Interview: Dee Henderson, author of 'Full Disclosure'

It's Dee-Day! Which means Dee Henderson is back. And I don't mean just back, but BACK. (I love writing in caps.) Dee's first novel in six years, Full Disclosure, is out today. To celebrate, Dee's here to answer some questions about it.

Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Dee! Fans are excited as all get-out that your first book in nearly six years comes out today. Why so long between books?

Dee: It's always nice to be missed. It wasn't my plan to have so much time between books; it's simply how this particular story evolved. Full Disclosure originated in a mystery series I had developed over the course of a couple of years. That series turned into the backstory for a larger single title. I don't recommend arriving at a book that way, but I personally like the results of a richer plot line and more complex characters. I want to create stories for my readers to enjoy for decades to come, just hopefully with not as much time between finished stories in the future.

Joyce: What are you looking forward to most about having a new book out after so many years?

Dee: It's the first book releasing in hardback format and represents something I had hoped to hold in my hands since I first began to dream of being a writer, so it feels very much like a first book in many ways. I'm going to enjoy the mail from readers, both good and bad, as I like to hear what they think of a book. I've lived with this story for over a year, and now it's time to hear what others think about it.

Joyce: Is it just me or does the guy on the cover of Full Disclosure look like Karl, Susan's ex-husband on Desperate Housewives, played by Richard Burgi?

Dee: As soon as you said Richard Burgi, and I looked at his picture, I had to go get the book to hold next to the screen. It's close. I can remember so many shows he has done over the years that I've enjoyed. I hope Richard Burgi stars in a movie based on the book one day.

Joyce: That would be amazing! Richard Burgi, are you listening? So … ARE some secrets best left hidden?

Dee: Ann Silver wrestles with this question in the book and comes to the conclusion there are some secrets that should be left hidden. Several secrets are revealed in Full Disclosure -- hence the title -- but I left the question open for readers to decide if they agree with her. I personally came to the conclusion she was right. Secrets get revealed for myriad reasons. Having the truth known in the wider public domain is not always the best outcome, when the reasons for its disclosure have more to do with the one revealing the secret than the truth that is shared.

Joyce: Suppose your O'Malley series were to be made into a TV show. Which would be awesome! Who would you cast as some of the characters?

Dee: I'm going to punt on answering this question and instead ask readers to send me their recommendations. I do hope to see the O'Malley series brought to life on the big screen or in a television series one day. It's one of the reasons I've been holding the film rights for them in the event the right opportunity presents itself.

Joyce: OK, you heard it readers. Let's cast the O'Malley series. In the meantime, Dee, on your website you ask your readers to share your books with others. What are some of the books and who are some of the authors you share with others?

Dee:A Praying Life by Paul Miller just came back from a friend; it's one of those that gets dog-eared and replaced over time. I'm always good for fiction when a friend wants to swap books with me. Books by Lynette Eason and Dani Pettrey are the most recent ones. Another is a work of non-fiction titled Trusting God by Jerry Bridges. I loved this book for how much it made me think. I like to think of my bookshelves as a mini-library, and at its best when books are coming and going from friends.

Joyce: Please tell us about Full Disclosure.

Dee: In Full Disclosure I gave two very good cops a car wreck, a suspicious death and a lead on a hired shooter. The case which began so simply will lead them to the kind of secret that will change how history is written once it is known.So at its most basic Full Disclosure is a mystery and a romance.

I enjoy writing about cops. With this story I wanted to portray the job that a cop's life really is -- the cases keep coming to be solved, and if you're going to have a private life, space for it is going to have to be carved into the flow of work.

I also like to write about falling in love. I decided to write a bit against type in this romance. From the beginning, Paul Falcon wants to get married and is looking for the right lady. Ann Silver is content being single and hasn't been thinking about marriage. It created a unique romance that I loved.

And I enjoy writing about faith. What characters think about God, whether they believe or not, interests me. I'm not ready to say a manuscript is finished until I've figured out what I want the book to share about God. In Full Disclosure I explore how God is involved and interacting with us in our day-to-day lives.

Joyce: What can readers expect to see from you next?

Dee:Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story is being released as a small gift-sized hardback in May 2013. This background piece covers the days leading up to book one of the O'Malley series. It's Jennifer and Tom's love story and ends the day before The Negotiator (O'Malley series, book one) begins. It's one of the most-requested stories readers have asked me to put in print, and I'm grateful to Bethany House Publishers for making that happen.

Joyce: Is there anything you'd like to add?

Dee: One of the best gifts you can give an author is to share the stories so they continue to be passed around and enjoyed. After you've read Full Disclosure, or if you have copies of the O'Malley series books on your bookshelves, it would mean a lot to me if you would share them with a friend or co-worker. I'm making a point to see how many copies of the stories can get lent around this year.

Joyce: Thanks, Dee!

Readers can find out more about Dee and her books at her website, DeeHenderson.com. You can also find out more about Full Disclosure on Facebook and at its very own website.