Candace Havens

I'd like to welcome the talented and fabulous author, Candace Havens! Thanks for stopping by my little ol’ blog, Candace. I haven’t had this much excitement around here since…since…well, never. Let’s jump right into this interview because, frankly, no one wants to read my blathering.

Tell a little about yourself. What’s your normal daily routine?

LOL, there isn't much normal about my days. It depends on what I have going on. When I'm hardcore into a book, I usually work on fiction those first few hours. Then I have to switch to the day job as a journalist, where I usually have some kind of deadline. Then it's back to the fiction. In between I work in movies, and television, as I review both for radio and print. And I'm the mom of two almost grown boys, who manage to take up any remaining seconds I have left.


Wow, you're a busy woman. Do you meticulously plot your novels or are you a pantster?

I usually have a brief synopsis to go by for my editors. But I'm a pantser for sure. I sometimes know how it my end, but I'm always surprised by what happens before I get there.

Do you enjoy all aspects of the paranormal? What’s your favorite?

I do enjoy all aspects of the paranormal. You know, I began by writing about a witch, and I have to say I'm most fond of witches. I will be going back to that with a new project very soon.


Not everyone believes in the paranormal. Ever get strange looks when people ask what your books are about?

Honestly, no one ever says anything about the crazy creatures, witches, psychic librarians or Guardians in my books, they seem to be more interested in the sex. There are some people who just won't give paranormal a try, but when they do, we almost alway shook them.


Your latest novel, Dragons Prefer Blondes comes out July 7. Can you tell us a little about it?

This one is about Alex Caruthers, who is a wealthy heiress and a kickbutt dragon slayer. The rest of the world sees her as a young woman who owns clubs all over the world and goes through men like jelly beans. What they don't see is that she's protecting our world from some pretty nasty creatures. There's a lot of humor, a couple of really hot guys and a relationship with a certain hunky man that just sizzles.


Sounds fantastic! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. So tell us, how long did it take to get your first novel published?

We were trying to figure this out the other day. I think it was about 18 months from the time I started writing fiction until I had my first book deal. It was one of those moments when all the elements fell into place and it just happened. That was in 2004, I think, and I still can't believe it.


I admire your writing discipline. How do you do it?

I once heard Nora Roberts talk about vomiting the words on to the page. That's kind of what I do. That first draft is rough, and its about getting the bones down. Then I go back and revise like crazy. I have to give myself daily and sometimes hourly goals to get everything done with my crazy schedule. Say I have 30 minutes before interviewing some celeb, I see how many pages I can get in. I try to make it game whenever possible.


Who’s your favorite author(s)?

Oh, goodness, that is one loaded question. I can tell you some of the writers who sort of inspired my style including Janet Evanovich, Laurell K. Hamilton and Nora Roberts. I loved their characters and the humor, so that's what I tried to do when I went to work on my own books. I read two to three books a week and I'm a big fan of so many authors you couldn't fit them on a single spaced page.


Do you have a guilty pleasure?

I take a hot soaking bath every day in my jacuzzi tub. Even when I don't have time, I do it. My biggest guilty pleasure is sleep. If I get to take a nap in the afternoon, well, that's my idea of heaven.

And one last question and possibly the most important: Chocolate cake or cheesecake?

I love them both, but I am Chocolate cake girl all the way!


Thank you so much for stopping by, Candace. I'm thrilled to have you here, and can’t wait to read Dragons Prefer Blondes. Visit Candace at www.candacehavens.com and make sure to pick up a copy of her latest book available July 7th.