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After eighteen months of trying to find a publisher going to traditional route, I was getting very discouraged. But then several members of my RWA chapter were being published digitally and three of them who were with a particular house suggested I submit to their editor. Which I did. Not Run For Your Life or my second book, The Hired Wife, but a book based in the Hill Country called Love With a Proper Rancher.

And it sold! OMG! You can’t believe the celebrating in our house. I was going to be a published author! I had a wonderful editor and sold them half a dozen more books. I learned how to promote myself as an author and what it meant when I was told to “brand myself.” Then the axe fell. The company was going out of business and our rights were tied up in the bankruptcy proceedings. What a mess. A mess!!
So, okay. I still had a couple of manuscripts I’d never subbed to anyone so I sent one of them to The Wild Rose Press. And they bought it! I was on my way again. Only this time I was a little more cautious and asked a lot of questions. I am still with TWRP. They are a wonderful house and treat their authors very well. And I love, love, love my editor.

While this was happening I decided to try my hand at erotic romance (I was getting pretty cocky there). I subbed a short novella to Ellora’s Cave and —yay! They bought it. I have been with them for almost six years and they, to, are a wonderful house, probably the tops in the world on quality erotic romance fiction. In April 20112 they released my 100th title, Downstroke.

I was on a roll now. I couldn’t stop writing. Thank the lord my husband was both understanding and supportive. He even let me read male dialogue to him and scenes from the male POV so he could help me get it right.

My sales began to build, slowly but steadily. As more readers found me they recommended my books to others. And I began to build—you guessed it—my brand! People recognized my name and sent me fan emails. I was in heaven and still am. And eventually, five years after I started it, Run For Your life became published as Target and continues to do well.

Today in addition to Ellora’s Cave and The Wild Rose Press I also write for three other great houses—Samhain, Decadent and Total-e-bound. I love them all.

You might want to check out my latest, Out of Control, a very gritty erotic romantic suspense that’s a bit of a departure for me. You can find me in Twitter @desireeholt), FB (Desiree Holt), my web site (www.desireeholt.com) and my blog (www.desireeholttellsall.com) where I have established my new brand with a new title-Under My Hat.

If you see me at a conference or a convention, I’ll be the one wearing a hat—my new look. I love to hear from people so be sure to email me at desireeholt@desireeholt.com
Bio
Desiree Holt’s writing is flavored with the rich experiences of her life, including a long stretch in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her, many of whom might recognize themselves in the pages of her stories. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio as well as twice a CAPA Award for best BDSM book of the year, winner of two Holt Medallion Awards of Merit, multiple winner of the Whipped Cream Book of the Week Award and is published by five different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”