Interview with author Heather Rodney-Diaz

Hey all! Today I’d like you to meet Crimson Romance author Heather Rodney-Diaz. Heather’s visiting all the way from Trinidad and Tobago! Don’t you love how the internet lets us meet people globally? The world is flat…(quote from my: “I’m trying to read non-fiction” stint.)

Okay, back to the wonderful world of romantic fiction. Heather’s gonna tell us about her spicy novel Island Pursuits. I must say that the sparks between Cory and Adrian will light a fire. Enjoy!

Me: Tell me a little about yourself.

Heather Rodney-Diaz: Hi Synithia, thank you so much for having me here with you today! I hail from the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the southern Caribbean where I live with my husband of eight years. Therefore, my writing and books will always reflect a Caribbean theme but also have strong ties or links to the U.S. I work full-time in the diplomatic corps so I am only able to write part-time. Island Pursuits is my debut spicy release from Crimson Romance.

Me: Describe your journey to becoming published?

HRD: I wrote Island Pursuits in 2009 and in about two months time. Then I edited, and tweaked and changed and revised and submitted and got a couple rejection letters and did everything all over again. Then one day in March this year, I got an email from Writer’s Digest about submitting to Crimson Romance and it just sounded so much simpler and less complicated than other submission guidelines from other publishers. So I immediately emailed my query and then I was asked to submit my manuscript and then a few days later I received an email from editor Jennifer Lawler saying that they wanted to use Island Pursuits for Crimson’s Spicy line. And I was like spicy?????? But hell yeah!!!!!! And just like that, that was the day my life changed. I am now a happily published author!

Me: Tell me about your book?

HRD: Island Pursuits is a spicy and super-sexy multi-cultural romantic island escape set in Trinidad and Tobago. Its main themes are military, family, friendships, tragedy, loss and ultimately forgiveness. It surrounds the love story of my gorgeous hero Adrian Mendez who is half American and half Trinidadian. He is a former US Marine who decides after 20 years of life in the US and after two Afghanistan tours of duty to return to his Caribbean island homeland. In Trinidad, he is also a soldier working with the local police. Here he meets his love interest Cory Phillips under very unusual circumstances. Cory is a native Trinidadian who is very exotic and vivacious. But she can also be very dramatic and feisty as she doesn’t stand for crap. She also has serious issues with military men. However, it seems that she and Adrian can’t keep away from each other and a very hot and steamy relationship blossoms between them, fuelled by this sultry Caribbean setting of course. However, there will always be lots of drama and suspense intertwined into the love affair as they both struggle to find balance in their lives. Consequently, they both discover something from the past that quickly threatens to destroy any chance of a happily ever after for them. So they really have to fight for their love!

Me: Who or what inspires you as a writer?

HRD: First of, my beautiful Caribbean surroundings because on these fascinating islands of sun, sand, and sea, there’s no better place for dreaming up scorching hot heroes or falling in love! Also, music definitely inspires me as a writer. I always listen to music while I write and read. And of course it’s the smooth love songs kind that I like. And finally, current affairs. I am a sucker for current affairs so whatever happens on my island or around the world for that matter that touches me deeply, often help me to develop stories surrounding that global theme or event. For instance, Island Pursuits was written around certain global events such as the War in Afghanistan, the global economic downturn and crime. When do you make time for writing?

I can only aspire to have anything close to a writing process right now! I write anytime and everywhere. It might be on early mornings, after lunch, evenings, late at night, on weekends, at the beach, on my bed, lunchtime at work etc. I also write whenever my protagonists speak to me, that’s when I just drop everything and just write whatever they tell me to. Sometimes they don’t talk to me at all! With a full-time job and a family, it’s tough to juggle. Sometimes I may write only a sentence one day whilst other days I may write 2,000 or more words. My writing aspiration however is to get 1,000 words down everyday!

Me: Why do you write romance?

HRD: I write romance because I am assured a happily ever after. I am also a sucker for that! I am an optimistic person and I always look for the good in everything. Therefore, when two people are thrown together, wherever and however, in whatever setting or genre, I don’t care, as long as they work out their issues in the end. Romance just warms my heart.

Me: What advice do you have for other writers?

HRD: My advice to upcoming writers is to just write. Everyone wants to write a book, yes. But you must first write it. You must start and you must complete your manuscript. Only then can you think about becoming published. You cannot escape that! So just stick with it.

Thanks so much Heather for stopping by. Right now I’m wishing for a little island escape 🙂 You all can check out Heather on Facebook and Twitter. Plus, make sure you visit the Crimson Romance website to purchase Island Pursuits.