Interview with Dee Rose

Author of The Bad Angel: Redemption

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I am from Gary, Indiana. I reside in Denver, Colorado now.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

When I got out of the US Navy, I moved back home with my mother in Gary, Indiana. My father asked me to move to Denver for better opportunities and so I did.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

The first book I wrote was actually a fiction novel, entitled Cloning Around. However, my sister died right as I was about to publish it. So, I decided to write another book to honor my sister. It was a romance, entitled Forbidden Love. My sister was gay and the book’s lead character is a gay man, so I decided to publish it first as a tribute to her.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My books are mostly fiction. Forbidden Love was a romance. My next book, Cloning Around, was science fiction. Then I found my niche. The Hangman, which spawned the Hangman Universe, or HMU, pulled me in the fantasy direction and I’ve been concentrating on it ever since. Those books are about demons, angels, vampire slayers, and demon hunters. I’ve recently introduced wizards and other supernatural creatures.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I think people who love supernatural adventures and tons of action will connect with my books.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

I think the most unexpected thing I learned about writing and publishing is how hard it is to do both. I went the self-publishing route because I knew I had a good product, but it was extremely hard to find an agent and publisher, who were willing to take a chance on my vision.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

The advice I would give my past self is to be patient. As much as we would like it to be a sprint, the publishing game is a marathon.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I’d be lying if I came up with a small number. But I’d like my books to reach millions or as many people who like to read a good adventure book. Not bragging, but I think my story-telling is unique.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Like I said before, finding an agent has been my biggest challenge. I’d love to go that route and have someone pitch my writings for me. But my vision is so important to me that I couldn’t sit around and spend my time writing query letters, only to be rejected.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I believe my biggest strength in writing my books is the writing itself. My action scenes, in particular, I put a ton of thought into how they look. As for publishing, I just try to make sure that my writing is in the best hands of who, not only care for my books, but for me as well. The only strength that I can think of as far as marketing goes is my passion and enthusiasm for my work. I love to talk about my books with people.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

My biggest weakness when it comes to writing is my attention to detail. I usually have more errors than I should have. It’s the same for the publishing aspect. And when it comes to marketing, sometimes I believe I pitch my books to the wrong audiences, which is easily fixable.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’ve actually just finished my next book and hopefully, it will be published in the next month or two. It’s called The Hangman Returns and takes place five years after The Hangman. Of course, there were four novellas in between about different characters in the HMU.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I am self-published.