Please give a fond welcome to author, Debbie Gould, and her newest story, SECOND CHANCE. 

SECOND CHANCE Lieutenant Colin Beckett, US Air Force special ops, lost his wife in childbirth while off on a mission. Two years later, he’s still trying to come to grips with the guilt that tortures him. And to complicate matters, he finds himself undeniably attracted to his wife's sister, Emily. Struggling with his desire, he tells himself he doesn’t deserve a second chance with such an amazing woman. Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammate's and Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again. Will their one night lead to the happy ending she longs for or the loneliness he thinks he deserves?

I asked Debbie to tell us a little more about herself, and she gladly agreed to sit down and let me interview her.  Here's what I learned!

Briefly take us on the journey with you – when did you start writing, did you start in the genre you’re published in now, what hurdles did you have to overcome, etc.

D.G.: I started writing about 10 years ago, with romantic suspense. RS is still my favorite, but I’ve branched out to contemporary and paranormal romance.

Obviously you write in contemporary romance. Is that your favorite genre to read? Do you write in any other genres, or under any other pen names you’d like to share?

D.G.: No other pen names, just my own. My favorite genre to read it still Romantic Suspense. I love seeing the H&H in peril and having everything work out.

Of the books you have published, do you have a favorite?  If so, which one and why? 

D.G.: My favorite would still have to be Infidelity -- Both the H&H went through a lot of trials to be together. They were both strong and vulnerable at the same time and without each other, I’m not sure they would have made it through.

What are your published titles and please tell us about anything coming down the pipe next

D.G.:  Lets, see…

Mountain’s Echo, Infidelity, and November Rain through Red Rose Publishing
One Touch One Glance, through Freya’s Bower
Second Chance with Decadent Publishing.

I also have a writing partner, L.J. Garland. Together we wrote Sins of The Mind coming out the 20th of this month through Decadent which will be book one of a series. We have also just barely finished Waltz in Fire, book one in a new paranormal series we have. No home or release date for that one yet as the ink is barely dry, lol.

And Debbie's coming back for SINS OF THE MIND -- I can't wait!

Back to SECOND CHANCE, Debbie.  Tell me about your plot development? How did the idea spur, did you have to do much research, any interesting tidbits that we should know?

D.G.: My daughter is in the Air Force and has recently been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan 5 times in the last eight years. I don’t think civilian realize the toll it takes on our military members. So I just wanted to show a tiny piece of that.

Amen.  My S.O. is heading to Afghanistan as well very soon, after several years in Iraq.  Thank your daughter for her service, on my behalf, if you would.  And I totally agree -- those tolls aren't fully realized. 


Let’s talk heroes – What’s one thing about Colin that we wouldn’t necessarily learn in the book? A secret dream, an embarrassing habit, an episode from childhood.

D.G.: He is now actively practicing yoga with Emily, lol.

Laugh!  Nice.  We always win somehow, don't we? 

All heroes are unforgettable in one way or another. What’s one thing about Colin that makes your heart go pitter-pat?

D.G.: He’s so darn vulnerable. He is so much an alpha, but scared to death of losing those he loves. I’ve gotten a bit of flak toward his initial reaction to the loss of his wife. He closed in on himself and was only about the next mission. He let his guilt and grief distance himself from his newborn. In his twisted way of thinking, she was better of with out him. He failed her mother he’d likely fail her. Some readers have been very angry at him for doing that, but men are wired a lot differently than women, and it was the way he dealt with the guilt and loss. I understood him, lol. But then he was close to my heart. He loves deeply and feels loss even deeper. He also (finally) admits when he’s wrong, lol.

If Colin doesn’t have a pet in your novel, what kind of pet would best suit his personality?

D.G.: German Shepard, lol. Strong, capable and loyal to a fault.

Moving on to heroines – everybody has flaws. Sometimes they are endearing, other times they are annoying. What is Emily's greatest fault?

D.G.: Hmmm, good question. I guess Emily’s fault would be not caring enough about herself, and caring to much about Colin. Although it does pay off for her in the end, I’m not sure his behavior in the beginning of the story warranted her affection, lol. Then again, some times you have no choice over who you fall in love with.

Without giving away details that might spoil the story for those who have not read it, could you tell us the one strength Emily provides to Colin?

D.G.: LOL, I think I already have. She was strong in giving his infant daughter a loving home, where he was weak. When her feeling for him changed from friendship, she was strong and fought for what she knew could be a good thing where he ran from the truth until he was no longer able.

If Emily was your daughter – what advice would you give her upon meeting your hero?

D.G.: Go with your gut. Fight for what you want, but keep an open mind enough to know when to cut your losses.

If we peek in on Colin and Emily's lives ten years from now, can you give us a glimpse of what we’d see?

D.G.: He is probably retired from the military by then and they (kids and all) have a close knit group of friends and do a lot of traveling.

Well, let's take a sneak peek at these two folks. 




Before you go, Debbie, a couple more things.


What’s been the greatest contributing factor to achieving the goals you’ve accomplished?

D.G.:  My kids. They are a never-ending source of support and confidence..and material, lol.

How has writing changed your life?

D.G.: I’ve meet so many open, encouraging, smart, whitty, and giving people along the way, be it on-line or in person. It’s such a leasure getting to know other authors and readers.

Many writers describe themselves as "character" or "plot" writers. Which are you?

D.G.: I think I am a character writer. No mater the plot, they are always changing things up on me.

Thanks, Debbie, for stopping in today!  Best of luck with SECOND CHANCE -- it sounds very, very compelling!

More Info About Debbie Gould: Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, at the age of two Debbie and her mother moved to New Jersey, spending many happy years on her grandparents' horse farm. You'll sometimes find this setting as a backdrop in her work. As a teenager, she and her mother found a new home in Vermont, where she currently resides. With a daughter in the Air Force, one son in college and the other working for the family business, Debbie now shuffles her time between a husband and full time job as a nurse, and writing. About seven years ago, while looking at over three hundred treasured books lining her shelves, she realized there was a multitude of stories of her own clamoring for release. Since then, she's seriously persevered in keeping the keyboard in constant motion. With two novels, Mountain's Echo and Infidelity, and two novellas, November Rain and Second Chance now published, Debbie is now also working with a partner, L.J. Garland. Together the two have written Sins of the Mind and are hard at work on many more manuscripts. Debbie has been a member of KOD, FTHRW, ELEMENTS and RWA Online. Visit Debbie's Website | Blog

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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