Before beginning her journey as a novelist, D. B. Woodling sang and danced her way through life. Her supernatural YA novel, THE IMMORTAL TWIN, has been called "a thoroughly entertaining read." Her new novel, THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE was just released in March and is available now. She has been gracious enough to take a few moments to answer some questions.
MB: Let's start by talking about this "singing and dancing" you used to do. Your author bio is a bit vague on details. What did you sing and where did you dance?
DBW: After founding my own entertainment agency—and finding talented and versatile singers, dancers, and actors about as elusive as a winning lottery ticket, I perfected my singing, dancing, and acting chops and personally entertained large audiences and small, impersonating a wide variety of celebrities from Marilyn Monroe to Joan Rivers. On occasion, those performances required some pretty impressive dancing to include tap and a variety of vaudevillian-style moves. In addition, I’ve been known to pull off a less impressive hula dance and once had to learn the art of Egyptian dance, on the fly, when one of the dancers fell ill; fortunately, the audience was starved for entertainment. I sang everything from Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend to House of the Rising Sun, regularly recruited as a heavyset woman belting out an operatic tune for corporate retirement parties (“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.”) I can tell you for a fact that it’s nearly impossible to never let ‘em see you sweat when every inch is padded with bulky foam.
MB: Your supernatural YA book, THE IMMORTAL TWIN, is targeted at a young adult audience. What challenges do you face with writing for that particular demographic?
DBW: The greatest challenge is reconnecting with my teenage self. It’s been a few years.
MB: Your latest book, THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE was recently released. Without giving any spoilers, tell me something about the book that I won't find in the jacket copy or PR material?
DBW: Because the book’s theme is immortality, the novel touched me on a personal level when I suffered a profound loss during the final edit.
MB: If your latest book was made into a movie, who would you like to play the lead characters?
DBW: Elle Fanning or Tracy Spiridakos as Celeste, Gavin Casalegno as Tristan, and Gijs Blom as Nick.
MB: Let's talk about your writing style for a moment. Every writer has specific nuisances when it comes to writing. Some outline, some don't. Some have a special place where they write. Tell us a bit about your writing process.
DBW: I always outline. I start with a broad brush, adding intricate details as the novel takes shape. I write in the same room that once housed a word processor that I used when I began work on my first novel, which finally found a publisher twenty years later. Persistence should have been my middle name.
MB: Let's shift gears for moment and talk about reading. What is your favorite under-appreciated novel?
DBW: I have several favorite novels written by other authors, THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah, to name one, all of which have received a lot of love from readers. SHANNON'S REVENGE, BROKEN PROMISES (historical fiction), the sequel to my first book, remains one of my personal favorites, and I hope one day more people will read it.
MB: What can we expect from you in the future? Are you working on any new projects?
DBW: Every time I hear the phrase work in progress, my blood pressure skyrockets, because I’m nearly ¾ the way through a supernatural, contemporary thriller/mystery with the second book in The Immortal Detective Series screaming for attention.
Thank you taking the time to answer my questions, Good luck with THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE.
To learn more about D. B. Woodling and her books, you can visit her website at dbwoodling.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, and on Twitter.
You can purchase THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE at the following retailers.