And Here's Dayana...

Delivered as promised, Dayana Knight. Dayana is a personal friend and an awesome author of paranormal and erotic romances. Now, take a peek into her life and heart.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a writer of dark fantasy and erotic paranormal romance. I grew up with the written word and with the desire to write. At eleven years old, I penned a romance novel in a spiral bound notebook complete with cover art I drew myself. I took journalism and creative writing in both grammar school and high school. I can't remember a time I haven't written in some capacity.

When did you know you were meant to be a writer?

I don’t really know that I ever thought about it. I just evolved into writing within my present capacity. The more interesting story would be how I dropped into writing seriously. I actually suffered the loss of my father and my dog within months of each other in 2000 and had no vent for the horrible grief I felt so I began writing earnestly. Began journaling my emotions, then I gradually began penning stories, joined Writer’s Village University and the rest is history.

How old were you when you penned your first book?

See Above.

And was it one that became published?

LOL No, however, I wish I knew what happened to that story. I’d love to read it todayJ

If you can, name your favorite book and characters. They don't have to be from the same book.

Oh that’s easy. I fell in love with Jamie and Claire way back in Diana Gabaldon’s first book of the series, Outlander. This is a time travel romance, which I’ve read over and over with each new book release to the series.

How did you get started in the publishing world?

Not without much stress and anxiety, LOL I braved up at some point and began to submit to agents first, then pub houses. I can tell you as the old cliché goes, I have enough form rejection letters to wallpaper my office. I’d give up, shelf the idea then break it out, dust it off and begin all over again.

What is your favorite genre to read and to write?

Definitely dark urban fantasy and paranormal, though I do love crime suspense and do write in the genre as well.

Any favorite authors you would like to name?

Laurell K. Hamilton, J.R. Ward, Katie McAllister, Patricia Cornwall, Diana Gabaldon, Anne Rice-Vampire/Witch series, and many I can’t think of at the momentJ

What do you have coming down the pipes next?

Well, I’ve got three projects in the works and hoping for time to delve in and finish them. I’ve got a sequel to Curse of the Marhime in process, a new paranormal project working title- A Jersey Tale and a previously released crime suspense novel, Dancing on the Edge, in rewrites, for re-release and a sequel in the works for that as well. Now all I need is time and solitude, LOL

Any words of wisdom to wannabe published authors?
Never give up.

Is there any one person in your life that made a difference in your writing career?

Yes, below is a note to my fansJ

Thank you for your support and please keep your eyes to my website and blog for new releases, contest information, especially now with Hallowe’en and the winter holidays upon us. I will be updating my website and Dayana’s Happenings to reflect a ton of new activities planned. Please don’t miss a Trick or Treat.

Bio:

Dayana Knight was born and raised near the legendary Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey. As a young girl, she was fascinated with all things supernatural and paranormal. She began writing at about age eleven, but has only taken the craft seriously in the last ten years.

Dayana enjoys solitary walks in mist-covered forests, visiting century-old cemeteries, and spine-tingling ghost stories. She loves old houses, and antique furniture which she says breathe lives of their own. Oh the stories they could tell if only they could talk! And, of course, her favorite holiday is Halloween.

She now lives in Southern Florida with her husband of twenty-six years, and her beautiful Sheltie, Bea.

Dayana belongs to Florida Romance Writers, Inc, Romance Writers of America, and does free lance reviews in her spare time.

Links:

www.dayanaknight.blogspot.com

www.romawolftales.com

You can also find her at Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/home.php?ref=home

MySpace:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/home.php?ref=home

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/DKWolftales

Published Works:

Curse of the Marhime

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/curse-of-the-marhime-roma-wolf-tales-1-p-944.html?zenid=eb042a170de1be7eb3feff122c8e2072

Bestial Cravings

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/bestial-cravings-p-1254.html?zenid=eb042a170de1be7eb3feff122c8e2072

Eternal Obsession (Erotic)

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=173&products_id=662