Interview with DD Symms

We are having a give away going on for DD Symms. 

What item are you giving away? 

(Anyone can win the item by going to the rafflecopter on the right hand side of the pg.)

I'll give away two copies of my novel Boarding.

First why don't you tell us a little about yourself?

Down-to-earth love stories have always attracted me. I began writing fiction in college and studied short-story fiction. I've written corporate copy and radio throughout my professional career and launched into fiction again in 2009.

I became published in 2011 through Breathless Press

Newest release?

Boarding is my newest release. It's an erotic/erotic romance novel set in present day New York and features a young fashion designer struggling to launch her career and understand her boyfriend.

What can we expect from your stories, action, drama, romance,sex, blood and guts?

Romance and sex – and well-developed characters fill the scenes. I don't want to write sex for the sake of sex although I think every author in erotica has done that. Sex is powerful and impacts our lives in so many ways. I want to at least bring that up.

Do you have a favorite character in your stories? Who? and Why?

Certainly Jessie the lead is a fav but a supporting character emerged who took over and one reader asked me to write his story and I may still do that. His name is Callan and he's the bi-sexual lover of a man who holds the key to Jessie's future. Callan is a help to her and guides her through the city.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

Unfortunately, I'd have to say Jessie's boyfriend Raymond is the kind of man who's a bit overbearing and thinks he's helping others when in reality he's pushing them away. I say "unfortunately" because deep down he does love her and wants the best for her. He just goes about it in the wrong way.
Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

The story focuses on a designer getting her chance to work with an international celebrity but the point of the story is not gossipy and does not elevate the celebrity above the individual. Fashion is seen as a way to empower others and bring confidence to their lives. The celebrity understands this and that's why Jessie admires her.

Boarding is Book 1 of The Jessie Carter Fashion Series and I'm currently working on Book 3 Arrival which will definitely have a HEA for Jessie.

Has there been any other authors who have inspired your work or helped you out with your stories?

There are a few authors who are also published with Breathless Press who have been a wonderful encouragement: Dianne Hartsock, Doris O'Connor, and Sheri Velarde. I've read Anita Shreve, Nicholas Sparks, Eloisa James, Jodie Piccault and John Grisham and all of their styles appeal to me.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Leaving a realistic but positive review on Amazon or All Romance Ebooks is the number one thing someone can do to help me build an audience.

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Know your genre and the types of stories that appeal to you. If you're an avid reader already then go ahead and write down the story that you know. Follow your heart, "study" online and at in-person workshops, be patient, and keep writing. 

Do you have a favorite author? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?

A fav author who has been one during many years is the late James Herriot. His non-fiction is incredibly personal and his anecdotes bring value to your life.

Can you remember one of the first things you wrote? What makes it memorable?

My very first fictional piece ended up in the trash – literally. It was about lingerie and I wrote it in junior high and I can feel the cringe when thinking about it. Lingerie has always fascinated me because it is silky and has such a sensual quality and accentuates shapes in a seductive way.

Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your works?

Stories flow through my head all the time. They usually focus on people struggling to pursue dreams and needing someone else's help in fulfilling those dreams.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies, pets or stories you would like to share?

I enjoy hiking, running, and being outdoors. I really want to write a strong outdoors story that's appealing and quite erotic but I just haven't pulled that one off yet.

Favorite places to travel or visit?

Tahoe, CA, the Grand Canyon, and the Central Coast of California. There are so many other places around the world but those three are most relaxing and accessible to me at this point in my life.

And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:( Include links to were we can find your work)

EXCERPT

Callan had the physique of a tennis player with cute dimples and looked slightly younger than Torrey. Too bad the impromptu meeting was ending. Watching the men chat for the rest of the afternoon would have been delightfully arousing.

Torrey thrust his hands from inside the coat sleeves and shuffled the sketches, gathered them in a pile, and handed them to Jessie. "Need a ride?"

"Um—" The offer caught her completely off guard.

"Where you living?"

"Los Angeles."

"Huh?"

She laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm in town staying at the Allendale."

Callan chuckled.

Torrey hooked his thumb to his right. "This is Callan." He reached in his pocket, grabbed a ring of keys and tossed them to his assistant. "Give her a ride."

"Gladly."

Torrey turned to Callan. "Thanks for your help." He ruffled Callan’s hair and kissed him on the cheek. "Next time I say latte, I mean latte." Torrey hurried to the door.

"I know what you mean," said Callan straightening the folders on his desk, "and I know what you need."

Torrey rolled his eyes and huffed, "Can't decide if I should thank you or spank you."

The comment incited a swirl of arousal within Jessie. What a pleasant sight that would be.

He opened the door, took one step out, and turned back to Jessie with a nod and a smile. "Nice concepts, by the way."

"Thank you."

He disappeared and with a soft click, the door closed.

Jessie absent-mindedly thumbed through the sketches. The supply of adrenaline that had pumped furiously through her arms and legs was drained like an Olympic sprinter finishing fourth, one step away from a medal and no reward for grueling training done in obscurity. Stuffing things back in her handbag was a slow process. The consolation after the intense struggle was the two-second compliment she received, an achievement considering the source.

Unfortunately, she should have snapped a picture of the meeting to show her friends. "And here's Veve's representative – and there's me." Silly. Although it would have been evidence to show the doubting Raymond that she had been taken seriously as a designer, even if only for a brief part of the afternoon.

LINKS TO FIND BOARDING

Amazon    All Romance Ebooks   Bookstrand

Thanks for visiting us here on JBR! We wish you great success!

Julie Ramsey
ADM, JBR