Looking Out the Window: K. Dawn Byrd Talks about Her New Teen Novel, Hotline Girl. She'll Give Away a Free Download.

 

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It's great to have K. Dawn visit today. Hotline Girl sounds like such a fun book to read. What would you like readers to take away from it?
 It's important that when Christian teens choose a boyfriend or girlfriend, they choose someone who shares their Christian faith.

Why did you choose to write this book?
I thought it would be fun to explore how a couple could fall in love on-line. When my heroine's high school begins a counseling hotline, she's chosen to work it anonymously. She finds herself giving advice to a guy she's had a crush on forever. Once she knows all the hero's secret, will love blossom or fail? When he divulges the problems he's having with his girlfriend, she's tempted to give him advice that will break them up. Will she do the right thing?

What did you learn while writing this book?
I really love writing for the young adult market. Bouncing back to YA after writing suspense is a refreshing break.

Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why?
It's not really a book, but I'll tell you about it anyway. Margie Lawson's on-line classes made more impact on me and my writing style that anything else I've ever studied. They're very affordable too!

What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel?
I fill out character sketches in order to get to know my characters better. I ask myself what their goals are, what motivates them, and what's keeping them from reaching their goals. Sometimes, I start by writing a synopsis. This gives me information about the plot as it develops. I usually have a pretty strong plot before I actually begin the story.

What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a thriller about a serial killer. It's a difficult story because there are several twists and turns and I have to be careful how I write it for everything to fall into place correctly.

What would you be doing if you weren’t writing?
Probably still riding a Harley. I sold my bike in order to have more time to write. On weekends, I'd rather curl up with my laptop and the story in my head.

Tell us a little more about yourself , with three things not many people know
about you.
I have a masters degree in professional counseling from Liberty University.

I'm an animal lover. I have two hairless Chinese Crested dogs, four ferrets, and several aquariums in my home, and somehow recently I ended up with a shelter rescue Chihuahua.

 I  love sour foods. I'd rather have olives, pickles, or dilly beans than something sweet sometimes.

Thank you, K. Dawn. It's great to hear about Hotline Girl and to learn more about you!

  About Hotline Girl
When the school counselor asks Abby to work a counseling chat line, she begs her to choose someone else. When Race, Abby's three-year crush, begins using the chat line to talk about his girlfriend problems, can Abby be impartial when she really wants to tell him to dump her?
Race notices Abby after she has a complete make-over. He begins to spend more time with her and feels like a cheater because he likes the hotline girl too. How can he like two girls at once?
Abby is thrilled when Race begins spending time with her, but she's crushed when he tells the hotline girl that he likes her and wants to take her out. Is he a player? Will he even want to be with her when he finds out that she is the hotline girl and knows all his deepest secrets?

An excerpt:
I signed into the chat room and found SS2 RS waiting for me. HOTLINE GIRL HERE. WHAT'S UP? I asked.
I SENT YOU FLOWERS. DID YOU GET THEM? DO YOU LIKE THEM?
I leaned over and took a whiff. THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU.
PROBABLY NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT THANKS. (((BLUSHING)))
SS2 RS had been paging me a lot lately and the more time I spent with him, the more certain I was that he was Race. I'd asked a couple of times who he was and he'd refused to tell me. We were getting to know each other quite well and I wasn't sure how he felt, but the more I came to know him, the better I liked him. I just wondered if I could trust him. We were finding out that we had a lot in common. Our faith. Our love of sports cars. Our love of animals.
SOMETIMES, I STAND IN THE HALL AND WATCH GIRLS GO BY AND WONDER WHICH ONE IS YOU. CAN YOU AT LEAST TELL ME YOUR HAIR COLOR?
I contemplated my response. What would be the harm in that? There were dozens of blonde seniors. BLONDE.
AT LEAST NOW I CAN RULE OUT GIRLS WITH BLACK, BROWN, RED, AND PINK AND BLUE HAIR.
LOL. YOU'RE FUNNY.
NOT REALLY. I'M A PRETTY SERIOUS GUY MOST OF THE TIME. ARE YOU GOING TO THE GAME?
YES. YOU?
SINCE I PLAY, I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CHOICE.
I opened the notes app on my phone and typed in football player. I'd been keeping notes on him so I wouldn't forget anything, hoping I could play Nancy Drew and determine who the mystery guy was. GUESS I'LL SEE YOU THERE.
FUNNY. BUT, HOW WILL I SEE YOU? ARE YOU A CHEERLEADER?
NOPE.
OKAY. THAT RULES OUT A FEW MORE GIRLS. ONE DAY, I'M GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHEN I DO, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU OUT.
FINE WITH ME, BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR GIRLFRIEND? It was killing me not knowing for sure that he was Race. I know it was crazy, but I really liked him and I didn't even know his name. He might be Race, but then again, he might not be.
SHE'S GETTING READY TO DUMP ME. I JUST KNOW IT. I'M NOT HAPPY AND I KNOW SHE'S NOT EITHER, SO THE SOONER THE BETTER.

Bio:
K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational novels in several genres, including historical, suspense, romance, and young adult. Some of her favorite things are chocolate, sports cars, and her pets. Her hobbies include reading, writing, and riding down country roads in the passenger seat of her husband's Corvette Stingray. When asked why she writes, her response is, "For the simple joy of placing words on the page!"

Get in touch with K. Dawn

Email: kdawnbyrd@yahoo.com
Pinterist: kdawnbyrd
Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/www.kdawnbyrd.com  
Blog: www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com
Facebook Christian Fiction Gathering: https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianfictiongathering/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/k.d.byrd.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kdawnbyrd

Hotline Girl’s available at Amazon, B&N, and where other ebooks are sold.