Author Interview: KAYELLE ALLEN

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Kayelle, welcome to the Dark Divas…my first question to you is how do you manage to be SO prolific? You have so many intriguing and varied books out…do you write every single day?

Thanks for inviting me! Do I write every single day? Yes, I do. There are rare days when I take time off, but few full days when I don't write or discuss plotting or marketing with someone online, in person, or on the phone. If you do something fifteen minutes a day for five years you become an expert and develop skills you'd never have thought you'd possess. That applies to almost anything.

Researching a medical field, reading poetry, writing letters, studying the Bible, writing the history of a future people... it adds up! Every day at lunch for about six months, I had nothing to do but relieve a receptionist. Four days a week all I did was smile at the rare visitor, or answer two-three phone calls.

So I used my PDA and wrote an entire language for the feline Kin people, called Felis. I developed the sound (lots of breathy pauses and hisses, plus hard k sounds), studied the way the mouth forms words, and tried to figure out how a mouth with fangs would say words. I eliminated the letter B from their language, which led to having to watch every word to ensure I hadn't used it.

Once a Kin learns Etymis (essentially English), they learn to make the B sound with little difficulty, but at first, asking someone where the BarBeQue is can be a trial! Probably the reason I have so many books is that I don't have to reinvent the world each time. It's all there, laid out, ready to write. I have a short history of every world in the empire, a background for each character, and even the immortal empress has a list of all the hot young men she will eventually bring to her harem (her "Jades"). Each has a name and many other details. If I need a blonde with brown eyes between the ages of 25-35, it's easy to find one in my Jade database. It's a hard job being a writer but someone has to do it. *grins*

2. Your new Surrender series has an immortal lead character Luc Saint-Cyr (love that name) and immortality is a recurring them in your work. What was your inspiration for the Tarthian nation?

Thank you! I love Luc. He's easily my favorite since he's been in every book set in the Tarthian Empire. Someone asked me since substituting the T in Tarth with an E made it Earth, was that saying Tarth is really an alternate Earth? It was a darned good question, but in the book Jawk, Tales of the Chosen, Luc Saint-Cyr takes Jawk to Earth, so that pretty much showed it wasn't. Tarth is a world and the capitol of an empire on the other side of the galaxy from us.

The books are set about ten thousand years in the future, long after a series of genocidal wars wiped out much of mankind and caused those who survived to erect a barrier across one arm of the galaxy to prevent the genetically enhanced "non-humans" from coming over into human space, and vice versa.

Thousands of years later, the barrier is failing, and there are huge holes that permit anyone to pass through. The immortals that had been created as warriors and were isolated on a world they called Sempervia (Latin for ever living) have now developed space travel and are free to roam the galaxy they once sought to subdue. The difference is, the homeworld wants no part of mankind, and shields itself from any type of probe. They value their privacy and peace. However, a hundred exiles were ejected thirty-four hundred years ago and they have an agenda. "Make mankind pay."

My inspiration was reading ongoing science information about the Human Genome Project, clones, genetic tampering, and extending life. I thought, what if all of that worked? What would happen next? So I curled up and jotted down a basic timeline, which I've since developed into a ten thousand year history with as much detail as I need for my current series of books set in the Tarthian Empire. I have separate timelines for other parts of the galaxy as well, and books planned for those areas. I will never run out of stories. My imagination has never known how to shut down.

3. What is especially appealing to you about the paranormal realm as a writer?

The fact that we can make up our own worlds with our own rules. Yes, a vampire survives on blood, but one author says it's a curse; another swears it's genetic. Some fear garlic and crosses, yet others are unaffected by them. The sheer unique possibilities of each vampire world-view fascinates me. I'm a world builder at heart. I've never written a vampire tale or a time travel, but I want to do both. And I will. Someday. Just ... not yet.

4. What are your favorite immortal characters in other books and/or movies? Do you read paranormals in your private time?

My favorite immortal characters in other books and/or movies ... wow! I have many. I like Hellboy because I'm a huge Ron Perlman fan, and fell head over heels for Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) in Hellboy II The Golden Army. I even follow His Evil-but-Sexy Majesty on Twitter (no lie). I also have a thing for Anne Rice's vampires (all of them but Armand is my favorite). I read all sorts of things and I read every day of the world. I love anything by Kiernan Kelly and Michael Barnette.

I have every book by Lynn Viehl, Raven Hart, and they are on my see-it-buy-it list. So is Medieval period author Helen Kirkman. I love the Dark series by Christine Feehan. Who could miss Acheron and the Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon?

I also love her books written as Kinley MacGregor. I have a young character named Talyn MacGregor who is half Kin and half human, so when I saw that name, I grabbed the book out of pure curiosity and have bought them ever since. Karen Marie Moning is a must have. Chris Owens and Jodi Payne write wonderful gay erotica, and I have countless -- seriously countless favorite authors in this genre. Vampires are my favorites but I also love sweet to spicy Regency period books, anything by Dara Joy, and now Kiernan has gotten me hooked on gay cowboys and I will never give them up. I'm an addict when it comes to hot man sex.

5. Your motto seems to be that Romance Lives Forever…does it live forever in your personal life?

It sure does. I don't talk about age much online, because I don't think it has anything to do with what our lives are really about. It's a limit most of us put on ourselves. I remember a friend saying she was 55 and if she went back to college then in four years she'd be graduating at age 59.

I asked her how old she'd be in four years if she didn't graduate. After a surprised look, she went ahead and registered, and got her degree. People tell me that I write like I'm in my twenties, which I take to mean that I sound like I write for today, and I think I do. However, I've been married for 34 years to one man, and I'm more in love now than I was the day we married. He feels the same way.

I was fortunate -- no, make that blessed -- to have found a man who truly cherishes me and treats me like a queen. I adore him and do everything I can to make his life easier and stressfree. My parents had been married for fifty years when they passed away, and my husbands folks have been married more than sixty-five. We had good examples.

For us, the romance is still there. We work at providing that for the other. Whether it's saying "I love you" every day, or making a special dinner, or simply saying, "You were right," romance is the heart of a love relationship. Romance lives forever in my world, as well as the world of my books. Does that mean that all my romances are happy-ever-afters? No, sorry to say, it does not. But my main characters are immortals, and when they finally find their true loves, their "forever loves", then for them Romance Lives Forever. It's also the name of my yahoo group, myspace page, and blog. (Links below)

6. You hold online seminars for romance writers to help them market their books. What, in your opinion are the fundamental mistakes authors make in their marketing and/or promotion?

1) Don't give away a book once it's been released. Only have drawings for a new book before it's out and don't give away one single copy for at least six months, or until the next book is released. No one will buy if they think they can get it for free. This is most important in the first month of your new book's release.

2) Don't depend on your publisher to send out review requests. Though many send out books automatically, most review sites have a policy (unofficial and unnanounced) of always reviewing a book requested by the author. They may pass over the book your publisher sends because of a rush from many others, but they will usually review one you personally request.

3) Don't expect everyone to hear about your books and rush to find you. Plan as far ahead as you can and start promoting the day you sell the book. It's never too early. Announcing you've just scored a contract for ________ is big news. Tell everyone.

4) Try to imagine a modern business that doesn't have a phone. How many orders will they get, or how many people will they be able to contact? A website is today's phone. It's a must have. Pay for a domain name (godaddy.com will sell you one for $1.99 if you also host your site on their servers.) It's not that expensive. If you don't have a website you are commiting literary suicide. How is anyone going to find out anything about you? If I can learn to do it, so can you. Hire someone if you can, if not, google "how do you" and your question.

The answer is out there and you *can* do it. No excuses. Are you serious about writing? Get a website first thing, before you submit to editors. They can look you up online and learn a ton about you, including whether you know how to present yourself. Study this.

Look at twenty sites a day for a week and paste the sites into a document. Write notes about what you did / didn't like. Figure out your colors, your must-have pages, and then get to work. I knew nothing about websites, but today, mine has over 130 pages. You can do this. If you can write a book and submit it for publication, you have the brains to create a website.

7. Wow Kayelle, this is fabulous and generous information. Thank you!! Let me ask you, do you think the advent of the new crop of online PR companies flooding Yahoo groups has helped or hurt authors?

I use one myself -- Heartfelt Promos, and I think the answer to the question depends on how the promo group actually operates. Heartfelt has a warm/fuzzy feel to its promos and is very personal in the way it approaches readers. I've used others in the past, but this one has been the most helpful to me.

Overall, I think authors should take great care in what they spend and what they get in return. Keep this acronym in mind: ROI - Return on Investment. If you are paying $45 for a book launch party and only end up selling three books, your royalties won't even cover the cost. However, if you have one for your new book the night before release, have special guests such as your editor and publisher (and give them prearranged questions so they can prepare) then you are likely to have a huge hit. Your promo group will do most of the promo for you, but you should also be planning ahead.

If I know a book is coming out mid fall, around spring time I start asking for interviews, blog time, author chats, and co-contests with other authors in my genre to be held during that time period. If you see an author offer blog time, or offer to "interview" your characters, try to set up the date far ahead - ideally to right after your book's release, or right before. The buzz this generates will help you create sales and interest your readers in the book.

8. What are the three most important things an author can do to promote their work?

1) Perform regular "vanity searches". This means Google your name in quotations often. Add +review, or +"book title" to find specific info on your book. You may also find pirates this way. Handling those is another entire subject. Personally send thank you letters to the review department of each place that reviewed your book, no matter what they said. Copy the link, paste it into a document and then copy the entire review and add it. Note the reviewer etc. Then choose a line or two you can quote and add them to the bottom of the document.

Personally, I save mine in a Reviews folder and name them with the book title first followed by Review. This way, all reviews for the same book sort together, making them easy to reference. When you open it, the blurb you want to quote is next to the link and reviewer, ready to post in a promo.

2) Create a Marketing folder and keep anything there that you use for marketing rather than with the specific book. Reviews, Interviews, Promo material such as headshots, your logo, contests you run, specific things for your group, etc. Try to keep it focused and small enough to back up on a CD.

3) If you have a trilogy, which I do, give away the middle book. If you give them the first book, they may not be curious enough to seek the other two. If you give them the last book, it will wrap up what the other books said. The middle book, however, will entice them to buy the other two.

9. I know you live in Atlanta, GA. Can you give me an idea of what your life is like there? Do you hang out at coffee houses? Any special places you like to go and absorb local color?

Favorite places in Atlanta... well, I don't miss DragonCon which is Labor Day weekend right in the heart of downtown. I take the MARTA train from the northenmost station and get off at Peachtree Center, then walk one block to reach one of the four hotels (D*C hosted about 95k people last year).

Other than that, I detest going downtown. It's a maze of one way streets all going the wrong way and all of them are named Peachtree something or other. Locally, I like to curl up at Waffle House (yes, WAHO) and drink diet Coke with vanilla while I make notes for my next book. One of my local friends who's like a sister to me will often meet me there and we spend an hour chit chatting over coffee. I only go to Starbucks if she treats. I can't see paying that much for coffee. My favorite cup is decaf with about 3/4 c hot water to dilute it and a huge spoonful of chocolate creamer, so Starbucks just doesn't do it for me. I walk at least three days a week in a local park, putting in two miles each time.

It's an easy course with only three hills, but it gets your blood pumping. I was invited to attend a play downtown at the Fox with my friend, and it was one I'd never heard of before, called Wicked, which turned out to be one of the best plays I'd ever seen.

Now I know that the understudy for one of the main parts was Adam Lambert - who's my favorite hottie! I have no idea where I put the program from that night, and since I keep everything I know it's here somewhere... Imagine being in the audience that night - two understudies performed; I remember that. But which ones? ACK! It's an amazing theater and I've also seen David Copperfield there.

In my hometown, way up north about 45 miles outside the city, there's not much to do but we have almost any restaurant you'd ever want, plus a new mall with all the biggest chain stores, so I no longer need to drive any distance to go shopping. The weather here is usually hot and wet; in summer we swelter and in winter it gets down to 40 or so and only freezes a handful of days. Spring is glorious. The colors are splendid, with vibrant golds, yellows, reds, fuschia, and every shade of green. Fall is when we drive up into the north Georgia mountains to see the colors change.

We just broke a seven-year drought, so it's good to know the trees will survive. We lost seven on our property during the last three years. At the height of the drought, the colors were magnificent due to the quick release of sap into the ground, revealing an early bloom of every shade of gold, red, and yellow under the sun. I love living here. It's beautiful in every season.

10. I know you grew up in the southwest and apparently moved around a lot. You even lived in Central America. What was that like?

My parents joked that they had itchy feet and were always looking for treasure beyond the next rainbow. I've lived in almost every state, and in one year I changed schools five times. My dad was a mechanic, and he went where the business was. My mother homeschooled me most of my first seven years, and I was always the new kid in school, until I hit junior high and my folks settled down.

So I say my hometown is Henderson NV, right outside Las Vegas. That's where I spent my teen years and eventually ended up joining the Navy, where I met my husband. I still have three sisters in the general area, and Vegas is my favorite place to vacation, though I never gamble and haven't even dropped a dime in a slot machine in at least 30 years. There are plenty of other things to do and see, especially in the desert.

Wild mustangs and burros still roam there and you can see them from the road. When they come out on the highway everyone has to stop; they walk right up to your car and look in the windows. It's an amazing sight.

11. And now a couple of tough questions. You ready? What was your favorite toy growing up?

Probably the thing I remember best and used the most was a small telescope that my parents bought me. I was outside with it every night. Imagine how cool it was to discover that the drive-in movie several miles away came in clear as could be -- without sound, of course, but I could figure out the story line pretty well. And I was always stargazing. In the desert, the stars look close enough to touch. Small wonder I ended up writing Science Fiction Romance!

12. Favorite TV show?

I budget TV so I'll have time to write, but I don't miss "24" for anything. My next favorite was the Unit, starring Dennis Haysbert (also known as President David Palmer on the first four seasons of "24") canceled this year *sniff*.

He was the model for my character Luc Saint-Cyr. He's also the Allstate Spokesman. I'll watch anything he's in. Recently at a convention where Allstate had a booth, I managed to grab a poster of him sitting in a sports car. It's right over my desk for inspiration. He has a voice like buttered velvet. OMG I could listen to him all day.

Ron Perlman's voice is the same way. If either of these guys were to read their laundry lists, I'd go buy a copy. When I can, I also like House, Castle, Mental, the Mentalist, Bones, DollHouse (I miss the Terminator series - *sniff*) and CSI Las Vegas because it's my hometown. I rarely get to see all these though, due to prior commitments on line and deadlines. So I look them up on HULU or iTunes if they're keepers. My dh is studying to be a nurse so he actually has homework taken from episodes of House and Bones. No kidding. If it's a medical show, we watch it.

13. Did your parents encourage your writing? Do they know about your work now?

My mother always wanted to write and had a poem published. She was also an artist and sent a portrait to President and Mrs. Kennedy and received a thank you note from the White House. Later, the painting was featured in the film 1000 Days, about JFK's life. My father hand made frames for her and cut up masonite to use for her canvases. Sadly they both died years ago but I know they'd have been very proud.

14. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoelaces?

About four or five, I think. I remember everyone trying to help me and me being frustrated that I couldn't do it right. Finally it all clicked into place. It was exciting - especially for a little kid!

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank the amazing Kayelle Allen for her talent and her wisdom. To learn more about this gorgeous author's work, please check out her links:

Email kayelle@kayelleallen.com
Homepage http://kayelleallen.com
Booklist http://kayelleallen.com/Books.html Romance Lives Forever – Yahoo http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancelivesforever Marketing for Romance Writershttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarketingForRomanceWriters/
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen Romance Lives Forever – MySpace http://myspace.com/romancelivesforever
Kayelle's Coffee Corner http://coffeetimeromance.com/board/ Manloveromancehttp://manloveromance.com
Romance Lives Forever – Blog http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/
The Romance Studio - Blog http://trsblue.blogspot.com/ The NaughtyTruth Newsletter http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=987 Linked In http://www.linkedin.com/in/kayelleallen
Wiki Romance – Kayelle http://www.romancewiki.com/Kayelle_Allen

Publishers

http://loose-id.com

http://liquidsilverbooks.com

http://shadowfirepress.com

http://wolfsingerpublications.com

Author Interview: REMMY DUCHENE

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Remmy and welcome to the Dark Divas’ den! I know you are a prolific author under several different names, but Remmy’s M/M fiction seems to be doing very well. You have a new contract with Phaze and I know you released a short, Saddle Up N Ride last month. Your website is under construction so I have no idea what is coming out soon, but I read Caribbean Heat and enjoyed it. Please tell me what we can expect from Remmy in the near future?Thanks for having me! I’m glad you enjoyed Caribbean Heat. Erm, well, right now I am in works with another M/M author on a full length novel – nearing completion. It’s Interracial, murder mystery and erotic. Not sure if I can say more about it yet but we are hoping to have it released late this year. I am in the process of re-editing my novella titled Redemption about a sexy ex con rancher (who was convicted for a crime he didn’t commit.) and a baseball player. And I’m researching a novel idea I have titled Black Gold (The titles tend to come to me first lol). It is going to be about a sexy rancher, a secret agent and oil. So my Remmy plate is full. I’m writing longer stuff now because people often times tell me they love my work but they are too short.

2. Where does Remmy Duchene live and how does he pump out so many books? I know you were at college when I first met you. Are you still studying or have you graduated?I live in the cold white north, Canada. And yes, I am still in university, a year left (Thank heavens). I pump out so many books because I don’t sleep lol. But seriously, I rotate my writing projects – hence the reason why I only tackled shorts.

3. Do you have a day job and if so can you tell me a little about your writing routine?
Yes right now I work as a lifeguard at a recreation centre. I don’t have a routine for writing. I steal time when I can get it here or there. I spend about two hours a nights trying to write, promote, do interviews, websites, Facebooks…man there isn’t enough hours in the day!

4. What genres of books do you personally enjoy reading and who are some of your favorite authors?I am what you call a nerd. I read almost anything that I can get my hands on. I draw the line at most of the latest fads in reading. I am into genre of action adventure, science fiction, romance/erotica (of course lol), magic/fantasy, murder myster…I love reading stuff by John Simpson, Nora Roberts, Dan Brown, Carol Shields, Margaret Attwood, Catherine Coulter, Elizabeth Lowell—and the list goes on and on.

5. You have a lot of different yahoo groups and author sites going – Romance Erotica Connection, Red Eclipse Writers, The Peeping Hole and more…how do you manage everything and do you find that yahoo groups are beneficial for promo?
Lots of wonderful friends and hours swearing at the computer Lol. I have author friends who have my back when I decided to create something. They help me moderate, co-own and all that good stuff so I don’t have to do it all myself. It is a little beneficial for promotion but they shouldn’t be used as the only way to promote.

6. What words or phrases do you most overuse?
I use “Oi Vey” a lot or “Brotha is fine!”

7. LOL! I love it! What is your favorite dirty word?
*giggles* hrm…my favorite dirty word…”fuck.” Lol admit it, you knew that one was coming!

8. That’s my fave word too! Ahem…what qualities do you look for in a man in fiction and in real life?

He has to have a brain – Intelligence above all else and a sense of humor. It may sound cliché but I love a good laugh and if he is smart and don’t take everything overly serious, we’re off to a great start!

9. What is your greatest fear?
Bears lol. No seriously, I’d have to say my greatest fear is heights.

10. What is the worst piece of advice anybody ever gave you about writing?
“Stop using Jamaican dialect in your writing.” Now that defeats the purpose of writing Jamaican characters. That seriously STEAMED me.

On Behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank the talented and sexy Remmy Duchenefor stopping by and flirting with me…er…I mean chatting with me today. To learn more about his exotic works of fiction, please check out his links:

http://remmyduchene.webs.com
http://remmyduchene.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/remmyduchene
and I am on facebook!

Author Interview: PATTI SHENBERGER

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Patti and welcome to the Divas’ Den! My first question to you is that I know you are a Devine Destinies author. Your books up to this point have a lovely, dreamy quality. They are contemporary paranormal romance novels with a throwback feel. You now have a new 12-part series starting at eXtasy Books on August 15 based on the zodiac signs. This sounds very intriguing. Will you be continuing in this genre or is this a whole different type of work for you?

Thanks AJ for the lovely words about my paranormal books. There is always going to be a soft spot in my heart for a ghost hero. Now The Zodiac Club will all be contemporary, but with a new twist for me, more heat, more erotic. I’ve always done a softer, less sexy book up till now and I’m going to throw caution to the wind, and full steam ahead.

2. Why did you switch from Devine Destines to the “mother” imprint eXtasy Books for this series?

I was going back and forth with my editor Jay about writing a series for them and eXtasy Books seemed the better fit, especially since I was amping up the heat levels. I never thought Jay would say go for it, but she did. And I’m very glad she took the chance on me!

3. You sold your first book, Womb for Rent in 2007. What was that like for you and how did it come about? I love the title by the way!

Actually I sold Womb For Rent way back in 1998, but RWA recognized me as a published author when I reached the qualifications set by them for making over $1500.00 in royalties on my own. So October 31, 2007 I received a call saying I had made it! Womb came about after watching Baby Boom, the old movie with Diane Keaton and Sam Shepherd. I started writing and never stopped till it was finished. It was the second book I ever wrote. Thanks, I love the title as well. It does make people do a double take when you tell them it. They lean forward and say “What was that first word again?”

4. Your DD novel The Captain’s Wench received wonderful reviews and seems a delightful play on the 1940s comedies like Topper and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir…any chance of a sequel for Meg and Captain London?

The Captain’s Wench definitely came about because of my love for The old black and white Ghost and Mrs. Muir movie. I absolutely adore that movie! I’ve never seen Topper though. (G) You know I was just thinking today about how to make it a sequel. To keep Captain London and Meg in the picture and yet bring in a new hero and heroine. You never know, maybe someday it’ll be out there.

5. Go for it, Patti! Your novel The Laird’s Lady also has an old ghost…and a smelly dog! What poor creature inspired the smelly dog?

Wow, that’s a good question and boy have you done your homework on me. Should I be scared (G)?

AJ says: Yes! LOL

I really don’t have any clue why I put Algee in there, but he blended in so perfectly, I left him. And his being scared of Laird MacLay didn’t hurt either. It only brought out Devin’s desire to protect him.

6. Have you had any ghostly encounters yourself…if so, what happened?

Actually yes I have. I took care of my great grandmother from the time she was 96 till she passed away in our home (in my home office where I’m currently typing this) till she was 99 on May 25th, 2003. (Yesterday was 6 years) When she passed, I had the room redone. New carpet, paint, office furniture, you name it. Then about a week after the carpet was installed it developed spots. I would clean, they would come back, I would clean, new spots different places would appear.

This went on for about two months until one day I finally sat on the floor in the middle of the room and said “Nonnie, enough is enough. I love you, I miss you, but you’re killing me in carpet cleaning.” Never again did a spot appear. I kid you not.
Another thing we had happen for probably a year after she died was we could be upstairs (we have a quad level house) and you would hear the front door open and close in the living room. My two dogs would run like maniacs downstairs and sit at the door. By the time I got there, the door was shut, locked and deadbolted just like I had left it.

This happened to me on numerous occasions, to my hubby and to my then 19 year olf daughter. She freaked out one night as she was talking on the phone to a friend and we were out. She heard the door open and close, the dogs go flying downstairs and nothing. So she walked downstairs and told her friend she had to hang up and call us. She was literally terrified as the dogs were still sitting there wagging their tails at nothing. We were about two blocks from the house when she called in tears.

It later became a joke that “Nonnie had come home.” It did stop and you know, I miss it. Nonnie and Papa (my great grandfather) raised me from the age of 3 months after my mother gave me to them. My mother was a widow at age 18 and had no idea what to do with a baby. Also my mothers next boyfriend really didn’t want to deal with a child that wasn’t his. So I owe my entire life to my great grandparents and really miss them to this day.

7. What a great story...I smell a book here...and not a smelly one, either! Do you write every day? What is your routine like?

I try to write every day. Some days I do much better than other days. This week is hard as my son is home on leave from the Army and when he goes back this coming Saturday, he will be getting ready to deploy overseas. I’m trying to spend as much time as I can with him without smothering him (he’s 24). I also have been known to do writing weekends where I produce 40 pages in two and a half days. Not a good thing, but I know I can do it if need be.

8. Who and what are your biggest influences as an author?

My great grandparents are huge influences on me. Papa always said the only ones opinion who matters is your own and he was right. You can’t let other people dictate who you can and can’t be. My family is also a big influence. I would never want to do anything to hurt them in anyway. God knows, I’ve embarrassed them many times over though (G)

9. LOL! Is there anything in fiction you would never want to write?

Truthfully there is so much more out there that I haven’t written. I don’t know if there is or not. I’m open to all suggestions if you have any.

10. I asked one of your closest friends, Stephani Hecht this question so I feel compelled to punish you with it, too. What was your favorite toy when you were growing up?

I knew this question was coming and yup, here it is. Well I didn’t have a sock monkey growing up but I did have a woolie. Man, I know I shouldn’t be saying this but I had a blanket that I literally picked into little fuzzy pieces and then carried it around with me.

Everywhere I went, it went. My great grandfather traveled for General Motors (when it was solvent) and we were in New York for an auto show and had dinner at a very classy restaurant that overlooked Niagara Falls. I was about 6 at the time. I had my woolie in my hand and sat it on the table top to put my napkin in my lap.

The waiter almost had a coronary thinking a bug was on the table and was trying to get it without any of us seeing. So I grabbed my woolie and put it in my fist and he freaked. Then Papa had to explain what it was. After that I wasn’t allowed to take it with me. To this day I still love knitted or crocheted afghans because of how soft they are and you can pick at them. I have one on my bed right now that I’ve had for over 20 years. I kid you not.

11. Wow Patti, that is such a sweet story I can't even run with it...however, you and Stephani do have a thing for yarns now, don't you? Ahem...please tell me, how does your hubby feel about your books? Does he read them? Does he act out the naughty bits with you? Come on you can tell us…

My hubby supports me tremendously in my writing, but is not above the “Where’s the money?” question. He does not read them, but does read the dedication since I have dedicated a book to him. And no alas he does not act out the dirty parts with me. But he has given me ideas.

Last night we had a family dinner with both kids here and we were playing Trivial Pursuit and somehow the subject was Cameron Diaz. Holy cow, he has the hots for her so bad, and was saying he’d love to eat crackers in bed with her. I thought the kids were going to hurl! They were mortified at the thought of their father in bed with her. My answer, “If she lets you in, she has to keep you. I don’t want you back.” (G)

12. What is the quality you like most in a man? What is the quality you least like (apart from crackers with Cameron)?

I love a man who is strong and protective, but also knows how to treat a woman. My hubby did everything for me when I was going thru chemo for colon cancer. I didn’t do a thing but go back and forth to doctor appointments and treatment for10 months. He did laundry, cooking, cleaning the house, caring for the animals, and even cared for my aunt’s cat here in our house when she went on vacation. I don’t know what I would have done without him. He is my hero, my rock and the love of my life! As to what I dislike, that would be a man who uses physical, emotional abuse and mental abuse to get what he wants from a woman.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews I want to thank Patti Shenberger for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

http://devinedestinies.com/shopdevine/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ebook_flypage&product_id=40&category_id=23&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=52 Devine buy link
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/patti-shenberger-m-73.html?zenid=692e54e52214790c4f35160bd1f3712b WRP buy link
http://www.pattishenberger.com/ my own site
http://www.betweenoursheets.com/ shared site with Stephani, Bonnie and Tianna

Author Interview: LEX VALENTINE

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

Hi Lex, I am so excited to be talking to you today. Thanks for coming…hey, step closer, I won’t bite (unless you ask me to)…now I have to start this on a personal note. I was on an author chat with you one day and you kindly offered participating authors a free book trailer and I snapped it up – all for the exchange of my e book Phantom Lover. Somehow, I think I came out way ahead. The trailer is freaking gorgeous and I thank you for it. How did you come up with the idea of doing trailers for people and has it worked out well for you?

Thanks for having me here today, AJ! And nibbles and licks are always nice. *wink* I loved Phantom Lover so being able to do the trailer was an honor for me. I had a great time putting it together and finding the music. My friend David Simmer II of Blogography.com had some great Hawaii photos he took with his brand new camera and I couldn’t resist begging him to use a few. Dave’s a graphic artist and it comes out in everything he does from photos to toons. It was all a perfect karmic fit I think… you, me, and Dave!

I got into trailers by accident sorta. We occasionally have to make memorial videos at my work and the woman who does them showed me how. I took that knowledge and starting making trailers for myself for my WIPs to help prompt me along when I first decided I wanted to get published. It all just snowballed from there.

I have to say that doing trailers for other authors has mostly been a great experience. Not everyone has left me basking in the afterglow as you have, AJ. Right now, I’m only doing a few more and after that it will probably only be the clients whose series I adore like Renee Wildes’ Guardians of the Light and Bonnie Rose Leigh’s Serenity.

You and I both love vampires and your blog “Sunlight Sucks” always leaves me thinking. Who are your favorite cinematic vampires? When did you first become aware of them and did they influence your book Tales of the Darkworld series at all?

You know, movie vamps haven’t influenced the Tales vamps at all. The Darkworld’s Acerbian vampires are more a creation of things I’d already had in my head, bits from the serial story where I write (The Bar) and from books. I’m not much of a movie or TV person. However, I’ve read a lot of vampire books that had my wheels spinning from the moment my sister handed me Interview with the Vampire on my 17^th birthday. I will say that my favorite vampire movie of all time is the Fearless Vampire Killers by Roman Polanski and starring Sharon Tate.

I love that movie! Speaking of your series, there are two books so far: Shifting Winds and Hot Water. Will there be more books in the series?

Book 3 Fire Season is in edits currently for a July release. FS is full length, M/M, dragon shifters. No vamp love here but lots of hot man love instead! And there’s a cliffhanger epilogue! Actually, the Tales series is plotted to a total of ten books at which point I will probably wrap that series.

Your very first book Sunday’s Child: Wise Guy throws us headlong into the world of witches and mages. Will we be seeing more of the delicious Rand?

Rand as a child, probably. The Tales of the Magia have been bouncing around in my head for awhile and if/when I get around to it, I’ll probably start with the story of Rand’s godparents Zoe and August. I rather like the idea of showing Aug trying to turn himself into a cat for the very first time and not quite making it. LOL

You have a ton of stuff coming out…I’ve been checking on you Lex. Don’t look at me like that! I hardly stalk anybody anymore! What can you tell me about the following:

From Cobblestone Press - The Pixie Prince: This is the first of my Twisted Tales. It’s a twisted version of the Princess and the Pea. Max is a pixie and a supermodel who models underwear. His mate Bliss (Bellisandra) is a vampire and runs the club Carpe Noctem. My editor thinks the story is “utterly charming” and I have to say that like The Wise Guy, it’s a feel good story, very fun and filled with heat. We’re about to start our second edit pass and I’m working with an artist on the cover.

From Freya’s Bower - Mating, Runaways

These two are companion stories, shorts that run just under 8K. Mating was written for a contest for the cover by M.E. Ellis. It’s the tale of a werewolf, the Alpha, whose brother mates suddenly sending him into a slight tailspin. Wanting to ensure his brother is okay, he hires an agency called Watchers to follow his twin. The owner of Watchers (a white werewolf) turns out to be his mate. Mating is with the proofers and hopefully, will have a release date soon.

In Runaways, the Beta twin meets his mate (a vampire) on a train and they recklessly mate then have to deal with the consequences. Each story is a stand alone, but I think they work best together to give you a real sense of who these twin werewolves are. Runaways is with the editor who did Mating. M.E. Ellis did the cover so they would look related.

From Wild Child Publishing - Ain’t Nuthin But a Hellhound (in the Weirdly 3 anthology)

Hellhound is just finishing edits. It’s a dark tale about sex and power in the demon realm. Lilah, who is half demon, hunts hellhounds and saves the human souls they seek to take. Her father the Demon Lord and her ex-lover Xavion the Lord of the Hellhounds, both want her in their world. She resists, but then learns a lesson about power from a soul she saved. There is no sex in this story although the characters talk about it and it is integral to the plot.

From Midnight Showcase - Silver Lining

Silver Lining is in edits and should be out in July in the Thrilled digest. It’s rather a personal story that came from a little “what if” daydream I had about my ex. The heroine finds a man online who intrigues her and when she goes to meet him finds the greatest love of her life, a man from her past.

From Pink Petal Books - Fire Season

Fire Season is Book 3 in the Tales series, currently in edits. It’s a full length novel about a straight male dragon whose mate is a man. Holden Antaeus is a black dragon, a lawyer for his family’s company. Garret Renquist is a green dragon, a genius, stock market whiz. Their story is fun, hot, and will make you reach for the hankies.

So now I must start asking you a few really tough questions. Ready, chika? How old were you when you learned to tie your shoelaces?

Uhhhh… I don’t know. Probably rather young like 3 or something. My mother said I did everything early starting with arriving on Halloween instead of Christmas.

What was the worst date you ever went on?

What’s a date? I’d see a guy I liked, smile, and if he smiled back, I’d ask him if he wanted a blow job. Well, maybe I’m not quite that bold, but I was never the dating type. I did a lot of friends with benefits before it had that name.

Which living person do you most admire?

I admire the hell out of Marcus Schenkenberg. I can just stand there and admire those muscles all day long…

Which living person do you most despise?

Anyone and everyone who lies to me. Seriously, I’m not into the whole admire/despise famous people. I don’t know them. The people I dislike are the ones who have personally done something dishonest or mean to me. The people I admire are the ones who go out of their way to do something nice for me, despite their own hardships.

Tell me about your writing routine. Do you write every day? Do you listen to music? Any must-haves to get the muse to obey?

I’m actually pretty easy. I pop off paragraphs anywhere I have a computer to type on. I write with and without music. Mostly, I don’t write after work because I’m tired, but that’s not hard and fast. I’ll get an idea and the next thing I know I have 3K. I think I do my best work in Word Wars with Dee Carney and L. Shannon cracking the whip over me. Although, Moira Reed can sure crack a mean whip too! All the Word Wars ladies are such consummate professionals that I’m honored to be part of their group. With them behind me, it’s not unheard of for me to do 8K in a Saturday and repeat it the next day.

Have you ever snooped in somebody else’s medicine cabinet?

Maybe when I was drunk and looking for Pepto Bismal…

Hmmmm…okay, I sorta believe ya, Lex!

On behalf of the Dark Divas, I’d like to thank Lex Valentine for stopping by today. To learn more about this love, lovely and so talented author, please check out her links:

Official Author Website – http://www.lexvalentine.com/

Personal Blog Sunlight Sucks – http://www.sunlightsucks.com/

Tales of the Darkworld – http://www.talesofthedarkworld.com/

Follow me – http://www.twitter.com/lexvalentine

My Space – http://www.myspace.com/cemeterywinter

Trailers - http://www.youtube.com/user/lexvalentineauthor

Author Interview: JAMBREA JO JONES

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Jambrea, thanks so much for stopping by the Dark Divas’ den…you are one of my closest and most cherished online buddies. I’ve watched you grow from a reader and reviewer to full-fledged author and I am proud of you! Please tell me first of all how it felt when you sold your first book Runaway Man.

Thanks for having me here AJ and xoxo to you! I was OVER the moon. Runaway Man is not only my first solo story, but it is also my first try at M/M. I love seeing my name on that cover!

2. I know you like reading M/M books and have written one. But your new book, the Marine tale is M/F isn’t it? Which genre do you prefer to write?

I don’t just like reading M/M, I LOVE it. Lol I really don’t have a preferred genre yet. I like the challenge of the characters and the genre sort of follows. I’m still pretty new and want to find my voice. I have a M/M/F in the works as well as more M/M & M/F. I have Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Contemporary…We’ll just say I’m an eclectic writer! heehee

3. You contributed a short piece called The Unseen Path to a contest I held with several other authors on our Seven Wicked Writers site. You came in the top three according to our publisher, Tina Haveman who has given you a contract for the book and I know it’s coming out in time for Halloween. Congratulations! I loved this story, not just because you’re my girl but because it is a stunning piece of writing. What was the inspiration behind it and what can we expect from the longer piece?

Thanks AJ! I started out because I LOVE contests. They push me to write things I might not try otherwise. I knew the story had to have a Halloween theme and I started with the typical scary house and it was downhill from there. Lol I actually had a tough time when I went to make the story longer. I knew the main character had to have a brother. I had to think, what would make her give herself to a stranger to protect her brother and how did the brother wound up cursed. At first he had a girlfriend and she was the cause of the whole problem, but it didn’t feel right. So I gave him a boyfriend and it just came to me. The story started to really flow. His story is next. J So Unseen Path is Molli’s journey to help her brother and her introduction to a world she didn’t know excited. I had fun writing it and can’t wait to get to her brother!

4. You have several WIPS including the tantalizing-sounding The Seeds of Dawn series. Is this fantasy? Sci-fi? What do we have to look forward to?

Thank you again. The Seeds of Dawn is a shifter story and paranormal. The first story in the series is called Dreams and it was the first full story I finished. It is around 30k. I have at least three stories I want to do in this series. Maybe more. It needs a lot of polishing before I try to sub it again.

5. I know this is your first-ever author interview but I have a massive ego that needs constant reinforcement. Who’s the sexiest author who ever interviewed you?

Hmm…can I think about it…lol Of course it’s the ultra sexy AJ Llewellyn!

6. What is your writing routine like? I know you are juggling the demands of marriage, motherhood, the dreaded day job and writing. Do you write every day?

I try to write every day. It doesn’t always happen. Some days I have time at work where I can write. I usually try to wait until my son goes to bed and work for a couple hours. I’m lucky to have wonderful in laws who love their only grandchild so much that he spends a lot of time with them on the weekends so I try to write some then too. As you can see…I really don’t have a routine. It’s just write when I can. lol

7. When you are writing, do you listen to music? Do you choose different types of music for different works? Do you play your hubby’s music?

I usually write with the tv on in the background. Sometimes I’ll listen to music and I’ve gotten a few ideas for stories listening to the radio. When my son or husband isn’t here, I’ll turn music videos on and listen to them while writing. I know some writers have soundtracks for their stories, but I don’t. Well…I should say I didn’t. heehee. I was listening to Pink and got this GREAT story idea and I’m going to use her album and listen to it when writing the story. I can’t wait to get started with it.

8. Do you have sex to your hubby’s music? Does he ever stop in the middle of it to air guitar along with himself?

ROFLMAO! Hmm…now you have me thinking, I don’t think we have. We’ve had sex after he’s rocked out at a show. Does that count? lol

9. You recently took your hubby to a strip club for his birthday. Am I allowed to mention this? And how did he enjoy it?

Yes I did take him to a strip club. I think he was a little uncomfortable to tell you the truth. Heehee. Of course the woman wouldn’t dance for him because I was there. The cool thing was they had one of his CD’s there from an earlier band he was in and one of the dancers danced to it!

10. She wouldn't dance with him because of you? Whaddya know, a scared stripper! Ahem...What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I can’t get a routine going. I would love to have a set time to do everything, but it never works out. I know I would be more productive if I had a schedule. I also wish I could write faster!

11. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Meanness. I really don’t like it when people are mean for no good reason other than it makes them happy.

12. As a writer what words or phrase do you most overuse?

Um…how much time do you have? Lol I have an addiction to was, just, felt…um…I know there are more. But hey…at least I admit I have the problem. heehee

13. If you were Queen of the World for 15 minutes and could make any changes and do anything in the world you wanted, what would you do?

World peace? Does that sound too Miss America? Lol

14. Okay…you are having a dinner party and you can invite six guests – they can be anybody at all alive or dead. Who would you invite and what would you serve for dinner?

Only six? Okay…AJ Llewellyn, DJ Manley, TA Chase, Linda Winfree, Mari Carr and Margret Mitchell. I would love to sit around a table talking to everyone about writing! Now for dinner, it would have to be something vegetarian for my AJ. I’m thinking some veggie lasagna with lots of sweets for dessert. :)

15. Jambrea, I'm on my way! Hon, thanks for your time. I have just one more question. Was it as good for you as it was for me?

It was FABULOUS darling! I think I need a cigarette. Wait…I don’t smoke. heehee


On behalf of the Dark Diva Reviews I’d like to thank Jambrea Jo Jones for stopping by today. I love this woman! To learn more about this talented and gorgeous author, please check out her links:

http://internationalheat.wordpress.com/
http://jambrea.wordpress.com/
http://playgroundmystique.wordpress.com/
http://themanyshades.blogspot.com/


Coming soon
www.jambrea.com

Author Interview: JOSH ATEROVIS

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Josh, welcome to the Dark Divas’ den. My first question to you would be about your Killian Kendall series. So far there are three books in the series and Killian is a very intriguing, original and compelling protagonist. I think he is possibly the first gay teen sleuth I’ve ever come across. Please tell me, what was your inspiration for him?

Thanks so much. I'm excited to be in the Dark Diva's den! Actually, there are two books out now, but the third will be out this summer. According to Drewey Wayne Gunn, who wrote The Gay Male Sleuth in Print and Film, Killian is the first and only gay teen sleuth, so you're right there. When I first started writing Bleeding Hearts back in 1999, there really weren't many gay books for a YA audience at all. Really, there were none as far as I knew.
The only thing I could find to read with young gay characters was online, and those stories focused almost entirely on sex. I wanted something story- or character-driven, like the books I loved reading. I was complaining about it one day, and a friend said, "So why don't you write something yourself?" So I did. I didn't start out to write a mystery, it just sort of evolved into one, probably because of my love of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys growing up, and my continued love of Marcia Muller.

Of course, after BH was published in 2001, there was an explosion of YA gay books, starting with Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez the same year. I like to feel like I was a small part of that, at least. [laughs]

2. Actually, I might be wrong in my assumptions here. Did you ever get the feeling the Hardy Boys were gay?

[laughs] You know, I really didn't, but then, when I was reading the Hardy Boys books, I was pretty young and naïve. I think the original books are just from a more innocent time. I read a lot of the later series, from the 80s and early 90s, and the boys were pretty aggressively hetero in that incarnation. You know who I always thought was gay? George from the Nancy Drew series. She just screamed lesbian to me, even then.

3. I can see that! Interesting…I must go back and read those stories. Now back to Killian. he enjoyed quite a bit of character growth in Bleeding Hearts and Reap the Whirlwind. I know the third book, All Lost Things is coming out August/September. What can we expect for Killian in this one?

A lot more character growth. [laughs] Killian was sixteen in the first book, 17 in RTW, and 18 in All Lost Things. That's a time when we're just starting to figure out who we are and what we want from life, so I try to reflect that in the series. In this next book, Killian breaks up with his first boyfriend, starts a new job working for a private investigator, and meets someone new. That's a lot going on for anyone, let alone an eighteen-year-old.

4. Every successful mystery author has what I call a special quirk. Sue Grafton for example keeps her character Kinsey Millhone in the 1980s, living in a guest house and pretty much desperate and dateless. Janet Evanovich has publicly stated her bounty hunter character Stephanie Plum will never get married, her hamster will never die and neither will her grandma. Faye Kellerman on the other hand has put her orthodox Jewish detective Peter Decker through the proverbial wringer. Where do you stand on Killian? Is there anything that is an absolute must for you?

Killian will age and develop throughout the series. Unlike, Kinsey or some of the other mystery characters, I don't want him to remain static. There's not a lot of room for character growth if your character never changes. I'm much more in the Kellerman vein, or Marcia Muller is actually more my inspiration. The first book in her Sharon McCone series was published in 1977, and she's still writing it today. The series is just as fresh and entertaining as it ever was. That's my goal — long-term relevancy and quality.

5. You don’t have a lot – well no overt sex actually in your stories, but a lot of kissing. Will there be a lot kissing come up for Killian?

Not only will there be a lot more kissing, you will eventually see more sex in the stories. Romance and personal relationships are really important subplots in the series, so Killian will always have a love interest. I'll never be writing really erotic scenes that read like an instruction manual (part A inserts into part B), that's just not who I am as a writer, but there will be more sex.

6. I read your interview with Survivor’s Spencer Duhm and you asked him some very direct questions. I was specifically interested in his comment that "In the culture that we live in, there's not much to gain from people finding out you're gay." Do you personally find this to be true?

No, and I had issues with it at the time, but doing an interview for AfterElton.com isn't exactly the best time to get into all that. I do think, in context, he was just talking about the show, the culture of living together on Survivor. He was not a seasoned interviewee, so he wasn't very good at choosing his words, as evidenced by the minor scandal that followed his pre-show interview when he made some disparaging remarks about former gay contestants.

In life, I believe that the more people who are out and open about who they are, they better. Studies have proven that people who have gay friends and family members are more tolerant and accepting. And just in terms of for yourself, it's so hard to always be lying and hiding who you are. Being honest and out is so much healthier emotionally. I'm not saying you have to march at the front of the Pride parade, but just be honest.

7. You live in Baltimore. Is the gay community strong there? What is your every day life like? Are you a party guy or do you hunch over the computer mostly?

Baltimore has a pretty interesting gay community. Baltimore itself is pretty quirky, I mean, it is the home of John Waters, and at heart it's a blue collar city. The gay scene reflects that. It's very laid back, very friendly. Like any community, it has its queen bees with their cliques, but I've found it very welcoming. I like to go out and have drinks with friends, maybe dance a little. I try to get out a few nights a week, just so I'm not always stuck at my computer. Since I started dating again, my weekends have been pretty full. [laughs]

8. Since you write mysteries, who are your favorite mystery authors and what is it about their work you enjoy?

Well, I've already mentioned Marcia Muller a couple times, so needless to say, she's one of my favorites. I've also always enjoyed Faye Kellerman. As a kid, I read a lot of Nancy Drew books, and later Agatha Christie. I like Muller and Kellerman because their books are very character driven, their protagonists grow and evolve. I think it keeps the series fresh and exciting.

9. Do you watch cop shows of any kind? Which ones do you like?

I really don't. I don't watch much TV at all anymore, to be honest, and cop procedurals just don't capture my attention. There's just not enough story to hold my interest. I watch more competition-style reality shows than anything. I'm very excited about the return of So You Think You Can Dance. [laughs]

10. Do you write full time or do you have a dreaded day job? How do you balance these and what is your writing schedule like?

I was able to write full time for several years when I was in a relationship, but after we broke up last year, I had to more or less start over from scratch, so now I have to balance a job with my writing. It's been really tough, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I try to make time every day to write or edit, even if it's just an hour or so.

11. I know you have a writing gig with www.Afterelton.com a site for gay and bisexual men. Are you enjoying your work there and how much freedom do you have to write the things you want to write?

I love working for AfterElton.com. Michael Jensen is the best editor anyone could ever hope for. It's just a great environment, and I get to talk to celebrities on the phone. It's just fun. I get assignments, mostly. I can pitch story ideas, but it all depends on if they think there would be enough interest, or if there's enough budget for it.

12. What else is coming up for you? You have so many stories and articles published…what else apart from Killian can we expect? How many books do you anticipate in his series?

Well, I'm already working on the second draft of the fourth Killian Kendall book, The Truth of Yesterday, which is scheduled to come out in Spring of 2010. The fifth book, A Change of Worlds, is scheduled for Fall of 2010, and a spin-off romantic comedy, Breaking Masks, I wrote with my friend Dave Schreiber will be coming out in Spring of 2011. I also recently started a new relationship column for Baltimore OUTloud. It's called Single Black Sheep. My friends keep telling me I'm the gay Carrie Bradshaw, to which I say, "Isn't that redundant?"

I'll keep writing the Killian books as long as people want to read them. With Killian starting so young, he should have a lot of stories in him. I hope to continue the series for a long time.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Josh Aterovis for stopping by today. To learn more about this amazing and talented author, please check out his links:

www.joshaterovis.com
www.myspace.com/joshaterovis

Author Interview: JAXX STEELE

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Jaxx and welcome to the Dark Divas! My first question to you is did you know there is a Jax Steele who is a Playgirl centerfold? Does anyone ever confuse the two of you?

Really? Wow! Believe it or not I had no clue. None of my readers have mentioned it to me either. Hmm, I’ll have to track him down!

2. Congratulations on your recent sales. I know you have some books coming out with Dreamspinner Press, Phaze and Freya’s Bower. You already have some books out, including I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus (love that title, Jaxx), After the Storm and so many others! However, and The Devil Made Me Do it seems to be quite controversial with its extreme sex practices. What propelled you to delve into the BDSM world in this way and how did you research this book?

When I started to do The Devil Made Me Do it I wondered what one would do if the devil was pulling your strings. How far would you go to save someone you loved? Could the devil tell you to do something and you say no? So in this book I figured if the devil was pulling your strings he would not ask you to bake cookies, would he? I thought a BDSM style fit the tone of the devil and taboo. I suppose it is not for the faint of heart. As far as research goes, I know a woman and a man that delve into that life style and drove them crazy with questions and ‘what would you do’ scenarios.

3. Your genre seems to contemporary M/M fic with a bit of vampire love thrown in. What can we expect in the future?

The first book to my Dreams Delivered series was just released and I am doing two fantasy magic stories, A Double Sacrifice and Cam’s Best Friend. I also have a cowboy story called New to the Posse I want o come out this year.

4. Where do you live? I know you live with your man Hou and your cat…which city?

Yes, we live in a suburb just outside of Indianapolis, In that Judo lets us live in with him. LOL.

5. Do you have any favorite haunts there? Anything that inspires you as a writer?

I have been going to 2 different spots lately to people watch. One is a straight bar called Club 500 because I am doing research for a biker story and the biker boys there are cute and the other is a gay bar called The Ten.

6. What is your writing routine like? Do you write every day? Do you work around a day job?

I try to write every day, but I do have a day job and Hou to think of so I work on balancing all three into my daily routine.

7. Do you work on WIP at a time or do you have several going?

I work on the one that calls me the loudest. Sometimes one story will call to me and I cannot do another until it is done, but then, not very often, 2 or 3 will speak at the same time and I’ll find myself bouncing from story to story.

8. What are the two things I will always find on your desk?

My drinking mug (sometimes with green tea most times with Long Island Ice Tea) and a bag of sunflower seeds.

9. Do you read much and what is your favorite genre? Fave authors?

I really like historical romance. I read them when my brain needs a break. I don’t really have a favorite author for the genre.

10. Okay, then since you’re holding your cards close to the vest on that question, what is your favorite era of history? Will we see you penning a gay romance set in that period?

I like the regency period with all the my lord this and my lord that. And, no, you will not see a gay historical from me. I like to read them gay and straight, but I will not write one.

11. Tough question time: What was your favorite toy growing up?

I had a race track that I loved. I spent a lot of time making wild and crazy twists and turns with tracks all over the house.

12. Now for a couple of off the wall questions. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I am very critical of myself. I like me a lot, but sometimes I ask way too much of myself. I have been told I need to lighten up.

13.What is the trait you most deplore in others?

It bugs me when you say you’re going to do something and then you don’t. Just be true to your word.

14.If you could choose to come back in your next life as ANY literary character, who would it be and why?

Harry Potter! I have read all the books and he had so much going on in his young life. With all the crazy things he has happen to him he learns so much, gains so much and loses much, but turns out to be a really incredible man when it’s all over.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank Jaxx Steele for dropping by today. To learn more about this talented author, please check out his links:

Jaxx website: http://www.jaxxsteele.webs.com/
Jaxx blog: http://www.jaxxsteele.blogspot.com/ Jaxx video trailers: www.youtube.com/jaxxsteele