Monday, October 15, 2018

Monster Mash Countdown Blitz Day One: "Emma's Dilemma," Paranormal Fiction from Donna Hatch



As Halloween approaches I'm participating in Loving the Book's Monster Mash Countdown, a collection of intriguing, mysterious, and scary reads. And a raffle! Watch this space!

First up is Emma's Dilemma by Donna Hatch.


Horrors! Emma's favorite Gothic novel seems to have come true...but reality is not as fun as fiction. The only man she's ever loved is home from war, but he has changed in a terrifying way. Unless Emma's wild imagination is wrong, the love of her life is a vampire! Now she must decide if she can love a creature of darkness, or reveal his secret and lose him forever.



This tongue-in-check novella plays with themes of paranormal fiction, but stays in the realm of clean and wholesome historical romance while exploring the power of trust and love.

Dance with a duke, outwit pirates, save a kingdom, and fall in love. Believe in happily ever after.

Praise for Donna Hatch:

“Donna Hatch is one of the masters of clean romance with electric tension and smokin’ hot kisses.” ~ Reading is My Super Power Reviews

“Written with heart and depth, Donna Hatch’s books are absolute must-reads for any fan of swoon-worthy historical romance.” ~ Sarah M. Eden, USA Today best-selling historical romance author




Q & A With the Author



When did you start writing, and was there a specific event or person who influenced you to become an author?

I have always loved making up stories and I started actually writing them down when I was about 8 years old. I continued with my largely secret hobby/obsession until seventh grade, when I confided in my teacher that I liked to write. She encouraged me to set a goal of being published which I had never considered prior to that. Later, other teachers, plus the advice and support of writers groups and many writer friends and coaches, helped me to realize my dream.

Are you currently working on a project, and if so, can you tell us anything about it?

I'm always working on more than one project. At the moment, I'm working on the rough draft of book 5 of my Rogue Hearts Series. My heroine is accused of murdering her estranged husband, and my hero is the Bow Street Runner, sent to bring her to justice. I'm also plotting two others--a pirate romance and a spy romance series. I'm also brainstorming book 3 of my Courting Series, and book 2 of my Music of the Heat series.

What is your favorite writing snack?

Honestly, I don't snack when I write--I just plow through in my writing coma until I realize I'm starving. Then I get up to stretch my legs while I eat. However, sometimes when I'm having an especially hard time writing or editing, I line up a bunch of dove chocolates along the top of my desk so when I get to stuck or frustrated, I can unwrap one and pop in my mouth. It helps me keep at it.

If you could have dinner with any of your characters, which ones would you choose? Why? What food would you serve?

I'd love to have dinner with any of them! I think I'd most like to have dinner with Jocelyn, my heroine from The Suspect's Daughter. I think we could have been good friends if she were real. She is so kind and has such a sunny disposition but she also is a good listener and will mourn with those that mourn. We'd have lobster bisque, goose, pheasant, strawberries, several different kinds of vegetables and sauces, and for dessert, we'd have apples a la Parisienne and blancmange a la Vanille. Because, you know, it would only be a small, informal affaire ;-)

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

From writing "Emma's Dilemma," I learned that I am seriously immature. Really. Originally, my heroine was 21, but my Beta readers all said she came across as more like a 16- or 17-year-old. So I changed her age to 17. But I seriously loved her and felt like she is a lot like me. So clearly that means I'm immature, too.

How do you relax, or what do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

I love to walk, hike, swim, ski (water and snow), wake surf, ride horseback, and I especially love to ballroom dance. I also love music--I sing and I play the harp. In fact, I feature a harpist or make mention of a harp in many of my stories.

What is your largest unfulfilled dream, and what are you doing to reach it?

Well, I'd love to have tea with the Queen of England, but so far, she and I have not crossed paths, and no one I know is personally acquainted with her. Other than that, my biggest as-yet unfulfilled dream/goal is to be a USA Today Best Seller. I'd love to be NYT Best Seller, too but I'd have to do it writing something other than romance since they changed their criteria. So yeah, USA Today, here I come. Someday. As far as personal, non-career-related goals, I want to serve a mission for my church with my husband when we retire. We are building up our retirement and trying to get our house paid off so we can do that.

What do you fear most?

Closed spaces. Seriously, I have panic attacks when I get in too-small spaces. I thought I was going to die of a heart attack when my two-year-old got lost and frightened inside a play place tube area. Nothing but the frantic cries of my child would have coaxed me in there to rescue her. Just thinking about it gives me the shudders. I do not like to explore caves!

What was your favorite Halloween Costume?

I usually like to dress up pretty such as princess, a fairy, etc. but one of my favorites was when my husband and I had our first Halloween together as newlyweds. We both dressed up as vampires. It was so fun. No one at my work party recognized us at first. A close second was when we dressed up as Robin Hood and Maid Marion. My husband was a very manly Robin Hood :-)



About the Author



Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

Connect with Donna Hatch





Here's the Raffle!  a Rafflecopter giveaway



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To view The Monster Mash Countdown blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page.

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