I was given the chance to chat with a very talented author this month, who took time out of her busy schedule to spend some time with us here at Joyfully Reviewed.  So, without further delay…let’s hear from

Delores Airey

It seems like you have always wanted to be a writer. How does it feel to have achieved your goal?
Ecstatically wonderful, a great sense of achievement.

Are you able to write full time or do you have a day job?
No, I have a day job, contracting for a global bank.

Tell us what makes Delores…Delores.
Wow, that's an interesting question. Freedom to be is primordial to me. I’m always making sure that I’ve got something ‘nice’ to look forward to, from vacations to going out for a quick coffee with friends. I am evidently fortunate and grateful for my good health and my life, and to be able to get up every morning to look forward to living lovingly, expressively and positively. Meeting challenges with clear objectives in mind, steering away from negativity. These, as well as many other aspects, too many to mention, makes me, me.

It sounds like you have traveled quite a bit and had a lot of exciting adventures. Do you have a favorite so far and is there something else you want to try?
Hopping around the Hawaiian Islands is one of my most memorable times. The islands are very fascinating and gloriously beautiful places and the indigenous people are so loving and creative. Their dancing’s unforgettable. What stands out for me is I can still see myself standing on the edge of a crater that's stated to be 11 miles wide. Hot vapours were puffing out of cracks beneath my feet and, although I was standing there, at my own risk, I wasn’t afraid. Although I should have been. In Brazil, walking along the Iguaçu falls and speed-boating along the river on the Amazon’s Orinoco Delta. Stopping off to meet Warao Indians was mad, I know you’ve asked for a favorite, but my adventures have all been so amazing that I’m finding it quite hard to really put my finger on one definitive favorite. The next adventure I am looking forward to is hiking on the Hajjar Mountains in Hatta in the United Arab Emirates, this December which I’m certain will be quite mind boggling and I am really hoping that I will bump into some real Bedouins. My hotel is based in the mountains and built on the Khatt natural springs. I plan to post events of that adventure on my website www.deloresairey.com and on MySpace upon my return in January 2008.

How does the writing process work for you?
I think you mean how do I conjure up stories? I daydream prior to and while sitting at my keyboard. What I love is at any time of the day or night, when I’m going about my everyday business, no matter what I’m doing, I can conjure plots and scenes as though they are really happening or about to happen and I then treat those plots and scenes as events that need documenting. There was a time when I’d forget certain plots. It was only when I’d made the decision to see them all as genuine events, in my mind’s eye, that I seldom forget events of a story now. When the day comes when I am unable to differentiate fact from fiction, I’ll recognize that I’m in deep trouble and would have to do a rethink! (laughs).

Do you have a writing schedule that you follow?
No, none that I adhere to. During the weekends I normally write for a few hours starting from about 5 or 6 in the mornings and after I’ve done the shopping or worked out at the gym or done the domestic chores, I return to the keyboard either during the early evening or late at night, sometimes writing into the early hours of the following morning. Weekdays, dependent upon what time I get home from work, I tend to write some evenings and early in the morning before going to the day job.

How do you promote your work?
The old fashioned word-of-mouth strategy where I tend to talk, diplomatically, about what I do to people I meet. I enjoy talking to people who like to talk about themselves and what they do, it’s great. People also tend to talk about people they’ve met and what they do, so that’s free, verbal promotion in a sense. Mention of my websites www.deloresairey.com www.myspace.com/delorsairey and www.authorsden.com/deleoresairey, encourages people to view them. Business card hand-outs. You never know who is passing on your details to whom or who knows a person that can do this or that. Reviews and advertisements in magazines and newspapers. I am now toying with the idea of merchandising. Let me give you an example. As a promotional and advertising ploy, no, I don’t like that word, ploy, very much, it sounds like I’m out to trick or con people, exercise, that’s better, I’ll be wearing t-shirts or caps with my book cover printed on them to test public reaction and generate conversation. There is a very ambitious move I’m making right now, giving away fabulous prizes in a competition scheduled to go live on my website in December, I am hoping that winners will never forget that competition, even if they never read the book but, having said that, the seed would have been planted and with enough watering and nutrients, there should come a healthy growth, metaphorically speaking – it’s the Wow factor I’m working on here. I have more exciting competitions planned for next year. There’s also the signed book giveaway to selective people who enjoy reading romantic novels. I also hope to get an interview on the radio – I am certainly working on that one.

Do you plan your books out before you start writing or does it develop as you write?
I plan an entire book from the daydreams and images I conjure up. And yes, admittedly, certain events develop while writing. I see dramas taking place in my imagination and I allow my characters to develop the story.

Tell us some of your favorites…hobbies, foods, movies, music, books, authors, holidays, color, or any other favorites.
I love to relax in a spa, steam room, sauna and spa bath or Jacuzzi ™ at least once a month. Because I am so busy, I don't visit the spa as often as I'd like that going to the spa has become a hobby or a monthly treat now. A few movies I can watch again and again are, Mystic River, Casualties of War and Scar Face. They all make me cry and, Two Can Play That Game makes me happy. My favorite romance authors are, Louise Bagshawe, Penny Vincenzi and Daniele Steele. My favorite reads in the biography genre are Sydney Poitier, Sidney Sheldon, Arnold Schwanegger, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Chris Gardner and Oprah Winfrey. In the Inspirational genre, Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill is the tops. I love vibrant colors, yellow, white, cerise and red. Gospel music by Alvin Slaughter feeds my spirit. His voice is absolutely amazing. A selection of Jazz, Blues, Soul and Ballads, too many to mention. Rock music, as in Phil Collins, I find him quite easy to listen to and enjoy. And, as for vacations, the United Arab Emirates is becoming my favorite jaunt. Having visited Dubai three times this year, April, May and August, I’m returning in late December and again in April 2008. Moving on to food, I am a sucker for Cashew nuts and will never grow tired of eating them.

Do you enjoy hearing from your readers and what is the best way to contact you?
Very much so. Readers’ feedback is invaluable to me. I regularly receive feedback from readers who communicate with me by email info@deloresairey.com, using my contact page via my website and via MySpace. I make it my business to respond to them all.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
First and foremost, read regularly, if not constantly. Before setting off to write, be certain it is a true desire and not just a wish. Writing can be a lonely profession and crafting a book of say, 100,000 words plus by deadline for a publisher is not as simple as it may appear. Be prepared to dedicate hours and hours of time and discipline to your writing. Write what you know. Sounds almost like a cliché, but it is so vital a point. Research your chosen genre. Learn as much as you can about writing, the publishing industry, how to get a literary agent, how to write a manuscript, synopses, prologue, epilogue, and, of course, a bestselling novel. For support, seek out and join reputable writing and critiquing groups and author organizations. There is a wealth of resources available. Study or read through The Writer’s Almanac and the Writers’ and Artists’ Year Book. Getting a book published can be easy for some authors and difficult for others. If you are fortunate to have the right contacts who are willing to assist you on the road to publishing your novel, you are at a brilliant advantage, but for some authors, it can take years before they become published. Be prepared, as becoming a published author is not always plain sailing. Never give up.

What do you find to be the most difficult part of writing?
Particular scenes I find most difficult to write are the love-making scenes. There is nothing worse than a cranky and awkwardly written love scene, a love scene that fails to achieve the desired effect for the reader. In time, I hope to get better at crafting love scenes.

What would a perfect day for you involve?
Idealistically, my perfect day would be to rise early, meditate, jog, shower, eat a light breakfast, then read, research for my novel, write to my heart’s content, providing time and attention to loved ones and taking care of 'other' activities.

Tell us about your freelance writing and your interest in journalism.
What is Journalism? I asked myself the question one day, deciding to research the reasons behind journalists who cause controversy, accused of not delivering news accurately. I just wanted to learn why they were doing such things, the causes and reasons. I realize there are a variety of ways to report a story or write an article, dependent upon what the journalist is setting out to achieve or the way an editor expects a journalist to write a story or feature, under the auspices of the house-style, if you like. I am still learning, researching and producing assignments and establishing myself as a freelancer, writing short bio pieces, book reviews and blurbs for companies' websites.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Lastly, I’d like to share that I am writing the sequel entitled In Too Deep and I am looking forward to publishing it during October 2008, hopefully by a mainstream publisher. Thank you for the interview, it has been a pleasure.