Denise is a Southern girl. She has lived in Louisiana all her life, and yes, she has a drawl. She has a wonderful husband and two incredible children, who not only endure her writing moods, but also encourage her to indulge her writing passion. Besides writing romantic suspense, she enjoys traveling, reading, and scrapbooking.

Accounting is a skill she learned to earn a little money to support her writing habit. She wrote he first story when she was a teen, seventeen handwritten pages on school-ruled paper and an obvious rip-off of the last romance novel she read. She’s been writing off and on ever since, and with more than a few full-length manuscripts already completed, she has no desire to slow down.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

Using my imagination for something creative. I am a proficient daydreamer, and I used to spend a lot of time dreaming about being somewhere else, doing other things, with other people. I felt a little guilty about how much time I spent in my own thoughts, and I’m not sure all that daydreaming was healthy. Then one day I was hit with a bit of inspiration. Why not put those daydreams into a book? That’s when my writing career was truly born.

What genre(s) do you write?

I began writing romance with a hint of suspense, but over time my focus has shifted toward suspense with a hint of romance. I love the build up of the tension and the release of energy when the suspense hits its peak. Lately, I’ve been adding a third, paranormal thread to the romance and suspense. I’ve found this to be the perfect genre mix for my imagination.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Until recently, I’ve been a pantser. I have the beginning and ending in mind, and maybe a few of the plot twists in the middle already developed, but to get from the beginning to the ending, I usually allow my characters and their development to lead me. For my current work in process, I used a storyboard before beginning the writing process. I haven’t finished the project, so I’m not sure how well plotting will work for me yet.

How long have you been a writer? 

I wrote my first “novel” many years ago when I was a teen. It was seventeen pages on school ruled paper and an obvious rip-off of the last Harlequin romance I’d read. Over the years, I’ve started novels only to push the projects aside unfinished. It wasn’t until about ten or twelve years ago that I seriously began writing with the intent of publication. By the end of 2010, I had fifteen unpublished manuscripts on my computer that needed a lot of polish before they were publishable. In 2011, my first short story was contracted for an anthology released in April 2012. The funny thing about that story? I wrote it to the writing prompt for the anthology right before I submitted it. As of 2015, some of those older manuscripts are now published.

What other careers have you had?

My college degree is in accounting. I sat for the CPA exam in 1986. I’ve worked in accounting ever since then. Currently, I work for a CPA firm doing books and preparing tax returns. I actually tried to quit this summer and pursue my writing career full time, but my CPA boss talked me into staying part time. I tell people that accounting is a skill I’ve learned to earn a few bucks to support my writing habit. Accounting is a job, but it’s not my passion.

Do you write under more than one name? Why?

No, I have only one pen name. I chose to write under a pen name because I wanted my public life and my private life separated. However, I have been playing around with the idea lately of moving into a very different genre under a different pen name.

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?

My characters all have a little bit of someone I know in them, but I’ve never based a character entirely on a real person. I think when I add real mannerisms, personality quirks, or habits into a character’s persona, it makes the character seem more relatable to the reader.

I very often add real events into my stories. I have a notebook where I collect incidents that I think might be an interesting scene in a story. My family, friends, and co-workers often get the question, “Can I put that in a story?” In one of my first published stories, I added a scene where an older woman is picking figs from her neighbor’s bush and is attacked by an angry mockingbird that doesn’t want to share them with her. This actually happened to my mother, and the event seemed exactly like something that would happen to my character.

How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?

 

Writing is my passion. I write romantic suspense, often with a paranormal twist. When I’m not pursuing my dream, I spend time with the people most important to me, my family. You can find me and my books on the web; just Google my name.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?

I confess that I indulge in searching the web for ruin porn. There is a sub-culture on the internet that photographs and posts the ruins of abandoned buildings, amusement parks, resorts, schools, houses, etc. I find the ruins fascinating and the haunting images are fuel for my imagination.

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

 

My family and friends are very supportive of my writing career. My husband is probably my biggest fan. He reads all of my books before anyone else does and gives great feedback. Probably the best thing my family does to support me is endure my many writing moods. When I’m in the writing zone, I can get a little cranky if I’m interrupted.

Where are you from?

I’ve lived in Louisiana all my life, and yes, I have a drawl. I can’t hear it, but I’ve been told it is there. I tell people I’m not talking with an accent, but rather they are listening with one.

Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?

Yes, my life has changed very much. Most of my life, I’ve been a shy, introverted person. Since publication, I’ve developed quite a bit of self-confidence. I feel that I’ve achieved a level of success with my published work and my dream of being an established writer has come true, which is such a tremendous thing I’m still in awe of it. The path my career has taken has not exactly been smooth or straight, but it’s set me in the direction I want to go…and I’m only really just getting started.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

I usually have one project that I’m primarily focused on writing, but there will be two or three others that I have percolating in the concept stage.

When not writing, how do you relax?

Okay, confession time. I’m one of those people who will curl up on the sofa with a cup of coffee (or five) and watch Netflix marathons of my favorite television shows. Right now, I’m deep in the middle of Leverage. My daughter and I have watched countless seasons of American’s Next Top Model and Australia’s Next Top Model. We just finished the entire series of Gilmore Girls.

Now for something fun…

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Colorado. I think I’ve been there ten times during my life, and I’d go back there again this minute. We might retire there.

Which food could you not live without?

Tex-Mex. I would eat it every day.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you travel?

Scotland. I have Scot in my heritage.

Do you have a favorite beverage that you drink when you write?

Coffee, the elixir of life.

What genre of books do you enjoy reading? Do you have a favorite author?

I read an eclectic mix. I just finished an historical fiction about the life of Isabella of Castile, a contemporary women’s fiction about a group of people born under different astrological signs and how their lives interacted, and a paranormal romantic suspense by my favorite author, Heather Graham.

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Doug Simpson is a retired high school teacher who has turned his talents to writing. His first novel, a spiritual mystery titled Soul Awakening, was published in the United States in October of 2011, by Booklocker. It was reissued in October of 2012 by 5 Prince Publishing as Soul Awakening, Book I of the Dacque Chronicles. For further details visit them at http://5princebooks.com/. It is available in print and eBook format through most bookstores around the world. Soul Rescue, Book II of the Dacque Chronicles was published in November of 2012, Soul Mind, Book III of the Dacque Chronicles was published in January of 2013, and Soul Connections, Book IV of the Dacque Chronicles was published in April of 2013. Doug’s first non-fiction book, titled The Soul of Jesus, was published by 5 Prince Publishing in January of 2014. In March of 2014, it earned recognition as a #1 Bestseller on Amazon, USA. His magazine and website articles have been published in 2010 to 2015 in Australia, Canada, France, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His articles can be accessed through his website at http://dousimp.mnsi.net. 

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

It is not easy to single out one thing but here is one that is high on my list. I am a firm believer in survival of souls after the death of bodies and reincarnation of souls, so all of my fiction and non-fiction books contain reincarnation events or information which I hope will encourage readers to do some investigation of their own on these topics. I have been amazed as well as pleased by the number of individuals who have contacted me to share their personal experiences.

What genre(s) do you write?
Inspirational, Paranormal, Reincarnation.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Definitely a pantser. I do not think I have had one book end up where I intended it to in the beginning before I got rolling.

How long have you been a writer?
I dabbled at it a little earlier but I was first published in 2010.  

What other careers have you had?
I am a retired high school teacher.

Do you write under more than one name? Why?
I write under my real name as I am proud of what I write about.

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?
I do get ideas from other people concerning past lives for my fictional characters and I have also snuck a number of my previous incarnations into my novels.

How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?
I am not as crazy as you might think!

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?
I receive messages from the other side including advice on what to add to my stories.

How do your family and/or friends feel about your books or writing venture in general?
Many of them think along the same lines as I do so most love my stories.

How do you come up with the titles?
The titles seem to find me or become obvious during the story.

When not writing, how do you relax?
I have done thousands of Sudoku puzzles.

Let's have some fun...

Which food could you not live without?
Apples. They keep the Doctor away!

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you travel?
I would love to visit the sites of the early lost civilizations like Machu Picchu, the pyramids, Stonehenge, etc.

Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.
My next release, scheduled for January of 2016 by 5PP, is Abandoned Soul, Book V of The Dacque Chronicles. I am working on two non-fiction books, like my already published by 5PP, The Soul of Jesus, using the readings of the legendary American mystic, Edgar Cayce. One is an account of the past lives of over 500 people who experienced incarnations in Atlantis. The second one is currently titled Understanding Your Soul Group and it explains why groups of souls incarnate together over and over to work on past Karmic connections.

Where can readers find you?
Website – http://dousimp.mnsi.net
Blog - http://doug-simpson-author.blogspot.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/doug.simpson.902
Twitter - https://twitter.com/1DougSimpson
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Doug-Simpson/e/B006GDWTQI
5PP Author Page - http://www.5princebooks.com/dougsimpson.html


The Soul of Jesus is my most recently published book.

As part of His preparations for the long-prophesied birth of our Savior, God selected a devout group of primarily Jewish Essenes to oversee this monumental undertaking. The Soul of Jesus delves into numerous details surrounding these readily-available but little-known preparations which preceded the birth of Jesus, and then carries on to share delightful snippets concerning the birth and life of Jesus before the commencing of His Ministry, Jesus’ Healings and other Miracles, His Apostles, relatives, friends and the group of seventy disciples, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, His activities after the Resurrection, and Jesus’ Ascension, that are not recorded in the Scriptures.

The surprises do not stop there. The Soul of Jesus saves the block-buster news until the very end – the soul of Jesus had a number of historical incarnations before its final incarnation, commencing many centuries back in time as the soul of Adam in the Garden of Eden. 

Excerpt from The Soul of Jesus.

12. Then the entity aided, so that all was in readiness, when in the evening - just before the sun in all its glory of the Palestine hills gave forth almost into the voice of nature, proclaiming the heralding of a new hope, a new birth to the earth, and the glorifying of man's hope in God - the specter of His Star in the evening sky brought awe and wonder to all that beheld.

13. And the entity, being anxious, gazed with wondering awe at that UNUSUAL experience to all, and wept with JOY of those unfoldments within self, of the emotions that made for the expectancy of glory surpassing what had been told of all the glories of her peoples in the days of old. 14. There the entity felt what may be very close akin to the experiences in self in the present - that a new light, a new vision, a new experience was BEING BORN in every atom of its being. 15. Then when it was known to the entity that the den, the cave, the stable had been occupied - Oh, the rush, Oh, the desire to be off to see what that experience might be, held the very being of the entity!

16. And as soon as its duties were cleared about the home, as the space was very near, the entity started. But as the entity walked into the open upon that Eve, the brightness of His Star came nearer and nearer. And the entity heard, even as the Shepherds, ‘PEACE on earth GOOD WILL to men.’ 17. There came again that awe, that feeling of a new creation, of a new experience, as the entity among those - only with the closer attendant of the Mother - hastened; while all the rabble, all the jeers of a world were stopped!

18. As it hastened to the quarters where the Mother lay, in all that awe of a new experience, and the light as from His Star filled the place, the entity then first beheld the BABE. That was the crowning experience, until the plea that she - too - might hold that glorious child in her arms also! 19. Then as this became a reality, there were those feelings, those experiences - O that the world might know the beauty, the joy, the glory of the experiences of His Life in their own hearts and minds and beings! 20. There the entity also saw the shepherds gather, there the entity also saw on the morrow the Wise Men - with their ladened beasts or camels, with all their praise for those who had kept the faith, in making and preserving, in keeping and helping those that were in need, that were alone - yet GOD was with them! 21. There were those experiences of the presence as well as that expressed in those strange tongues to the entity, though the entity knew and thought and felt and experienced the reverence and awe as shown by all. [1152-3]

It is times like this where I like to pause and reflect, and try to imagine how Mrs.1152 must have felt as she sat there and listened to the in-trance Edgar Cayce describe her close and personal association with Glory.