About Denise

Denise Deegan is author of four best-selling novels, Do You Want What I Want?, Love Comes Tumbling, Time in a Bottle and Turning Turtle. Denise lives in Dublin with her husband and two children.

How did you get into writing?

I was working on a Masters in PR when I discovered that there was a business book that needed to be written. Feeling I needed a challenge, I decided to give it a go. To my surprise, I ended up enjoying it enormously. As soon as I’d finished, I was overtaken by an urge to write fiction. I was busy at the time with a young family and running my own public relations business. But the urge was so strong that I gave up the business to write what turned out to be my first novel, Turning Turtle.

Wasn't that risky?

I’d no agent, no publisher and no idea for a book. The chances of getting published were tiny. Many people thought me mad. Luckily none of these was my husband. Though the poor man had to listen to my endless deliberations, which had an unfortunate habit of occurring during the early hours of the morning, he encouraged me to follow my dream. Ask him and he’ll say he just wanted some sleep.
As soon as I made the move, I wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. Within six months I had the bones of a novel, as well as an agent and a publisher. It would never have happened if I’d tried to keep everything going. I needed a good idea, which only occurred to me once my head was clear of other distraction.

What was the idea?

At the time, a lot of popular fiction revolved around boy meets girl. Turning Turtle focused on a young mum trying to get the right balance in her life between work and family. It also explored how a relationship can come under pressure when a wife gives up work.

Do you find writing easy or hard?

Each book has been different. The first, Turning Turtle, was easiest to write, but needed most editing. With my second, Time in a Bottle, I experienced the rare and wonderful phenomenon of the characters coming to life and telling me what to write. The third, Love Comes Tumbling was the most challenging. It was a complex story with much to negotiate – just as well, given my need for challenge. The fourth Do You Want What I Want? was the first novel I started out with no idea how it would finish. Though I find it hard, in general, to be happy with anything I do, Do You Want What I Want? is my favourite of the four. It is also the first story I have written about a man.

Where do you get your ideas?

I tend to imagine an interesting dilemma a person might find themselves in, and work from there. With Love Comes Tumbling, for example, I wondered what might happen if a woman who’d lost in love once was given increasing reason to question the true character of her fiancé.

What do you like about writing?

It may sound obvious, but I like when I finish a book and it feels right. To me, working on a novel is like digging a tunnel. You’re in the dark, not sure what direction to go in. If you get it right first time, all that’s needed is fine-tuning, not re-construction. If not, editing can present an enormous challenge.

Have you ever abandoned a novel?

Yes. Before beginning Do You Want What I Want? I had started a novel that I had high hopes for. After four months of chipping away at it, I realized that it was a ‘so what?’ story. I walked away from it. It was a good decision. I believe that the story itself has to be big enough. If it’s not, no amount of touching up and flashy writing will make up for it.  

Your career has changed a lot. Can you imagine changing again?

For the moment, I’m completely challenged. I may dabble a bit in screenwriting in addition to the novels. As I say to my kids, ‘we’ll see.’