Welcome Keta
Diablo, author of Comes an Outlaw,
part of The Good, the Bad, the Ghostly. I usually ask my authors to just choose
ten questions But they don’t always read directions.
RW: Tell us about yourself, your family, where you live…
KD: Hello,
Rochelle! And thank you for hosting me on your lovely blog.
I
live in the Midwest part of the USA in a small resort community. We’re pretty
low-key in the winter but summer is another story. The town and lakes are
inundated with tourists, which is great for the business but not so good for
those who live here year ’round. Don’t get me wrong, we’re a very friendly
town, but when “The Season” rolls in, all the shops raise their prices.
Boo-hiss.
My
family lives close by in other nearby towns which means I get to see them all
the time. Sometimes I think about heading south because of our brutal winters,
but then I wouldn’t get to see them as often. Hmm. Quite a dilemma.
RW: How many hours a day do you spend writing?
KD: This really varies. When I’m on a deadline, I tend to crunch
and often write five hours a day. When I’m not rushing to get my story done for
an anthology or release a follow-up book in a series, I tend to get lazier.
Again, it also depends on the season. I like to garden and spend as much time
outdoors as possible. In the winter, I can devote more time to writing.
RW: What is the best thing about being a writer?
KD: See above. Lol. Making your own schedule, being your own
boss, deciding what you want to do and when to do it.
RW: Has your life changed since you became a writer?
KD: Well it is a solitary life (how many times have you heard
that from writers?). I don’t socialize as much as I once did, except for
family. They come above everything, including writing.
RW: Who are your favorite authors?
KD: I can’t say, or maybe a better word would be “won’t”
say. I enjoy a variety of authors and books. I read western romance, historical
romance, paranormal and on occasion, urban fantasy. My favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird.
RW: Who are your favorite characters among the books you’ve
written?
KD: I really like Morgan Gatewood from Decadent Deceptions. He’s such an alpha male and yet a softie when
it comes to the woman he loves, Olivia Breedlove. I also like Ethan Gray,
better known as Meko (Meko’s Woman) when he travels back in time to help his
beloved people, the Cheyenne. Ethan is a complex individual who walks between
two worlds, a museum curator in modern day, a brutal dog soldier in the other.
RW: What makes a good book?
KD: A variety of factors. The plot is very important and the
depth of the characters. Of course, compelling writing helps. If a reader
finishes a book and remembers a week later what it was about, I think that
could be called success. Some books I still think about long after I read “The End” and others I forget about
right away. Interesting characters help. I like to know what makes a character
tic and don’t want to be told everything; make me guess what he/she is all
about and reveal their traits or idiosyncrasies one layer at a time. And don’t tell me what every character is doing in
every scene. Bring me right in…show
me.
RW: How does reader feedback matter to you?
KD: I don’t read my reviews. Sometimes I come across them, and of
course, if people like the book and post a good review, that’s always nice.
But, I learned long ago writers can’t please everyone. Some like hot books;
some like clean romance. You can never guess what is clean to one and too
steamy to another. Books are like buying furniture or for those who live for
the day they can spend at the art museum…or a ranch. See how people differ?
Everyone has different tastes and that’s a good thing.
RW: How do you celebrate the mile-markers of publishing?
KD: Signing the contract! What’s that? You mean with a publisher?
No.
Finishing
Edits—That’s a good mile-marker that deserves a sigh of relief.
Going
over the ARC or galleys—I’m not particularly fond of editing my own work and
that’s probably why I’m a slow writer. Hard for me to move on to Chapter Two
until I know Chapter One is in good shape.
Release
Day!—Most definitely a milestone. One of the nicest things about writing,
typing “The End.”
RW: Where do you hope to be five years from now?
KD: Alive and well. Oh…wait, you meant with my writing. I don’t
set hard goals every year (hmm, maybe not even soft ones). I know many who do
and that’s fine if it works for them. For me, I’m not sure I can live up to
those lofty goals. So many things can happen in a year that might knock me from
my schedule. I’m more of a take a day at a time person and then celebrate every
accomplishment. Pass the beer…pass the chocolate!
RW: Why did you decide to write?
KD: Enjoyment. Relaxation. Learning experience. Gaining knowledge
about so many things in life.
RW: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your
writing?
KD: I don’t know that I can pinpoint any specific character
traits or life experiences, but I think writers take a little here, a little
there from everything they’ve learned in life and apply it to a character or a
plot. If writers say nothing in their stories relates to their own lives, I
think that would be stretching it a bit. Traits, nuances, experience seep into
our stories even if they’re not overt.
RW: What kind of research do you do for a book?
KD: More for a full-length novel because we’re
forced to cut down on depth of character or intricate plots when writing
novellas. But that doesn’t mean accuracy isn’t important. If I write about a
place or a certain event in any of my books, I research the history so I don’t
look like a complete idiot.
RW: When did you first think about writing and what prompted you
to submit your first ms? What genre is it?
KD: I think writers everywhere can say “I read every day as a
child,” or “I have always had a love for books and the written word.” If you
grew up a voracious reader and you loved books when you were young, maybe part
of the course was already charted. Writing is hard work, and like all jobs, if
you don’t love what you do, you won’t last in that field.
RW: Would you like to write a different genre or sub-genre than
you do now?
KD: I wish I liked to read contemporary romance
more so I could be enthused about writing it. Yes, I know how popular it is.
But to me, reading about the modern world we live in every day doesn’t hold my
interest for long. I’d much rather read about events of the past, people who
forged the frontier, made our country what it is today. Again, this gets down
to individual likes and dislikes. Although I have written several contemporary
romances, I seldom read them.
RW: Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story?
Where did the idea come from?
KD: Lately, I’ve been involved in several anthologies and like
writing for them. Some of my contributions this year appeared in Courting the West, Silver Belles and
Stetsons, Come Love A Cowboy, and now, The
Good, The Bad and The Ghostly. I’m almost finished with the third book in
the Sky Series, Sky Tinted Water, Sky
Dance and now, the third book, Sky
Dance. Watch for it!
RW: Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?
KD: Oh, boy, now I’m going to sound like a sour puss. This is
another area of genres (or sub-genres) I seldom read. But then, I don’t
gravitate at all to comedy movies either. I’m picky with my humor. I don’t like
silly, slapstick but some billed as romantic comedy are okay. Both in books and
movies. I tend to go for the dark books or serious books and would always pick
them over humorous books.
RW: What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
KD: Read, garden, sometimes genealogy, and I spend as much time
as possible with animals—as in my local animal shelter. I would adopt them all
if I could, but that’s not too practical, is it? So instead, I walk dogs, hold
cats and support them in other ways with my time and donations.
RW: Bubble baths or steamy showers? Ocean or mountains? Puppies
or kittens? Chocolate or caramel?
KD: Very, very few baths for me. Mountains. Both puppies and
kittens. Chocolate of any kind, but prefer dark chocolate.
RW: A biography has been written about you. What do you think the
title would be in six words or less?
KD: Determined. Compassionate. Good friend. Good mother. Bold.
Sometimes mouthy or opinionated without being cruel. Oh, sh%$...that’s more
than six words.
RW: If money were not an object, where would you most like to
live?
KD: The Carolinas. Or someplace similar in weather and water.
Must have good restaurants, good libraries and good people. That’s not asking
too much, is it?
RW: If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
KD: Solve a mystery or die trying.
RW: What song would best describe your life?
KD: Bridge Over Troubled Water. Oh damn, that’s
horrible!
RW: Why’s that horrible? I love that song. It’s about being a
supportive friend, and that certainly describes you!
RW: Picture yourself as a store. Considering your
personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?
KD: Books, laptops, movies, Keen footwear, sandals and
flip-flops, t-shirts, kewl hoodies, ragged jeans, specialty soaps, soy candles.
Did I mention books?
RW: What is your secret
guilty pleasure?
KD: Survivor
RW: City life or country life? E-Book or paperback? Zebras or
elephants?
KD: Hands down—Country life. Ebooks, Zebras (relatives of horses).
RW: How do you come up with story ideas?
KD: Dreams, reading a lot and believe it or not…people watching.
The BEST-ever way to get your creative juices flowing. Sit in a mall sometime
and do nothing but watch the people around you. Concentrate, watch their body
language, their conversations (don’t eavesdrop, though) watch how they interact
with the environment and people around them. Recommendation: Clear your
mind and do nothing else but watch them.
RW: What can we expect from you in the future?
KD: Danged if I know. See above…one day at a time. Lol.
RW: If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
KD: Proceed with….Oh, wait, that’s more ten questions. I better
stop here before I give away all my secrets.
THANKS,
ROCHELLE! YOU ROCK.
Keta
Diablo.
About
the story:
When
a tragic accident claims her husband’s life, Jesse Santos must find a way to
keep the ranch, the only home her twelve-year-old son has ever known. The ranch hands have abandoned her, a gang of
cutthroat ranchers want her land, and an ancient Yaqui Indian insists a spirit
has taken up residence in the house.
After
a fifteen year absence, her husband’s brother, Coy, returns to his childhood
home. He doesn’t plan on staying, and he certainly doesn’t intend to settle
down with a widow and her son—no matter how pretty she is.
He’s
an outlaw, after all, and made a decision to put an end to his gun-slinging
days long ago. Will his conscience let him walk away from family, or will his
heart overrule his head?
Excerpt:
The
town of Red Butte sat five miles behind him, which meant his destination should
appear around the next bend. He wondered how much had changed since he’d left
fifteen years ago. Hell, he wondered if anyone would even recognize him. Guess
he’d soon find out.
The
one-story house came into view. Painted buttercup yellow and trimmed in white,
with a wrap-around veranda the same color as the trim, it looked the same. At
least that hadn’t changed. The red barn still stood and to the right of the
house, the riotous garden remained. Childhood memories flooded Coy. He could
almost smell his mother’s blue bells and forget-me-nots, taste her home-grown
beans, squash, and the mouth-watering ears of corn fresh off the stalk.
A
dog barked from somewhere near the steps of the porch. As he drew closer he
spotted the long-haired cur, part Australian Shepherd and a breed he couldn’t
identify. The dog trotted up the steps when he brought his horse to a halt,
settled in beside a young boy, and then flashed an ominous row of white teeth
his way.
His
gaze left the dog and wandered to the boy with a baby screech owl perched on
his left shoulder. A brown slouch hat sat atop his head, the chin strap resting
on his chest. His hair was long and jet black, his eyes gun-metal gray. A
rope-belt held up his baggy wool trousers and the white cotton shirt set off
his youthful, tanned face. A face that held a wary expression yet exuded a
cocky air.
“State
your business,” a female voice called out.
Too
busy taking in his surroundings, the dog and the boy, his tired brain
overlooked the woman on the porch. Now that he’d taken a good look, he couldn’t
imagine how any man with blood running through his veins could fail to notice
her. Tall and lean, weathered leather trousers clung to her long legs like
second skin. A red flannel shirt hung long and loose on her body but failed to
hide her womanly curves. Her hair was thick and straight, falling past her
shoulders in a tangle of burnished copper. Watchful and intense, her large,
round eyes glistened like liquid pools of blue ice.
When
he brought a knee up to dismount, she cocked the rifle. “You don’t hear so
good. I asked you to state your business.”
“My
business? I was about to ask what you’re doing here and follow it up with just
who the hell are you?”
“Don’t
bother dismounting, and don’t even think about going for that sidearm at your
hip. Though the buzzards might like it; they haven’t had their breakfast yet
this morning.”
“Right
friendly, aren’t ya?”
“To
my friends, yes.”
“Where’s
the folks that used to live here?”
She
jerked her chin toward a cluster of cottonwoods in the distance. He remembered
the trees and the black wrought-iron fence surrounding them, the family
graveyard. His heart wrenched for a brief moment. He hadn’t considered the
possibility his parents might be dead.
“Where’s
Cain? He off again on one of his infamous ghost hunts or is he hiding inside
with his nose buried in a textbook?”
Something
crossed her eyes for a second…surprise, sorrow? Maybe both. “You know Cain?”
“I
should, he’s my brother.”
Definitely
shock this time. “Your…your brother?”
“Now
who can’t hear so good?”
“I
heard you. He, well, he didn’t talk much about a brother.”
“No,
don’t imagine he did.” He put his hands out at his sides. “Look, it’s mighty
hot out here under the sun, and my horse needs water.” Sweating under the
sweltering heat, his temper flared. “For the record, never point a rifle at a
man unless you intend to use it.”
“I
still might.”
He
shook his head and blew a puff of air.
“All
right, climb on down but keep your hands where I can see ’em.” She eased up on
the rifle and turned to the boy. “Grange, grab a bucket of water for his horse.”
The
kid scrambled down the steps and headed for the well nearby, the mutt close on
his heels and growling as he passed. “Easy, Fetch,” the boy said.
“Fetch?
How original.”
“At
least he’s got a name,” the boy muttered under his breath and kept on walking.
Coy
turned back to the woman. “The kid’s right. Forgive my manners. Name is Coy…Coy
Santos, Cain’s younger brother. If he’s not here right now, I’m sure he’ll
vouch for me when he gets back.”
She
leaned the rifle against the railing and met his eyes. “I’m Jesse, and that boy
watering your horse is my son, Grange.”
He
looked toward the cemetery again. “So Ma and Pa are gone, huh? Didn’t realize I’d
been gone so long.”
“I’m
sorry.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Your pa died seven
years back, your ma….” She looked off for a minute as if recalling the event. “Must
be five years ago now.”
“Well,
I guess time slips away without us realizing it.” He caught those shimmering
blue eyes again. “You didn’t tell me your last name.”
“Santos,”
she said and paused to wait for his reaction. When he didn’t offer one, she
added, “Cain’s wife.”
The
merciless sun must have scrambled his brain. She looked too young to be his
brother’s wife; she couldn’t be more than thirty years old. And Cain, well, he
was almost twenty years older than him. Above that, she had to be the most
handsome woman he’d ever laid eyes on. There had to be more to this story, and
he intended to find out how she ended up married to his bookish brother. “Your
name is Santos?”
She
nodded. “Yes, Santos, apparently the same as yours.”
“The
boy is Cain’s son?”
Another
nod as she glanced toward the boy.
“Guess
I missed out on a whole lot of news from home.”
“There’s
more.” She turned on her heels and walked toward the door leading to the house.
“Can’t very well turn family out. Come inside, breakfast is warming on the
stove. I’ll let you know what else you missed.”
Author
Bio
Keta
Diablo lives in the Midwest part of the United States on six acres of woodland.
When she isn’t writing or gardening she loves to commune with nature. A
lifelong animal lover, she also devotes her time and support to the local
animal shelters.
Keta’s
a bestselling Amazon author who writes in several genres, including western
romance, historical romance, paranormal romance and the occasional gay romance.
Her books have received numerous Top Pick, Book of the Month and Recommended
Read reviews.
You
can find her on the net here:
Buy Link: http://mybook.to/GoodBadGhostly
