Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Welcome Guest Debra Webb

Cindy here. And happy, happy, happy to introduce today's guest. I have been so very fortunate to meet not only wonderful and amazing authors in this business but to meet some wonderful and amazing people as well. Debra Webb is one of those special people. I met Deb a few years back at an RWA national conference and knew immediately that she was as sincere, sweet and 'real' as the great big smile on her face. I am so pleased to welcome Deb to the convertible today. Deb has written mega amazing books for Harlequin and September saw the release of her romantic suspense single title debut, TRACELESS. Book 2 of this fantastic series, NAMELESS just hit the stands. But don't wait too long to get it. It's going to fly off the shelves.
Deb has generously offered to give away a copy of NAMELESS to some lucky blogger. So make sure you post a message!! Now, without further ado - heeeeerrrrreeee'sssss Debra.....

Thanks so much for inviting me here today. My second St. Martin’s release, NAMELESS, hit the shelves yesterday. When I was considering what to write about today I decided that the question that I am asked most is “When did you realize you wanted to write stories for publication?” Wow, even looking back now, that’s a tough one. I think I created stories with characters I wanted to be in order to escape real life, to reach that altered reality that was mine alone and could end anyway I wanted it to. Basically, I could be anyone I wanted to be, do anything I wanted to do. Scarey, huh?

In NAMELESS, I’m Vivian Grace, a woman who has suffered the worst man can do to man and yet she has triumphed over her demons. Or so she thinks. I’m assigned to babysit a man who is as different from me as is possible to be. Yet, I’m utterly attracted to all that he is. He represents what I have fought to rise above. Every minute is a challenge on the most personal of levels. Nameless is a journey that takes me to the place where I find myself.

Back to the real question. I started to write when I was nine years old. I loved creating characters who had all that I didn’t…all that I wanted. I grew up on a farm. My family was dirt poor with nothing in our pockets but dreams. My parents encouraged the dreamer in me. I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to create the characters and their journeys, to go places I could never hope to go as a young girl on a small farm in Alabama. My stories took me all over. I would tell them to my younger brother while traipsing through the woods on our parents’ farm. Eventually, I decided to put my fingers on the keys and create those stories in a format that I could share with others. So, here I am. I love storytelling. Ask me anything and I’ll try to answer.

23 comments:

Keri Ford said...

I read the name Debra Webb and i kept telling myself, why does that name sound so familiar?

And then I saw the pic of your next book and figured it out! I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Traceless at Dallas! (it was the font of your name that'd jarred my memory if you're wondering!)

Timeless will be my next contemp. I read then I can pick up Nameless and be in order! Big Congrats on the release!

Helen Brenna said...

Hey, Debra. Welcome and major congrats on the success of your new series!

I love happily ever after stories and yours sounds about as good as it gets.

What made you want to break away from romance into suspense?

Cindy Gerard said...

Hi Deb!! As i said before - so happy to have you with us today.
Hugs

Playground Monitor said...

Hi Deb! We miss you in Alabama, but I'm sure you probably didn't miss our 3 AM tornado warning last night.

I'm ashamed to say I haven't read Traceless yet but it's in my TBR pile. And now Nameless will have to join it. *sigh* The pile continues to grow as so many wonderful authors write so many good books.

Marilyn

Debra said...

Good morning! Keri, it was so cool when they gave away copies of my book at RWA. I was so excited! Cindy, I'm thrilled to be here!

Helen, I think my passion for suspense developed while living in Berlin, Germany before the wall came down. The Iron Curtain and the "Cold War" atmosphere were certainly fertile ground!

Debra said...

Marily! I miss you guys too! We have lots of snow and it's cold!

Unknown said...

Debra, welcome to the convertible! And congratulations on your new series! It sounds wonderful!

Isn't it interesting that so many writers point back to parents who encouraged them to write and draw and make up things? We hear so much about the awful things parents do. . . but they do some damn fine things, too. Here's to good and loving parents!!!

And that phrase "nothing in our pockets but dreams". . . yeah, you were destined to be a writer.

Debra said...

Betina! Hello! Yep, I have to give credit where credit is due. My parents convinced all of us that we could do anything we set out to do. So when I started writing seriously toward publication it never entered my mind that I couldn't do it. Yes, my parents were true jewels.

Maureen said...

Hi Debra!
Congratulations on the new book. Have you ever set a story in the town where you grew up?

Debra said...

Hey Maureen,
Actually I have. Traceless is loosely based on the small town where I grew up, however, I changed the name to protect the innocent!

Debra Dixon said...

Debra-- Welcome from the convertible's resident Debra. Love the book title and cover. I also had those great parents who want you to do well, believe you will do well and encourage you to reach big. Such a blessing, huh?

Cindy Gerard said...

Hey All you lurkers. don't be shy. Remember Deb is giving away a copy of NAMELESS, so don't be afraid to post.
Have fun

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Hey, y'all! I'm a fairly new transplant to Alabama (and HOD) and got to meet Debra a couple of times before she took off for the cold snowy place. :) And I LOVED TRACELESS. Awesome story.

Cindy, you very graciously signed UNDER THE WIRE for me in Dallas. :) I believe I gushed like a fan girl because I love the Bodyguards!

Christie Ridgway said...

Debra: Thanks for riding with us today. Not only did I get an ARC of Traceless in Dallas (and read it right away), but I was so intrigued when I saw it in a bookstore later that I bought it again. When I opened it I started reading and then went, hey, bummer, I know how this ends!

So I'm looking forward to Nameless. Are those titles your own? I'm always so impressed with good titles.

Angie said...

Hi Debra,

Are your single titles released in Australia? I'll have to enquire at my local romance bookstore to see if they can get them in for me. I love reading your Intrigues. And what a fantastic story about your childhood.

My question is: how do you research for your novels?

Jane said...

Hi Debra,
I loved "Vows of Silence" and "Staying Alive." I'm looking forward to reading your Colby Agency series. Do I have to read them in order? Will you continue to write more books for this series?

Debra said...

Debra! Yay! It's great to see you here. Yes, supportive parents are amazing.

Lynn,
Good to see you here, too! Go Alabama!

Christie, thanks for the huge compliment! I wish I could take credit for the titles but my amazing editor came up with those. We're brainstorming titles for the next three.

Debra said...

Angie, I'm hoping all the St. Martin's titles will be released in Australia, but I don't know for sure yet. I have a lot of faithful readers around the globe who follow my Colby Agency series so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks for the terrific compliment.

Jane, thank you! You don't have to read the Colby stories in order, but you'll enjoy certain elements more if you do. And yes there will be more Colby stories to come. Out this month is Guardian Angel and then in July is Identity Unknown. Next year I have a Colby Agency trilogy that's really going to put Victoria to the test!

Debra said...

So, now I have a question for all of you. What is it about a good book that makes you want to go back and read it again? As a writer I would love to know what about a certain story has made it stay with you for months or years after having read it. When I was a teenager I read a book called The Witch of the Glen. The relationship between the main two characters has stayed with me all these years.

Cindy Gerard said...

Hey deb
That's easy for me. It's the characters. I read Lavryle Spencer's Hummingbird years ago (several times, actually) I still think about Abbey and Jesse. The byplay between them, the tenderness and sexual tension and the friction were just incredible.
I still sigh when I think of those two.

Cindy Gerard said...

Many thanks to Deb for taking time out of her very busy schedule to visit with us today. You can all find deb at www.debrawebb.com and you can find her fabo new release, NAMELESS, on bookshelves everywhere.
Thanks Deb!!

Debra said...

Thanks to all of you!

Cindy Gerard said...

Maureen, if you're out there, you won Debra Webb's giveaway book. Yea! Please contact me at cgerard@Iowatelecom.net with your snail mail addy so we can get the book mailed to you. thanks, Cindy