Author Update: Denise Grover Swank

In May of last year, I interviewed up-and-coming author Denise Grover Swank. Well, time has flown by, and now Denise is successfully launching her novel TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES. I watched the book trailer, and now I really want to get my hands on this book. Let's take the opportunity to catch up with her.

Welcome back, Denise! Congratulations on your launch. Tell us about your new book.

Thanks for having me back, Dorothy! Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes is the first book of the Rose Gardner Mysteries. It's part mystery, part romance, part chick-lit, and part humor that all combines to make a fun read. The synopsis is below:

For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She’s had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone’s toilet’s overflowed, but she’s never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa instead, two things are certain: There isn't enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.


Rose realizes she’s wasted twenty-four years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: twenty-eight things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She’s well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won’t help with number fifteen-- do more with a man. Joe’s new to town, but it doesn’t take a vision for Rose to realize he’s got plenty secrets of his own.


Somebody thinks Rose has something they want and they’ll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn’t her biggest worry after all.

Sounds amazing! How did the idea for the book come to you?

I took my son to the DMV to get license plates for his car. It was a hot, humid June day and the room was stuffy and full of cranky customers. I told him "It would be awesome to have a character work at the DMV. You could get some interesting stories." He just rolled his eyes and gave me his "whatever Mom, you're acting weird again" look. But the wheels were spinning. I started the book four days later.

Muses work in mysterious ways. What was the easiest part about writing this book, and what was the hardest?

The easiest part about about writing this book was that the story literally fell out of my fingers. Rose started talking and didn't stop until the story was done. She's such a fun character that it was a thrilling, magical ride. I wrote the first draft in 30 days.


The hardest part was cutting it down. When I finished, the first draft the manuscript was 102,000 words. It took MANY passes during edits to get it down to it's current 93,000 words. And that wasn't even revising. The story is pretty much as a I wrote it with only very minor revisions. It was cutting down the side thoughts Rose tended to throw in. While many were entertaining, they sometimes slowed down the story. It took me awhile to clean some out. (Kill your darlings. LOL)

Sounds like Rose had a lot to say. Quick Writing Test! Use these words in a sentence: power drill, equilibrium, and symphony.

Awesome word choices! One of my characters, Joe, actually uses a drill in Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes to fix Rose's busted door. I'll write the sentence from Rose's POV. I've set it up with a few other sentences. I also cheated. To make it all make sense, I used a semi-colon. *hangs head in shame*

A mechanical whine drifted from the kitchen, irritating my already aching head. But when I turned the corner to investigate, I froze. Joe hunched in my doorway, working on the doorjamb. The blood rushed from my head, upsetting my equilibrium; the noise of the power drill in his hand had become a symphony.

That was brilliant! So well done that I forgive your cheating. ;) So now that your book is out, are there any shout outs you'd like to throw out there?

This book wouldn't be possible without the help of my critique partners, Trisha Leigh, Eisley Jacobs and Kathy Collins. They believed in this story as much as I did and encouraged me every step of the way. I love you guys!

And finally, let our readers know where they can find your book.

You can find Twenty-Eight and a Half WIshes as a ebook and paperback at Amazon.com, ebook at Barnes & Noble and paperback my Createspace store page: https://www.createspace.com/3614250


Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes is also listed on Goodreads and has a book trailer:

Thanks so much, Denise. I wish you continued success with your book. And be sure to let us know when your next book comes out!

Interview with Denise Grover Swank

I hope everyone's week hasn't been as cloudy and gloomy as mine so far. If anyone's got any extra sunshine hanging around, feel free to send it my way. ;)

Until then, I'm here to brighten your day with another interview. We're talking with a busy and talented woman I'm sure you'll all be pleased to meet.

Welcome, Denise. Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Denise Grover Swank. I write adult thriller/paranormal and I am preparing to write a MG adventure/fantasy. I'm a single mom to six kids (three biological and three internationally adopted,) five of which still live at home. I'm currently work at home which allows me flexibility with my kids and writing.

Sounds like a full house. Let's talk about your writing. What is the name and genre of your manuscript?

CHOSEN is a thriller/paranormal.

Here’s the part where you pitch it. What’s your story about?

Emma Thompson was supposed to be a simple delivery for mercenary Will Davenport, but he’s repeatedly ambushed by gunmen hell bent on capturing her five-year-old son Jake, who not only sees the future, but tells Will he’s the Chosen One, the prophesied protector of his mother and the world.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

From my then three year old son. LOL One night my older son's girl friend told me Ryan counted to four, but only if he touched her fingers. I joking suggested perhaps he telepathically read her mind and that's how he knew the numbers. A light bulb went off in my head and I suddenly started playing the "what if" game. What if a boy could see the future? What if someone wanted him? What if his mother was on the run trying to protect him? And finally for a twist, 'cause I LOVE me a good twist, what if someone wanted HER and not her son?

I love good twists too. Sounds like an exciting read. Is your manuscript complete or still a work in progress?

CHOSEN is complete and ready to query. ARG!!!

Ah, the agent query-go-round. Tell us, do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

All of the above, plus one more: alpha readers.

I used four alpha readers as I wrote; two are writers (an man and a woman) and two a regular "readers" (also a man and a woman). They were crucial to help me stay on track with the story. One, just an avid reader, pointed out what she saw as a deviation from my character's motivation. She was absolutely correct and saved me a ton of future rewrites.


When I finished editing, I used both critique partners and beta readers. With my beta readers, I sent out questionnaires asking their reactions and opinions on particular areas of the book such as: what did they think of a particular scene, was the development of the relationship between Will and Emma believable? There were about 15 questions. God love 'em, they were all so enthusiastic about the book they answered my questions and offered plenty of their own opinion and insights too. I have to say, I was THRILLED to finally have someone read my book and see how much they loved it.

Sounds thorough. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part of writing is probably my criticism of my own work. I write a rough first draft but I have a friend who writes a beautiful first draft. Its hard not to compare. But I made my work shine in editing and at the end of the day, its how it reads when its finished, not when it's first written. (Thank God!)

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

Read, read, read. Be open to constructive criticism. Accept that some days the words just don't flow like you want them too.

Good advice. Do you have an idea of your book’s cover art?

My reward for finishing my first draft was granting myself permission to make a book trailer. I created a book cover for the end of the trailer. The arm you see on the cover belongs to my 19 year old son. I had to do some major bribing to convince him to let me: 1) draw the tattoo on his arm 2) stand in our front yard while I 3) took his photo. (He is currently in therapy.)


LOL. Well then you've done your job as a mom. ;p Tell us about your inspirations for writing.

Music. I cannot write without music. I listen to lots of different genres, depending on the scene I'm writing. Some days I feel like I live with my headphones in my ears.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have
to have nearby when writing?

Internet. I research like crazy. I will spend 30 minutes researching something that is one sentence long. I have said if I am ever suspected of ANY crime, I will be arrested based on my search engine history alone. (gunshot wounds, how to pry open a gun cabinet, bullet proof glass, sniper tactics, you get the picture...)

I can just imagine! Pretty incriminating evidence, hehehe. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Who would you like to give a shout out to?

My six kids who range from 23 to 2. They have been wonderfully supportive and never even considered that I couldn't write a book. Also, all my friends who not only begged to read my book when I was done but loved it as much a I do.

And finally, where can people find you online?

@DeniseMSwank
http://www.deniseswank.com
Facebook:DeniseGroverSwank

Thank you so much for letting us get to know you, Denise.

Thank you for the opportunity!

And good luck with your books!