Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. My name is Danissa Wilson, but my friends call me Dani. I was born and raised in Southern California, and I currently live in a suburb of Los Angeles. I am married to the love of my life, and we have three sons and three dogs. Aside from writing, I work as an academic dean at a local college. Before that, I taught English composition and literature for many years. I have my BA and MA in English and my Doctorate in Education. In my free time, I enjoy reading, stargazing, and spending time with my family.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book Kissing Toads?
A2. I really wanted to make the ending a surprise, but I didn’t want it to come out of nowhere. I tried to include enough foreshadowing that it wasn’t completely out of the blue, but not so much that the ending was predictable. Turns out, it is a difficult balance to strike!
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. I really love Emily Henry for the contemporary romcom genre. However, I have always been partial to classic literature. Some of my favorite writers include Ernest Hemingway, Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, Kate Chopin, Alice Walker, Harper Lee, and the Brontës.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. In my home state of California, I love Lake Tahoe. My family used to vacation there every year when I was a child, so it always evokes a deep sense of nostalgia in me. In the greater United States, I am partial to Maui, part of the Hawaiian Islands.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book Kissing Toads?
A5. Initially inspired by one of my girlfriends who, fresh off a divorce, dove headfirst into the online dating scene (with disastrous results), I wrote this novel with the desire to explore the complexities of dating and finding one’s sexual identity in the late 20th century. I wanted my generation, Generation X, to be highlighted and celebrated in a way that I haven’t seen too often.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book Kissing Toads?
A6. I initially started it in earnest during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It was just a way to relieve stress and pass the time as we were locked down in our homes. However, on New Year’s Day of 2024, I made a resolution that I would finish it and get it published that year. I buckled down and completed it. Fortunately, it was published by Moonshine Cove publishing, LLC in September of 2024.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. It is available as a paperback, eBook and audiobook, as follows:
Paperback: Amazon.com, my website (kissingtoadsnovel.com) or my publisher’s website (moonshinecovepublishing.com)
eReader: Kindle via Amazon
Audiobook: Audible, Apple iTunes, or Amazon.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title Kissing Toads?
A8. I explained the title earlier, but the cover idea came from my friend Jenni. I initially wanted the cover to feature a toad with a crown on its head and lip/kiss prints on its body. Jenni read the book and told me she thought I needed something a little “edgier.” She remarked that my cover idea was “cutesy” and that my book was more raw than that. She suggested a woman’s mouth with the tongue sticking out and a toad on top of it. I whole-heartedly agreed. My son’s fiancé, Susan, is a brilliant artist and she truly brought this vision to life. I love the way it came out because it looks as if the mouth is simultaneously ingesting and spitting out the toad. In the book, the toad is a symbol for patriarchy and heteronormative social pressures. In this cover, the woman seems to both crave yet also reject this notion. Is she kissing the toad or spitting it out? I also love the disgruntled look on the toad’s face.
Q9. When writing a book, how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. I love to keep the reader wanting to move forward… wanting more. So, I tried to leave each chapter with a bit of a cliff hanger. I wanted to portray the main character, Annie, as someone who was genuine and raw. Her life and relationships were messy at times, but they were always authentic. Despite her flaws, I wanted the reader to continually root for her.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. Keep going. Even when you are suffering from an extreme writer’s block, press forward. Like most things, it will pass.
Buy Kissing Toads here
Sassy Reviews 