Getting Personal with Debra St. John

Today we have the talented Debra St. John on the blog. I want to thank her for stopping by and sharing her time with us.

Hi Debra,

Are your characters based on real people?

My main characters never are, but in Wild Wedding Weekend, the hero's brothers and sisters are all based on my friends and their families. Which was really, really fun to do. And they all got a kick out of seeing themselves in print.

I love the title Wild Wedding Weekend . sounds like my kind of story.

Do you have trouble saying goodbye to characters?

Absolutely. Which is why This Feels Like Home is the third in a series.  In each of the three books in The Corral Series, the secondary characters interact and are involved in the main characters' lives. In each subsequent book, we get a little peek into what happens after the HEA for the previous heroes and heroines. And even thought Home is the last full-length in the series, I know in my heart I'm not ready to let it totally end, so I'm planning some spin-off shorts for the future.

Do you research your action/fight scenes?

I don't know if technically they are action scenes, but I spent a lot of time researching the bull riding scenes for This Feels Like Home. My hero Jake is a bull rider, and his profession is a huge part of the story/conflict. I wanted to make sure I got everything exactly right to be as accurate and authentic as possible, so I attended rodeos, took pictures, perused the PBR site over and over, and spent hours watching bull riding on tv: all the while taking copious notes.

 

Does working to deadline inspire or annoy you?

I love working on a deadline. I am much more deadline oriented than day-to-day goal oriented. If I set a deadline for myself, though, I have to have a logical reason for choosing it. Just picking a random date and aiming for it doesn't work for me.

What did you edit out of this book?

My heroine originally started off being a big city divorce lawyer. That particular occupation wasn't really working for my editor. She said it didn't fit the personality of the character I'd created, so anything referencing her job had to be edited and rewritten to fit her new occupation: an accessibility consultant.

Now for some personal questions. 

Are you fun to go on vacation with?

I like to think yes, but I guess you'd have to ask those traveling with me to know for sure! Most times I'm the vacation planner, so I try to find fun and historical places to explore and visit. Vacations with me aren't always relaxing, but they are guaranteed to have new things to experience and learn about along the way.

Do you have any hobbies?

In the summer I like to play in my garden. Taking annual trips with family and friends is a big part of my life. After we return, I make scrapbooks to highlight all of the fun things we did. 

I used to love to scrapbook. I still can't help picking up great paper or pens even though I don't spend much time doing it any more.

What is your favorite comfort food?

Chocolate, what else? Dark chocolate is my favorite. I keep an emergency stash in my desk at work, in the pantry, and in the fridge ('cause some kinds just need to be chilled).

What is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?

What was it like to meet Prince William and Duchess Catherine?

Me: It was such an honor and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They were so gracious and kind and really friendly and down to earth. I was thrilled when I found out how much Kate enjoys reading my books.

Who's more fun, bad boys or perfect gentlemen?

Definitely, definitely the bad boys. Because when they're bad, they are oh so good.

You can learn more about Debra and her books at www.debrastjohnromance.com
 

Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debra.s.john.1

And read her latest This Feels Like Home

Buy links: Amazon, The Wild Rose Press