Interview with Danielle Parker
Published 2015-09-04.
What are you working on next?
Currently I'm working on the sequel to Pure of Heart, Prayers by Night. I'm also collaborating on a project with two other authors. It's a series called Monster Marshals.
Who are your favorite authors?
Thomas Harris, Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, Tom Clancy, William Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, and many, many more.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
I go to bed every night looking forward to the new adventure I'll get to have in the morning. Every day is different, a starting point, and I love that.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Watching movies, reading books, listening to music, playing with the dog, spending time with friends. A little of this, a little of that. I try to keep busy.
What is your writing process?
It starts with an idea. Then there's research, research, and more research. After I've compiled all of that I write three different outlines. When the outlines are finished and I'm satisfied with the map I begin the writing journey with page 1. I always write in order, adjusting the outline as I go and scenes or dialogue pops up that changes the story.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first book that I chose to read on my own was book 1 of the Animorphs series. I'd had books read to me in school, but the Animorphs series I picked myself and I loved it. I own the whole series now and still go back and read them from time to time. I'd always loved animals and the idea of aliens and magic. That series really captivated me and I knew when I grew up I wanted to write something like that.
How do you approach cover design?
I watch a lot of movies, so when I think book cover I think movie poster. What important elements need to be on the cover, what will capture interest, what will best convey what's hiding beneath the cover? I also like simple designs, not too busy, or flashy. Get the point across and be done with it. That's what I told my cover design artist and she was fantastic in helping me get my vision made into reality.
Describe your desk
It's old, a hand-me-down. Scuffed up, brown, wood with four drawers. I have a lamp on one side and a fountain-light on the other. My speakers are crammed up against two 22" monitors, everything's connected to two different laptops, which can get confusing sometimes, but it works. There are wires and energy drink cans everywhere. I have a notepad and pen on my right, so I can scribble notes, and a couple of books that I reference often on my left.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
My father is in the military, so we moved around a lot. I spent a good chunk of my childhood in California, and then we moved to Boise, Idaho. I'd say the greatest influence on my writing came from spending my summers in Montana with my grandparents. That's why I chose to set Pure of Heart in Montana. There's something about being in the woods out there, something magical, thrilling. When I started writing the book I never had a second thought of where it should be set. What place could be better for a werewolf than the wilds of Montana?
When did you first start writing?
I wrote little stories when I was a child, and never really stopped. When I was 12 I started writing more and more, publishing online at various sites. I've been addicted for awhile. I always said I'd write a book someday.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Watching the characters come to life. The way they talk, how they act, the way they react to the situations I put them in. They become real to me, like I'm not controlling them anymore, and it's so exciting. I love characters, creating them is my favorite part of the process.
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