Interview with Donna Hatch, author of Queen in Exile

Q: Donna, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Donna: I guess I should say right off the bat that I’m a certified loon. Not only am I an author, which means I hear voices in my head and my characters are more real to me than most “real” people, but I am also the mother of six children. And yes, I did that on purpose!

Q: Tell us a little bit about your fantasy, Queen in Exile
Donna: The last surviving member of her family, a princess must place her life, and the fate of her kingdom, into the hands of a trained killer. But accepting her destiny and her own dark powers will mean losing the man she loves.

Q: Where does your inspiration come from?

Donna: Inspiration can come from anywhere, a song, a movie, a secondary character in another book. Sometimes I can’t trace where the story actually began; it often just starts as a seed of an idea and then expands. I’ve yet to have started a story based on a dream, though ;-) But for Queen in Exile in particular – this is going to sound super lame – (cringe) but I actually was inspired in part by a game of Dungeons and Dragons. Yes, I was one of those geeks who played that game. I’ve always been a fantasy reader, and I’m so glad technology is up to the level needed to produce a truly spectacular fantasy movie. The story itself for Queen in Exile came from somewhere in my heart, but the setting is more of a Tolkien-type world.

You're not a geek, some of my neices and nephews probably "played" with you!
Q: Some writers say that they have a story that has to be told, others say that the characters come to them and demand that their story be told… how does it work for you?
Donna: Both ways, I suppose. A character usually comes to me and tells me the main idea of their story, and then I go to work fleshing out both the plot and the characters. Once or twice, I’ve started with a concept, or a problem, and then found characters to deal with it. Really, my characters drive the story; the plot, or the problem, is just a hardship for them to overcome so that they can really grow and shine and ultimately triumph.

Q: What is your favorite thing about writing romance?
Donna: I love the happily ever after. If a book doesn’t have a good ending, I feel like I’ve wasted my time because I read to escape my problems. I want to know good always triumphs over evil and love conquers all – not be bummed because all was lost. I also love watching the romance unfold and, of course, the euphoria of falling in love.

Tell us about your contest:
You can win a free copy (and you have four chances if you do all four):

1. Go to my website http://www.donnahatch.com/  and then find out what is the name of the hero of Queen in Exile (hint, read the backcover blurb underneath the book cover), then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com, telling me the answer to the question and put "Queen in Exile for Free" in the subject line

2. Follow my blog, then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com, telling me you're now following me and put "Queen in Exile for Free" in the subject line

3. Leave a comment here. Then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com and put "Queen in Exile for Free" in the subject line.

4. On Facebook, 'like' me, (http://www.facebook.com/people/Donna-Hatch/1053967713#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1053967713) then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com, telling me you're now my friend on Face book and put "Queen in Exile for Free" in the subject line.

That’s it! Remember, for each thing you do, you have another chance to win. Good Luck!!!

Thank you, Donna for joining us. You can find Donna’s book, Queen in Exile, at Amazon, Costcos across the country, any Deseret Bookstore, all Barnes & Noble, and Borders. If you don’t see it on the shelf, be sure to ask them to order it for you and they’ll ship it to you with free shipping.