Christian Romance Author Kaye Dacus has agreed to answer some burning questions (pun intended 
) about the life of an author and her newest release.
BIO:
Kaye Dacus is the author of contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing and Harvest House Publishers. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. She loves action movies and British costume dramas; and when she’s not writing, she enjoys knitting scarves and “lap blankets” (she’s a master of the straight-line knit and purl stitches!). Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and even though she writes romance novels, she is not afraid to admit that she’s never been kissed.
Can you give us a short overview of your newest novel A Case for Love? I have to say I like Forbes.
A Case for Love is the third and final novel in the Brides of Bonneterre series.
The Alaine Delacroix that all of Bonneterre knows is the carefully polished image she puts forth every day on her noontime news-magazine program. When her parents’ home and small business is threatened by the biggest corporation in town, Alaine is forced to choose between her image and fighting for the life her family has built.
Lawyer Forbes Guidry is used to making things go his way. But when he’s asked to take on a pro bono case for a colleague, he’ll learn that he can’t control everything—including his feelings for his new client: Alaine Delacroix.
Alaine’s only option to help her family is hiring Forbes, but can she bring herself to trust the handsome, disarmingly charming lawyer? And will Forbes Guidry be able to make a case for love before losing his job and family? Can both trust that God will present a solution before it’s too late?
When did you first begin writing?
I’ve heard a lot of people who say they started writing stories when they were in elementary school. When I was that young, I wasn’t a writer—I hated writing, as a matter of fact. I made up plenty of stories, but they were acted out with my Barbie dolls or in my imagination as I played outside—other people, other places, other times all came alive in my mind’s-eye and I didn’t mind playing by myself. In fact, I rather preferred it, because then I didn’t have to explain to anyone else what I was envisioning and try to get them to play along the way the story went in my head.
As an adolescent, I started to read voraciously. My fancy turned to romance novels and by the age of twelve, I was reading one or two historical romance novels a week—mostly YA, but some adult fiction in there, too. These books grew in me not only a love for history, but a love for story telling because they inspired me to write. I wasn’t content with a kiss and a happily-ever-after ending. I wanted to know what happened the next day, the next year, the next decade. So the first writing I ever did was around fourteen years old when I started writing “sequels” to my favorite books. This, then, inspired me to start putting some of those stories that were always running through my head down on paper.
That experience—realizing I could put words down on paper and express the stories that I’d always had within me—opened a flood-gate; and for the last two decades, I’ve never stopped writing.
What did you do prior to writing?
Before becoming a full-time author, I was a full-time editor for Ideals Publications/Guideposts for a few years, and for many, many years before that, I worked as a support person (sales assistant, executive assistant) in the retail advertising departments at newspapers in Northern Virginia and Nashville. Even though there’s a lot of stress that comes along with being self-employed as an author and freelance editor, I MUCH prefer setting my own schedules and being able to work in my PJs if I really want to.
At what point did you discover you wanted to make a career out of writing novels, and what kind of hours do you have to keep in order to be productive or satisfied with your progress?
I first realized that God was calling me to pursue publication when I was in my late 20s—right around the time I mysteriously received a brochure in the mail about the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. I mentioned it to my parents, and because they’d always tried to figure out how to support me in my writing, they “gave” it to me as an early 30th birthday gift. So in April 2001, I went to my first writing conference—and after spending one of the first evenings alone in my room crying because God was breaking through a lot of insecurities and fears, I set out to learn everything I could about the craft of writing and the publishing industry.
As far as keeping a schedule of hours or setting daily word-count goals, I have to admit I’m really bad about that. Because I’m so deadline driven—but also a lazy procrastinator by nature—I usually end up having to spend several weeks locked inside my house getting a book finished so that I can meet my deadlines. But it seems to work. Some of my favorite scenes are those I’ve written during those fear/adrenaline-fueled days.
What does a day in the life of Kaye Dacus look like? Please say it includes multiple cups of coffee. 
Hmmm . . . how honest should I be here? I try to be up before 10 a.m. (I know, sounds late, but keep reading). First, I come in and turn on the desktop computer. After that, I put the coffee on and then get ready (i.e., bathe and dress—no makeup, and with short hair, it’s automatically styled as soon as I run my fingers through it after towel-drying it). Then, it’s coffee time! (Right now, Toffee Nut flavored coffee, with a little skim milk and plenty of Splenda.) Breakfast is sausage and/or bacon and/or eggs (have to have my protein in the mornings), which I fix and then take into the office. The first hour is spent checking/responding to e-mails and blog comments, reading other people’s blogs, checking Twitter, and reading Facebook. This hour usually lasts at least two hours. And one more mug of coffee.
Around 11:30 or so (okay, maybe noon), I get started working, either on a freelance editing job or on galley edits, marketing copy, or actual marketing for my own books (like answering interview questions or applying to speak at conferences or looking for other opportunities for appearances/book signings). My cute UPS guy comes between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. No, he doesn’t come every day, but at least once a week for various reasons (either pickup or delivery). This makes a good time to take a break, get something to drink (usually fruit-flavored carbonated water) and maybe a snack.
I’ll check e-mail and all of my social sites again (right, like I haven’t been doing that all day anyway), and get back to whatever I was doing before my break. Between 4 and 5 p.m., the mail comes, so I take another break then and figure out what I’m going to fix for supper—which usually involves taking something out of the freezer.
Back to the office, now to do a little more messing around than working for another couple of hours. Around 7 p.m., I’ll fix supper. I take a break for a couple of hours to eat and watch some TV.
Around 10 p.m. most nights, I return to the office and start writing my blog post for the next day. This is rarely quick—it can take me more than an hour to write a post, even longer, sometimes. After that’s scheduled for the next day, I once again check all my social networking sites, respond to more e-mails, answer more interview questions, and then make sure I have the most current version of the latest chapter of my work in progress on my flash drive.
I try to be in the bed by midnight—which means music playing softly (CDs currently in the 5-disk changer: Lost Season 4 soundtrack; Star Trek soundtrack; Music from Harry Potter; a compilation disk of “Sea-Faring Music” which is theme music from movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, etc.; and a compilation disk of John Williams’s music), overhead light off, bedside lamp on, and laptop fired up. After re-reading the last few pages I wrote, I write either until I get to a good stopping place (like a great cliffhanger at the end of a chapter) or until I can’t keep my eyes open any longer—usually between 2 and 3 a.m.
And that’s a day in the life of me. Aren’t you glad you asked? Now everyone knows I have absolutely no social life whatsoever!
What is your favorite Bible verse?
My favorite passage is Hebrews 12:1-3:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (nasb)
To me, this is my Christian journey in a nutshell—I wouldn’t be anywhere if it weren’t for those who’ve gone before me, who now surround me, and who will come after me; I must persevere in the tasks God has set before me—and I can do so only by living on faith in Jesus, who endured so much more than I will ever be asked to go through.
Who is your most memorable character? Tell us a little bit about him/her.
I have two favorites, for different reasons. The first is Beverly O’Hara, Major’s mother in Menu for Romance. I can’t go into all the reasons why I love her, because that would give away some important stuff that happens in that book, but let me just say she’s what really made that story come together for me. The other one, believe it or not, is Sir Drake Pembroke, the bad guy in Ransome’s Honor (Book One of The Ransome Trilogy). I had so much fun getting inside his head, figuring out his motivations, and getting to do whatever I wanted to do with him (and seeing him get his comeuppance in the end!). The greatest thing about his character is that he’s inspired me to start thinking about a “next-generation” trilogy as a follow-up to the Ransome Trilogy.
I can’t have an odd number of questions so…On your desk:
a. What is the most worthless item?
A used Post-it Note.
b. What is the most priceless item?
Picture of my parents.
c. What is the most revealing item?
Several different sizes/colors of Post-it pads.
d. What is the most memorable item?
The copy of Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle I’ve read several times since it was a required text for a Creative Writing class—the first class I took when I returned to college in 2000.
Thank you Kaye, this has been fun. Happy writing and God Bless you!
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If I lived close, you wouldn’t be without a social life..not like I have a great adventurous one with a husband and 4 kids but we would get you out of the house…lol..of course you wouldn’t get as much writing done..
Great interview! I’m enjoying looking through your blog – great stuff!
Jennifer, I’d to all get together!
Regina, thanks for stopping by, I hope to get to know you too.
Kaye, I enjoyed your answers. I wanted to comment on them all but didn’t have time. I’m a night owl as well but it doesn’t go well since I’ve got to get up for kids. I wish the world worked on a 10-7 schedule and then I’d stay up late for everything else