The best book I have read this year is Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter. I loved it. Not many people know just how much I like Denise Hunter. I think she’s amazing. I have read most of her books and love most of them to pieces. So when I contacted Denise about interviewing her, I didn’t really expect her to agree to it, or even to respond to be honest. But she did. So here’s the interview.

Me: Thank you so much, Denise, for agreeing to this interview. First of all I’d like to ask a personal question, what are your hobbies?

Denise: Reading, playing drums, and traveling

Me: As a writer I am interested in your writing process. All of it. Do you outline your book before writing it, or make it up as you go? What time of the day do you write? Where do you write? Do you write in order from chapter 1 to end or do you write whatever scenes you feel like? How do you deal with writers‚ block? How many rewrites do you go through before you get to the final draft? Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing? 

Denise: Before I start a story, I have some idea of what it’s about and where it’s going, though it’s by no means a detailed synopsis. I write in the mornings during the first draft stage until I reach 6 quality pages, usually until noon or so. During the rewriting and editing stages I work a full day. I do write scenes in order–I don’t have the brain to write out of sequence! I don’t get writer’s block. The closest thing to it is not knowing what comes next in the story, and I often get stuck with that, but I work through it until I figure it out. That’s the most challenging thing about writing for me. I do 6 drafts of each novel.

Me: I loved the scene in Barefoot Summer where Beckett thought that Madison was being attacked. What part of Barefoot Summer was the most fun to write?

Denise: I love writing dialogue, and it comes easily to me, so any banter between characters is the most fun to write. With Barefoot Summer I enjoyed writing the banter between Madison and Cassidy and also, of course, between Madison and Beckett.

Me: If you were stuck in a dark cave with a character from your book (male or female) which would you want it to be?

Denise: Probably Beckett because he could figure out how to get us out of there!

Me: What can we expect from you in the future?

Denise: I’m currently working on the rest of the Chapel Springs novels.

Me: I would like to end with a few quick-fire questions:
Silver or gold? Silver
Casual or formal? Casual
Summer or Winter? Summer
Chocolates or flowers? Depends if I’m on a diet. 🙂
Books or movies? Books!
Reading or writing? Oh, reading is more fun for sure. Writing is more rewarding. Plus it pays. 🙂
Pen or Pencil? Pen
Tea or Coffee? Tea
Early bird or Night Owl? Neither.
Ice-cream or yoghurt? Ice cream

About Denise Hunter:

Denise Hunter is the best-selling author of many novels, including The Convenient Groom and Driftwood Lane. In 1996 Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she s been writing ever since. Her books contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too! She lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons.

Check her out on Amazon!!