Guest Interview -- CR Moss

Midnight Seductions Guest Interview

C.R. Moss

1. Tell us about your most recent release. Dirty Little Girl, a short story and the fourth in my Dirty Little series, released on May 15 at www.extasybooks.com. It’s based off the meaning of the blue rose for the Fantasy Gardens series at eXtasy Books. Here’s the blurb: One bite and life will never be the same... Tired of living with her crazy mother, Jamie Sue embarks on an adventure of her own seeking life in a big city. A strange urge prompts her to stop and stay in Las Vegas so she gets off the bus and settles in. When she meets her golden angel, Michael, she believes she’s found the love of her life, but things aren’t always what they seem. Will the bite of his love change her forever?

Jamie Sue will also be the heroine in my June 15^th release, Dirty Little Demons. For information on that story and to see a trailer, visit: http://www.crmoss.net/dirtylittlestories/

2. What genre do you prefer to write? Is there a genre you’d like to write in that you haven’t tried yet? I feel most comfortable writing dark romance. I’ve thought about inspirational, but that might be a bit of a stretch for me.

3. What do you like to read? I’ll read just about anything. Like with my writing I’m a pretty eclectic reader too…paranormal, sci-fi, romance, mystery/suspense…

4. What do you feel is your strength as an author? For instance: characterization, dialogue, sexual tension, sex scenes???? Characterization and description. I’ve been told I draw the audience in so they feel what the characters feel and long for what they long for.

5. How did you choose your pen name? Does it hold some significance special to you? My pen name contains my real initials and a translation of my last name.

6. Where do you see your writing career taking you? Goals for two, four, six years. I’m planning on becoming agented in the next couple of years, selling and releasing stories through a NY house in the next five and making to the best sellers lists after that—along with keeping a supply of e-books going.

7. Do you ever use people you know as characters in your book, or composites? On occasion, I do composites. I’ll take a basis of a person and mix it with quirks, mannerisms, personalities of other people.

8. Do you find that your creativity is more active mornings, afternoon, or evenings? Late afternoon to evenings to late at night.

9. What well-known author would you compare your work to or hope that you've achieved the same level of excitement? Stephen King

10. What’s your favorite leisure activity? Why? I’ve been known to crochet. It keeps the mind occupied and helps me relax. Plus, I can make presents for the people I care about.

C.R. Moss, a self-proclaimed eccentric and eclectic writer, pens stories for both the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers Worlds of Possibilities. For more about the woman behind the keyboard and her books, visit: www.crmoss.net

Guest Blogger -- Marie Rochelle

Midnight Seductions Guest Interview
Marie Rochelle

1. Tell us about your most recent release. First, I want to thank Midnight Seductions for this interview. I really do appreciate it. Right now, I have So Much Better out with Phaze Books. It’s the sequel to Desire. It’s an interracial romance with Richie Davidson and Keri Walker. In addition, the print copy of Desire and Lucky Charms has got released in a print book called Lucky Desire from Phaze books. I’m very excited about both.

2. What genre do you prefer to write? Is there a genre you’d like to write in that you haven’t tried yet? I write interracial romance about black women and white men. I have written a book about a Native American man with a black woman called Be With you. I would love to try my hand at another genre, but I haven’t gotten a clear story in my head about which one I want to write.

3. What do you like to read? I read a variety of books. It’s always so hard for me to just pick only one.

4. What do you feel is your strength as an author? For instance: characterization, dialogue,
sexual tension, sex scenes???? I feel my strength is getting my readers to feel some kind of emotions about my characters. I know my first book Taken by Storm, some readers LOVED Storm and other readers HATED him with a passion, but they had an opinion which I always enjoy hearing about. With my series, my readers have fallen in love with the lives of the characters and want to find out more about their friends.

5. How did you choose your pen name? Does it hold some significance special to
you? I was trying out different pen names and it just seemed to fit me the best.

6. Where do you see your writing career taking you? Goals for two, four, six
years. God. I hope that I will still have fans enjoying my writing and hopefully maybe I’ll on a New York Times Best Sellers list. Crossing my fingers.

7. Do you ever use people you know as characters in your book, or composites? I can say that I haven’t used too many people that I know as characters in my books. My characters usually have such strong personalities that they keep me on my toes all by themselves.

8. Do you find that your creativity is more active mornings, afternoon, or
evenings? I find that my creativity is more active in the afternoon and late at night.

9. What well-known author would you compare your work to or hope that you've
achieved the same level of excitement? Wow…that is a tough question. I’m not really sure.

10. What’s your favorite leisure activity? Why? I love to read and cook when I get the chance. It’s give me this inner peace that I love to feel anytime I can get the chance.

The Art of Collaboration

By A.J. Llewellyn

My fourth book to be released with Amber Quill Press is The House of Driscoll (Book 1), coming out on June 6. It's a spanky-new collaboration with the uber-talented (and mega-sexy too!) D.J. Manly.
My work with D.J. has been the highlight of my writing career.
People often ask how D.J. and I write together when he lives in Canada and I live in Los Angeles.
It's easy thanks to the Internet, phone calls and that hard-to-find symbiosis that is any artist's dream.
Ever since he first approached me with his idea of a collaboration on a contemporary M/M book,Black Point, which became the first in a series of best-selling books, this has been a magical experience.
I mean this in many ways. After writing a few books together, D.J, asked me how I felt about a vampire book and I was excited to collaborate on yet another series.
Blood Eclipse surprised us both I think. We discovered so many genres we both love. From the start, D.J. and I have found we have our differences as well as our complementary styles and the lines have started to blur--deliciously so--to the extent that our readers often can't tell who wrote what.
There was even a funny incident where D.J. and I got confused over who wrote a certain sex scene (he did) but still, it meant the world to me that our styles mesh so well that even we get lost.
It was a thrill to me when I was invited to submit to AQP and after my first release with Deeper Blue, asked D.J. to co-write Fawnskin with me. I hoped he would not find the book too dark and was ecstatic when he loved it. I like to think we are both versatile.
I do know we are both extremely dirty-minded. I think our readers love that about us.
D.J. was the one who came up with the entire concept for The House of Driscoll, our latest creation and I felt a good vibe...the same one I always feel when we start to work.
Whoever starts the work usually writes a few chapters and emails the other. The other one reads it and starts to work. As our series have progressed, we have stopped writing only from one character's POV. We overlap, interject, add, subtract, you name it.
I think the key is absolute trust and a total lack of ego. I think we share the same viewpoint. The story and characters must feel true, regardless of genre. I would say this is essential in any collaboration and I've learned over 17 books (and counting) that D.J. and I just 'click' creatively.
I don't think I am telling tales out of school by saying this but I never like the names D.J. picks for my characters.
Marcus became Matt in the Black Point series and I think our readers love him. And his husband Thomas.
In The House of Driscoll, the lead character Max Driscoll is a vampire who has been on this earth since the time of the French Revolution and has been summoned to modern day New York City to destroy his former lover turned nemesis, the vampire Galien.
D.J.'s original name for this character was Graham, of course, I hated it. With a bit of research, I discovered the name Galien, which was fitting for a man during the French Revolution.
Together, we've cooked up what I think is a damned fine story.
And it is only the beginning since it's the first in our new series.
I think D.J. and I are both visual writers. We love the power of story and we both love to write.
The symbiosis I was talking about was there from the moment he pitched the idea to me.
I love Max, Blue, Galien...all the characters who define The House of Driscoll. We hope our readers do, too.
To check out more about The House of Driscoll, please visit the Amber Allure site:
http://www.amberquill.com/amberallure/AA_upcoming.html


Aloha oe,

A.J.

Another Hit and Run Post!

It's almost over! It's almost here!! Not even my characters' voices can be heard over the resounding phrases going through my head.

There are only 10 (count them--ten) days left until summer vacation begins. Can you tell I'm excited? I'll finally have all day long to work on my books so I can get more work done!!

This also means I'm coming up on the busiest time of the year for me--testing. With End of Grade and End of Course testing, there are days I don't know if I'm coming or going.

What I do know is that I'm doing a great impression of the March Hare--"I'm late, I'm late!" Which I am--to get to work.

Therefore, a quick hit and run post! Here's hoping you spend your warm summer days reading and enjoying your family. TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

Qwillia

Guest Blogger -- Cat Grant

Midnight Seductions Guest Interview

Cat Grant

1. Tell us about your most recent release.

Allegro Vivace, my new m/m novella, is due out May 23^rd from Amber Quill Press. It’s a May/December romance about a forty-five year old conservatory professor who falls for the young violinist he’s tutoring. I’m a huge lover of classical music, which made this story a lot of fun to write.

2. What genre do you prefer to write? Is there a genre you’d like to write in that you haven’t tried yet?

M/M and m/m/f ménage are my faves. I’ve never tried a m/m/m ménage before, but who knows? It might be in the cards.

3. What do you like to read?

I love historical novels, historical romances, Regencies and mysteries. I even dip into sci-fi and fantasy every once in a while.

4. What do you feel is your strength as an author? For instance: characterization, dialogue,
   sexual tension, sex scenes????

For me, it always starts with the characters. Once I’ve got their voices in my head, the rest falls right into place. Plotting certainly isn’t my strong point, so I’ll have to go with characterization and dialogue. That’s what gets me excited about a story.

5. How did you choose your pen name? Does it hold some significance special to
   you?

I took a look at what other romance novelists were calling themselves, and narrowed the last name down to either “Grant” or “Johnson.” Then I looked down, and there was my cat Timothy, begging for me to pet him. There’s already a Cat Johnson writing erotic romance, so I went with Cat Grant.

6. Where do you see your writing career taking you? Goals for two, four, six
   years.

I intend to keep writing, keep expanding my horizons. I’ve got my eye on a couple more e-publishers to try out. Ideally, I’d like to start publishing three or four books a year. That’s as much as I can do with my current schedule. Hopefully, in three or four or five years, New York publishing will be more open to same-sex romance.

7. Do you ever use people you know as characters in your book, or composites?

People I know, characters from movies or TV… it’s all grist for the mill.

8. Do you find that your creativity is more active mornings, afternoon, or
   evenings?

I usually work late in the afternoon, and into the evening. I’ve been known to go past midnight when I’m on a roll.

9. What well-known author would you compare your work to or hope that you've
   achieved the same level of excitement?

I’m a great admirer of both Josh Lanyon’s and James Buchanan’s work, although I certainly wouldn’t put myself in their league.

10. What’s your favorite leisure activity? Why?

Going to lunch with friends. Good conversation always helps jump-start the creative side of my brain. And I love any meal I don’t have to cook myself.

Find Cat at:

http://www.catgrant.com
http://catgrant.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/cat.grant

From WriteSEX - Defining business and techniques of Writing Erotica for all authors

Writing Sex – Structure Part II
By Sascha Illyvich

(This lessons corresponds with the last lesson from WriteSEX This blog is updated every thursday) When last we left with my lesson, we talked about sex and scene structure. To review, sex is an ACTION and should be written like an action scene.

Stimulus > Reaction > Perception > Emotion > Response

This is the BEST way to keep your readers from tossing the book across the room. By writing this way we’re creating a mental movie that the reader sees in their head. If you’ll remember, the structure of a scene looks very choppy on the page and we’re left with a lot more white space than what’s typically seen in many novels.

Again, so what? The reader’s eyes do not notice this if you’ve done your job well by crafting deep scenes that take us into the action by using all our senses. Remember, erotica is not just about sex, it’s about involving all of the human being into the act of sex.

That means in our scenes we’ll show feelings, emotions, scents, tastes, sights, touch and more, over and over again until we’ve crafted the scene so well that we literally forget where we (or our hands) are.

What this looks like in action: (Piece from Dark Desires – my Total E-bound Ménage story out sometime this year)

Remember, we’re using the formula above to write the scene:

Romyn’s fingers slid down her arm until his thumb reached the pulse in her wrist. (Romyn’s ACTION)

Alex’s hand somehow found its way onto her stocking clad thigh. (Alex’s Action, also done TO Raven)

She squirmed and pressed her legs together. (Reaction) You could always say no.(Perception)

She scoffed at the idea. Raven never turned down a good fuck, especially if the two men were as powerful and capable as Romyn and Alex. A part of her realized she needed to feed off the lust, let it build inside her and contain it until she could get another fix. If she was truly human, which she was sure she was since only humans worked suck ass jobs and bothered with material things, then she would emulate her favourite demon, the succubus. (Emotion- with description to fill white space AND add to the story. Remember, we’re still in Raven’s POV and her head for a reason)

Alex looked questioningly at her. “Something the matter, Raven?” (Alex’s reaction)

His voice pulled her from her thoughts. She took another sip of her scotch and shook her head. “Nothing I can’t fix.”(Reaction, Perception, action, dialogue)
Yet she sat between these two men like she was the one up on the cross being ogled for sins she had yet to commit.

Romyn’s fingers continued circling her skin in a manner that sent shivers racing through her.

She shot him a glare.

He didn’t move from his pose, leaving his profile to her while that hand worked over her flesh in such a simple gesture that wouldn’t arouse a normal woman.
Raven was far from normal, she remembered.

She was so not normal that she was sitting in a gothic dance club with her boss and
his partner, letting them both paw her like a pet.

She had to admit, this wasn’t a bad position. Perhaps she could have some fun at their expense.

Setting her glass down on the table, she took Alex’s hand and slid it higher up her thigh.

In the above example, I purposely extended the excerpt to show that scene is written in entirely Raven’s POV but we’re able to see Romyn and Alex based on their responses to her. Human beings often act before they think, just ask any marital artist. Unless the situation calls for tight thinking, like in a tense negotiation (which we’re not yet writing) then we’re going off our gut.

The tempting thing is to fill that white space so the pages don’t look so blank. If you must fill that white space (and I don’t see why not) then use DESCRIPTION.

Tell us, or take us there. Describe your sex scenes using all the purple prose you can throw in. This is the time for those words. Yeah, some editors don’t like euphemisms. Oh well. The language you use will match your style of writing and the language will flow more clearly.

Again I mention that this technique is not widely used by many of today’s popular writers. That’s fine; they’re more than established in many cases. This isn’t a pass for them, but an explanation. We’re not trying to write like them entirely, but we are trying to make a living from our writing. When readers see our books as enjoyable mental movies that hold depth, they’ll return to buy the next book. And the next one. And the next three after that.

The technique takes time to learn and really narrow down. So in future editions in my column we’ll break down the parts of this formula.

Next week, in our void we’ll have a special guest blogger. Lisa Wienberger, the cute half of Sensual SEO has offered us a guest post on; you guessed it, SEO tactics for writers. Until then, keep it sexy!

Sascha Illyvich

Guest Interview -- Raine Delight

Midnight Seductions Guest Interview

Raine Delight

1. Tell us about your most recent release.

Raine Answers: My recent release was in October 2009 with Haunting Magic, my latest Devon Falls novella. It’s about a wolf shifter who needs to find his mate or else be alone wolf forever. What he gets instead is destiny throwing Jaxon Sinclair, the bane of his world, as his chosen mate. It’s the battle of the sexes between Rod and Jax as both try to fight their feelings for one another even as the sexual tension between them flares into an inferno. Dark Divas gave it a recommended read and it has become my first best selling book at Aspen Mountain Press.

2. What genre do you prefer to write? Is there a genre you’d like to write in that you haven’t tried yet?

Raine Answers: Right now I am immersed in the paranormal world between Devon Falls series and my Club Fantasy Series. I also am trying my hand at my first M/M book and though it is a slow go for me as I try to make sure I don’t screw it up, I am having a ton of fun with it.

3. What do you like to read?

Raine Answers: Everything it seems. J Currently I am into Fantasy like Gail Z. Martin (AWESOME series in Necromancer), Urban Fantasy (Terri Garrey, Joss Ware, etc) and Paranormal (Kim Harrison, Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, etc). I also found myself reading a lot of M/M books like Surrender Love by Kayelle Allen, Last Chance, Viki Lyn, Josh Lanyon Books, JM Snyder and more.

4. What do you feel is your strength as an author? For instance: characterization, dialogue,
sexual tension, sex scenes????

Raine Answers: I am not sure. Many people say it is my characters as they are strong yet vulnerable and connect to the reader.

5. How did you choose your pen name? Does it hold some significance special to
you?

Raine Answers: Well a friend picked Raine out for me and I picked Delight. It sounded great together and low and behold, my author name was born. :)

6. Where do you see your writing career taking you? Goals for two, four, six
years.

Raine Answers: Currently I am on deadlines till mid-2011 for several projects. I am hoping to have print books soon *fingers crossed* but that is up to my publisher. I also would like to sign with a NY house or with Carina Press. Both are in the horizon in a few years.

7. Do you ever use people you know as characters in your book, or composites?

Raine Answers: Nope…I may use some interesting personality quirks but otherwise nope. My SO would KILL me if he found out I did. LOL

8. Do you find that your creativity is more active mornings, afternoon, or
evenings?

Raine Answers: It depends. Most days it is mid-morning to early afternoon if I am home from DJ. Real Life takes precedence some days especially with two kids, family and other things that pay bills. *sigh* Evenings I try to not be online so I can rest my eyes and relax with SO.

9. What well-known author would you compare your work to or hope that you've
achieved the same level of excitement?

Raine Answers: Oh man *wipes sweat off brow* I am not sure. I am just thrilled when I find out people either bought my books and liked them or told others they liked the books. Eventually I hope to be up there with JD Robb or JR Ward…yes I know exalted company but I am aiming high. :)

10. What’s your favorite leisure activity? Why?

Raine Answers: Hiking in the summer, watching movies, and reading, taking walks and going for ice cream on a hot summer day. J I love to relax and just curl up to read a good book or go have a “Me” day with a decadent Starbucks coffee treat. :)

Website: http://authorrainedelight.com
Blog: http://rainesbooknook.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Raine_Delight
Readers loop: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Author_Raine_Delight

Guest Interview -- Isobael Liu

Midnight Seductions Guest Interview

Isobael Liu

1. Tell us about your most recent release.

My most recent (and only, so far!) is “Moonlight and Magick”, a paranormal romance published by Lyrical Press, Inc. It’s about a young woman who’s on the run from an ex boyfriend and a secret organization who uses paranormal and supernatural beings as test subjects. She meets a man who has secrets of his own, who helps her when the agents come for her. Add in some strange dreams, developing abilities, and her murderous ex boyfriend, and she’s not sure if she’s coming or going!

It was released on May 3^rd and I’m so ecstatic!

2. What genre do you prefer to write? Is there a genre you’d like to write in that you haven’t tried yet?

I prefer Paranormal Romance. Oh, yes! I’d love to try Historical Romances, or even Fantasy Romance. I could probably pull off the Fantasy, but I already know the Historical will be my downfall. I always get sucked into the research aspect and I’ll never find time to write the story!

3. What do you like to read?

Paranormal and Historical Romances (Christine Feehan and Amanda Quick). I also love to read cookbooks, and books about whatever my obsession of the month is. Right now, it’s Victorian etiquette. =)

4. What do you feel is your strength as an author? For instance: characterization, dialogue, sexual tension, sex scenes????

Good question. LOL. I’m not entirely sure. I’d like to say while the storyline may be fictional, the interactions between the main characters are realistic. The conversations, reactions are what real people would do. I’ve had readers tell me they can connection with my characters, they’re so real.

5. How did you choose your pen name? Does it hold some significance special to you?

Isobael Liu – Isobael is the name of my first role playing character. She was so well liked that whenever I wanted to role play, people begged me to play her. It’s an old Scottish name, which was a nod to my father’s side of the family, as we hail from Scotland. Liu is my middle name from my mother’s side of the family. She hails from Taiwan.

6. Where do you see your writing career taking you? Goals for two, four, six years.

I’d like to see my career move from e-book to print, but other than that I’m just happy to have my stories published! More stories written, more stories to share with others.

7. Do you ever use people you know as characters in your book, or composites?

No, actually. Not yet, at least. =) I have so many characters all clamoring to get out of my head as it is, I don’t need to base them on real people. Although, I have been tempted to use certain people as cannon fodder or antagonists. *Evil Grin*

8. Do you find that your creativity is more active mornings, afternoon, or evenings?

I’m not sure if it’s more active or that it’s just the best time for me to write but evenings are the best for me. After the kid and the hubby retire for the night, I’m left with quiet, no chores clamoring to get done during the day while they’re off at their respective schools, no interruptions due to deliveries, visitors, phone calls. I can pop in my writing playlist, plug in the headphones, and write.

9. What well-known author would you compare your work to or hope that you've achieved the same level of excitement?

Ack! Ummm. I’ve had readers compare me to Jim Butcher of the Dresden Files fame, but I’ve never read his work so I couldn’t say either way. I’m not really sure I can be compared to anyone else. I’m still too new and do I really want to be compared to someone so well known? I can only hope to achieve the same or close to the same level of talent, but I want to be known for my own talents.

10. What’s your favorite leisure activity? Why?

Leisure? What’s that? LOL – I’m a housewife, a mother, a writer, and a falconer. If anything, writing is my escape from the mundane. I live vicariously through my characters.

About Isobael Liu
Even at a young age, Isobael Liu had a notebook and pen in hand. During regular classes, she'd be scribbling story ideas on her class notes. During choir, she'd be scribbling story plots on her music sheet. Isobael is a writer, through and through.

A deep love of the romance genre, Isobael turned her attention to writing romantic stories, but her true love was the paranormal. Growing up, she'd heard the legends, myths, and ghost stories of her Taiwanese heritage, as well as the Western world's from her Scottish American heritage. With deep and abiding respect to both heritages, she began researching those things that went "bump in the night" and an obsession was created.

Turning her writing to include the newfound obsession, Isobael has penned short stories, novellas, and now novels that include some form of her fascination, from vampires to werewolves, faeries to ghosts, magick, and even a smattering of psychic abilities.

When she’s not writing, Isobael can be found working with a raptor on her falconry license, crocheting, or having tea parties with her daughter. She can also be found in the kitchen, cooking up some treats, like home baked scones!

Isobael makes her home in Washington State, is happily married, and has one daughter. She's currently owned by two Ball Pythons, a dog, a cat, and season willing, a raptor of some sort for her falconry license.

You can find her book at Lyrical Press, Inc: http://www.lyricalpress.com/moonlight_and_magick

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isobael-Liu-Author/373181952469

Her official blog: http://isobael-liu.blogspot.com

Her official website: http://isobael.webs.com/