An interview with...Erotica author MORGAN HENRY

Thanks for being here today, Morgan.

First of all, I want to congratulate you for just getting a new contract offer from Siren-Bookstrand! Woo hoo! Very exciting.

Now...would you please share a short bio about yourself?

I was able to realize a long unfulfilled dream when Siren accepted my manuscript for publication.  Though I had always loved reading and writing, I made the decision to pursue a career in science when I was still in high school.  It was a choice based in a need for stability and financial security.

It wasn’t until much later in life that I returned to my love of writing.  I wrote a manuscript, deciding that it was better to try and fail than to always wonder if I could have been a writer.           

I reside in Ontario, with my loving and supportive husband, cat and Boston terrorizer, oops I mean terrier.  When I’m not writing, I still have a full time “day job”, family to look after, friends to enjoy spending time with, and quilts to make.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person? 

I am most definitely introverted.

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?

I am still very early in my writing career, so these next few questions are maybe a bit premature. I’m not sure it hindered the writing. I think it hinders the publicity end of things. I have a hard time with promoting me and my writing.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

The definition of an introvert is someone who needs time by themselves to recharge their personal energy. Since I enjoy alone time, I find the solitary nature of writing quite pleasurable.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you?

I’m still struggling with the whole “web presence” thing. I don’t generally spend a great deal of time online, so trying to manage a website, facebook, etc is a bit difficult for me.  As I mentioned earlier, I also find the promotion aspect difficult too.

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life? 

Well, as for the writing, I’m going to my first writing seminar a few days before this interview comes out. We’ll have to see how that goes.  It involves going to a place with a lot of people that I don’t know, to an event type I’ve never encountered and I’ll be by myself. A crowd and doing something for the first time – it’s an introvert’s nightmare!

Actually, when I think about the things that have made me most uncomfortable in life, they all tend to have crowds of people I don’t know. Conferences, weddings, funerals, concerts, etc. They all are draining.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

I think that introverts need to embrace that part of themselves. It’s okay to need alone time to recharge.  It’s also important to understand that about yourself, but not let it hold you back from achieving what you want in life.

For example, I can force myself to go to that writing seminar, but I know that will be pretty much it for me for the day. I wouldn’t try to schedule a dinner party for 12 on the same day, because I’ll be too wrung out to be good company later.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy  it?

This is the blub for my newest book, A Hard Choice for Hanna.  It’s the second book in the Hardwick Bay series.

Hanna Marks is happy with her life.  She loves her job as a veterinary technician, her home, beautiful garden, friends and family.  When sexy Kent and Carter VanLindt pursue her, she feels that it can't get much better.  They’re smart, successful, fun to be around and amazing in bed.

Hanna loves her family dearly, and can’t imagine life without them. But her parents didn't grow up in Hardwick Bay, the little town that embraces alternative lifestyles. Surely they’ll be able to accept her relationship with two men.  Or will her mother’s increasingly conservative views on marriage and relationships ruin it all?

Kent and Carter love Hanna to bits.  She’s the one for them. But when Hanna pulls away at the first sign of trouble, Kent’s past relationship disaster comes back to haunt him. Can Carter convince him to forgive Hanna and give their relationship another chance?

Where can my readers find you on the web?

www.morganhenrybooks.com

You can buy her first book, A New Life for Cailynn, here.

 Thanks for a great interview, Morgan! Wishing you many sales and many more contracts!

Q & A with erotic romance author Nicole Morgan

Thanks for being here today, Nicole. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

Thanks for having me! I am a multi-published author of erotic romantic novels, which more often than not have a suspenseful back story. Erotic romance mixed with a good old-fashioned whodunit.
In additional to her books, I also have a recurring column called, "Sex and the Single Woman" in BT Showcase's online eMagazine. Also, I have recently partnered up with three of my author friends and became Four Seduced Muses, a blog dedicated to the steamier side of romance.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person? 

I’m definitely not shy. I may appear quietly polite to strangers, but I’m not shy. I have no problem meeting new people and interacting with them.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you? 
Coming up with new material on a consistent basis. You can’t just write a book and expect to become a huge success with that one story. You need to work at it constantly, putting more books out there several times a year. Sometimes the monotony of it can be a bit much, but in the end I also find it very rewarding – as cheesy as that may sound. 

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life? 
I’ve recently starting writing under a new pen name (Ssshhh… I’m not telling what it is either *winks*) and that was a bit hard for me. Nicole Morgan books have been such a huge part of my life for the past several years I found it hard taking on new genres and getting comfortable in those shoes.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?
I would say, nothing is as bad as you think it is. If you’re too nervous to say hi to someone or break the ice, chances are they’re thinking the same thing. Appearing outgoing (even if you’re not) with a smile on your face will often times make you the life of a party and people will soon seek you out for conversation.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it? 
Jenny manages a resort and works tirelessly to maintain the lush property. Thomas is a drifter. Sexy and confident, he’s the last thing she needs in her life. Still he relentlessly pursues her. Will his charms be too much to resist? Will she act on her desires and be...impetuous? 

PURCHASE LINK:

http://bookstrand.com/impetuous

Where can my readers find you on the web? 
Nicole’s website: http://nicolemorgan1.webs.com

Nicole’s blog: http://nicolemorganauthor.blogspot.com

 

Q & A with author Chantilly White

Thanks for being here today, Chantilly. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?
Thanks for having me, Rebecca! My name is Chantilly White. I'm originally from California, but moved to the Pacific Northwest—by way of Wisconsin—about ten years ago, with my husband and three children.

I have always loved stories—whether reading or writing them—and wrote my first book when I was eight. It was a two-hundred-page treatment of what my life would be like, including a detailed description of every room in my future house, my eight (!!!) children, and all the animals I would have. My plan was to rescue every single animal from every single shelter on the face of the planet and give them all a place to call home. Every species would have its own house, where they'd all live peaceably, happily ever after.

Since the logistics of that plan proved beyond my capabilities, I settled for giving my fictional characters (and their pets!) happily-ever-afters in my stories. I have a degree in Creative Writing from the University of California at Riverside and am currently indie publishing short and novella-length romances, with novels coming soon.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?

I do consider myself a shy person. I don't understand why the people who know me laugh when I say that! I'm very introverted in most situations.

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?

Being shy has hindered me in that it has gone hand-in-hand with a serious lack of confidence in myself and my work. It even kept me from joining Romance Writers of America (RWA) for decades. I was too afraid, and felt too unworthy, to belong to the same organization as all of my romance-author idols. I regret that now, because the moment I walked into my first RWA meeting, with the Olympia chapter, I knew I had found my tribe. The room was full of amazing, fabulous women who immediately welcomed and accepted me, put me at ease, and who have been an integral part of my life ever since. They are a continual source of support, knowledge and friendship. It was their belief in me and my writing, rather than my own confidence, that finally pushed me to take control of my career and get my work out to readers.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

Being shy—and sensitive to a fault—has helped me in my writing because I am very attuned to emotions, whether my own or the emotions of those around me. I've been told that I write with emotional intensity, which was such a lovely compliment, and I hope it's true. I want to bring as much authentic emotion to my stories as possible, and I work hard to really dig down into my characters' psyches to discover their personal truths.

Also, introverts tend to be natural observers. There's not much else to do when hiding out in those corners! I think surveying the scene—the people, their actions, body language, conversations and emotions, the setting—helps fill the creative well in ways that might be harder to achieve from center stage.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you?

Promotion! No question. I absolutely hate it. I'd much rather promote other people than myself. It's very hard to stand up and say, "Look at me! I wrote this book, isn't it fabulous? Don't you want to read it?" But I love saying, "Look at my friend! She wrote this fabulous book! You must go buy it!" It's something I continue to work on, because I know as an author it's part of the gig—we have to do it if we want to find our readers and make a living. But I sure wish they'd just accidentally stumble across my stories (in large numbers, of course), love them instantly and beg for more. That's my writerly fantasy.

However, as a devotee of Dean Wesley Smith (http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/), author and indie publisher extraordinaire, I love his promotion plan, which is (paraphrasing), "Don't bother. Write another book. And another one. The best promotion is another story to sell." I like the way he thinks. That sort of promotion is a natural fit for me. Writing another story, and another and another, is what I most want to be doing in the first place.

Having said that, I LOVE to hear from readers and build relationships with them that are not incumbent upon me constantly "selling myself" to them. I want to get to know them as people, not as buyers. If they like my stories and choose to read more of them, great! I so appreciate the support. But let's get to know each other, too.

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

I stepped way outside my comfort zone when I decided to indie publish. I don't think I have been as nervous as I was that first publication day in years. Maybe decades. It felt like, by putting my work out there, I was suddenly in an enormous spotlight and the whole world could see me standing there with my soul bared. I was so jittery I could hardly concentrate as my friend helped show me the ropes of publishing. I had all the classic signs of a massive panic attack: sweaty palms, racing heart, rapid breathing, icy tremors. It was awful! But the sense of exhilaration once my story went live was incredible, and made the nerves totally worth it.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you (whether you’re shy/introverted or not)?

Find your tribe. That's what helped me the most. I am very shy, very introverted in most situations, but there's something about being an active part of my personal tribe, the writing community, that freed me from my usual angst. There's a real sense of comfort that comes from being surrounded by a group of people all focused on and experiencing the same things, no matter what stage they're at. My writer friends "get" me on a deep, dark level because they've all been in my shoes at one point or another. I get them for the same reasons. The details of our journeys may be different, but the emotions experienced along those varied journeys are shared. When you have that sort of unquestioning empathy and support, you start to feel like you can tackle anything. And if you feel like you can tackle anything, well then, you can tackle anything.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

Sure! They're available on Amazon, B&N and anywhere ebooks are sold.

Pearls of Passion:

Shy librarian Sabrina has had her heart set on Robert, her hunky, reserved colleague, for months. Now she's taking matters into her own hands. . . and anywhere else she can manage. But once she's had her way with him, will she end up with the love match she craves even more than his luscious body?

A short, H-O-T contemporary romance, Pearls of Passion is 6,000 words (about 15 pages).

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance Ebooks

 

Pearls of Wisdom:

A long-simmering love. A proper proposal. One incredible night.

Billy Wingate has never been with a woman. He’s never held a gun. In fact, he’s never been outside his home state of Indiana. But it’s 1942. The world is at war, and Billy’s life is about to change forever.

On the eve of departing for the war, Billy finally gathers the courage to ask his dream girl, sexy town librarian April Collins, to be his bride. But when his proposal turns into a steamy night of passion, Billy is determined to make every moment count. They both know his first time may be his last. . .

A short, H-O-T historical romance, Pearls of Wisdom is 15,000 words (about 35 pages).

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance Ebooks

Pearls of Pleasure (Available September 24, 2012)

Gwen Coffey's marriage is collapsing. When her fireman husband, David, nearly died in a blaze that took the lives of his friends, she devoted herself to his long, painful recovery. Three years later, he's healthy and back to work—but now, when they make love, panic attacks send Gwen into a spiraling abyss of terror.

His marriage turning to ash around him, David struggles to help his wife. Gwen's pain tears him apart. But despite her attempts to shut him out, he won't give up on her, or their relationship. Desperate, he convinces her to see a therapist.

As Gwen and David work toward a solution, one question burns in their minds—will the doctor's treatment plan save their once fiery passion, or will the flames of Gwen's fear devour their sex life and incinerate the bonds of their marriage?

Pearls of Pleasure is a 40,000 word hot contemporary-romance novella (about 100 pages).

Where can my readers find you on the web?

My website is http://ChantillyWhite.com where readers can find out about current and future projects or contact me via email.

 

I'm also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChantillyWhite or https://www.facebook.com/FansofChantillyWhite and Twitter @ChantillyWhite

 

 

Q & A with erotica author Simone Sinna

Thanks for being here today, Simone. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

Simone Sinna is the other side of an established nonfiction writer. After an epiphany on the 2038km road to Santiago de Compostela (which inspired her second novel, just out) she changed her name and now writes mostly erotic fiction. Her husband is delighted, her mother and two children less so…

She has three erotic romance suspense novels published with Siren: Embedded, Exposé, Exclusive (due July 2012) and two short stories in Stringybark anthologies, Brushstrokes published in Heat Wave of ’76 in 2011 and Night Game in 2012 in Between the Sheets. 

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

I think cutting the umbilical cord to my books and letting them go is very painful. I am putting myself out there with something that is part of me. I can cope with constructive criticism but blanket canning (such as one review on Amazon) is agony.

The other time that really comes to mind though isn't too do with writing. I sang in a rock'n'roll band with four guys dancing behind me in rain coats. I was in a tight black plastic dress singing It's Raining Men. First ever public singing and though I had had lessons for a couple of years I was TERRIFIED. When the acosutics gave no feedback meaning I couldn't hear myself, I though I'd die. Anyway, I kept going and am still alive but no singing career!!!

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

When you get scared (of having your writing criticized/ that you won't be able to do it) then remind yourself: "Do I still want to be saying this when I'm 80 in a retirement village-- 'I could have...' " Give it your best now and at least know you tried!

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

The second in the series, Exposé (erotic romance suspense-- loads of glamour, action and sex) can now be purchased as an e-book on www.bookstrand.com/simone-sinna and will be released as a print copy in August 2012.

Second of three in the Stephanie Beauman series (but stands alone), Exposé takes investigative journalist Stephanie from New York where she is recovering from the end of her affair with Gabriel, undercover again, this time on a film set across France and Spain. Producer Jeffrey Carroway wants an award – enough to step aside as director and allow industry darling Paolo Valdez to direct. But is he also prepared to pay? Trying to uncover a systematic fraud, Stephanie finds more than she bargained for when things start going very wrong on set. Sabotage, bribery and artistic integrity are all in the mix as Stephanie plays Paolo against Jeffrey, whilst juggling handsome actor Damian Croft, trying to work out just why Carlo is keeping such a close eye on her and wondering if she will every truly escape Gabriel.

Where can my readers find you on the web?www.simonesinna.com

Follow @simonesinna on Twitter

Q & A with author Sabrina York

Thanks for being here today, Sabrina. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, writes naked erotic fiction for fans who like it hot, hard and balls-to-the-wall, and erotic romance and fantasy for readers who prefer a slow burn to passion. An award winning author in multiple genres, Sabrina loves writing hot, humorous stories in all kinds of settings from contemporary to fantasy to downright horror.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?  

People who know me would laugh out loud if they heard me say that yes, I’m shy. But it’s the truth. Years ago, as a painfully timid college student, I took an acting class and learned to play the role of an unabashedly confident person. Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” I took that advice to heart. As time passed, I found it easier and easier to pretend I was an extrovert. Now it seems normal and I have no problems grabbing a microphone and blabbing in front of a crowd. But deep inside—if I stop to think about it—I’m scared to death.

So I don’t think about it.

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?

I believe that in many ways, my reluctance to be ‘famous,’ or even ‘noticed,’ stopped me from taking the chances I should have taken throughout my career. I often second guessed submissions and queries. One area I felt very comfortable in was entering contests, because there was feedback without it being as personal. I started winning contests and it became even easier. Addictive. When my friends started referring to me as the ‘contest ho’ and editors and agents began questioning how I won so many awards and never sold, I realized it was time to toss my caution to the winds and make some serious moves.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

My characters carry with them an element of my shyness, which makes them warmer and more human. They all have self doubts that they miraculously overcome within the narrative. If I hadn’t experienced the same, my stories simply would not be as authentic and warm as they are.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you?

For a shy writer, creating steamy erotic love stories can be a challenge. While I am composing, I have to forget that there is a world of readers out there soaking in my words. The fact of the matter is, I am an erotic writer. I didn’t plan to be or try to be…it’s just where my fingers go. And I’m good at it. Ignoring other people’s opinions of my work—or what I think they might be thinking—is tough. But it has to be done. Fortunately I have a wonderful editor and amazing critique partners who keep me inspired.

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

I live outside my comfort zone. Every day. Because my comfort zone is a hole in the ground with a nice palm-leaf cover. 

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

Remember that you have something rare and precious. Your way with words, your thoughts, your ideas. No one else has that miraculous element that makes you you. Someone out there is waiting to read what you write, waiting to enjoy the talents you have to offer. Put your shyness aside. For the good of all. And share it. When you think of your writing as a service you offer the universe, reticence has no place.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

My first novel, Adam’s Obsession comes out April 4^th from Ellora’s Cave. It tells the story of hopelessly shy and utterly repressed (sound familiar?) Katherine Hart who is so reserved, she only indulges in her risqué sexual fantasies online. Her virtual lover, Savage, is willing to meet her every need, especially once he discovers her naughty little secret—that, more than anything, she craves a masterful man. Fortunately, Savage is just that. And then some.

When Adam Trillo (aka Savage) discovers that the incredibly erotic woman he’s been tangling with online is actually his adorably demure co-worker, he is determined to seduce her IRL—in real life. He longs to release the wild Kat he knows lurks just below the surface. Using a beguiling mix of domination and persuasive charm, he draws her, relentlessly into his web until she is helpless to deny their mutual passion. Most especially when she’s tied to the bed…

Where can my readers find you on the web?

You can check out an excerpt for Adam’s Obsession, and my other coming books, at www.SabrinaYork.com. While you’re there, read about how you can sign up for my HotSheet and enter to win an exquisite tiara from Her Royal Hotness. You know you want it!

Wheel of Fortune

Guest blogger: Maya DeLeina

I am at a time in my life where I am incredibly comfortable in my skin. I’ve learned to accept they way I look and appreciate who I am. Ok, so I am a bit weird, yet it hasn’t caused me to make a b-line for a darkened corner of a room in a social setting and I am far from being timid. This is me, like it or not.


But I haven’t always been this way.


If I had to pinpoint a time where I first started being uncomfortable with myself, it had to be the moment I got satellite equipment on my face- orthodontic headgear. This was the start to my very awkward-looking stage. I didn’t shy away from doing things completely, but I certainly had reservations that I never had before and I did everything in my power to blend in so I wouldn’t standout. And that is pretty dang hard to do with blinding metal on your face.


All in all, I wasn’t a cute kid. In fact, I remember my younger brother and I took photos together. He was so perfectly adorable in the foreground and then there I was, looming in the background and ruined the portrait. To really paint the picture, at one time, I donned braces with the rubber-band closures, the headgear, pimples and chin-length hair that was so extremely poofy, I looked like a walking mushroom. Then, my nose grew from a cute button as a baby into what looked like a freaky arrow. I remember one kid in school, Jason, would constantly call me “Wheel of Fortune”, you know, because my nose looked like that little white arrow on Pat Sajak’s wheel?


I can’t tell you how many times I heard “Free Spin”.

So this is where my shyness developed. Seems a bit shallow, but this had a real impact on my self esteem and confidence. I didn’t want to get teased, so I stayed low. Although a lot of the adolescent years experience this, for me, I was unable to shake it completely. Later in life, I was still enraptured with the thought of blending, taking it as far as fantasizing about the day I could afford plastic surgery so my nose would look like everyone else.


Then something just hit me like a flash.


If we all looked, thought, dressed like each other, what a boring world this would be. The headgear is gone now, but my nose ever present. The thought of plastic surgery for a new nose is no longer in my thoughts (boob lift, maybe). It’s me. It’s who I am. And suddenly, when I accepted this, everything else started to fall in place.

Acceptance is a powerful tool.


Today, I am an erotic vampire author of all things, unleashing my wicked, twisted and weird creativity in my writing. No reservations or shyness here! And it is all due to acceptance. This acceptance has given me an inner strength I never felt before. This inner strength promoted confidence. This confidence helped breakthrough that wall I built years ago that has allowed me to find my true voice.


It’s crazy when I think back on this.


In Tarot cards, the Wheel of Fortune is all about luck and change. The wheel symbolizes completeness, the rise and fall of fortunes and the message that what goes around comes around. The card indicates happiness and elevation; a change that just happens, and brings with it great joy.


This is where I am now.


Makes me wonder what Jason is up to these days.

***

You can learn more about Maya on her website 

and Facebook. Her newest release, Flesh Fantasy

is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble

and Siren-Bookstrand.

Pick me! Pick me...NOT!

by Tammy Dennings Maggy, guest blogger

Public speaking used to terrify me. Not just getting up in front of a group of people, but any time attention was focused on me gave me cold sweats. I hated being called on in class to answer questions. It didn’t matter whether or not I knew the answers. As soon as I was called upon, I would freeze and feel like every single eye was on me and I was being judged. If I answered correctly, I was called a show off. If I didn’t know the answer, then I was ridiculed for being wrong. It really wasn’t that way all of the time, but that’s how I felt. I even had teachers pull me aside asking me why I didn’t speak up more in class. They knew by my tests and essays that I knew the material. They just couldn’t understand why I “pretended” not to know it in the classroom.

It wasn’t that I was pretending at all. I was just too frightened to speak. The fear of rejection and failure was paralyzing for me. No matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to shake that feeling. It wasn’t until a very popular teacher took me aside one afternoon and told me his secret. He too was terrified of talking in front of people. I didn’t believe him of course. He looked so at ease in front of the class and seemed to speak comfortably for the entire period. He smiled at my doubtful expression and promised to let me in on his secret. He wrote it on a note card and slid it across the desk to me. I gave him my best “you’ve got to be kidding me” expression after I read it and he just smiled. “Trust me. It works every single time.”

“Just Breathe…”

Two little words was all he wrote, but two of the most powerful words that would get me through any situation. Seriously. Whenever I felt that growing panic zip through my body, the first thing I’d do was start looking for a way out. But if I just took a moment, inhaled deeply, and then let the air out slowly, I would find that those voices telling me to run would quiet down. My heart would stop beating so wildly in my chest, and the feeling returned to my fingers after I’d stopped clenching my fists so tightly. I took a few more breaths, closed my eyes for a beat or two and then opened them once again. What do you think I saw?

I saw people looking to me for guidance, for inspiration, for hope, for a laugh or two. They were not there to judge me at all. They wanted to hear what I had to say. They didn‘t always agree with me, but they were interested in what I had to say just the same. Looking a little harder, I found some people who were relieved it was me center stage instead of them. I could always find my cheering section, smiling up at me, encouraging me to continue. And yes, there were a few who were not paying attention at all. All the better for me. I was able to forget about those few and concentrate on those who were paying attention.

Go ahead. Give it a try the next time you have to speak in front of a group of people. Just breathe for a few moments before you have to begin. Speak your mind and from your heart, and before you know it, your time in the spotlight will be over…for now.

Thanks so much for the insight, Tammy!

Tammy's book, For the Love of Quinn, is available now.

What happens in Vegas refuses to stay there for Quinn, who falls in love with two men: Vegas tycoon Steve and classic bad boy Jake. Both have claims on her heart, but only one shares a connection so strong that nothing can keep them apart.

About Tammy: As far back as I can remember I have had two dreams: become a veterinarian and a world famous author. So far I achieved the first one and have enjoyed a wonderful career as a small animal veterinarian, but something has always been missing. I have never stopped writing; that has never an issue. The problem was getting up the nerve to actually finish one of my novels and submit it to a publisher. What a scary thought to send a stranger something I had poured my heart into. Would they like it? Would they see the characters the way I saw them in my head? Writing For the Love of Quinn was like giving birth to my first child…I had to let my characters go to see if they would take off…and boy have they ever!
 



You can learn more about Tammy on her website, Facebook, blog, and by following her on Twitter @dochappycamper. 

Q&A with author Rose Anderson

Thanks for being here today, Rose. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

First off, thanks for having me, Becky. I’m a new author with two books published through Siren-Bookstrand and several more in the works. Driven to create, I write across genres --everything from children and youth literature, to historicals and erotic romance. In between, I freelance. Yep, driven. :)

Q Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?


A Oh definitely. A painfully shy girl forced by life to grow into a marginally shy woman. I don’t think we ever really leave shyness behind. I think the truly shy person simply learns how to cope.

Q In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?


A I don’t yet know if my natural shyness has gotten in the way or not because my career as an author is so new. It gets in the way in my day to day life so it will undoubtedly meddle in one way or another. I do know doing interviews in my quest to become a known author is a bit uncomfortable. :) Every inch of self-promoting is an inch outside my personal sphere of comfort. But self promoting is important so I deal with it and carry on.

Q In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?


A Being a shy child, I always stayed in the background trying to blend in with the wallpaper so no one would notice me. I became a keen observer from the sidelines. I’m usually aware of the smallest emotional details of people when they interact with one another. When I write, I use this detail. My characters are real in their settings. They think. They empathize. They feel. My characters are the sum of my own experiences and these shy observations of others.

Q What’s the hardest part of this business for you?

A I’d hate to admit this, but since this is the shy writer’s blog I’m sure every shy person reading will understand. It’s putting my face out there and looking people in the eye to introduce myself. I have a stack of lovely, perfectly worded, business cards and my shyness keeps me from passing them out! I went out with friends recently and five other women took my cards and passed them out to people without any inhibition. It was like that old TV game show from a zillion years ago -- What’s My Line? -- where each of the three contestants pretended to be the real person from the opening intro. These terrific women were happy to pretend to be me and pass out my cards, while I was busy being uncomfortable being me! It’s crazy.

Q Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

A I’m very aware of my self-imposed personal limits. To break free of the shackles of fears and discomfort, I regularly throw myself into uncomfortable situations. For example: I’m a tad claustrophobic, so I took up spelunking (cave exploration). Sounds intense, eh? It is, but it’s like getting an inoculation. By living through a situation, I’m protected from full-blown discomfort the next time around. I’ve been forcing things on myself since my late teens.

When I was in college, I carried my shyness with me every day. A DJ radio slot came up at school so I took it to be able to speak. I mean I could speak, but I was all shy mumbles in social situations. Two things at that school helped me so much. The first was my radio show. There I made casual conversation to my microphone and played music. And all of it was done behind a closed door. No one could see me. The second was a speech class. Boy, that was brutal. I had to stand up in front of people and say things like himmel hummel himmel hummel and lalalalalala. We also had to do “spontaneous extemporanea” -- speeches off the cuff. And I’d do it all with a racing heartbeat and sweat. As uncomfortable as that sounds, I recommend it. The organization Toastmasters will help too.

Q What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

A I do have a tip from that class. Eye contact is hard on shy people. Instead of direct eye contact in a social situation, focus on the eyelids or eyebrows of the person you’re talking to. You appear to be making eye contact but you’re really avoiding the source of pupil-to-pupil discomfort.

Q Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

A My recent release is Dreamscape. Written in homage to Agatha Christie, this tale is peppered with clues that hint at the ending long before the last page is turned. From start to end, the story is far more than it appears. It has romance, history, time travel (of sorts), murder and lots of sizzle.

Blurb:


Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing—he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life. When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason discovers, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man. Despite its derelict condition and haunted reputation, Lanie couldn’t be happier with her new home, but then she has no idea a spirit follows her every move throughout the day and shares her captivating warmth at night. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side. It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.

Dreamscape will be in paperback any day now. The ebook can be found at most online booksellers and here: Buy Rose Anderson's Dreamscape

Q Where can my readers find you on the web?

A I’m all over the place it seems. I love to hear from readers. Drop me a line! Join my Google+ Circle, Follow me on Twitter, or just Subscribe to my Blog for updates, releases and reviews. Any good search will turn me up somewhere! Here are a few of my links:

My Blog CalliopesWritingTablet


See My Book Trailers


Follow me on Twitter!


Join my Circle of Friends on Google+

Q & A with author Marie Tuhart

Thanks for being here today, Marie. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

Thanks for having me, Rebecca. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I still live, next year I will be moving to Washington State. I'm published in contemporary erotic romance with The Wild Rose Press, I also write Paranormal erotic romance and series contemporary romance targeted for Harlequin Presents.


Q Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?
A I'm pretty much an introvert although some people who know me wouldn't agree with me.


Q In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?
A I sometimes have a hard time at conferences with networking.

Q In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?
A It's helped me write characters who are outgoing and will do wild things, things I would never think of doing.

Q  What’s the hardest part of this business for you?
A Promotion, I don't know if what I'm doing is working or not.

Q Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?
A I would have to say at the Emerald City Conference last year, they invited e-book authors to their book signing, I didn't have a book to sign so I was way outside my comfort zone. But the book signing chairs made it painless by having a scavenger hunt that involved only the e-book authors and I was seated next to Shelli Stevens who kept me from running out of the room and made me feel welcome.

Q What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?
A Watch for opportunities to show off your writing and don't stress if you've decided to do a talk or a book signing, or whatever. It isn't easy, but in the long run it's fun.

Q Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?
A Quick Silver Ranch: Saddle Up
Angie Davidson finds herself at loose ends after her best friend's wedding and in need of a vacation, so when sexy yet aloof co-owner of the Quick Silver Ranch, Jared Turner, insists she stay to explore their sexual attraction, she agrees. Though she loves being a submissive in the bedroom, Jared's distant air after lovemaking brings back bad memories. Can she show this strong sexy man he has nothing to fear from her, or will he abandon her like everyone else in her life has?

Sexy yet aloof Jared, co-owner of the Quick Silver Ranch is eager to explore Angie's submissive side with two weeks of toys and other naughty play. However, the last time he was this attracted to a woman—mentally and phyiscally—she wasn't able to put up with his Dominant streak. Can Angie see that her vacation with him can be the perfect way of life?
You can buy Quick Silver Ranch at any of your favorite e-tailers (Amazon, B&N, Bookstrand, Fictionwise) Or you can buy directly from The Wild Rose Press http://tinyurl.com/6jcwda5

Q  Where can my readers find you on the web?

A You can find me a number of places:

Website: www.marietuhart.com

Facebook: Marie Tuhart – I'm the only one

Twitter: @marietuhart

Blog: www.escapetoaneroticfantasy.blogspot.com
Group blog: www.wildandwickedcowboys.wordpress.com

Thanks so much for being here today, Marie!