Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Sizzling July Interview with Aleksandr Voinov!


So, the time has come, my twisted and kinky lovelies, to end our romp through this Sizzling July heat! 
To wrap things up, one of my favorite authors is here!
Meet Aleksandr Voinov!

Welcome to My Twisted & Kinky World!
Hi Brenda, thanks for having me! Twisted and Kinky, eh? I’ve come to the right place!

Let's start off by telling everyone a little bit about you!
Well, I’m Aleksandr Voinov, I’m an m/m writer, and my most “famous” work is probably Special Forces, which I’ve written as “Vashtan”. Since then, I’ve written action thrillers, paranormal, historical and sci-fi stories and last year I’ve co-started Riptide Publishing with a couple friends. Since then I’ve been really busy. In the offline world, I’m an emigrant German working and living near London (the one in Europe) and I work in financial services, where I plot to take over the world.
I just loved, loved, loved Special Forces! But I don't think you have written anything yet that I did not love!

So, I know when I sit on writer panels I am always asked this question. When did you start writing?
Depends what you call writing. I’d say I’ve made up stories all my life and unlike some people, I never stopped and then I even wrote them down. But when I sold my first horror short story to a magazine in Germany (it got me 5 times my monthly pocket money, so I was suddenly RICH! RICH!), I thought, hey, I’m a writer. It took a while to repeat the sale, but once I knew what I was doing, I sold a number of novels in Germany and when I left my country, I switched to English and kept writing. That’s it in a nutshell.
I am so glad you switched to English and I am sure many of your other fans are too!

What inspired your first book? What was the title?
The first short story was a “haunted house” story which wasn’t that good, though it was decently written. The second story was about a cyborg that gets hunted and killed by the new political regime. It was bleak as hell, even nightmarish.
You do nightmarish really well so I can only imagine!

The magazine editor-in-chief turned it down because it was so awfully bleak, but he called me six months later, all aflutter and asked if the story was still available. Sure it was—there is no other paying market for sci-fi in Germany. And he told me that despite his best efforts, he couldn’t get my story out of his head and even though it was a stretch for the magazine and really quite horribly dark, if he can’t forget a story when he was reading a hundred or more per week, he knew it was a winner and he’d go with his gut instinct.

At the bottom of it, the story was inspired, I guess, by being bullied at school, and possibly by my mother’s illness. She died two years later of cancer, and the (female) cyborg had cancer too, though at the time my mother hadn’t been diagnosed. Yes, I mentioned it was bleak. But it’s a ripping good action story.
It's the bleak stories that tend to stir up our emotions and take us places we normally would not go.

Have you always written erotica?
Oh no. I had to learn how to write sex. So many of my stories had huge sexual tension between at least two of the men, but I was writing mainstream fantasy and sci-fi and these books are targeted at heterosexual teenage and young adult nerds, so my homoerotic undertones were widely seen as disturbing (though my women readers loved it!).

I learnt sex writing probably while roleplaying online. Expressing things in emotionally intense ways was in part to entertain my roleplaying partner. And it was fun and hot and I learned how to do it properly. Then I wrote Special Forces, which was really only envisaged as “soldier porn”, but suddenly it had all these romance reader fans. I was a bit shocked and thought romance? That’s not what I’m doing.
I have never thought of Special Forces as "soldier porn" but I can see how that thought could occur. I am not surprised that the romance fans gobbled it up though. Special Forces takes the reader through every emotion and is a fantastic love story. By the way gang, you can get Special Forces  to read for free on Aleks site!

But I clearly was – my characters fall in love, explore each other, have sex and have cool adventures, but I’m writing about relationships. And I write sex because it reveals character and I think I’m good at it, and my characters often demand it. (Some are shy, but many can’t wait to get their kit off.) But I cut my teeth in the mainstream, so lots of other stuff happens in my stories, too. But generally speaking, I’m most comfortable in explicit queer, usually gay, sometimes genderqueer or bisexual fiction, which includes sex. Sometimes a lot of sex.
A lot of sex is good but without the in depth characters and the plot, it is just porn. Porn isn't what you write and I think that is why so many of your fans fall in love with your characters and the sex is just a bonus.

What made you decide to write erotica?
I’m really enjoying it. Every writer has to work out how comfortable they are writing sex. Some are not comfortable at all, others go at it like porn directors. In my view it’s absolutely vital to stay at one’s comfort level. I explored mine, I explored kinks and sexual practices (like bloodplay, breathplay, BDSM, power exchange, fisting, the works), and quickly found out that, as far as some of my characters are concerned, there are very few limits. Silvio for example has basically no sexual limits.
Silvio…ummm *drools* He is one of my favorite characters that you have shared with us! I will never think of a Desert Eagle the same! *grins* For those of you who have not met him yet, you are surely missing out and should check out Dark Soul.

Other of my characters are sexually more “sane” though. So, I realized I was good at it, and I love to turn readers on and give them a fantasy that they can indulge in. It’s like running around handing out chocolate to strangers. I like to make people feel good. Sex is a natural stress-buster. Also, it felt artificial to slam the bedroom door shut, so keeping the camera on and showing people all the things I couldn’t write in the mainstream felt like a huge liberation.

How would you classify your erotic writing?
I’ve written m/m/f ménages, m/m and m/m/m. I’ve co-written het scenes. I’ve covered everything from erotica to romance to mainstream writing with sex or even without sex. Whatever works for the characters and is necessary for the story.

Do you have a specific writing style?
If I trust my reviewers, then “trademark Voinov” is intense, immersive, gritty and unconventional. I enjoy playing with expectations and I rarely pull my punches. The idea is to grab the reader and not let them escape until I’m done with them. But I hope they can relax and smile happily afterwards.

That’s the whole thing – I like to entertain, but it’s not easy of fluffy by any stretch. Basically, I try to keep inventing new stuff, and I hope readers will never know what they are getting when they open one of my stories. And at the same time get my style and voice that can be challenging and is sometimes pretty involved and complex, but I have readers who love exactly that, and that’s my audience. It’s never easy, always intense, hopefully sometimes clever and twisty.
This is what I love about your books. I know that they will be intense but I never know which way that intensity will come from and I don't have to worry about the "reality" being sugar coated. *grins*

What is the process you use for writing?
It depends very much on the story. Some I have completely in my head while I write, with others, like Skybound, I’m flying totally blind. Others I had a vague idea how they’d go, like Scorpion, and it totally surprised me when my main character, Kendras, did something unexpected and turned the whole thing around after the first third. But usually, I’m flying pretty blind with a very vague idea where I’m going. I’ve outlined some books, though, and I might do it again.
I am always surprised by the criticism I receive for this writing style. Traditionalist say stories should be outlined but we have to do what works best for us.  


Is there a message in your novel(s) that you want your readers to grasp?
I’m writing to entertain, not to teach, but if there’s one message, it would be what I call “the triumph of the human spirit”. My characters struggle a great deal, they often suffer, but in the end, they usually make it and get their reward. Often, they are healed or transformed by love, which personally I find a really uplifting message. For all the struggling in my books, there’s perseverance and faith and loyalty and love. One message might be “never stop fighting” or “we’re all equal in the face of love”, but I won’t go out of my way to preach it in a book. 
 
How do you come up with your book titles?
They often happen fairly early on. Dark Soul was there immediately. Scorpion used to be called “Scorpion and Steel”, or “Scorpion in Amber”, but then I saw the title “Dragonfly in Amber”, so that was out, and Steel, the mercenary, turned out to be the evil guy, so only “Scorpion” was left. Incursion was originally “Glyrinny Incursion”, then a friend told me that nobody can spell “Glyrinny”, and also, “Incursion” sounds nicely ominous, possibly threatening.
I think they were right about spelling "Glyinny"!

So, often, the first title sticks, or is twisted very slightly and then sticks. I’ve rarely completely renamed a book. The worst case was Dark Edge of Honor, which was originally called “Father of All Things”, which is a Herodotus quote: “War is the father of all things”, and since it’s a gay military sci-fi romance, we loved the title, but Carina Press didn’t like it and after some wrangling we agreed to change the title.  It’ll always be “Father of All Things” to me (and my co-writer Rhi Etzweiler), though.

Are your plot lines based on real life experiences or are they purely fiction?
The plots not so much (I’ve never murdered a king or destroyed an empire or hunted a shapeshifter, though all of that, apart from murder, would be cool), but the core conflicts are biographical. We’ve all had loyalty conflicts or conflicts with the family, or a struggle about who we are. Or a crisis of faith, or love that was threatening our normal, well-ordered life and would change us forever. All I’m doing is to twist them and make them bigger (and more interesting), and, voila, book happens.

If you had to name one character you have written that was the most like you, which character in which book would that be?
All my characters have some traits of me, but I think I’m probably most like Martin in an as-yet unpublished novel. Like me, he’s thrown into the financial services industry in London and is way in over his head and a bit of a misfit. I also think I might have given Nikolai Krasnorada some of my traits. (I’m saying that, but I don’t quite know yet how he’s going to turn out.)
Oh now my interest is peaked! You know me, I will be harassing you about when that 'as-yet unpublished' book will be available!

Are there certain characters or stories you would like to go back to?
All the time. I want to fix the weak stories and rewrite and edit them and then I slap myself in the mirror and tell myself to move forward, not backwards. But characters keep coming back. Silvio’s been with me for twenty years and I’ve written at least three novel’s worth of stuff about him. I first had to become a decent writer before I could hope to nail him. I did, eventually, in Dark Soul.

Do you travel much concerning your books?
Not yet, although this year I’ll be travelling to a convention in the UK (The GLBT Meet in Brighton in September) and GRL in New Mexico. I’m mostly going to represent Riptide Publishing and meet author friends. I don’t travel for pure research, but I tend to set stories in places that I’ve visited or where I’ve been.
I think many authors become inspired when they travel.  At least I know I do!


What other types of jobs have you held before becoming an author?
I’ve been a financial journalist, a cashier at a racing track, a security person for an event hall, a teacher, a writing coach, and a freelance editor (not in that order). I’m a financial editor now, and personally, working in the “real world” keeps me sane and connected to other people. When I wasn’t working, my mind was slowly spinning out of control. Working a day job keeps me out of trouble, off the streets and a roof over my head.

What current projects are you working on?
Right now, I’m working on three stories. One is a full-sized WWII novel (I’m one third done) and the next is the sequel to Country Mouse, which I’m writing with Amy Lane. The third story is a story about Nikolai Krasnorada, the son of Vadim Krasnorada of  Special Forces, and it’s for Riptide’s “Blood in the Boardroom” submission call. After that, more WWII stories. I think I’ll stay in that time period for a while. It’s just such rich material.
*bounces with excitement* I soooo can not wait to learn more about Nikolai!


 
Most authors offer some sort of e-pub of their work. Do you offer traditional paper versions as well?
Riptide offers paper of stories that are a certain length, yes. Incursion or Skybound won’t be paper, they are both way too short (though there might be a time when I have enough short stories to do an Aleksandr Voinov collection). But we like paper and try to make it happen where it’s possible.
A shorts collection would be awesome. *begins to bounce again*



What is your latest release and where can readers find it?
The latest one is Incursion, which can be found at Riptide.


What is the toughest criticism you have ever received? How did you handle it?
One of my greatest mentors once read my second fantasy novel and she said “you’re a lazy bastard, resolving the whole book like that. You’ve wasted the whole book on that shit? You’re a coward, lazy. I know you can do better than this shite, and now you can hate me and rage at me, but after you’re done, I’m putting down the phone and you’ll sit down on your lazy ass right NOW and go the HARD way and write the ending the way it has to be written, and you know it. Have courage and work hard. Doing anything less is selling yourself short and messing with the reader, so you won’t. I won’t let you.”

So I hated her for a while, and then I threw away the last three chapters of that novel (it was already contracted and I’d thought I’d been really clever and I’d been proud of the first version). I then sat down and worked really hard and re-wrote the whole thing and sent it to her with hate pulsing in my throat.

Her response: “See. I knew you can do it.”

After that, nothing I heard could really hurt me anymore (and I love and respect her for ripping my head off when I needed it, though I was absolutely desperate for her approval). Writing’s not a place for an ego, and she killed mine before it could get too big. At the end of the day, I owe the book and the reader the best I can do. Whenever I face a difficult edit, I think of her and smile—I’ve done it once, and early in my career, I can handle editing and rewrites and honest, even brutal feedback. It keeps me humble.
I think finding that kind of honesty is hard. Hard to find and hard to take when we do find it but overall (when the ego is checked at the door) it makes authors better in the long run. You are proof of that!

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything? If so, what?
Oh gods, please not. I’ve earnt my scars and I’m keeping them!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Master the craft, work hard, stay humble, keep the faith and trust your editor if they are good. Your editor is your last, best defense against awful reviews. It might hurt, but it’s usually worth it. In the end, you do owe the book—and your readers—the best you got. You cannot give anything less.
Great advice… as always!

Thanks for dropping by My Twisted & Kinky World!
Thank you for having me, it was fun! 
Anytime sweety! It was a blast having you here.... not get back to writing about Nikolai!

If you missed these other Sizzling Hot Interviews, check out the archives to the right!

Amara - July 1-3
Evan J. Xaiver - July 4-6
S.L. Armstrong - July 7-9
Brita Addams - July 10-12
Leigh Ellwood - July 13-15
Blaine Arden - July 16-18
Leigh Jarrett- July 19-24
A.D. Cooper - July 22-24
Giselle London - July 25-27
Rachel Haimowitz - July 28-30
Aleksandr Voinov - July 31-Aug. 2

Be sure to stop back on August 3rd for the 0.99 Indie Hoopla Tour!


Saturday, July 28, 2012

Sizzling July Interview with Rachel Haimowitz!



Hello again, my twisted and kinky lovelies! The Sizzling Hot month of July is coming to a close but don't fret! Grab a tall cool drink of someone or something and settle back for our last interview.
I saved the best for last... Meet Rachel Haimowitz!

Welcome to My Twisted & Kinky World!
Thank you! Twisted and kinky are two of my fav-o-rite things J (Bad showtunes puns are apparently a third favorite thing.)
*laughs* It's great to have you here!

Let's start off by telling everyone a little bit about you!
Well, my name is Rachel, and I’m an— Oh, not that, huh? Let’s see… I’m 34, a Jersey gal born and raised, love hiking, musical theater, reading everything I can get my hands on, and indulging a myriad of kinks in my writing. I’m also the Managing Editor at Riptide Publishing, which is easily one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever been a part of—right up there with typing “The End” on a new book.
 I just love, love, love Riptide Publishing! Did I mention Love?

So, I know when I sit on writer panels I am always asked this question. When did you start writing?
When I learned how to read, basically. I wrote my first complex story when I was seven or so—it was about a killer ceiling fan that detached from its moorings and tried to kill the whole family. Chased them down the street and everything. In retrospect, it was pretty shocking my parents didn’t put me in therapy after that J Funny thing, though, is that my stuff never really lightened up very much, even after I started writing romance.
A killer ceiling fan? Now that's imaginative!

Have you always written erotica?
 No. My first finished novel was a dystopian future-fic in which a post-disaster America eschews technology and becomes a theocracy. My second completed novel was a psychological thriller. Curiously enough, both featured gay characters (a prominent secondary character in the first one, and the main character in the second), but neither contained a stitch of sex. Neither are published, either, though I’d love to get them into shape and out into the world one day. I think, with the exception of my BDSM fic, the umbrella under which all my work falls is actually speculative fiction rather than erotica. I just happen to write a fair share of spec-fic with erotic content J
I think you should publish those if you could find the time in your busy schedule!

What made you decide to write erotica?
In part because I love to read some very specific kinds of kinks, and not a lot of people are writing good stories that scratch those itches. Also in part because the sexual journey, especially in a BDSM or power exchange setting, can be so formative and/or revealing for a character and so erotica can be a fascinating vehicle for a character’s exploration and also can contain surprising depth. Sure, some erotica’s just stroke fiction, meant to be read one-handed (and god knows there’s nothing wrong with that—I read my share of it!), but the kind of erotica I really enjoy writing is psychologically complex fulfilling.
It's the kind I love reading, too!

How would you classify your erotic writing?
So far, my stories that feature relationships have all featured m/m relationships. I am working on a story now with an m/f relationship, but it’s not a romance—it’s a psychological horror with a relationship in it.

If you had to name one character you have written that was the most like you, which character in which book would that be?
This is an interesting one. I’m not really sure any of my characters are like me, although they do all have bits and pieces of me in them and in their lives. I suppose the closest is probably Jonathan from Power Play: Resistance and Power Play: Awakening. We’re both hardcore sadists, vegetarians, environmentalists, fairly nonconformist, spiritual but not religious, lovers of wild spaces, blessed with amazing parents (although his are dead; mine, thank goodness, are not) and upbringings that taught us to embrace the nonconventional, overachievers, early graduates (I think I was the only kid in my senior class who wasn’t old enough to drive, although Jonathan outclasses me there by a number of years), introverts, loners, knitters, obsessed with Brandon . . . ;-)
Introvert and sadist are not two words you hear usually in the same sentence! *grins*
 
Are there certain characters or stories you would like to go back to?
Most of them, to be honest. Sometimes you finish something and it just feels done, but most of the time I look at things and think, Wow, there’s a whole world there to play in and I want to get back to it one day. I have two more story ideas in the Song of the Fallen world (where Counterpoint and Crescendo are set), and a ton of story ideas in the Belonging world (where Anchored, Where He Belongs, and Aleksandr Voinov’s Counterpunchare set, and where my current WIP is also set), two more story ideas with Aleks Voinov in the Break and Enter world, two more story ideas with Cat Grant in the Power Play world, and probably a dozen more story ideas in the Master Class world (where Master Class and Sublimeare set). 
The trick is finding the time and the right creative energy to revisit those places—which is made doubly hard when you’ve co-written and have to line up your schedule and muse with your partner’s schedule and muse.
I can only imagine! It seems like you won't be needed to think up another story for awhile with that list! *smiles*

What is your latest release and where can readers find it?
>That would be the Power Play series—PowerPlay: Resistance and Power Play:Awakening, co-written with Cat Grant. You can find them just about anywhere books are sold, but you can read 30-page excerpts from both of them on the publisher website.
I totally love this series! Can I just say… YUM!

Most authors offer some sort of e-pub of their work. Do you offer traditional paper versions as well?
Most of my stuff is available in paper as well as ebook. I think Break and Enter is the only one that isn’t, and Power Play: Awakening will be in a couple weeks but isn’t quite yet.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you, and I love you. I mean that quite seriously, too, because if it weren’t for all the amazing readers and fans, I wouldn’t get to keep writing.

Thanks for dropping by My Twisted & Kinky World!
Thanks so much for having me! J
You're welcome! It was a pleasure to sit down and chat with you for awhile.
*waves goodbye to Rachel*


You can find Rachel here:

Read the Rainbow at Riptide Publishing

Well, my twisted and kinky lovelies, we only have one more interview after this in my Sizzling July Interview series so don't forget to stop back!

Amara - July 1-3
Evan J. Xaiver - July 4-6
S.L. Armstrong - July 7-9
Brita Addams - July 10-12
Leigh Ellwood - July 13-15
Blaine Arden - July 16-18
Leigh Jarrett- July 19-24
A.D. Cooper - July 22-24
Giselle London - July 25-27
Rachel Haimowitz - July 28-30
Aleksandr Voinov - July 31-Aug. 3


Don't forget to stop by my Smashwords for the Summer/Winter Sale! Selected Titles are up to 50% Off!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sizzling July Interview with Giselle London!



We are almost finished with our Sizzling July Interviews *pouts* 
But to cheer us up, let me introduce you to my next guest, Giselle London!

Welcome to My Twisted & Kinky World!
Thank you for taking the time to interview me, Brenda! 
Of course, sweety! It's great to have you here!

Let's start off by telling everyone a little bit about you!
I’m a little bit kooky, I try to have a positive attitude (even though sometimes it can be a struggle) and I enjoy writing erotica because when a story is done, I get to snuggle up and read it with my husband, which is…um…very enjoyable. ;-)
I bet it is!

So, I know when I sit on writer panels I am always asked this question. When did you start writing?
I started writing as a kid, mostly horror-novel types of stories.  I was often complimented for my writing by teachers, and won some awards.  However, I was legendary in my ability to put off finishing a book…to the point of friends teasing me about it.  I was always working on a story, but never finishing one. Once I went off to college, I rarely tried to write at all. I came back to it a few years ago, after telling my husband some sexy stories to get his “motor running.”  He teased me that I should write erotica. I spent a couple of years messing around with it, and studying the craft of writing. But it wasn’t until I was inspired by a bunch of fellow erotica writers that I knew, that I actually was inspired enough to *gasp* FINISH a story!  That first month I made enough money to equal a part-time salary, and I’ve been writing and publishing ever since.

What inspired your first book? What was the title? Was it published?
My first finished story was His Virgin Babysitter, the first book in my Virgin Territory series. I felt that it was a concept that would be alluring to most men, and would be either a familiar concept or something that engendered curiosity in women. For me, I was comfortable writing it because I used to be super-religious, so writing from the perspective of a virgin was right up my alley. However, I’d seen too many “virgin” books that were very unrealistic, where the so-called virgins acted like experienced call girls!  I tried to write something different. So while my heroines are all very turned on and sexy and ready to go, there is also just a hint of hesitation and nervous excitement to them. I try to go for that sweet-and-sexy quality. The heroes are basically nice guys whose self-control is in tatters around their seductively innocent virgins.  And yes, His Virgin Babysitter was self-published. I’ve never even tried traditional publishing, because self-publishing is ideal for me and my lifestyle. Making pennies on the dollar and waiting ages to get paid isn’t for me!


Have you always written erotica? If not, what else do you write/have you written?
I’ve written stories in other genres besides erotica.  (All unfinished, of course!)  Mostly various sub-genres of romance, as well as some non-fiction.  I’m a sucker for a love story.
Me too!

What made you decide to write erotica?
I had always thought I’d be good at writing romance, and I had assumed it would be easy, as most people do…before they actually try it. But the more I learned about writing romance well, the more I realized I didn’t know! Then when I heard a few years ago that erotica was selling well through small digital publishers, my husband encouraged me to try erotica. I did, and the first story I wrote was something I was really proud of. To this day, I don’t think I’ve equaled the tight sexual tension I had in that story. Unfortunately, I deleted it later on, and I kick myself to this day for doing that!
Ugh! Never delete anything! Which I am sure you don't now. *grins*

How would you classify your erotic writing?
My Giselle London stories are all m/f, with the exception of Mistletoe Merrymaking, which was f/f.  My work is mostly very spicy “vanilla” stories (meaning there’s no fetish or anything really unusual). My stories are a sensual read for anyone, but definitely a very good choice for those new to the erotica genre, who might not be ready to read the really wild stuff just yet. But I’m also learning more about fetishes, and I may be venturing into more risqué territory in the near future. I write my stories with both men and women in mind, and I write with the idea that my readers might be snuggling up with their significant other, reading my stories together and getting in the mood. (And I highly recommend doing just that, it’s a fabulous way to grow closer, and to heat things up!)
We all can use heating up!

Do you have a specific writing style?
I prefer third person, usually from the woman’s perspective, or alternating between the woman and the man.  However, I let the story dictate how it should be written, so if it seems like it would read well in first person, or only from the guy’s perspective, then that’s the way I’ll do it.

What is the process you use for writing?
Typically, I’ll at least do a synopsis, and for a longer story I’ll do an outline and short character bio for each character.  For a novella or a novel, I’ll write out a scene-by-scene outline, do intense character bios and character arc, plot arcs, etc.  But my Giselle stories are all short stories, from 4500-11,000 words.  With the shortest of those stories I just started with an inspiring idea and ran with it.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The hardest thing for me is just settling down and getting started on my writing. Once I get started, I really get into it. Of course, there are the typical difficulties of trying not to use the same words for all the “naughty bits,” when there are only a few words that don’t sound silly, and also trying to keep it fresh. When you write short stories, like a 5,000 word story, there isn’t much room with that word count to be able to develop much characterization and plot—it’s mostly sex.  So making sure that each encounter is a little different—especially when you write “vanilla”—is a lot more work than you would think.
I envy short story authors! I just am not very good with that realm. I am amazed at an author's talent when I read a solid, good short.

Is there a message in your novel(s) that you want your readers to grasp?
Since I write short stories, there’s not much time to develop themes or messages and still have a satisfying read. But I do hope that readers pick up on the fact that even in a sexual situation where the characters might be talking dirty to each other, or one character is more dominant than the other, the characters always have an underlying respect for each other. I don’t write stories where there is man-bashing, or where a woman is treated like a piece of meat. Even in Free Ride, where Lexie is bent over the hood of a car with her hands bound, and there is some spanking and dirty talk, everything that happens is because Lexie wants it—not because of some psychological lack of self-worth, but because sexually, she likes it hard and fast. 

How do you come up with your book titles?
Although I’m tempted to come up with meaningful or clever titles, the fact is that for erotica and even for erotic romance, the “obvious” titles sell the best, even if they sometimes sound a little silly. So…His Virgin Babysitter…can’t get more obvious than that! That’s my best-selling book. The titles I put more thought into, like Mistletoe Merrymaking, are my slowest sellers.

Are your plot lines based on real life experiences or are they purely fiction?
Unfortunately, I did not have my virginity taken by a hot, wealthy doctor when I was a barely-legal teen, nor has my husband laid me across a restaurant table and had sex with me while two hot guys hold me down and two sexy women lick my nipples.  ;-)  Are there some small elements in my writing that are inspired by things I’ve said, or fantasized about, or are things I know about? Yes. But I’m not telling you what they are!  :-D
Oh, now you know the readers are going to want to know!

If you had to name one character you have written that was the most like you, which character in which book would that be?
My characters are very different from me, but if I absolutely had to choose, I’d say probably Marie from Fr. Tom Takes a Virgin.  As a former religious freak turned sex-writing strumpet, I can identify with Marie a bit. And come on, girls, haven’t we all seen a hot young priest and wondered if one scorching night with us would make him rethink his “calling”?  (…aaaaaand cue the hate mail from appalled Catholic women!) I’m not saying I did it!  I’m just saying…mmmm, mmm, mm!  Fun to think about.
*laughs* Gotta love that hate mail! I have a special folder just for it! *chuckles*


Are there certain characters or stories you would like to go back to?
I’ve always planned on going back and doing a spin-off series with Ali from His Virgin Babysitter, where Ali goes off to college after her tryst with the dashing Dr. Humphries with a new taste for older men, and ends up spending her freshman semester working her way through all the sexy older men in her life:  professors, boss, dorm supervisor, etc.  I’ve also thought about a sequel to the first book: Ali brings in a young virgin friend to replace her before she goes off to college, so Dr. Humphries won’t be lonely.  J
Oh, now that sounds hot! Let me know if you write it and I'll have you back to chat about it!

Is being an author your only full time job or do you have a 'day job' as well?
Even though I’m not prolific, it pretty much is a full-time job, because I spend a lot of time working on my covers, practicing my budding graphic design skills, reading the work of other erotic short story authors, and doing other related tasks.  The writing is actually the least time-consuming task, and that’s saying a lot. Fortunately, I don’t have a job outside of writing, because my family takes up so much of my time, I’d never be able to write if I did. I’d probably be comatose if I tried!
This is always the case with us self-pubs. I don't think many people who want to go the self-pub route realize how much work there is to do that doesn't involve the actual writing!

What other types of jobs have you held before becoming an author?
With the exception of some high-paid on-call babysitting jobs in a big city, all my jobs have been boring minimum wage crap jobs, before I got married.  Nothing exciting whatsoever!

Do you travel much concerning your books?
Not yet. I did stay in a fancy hotel nearby a couple of times when I needed quiet time alone to write, which inspired the story in Room Service Rendezvous. Once I’ve reached a certain level of success and my husband has quit working, I plan to attend conventions and travel to certain locales for research. It will be rough, but someone has to do it!
*chuckles* Someone indeed!

What current projects are you working on?
As the Queen of Unfinished Manuscripts, I have plenty.  Aside from some novellas and a novel in other genres, my current works-in-progress include a vampire story, more virgin stories, a MILF story, and…well, I could go on and on!  If any readers want to give me input as to which story they’d like to see finished first, they can contact me via Twitter, or the email address found at the end of all of my books.
What is your latest release and where can readers find it?
My latest release was Taking the Babysitter. All of my books are on Amazon, and most of them are also available at all the major e-book retailers. A full list of my books and where to buy them can be found at my website, and if readers subscribe to my blog or to my twitter feed, they’ll be notified of new releases.

Most authors offer some sort of e-pub of their work. Do you offer traditional paper versions as well?
My short stories are too short for print, but I am considering putting all my stories into a collection that will be plenty long enough for a print version.  I’m also beginning work on audio book versions of my stories, starting with His Virgin Babysitter and Free Ride.  I hope to have at least one of them out during July, and available at Amazon.com, Audible, and possibly iTunes.

What is the toughest criticism you have ever received? How did you handle it?
As far as reviews, I’ve been lucky, and most of my reviews are five stars.  The last time I checked (and I don’t check often), the few bad reviews I’ve gotten were at Barnes and Noble, where the reviewers left no actual comments. As to how I would handle criticism, I just take it with a grain of salt.  If it’s a well-thought-out criticism, I’d definitely take it into consideration. If the reader has a point, it’s a great way to improve your writing. If the criticism was something silly like “this isn’t a book, it’s too short”, I would dismiss it.  If a reader can’t be bothered to read the word count and the words “short story” (which I always include in the book description) before buying a book, then you can’t put much stock in anything they say, can you? 
Nope, you sure can't. My one attempt at a short story received comments like that and I just shook my head.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?
I’d publish sooner and work harder.  I have a tendency to work really hard and burn myself out to get a story out, and then I find it hard to get back in the saddle and write again for a while. I know I’d have even more reader loyalty and more success if I put out a minimum of one story a week, and my goal is to put out at least that many.  I would also have taken advantage of Amazon Select sooner. It was a real boost to my sales when I finally tried it, but now from what I hear, authors aren’t seeing results as good as when Select was first introduced. Which makes me question whether I’ll do it again in the future, or not.
Wow, a story a week! That's an ambitious goal and a lot of plots!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Just do it!  I spent two years fiddling around and not finishing any stories. Time is money—stop wasting it! I’m not saying put out a story that isn’t ready for publication, but sit your butt in the chair and get the work done, so you can publish it. I made decent money my first month out, and if I’d worked harder and gotten more books out on a regular basis, I’d probably be earning a fulltime “salary” by now. So don’t procrastinate, and be prolific. Put out the best quality book and cover that you can, without getting stuck obsessing over details. (That last advice applies mostly to erotic short stories…novels require far more attention to detail due to plot complexities.)
Great advice!

Is there anything else you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I am eternally grateful for every person who has taken the time to read my books.  It means a lot to me. A lot of people would think erotica is meaningless, or just for fun (and it IS fun to read). But when you read it together as a couple, it can actually help mend and enhance relationships sometimes, and I always keep my readers in mind when I write, for that reason. I’m also so grateful to those who have spread the word about my books. The sooner I get to “fulltime money” status, the sooner I can devote twice as much time to putting out the books my readers love, and my helpers have been a big part in putting me on that road. I couldn’t do it without them. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thanks for dropping by My Twisted & Kinky World!
Thank you so much for interviewing me, Brenda.  You really made me put on my “thinking hat,” and it was fun!
You're most welcome Giselle! *waves goodbye*

If you haven't been checking back this month, you have been missing out on some other Sizzling July Interviews! Check the archives and see who has already been here!

Amara - July 1-3
Evan J. Xaiver - July 4-6
S.L. Armstrong - July 7-9
Brita Addams - July 10-12
Leigh Ellwood - July 13-15
Blaine Arden - July 16-18
Leigh Jarrett- July 19-24
A.D. Cooper - July 22-24
Giselle London - July 25-27
Rachel Haimowitz - July 28-30
Aleksandr Voinov - July 31-Aug. 3


Don't forget to stop by my Smashwords for the Summer/Winter Sale! Selected Titles are up to 50% Off!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Sizzling July Interview with A.D. "Addy" Cooper!



Our Sizzling July Interviews continues! It was awesome having Amara here to tell us about all the craziness that she is up to but today we kick off the author interviews!

Welcome to My Twisted & Kinky World!
Twisted? Who you calling twisted? Just kidding. I think we’re just... fun. And open minded. Right?
I think all of us who write erotica are a bit twisted... but that's what makes our books so fun to read!

Let's start off by telling everyone a little bit about you!
Oh God, I suck at intros. Okay, here goes. I’m A. D. Cooper, but everyone calls me Addy. I’m a self published writer of primarily gay erotic fiction, but I also write erotic romances and other genres.
See, that wasn't so bad. *grins*

So, I know when I sit on writer panels I am always asked this question. When did you start writing?
When did I start writing? Oh... probably when I was in grade school. I used to make up characters in my head. I’d draw pictures and give them a story and everything *laughs*. I’ve gone through a few phases in the past where I wrote a lot of both original and fan fiction, but as a published writer, that’s very recent.

What inspired your first book? 
It was inspired... believe it or not, by Brangelina (laughs).
I was watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith earlier, and thought to myself, "what if you had two spies that slept with each other but had no idea about each other's real occupation?" And thus Michael & Damien were born.
What was the Title?
My first book... That was Killer Liaison.
Was it published?
I published it at literally the very end of 2011.
I totally loved getting to know Michael & Damien!

Have you always written erotica? If not, what else do you write/have you written?
 I’ve always like writing about sex, but most of the original fiction I wrote in the past were more romance, sci-fi. That was back before I found out how much people like reading about sex. *laughs*
Yeah, you know what they say, sex sells. *grins*

What made you decide to write erotica?
It was a friend who told me about self-publishing. I was writing a lot of fan fiction at the time, and most of them were basically erotic romances, so I thought, why not try my hands at writing my own stuff?

How would you classify your erotic writing?
My writing, as I’ve mentioned, is primarily gay erotica. Raunchy gay erotica. *laughs* I don’t really have a sub-genre within gay erotica. I write whatever comes to me. It could be plot intensive or just a short encounter of two characters.

Do you have a specific writing style?
My writing style is... well, I guess if you read my writing, they’ll have a certain style to it, but I don’t really stick to a first POV or third POV for all of them. I use whatever tells the story best.
Interesting, most authors I have met have a preference. This just makes your writing more versatile.

What is the process you use for writing?
I’m a sporadic writer. I have a really rough outline, just key points that I want to hit, and I go. I let my muse take me where it wants to go.
Oh, I know what that is like! Remember when my muse kidnapped me? *laughs*

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The challenging part of writing, for me, is to have a believable plot while still have an interesting enough story to tell. A lot of times, the more research I do the more I go “OMG I can’t write this!?” Another thing is to have well written characters but balance the character development well with the rest of the story.
Believability is always good!

Is there a message in your novel(s) that you want your readers to grasp?
Hmm. No comment. lol. Make love, not war? Does that count?
Sure does!

Are your plot lines based on real life experiences or are they purely fiction?
Well, some of them are inspired by things that have happened to me, or to my friends. Others are purely fiction.
Humm… now I will have to re-read some of your work and see if anyone we both know jumps out at me! *chuckles*
Are there certain characters or stories you would like to go back to?
Definitely the Danger Games series. I’m not done with it yet, I’m just taking a break from it to work on other shorts. I’d like to go back and expand on the story and that universe though.
Danger Games (vol. 1) was awesome! I can't wait to read more about Michael & Damien.

Is being an author your only full time job or do you have a 'day job' as well?
Writing and cover design is my “day job” right now. After I quit my previous job, I had a lot of free time on my hands, which was why I got into self-publishing, and now it’s become my full time job.

What current projects are you working on?
I’m working on a few erotic romance titles as well as other erotica shorts.

Most authors offer some sort of e-pub of their work. Do you offer traditional paper versions as well?
My books are mainly short stories, so they’re not really suitable for paper version, but I’m looking into publishing bundles and longer stories on paper in the future.
Ohhh, well, let me know so I can have you back!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Write. Just write. There is nothing stopping you except yourself. Learn from others and know when to let go.

Thanks for dropping by My Twisted & Kinky World!
I’m glad to be here! Thank you for inviting me!
*waves goodbye to Addy*

Now, Addy didn't mention this to you all... but she also has a FREE read over at Smashwords.So, Check out Bad Cupid!

That is all for now my Twisted & Kinky friends.  





If you haven't been checking back this month, you have been missing out on some other Sizzling July Interviews! 

Amara - July 1-3
Evan J. Xaiver - July 4-6
S.L. Armstrong - July 7-9
Brita Addams - July 10-12
Leigh Ellwood - July 13-15
Blaine Arden - July 16-18
Leigh Jarrett- July 19-24
A.D. Cooper - July 22-24
Giselle London - July 25-27
Rachel Haimowitz - July 28-30
Aleksandr Voinov - July 31-Aug. 3

Don't forget to stop by my Smashwords for the Summer/Winter Sale! Selected Titles are up to 50% Off!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Sizzling July Interview with Leigh Jarrett!



Sizzling July Interviews continues my lovelies! 
Let me introduce to you, Leigh Jarrett!

Welcome to My Twisted & Kinky World!
Let's start off by telling everyone a little bit about you!
Not much to tell. I'm a Canadian author of m/m contemporary and erotic romance. I grew up in Vancouver, BC, and spent a lot of time on Davie Street in the West End as a teen, and in the clubs, dancing, drinking and having far more sex than recommended in the user manual.
*laughs* That can't be a bad thing!
I've moved around a bit over the years since my misspent youth and am currently doing a stint in Kelowna, BC, while raising three very eccentric and gifted teenagers. It's been interesting living in a beach resort town, but I can't wait to go home to Vancouver again.

So, I know when I sit on writer panels I am always asked this question. When did you start writing?
I probably started writing stories (in my head) from the time I was a small child; creating characters and scenarios, and running the ideas through my mind in great detail until the story unfolded the way I wanted it to. (I was an incorrigible daydreamer.) By the time I was eight, most of my stories revolved around my imaginary childhood friend, Sebastian, and the people he shared his life with. My fascination with him continued through my teenaged years (I even named a cat after him), so I started making some notes and then two years ago, I began writing his story.
Very cool.
The first book of Sebastian's story is titled CircleTrilogy – Book 1 – Age of Mycea and will be published July 2012. It is the first book I wrote, but interestingly enough it will be the tenth book I've published. I'm having a bit of trouble cutting the apron strings. "Book 2 – Age of Cardin" will be coming out October 2012 and "Book 3 – Age of Truth" has no release date as of yet. (Shh… I haven't actually started writing it.)

What made you decide to write erotica?
It was all Sebastian's fault really. I knew from early on he liked one of the other male characters, Meshia, and as I got older, Sebastian became very visual as to what he and Meshia were up to behind closed doors. Exploring that side of their relationship, and finally writing about it, was a lot of fun (and extremely educational) so I kept writing gay erotic fiction. There's something very appealing about men's raw sexual energy towards each other. And the potential for a shifting power dynamic is author orgasm material.
Oh so true on both accounts! I think this is why there is a huge fan base and why we authors love bringing these characters to live on the pages!

How would you classify your erotic writing?
My books are all m/m, sometimes m/m/m, falling mostly into the contemporary romance and erotic romance genres, but I also have one book Callum ofDrakkar Coven which is about a vampire, so definitely fantasy, and the "Circle Trilogy" is based in another star system with plenty of interplanetary conflict, space travel and interspecies romance. I feel comfortable calling it sci-fi gay erotic romance.
Excellent book, by the way *smiles*

Do you have a specific writing style?
When I write straight up erotica, I write in first person, but most of my other books are written in third person limited narrative with what I like to call omnipresent tendencies.
'Omnipresent tendencies'… humm I may have to steal that phrase!

What is the process you use for writing?
I try to work from an outline, but sometimes my characters run amuck and start making their own decisions and having conversations about things I'd never intended them to talk about. These events explicably lead to changes in the outline. There are days my job feels more like character wrangling than writing.
Chasing the characters… I know how that feels!

Is there a message in your novel(s) that you want your readers to grasp?
Yes! Absolutely yes! My primary message and motivation for writing gay erotic romance is that "Love is Love" and I hope that someday books like mine will be listed simply in the 'romantic fiction' section without the 'gay' segregation. If I can get that one message across, I will be perpetually ecstatic.
Yes, it is sad that there has to be such segregation and we can't just have a good love story between two people with out it being labeled. Maybe someday…

If you had to name one character you have written that was the most like you, which character in which book would that be?
I would have to say Attila Luka in SimplyMarvellous which is odd because I'm not a confused, cross-gender, teenaged boy, and I didn't particularly like Attila as a person, but there's something about his pain and vulnerability that spoke to me.

Are there certain characters or stories you would like to go back to?
I think Timothy and Oleander from Callum of Drakkar Coven will be getting their own book by early next year. Oleander's endearing romantic gestures and Timothy's reluctance to fall for them make them a couple I'd like to play with further.
Sounds like my kind of story! Let me know when it comes out and I'll have you back to talk more about it. *smiles*

What is your latest release and where can readers find it?
Two Nights A Week is my latest release. More information about this book and others can be found on my blog.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you so much and please keep the positive emails coming. Writing in the gay erotic romance genre can draw a lot of negative criticism, so it's encouraging to hear when someone actually likes what I'm doing, and it makes my day to read that you, as a reader, have been inspired or touched in some way by something I've written.

Thanks for dropping by My Twisted & Kinky World!
*waves goodbye to Leigh*

Leigh can also be found on Facebook & Twitter.

Don't forget to check out these other Sizzling July Interviews!

Amara - July 1-3
Evan J. Xaiver - July 4-6
S.L. Armstrong - July 7-9
Brita Addams - July 10-12
Leigh Ellwood - July 13-15
Blaine Arden - July 16-18
Leigh Jarrett- July 19-24
A.D. Cooper - July 22-24
Giselle London - July 25-27
Rachel Haimowitz - July 28-30
Aleksandr Voinov - July 31-Aug. 3


Don't forget to stop by my Smashwords for the Summer/Winter Sale! Selected Titles are up to 50% Off!