Archive for the 'Interviews' Category

Gazing into the Crystal Ball

November 1, 2007 | Interviews

ST: Welcome back, Lucynda. Tell us, what does the future hold for you?
LS: I have absolutely no idea other than more writing and editing and doing things with my family.

ST: If you had one wish that would be granted, what would it be?
LS: That there would be no suffering of any kind in the world.

ST: How did you and your publishers come together?
LS: I submitted to Loose Id on the recommendation of Lena Austin. I love my editor, Raven McKnight, and the partners have treated me well and as a professional. My other publisher is Aspen Mountain Press, a company I founded based on the shining example of Loose Id.

ST: What’s in the works for the future?
LS: I’ve another cop story I’m working on and some short paranormals for a series at Aspen Mountain Press called Del Fantasma. And then, there is another series that features a castle in Ireland (one of my favorite places!) that has been turned into a bed and breakfast. There will be more fantasy stories too.

ST: Thanks, Lucynda, for spending so much time with us. You’ve been great. I’ve enjoyed learning more about you. The very best to you in the future and keep us posted on your new releases.
LS: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share with your readers. There are a lot of fine authors and companies out there and I’m so fortunate to be rubbing elbows with them.

ST: Be sure to check out Aspen Mountain Press for excellent reading material. I’ll be back in the morning. Until then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane

Author, Author, Tell Us More

October 31, 2007 | Interviews

ST: Good morning, Lucynda, please describe your writing space.
LS: Cluttered, terribly cluttered.

ST: What’s your favorite part of writing?
LS: Brainstorming and actually putting the words down.

ST: What do you absolutely hate about being an author?
LS: Hmm. Being interrupted, people thinking it is easy to write any novel length fiction from beginning to end.

ST: In your opinion what’s the most important thing for a new writer to learn?
LS: That you must finish.

ST: Your website is cool. I recommend everyone cruise over to www.lucyndastorey.com and check it out. How did you decide on the content and design?
LS: Well, the tag “Cynfully Sweet, Cynfully Sexy” came to me and then I found the candy heart background. Although, I need to update it to something a little, um, more.

ST: Please tell us about your blog and how you decide what to write.
LS: First, I have two blogs: www.lucyndastorey.com/blog and http://cyn.blogspirit.com
I try to make it related to writing, although sometimes other things come to be that I feel passionately about.

ST: We’ll be back tomorrow with more from Lucynda. Until then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane

The Write Side of Life

October 30, 2007 | Interviews

ST: We’re back with Lucynda Storey and anxious to know what made you decide to be a writer?
LS: I’ve always loved reading and writing and wanted a chance to tell my own stories.

ST: How long have you been writing?
LS: I started playing around with writing and telling stories when I was a toddler. I got serious about eight years ago.

ST: Do you find writing to be fulfilling? And in what way?
LS: Yes, I do. I get very frustrated if I don’t get to put pen to paper in some fashion. It gives me a chance to expend my creative energy. I believe everyone has a talent that they are creative with and mine is writing. Writing makes me incredibly happy.

ST: What’s a normal day like for you?
LS: It seems like every year my normal day changes. These days it is up early, answer critical emails, critique or edit, write for an hour, then back to editing, then if I’m lucky, another hour in the evening. Throw in meetings, volunteering in the community, working with the local police department and attending classes and I end up being very busy.

ST: With your busy life how do you find time to write?
LS: I make it. It would be too easy for writing to slip off the schedule with other things to do that might be considered “more important”. If I don’t mesh writing into my daily schedule, I make myself stay up late or get up early for at least an hour. And, very little television (other than Bones, House, 24 and Heroes).

ST: Are there any quirks you have or do before or while you’re writing?
LS: You mean like lighting candles or listening to music? Nope, none. I do like it quiet, so if there is too much commotion in the office area of my home, I’ll go to the bedroom and write there.

ST: Who or what encouraged you to write erotica?
LS: LENA AUSTIN without a doubt. I remember sitting with her at a meeting and telling her I just couldn’t write what she did. She laughed at me in her very Lena way and told me it was easy…just write your fantasies.

ST: Where do you get the ideas for your novels?
LS: Dreams, real life, the newspaper, things I experience.

ST: How do you research your books?
LS: I would love to be able to tell you “personally”, but that is a fantasy. I do a lot of research on the Internet, book dive for information on specific topics (I got really great stuff on pirates including scholarly works), and talk to the people who hold the jobs my characters have.

ST: Who is your support group?
LS: I do BIAW (Book in a Week) with Passionate Ink, as well as my local RWA chapter Heart of Denver Romance Writers. Cher Gorman, Lizzie Leaf, Lena Austin, Kim Woolidge and Sue Viders are my critique partners.

ST: You have more energy then I could ever hope for!
LS: And I love every minute of it. lol. I have to run. See you in the morning.

ST: Until then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane

Author Lucynda Storey Tells All

October 29, 2007 | Interviews

ST: Hi, Lucynda Storey, welcome and thank you for visiting with us this week.
LS: Thanks for having me Sloane.

ST: Tell us about yourself.
LS: Gee, that’s a tough one. lol I grew up in the Air Force, so I traveled a lot as a kid. The travel bug bit me young and I love to go to new places. Many serve as settings in my stories.

ST: Your latest novel, The Collector 7: This Time Forever, is out. Let’s show everyone your gorgeous cover.

ST: It looks to be an exciting, hot read. Please tell us about it.
LS: A terminally ill woman is thrust back in time to the pirate ship of the man she’s fantasized about since she first read his journal. He has been searching for the reincarnation of his deceased wife and instead finds a modern talking woman with an attitude in his cabin.

ST: How did you come up with the story line?
LS: I knew I wanted to do a pirate story after I saw the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. But, I also knew there were a lot of women here and now who thought Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow was hot. Hmm. How do we get a modern woman to a character like Jack? That started me off and running.

ST: Sounds great. Where and can we buy The Collector 7: This Time Forever?
LS: The Collector 7: This Time Forever is available at Loose Id.

ST: How many books have you written?
LS: Eight full length novels and several shorter pieces.

ST: Which is your favorite and why?
LS: That is always such a tough question to answer! I love my cops Jack Smith and Case Roberts, but then I love Rand in This Time Forever and definitely Rey in Reynardine and Tyler in Things That Go Bump in the Night. I wouldn’t have written them if they weren’t my favorite at the time.

ST: Just how hot are your books, Lucynda?
LS: They range. Some are sensual, but most are what I’d call blistering. The Captive’s Release, and Simply Irresistible are probably the two hottest works I have, although Passionate Resources: Naomi features some intense scenes using virtual reality technology, machines and a couple of sexy, horny men. lol Here’s the cover for Captive’s Release.

ST: Absolutely yummy! You also have a non-fiction work. Tell us about that.
LS: It’s a collaboration with three other authors titled 10 Steps to Creating Memorable Characters. It available from book stores and Amazon. Here’s the cover.

ST: This is definitely a book I need to buy! Thanks for coming out today, Lucynda. Can you spare time in the morning?
LS: Absolutely, I’ll be here bright and early.

ST: Until then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane

Are you into SEXY DELIGHTS?

October 15, 2007 | Interviews

Hi All,

Join me this week at Sexy Delights where I’ll be discussing my new releases and everything else that turns me on.

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell
www.sloanetaylor.com

I’m at it AGAIN!

October 12, 2007 | Interviews

If you have time, please check out my latest interview with Kat Bryan. She’s a fun lady and I couldn’t help but blab my heart out.

Sloane’s interview is now posted on Kat’s blog. Once you’re on her site click on “blog” at the bottom of the home page.

Be sure to check out Kat’s books. She’s an author you’ll want to read.

See you next week. Until then…

Hapy Writing!
Sloane

Look Who’s Talking!

October 6, 2007 | Interviews

Hi Everyone,

Maya Reynolds has posted a new interview with me I’d like you to check out .

While you’re there look at the Maya’s other posts. The woman has a great talent for blogging terrific info on a variety of subjects.

Happy Writing!
Sloane

Gazing into the Crystal Ball

September 28, 2007 | Interviews

ST: Hi Maya! Let’s show everyone the primo cover for BAD GIRL one more time.

ST: This isn’t something I’ve ever done before on this blog, but it’s necessary for me to comment here. I finished BAD GIRL last night and already miss the unique charisma between Sandy and Justice. It’s a HOT read with a perfect build-up and should come with a Satisfacton Guaranteed notation on the book cover. Maya Reynolds does not disappoint her readers.

ST: Please tell us about your blog and how you decide what to write.
MR: I blog every day at http://www.mayareynoldswriter.blogspot.com and have been doing so for over two years.

I post about a variety of things: writing, becoming a writer, books, movies and publishing news. If I’m having an especially good or bad day, I might talk about that, too.

I’ve been fortunate. Lots of nice people have joined me on my blog. I now belong to a whole community of readers and writers who share each others’ lives through blogging.

ST: What does the future hold for you?
MR: I hope more stories that turn into books. I love to write. I feel so blessed to have found something that I can enjoy doing until I take my last breath.

ST: If you had one wish that would be granted, what would it be?
MR: More hours in the day. There never seems to be enough time to do everything that I want to do. I love to garden, but my yard is looking a little scruffy right now. My beloved border collie died two years ago, and I’m finally ready to think about another dog, but it would be unfair to take one on right now when I’m so busy.

ST: How did you and your publisher come together?
MR: I signed with Jacky Sach of BookEnds Literary Agency in late December, 2005. Jacky marketed BAD GIRL to the publishers she knew were interested in erotic romance. Tracy Bernstein of NAL Heat (a division of Penguin) purchased the book.

ST: What’s in the works for the future?
MR: Tracy wants my next book completed before March, 2008. I have two more erotic suspense stories rattling around in my brain right now. I also need to do Leah and Theodora’s stories, the sequels to BAD GIRL. Over the next few months, I’ll work on all of them at varying times.

ST: Thanks, Maya, for spending so much time with us. It’s been a great week and I’ve enjoyed learning more about you. The very best to you in the future and keep us posted on your future releases.
MR: Thank YOU, Sloane. It’s been a fun week. I hope you’ll come visit on my blog one day soon. I want to hear all about your new publishers.

ST: Ooh, the temptation to brag is powerful. LOL. We’ll get together on that, Maya. Thanks for the invitation.

I’ll be back in the morning with some wonderful news for you all! Unitl then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane

The Soft Side of Maya Reynolds

September 27, 2007 | Interviews

ST: Hi, Maya. Tell us about your writing space.
MR: I write in the smallest of my three bedrooms, which I use as a study. The room was originally a child’s bedroom and, when I moved in, had Winnie-the-Pooh curtains. I liked the bright primary colors, so I kept the cutains where they were.

I have a friend who is an interior designer. Those curtains drive her to distraction. LOL. She gave me a beautiful set of rose, white and green draperies so I’d take down my Winnies. The drapes are stored in the closet, and Winnie-the Pooh still rules!

When my nieces were very young, I started a Beanie Baby collection for them. They outgrew the fad, but I still have the collection. I hung narrow shelves around the top of the room about eighteen inches below the ceiling. The Beanie Babies sit on those shelves.

I wanted a very long, functional desk so I bought a seven-foot butcher block kitchen counter that sits atop two-drawer file cabinets. I have a desktop and laptop computer and two printers on it. I also have a card table set up next to my desk where my research and manuscript pages are spread out.

There are three seven-foot tall bookcases that occupy almost all the wall space. There’s a smaller bookcase that holds a television and VCR, a rolling stand with my word processor on it, a fax machine and a shredder.

ST: Sounds like a fantastic work space! Now that you have the ideal environment, what’s your favorite part of writing?
MR: That feeling of excitement I have when my characters start doing unexpected things.

Once my characters become real to me, they also begin dictating the action. If I try to make them do something that isn’t in character, they balk. While it’s frustrating, it also pleases me because it means they’re more than just cardboard figures.

ST: What do you absolutely hate about being an author?
MR: The feeling that there is never enough time in a day. Between working full-time, writing, blogging, marketing BAD GIRL and just trying to live, it seems I’m always two beats behind.

ST: In your opinion, what’s the most important thing for a new writer to learn?
MR: The difference between writing for pleasure and writing professionally. When you write for yourself, you can be indulgent. You can leave scenes in because you love them. You can meander all over the place without getting to the point. You can fill pages and pages with narrative or backstory.

When you write professionaly, you’re held to a higher stand. Publishing is a business, and you must learn to treat it as such. You need to learn proper grammar, spellling and punctuation.

In the same way that a professional athlete is just a cut above a talented amateur, a professional writer must learn to be a cut above and amateur hobbyist.

ST: Excellent advice for new writers and a good reminder for established authors.
MR: Thanks! Now I have to get back to work, if you don’t mind. I’ll see you again in the morning.

ST: Sounds good. Until then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane

Author, Author Tell Us More

September 26, 2007 | Interviews

ST: I know you’re really busy today, so let’s jump right in. Are there any quirks you have or do before or while you’re writing?
MR: I don’t know whether you’d call it a quirk or a habit, but I’m a compulsive editor. I always start a writing session by re-reading the last half dozen pages. It helps me get back into the story, and it allows me to clean up any errors. Every week or so, I re-read the entire manuscript from the start. The result is that I produce a very clean manuscript.

When I finish the story, I set it aside for a minimum of two weeks–preferably a month–to give myself some distance from it. After that time, I do one read-through for final edits and then I’m finished. I don’t spend more than a couple of days on that final read-through. By that time, I’m looking for continuity or logic errors. The grammatical stuff has been cleaned up long before that point.

ST: Who or what encouraged you to write erotica?
MR: I picked up Robin Schone’s THE LADY’S TUTOR about six years ago. I’d been away from the romance genre for a while, concentrating on mysteries and thrillers. I was blown away by how far romance had come. And I can remember thinking, “I could really get into writing an erotic romance.” It was another two years before I decided to try.

ST: Just how hot are your books, Maya?
MR: Let a reviewer answer that question. Lindy of Two Lips Reviews said: “I absolutely loved Bad Girl. I devoured it. In this, her debut print novel, Maya Reynolds has created characters with an intense chemistry and a plot that’s rock solid. Ms. Reynolds scores extra points for her exceptionally hot use of sex toys, too. At one point I thought to myself, “If this gets any hotter, my panties are going to melt.”

You can read the whole review here: http://www.twolipsreviews.com/content/index.php?

ST: Where do you get the ideas for your novels?
MR: Everywhere. From television, radio–especially NPR–Internet articles and just daily conversation. I keep 3×5 cards. Whenever I have a story idea, I scribble it down on a card and file it in a small box on my desk. When I need inspiration, I flip through those cards.

ST: That’s an excellent tip. How do you research your books?
MR: I do whatever is needed. Internet research, interviews, and actual physical “Can this be done?” research. It’s one of the fun parts of the job.

ST: Who is your support group?
MR: I get professional support primarily from my critique partners: five women around the country. I’ve only met two of them in person, but we talk online all the time. I also belong to a group of terrific erotic romance writers. There were 25 of us who took an online class with Jan Springer in February 2005. We had such a great time, we formed a closed Yahoo group we called The Brazen Hussies. Since that time, more than 20% of us have been published–including you, Sloane, and me

ST: Thanks, Maya, for sharing so much with us today.
MR: You’re welcome. I’ll see you in the morning.

ST: Until then…

Happy Writing!
Sloane