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Deirdre Savoy is an African American author that has a writing style that makes you feel like you've experienced
the adventures she talks about in her novels. She has written four books, SPELLBOUND, ALWAYS, ONCE AND AGAIN, and MIDNIGHT MAGIC,
that demonstrate the type of romance that most women only dream about. Her latest book MIDNIGHT MAGIC, takes you through those
crazy feelings that every mature woman will one day experience, and if you're lucky, like her heroine you will find yourself more
in love with your significant other than you were when you first started your relationship.
As fall quickly approaches and you feel the need to relax and unwind after a busy day in the office, I would
recommend you pick up one of her novels and lose yourself in a romantic illusion for a few hours.
TRCC is thrilled to have Deirdre, as one of our author's of the month for October, and we look forward to
hearing from her in the future.
Lora- For readers that are just experiencing reading Deirdre Savoy for the first time, tell us a little about
yourself.
Deirdre- First, let me say thank you for allowing me the opportunity to "meet" with your readers
through this interview. I am truly honored to be the author of the month.
Let's see, I'm relatively new to the publishing world. My first book, SPELLBOUND, was published in 1999.
SPELLBOUND garnered rave reviews and earned me the title of Best New Author from Romance in Color. I also won the first annual
Emma award for Favorite New Author. My second book, ALWAYS, published in October 2000 and my third book, ONCE AND AGAIN, published
last May were both Black Expressions Book Club selections. My fourth book, MIDNIGHT MAGIC, is a New Year's story set in part on a
Caribbean Island, and features Elise and Garrett Taylor who have been married seventeen years when their relationship hits a snag.
In my other life, I am a kindergarten teacher. I live in Bronx, New York with my husband of 10-plus years and
our two kids. I am a member of African-American Authors Helping Authors, a networking group. I love to hear from readers, and
later this month I'll be holding a Birthday Brunch for fans. Anyone in the New York area interested in attending can contact me at
deesavoy@aol.com or visit my website: http://www.deirdresavoy.com for details.
Lora- Your first novel for Arabesque was SPELLBOUND, a story that takes place on Martha's Vineyard. This is an
unusual locale for a multicultural book, how did you gather material for this story? Are you a frequent visitor to Martha's
Vineyard? Is it an ideal spot for romance?
Deirdre- My family summered on the Vineyard for a number of years. I started writing SPELLBOUND on the shores of
Martha's Vineyard when I was sixteen, so it was a natural location. Of course, at sixteen I knew next to nothing about love or
romance, so it took me a while to finish the book. Ironically, I'll be heading to Martha's Vineyard for a family wedding, the same
circumstance that brought Ariel and Jared, my protagonists together in SPELLBOUND.
Lora- Do you plan on writing a book that features a hero or heroine in the teaching profession?
Deirdre- I've thought about it, but I haven't really come up with a plausible story so far. Working in a
profession gives you a very different perspective on it than most folks have. Teachers are often depicted in fiction as selfless,
hard-working individuals whose dedication keeps them coming back despite low pay and horrendous working conditions. That may be
true, but most of the time, you're just praying you get through the day without murdering anybody.
Lora- How do you decide on the topic for your books?
Deirdre- I have no idea. Characters float around in my head for a while and then I figure out what I want them
to do and who they have to be. I would say I probably take a lot from the experiences of people around me. For example, my
heroine, Elise in Midnight Magic is named after my older sister. When I was thinking about what problems Elise might face, I
immediately thought of the way my sibling has been torturing the rest of the family with her hot flashes. That's about the only
trait I borrowed from her, though. Actually, Elise reminds her of me.
Lora- In MIDNIGHT MAGIC, you have chosen a tasteful way to discuss a sensitive issue (peri-menopause), and the
feelings that a women deals with. The husband is portrayed as a person who is willing to take the time to identify what his wife
is going through. Do you think most men would react in this same manner?
Deirdre- A girl can hope, can't she? I've had a couple of the demon hot flashes myself, and my husband's
reaction has been to grab the children and run from the room shouting, "Look out!! She's about to blow!"
But you have to remember that Garrett is a doctor. He's used to dealing with physical matters with dispassion.
Besides, he at first thinks Elise might be pregnant. To his mind anyway, menopause is definitely the lesser of two evils.
Lora- What's in the future for Savoy readers?
Deirdre- Next is HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO, the sequel to my first book, SPELLBOUND. In it, actress Samantha
Hathaway gets saddled with New York City cop Adam Wexler as her bodyguard. It is hate at first sight, but as they work to discover
who is making threats against her life, the pair ends up falling in love. It's my first romantic suspense, and I'm loving every
minute of it.
After that, I plan to revisit the Thorne/Ward families for Nathan's sister Nina's story. So many people wrote to
me requesting her story that I felt I had to oblige.
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