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For
years, Deborah Smith has been on the top of my “must buy” book
lists. I am thrilled to
introduce Ms. Smith to those who may not be familiar with her books, I
am betting you soon will discover her.
And for those that already know and love her writing, hopefully
you can discover something new. Be
sure to visit her website that has recently undergone a
“remodeling”. www.deborahsmith.com
I want to thank Deborah for taking time out of her busy
schedule!
I’ve
learned a thing or two in the process, and should any of my goldfish
make it to spring; for despite what I was told, goldfish do not
necessarily have the intelligence to hibernate in the silt.
I have ten that came up during a warm spell and now are
heartbreakingly frozen in the ice.
So next year, all my babies are coming inside for the winter.
Tracy
Farnsworth - First, welcome to TRRC.
It is an honor to have you not only join us as February’s
Author of the Month, but also as the recipient of the very first
Reader’s Gold Connection Award that I, personally, have chosen.
I can’t imagine that there are many that don’t recognize
your name, but for those who may not be as familiar with your books,
can you tell readers more about yourself?
Deborah
Smith - Thank you so much for the honor!
As for who/what I am, here goes:
I'm the author of more than 30 romance and women's fiction
novels, going back to Berkley's Second Chance At Love line in the mid
1980's. I wrote 21 series
romances for Berkley, Silhouette, and Loveswept before switching to
women's fiction in the early 1990's.
Since then I've written eight "big" books (nine if
you count SWEET HUSH, this winter.)
My novels have been published in hardcover since 1996, when A
PLACE TO CALL HOME made the New York Times list.
My current publisher is Little, Brown & Co.
I'm also a partner along with four other writers in BelleBooks,
a small press that publishes southern anthologies.
Our romantic hometown series, Mossy Creek, is being re-issued
by Berkley Books starting in February.
TF
- Your first book was published in 1986, after two years of battling
to get noticed. Was this
the first book you had written?
DS
- Lawd, no <g>. I
wrote at least two full-length books and many, many partial
manuscripts. All of which have since provided wonderful shredded paper for
the kitty litter box.
TF
- After a lengthy run with Bantam’s Loveswept and Second Chance At
Love, you made the move to women’s fiction.
What led to the change? Do
you miss writing series romance?
DS
- I do miss writing series books, but Loveswept (where I wrote most of
mine) was a special situation, and in my opinion that kind of
wonderful opportunity is harder to find now.
Meaning that Loveswept authors were given a lot of free rein to
try different ideas. I
wrote suspense, paranormal, comedy, you name it.
Whatever struck my fancy.
I
moved into women's fiction because I wanted to tell some bigger
stories. It was a good challenge to learn and grow as a writer.
Series romances are like wonderful little poems--they have
their own special needs and requirements.
Women's Fiction has different needs and demands.
I like to try new things. Which is why I'm doing a contemporary
fantasy series for BelleBooks, now.
TF
- All of your stories focus on strong family connections.
Often your stories begin with a quick note of thanks to your
family or your family’s history.
With this in mind, I often wonder if you do any genealogy on
the side?
DS
- Oh, yes. This year for Christmas I made huge genealogical scrapbooks
for my immediate family. I
still have the paper cuts and hot-glue-gun blisters. . .Seriously, I
come from old Southern families who were not rich or fancy by any
means, yet who pulled themselves up and built strong legacies.
It's always fascinated me to see how one or two determined
leaders can change the entire course of a family's future.
TF
- From the range of stories that I have read, your heroines are
perfect blends of femininity and sheer grit.
Starting with Thena from JED’S SWEET REVENGE, Erica from
TEMPTING THE WOLF right up to newer heroines, Darlene Union from THE
STONE FLOWER GARDEN, and Hush McGillen from SWEET HUSH.
As your writing progresses, the one thing that never changed
was a determined heroine and a tough, yet sensitive, man.
Because they are so realistic to the reader, do you pattern
them after people you have known, or all they all complete works of
fiction?
DS
- Well, of course, they're all based on ME.
No cellulite, small thighs, witty, always say and do the right
thing...(are you buying any of that?)
Hey, I'm a former farm girl and tomboy, raised by a father who
saw no reason why girls couldn't learn to shoot a gun, change the oil
in a car, or dig a fence post. To
this day I'm most comfortable outside digging in the garden.
I drive a pick-up truck and collect antique farm tools.
Left to run wild, I'd probably write about heroines who are the
equivalent of John Wayne With Breasts.
Thank goodness I also have a girly side that makes flower
arrangements and squeals at pictures of George Clooney.
And I really, really like (as in respect and enjoy the quirks
of ) men. After all, my
husband is one.
TF
- Disney purchased the rights to SWEET HUSH over six months before the
book’s release. While
you were writing it, did you imagine that the book would gain such
attention? If you had
your choice of stars, who would you cast in the main roles?
DS
- I knew the book had a "high concept" -- far more than
other books I've written. The
story line about the President's daughter eloping to live with her new
husband on a Georgia apple farm had a lot of built-in comedy and
drama, which is always a good sign.
But I was stunned when Disney bought the film rights. And
thrilled. Another novel
of mine, ON BEAR MOUNTAIN, has been bought by a small independent
filmmaker whose interested in the folk-art theme and Appalachian
traditions in the story.
Who
would I cast in the main roles? A
taller Martin Sheen as the President.
I know that much. And
the hero, Nick Jakobek, would be played by either Pierce Brosnan or,
you guessed it, George Clooney. Hey,
this is my fantasy.
TF
- I have to ask this question, as I put in our own small goldfish pond
this summer. Do they
really eat apples?
DS
- They really do. They
like lettuce and bits of chopped up fruit.
But now that my goldfish have gone wild and had about a hundred
babies, they're mostly eating each other.
(Only kidding. They
eat the eggs but still manage to raise dozens of unnibbled babies
every summer.)
TF -
When you are not busy writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?
DS
- Trying to give goldfish away. Gardening,
as I mentioned earlier. Also
really bad art. Creating
it, that is. I'm a very
amateurish painter. But I
enjoy it. Would you like a picture of an almost-recognizable goldfish?
TF
- Your website recently underwent a major revamping. What new features can readers expect to see?
DS
- For one thing, look for the jewelry page.
My sister-in-law, a jewelry designer, has created about twenty
necklaces of semi-precious stones and silver as a promotion for my
mermaid novel, ALICE AT HEART. (Mermaids love jewelry.)
All the necklaces are for sale on the website.
They are one-of-a-kind pieces, but affordable.
TF -
What’s up next for Deborah Smith?
DS
- I'm working on my next novel, tentatively titled LADYSLIPPERS, and
this spring I'll have a novella in the newest Mossy Creek novel,
SUMMER IS MOSSY CREEK. Look
for it in June. Late next
year I hope to publish the sequel to ALICE BY HEART, titled TWO IF BY
SEA.
(Click
here for a review of SWEET HUSH)
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