Author Interview - Penelope Douglas

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.

Her latest Full Length Book , "Nightfall" released on 24th July 2020.

Interview Q/A

1. Hi Penelope!! Let us start by giving us a glimpse about your real life , including one fact about you that is hidden from public knowledge .

HI! Well, I'm the oldest of five from Iowa. When I was about 21, I finally realized what kind of life I didn't want to have, and I knew I needed to leave. Nothing against my home town, but it's the type of place I didn't feel I could grow. Someday I could go back home maybe, but I needed to leave first. I went into massive debt going to college, moved to New Orleans for graduate school, met my husband, and we eventually moved to Las Vegas where I became a teacher. After a while, though, I just wasn't happy in my career. When you're growing up, you think life will feel a certain way when you get to a certain point. Kind of like seeing a place in the movies, but when you finally visit, it doesn't feel as good as you thought it would or hold the same mystique lol. I remembered how much I loved to daydream as a kid, but I'd stopped doing that as an adult. Well, I decided to start again. If something exists in your head but not in your life, your goal is to make it a reality, so I started writing. Creating worlds where I got to fight back when I didn't have the courage as a teen. Having adventures--haunted houses, car chases, mudding, cutting someone's electricity lol--things that I probably won't ever do. I don't know if I actively hide anything from public knowledge, but a fun fact is I got locked in a cemetery one night when I was about 18 or 19. They locked the gates on me, and I destroyed the bushes and flower beds escaping in my little VW. My sister still loves to bring that up at every family gathering.

2. Do people in your real life know you’re an author ? If yes , do they read your books?

Oh, yes. I'm very proud of what I get to do every day. I don't hide it. And yes, my father read Bully and Until You. After that, he didn't want to know any more about his daughter's vivid imagination. My sister also reads my books.

3. First of all , I would Like to thank you! It was “Corrupt” that introduced me to my very favorite book genre , “Dark Romance” !! I am completely obsessed with that series and would love to know how you got the idea to start this amazing series?

You're welcome! The original brainchild was a news story I read about a young woman who sent a few high school guys to prison. Her story wasn't anything like Rika's but it started my thinking of what it would be like for her to run into them on the street when they got out of prison. Over the next year, I built my Pinterest board, incorporating Devil's Night, masks, catacombs.... Corrupt was basically ME. Everything I love. And the series developed on that. Abandoned houses, hotels, underground vaults, secret prison...

4. Do you have any plans to write the second generation or more books in the “Devil’s night” series?

Anything is possible, but no, not currently. I don't have the ideas, and right now, I know I can't write it in a way that will make readers AND me happy. Not to mention, if I write one, I'll have to write them all and that's more than twenty books! Maybe someday. ️

5. Your Anti-heroes are literally at the top of each one of my book list , but I really want to know which of these Heroes is your most favourite?

I love the crazies. Damon has been my favorite to write. He's very complex and multi-layered and so different from me. It's a joy to dive into someone like that.

6. What was the first book that you wrote and how did you feel when it got published?

Bully was my first published book, and it was crazy. I never thought anyone would read it, so imagine my surprise when people did. My life forever changed.

7. Ok so , I couldn’t resist asking but would you please mind loaning Damon to me for a few months?? (I might not return him back…) That man makes me swoon like crazy!!

You'd have to ask Winter and the kids, but I'm guessing they need him desperately! You can come over, though, and entertain Tavi while he repairs her treehouse. Shirtless

8. Damon was a Villain of sorts in the initial books of the “Devil’s Night” series and writing his own book , being in his head must have been a very difficult and astonishing experience. Please share with us about your journey and your emotions when you wrote his book?

Actually, it wasn't hard at all. I just connected with him, Jared, Kaleb, and Jax very easily. I had a hard childhood, too, so while I don't project anger like they do, I do understand their despair. His character really just rolled out fairly easily, and it certainly helped we had a couple of books to develop him and anticipate his story. If his story had happened in Corrupt, it wouldn't have been as good. Time to develop him really worked in his favor.

9. Which book of yours was the toughest one to write??

I often find the second book in a series the hardest--Rival and Hideaway. There are high expectations to match the first, and I'm so happen so many readers love them, because I worked and stressed a lot.

10. You write both Contemporary and Dark Romance , out of the two genres which one do you like writing the most?

I like dark romance more. I really wish I could have more ideas like Birthday Girl. It's my most successful book, and readers really responded, but it was a fluke. Dark romance and raw emotion and fighting and all that anger really excite me as a writer.

11. What was your Latest Release about?? Sell it to us in a few sentences!

My latest release was Fire Night, a little holiday treat to end the Devil's Night series, but I'm working on Tryst Six Venom now. It's a story of girl love between two enemies in school--the popular, rich girl and the bad girl not afraid to fight back. Little do either of them know that there will be just as much fire between them when no one's watching, too.

12. Which part of a book is the easiest one for you to write and which one is the toughest?

The hardest are the sex scenes, and the easiest are the fight scenes and action scenes.

13. What books do you have planned next for us??

I'm releasing Tryst Six Venom in May, and after that, I'm working on Falls Boys (Hellbent One) and Motel.

14. Before we wrap-up let's do a random question round .

What’s your favorite food item?

Popcorn

Ever googled yourself?

No. I don't go looking for trouble! lol

Genres you prefer to read?

Mystery, thrillers

Your most cherished possession?

A string of pearls from my husband. I wore fake ones at my wedding, and my husband loved them on me. He committed to buying me my own someday, but we never had any money for the longest time. He loved finally being able to put me in some real pearls.

Worst gift ever received?

Probably a pair of pants a family member gave me when I was about 12. They were cropped, almost like something a pirate would wear, and I got made fun of every time I wore them. They weren't that bad, but people were just such jerks, it was a little painful.

First nickname you had?

Sadly, never had one!

About the Author

About Penelope:

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, and Birthday Girl. Please look for Kill Switch (Devil’s Night #3), available now. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.