Interview With Maggi Andersen

To tie up my special February blog month, I would like to welcome author Maggi Andersen to talk about her book The Reluctant Marquess.


Clara: Tell us a bit about your book.

Maggi: The Reluctant Marquess is a Georgian romance. When Charity Barlow, and Lord Robert, the Marquess of St Malin are forced to marry, things get off to a very bad start. Charity must learn to be a marchioness, while Robert must give up the life he enjoyed as a single man in London. None of this can happen overnight, and as Charity wants her husband to love and cherish her and not just look at her with lust, and Robert is resentful and reluctant, the journey is a bumpy one.


Clara: Why did you choose to write historical romance?

Maggi: It’s a perfect form of escapism, and who doesn’t need a little of that from time to time? I feel a wistfulness or nostalgia when I read and watch historical movies, despite the knowledge that history was never quite like that. We are subjected to so much information today; the bleak, sad happenings reach us from many different news sources, far more than the good things that occur. I think that’s why romance novels are so popular. And the best thing about it? We know we’ll get that happy ending.

I think the historical romance genre chose me. The first books I read as a teenager were my mother’s. She loved Georgette Heyer, Agatha Christie and Victoria Holt, and I also read my father’s crime and thriller novels. I guess they made quite an impact on me. I like to combine some of those elements in a story when I write. I have written contemporary novels and a couple of young adult novels, but the world I prefer to inhabit is a historical one, because it offers so much for an author. Not just historical facts to weave into the story, but fascinating architecture, clothes and interiors; the mores and habits of the times; what is possible for my hero and heroine within this world, and what is not. All these go into the world building and help flesh my characters out.


Clara: What did it feel like to get your first acceptance?

Maggi: After some years of finding my way, I was very excited and a bit relieved that all that time and money – I studied a BA in English and Fine Arts and an MA in Creative Writing – hadn’t been wasted. But with hindsight I realized that those years were necessary for me to reach a standard worthy of being published.


Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

Maggi: Writing is hard work, no writer would deny. An author – can’t remember who – said it was harder than working on the roads. In a way it can be although not as physical. The worst part is when I’m tired and think I’m writing rubbish, or having to write the dreaded synopsis which I hate. The best part is when it all comes together at the end. Or when my hero and heroine connect on a deeper level and the dialogue works perfectly. Or when the conflict sparks between them and the sexual tension almost leaps off the page.


Clara: How long does it typically take you to finish a story?

Maggi: It varies greatly. I worked on my first novel, a thriller/mystery for years. I’ve written a novella in a couple of weeks. But a good full length novel needs time. At least six months and probably longer.


Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

Maggi: No. I don’t believe a truly committed writer ever really considers giving up. I’ve heard it said, a writer is formed by what happens in the early years of life. That might be the case in some instances but I think we are born with a need to write. Call it obsession, sometimes close to masochism at times, and a good pinch of tenacity. Like an artist, a writer must develop a tough hide, because once your work is out there you come under scrutiny and sometimes hurtful reviews. That’s very hard for the more sensitive souls, and you have to bear in mind that it’s only one person’s opinion.


Clara: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Maggi: Keep honing your skills. Study and read how-to books. To be a writer means having to bear the frustration when things don’t go the way you planned. When you have to wait far too long for your submission to be accepted or rejected. Rejections can hurt too. But don’t give up. You learn a lot along the way, and it is persistence in my opinion that pays off in the end.


The Reluctant Marquess

Blurb:

A country-bred girl, Charity Barlow never expected to become a Marchioness. Nonetheless, she is determined to make her marriage of convenience into the ton work. Yet despite the strong attraction between them, and Charity’s bold attempts at intimacy, the rakish Lord Robert does not believe a husband should be in love with his wife. Can she ever make him love her?


Excerpt:

‘You don’t? I wasn’t aware of you until the reading of the will. Then I learned of your parents’ death from my solicitor. I’m very sorry.’

‘Thank you. I’m sorry, too, about your uncle.’

‘My uncle fell ill only a few months ago. He rallied and then …’ The new marquess’ voice faded. He sighed and stared into the fire.

‘You must have been very fond of him,’ Charity said into the quiet pause that followed. Though, if she were honest, she felt surprise that the cool man she remembered could have provoked that level of affection.

He raised his eyes to meet hers and gave a bleak smile. ‘Yes, I was fond of him. He always had my interest at heart, you see.’ He sat in the oxblood leather chair opposite and rested his hands on his knees. ‘I am his acknowledged heir, and the legalities have been processed. I’ve inherited the title and the entailed properties. The rest of his fortune will pass to another family member should I fail to conform to the edicts of his will.’

‘His will?’ Charity gripped her sweaty hands together, she couldn’t concentrate on anything the man said. Her mind whirled, filled with desperate thoughts. With her godfather dead, where would she go from here? Her heart raced as she envisioned riding off along the dark cliffs to join a theatre troupe, or become a tavern wench.

‘This must be difficult for you to take in, and I regret having to tell you tonight before you have rested. But I’m compelled to move quickly as you have no chaperone and have travelled here alone …’

She raised her chin. ‘There was no one to accompany me.’ She would not allow him to make her feel like a poor relation, even though she was quite definitely poor. And alone. She hated that more than anything. What had her godfather left her? She hoped it would allow her some measure of independence and wasn’t just a vase or the family portrait.

The footman entered, carrying a tray with a cup of steaming liquid. Charity took the drink and sipped it gratefully. It was warming and tasted of a spicy spirit. She found it hard to concentrate on his words, as her mind retreated into a fog and her eyes wandered around the room. She finished the drink, which had heated her insides, and allowed her head to loll back against the cushions. Her gaze rested on her host, thinking he would be handsome if he smiled. She was so tired, and the warmth of the fire made her drowsy. What was he saying?

‘It’s the best thing for both of us, don’t you agree?’

She shook her head to try and clear it. ‘I’m sorry, what did you say?’

He frowned. ‘The will states we must marry. Straightaway, I’m afraid.’

‘I … What? I’m to m-marry you?’ Placing her cup down carefully on the table she struggled to her feet, fighting fatigue and the affects of whatever it was she’d just drunk. Smoothing her gown, she glanced at the door through which she intended to depart at any moment. ‘I have no intention …’

His lips pressed together in a thin line. ‘I know it’s perplexing. I didn’t intend to wed for some years. I certainly would have preferred to choose whom I married, as no doubt would you.’
Her jaw dropped. What kind of man was this? She had been raised to believe that marriage was a sacred institution. He made it sound so … inconsequential. She stared at him. ‘The will states I must marry you?’

‘Yes, that’s exactly what it states.’ He rose abruptly with a rustle of silk taffeta and moved closer to the fire. She wondered if he might be as nervous as she. ‘Unless I’m prepared to allow my uncle’s unentailed fortune go to a distant relative. Which I am not. As I have said.’ His careful tone suggested he thought her a simpleton. Under his unsympathetic gaze, she sank back down onto the sofa. ‘You are perfectly within your rights to refuse, but I see very few options open to you. As my wife, you will live in comfort. You may go to London to enjoy the Season. I shall give you a generous allowance for gowns and hats, and things a lady must have.’ His gaze wandered over her cream muslin gown, and she placed a hand on the lace that disguised the small patch near her knee. ‘What do you say?’

She tilted her head. ‘I shall receive an allowance? For gowns, and hats, and things a lady must have.’

‘Exactly,’ he said with a smile, obviously quite pleased with himself. ‘I see we understand each other perfectly. So … do you agree?’

What was wrong with this man? Slowly, Charity released a heavy sigh. She could barely contemplate such a thing as this, and yet he acted as though he’d solved all the problems of the world with fashion accessories. She had hoped for a small stipend, but marriage! And to a complete stranger. She couldn’t! Not for all the gowns and hats on earth. She straightened up in her chair and lifted her chin. Her words were clipped and precise, and she hoped beyond hope he would accept her decision gracefully. ‘I say no, Lord St. Malin.’

‘No? Really?’

‘Yes, really.’

‘How disappointing,’ he said quietly.

She gulped as his heavy-lidded eyes continued to study her from head to foot. She was uncomfortably aware that the mist had sent her hair into a riot of untidy curls, and she smoothed it away from her face with both hands as she glanced around the room. She tucked a muddy shoe out of sight beneath her gown and then forced herself to meet his gaze. Might he like anything of what he saw? Her father loved that she had inherited her mother’s tiny waist, and she thought her hands pretty. His lordship’s gaze strayed to her breasts and remained there rather long. She sucked in a breath as her heart beat faster. When their eyes met did she detect a gleam of approval? It only made her more nervous.


Visit Maggi on her website, on her blog, or buy The Reluctant Marquess.


CONTEST:

What better way to tie up the end of the month than with a contest? Leave a comment with your email address for your chance to win an ebook copy of The Reluctant Marquess.


Clara.

Interview with Gina Gordon

Now that I've gushed over her book, I'm sitting down with the author of The Only Exception


Clara: How long does it typically take you to write a book?

Gina: That depends! I have a novel I've been working on for over two years. But if I concentrate and my muse complies, I could probably write a novella in a month.


Clara: Thus far you write contemporary romances. Do you see yourself branching out into another subgenre in the near future?

Gina: I want to. I was thinking about branching out into the paranormal world but something is pulling me to romantic suspense. Not sure why. I'm still exploring.


Clara: Sounds like an exciting journey. Your book Her Five Favorite Words has topped Amazon's top 100 erotica, and Wicked Ride seems to be on the rise. How did you feel the first time you saw your book edge onto that list? How does it feel to be #1?

Gina: I was ecstatic the first time I saw myself at #1. But it is all so surreal. I still can't believe that I am on that list let alone in the top spot. In my opinion, it's a big fluke lol


Clara: What releases can we look forward to in the near future?

Gina: In 2011, I will have 3 more releases. Books two and three in my Bare Naked Designs series, Temptation In Lingerie and Bound In Lingerie, will be released in April and September. I will also be releasing a sequel to Her Five Favorite Words entitled His Five Favorite Lines.


Clara: What did it feel like to get your first acceptance?

Gina: I was lucky and I got an acceptance on my very first submission. I was shocked. Surprised. The first thing I did was email my CP who is my biggest cheerleader. Then I told my husband lol


Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

Gina: The best part is when you get that epiphany--when the story line or character you've been agonizing over finally clicks. The worst part is agonizing over that story line or character.


Clara: Do you have any favorites out of the characters you've written?

Gina: I loved writing Becca and Jordan's story, more now that I have added to it. Even a one-time elevator encounter needs a happily ever after. But I especially love Aleks and Carrie from my Bare Naked Designs series. There is something so romantic about friends turned lovers.


Clara: Which writers inspired/influenced your work?

Gina: I have to mention Megan Hart because she was the first dirty author that I read lol because of her I was introduced to erotic romance and I've never looked back.

As for inspiration, as for the person I look up to and go to for support and motivation, it would be my CP Lindsay Below. It amazes me how many ideas and projects she has going on and how diverse her writing is. Not to mention the amount of words she can put down on the page.


Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you said, "Yeah, I can do this!"? Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

Gina: I had the "Yeah, I can do this" moment in 2009. That's when I made the decision to pursue my dream. Getting into that mind space had been a long time coming.

I will admit that I ask myself almost every day whether I should continue. If I should maybe quit while I'm ahead because eventually the ideas will stop. But I haven't yet (:


Clara: How do you come up with your stories?

Gina: Most of them just pop into my head but I find that I draw a lot ideas from stories people tell me. Of course I get to add the good words and always give my characters a happily ever after.


Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block?

Gina: I wait for the block to go away. Sounds dumb but I find that I can't force my writing. Not too long ago I went an entire month without writing. It was horrible but eventually my inspiration came back.


Clara: Not dumb at all. Everyone has their own way of dealing with it. Let's leave off with one last question: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Gina: Keep writing and read, read, read.


Clara: Thanks for joining me Gina!

You can visit Gina online at www.ginagordon.net or on her blog here.


Clara.

Interview With D. C. Juris

Today I have the pleasure of sitting down with D. C. Juris, author of Omarati. Let's get down to the good stuff:

Clara: You created a devastatingly rich world as a backdrop for Omarati. What about this world called to you most? Do you expect to set other (unrelated) novels in it?

D.C: I have to admit, the world was formed long before Calliph and Mateo even existed. It started years ago, when I was a teenager. I have no idea where the idea came from, but I could see it all quite clearly in my head. I did all this painstaking work on it -- I drew maps and calculated distances between cities, sketched in mountain ranges and lakes, all that jazz. There's a lot more to the world than just what we visit in "Omarati" - there's actually a whole other side - sort of like North America and Europe. It was intended to be the setting for my very first novel, however I ended up needing to go back to the drawing board for that story. Calliph and Mateo were minor characters that kind of took over. I'm still working on the "very first novel," so yes, there will be at least one story that I know of that will take place there, and it's completely unrelated to Calliph and Mateo.


Clara: How long did it take to do the research/world building for Omarati?

D.C: The original concept occurred in a flash, but it has honestly taken me about three years to get it "right". The world has changed several times to finally become what it is now. The only research involved, really, was just double checking to make sure my ideas weren't too close to already established ones. There's *so* many stories in the fantasy genre, it's hard to know if a concept you have is something you've come up with, or something you're vaguely recalling from a movie you saw once a million years ago.


Clara: You write primarily gay/lesbian romance. Tell us a little why you chose to write in this genre.

D.C: The quick answer is "because I'm queer". Growing up, I was surrounded by friends who read those old romance novels. You know the ones? With the bodice-ripper pictures on the front, some scantily woman lustily wrapped around some hunk of man's leg, staring up at him as if she can't bare to look away? Yeah. That didn't work for a gender-queer kid.

The long answer is, all I ever heard was "write what you know". So I did. I penned my first m/m romance (the aforementioned still-under-construction-novel) and proudly showed it off. Everyone kind of cringed and said things like "well...maybe not this, though." They all said I needed to "take out the gay bits" and insisted that "there's probably not a market for that." Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across "Discreet Young Gentleman" by M.J. Pearson. Turns out there was a market after all, and oh...my. The books I found!!



Clara: You have stories falling into many subgenres, among them paranormal. Which do you find most challenging to write? Do you have a favorite?

D.C: For me, none of them are harder or easier than another. I suppose the most challenging is anything that already has an established history - anything like vampires or werewolves. I feel very passionate about giving props to the lore we already know about. I don't try to change much about my vampires or werecreatures. I mean, if I read a book about a vampire, I don't expect him to ::ahem:: sparkle. I'm sorry...I just like my vamps with a little more Lestat in their veins, if you will. But that's a prime example - in "Interview with the Vampire" Anne Rice took vampires and put her own spin on them without going so far out into left field that it became almost farcical. Sure, she changed some things up, but the core beings are what you expect them to be. What you want and need them to be. That's what I try to do. Small changes here and there, while still giving you the things you love and expect about the kind of character.

As far as a favorite, I have to say its a tie between contemporary and fantasy. I like contemporary because of its ease. The elements of a good story are already all around you in everyday life. And of course with fantasy, the author is in complete control. Anything can exist in my worlds, as long as I can plausibly explain it.


Clara: Has anyone ever told you to "brand" yourself and stick with one subgenre? If so, how do you respond to that notion?

D.C: I've heard that advice quite a lot, actually, and I resist it every time. Here's the thing with me - I don't write for money, fame, or awards. I haven't spent one dime of my royalties, and I have no idea if I ever will. I have the luxury of an Evil Day Job that I enjoy, and that pays well enough that I really don't have to stress over aggressively going after sales for my books.

I suppose sticking with one subgenre might work for some authors, maybe even most, but I find the idea terribly boring.


Clara: You have many published stories. What did it feel like to get your first acceptance?

D.C: Orgasmic. Am I allowed to say orgasmic? LOL My first accepted story was "Even Guys Cry" which appeared in the "I Do, Two" anthology, which benefits charity. That's right - my very first contracted story didn't pay *anything*. Which just seemed so perfect. Writing was never something I was encouraged to do. Never something anyone took seriously. All my life I'd been told writing was nonsense, and I shouldn't waste my time with it, because I'd never make any money off it, and I always argued that I didn't *want* to make money off it. So, for the first story accepted to be for charity was so bizarrely gratifying. Even better, the anthology came out in print. I don't think it truly hit me until I received the book in the mail. I held it in my hands, and I literally wept. It was the culmination of so much work and sacrifice.


Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

D.C: I love everything about the writing process. I love the research, the constant editing, the process of submitting and waiting, biting my nails as I wonder if the publisher will like my newest baby. If I had to pick one thing that was the worst, I guess it would be the isolation. Over the years, I've missed out on a lot of things because I chose to stay home and write. But I wouldn't change anything.


Clara: How long does it typically take you to finish a story?

D.C: It really depends on a lot of factors. If I know a publisher needs something quickly (i.e. they need one more story for an anthology, or something like that) I will literally drop everything and bang something out as quickly as I possibly can. I've got two stories coming out soon, and one that just came out, all of which were written in about two days each. For longer stories, it depends on how excited I am about the characters and the subject, and how vocal the characters are. Some of my characters are just *so* very shy, getting details is like pulling teeth. Typically, though, I prefer to have a story completely done and submitted within a month. But I usually have several WIPs going at once. Right now I have ten. :-)



Clara: Do you have any favorites out of the characters you've written?

D.C: I'd love to be that good parent who says he adores all his children equally, but that's just not the case. Calliph and Mateo put me through the ringer every time I start to write about them. They've been the only characters of mine to actually make me cry while writing about them. So for that, they hold a special place in my heart.

For sheer fun to write about though, that would have to be Dean and Rick from one of my older stories, "Sundae Surprise." They're just these two clueless, lovelorn dudes who, when they get together, are no-holds-barred sexy. I've only got the one story with them published, but there are others and let me just say...yowza!




Clara: Which writers inspired/influenced your work?

D.C: MJ Pearson, obviously. In my younger years, I read a lot of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I loved the Drizzt books by RA Salvatore. That's probably where my love of different worlds came from. The underworld he shows us is just amazingly alive and complex. I also loved Peter David. He did a lot of Star Trek books, and I really liked how he seemed to have a grasp of the characters and what they would or would not do. There's nothing I hate more than an author monkeying with a character who already has a soul. I liked darker writing, like Poe. I'm the guy who wants to see the bad guy triumph. I want to see the good guy get stomped on a little. I think it keeps them humble.



Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you said, "Yeah, I can do this!"?

D.C: I'll let you know if I reach that point. :-) Seriously, I still don't think I'm all that good. But I write because I have to, and people seem to like reading my stories, so that's good enough for me.




Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

D.C: Never. Writing is a thing I do and don't even realize I'm doing. I'll say things out loud to people, and follow them in my head with "he said, raising an eyebrow to indicate just what he thought of the question". Seriously.




Clara: How do you come up with your stories?

D.C: I don't get inspired by things or places. I just listen to the voices in my head, and write down their stories. One day, I'm listening to a gay werewolf rattling on about his werecat lover, but the next, I'm taking notes from a lesbian writer who met her dream girl at the Department of Health. Whoever shows up in my head is who I write about.




Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block?

D.C: I've only ever had anything like that once in my life. In 2009, I lost someone very dear to me, under very bad circumstances (not that there are any good circumstances, mind you), and it sent me into a complete tailspin. Everything in my life came crashing to a halt, including the voices in my head, and that sunk me into a terrible depression. I'd never been without mental chatter, ever. I had a very painful, turbulent childhood, and all along I'd had my characters to keep me company, but I didn't anymore, and I had utterly no idea what to do with myself. I reached a point where I literally believed that if I didn't write again, I had no reason to live. I woke up one morning and decided that was it - write or die. I don't know what happened - if something in me woke up, or if my characters got together with each other and decided to take action - I have no idea. But at exactly 7 pm that night I grabbed my netbook and I wrote until 7 am the next morning. Twelve straight hours and about ten stories. Some stories I finished, some I sketched, some I got half-way done, but most of them were published in 2010.

It's a situation I never, ever want to find myself in again.


Clara: I agree, it sounds like a terrible experience. Do you have any advice for aspiring gay/lesbian romance writers?

D.C: Don't be afraid of the genre. Yes, there are a lot of glbt writers, especially m/m, right now. But there are also lots of glbt-friendly publishers out there right now - if you write quality work, it won't be as hard to place as many people fear. The other thing I suggest is targeted advertising. You'd be amazed at the number of glbt publications, like magazines and whatnot, that really have no glbt writers advertising in them. And there amount of people who I meet who ask "there's male/male romance???" is staggering.


Clara: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers in general?

D.C: The best thing I can say is listen to critiques and advice, especially from other authors, and especially if they're published, and especially if *your* work has been "rejected". If they're published, that means they know something more than you - they know how to polish to the point of publication.

I met Aleksandr Voinov at the tail end of 2009, and he was the first real author (and what I considered real meant published) to take notice of me and offer his help. He's been an amazing source of guidance and input along the way. Shortly after that I met Raev Gray, and she's also provided priceless advice and opinion on many of my pieces, one of which was "Omarati". I've even been fortunate enough to have Jaye Valentine's input on one of my stories.

That isn't to say that everyone's advice is gospel, but in the beginning, when you're just trying to figure out why the publishers keep turning you down...it's probably mostly gospel. At least, it was in my case! :-)

On a larger scale, decide why you're in writing. Are you here to make money, or for the sheer experience of seeing your books published? Both are valid, but both require a different approach. Most small presses don't have the resources to run a media blitz advertising campaign for you, so you're going to have to do some of that work yourself.

Beyond that - keep writing.


Clara: Thank you for joining me today!

You can find D. C. Juris online at www.dcjuris.com.


Next week I'm featuring erotic romance author Gina Gordon!

Clara.

Interview With Larion Wills

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Larion Wills, author of It's Still Tomorrow. Let's get down to the good stuff:

Clara: You added a subtlety, a realism to the witchery in this book. It wasn't as blatant as most witch books. What made you think of approaching it in this way?

Larion: Good grief, Clara, I don't know. That's just the way it came to me. If I had to analysis, I would have to say I think all of us have a little 'witch' in us, though personally I'd term it more esp. How many times have you thought of the name of a person as you answered a phone and it was them? Or had a dream about something that later happened? You hear about those coincidences all the time, but are they? If we trained ourselves, worked at it, could we develop those type of things until we could control them? Are some people more prone to them? I believe yes to both and played with it, creating Sara Beth.


Clara: Did you draw on folklore for witchcraft in it or did you create the world from scratch?


Larion: I drew on folklore, TV, movies and books, shifting through what I liked and didn't, fitting it to the characters in It's Still Tomorrow. In other books, I've given a different take. In Evil Reflections, for example, the main character didn't know she had any special abilities and rejected even the possibility based on a lifetime teaching that anything paranormal was evil.


Clara: How long did it take to do the research/world building for It's Still Tomorrow?

Larion: If being fascinated with the possibilities counts, then I've researched it for a lifetime, starting with herbal remedies, the basis for 'potions.' I did do additional for It's Still Tomorrow though. Dug out my herb books to be sure I had the right plants for the purification rite and my books on witchcraft for the alter.


Clara: This novel is a paranormal book. Why did you choose to write in this genre?

Larion: I've been asked that before and the only answer I can really give is the genre chooses me. I might very well go from something paranormal to a historical western. Actually, my next release is going to be a historical western, through Museitup Publishing. See what I mean? Whatever catches and holds my attention next is what determines what genre I write in.



Clara: You have stories falling into many subgenres, among them paranormal. Which do you find most challenging to write? Do you have a favorite?

Larion: I really don't think any one is more challenging than another. The basics are the same no matter what the genre. I don't have a favorite, either, other than the one I'm working on at the moment. In talking about one or the other of my books, people will hear me say, that's one of my favorites, but they all seemed to be in one way or another.



Clara: Has anyone ever told you to "brand" yourself and stick with one subgenre? If so, how do you respond to that notion?

Larion: No one has ever said that to me, and it wouldn't do any good if they did. I do try to make it easier for my readers to know what to expect by using two pen names, one for science fiction and fantasy and another for those in the different genres of romance.


Clara: You have many published stories. What did it feel like to get your first acceptance?

Larion: I had some trouble believing it. I kept waiting for the catch that was going to turn the whole thing into a disappointment. I read that first contract over three or four times and asked a lot of questions. I couldn't find a catch, but I was nervous even after I signed it, waiting to find out I was getting conned in some way. Of course that was in between the times I grinned a lot and kind of danced and skipped when I walked.


Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

Larion: The best is sitting with a notebook and pen with the words flowing onto the paper. The worst is typing it into the computer so others can read it.



Clara: How long does it typically take you to finish a story?

Larion: I never really finish one. I could sit down with any already published and do re-writing on them even if it's only a couple of words.


Clara: Do you have any favorites out of the characters you've written?

Larion: Actually, Sara Beth is one of my favorites. She has spirit and strength, a huge capacity for love, and a wonderful sense of humor.


Clara: Which writers inspired/influenced your work?

Larion: Any writer I've ever read has influenced me in some way, whether it's been positive or negative. I won't mention any names of those I thought were boring and didn't care to emulate in anyway. Those I've enjoyed are just too many to list and range through as many genres as I write in.


Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you said, "Yeah, I can do this!"?

Larion: Sure, but I will admit I may have said 'I don't know how to do that' first.


Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

Larion: I've never been to a point where I would have given up on writing. Publishing, not that's a different story. I had to convince myself I was brave enough to submit, face rejections, and stick with it. During the first go round, I received back a rejection that an agent had been kind enough to have taken the time to edit a few pages. My first reaction was to toss them aside and declare that I couldn't learn all of that. To begin, I had no idea what all those symbols meant. To end, with barely a sentence that didn't have some kind of mark on it, I thought I was hopeless as a writer. A couple of days later, I picked them up again. The first thing I noticed once I really looked at it was that most of those marks were repeats. I sat down, took them one at a time and studied them. One at a time, they didn't look so bad. Nor were they too difficult to correct, one at a time. I rewrote, resubmitted and was accepted because one person took the time to give a little of themselves to someone else. She didn't represent the genre that book was written in, but she did receive a thank you from me.


Clara: How do you come up with your stories?

Larion: Like the genres, the stories seem to choose me, not me them. Some little thing will start me off, maybe no more than a couple of words that pop into my head. Once they take hold, they don't let me go until the story is down unless something major comes along to take me away from it.


Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block?

Larion: I don't think I've ever had a case of genuine writer's block, one of those things like you've seen or read about where the writer stares at the paper and nothing comes out. I've had times when the story stopped flowing and I've had to struggle to make it all seem to go together. When that happens I got back to the beginning, read what I've already written and find where I've gotten off.



Clara: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Larion: After what I wrote above, one at a time seems appropriate here. Don't let uncertainty and lack of knowledge overwhelm you. Take it one thing at a time, learn it and apply what you've learned. This applies to the submitting and publishing aspect of it. If you're a writer, nothing is going to stop you anyway.



Clara: Thank you for joining me today, Larion! Visit Larion Wills (or Larriane Wills, under her pen name) at www.larriane.com.


Next week, I'll be sitting down with gay romance writer D. C. Juris and his book Omarati. See you then!

Clara.

Interview with Emly Forrest

Today I'm sitting down with Emly Forrest, author of The Last Resort.

Clara: You write primarily contemporary romance. Tell us a little why you chose to write in this genre.

Emly: They always say "Write what you know" and I only know the thoughts and feelings of contemporary women. I suppose that nothing much has changed over the years in the way women fall in love, but I prefer to speak in the voice of a twenty-first century woman. that said, I do believe that social mores and conventions influence love as much as any other aspect of life. I'm most comfortable with those of our times and with the freedom and acceptability of sexual expression that has evolved in the last thirty or forty years.



Clara: What did it feel like to get your first acceptance?

Emly: I couldn't stop jumping up and down and laughing. I had to read the acceptance message four times to really believe that it wasn't a rejection. It was umbrella-drinks-at-the-beach good.


Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

Emly: What I love most is that zone that I fall into when writing where the characters take over and begin to say and do things that I hadn't really planned or intended. It's nearly mystical for me. The worst part is when I reread something I've written and can only think, "Crap, that really sucks!"


Clara: How long does it typically take you to finish a story?

Emly: Not sure I have an answer to that. The Last Resort (Lyrical Press 2010) evolved over several years. My latest story Irish Ice (a novella, Lyrical Press March 2011) came together very quickly and easily in a month or so. A novel I'm currently working on rolled out very quickly at first, but now I'm stuck on the last few chapters. I guess it all depends on that pesky muse.


Clara: Do you have any favorites out of the characters you've written?

Emly: I'm very much in love with Lee Soloman, the biker bad boy from The Last Resort. He's based on a man I knew many years ago and have never quite forgotten. I've always hoped he never quite forgot me as well.


Clara: Which writers inspired/influenced your work?

Emly: I wouldn't be so bold as to even suggest that some of my favorite authors allowed me to produce work as fine as theirs. I can only aspire to their greatness. However, those I love include James Lee Burke, Barbara Kingsolver, Annie Proulx, Stephen King, Dennis Lehane, and Pete Hamill.


Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you said, "Yeah, I can do this!"?

Emly: Maybe I'm overconfident, but I guess I never thought I couldn't do it. I've been writing and editing for the biggest part of my long professional life (and making a pretty good living at commercial writing), so I knew I had a least a bit of talent. I wasn't quite as sure about writing fiction, but I've never been known to shy away from challenge.


Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

Emly: Never. It wasn't an option. Even if I never published a work of fiction, I'd still keep doing it. Writing is the only talent I have--modest though it may be. It's a part of me. Just something I have to do.


Clara: How do you come up with your stories?

Emly: My husband and my friend Jan provide my biggest story inspirations. They throw stuff at me--some of which makes little sense at the time--and I try to work it into a story. For instance, one time my husband told me about a dream he'd had involving two guys named Nacho Nate and Big Bob the Mover. I've not put them into a story yet, but I know they're lurking there waiting to be developed.


Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block?

Emly: Keep writing. Even if I know what I'm writing stinks. I make myself write at least 500 words a day--good, bad or otherwise. No excuses and no backing down. I can always go back and rewrite or delete later.


Clara: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Emly: Write every day. Read a lot. Don't listen to anyone who tells you your work is no good. It's only their opinion. I was privileged to attend the University of Denver Publishing Institute years ago. At one of our classes, a publisher at a major house told about rejecting the manuscript for Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which was published by another house and became wildly successful financially. It seemed like a stupid story idea, but you just never know what's going to take hold and sell. At the same time, do pay attention to critiques of your work by friends, family and critique partners. Good advice is invaluable to good writing.


Clara: Thank you for joining me, Emly! Visit Emly online at www.emlyforrest.com.


Be sure to stop by next week to hear about Larion Wills and her story It's Still Tomorrow.

Clara.

Questions for Clara

As promised, I will be posting three separate short stories for you to read in the next two weeks. But in the meantime, I thought I'd answer a few of the questions I often ask my guests on this blog.

Why do you choose to write about demons?

Demons, I find to be fascinating subjects. As I've mentioned before, they provide the perfect opportunity to reform the main character. Often demons have the biggest sense of personal growth, the biggest shock when their demeanor changes and they fall in love. Not to mention they're damn sexy! Who doesn't love a primal alpha male? I know I do!

How long did it take to do the research for these pieces?

For the stories soon to be shown on this blog, the research for each took about a month, give or take. It went through phases. First, I had to research lore about the specific demon I wanted to showcase. Then I had to decide which parts to build in and which to leave out -- hence how I created my own world for each of these three series. But now that I have the notes, the research for the next works should go a lot smoother.

Why did you choose paranormal romance?

I think, rather, that the genre chose me. I've always been fascinated by worlds just a little different than our own, worlds with a supernatural twist. These were the types of worlds I wrote as a child and young teen. Once I discovered erotic romance, my works took a more...wicked twist. In the future, I'd like to explore sci-fi and fantasy romance, but in the meantime, paranormal has me enthralled with the possibilities.

What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

Well, seeing as (at this point), I'm unpublished, that would be all the rejections. They can be very disheartening at times, but I've got friends who continue to encourage me to revise and submit elsewhere, sure that I'll hit it big any time now. They're probably the best part of writing, aside from losing myself in a new story as I write it out. Although the waiting can be pretty nerve-wracking. And I despise editing my work (although it is a necessary evil). Why did I choose to pursue this again? But I suppose, like many, for me writing is a disease. I have to get it onto paper and my friends will continue to encourage me to share it with the world. You can make your own judgement as to my skill when I post my stories in the upcoming weeks.

How long does it typically take you to finish a story?

Forever. Honestly. I write the first draft. Then I fix the plot holes in the first draft. Then I more or less scrap every single sentence and rewrite it to make it perfect and sparkling. It's a time-consuming, agonizing process, but ultimately, I think it's worth it.

Do you have any favorites out of the characters you've written?

I do. When I'm writing a new story, my favorites tend to be whoever features in that story. But that being said, I love Lucky, from my Shadowman series. I love Aglaeca and Kirin from my Legion series, although they are complete polar opposites. Kirin is brusque, whereas Aglaeca is rather gentle. And my favorite heroine is Anna, from my Haven series. She's kickass and awesome. In my opinion, at least. But each of my characters has a special place in my heart.

Which writers inspired/influenced your work?

Sherrilyn Kenyon has probably been my biggest influence. My first introduction to romance was through her Dark Hunter series. Through reading her books, I decided to switch to paranormal romance instead of fantasy.

Was there ever a point in your career where you said, "Yeah, I can do this!"?

I'm not so sure that point's come to pass yet. I mean, I have embarked on this crazy journey of writing and submitting, but it hasn't become quite real to me yet. My first acceptance—seeing my first cover—that will make it real. Right now? I certainly don't foresee giving up any time soon, but there's a part of me that still feels like I'm in a dream. Nonetheless, I hope to get that "Yeah!" moment soon!

Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

Writing? Never. But for years, I hid my novels away in a drawer after writing them, letting only a few privileged friends ever read them. Thanks to their encouragement, I'm now starting about the task of sharing my work with the world. But even if that never happens, I don't think I'll give up writing. I love it too much. Like I said, it's a disease.

How do you come up with your stories?

For me, there's always a "What if" moment. It can come from something everyday, from something I'm reading or watching on TV, or even something I'm researching. But from that what-if, I build a world, and from there, I eventually build a story. I have written the first drafts of quite a few novels, and revised even less of those. But that's where you come in. After I post a short taste of each of these worlds, I want your vote! Which would you like to read? That's how I'm going to focus on future stories.

What do you do to overcome writer's block?

I set it aside and come back to it when the magic returns. If I'm editing or revising, I take a week off. Eventually (because writing is a disease), it comes back to me and I can finish the story.

Clara.

Interview: Pamela Turner

Today, I have the honour of sitting down with Pamela Turner, the author of Death Sword, a paranormal romance coming soon from Lyrical Press, Inc.

Let's get down to business!


Clara: Tell us a bit about your book.

Pamela: Death Sword is about a young woman, Karla Black, who learns she’s a half-human angel of death. But her new boss, Samael, resents her relationship with her partner, Xariel, who happens to be Samael’s ex-lover. When Samael takes his hatred to a higher level, Karla and Xariel vow to stop him. The problem? They’ve lost their powers and are facing a relentless angel of death who wields a poisonous rapier capable of killing both humans and angels.



Clara: What led you to choose angels as the subject for this book? How was the idea born?

Pamela: Angels have fascinated me for years. We tend to humanize them, downplaying their power. There’s often an incongruity between how we perceive them and their true appearances. For example, we usually see them with wings and kind, beatific expressions. But the Ophanim, for example, appear as wheels with many eyes. The archangel Raphael turns into a dragon-like beast so he can move through the underworld. Azrael is said to have 70,000 feet and 40,000 wings while Metatron’s size and height, according to the Zohar, “equal to the breadth of the whole world.”

Honestly, I don’t remember how the idea for Death Sword was born. I’m somewhat obsessed with death and I suppose my interest in angels, particularly the fallen angels and angels of death and vengeance, was instrumental in bringing the two ideas together. :)



Clara: From your blog, you seem to have done extensive research on angels. Exactly how much time did you put into the research for Death Sword?

Pamela: Hard to say. At least a couple of years. I started Death Sword for National Novel Writing Month in 2008 and it was accepted for publication in March 2010. I’ve compiled research on particular angels from various resources, particularly A Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Angels (Gustav Davidson), Angels A to Z (James R. Lewis & Evelyn Dorothy Oliver), The Book of Angels (Ruth Thompson, L.A. Williams, and Renae Taylor), and The Encyclopedia of Angels (Rosemary Ellen Guiley). I recently became aware of Malcolm Godwin’s Angels: An Endangered Species which I plan to add to my research collection.



Clara: Share an interesting legend and/or fact about angels with us.

Pamela: According to Angels: An Endangered Species, “The term angel derives from a Greek translation of the original Hebrew mal’akh, which originally meant the ‘Shadow side of God,’ but later came to mean messenger.”




Clara: That is fascinating. Just the image starts to spur the imagination :)

Was there ever a point where you were afraid your dreams of being published wouldn't come about?

Pamela: Of course. I sometimes regret waiting so long. (I’ve published freelance articles and reviews but Death Sword is my first book.) I wish I had had the confidence to submit my work earlier. Then again, maybe it’s a good idea I waited. :)




Clara: What (so far) has been the best part of the writing and publishing process? What has been the worst?

Pamela: The best part was watching my manuscript improve as I worked with my content editor and my line editor. And there’s something magical about seeing your cover for the first time. With each step (cover, ISBN, galley), you know you’re getting closer to publication.

There really hasn’t been a “worst” experience. Call me weird but I even enjoy mundane jobs like revising.



Clara: Do you have any favourite characters, from this book or from any others you're working on?

Pamela: Xariel’s my favorite. He’s endured a lot, including being the victim of a sex curse and losing his wife to suicide. That’s probably why he feels such a strong sense of responsibility toward Karla and wants to protect her from Samael. Like my other angels, he’s not perfect. He tends to drink and swear too much, but he really cares about people.




Clara: Which writers have inspired/influenced your work?

Pamela: Let’s see... I’ve read several authors but these are the ones who’ve influenced me the most: Robert Arthur, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Madeleine L’Engle, Phyllis A. Whitney (YA mysteries), Stephen King, and Albert Camus. (I might be forgetting a few.) They’ve all had an impact on my writing even if in a very indirect way. They also inspired my love of mysteries, fantasies, and horror.




Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block?

Pamela: Deadlines are a great antidote to writer’s block. LOL Seriously, though, I like working on several projects at the same time. If I get stuck on one, I move to another. Sometimes I read the Tarot cards to help me work through a particular problem. If I simply can’t focus, I step away from the writing to paint, draw, take photographs... When it comes to the last one, I can always say it’s for field research. :)



Clara: Sounds like a good plan to me!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Pamela: Be patient. Writing is an involved process and if you’re too eager you can fall victim to unscrupulous agents and publishers. Learn about the industry and keep working on perfecting your craft. Write, rewrite, then rewrite some more. Take classes whenever possible. The industry is in a state of constant change and you need to stay current.

Most of all, have fun. If you don’t enjoy the story you’re writing, readers will notice.

All best! Thank you to Clara Hanoux for interviewing me. Much appreciated!


Clara: My pleasure.

Pamela Turner is the author of the upcoming short novel, Death Sword, scheduled to be released by Lyrical Press in January 2011. You can visit her at Haunted Dreams, Dark Destinies or her website.



Come back on Wednesday to hear about Felicity Heaton's new series featuring angels!

Clara.

Interview With Shona Husk

Welcome, everyone! I have the pleasure of sitting down today with Shona Husk, the author of Boyfriend in a Bottle, out now with Samhain Publishing!

Clara: Tell us a bit about Boyfriend in a Bottle.

Shona: Be careful what you wish for. It might come with an expiration date...


Josie’s well-meaning friends just don’t get it. It’s not that she’s overjoyed to be thirty-two and celibate since her boyfriend dumped her. She’d love to settle down, but she refuses to settle for just any man. After all, better single than a sucker. Nevertheless, she humors her friends and follows the instructions attached to the gift they’ve given her—a beautiful bottle from a new-age shop. Lick, and the perfect man will appear.


It works. The naked man she finds tied to her bed is everything she’s ever wished for. Except Mr. Perfect comes with a time limit.


Kede is tired of living life by the hourglass. Once, fulfilling the desires of the women who freed him was enough, but now it’s just another job. Josie is different, though. She sees him as a real man—a man she wants for all time.


Kede wants more than a moment. He wants a chance at life outside the bottle, and he wants a life with Josie. But he belongs to the goddess Inanna, and his time is running out…




Clara: Why did you choose to write something about genies?

Shona: At its heart the story is a simple wish fulfilment fantasy. And genies are all about wish fulfilment, so who better to embody a woman’s fantasy than a man who is there solely for her pleasure…of course when dealing with genies there is always a sting. In this case the time limit. The better he does his job the faster the sand runs through the hourglass.

Clara: A good fantasy, I'll say!

How long did it take you to do the research for this piece?

Shona: I tend to let ideas simmer before starting the story so I don’t know how long I spend building the idea.

The biggest part was creating a back story for how Kede, and his brothers, got into the bottles. I wanted to stay away from the traditional 3 wishes genie, or the cursed into the bottle story while still keeping the Middle Eastern origin. I have a large book on world mythology which is always a good starting point when I’m looking for inspiration. Inanna, the Sumarian Goddess of love and war, seemed like the perfect creator. Once I had her the story grew.

Like any world I had to create rules. I needed to work out how he was summoned, how he could be set free, and what would prevent him from ‘cheating’ and avoiding going back into the bottle at the end of his job.

Clara: Did you research the genie myth beforehand?

Shona: No, I didn’t research genies. In part because I wanted to create my own mythology—that’s the fun of writing paranormal romance. Taking a well-known creature, or idea and putting a new spin on it.

Clara: Why did you choose paranormal romance when you began writing? What about the genre called to you?

Shona: I grew up reading fantasy novels and watching TV shows like Dr Who and Buffy, so making up alternative realities seemed like the natural thing to do. All of my (very) early stories were fantasy. It wasn’t until I was an adult I discovered romance novels—in particular paranormal romance. As they say, the rest is history :)

Paranormals are so much fun to write and the only limits are set by my imagination…and yet at the core they are still about love and acceptance.

Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing and publishing process, that you've found so far?

Shona: Writing and publishing are two different beasts. Writing is about creating and the love of stories. Publishing is business.

I love writing and making up new worlds and myths. The worst part is trying to work out why a story isn’t working, but my crit group will always give it to me straight and help find a solution.

The best part of publishing is still the offer of a contract (that never gets old), closely followed by seeing the cover art. The worst is the waiting…

Clara: How long does it typically take you to finish writing a story?

Shona: Hmm, that depends on the story. Generally I can get a story roughly plotted over a weekend and do a first draft in a week for a novella, or a month for a novel. Then I edit, and that takes as long as it needs. Some stories appear on the page as easily as breathing and require very few revisions before I send it off. Others have to be dragged kicking and screaming into existence and involve more re-writes that I choose to remember. My January release with Samhain, How to Breathe Fire, is one of these—but I loved the idea so I kept re-writing until it worked. It was worth the hard work, I hope readers love Matai and Camea as much as I do.

Clara: Do you have any favourites out of the characters that you've written?

Shona: I do (characters are not children, so I’m allowed to pick a favourite) but I’m not going tell :)

Clara: Fair enough. Let's move onto the next question, then.

Which writers (if any) inspired/influenced your work?

Shona: My love of fantasy definitely influenced my writing as that was what I started writing (I still write fantasy occasionally for a change of pace). Of course most fantasy heroes are either magical or sword wielding. I think I was 14 when I started reading Katherine Kerr’s Deverry series. Rhodry (also known as ‘the hot-half-elf’) was my first literary crush. Rhodry was a dishonoured soldier; a silver dagger riding the roads looking for hire. I still love a warrior hero (especially one with a dark past) as they have an edge and yet they are honourable.

Clara: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Shona: Write!

Experiment with different genres and different types of heroes/heroines. Push yourself to try something new. Read outside your genre, read outside of romance. And most importantly have fun.

Thank you for dropping by today, Shona!

Clara.

Interview with L. K. Below

Today I have the great pleasure of sitting down with L. K. Below, whose short story His Familiar Touch I recently reviewed in the Paramourtal anthology. Let's get down to business!

Clara: Why do you choose to write about witches?

Lindsay: Haven't I answered that question for you enough? LOL. ("Why Witches" guest post can be found here). Witches thrill me because of the possibilities. There are so many different things they can do (see the future, make magical potions, etc.). So that's why I write about them. I broke them into specialties for me to be able to make the most out of them. It's fun!

Clara: How long did it take to do the research for His Familiar Touch?

Lindsay: Not long. Mostly because witches is such a universal theme. I had only to decide what specialty the witch had, and I was good to go. What took longer was researching cougars -- because I wanted Rikkita's werecougar behavior to be similar to that of actual cougars.

Clara: What is the best (and worst) part of the writing process?

Lindsay: The best? Writing itself. The compliments I get from friends, readers, etc. The worst? I don't think I've really decided on that part yet. It might be promotion (because that takes away from my writing time). It might be editing (although I enjoy editing to the direction of an actual editor and not for myself). But it's just a very rewarding experience, for me at least. 

Clara: How long does it typically take you to finish a story?

Lindsay: Actually, I write extremely quickly. When I set my mind to it (like for National Novel Writing Month), I can and do write a 50,000-word novel in a month (sometimes even in a week). But that's first draft only (and even then, only if I'm not distracted by something shiny...like the internet). It takes a bit longer to edit and polish it up. 

Clara: Do you have any favorites out of the characters you've written?

Lindsay: Yes. But I don't suppose you want to hear about my young adult works. I suppose for romance, my favorite isn't a character so much as a pair together. I love Rob and Hannah. They're great. You see them as side characters in The Princess and the Frog (coming soon) and then they've got their own story coming up, too!

Clara: Which writers inspired/influenced your work?

Lindsay: Putting me on the spot, now are you? I don't know (honest answer). There are certain authors that inspire me for certain works. For instance, I'm trying (key word=trying) to write a humorous fantasy in the style of Terry Pratchett. Or I'd love to try a historical in a similar style to Julia Quinn. But for my completed pieces, I have no idea. I can tell you authors that I love (Christine Warren, Lori Foster, Julia Quinn, Sally MacKenzie, Kresley Cole, Lynsay Sands) but I can't tell you whether or not they've influenced my published works. It's unconscious. 

Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you said, "Yeah, I can do this!"?

Lindsay: When you're in writing, you have to say that to yourself everyday. Granted, some days it's easier -- you get an acceptance that day, or take a peek at a galley or cover art. But being a writer trying to break into the publishing industry, you have to say that to yourself at least once a day. And you have to convince yourself that you mean it, too. 

Clara: Was there ever a point in your career where you almost gave up writing?

Lindsay: There have been dips, lows in my mood. After all, it's hard to tell myself that I'm the best after I get a rejection on the same manuscript for the umpteenth time. But it's all about perseverance. That is the key to being published and continuing to be published. 

Clara: How do you come up with your stories?

Lindsay: Many ways. I get a lot of my ideas from dreams or just as I drift off to sleep. I also get a lot of ideas in the shower. This annoys me, because there's never any paper in the shower, and if there was, it would be wet. I have to keep repeating the idea to myself over and over as I hop out, hunt down some paper, and scribble it down. But I already have more ideas than I'll ever write. I place them in a binder, which I call the Big Book Of Story Ideas. Actually, now I have two binders. Not including the scribbles in a word document I have. Sadly, I'll never write them all. But I try to flow with the ones that catch me up. 

Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block?

Lindsay: I set that book aside for a bit. I have so many works going on all at once, I just open another one, read through what I've got (fix it if it needs fixing) and continue on from there. Eventually, I'll get back to that first one. And when I do, I'll no longer be stuck. 

Another method that helps me is to vary the length of the pieces I'm writing. If I've just finished a novel, I switch to a short story or novella. And vice versa if I've written a lot of short things lately. Or I switch genres. Nothing better to clear the mind than to write something completely different, like young adult, fantasy, or even poetry. 

Clara: You cross genres. From paranormal, to contemporary, historical—even straight fantasy and young adult! Has anyone ever told you to focus on one, and create a "brand"? Or do you think your fans are broader because of it?

Lindsay: Almost everyone I meet seems to think I should have a brand. But I'm one stubborn pumpkin. I could never focus on only one. I write the story idea that grips me, and anyone who is interested in that story idea will read it. Those who aren't, won't. I'm not that worried about it. After all, I'm versatile in my reading and writing, and I'm sure there are others out there like me. I don't write all these genres to please everyone, after all. I write them to please myself. That's what writing is about. 

Clara: What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Lindsay: Don't give up. It's simple enough advice, but there are still times when I think, "What the heck am I doing?" But I keep going, and eventually my confidence in my work returns. If you want to make it in the publishing industry, you have to never (ever) give up. 

Visit Lindsay (L. K. Below) on her blog, lbelow.blogspot.com, where you'll find the itinerary for her His Familiar Touch Book Tour. Comment there -- or here -- by 11:59PM EST on November 15th to be entered to win a signed copy of the Paramourtal anthology!

Clara. 

Interview with Cindy Spencer Pape

And after the whirlwind of reviews from last week, I'm lucky enough to sit down with their author, Cindy Spencer Pape! Let's get down to it!

Clara: Why did you choose gargoyles for this series?

Cindy: I wanted something different, that hadn’t been as overdone as vampires, werewolves, etc. Also that year, my publisher was doing a special group of stories featuring birthstones. Garnets, January’s birthstone is featured in the first book, but I didn’t stick with that series for the others. Still, each book features a gemstone, so I thought gargoyles, who turn to stone, would be a good match for that theme.

Clara: How extensive was the research for this project? Did you look up myths about gargoyles or did you create your own mythology? 

Cindy: Mostly made it up. The bulk of the research was getting their French words and phrases right—my college French is a little rusty.


Clara: Did you find that there was a pivotal point in your career, a point where you said to yourself, "Yeah, I can do this!"?  

Cindy: Not really. I always doubt myself. In about 1999, I decided to sit down and try to write a book. I did, and finished it, even though it’s awful. But that gave me the courage to write another, and another, and another.


Clara: Was there ever a point where you almost gave up writing? How did you overcome it? 

Cindy: There was. In 2006, I’d been writing and submitting and collecting rejections for a while. I had three manuscripts I was trying to place, so I decided to try the e-publishers. I sent one to Ellora’s Cave/Cerridwen Press, one to Triskelion (long gone now) and one to The Wild Rose Press. I told myself if one of them didn’t sell, I was done. As it turned out, all three did, and I instantly had three publishers to juggle.


Clara: How do you come up with your stories? Are you a plotter or do you go with the flow? 

Cindy: Some of each. It’s very free form, but I do write enough of an outline that I kind of know where I’m going, though I rarely stick to it completely. My ideas come from everywhere—bits of overheard conversation, old fairytales, movies I hated the endings to, dreams—you name it.


Clara: What do you do to overcome writer's block? 

Cindy: Procrastinate. Then eventually, just sit down and make myself string one sentence after another until it’s flowing again.

Clara: Do you have a favourite story that you've written? Favourite character? 

Cindy: I can’t say I do. You have to fall a little in love with each hero, and identify a little with each heroine or you’ll lose interest in the story and that will show in your writing.


Clara: You cross genres—from contemporary, to historical, to paranormal. Did anyone ever tell you not to do that? Do you think that it's more difficult to create a "brand" when you cater to multiple genres? Or, conversely, do you find that your fans are broader?  

Cindy: Yes, I’ve been told I should focus on a single “brand.” But then I’d really upset the readers who love my westerns, if I wrote only paranormal. Or upset my paranormal readers if I wrote only historical. It’s also a way to keep my writing fresh and my interest level high—I need to vary my style now and then. I do find that most of my readers will cross genres and read my other books.


Clara: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? 

Cindy: Don’t. Give. Up. And enjoy what you’re doing, or don’t do it. If writing isn’t fun, you should probably look to something else.

Thanks so much for having me here. It’s been a lot of fun to talk about my gargoyles!

Clara: Thanks for stopping by, Cindy!

Cindy's Stone Heroes gargoyle series which I reviewed last week is now available in paperback form. Find it here. 

Clara.