lot
of time getting out of rain infested Seattle area to nicer weather.
Who is your favourite
author?
Just one?
Kristin Hannah.
She writes women’s fiction that I have always related too.
In fact it was her writing that first showed me the vein of writing I wanted to
focus on.
Where should we go to find out more about your
books?
Poison is free from May 7 to May 11, so though I am new to
you…I would love for you to download a copy and try out my debut novel!
Thanks, Leanne. I will definitely be grabbing a copy!
By the way, these tricks aren't just theory: one of them provided a whole new plot strand to my work in progress, 'Desperate Measures' (full marks to anyone who guessed it's a sequel to my first published novella, 'Desperate Bid'). I asked the question, 'What's in the hero's desk drawer?' but instead of answering it directly, I played it out as a scene in which the heroine is sneaking a look at his desk while he's out of the office... and gets caught. She's initially puzzled by one of the items in the drawer - a signed tennis ball - but all becomes clear when she finds out the identity of the hero's estranged father, and the reason they're not speaking. Intrigued? I was! 
