Meet and Greet with author Donnell Ann Bell plus my review of her book Deadly Recall.

I would like to welcome Donnell Ann Bell to my blog I recently had the pleasure of asking her a few questions. Here is what she said: 

Sally:  What genre do you like to write?
 
Donnell Bell : I’m a huge fan of romantic suspense and mystery. 

Sally: How long have you been writing? What prompted you to start writing?Donnell Bell: I’ve been writing fiction since 2001.  Before that I worked for a business newspaper and a parenting magazine.  My kids were getting to the age where I had to be available to them, e.g. carpools, sports and more.  So I reduced my hours.  Since I wrote nonfiction, I thought I’d write a fiction novel.  (It was a lot harder than I thought.) 

Sally: What inspires you to write?Donnell Bell:  Unfinished plot lines for one thing.  I once heard a breaking news story about a man gunned down on the New Mexico State Capital steps.  I was at work at the time and couldn’t listen  for further details.  I never discovered what happened to him.  So I finished the story.  I wrote my first romantic suspense based on that storyline.
     I love country music, and a song called Walk Away Joe inspired my debut novel, The Past Came Hunting.
      I attended Catholic school, and loved movies like The Trouble with Angels, plays like Patent Leather Shoes Reflect Up.  Except that I have to include a mystery slant, of course, so Deadly Recall was born. ;)


Sally: When a story idea pops into your head, how long does it typically take to write it (from start to finish)?Donnell Bell: It depends.  Sometimes the words just flow, other times the plot has to gel.  I’ve written a novel in three months.  Others have taken me two years.
 
Sally: What did you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process?  Easiest?  

Donnell Bell:    Social networking is hard for me.  I’m basically an introvert.  The writing process is pure love and fulfillment for me.  I love to get lost in my stories.

Sally: Of all your characters whom do you most relate to?

Donnell Bell:     Oh, tough question.  I think I relate to my protagonist Melanie in The Past Came Hunting, not because I’ve been in prison (she’s an ex-con), but because I’m a mom and I know what lengths I’d go to to protect my kids.


Sally: Is there one of your characters that you did not like when you started writing about them, but found yourself liking by the end of the story?

Donnell Bell: Interesting question.  I have related to my protagonists in one form or another.  Eden in Deadly Recall is more headstrong than I am, and I probably would have said, “Hey, you can’t do that.”   But I think she acted in character from beginning to end.  If I would have pulled her back, that would have been author intrusion.  I have to remember these characters aren’t me.
Sally: What is your least favorite part about writing? The Most?

 Donnell Bell:  Editing.  The story will never be quite good enough.  Writing the original draft where I’m getting to know the characters.

Sally:  When you are not writing or editing what do you do for relaxation? 

  Donnell Bell:   Tonight I’m playing bridge with friends.  I love to walk with my husband of 30 years, and of course I love to read.


Sally: What types of books do you like to read?

 Donnell Bell:  I read a lot of mystery and thrillers, and of course romantic suspense.  I read young adult, and recently I joined a book club so it will force me to read different genres.  It’s really fun.


Sally: What author(s) do you enjoy reading?  Why?

  Donnell Bell:  Oh gosh.  I fell in love with writing after reading Sandra Brown’s category romances, and then of course her single title releases. I am a huge fan of Catherine Coulter’s Historicals.  These two authors really inspired me to start writing.  I love thriller writers Lawrence Sanders, The First Deadly Sin, Second Deadly Sing, Third Deadly Sin and Fourth Deadly Sin.   And anything by Daniel Silva is on my auto-buy list.

Sally: Tell us about your books where can people find them?
 
 Donnell Bell:  My books are available from my publisher, BelleBooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Books a Million, and where most books are sold.

(Click the links to take you to those sites)

Thank you Donnell Ann Bell this is fantastic thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.
For more information please visit her website http://www.donnellannbell.com/


Deadly Recall by Donnell Ann Bell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A young girl, worried about her beloved teacher, steals away to the chapel to say to say goodbye and beg her not to go. What she witnesses inside is more than her mind can bare. When her other teachers find her on the swings she can't remember where she was or how she got the cut on her knee. Seventeen years later, when the sexy Detective Dancer approaches her and starts asking questions about that day, the memories start flooding in. Can she remember before it is too late? I loved this book; it is one of the best I have read in awhile. I just could not put it down. I loved its fast pace, and the characters were extremely believable. I would recommend this to anyone who likes mystery, romance, or an all around good book!


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