Dahlia DeWinters

G'day Dahlia, and welcome to the Couch of Chaos, I apologise for being so, so late today. You thought I had forgot hadn't you? I'm glad to see you made yourself at home. I'll take that coffee thankyou. Don't want to be mistaken for one of your Zombies. OK, let's get started shall we.

From where do you hail? And what is your modus operandi with the blood soaked pen? As a life-long resident of New Jersey—long live the Garden State—finding horror pretty easy. Not only is this the home of the Jersey Devil, but also the very first Friday the 13th movie was filmed here... at a Boy Scout camp that still operates. Between that and the Pine Barrens and Shades of Death Road, it can be a pretty spooky place. Mind you, I’m a romance author by trade, but I have ventured into zombie horror, witches, and mysterious beings from the afterlife who right what they perceive as wrongs. Sometimes you must wash off the cloying sticky sweetness of romance with a little bloodshed.

All of our characters have elements of ourselves woven into them. Which poor character is most like you? That would definitely be Jude, from Loving Among the Dead.

Imagine I am filthy successful agent (I did say imagine) we are stepping into an elevator. Hit me with your top three elevator pitches for three pieces of your work.

Tea and Tomahawks While staying with her grandmother for the summer, an unhappily married woman realizes a mysterious painting may hold the key to her liberation from her abusive husband. Link: books2read.com/u/49DDKd

Loving Among the Dead

In the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, an isolated woman takes a chance on helping a stranger. Link: books2read.com/u/bazzxx

Duty to the Dead During a zombie apocalypse, two men take in a woman who changes their lives in more ways than one. Link: http://xodahlia.com/DutyDead

Now I can’t start writing until I have a coffee and digestive biscuits to hand. Do you have a ritual before you start writing, or is it spontaneous venture? I’ve found, after much experimentation, that writing on an empty stomach works for me. You eat after you write. More importantly, you caffeinate after you write. It helps to keep the fingers moving toward a word count. Can’t be too comfortable when you write because you tend, well, I tend, to procrastinate.

Is there one thing you would have done differently or known earlier in your writing career?

I probably would have started a series earlier and interconnected more of my books.

Other than this ground breaking interview, what are you currently working on? Currently, I’m working on a few short stories as well as the series that I should have started long ago!

We all know horror people are just the warmest, friendliest bunch of writers around. Why do you think this is?

Because we get out our hostility on the page. ‘Nuff said.

How do you determine success for yourself?

Success is when I’ve accomplished something I’ve set out to do, whether that means completing my chapters/word count for the day or having a great, new idea for a story.

Other than WIHM which is an amazing month for female horror writers. How do you feel other women can best support each other in this genre.

Read, promote, and showcase others’ work.

Where did you discover your love for all things that go bump in the night, or splat on the walls? My first horror movie was The Shining, which left a lasting impression. My first horror book was Burnt Offerings. What a completely creepy story. Both were scary. From these two pieces, I understood the value evoking strong emotion in the viewer and/or the reader. There’s nothing like a good scare.

Want To Know More About Dahlia DeWinters?? Find Her Here

Author Bio/Links:

Writer of romance, horror, and stuff in between. Believer in black girl magic. Interested in my books?

Visit my website. http://dahliadewinters.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dahliadwrites/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/854283651419880/

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authordahliadewinters/