Author Q&A: Donna Steele

Today we're interviewing Donna Steele, who writes science fiction, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance.

Under that name, Steele writes romance for women coming into their strength and having the courage to find and accept love — which makes her a feminist big time. Her heroines usually end up pulling the hero’s ass out of the fire. It’s more realistic too.

As an empty nester with my beloved best friend and husband (who actually encourages this mad passion of mine), she writes all the time — whether or not she has a pen or keyboard handy.

SADYE: How did you come to see yourself as a writer, and what inspired you to seek publication?   

DONNA: I’ve written my whole life (found a manuscript I wrote when I was seven when we downsized), but I started writing X-Files fanfic many years ago. 

I met some wonderful supportive writers who encouraged me to try to publish. Surprisingly it worked. And the fanfiction gave me the courage (and the thicker skin) to go for it.

SADYE: Tell us something about your writing process that’s unusual or that you haven’t revealed before.  

DONNA: I don’t know that it’s that unusual, but I have to have a routine.

I worked in an office for fifty years and love my routine. I call it my rut, but I love being in my rut, no interruptions and it keeps me disciplined.

SADYE: Which of your characters would you most and least like to trade places with? 

DONNA: Most, I think it would be Brandy Carter from the Unknown Tasks series — she never knows what her task will be or what skills she’ll discover to accomplish that task. 

Least, probably Rachel from the Melting series — she’s still very young and I don’t want to go through that time of my life again.

SADYE: Which of your characters would you most and least like to become romantically involved with? 

DONNA: Now that’s harder. I write men I’d love to know…Marek from Cancun Memories would be in the top three. 

By far the least would be Francis Wannamaker from Learning Trust. He’s my favorite villain so far.

SADYE: What have been the most surprising, rewarding, and challenging parts of your writing career? 

DONNA: Surprising is when someone recognizes me and tells me they love my books.

That’s probably the most rewarding as well — when they wait for my books and let me know what they think.

The challenging is definitely the marketing. As a writer I’m an introvert and love it, asking someone to buy my book is intimidating on a massive scale.

SADYE: What has been the most touching or memorable piece of reader feedback you’ve received? 

DONNA: It was back with the fanfic. I went to New York to see David Duchovny on stage in Break of Noon.

Afterward we were standing around waiting for him to come out for autographs and a woman attached herself to my group. She was alone and from England and had come for the same reason. She was a huge X-Files fan.

I asked her if she read fanfic and she admitted it was her favorite and had kept her going when her mother died. I gave the name of another writer and asked if she'd read her. She said yes and I said, "well, that’s her. How about …" and went through two or three names who were there with me, then admitted I was Donnah.

Her knees gave out and I had to grab her. She stuck with us for the rest of the night. What a rush!

SADYE: What message or theme would you like readers to take away from your work? 

DONNA: Women are strong, whether they show it or not. In order to be women we have to be. Go for it!  

The other theme would be there is no Planet B; love your mother Gaia and look after her.

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Learn more about Donna Steele on her website, where her books can also be purchased; like her page on Facebook; and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

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