Join me today in welcoming author JD Dexter to the blog. Author of Meeting Midnight and now her latest release, Fighting Midnight, book 2 in her series, Ankarrah Chronicles.
1. What inspired you to start writing?
My dream life. All through my master’s degrees, I read books—the weirder the better. After I was done with my last master’s degree, I found myself with waaaay toooo much time on my hands mentally. In an effort to not go crazy, I sat down one day and started writing one of the stories that had come from my dreams.
2. Plotter or pantser?
Pantser. Although, I’ve just started a new series (Space Opera) that I’ve very loosely outlined. My inability to follow outlines in non-academic writing drives my OCD heart insane.
3. What is your typical day like?
Well, that really depends on the day. I own and operate a holistic trauma recovery clinic specializing in body-centered trauma (clinical massage and clinical social work). I write and do all things literary in between seeing patients.
4. Do you need to be in a specific place or room to write, or you can just sit in the middle of a café full of people and write?
I don’t need a specific place or room, but I would end up shooting myself if I had to try to write in a café full of people. Or end up putting random strangers’ conversational dialogue in my books. Rather, I need specific music and comfy seating.
5. What inspired you to write this novel? Where did the idea come from?
Fighting Midnight is book two in the Ankarrah Chronicles. It’s a continuation of Meeting Midnight’s story arcs. I’m hoping to continue the series. I have enough mental fodder for at least five books.
6. Tell us a little about the characters in your book.
- Finley Tindol: a 30-year-old single, white female who uses sarcasm and snark to navigate her life. She’s a muscular dysfunction expert cum kick-ass, world-saving female who is willing to do anything to save the remainder of her loved ones and friends.
- Hunter Jamison: Finley’s love interest. Their story has hit a snag—with no easy way through. He’s a former trauma surgeon.
- Brian and Brent Hastings: Brothers who are part of Finley’s circle of family/friends. Brian’s the jokester and Finley’s comic relief. Brent’s the analytical lawyer who needs facts, facts, facts.
- Josh Hastings: Cousin to brothers Hastings, and Finley’s best friend since kindergarten. Finley saved his life but ended up almost killing him. He’s now living on Ankarrah.
7. Do you have a dream cast for your characters? If so, who?
Nope, not yet. It tends to change with my mood. The only person I’ve thought about is for Finley’s character: Candice Huffine. More her body shape and style as I have no idea if she does any acting.
8. Are you working on anything at the present you would like to tell us about?
I’m working on the Kellaedan Archives. It’s a sci-fi book about a group of white-hat lady pirates. I’m still working on a title, so right now it’s titled: Book One. Riveting, I know.
9. Which one of your characters would you like to spend time with and why?
Brian Hastings. First off, the man’s six-eight, so he would make me feel small. Second, his sense of humor has me laughing out loud when I’m writing, so I’d think we’d get along pretty well.
10. Do you write using your computer or notepad? Both? Something else?
I’m a computer girl. Like I mentioned above, I started writing when I had too much free mental space after finishing graduate school. Since I was already in the habit of writing for academia on the computer, I just transferred the skills over to fiction.
11. What’s the hardest part about being an author? And the easiest?
Hardest would have to be promotion and marketing. I always feel skeezy and gross when I’m promoting my own work. Let me read and promote someone else’s work, or even other professional colleagues in my “real job,” and I’m there with bells on and a bull-horn.
The easiest would have to be getting the story from my head to the screen/paper. As a discovery/pantser writer, I just sit down and start writing. If it doesn’t work, I just delete it and start again.
12. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve researched for your book?
Exactly what happens to a body when it’s sucked out into space from a moving spaceship. It’s both better and worse than you might expect.
13. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
That I’m actually pretty funny. But I epically suck at writing humor.
14. When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?
Read, read, and read some more. I’ve also gotten interested in acrylic pouring as an art form. I’m working on two three big pieces for my real job’s new office.
15. Do you have a must-read book you’d like to share with readers?
More I have must-read authors. In no particular order: Sharonlee Holder, Jaymin Eve, J.D. Robb, C.J. Archer, Gini Koch, and Gena Showalter. I will read anything by these wonderful people.
16. If you were given the opportunity to form a book club with your favorite authors of all time, which legends or contemporary writers would you want to become a part of the club?
See list above! I’d probably pee my pants (or faint) the first time I got to meet them all, then I’d have to skip the following meetings out of mortification.
17. What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book?
The Martian.
18. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Find the story that causes a reaction inside you. Funny, sad, happy, horror, angst, any emotion, then share that with the world.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Sharonlee Holder 
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