Author Denyse Bridger

On sale for a limited time!

The month of March this special novella

will be priced at only 99¢ – reviews have been wonderful!!

 CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATE:

Historical Western romance

From different worlds, drawn by desire, passion is about to change their lives forever….

Austin Standish is a man of refined tastes. Intelligent and educated, Austin enjoys all of the best life has to offer. A gambler, a gunslinger, and a man who has plans to taste the sweetest prize at The Palace Casino and Saloon – the lovely owner, Chantille L’Amour, the most sought after jewel on the Barbary Coast.

Running a high-class brothel and casino isn’t exactly the life she was born to but Chantille is determined to overcome the ruin her family was left in once the Civil War ended. But, she has chosen a difficult path… one that demands much and leaves her lonely. She’s noticed the handsome man who comes into her world from time to time, and when she chooses to give in to desire, the passion evoked by Austin’s touch may change her life forever….

ARe Romance * Smashwords * Publisher * Barnes & Noble * Amazon * Kobo

Author Interview:

Please tell us a little bit about your current projects?

I have several new projects that I’m working on, at various stages, and for the first time in a long time, I am really excited about the new works. Seems I’ve gone back to my first love in genre terms, and the new books are not only going to be novel length, they’re romantic suspense tales. I’ve written a lot of erotic romance over the past ten years and I’m honestly just burned out with it for the most part, so it’s time for a change of sorts. I think this is a good thing, really. Writing is starting to be fun again and that makes such a difference. Anyone who would like to see the visual boards for my new projects, just drop by my Pinterest and check out some of the boards there. (The BlackHawk Agency, New Beginnings, and Grande Amore)

When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?

I think I was born with the desire to tell stories, but the actual writing as a desire to make a career of it didn’t hit me until I was in my early 20s. I had a wonderful teacher in high school who told me I should be a writer, and I thought she had to be kidding. But, a few years later, it hit right out of the blue, and I haven’t stopped writing since then. That lovely teacher, Jacqueline Warlow, attended my first book launch party, too, and brought me flowers to celebrate the day! (She’d already bought my book!)

Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?

Just keep writing. My friend Nancy Baker told me that after she’d had a series of best-selling novels here in Canada. She said it’s easy to talk about writing, but not always so easy to write. She was certainly right about that.

Describe the “perfect” hero. What about the “perfect” hero for you?

The perfect hero is, in my opinion, a man who is smart, strong, honest, and faithful. I think that’s pretty much a universal combination of sexy, really. We all have such diverse ideas of physical beauty, but most women agree that intelligence and genuine caring make almost any man sexy and attractive in that special way that makes your heart go pitter-patter.

What are some of your favorite pastimes? Do you have any hobbies or collections?

I’m pretty laid back in my activities. I like to walk in the local park, take photos, and read when I have the time and focus for it. There’s so much going on at any time in my life that reading time has become a luxury I treasure. I collect wolf figures, and unicorns! I have a nice little collection of both. My other collection is quite funny, really, I have tons of stuff related to the BBC Children’s show, The Teletubbies. I love them, and find them very soothing…while they drive many adults crazy with their cuteness.

 Shubie Park

What has been your biggest adventure to date?

I think that would have to be my first ever book launch party. I’m a very shy person and the thought of having to me “on” in public meeting strangers and promoting my book was terrifying. But, like all things, you get in there and do your best. I did six weeks of book signings on weekends, reading at the local library, and the actual party–which was attended by my publisher’s wife. I thought it was a total disaster because we only sold 14 books, then I found out that was a pretty large selling for a new author at a walk in event. All in all, the whole adventure was pretty fantastic. I did my first radio interviews for that book, as well. Romance Junkies gave that particular book an awesome review, as well!! Review is HERE

If your fairy godmother waved her wand and whisked you away to the location of your choice, which place would you choose, and why?

Italy first, then Romania. I think I was born in love with Italy and all things Italian, the music, the food, the people. The whole viva la dolce vita is in my heart, and I hope one day I can go there and experience it all for real. Romania is another country that has appealed to me for as long as I can remember. The history, the people, there is so much raw, natural beauty in Romania from what I’ve seen of the country in photos and videos. I have wonderful friends in both countries that I would love to meet and hug for real someday.

When it comes to food, are you the adventurous type who will try anything once, or do you prefer to stick to tried and true foods and recipes?

Adventurous. I love to try new things, and I love to bake and cook. So, even when I start out following a recipe, I inevitably deviate and start to give it my own twists. I never make the same recipe twice, believe me–there’s always something new or different even if it’s the same dish! Hell, I discovered I like shark, and that raises a few eyebrows!

What is this romance writer’s idea of the “ideal romantic evening”?

An ideal dream evening would be a lovely candlelit dinner, good Italian wine, maybe a movie, at home for privacy and coziness. To end the night, a quiet walk on the beach or cuddled up in front of a fire.

How do you describe yourself? How would your family and friends describe you?

I’d describe myself as creative, driven, curious. My family, well, they use words like generous, loving, kind… In my family, I’m the one everyone goes to, they seem to think I can do almost anything, or know everything. It’s flattering, I have to admit! J

What is your favorite comfort food?

I have two actually, if you call popcorn a food. *lol* I love macaroni and cheese on a cold day or when I’m feeling a little dejected, too. It comforts the soul in some weird way. I’m a huge pasta and rice fan, so anything along those lines is comfort food in my books!

What is your favorite season? What do you love about it?

Autumn. I love the crispness of the air, the vibrant colours we experience here at that time of year. There’s a beauty and vitality to this season that enchants me. I’m not a big fan of heat, and summer is a nightmare for me when it gets hot and muggy, so I look forward to Autumn, and Winter. The local park where I walk is gorgeous at this time of the year, and I took some beautiful photos of it last Autumn, the colours were amazing. I’ve attached a couple of photos, it’s Historic Shubie Park, the canal lock system was built in the 1700s, and it now has 9 kilometeres of maintained walking trails. It’s an amazing little haven in the middle of the city.

What project are you working on next?

My next/current project is a novel set in Italy, about an internationally renowned singer who falls in love with a young woman who is attacked after being seen having coffee with him. I’m doing revisions on it at the moment, and once this is done, I’m moving on to book one of my BlackHawk series. I’m just SO excited to be working again and loving it. I plan to have several new novels out in the coming year or so, and I hope readers find something in them to love as much as I do!

Thanks again for blogging with us!

Thank you so much for having me!! Blessings to everyone and feel free to ask any questions, I’m happy to answer!

Short Author Bio:

Canadian born and bred, and a lifelong dreamer, I began writing at an early age and can’t recall a time when I wasn’t creating in some artistic form. My life has had several on-going love affairs that shape much of what I write.  In the past half dozen years, I’ve released books in all lengths and genres, and it’s something I hope to continue to do for many more years. A visit to my websites will show the diversity of what is currently available, as well as other surprises and extras!

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