V.A. Dold - Shifters, Romance and Realistic Women

Posted on 21st of April, 2017 by Naomi Bolton

V.A. Dold enjoys spending her day with her computer, her coffee mug and the Le Beau brothers. This award-winning series has impressed readers worldwide and in this interview, the bestselling author gives us a peek behind the scenes. Dold tells us about how she sometimes literally dreams up story lines, her thoughts on soul mates and gives us her definition of the perfect romance novel hero.

Please give us a short introduction to what CADE is about.

Cade is about 200 years old and hasn’t found his mate. He’s the oldest of seven brothers – all single. His parents, Isaac and Emma, are tired of waiting for their children to find mates and give them grand children. Secretly, his parents find out who Cade’s mate is and set him up to meet her.

Anna is a forty-five year old divorcee with two sons. She’s dreamed of a handsome man for five years, never expecting him to be real.

All is going well until her ex husband comes to town.

Tell us more about Anna James. Who is she and what makes her so special?

Anna is a strong, successful woman who is finally living her dream of moving to New Orleans. She may be willing to let her alpha male mate protect her, but she has no trouble taking care of business if she has to.

What inspired you to use dreams in your book as a way for your protagonists to meet?

I think we all dream about our handsome knight coming along and sweeping us off our feet.

I often dream a story line before I write the book.

Using dreams just made sense.

Why did you decide to involve Anna's ex-husband in the story?

He has a history of popping back into her life when he needs something. He’s controlling and abusive. That type of person does view divorce as the end of a relationship. In his mind, she is still his.

This is the first of the Le Beau Series - how do the other books in the series tie in with this one?

Each story features either a Le Beau Brother, Le Beau cousin, or a close friend of the family.

The entire series centers around the Le Beaus. The reader will find that the characters make it a habit of showing up in each others stories.

Why did you decide to use a plus sized woman as your protagonist?

I’m plus sized as a good percentage of all women. It makes sense to have the heroine be realistic.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I like to cook.

I have a knack for taking a recipe and modifying it with yummy result.

Do you believe in soul mates in real life? Why?

Absolutely. We all have them. We actually meet our soulmate life after life.

Friends and family too. The people you surround yourself with have spent many lifetimes with you in a variety of relations to you. In one life they might be your brother, in another your father or best friend. But that soul will return over and over again in your many reincarnations.

What is your definition of the perfect romance novel hero?

He must be protective and yet allow the heroine find her way. The point is, he stands up of his lady and demands she be respected.

He is supportive and gentle with the heroine even if he is a badass with everyone else.

I am always big on manners. My hero’s open doors, and pull out chairs for their ladies.

He doesn’t have to be out of this world attractive, his personality and behavior is what counts.

He can be damaged too, Simon has PTSD, Mark Anderson lost half of his leg on Deployment, etc.

Why shifters? What drew you to include a paranormal aspect in your book?

I have always been drawn to the paranormal and I like to ability to build my own world. I’m not hampered by what the reader knows or believes because I make the rules.

What is the most romantic thing you have ever experienced?

When I was pregnant with our second son, my husband put our eighteen-month-old son in his stroller and went jewelry shopping for an amethyst ring because he knew I wanted one. I never knew he’d gone shopping until I was given the gift.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? Favorite writing spot? Music? Time of day?

I have turned a bedroom into my writing cave. I have two rolling tables like the ones used in a hospital to roll under the bed. I put my laptop and over sized monitors on the tables and roll them under the foot part of my lazy boy chair.

Then I turn on HGTV and let it play all day while I write LOL

What are you working on right now?

I am writing Dangerous Destiny, which is the first of my vampire series. Initially, it will be available in the Halloween in Savannah box set coming out in Oct.

I’m also writing SETH #7 in the LE Beau series.