Debra Cowan Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A:  I’m a native Oklahoman with twenty years of work experience in the oil and gas industry. Several years ago, I was able to leave that job and now write full-time. I am published in both historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense. This summer my husband and I will have been married 31 years. We don’t have kids, but love spending time with our nieces and nephews.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A:  Not until after college. As a kid, I made up stories in my head and rewrote endings to books I’d read, but I thought everyone did that. After graduating with a B.A. in English, I began taking classes for my Master’s Degree. The first class I landed in was “Write a Novel”. Throughout the course, I discovered how much I liked writing and decided I wanted to pursue publication. Since I didn’t need my Master’s for that, I finished out the year and began another book. By then, I was all the way in.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A:  Two of the highlights are becoming a RITA finalist, once for a contemporary romantic suspense and currently for a historical. My first break came after I’d written four full novels. I submitted my fifth, an Americana historical, to Berkley/Jove for a new imprint. That became my first published novel and was released in Feb, 1994.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release WITNESS UNDERCOVER?

A: Laura Prentiss, AKA Laura Parker, comes out of witness protection to donate bone marrow for her cancer-stricken father. Since turning in evidence that put her ex behind bars, she’s had a killer on her trail. Former navy SEAL Griffin Devaney is now an operative for threat-management firm, Enigma, Inc. and is assigned to protect her. Griffin blames himself for the ambush that took his teammates’ lives, and he’s determined that nothing will ever happen to someone under his protection again. He vows to guard Laura from the danger now threatening her. He never expected he would also have to guard his heart.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for WITNESS UNDERCOVER?

A: Earlier research on the witness protection program (WitSec) planted the idea for this book.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: That God offers redemption for everyone and sometimes the most difficult person to forgive is ourselves.

Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

A: Probably the one in the barn when Griffin tells Laura what happened the day his teammates died.

Q: What inspires you to write?

A: Sometimes I get ideas from news stories, sometimes from personal stories that are shared with me. Other times, it’s just my wondering, “What if …?”

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?

A: At times, it’s been a test of endurance. It’s also provided moments of great joy. I knew there would be highs and lows, just like life, but some years have been extreme on one end or the other.

Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

A: Know your target market by reading and studying books in that market. The single best piece of advice I ever received was “Finish the book. Every book.” Besides the fact that any acquiring editor needs to know you can write an entire novel, you need to know it. And you don’t know it until you do it.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A:  I would love to, but I’m not quite sure myself. LOL. Right now, it’s a mish-mash of an idea that involves a serial killer, a drug cartel and a disgraced FBI agent.

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?

A: I’m a huge fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder and attend as many of their NBA games as possible. I also like to Zumba, do puzzles, read and spend time with my family.

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?

A:  They can check out my website and sign up for my newsletter at www.debracowan.net. On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DebraCowanAuthor and on Twitter using @AuthorDebCowan.

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A:  I love hearing from readers. If you read WITNESS UNDERCOVER, I hope you enjoy it.