{"id":1621,"date":"2013-01-21T06:27:35","date_gmt":"2013-01-21T06:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/?p=1621"},"modified":"2013-01-21T06:27:35","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T06:27:35","slug":"the-questions-haight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/index.php\/the-questions-haight\/","title":{"rendered":"The Questions with Valerie Haight: writer"},"content":{"rendered":"

As y\u2019all who read my blog know, I love to help promote my fellow authors. I\u2019m especially excited to introduce you to Valerie, whose debut novella, Happenstance<\/em><\/a>, was just released this past December by Turquoise Morning Press<\/a>. She kindly agreed to answer The Questions<\/a> and tell us all about it.<\/p>\n

The Questions<\/h2>\n

1. Tell the good readers of this blog how we know each other.<\/h3>\n

I met Debbie at a tiny Mexican restaurant in our hometown after a mutual friend introduced us. We laughed and talked all things writerly then she missed the big writer\u2019s league meeting the next day because she was sick! BUMMER. So we live tweeted all the good stuff from the meeting for her. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: they did. Not quite as nice as being there, but close.)<\/p>\n

Thanks so much Debbie, for allowing me to hang out with you today and for being a part of the Happenstance<\/em> release tour! I look forward to seeing you (healthy<\/em>) at the next writer\u2019s league meeting!<\/p>\n

5. What skill(s) do you wish you\u2019d learned as a kid?<\/h3>\n

Now that I found my talent in writing, I really wish I\u2019d learned better communication skills in a crowd. Crowds scare me, always have. Even though I\u2019m so much better at speaking in front of one now, I still get the quivering voice and wobbly knees! Which I\u2019m sure will come in handy at a reading of my own novel one day. :\/<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: I only got over that fear after a job forced<\/em> me to speak in front of a hostile crowd once a month. Not that I recommend that method of getting over it, mind you.)<\/p>\n

8. Your favorite book growing up? Your favorite book now?<\/h3>\n

My favorite book growing up was Encyclopedia Brittanica. No kidding. My dad bought a set from a traveling salesman when I was eight and I devoured every volume. I used them to do book reports, essays, and every writing assignment I ever had. I could always be found with my nose in a mystery novel or scary ghost story, but those encyclopedias saw their fair share of daylight as well. My favorite book today? Homer\u2019s The Odyssey<\/em><\/a>. It has everything \u2014 adventure, romance, suspense, gore.<\/p>\n

12. Where is your favorite place to create?<\/h3>\n

My favorite place to write is at my desk, with the door closed to keep out t.v. noise with tinkling piano sonatas playing on Pandora. The music soothes me and allows the words to flow.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: funny! That\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m listening to as I put this post together.)<\/p>\n

20. When did you know you wanted to be a writer\/artist?<\/h3>\n

For no apparent reason, one evening, I found myself behind a keyboard pounding out little snippets of imagined scenes and characters. Then I realized I spent hours on agent blogs, writing classes and author blogs trying to learn everything I could about writing and later on\u2026publishing. It was then I knew I wanted to be a writer. And only later did I remember I\u2019d been good at this all along, I just never took time to explore it.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: I\u2019m so glad you did!)<\/p>\n

31. What aspect of your art gets you passionate, gets you excited? What gets you pumped?<\/h3>\n

I get super pumped when I\u2019m finishing or have finished a book, a great scene or just sparked a new idea. But staying clued in to the industry is what keeps me going. Each time I log on to an informative site or a debut author site promoting their rockin\u2019 release, I get chills, a big smile, and I type a lot faster.<\/p>\n

33. Why do you create in your medium\/genre? What about it speaks to you?<\/h3>\n

I love fast-paced suspense so I incorporated that into Happenstance<\/em>even though it\u2019s Women\u2019s Fiction. As a working mother, writer and soccer\/band mom, my reading moments are precious. I want something that I can\u2019t put down so I strive to give that to my readers as well.<\/p>\n

About Happenstance<\/em>:<\/h2>\n

\"Happenstance<\/a>Happenstance<\/em> was formulated with that in mind, to keep my readers turning pages. It\u2019s my very first release, published by Turquoise Morning Press on December 13, 2012. *Merry Christmas to me!*<\/p>\n

I wrote this story using some of the relationship conflict I witness at my day job as an assistant in a corporate setting. And I did what any decent writer would do. I took note of the Peyton Place happenings and filed them away to incorporate into Happenstance<\/em>! Here\u2019s what resulted:<\/p>\n

Blurb from Happenstance<\/em>:<\/b><\/span>
\nTaryn Ballard is happily married and a newly appointed analyst for a prestigious shipping company. Her career upsurges in record time but she\u2019s about to discover the real price of corporate life.<\/p>\n

While on another business trip, Taryn suffers a brutal attack by a carjacker. Her husband isn\u2019t there, but her co-worker Devin is. The accidental bond Taryn and Devin share pitches them into dangerous and confusing territory. Taryn struggles to discern both her feelings for her sexy protector and Wade’s reaction to it all. Unfamiliar emotions blur the rules of the game and Wade’s ready to quit.<\/p>\n

Taryn must rise above disaster to save her marriage. But is she ready to let go of the man who saved her life? In a single moment, Happenstance changes everything.<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Happenstance<\/em>:<\/b><\/span>
\n\u201cDevin, it\u2019s Taryn. You were right. The execs want me to meet them for dinner and I feel really foolish because I have a GPS and a connect-the-dot map from the concierge and I\u2019m still lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devin laughed. \u201cNot a problem. Where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taryn took a second to locate the green street sign. \u201cAt the corner of First and Third at a tiny, ancient-looking convenience store.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I know the one. You\u2019re right next to us. I could probably see you from the tower window. Okay, which restaurant are you looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taryn grabbed the hand-drawn map. \u201cCaminas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where it is. Actually, it might be faster by freeway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it would. I just came from\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

An unexpected rush of damp, hot air hit her and Taryn turned, confused to see her door wide open. She sucked in a quick breath and saw too late the arm reaching for her. Terror gripped her as she zeroed in on the gun in her face.<\/p>\n

About Valerie:<\/h2>\n

\"author<\/a>Valerie Haight is a short story writer and contemporary romance novelist. She is a member of Ozarks Writer\u2019s League through College of the Ozarks in Branson, MO and a published author with Turquoise Morning Press. To keep up with her level of crazy, you either need to check her sites below or grab your own straightjacket because she won\u2019t share.<\/p>\n

dSavannah note<\/span>: Valerie\u2019s too modest to tell you, but she\u2019s also an award winner! She won first place in the Ozark Writers\u2019 League Flash Fiction<\/a> contest in November 2012.<\/p>\n

Follow Valerie on:<\/h2>\n