Interview and Contest with HelenKay Dimon
Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 7:13 amCategory: Author Days, Contests, Interviews
One lucky commenter will win a copy of HARD AS NAILS! Every comment made counts as an entry!
First, I’d like to congratulate you on your upcoming release, Hard As Nails. Can you tell us a little about this book?
Thank you for inviting me here today!
HARD AS NAILS is an anthology of three related novellas. It’s fun and flirty with a bit of humor. The stories center on a house rehab project. In the first, This Old House, the hero has to get the heroine out of the house…and figure out why she’s there when the house is supposed to be empty. In the second, All About Adam, two lawyers who shared a one-night stand eight months before try to negotiate the contract for the house rehab while fighting off their mutual attraction. And in Man At The Door, the rehab job foreman and the new owner of the house spar over details, including how they really feel about each other.
How long have you been writing and what was your first published book?
I wrote more as a hobby for a few years. After being named a finalist in Lori Foster’s online Brava Novella Contest, I decided to try to turn that hobby into a career. In May 2005, after 18 months of seriously trying to get published, I got The Call from Kate Duffy at Kensington.
That first published book was actually a novella. It’s called Hardhats and Silk Stockings and is in the anthology WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS (Brava, April ‘06) with Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy – two of my favorite authors! My current release, HARD AS NAILS, is extra special because it follows secondary characters introduced in that very first published novella.
Do you plot out your stories first or do you let the characters lead you?
I have tried to plot the story first and…well, it doesn’t work for me. I once heard author Jayne Ann Krentz speak. She said she can’t write an outline because once she does it’s as if the characters have spoken and the book is done. She can’t then go back and try to write the book from the outline. My writing mind works the same way.
I start with a kernel of an idea and start writing. After about three chapters, I step back and see where I am. At that point, I can write notes and get a feel for where the book is going. As I write, the story unfolds in my head. I do a lot of revising as I go along and, for me, it works. For others it would be a nightmare.
What are you currently working on?
I am writing a single title based in Hawaii. It follows up my first single title romance, YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY (Brava, Aug. ‘07), which was spotlighted in Cosmo magazine and at E! Online. This book will be out in late 2009. The hero is Josh Windsor, the DEA agent and hero’s sidekick in YMDMC. Here, Josh gets his own book. Many readers have asked for it. I’m having a great time writing it.
Of all your characters, do you have a heroine that you identify with the most? If so, which one and how do you identify with her?
Good question! I tend to write feisty heroines with a level of maturity – ie, no virgins here – and a difficult past. My favorite so far is probably Lexy from my upcoming release, HOT AS HELL (Brava, Nov. ‘08). She is tough yet vulnerable. I think she’s pretty relatable. I hope readers think so too.
Is there a genre that you haven’t written, but would like to try one day?
Right now I write romance with some suspense elements. I am a huge mystery and true crime fan. I’d like to incorporate those aspects into my writing and try a more traditional romantic suspense book – one that has equal parts of romance and suspense. I’m working on an idea. We’ll see if I can get it to work.
What is the best thing about your job as an author? What is the hardest thing?
The best thing – working at home and for myself. It is the best job in the world. Really, there is not a hard thing. I was a divorce lawyer for 12 years. That was hard. I love what I do now. If I had one complaint, it would be with my habit of procrastinating. Putting that butt in the chair is tough now and then, but I have no one to blame for that but me.
Have you ever had any embarrassing moments at a book-signing that you can share with us?
I’ve been pretty lucky, but I did have this exchange recently:
Some guy: Do you practice the love scenes with your husband?
Me: I prefer to practice the murder scenes on him.
The guy stared at me for a second and then scurried away.
Describe a day in the life of HelenKay Dimon.
Procrastinate…procrastinate…panic that it’s so late in the day and I haven’t done anything…write…
I’m working on eliminating some of that procrastination and all of the panic.
Favorites…
Favorite Season?
Fall. Until about 18 months ago, I was an East Coast gal. I grew up in Pennsylvania and lived in Washington, D.C. for about 15 years after college. There was just something reaffirming about the change to cool weather and the beauty of the changing leaves.
Morning person or night owl?
Night owl. Definitely.
Favorite movie?
I love actions movies with big things exploding. Any action movie. Really. For example, National Treasure totally works for me.
Favorite song?
Anything by Coldplay or the Goo Goo Dolls.
Favorite color?
Hmmmm…probably purple.
Fun Questions…
If you had a shrinking device, what’s the one thing in your house you’d miniaturize first?
My hips.
If a movie was made about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Julianne Moore. She’s older and we look nothing alike, but I adore her.
If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
She Got Back Up
Instead of leaves or money, what do you wish would grow on trees?
Common sense.
If you had to smell like one thing for the rest of your life, what scent would you pick?
The Tom Ford scent my hubby wears. I smell it and think of him. Makes me smile every single time.
HelenKay, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me!
Thank you!
Jen Drake said,
June 26, 2008 @ 8:49 am
sounds like a nice lady : ) always good to hear. Would love to win this!
Cheryl S. said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:06 am
Loved the interview. I’m halfway through reading my first HelenKay book . . . Right Here, Right Now . . . and I can’t read it fast enough. Really enjoying your writing style, HelenKay!
HelenKay Dimon » Blog Archive » Interview News said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:15 am
[…] interview with Cindy over at Southern Sunshine is […]
HelenKay Dimon said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:18 am
Cindy - Thank you for having me here!
Jen - Aw, thanks. Good luck on the contest.
Cheryl - I’m thrilled to hear you’re enjoying RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. Thank you for picking it up!
Caffey said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:18 am
Hi Helen!!! I’d too love to be in the contest for this book! Thanks.
I love those books with the three stories in one so that we get three hero’s stories! Is it harder for you as a writer to write the shorter books rather than the one long novel? I go all over where I read novella, novels, epics, etc, so I just wondered if it was difficult to writer shorter for you.
Loved the questions and answers up there! Who do you like to read?
Karin said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:53 am
That was a great interview. I loved your encounter at the book signing. It just made me laugh.
Emma said,
June 26, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
Hi Helen Great interview. Congratulate you on your upcoming release, Hard As Nails. I’d love to be in the contest for this book! Thanks .
Jane said,
June 26, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Hi HelenKay,
I’ve been a fan since reading When Good Things Happen to Bad Boys anthology. Looking forward to reading “Hard As Nails.” I’m a big fan of Coldplay, too.
Susan said,
June 26, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Hi HelenKay,
I love your writing and would love to win Hard As Nails.
Great interview! I’m with you on the hip shrinking.
HelenKay Dimon said,
June 26, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
Caffey - I love writing single titles and novellas. Novellas go faster because they’re shorter, but they aren’t always easier. It can be tough to put all that story into 100 pages.
Who I read? Oh, I love so many peoeple. My old romance favs (as in I read them first): Linda Howard, Jayne Ann Krentz, Julie Garwood, Linda Lael Miller and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I also love Gena Showalter, Erin McCarthy, Shannon McKenna, Jill Monroe, Alison Kent, Lani Dian Rich, Sarah Strohmeyer, Marta Acosta and a whole bunch of others. I also love reading mysteries and true crime. Really, I am open to reading anything by anyone. I’ve found so many authors I love by reading anthologies and finding one of their novellas.
Karin - It made me laugh too
Emma - Thank you! Good luck in the contest.
Jane - Thanks for sticking with me from the beginning. HARD AS NAILS follows up the novella in WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS. I hope you’ll give the new book a try.
Susan - Thank you! Yeah, if only there was a hip shrinking machine. I keep waiting for it…
Teresa W. said,
June 26, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
Enjoyed the interview today, looking forward to this release. I’m still waiting patiently for Right Here, Right Now from you that i won from Lauries-Laudanum.blog in March!
tami said,
June 26, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
i love your stories!!!! very interesting !
please enter me !
Lori T said,
June 26, 2008 @ 7:17 pm
Hi Helen~
Great interview! I would love to be entered in the contest.
National Treasure is one of my favorites too. I am really looking forward to Wanted with Angelina Jolie which comes out tomorrow.
Amy S. said,
June 26, 2008 @ 7:23 pm
Great interview! Congrats on the upcoming release!
HelenKay Dimon said,
June 26, 2008 @ 7:38 pm
Teresa - Hi there! Yes, yours is the one the USPS insists was delivered even though we both know it wasn’t. When we emailed two weeks ago I told you I’d re-send. The good news is I have!! The book is on its way to you. I sent it priority mail with tracking in a batch of contest winners that recently went out. This time we can follow it and see where it goes. {fingers crossed}
Tami - I love hearing that. Thank you!!
Lori - I forgot about WANTED. I think it opens this weekend. Must look at my schedule…
Amy - Thank you! Good luck!
limecello said,
June 26, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
Hi HelenKay - great interview, ladies! I can’t wait to get my hands on your new book!
Haha - oh my, the book signing - what a great answer! (And seriously - what was he thinking, asking that. Really now.) I’m also excited about the new books - loved Josh in YMDMC.
Congratulations on the new release!
Cindy said,
June 26, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
Thanks for visiting the blog everyone!
I also got a chuckle out of the booksigning answer. I could only imagine the look on the man’s face.
*waving* Hi HelenKay!
I’m going to let this run through tonight and pick a winner in the morning!
Jill Sorenson said,
June 26, 2008 @ 9:51 pm
I like the booksigning story, HelenKay! Too funny. I’m going to have to borrow your answer. Why do men always ask that? I guess they think they’re being clever, but it’s the least original question ever.
No need to enter me. I already have HARD AS NAILS and am lovin it.
Mona said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
Great interview. Hard as Nails sounds like a great read ;-)
kim h said,
June 26, 2008 @ 11:19 pm
read the bad boys antho very good. great interview. hot book congrts on antohter release
Barbara-Jo said,
June 27, 2008 @ 4:09 am
Another great website to visit each morning! Nice to learn something more about you HelenKay. I’m looking forward to your new releaase.
Crystal B. said,
June 27, 2008 @ 7:58 am
Great interview. I love HelenKay’s books.
Laurie G said,
June 27, 2008 @ 9:59 am
I love to learn about what makes an author tick. Thanks for sharing!!
Laurie said,
June 27, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
Great interview, Cindy! You’re the master at author interviews!
HelenKay, I love your responses and your great sense of humor!
Please don’t enter me in the contest - I was very fortunate in snagging a copy for review!
Thank you both!
Rose G. said,
June 27, 2008 @ 5:43 pm
Would love to win this book.
Enjoyed reading the interview.
Thanks for offering up this book.
Happy Weekend to All.
Lynn R. said,
June 28, 2008 @ 8:08 am
Love the interview and congratulations on your upcoming release. Love your books.
Helen L. said,
June 28, 2008 @ 11:07 am
I really enjoyed reading the interview and learning about you. I love your novels and cannot wait to read the latest one. I have my fingers crossed.
Karen T - Mom 2B said,
June 28, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
OOOH, Would love to win a copy of this book. Please put my name in for the contest. Thanks.
Fedora said,
June 29, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
Thanks for a terrific interview, HelenKay and Cindy! I’m definitely looking forward to reading Hard as Nails–I loved the “prequel” in When Good Things Happen to Bad Boys. And I’m giggling at your comment at that booksigning–hee! What did that silly man expect??