Interview and Giveaway: Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers #1) by Danube Adele

Published: January 6th, 2014

Description:

My name is Taylor, and damn but my life changed overnight. One moment I was just a regular girl working two jobs to pay my bills, and next thing you know, I'm uncovering secret metal disks at my boss's house. Now I'm reading minds, dream-walking and being saved from bad guys by Mr. Dark and Brooding.

That would be Ryder Langston, my new next-door neighbor. He's sex on legs but he's also a secret agent from another world—no joke. I believe him now because he dragged me back here "for my protection" after he discovered someone was trying to assassinate me on Earth. It isn't working out so well.

There's a war going on, one that's been fought for generations. Ryder's having trust issues (not that it's stopping us from falling into bed), and it turns out I'm connected here, if you know what I mean. The target on my back finally makes sense, but there's nowhere left to hide…

MB's INTERVIEW

Thank you, Mrs. Danube Adele

Because I’m Romanian and the Danube is “our” river (anyway “ours too”), the first question must be about your name. How and why did you get it? 

My mother is to blame for my name. She was a romantic at heart and wanted to give me a name that no one else had. She claims that she just started putting sounds together and coincidentally got the spelling of the river. The accent falls on the second syllable (Dan OOb). As a child, it created a lot of confusion. People often said things like, “D-what?” when I was introduced. In fact, for a time, I wanted to be named Shelly because there was this pretty blond girl in my first grade class with that name, and it just seemed easier to say her name. However, my adult self loves my name. It’s served me well over the years, been a focus of interest to others and started a lot of conversations for me. 

They are here! How did you create the alien world, superior at least from the technology point of view and how important is for the story to be a credible one? 

Yes, they are! Here’s how it all went down. Mylunate is the ore that is both on Earth and Te`re (and maybe some other places as well?)We’ll see as time goes on. It allows instant travel between two places. The more mylunate there is on each end of the transport, the farther someone can transfer, even light years. The “aliens” are actually a branch of our Earth ancestors (must read for full explanation). There are side effects to this ore, and those living surrounded by deposits of it will end up being able to read minds and dreamwalk (jump into someone’s dreams). 

In any paranormal, you must suspend disbelief to go along with the “magic” of it, but having said that, I wanted it to feel believable, and worked to keep consistency solid. I think the “real” feel comes with rounding out your characters and staying true to whatever parameters you create in your new world. 

I read your “TOTALLY RANDOM FACTS” and I’m curious how the OCD goes with writer’s inspiration? How and if the OCD tendencies influence the writing process? 

Ha-ha! I’m not actually diagnosed OCD, but aren’t we all just a little bit on the spectrum? Don’t we all have routines and ritualistic sorts of habits that soothe our minds and prepare us for whatever productivity we need to engage in? When it comes to writing, before I can begin being creative, I have to check all social media that I’m connected to. If not, it will be a thorn in my mind that keeps poking at me, taking away my focus. I’ll feel like there’s someone out there who could have something they need me to see or respond to, and I didn’t check. Once I’ve gone through my emails and done a check of all my social media, then my mind is at peace, and I can begin working on a scene. It’s the key that opens my brain and lets me relax. Sometimes, these things come with a downside. Here’s my dilemma. There are days the social media has been off the charts, and I spend so much time on the internet that very little writing gets done. I’m still learning the balance here. I have to be strong when the internet calls wistfully to me. It’s quite a lover, isn’t it? Giving you just what you want when you want it. 

Why do you write and why do you think we read romance? 

I love writing because it allows me to fully indulge my very vivid imagination. Every day, ideas fight for space in my mind, triggered by something I see or experience, which leads inevitably to my brain gleefully asking, “What if…” I can amuse myself for hours at the doctor’s office without even having to try. Given enough time, I could create a backstory on every other person who’s in the waiting room with me, why they’re at the doctor, what they likely do for a living, who they’re married to, and what’s happening in their homes when no one else is around. I love being inside my head. I am never bored or lonely, and I can oftentimes crack myself up. 

As a culture, I think we read romance for the same reason kids read fairy tales. We know there will be challenges faced by our heroines, but in the end, we know they’ll be safe and happy. We’ll also have a story that prioritizes positive messages about love, self-respect and having integrity. Romances can also be counted on for a happy ending, which helps readers to enjoy the drama, knowing in advance that the hero/heroine they care about are likely going to end up happy together. It’s a fine form of escapism because reality and day-to-day jobs are stressful. Many people don’t want to come home from a hard day, or end a busy day of taking care of the kids with a book that adds emotional stress to you with no promise of relief. For all of these reasons, I don’t think romance novels, as an umbrella category in general, will ever go away. 

There is any trap to avoid in a romance? What makes a great romance story? 

It bothers me when a story or situation feels contrived, like the writer had to work to put it together instead of finding a way to let it happen naturally. What makes a great, romantic story is having characters who are so well put together they feel three dimensional. At the same time, they need a great plot that allows them to react in ways that we recognize as being authentic, even if it makes them look bad. Don’t we all make bad decisions sometimes, allow ourselves to be ruled by our emotions, act in ways that show our flaws as well as our generosity? As writers, we can’t fear the dark side of human nature, we can’t avoid it, but we can help our characters work through whatever dark conflicts they have to deal with, so we can all feel better. In romance, you’re guaranteed that this will happen. 

TOUR SCHEDULE

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About the author:

Danube Adele wrote her first romance at the age of seven when she penned the story of her dogs falling in love and having puppies. She’s been dreaming up romantic tales ever since. A lifetime resident of southern California, she spends time playing at the beach, camping in Joshua Tree National Park, and hiking Mammoth Mountain. 

Always a lover of adventure, she and her husband took their sons on a cross country road trip to Florida and back in an old VW Westfalia, that had no A/C, in the month of July, and still, it continues to be the best trip they ever took. Extensive travel and trying new things has kept the creative spark alive. Danube lives in Claremont with her biggest fans, her loving husband, amazing and wonderful identical twin sons, and a teddy bear of a Rottweiler. 

Her debut novel, Quicksilver Dreams, Book 1 of the Dreamwalker series was officially released January 6, 2014.

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Author's Giveaway

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