Heather Beck In The Spotlight

Twenty three-year-old Heather Beck was born in Canada. She currently attends university where she studies English and a vast array of other disciplines.
Heather began writing seriously at the age of sixteen. Her first book, The Paradise Chronicles was published when she was only nineteen years old. Since then, Heather has written several more well-reviewed books. Although university keeps her busy, Heather is adamant about making time for her writing career.
Besides writing, Heather’s other passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Heather also enjoys swimming and playing badminton and tennis.

Visit http://heatherbeck.tripod.com Author of "The Paradise Chronicles" and the "Fable Farm" Series

Official Website: http://heatherbeck.tripod.com/

Purchase link: http://romancedivine.com/WhatLegendsAreMadeOf.html

Excerpt 1:

The Sir Tristan Estate

"What’s going on?" As she continued to stare at the picture intensely she shook. "I have to get out of here. There’s no way I’m spending another night in this estate."
Images of her strange dreams featuring Tom filled her mind. They had been so realistic that Skye began to believe they were more than just dreams. "They’re waking nightmares," Skye realized in a shaky voice.
Her hand reached for the telephone. She was going to request a taxi come immediately. Before Skye had the chance to dial the telephone number, her body suddenly froze in terror, at the ethereal voice.
"Don’t leave," Tom begged from behind Skye. With Tom’s hand on top of hers, Skye shakily placed the telephone on its receiver.
"How…how did you get in my bedroom?"
Tom gave a gentle laugh, "That wasn’t much of a problem."
He’s acting as if this situation is normal! "How did you get in my bedroom?" Skye repeated, her voice steadier, her tone firmer.
"I used the door; what a concept, huh?" Tom took his hand off of Skye’s and sauntered to the bed. He sat at the edge of the bed and smiled.
Skye cast a glance at the bedroom door then did a double take. The door was locked; her slippers lay in front of the door untouched.
"That’s impossible!" Tom let out a gleeful laugh and then fell backwards on the bed.
Skye knees went weak and her breath stopped when she saw Tom literally disappear into the bed. With slow, shaky steps, Skye looked under the bed. Tom lay under the bed, a smile on his face, his eyes locked on hers.
"Surprised?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
Skye stumbled backwards then fell to the floor.
Tom crawled out from underneath the bed and offered his hand to Skye. She stared at his hand but didn’t make any attempt to touch it.
"That wasn’t an illusion…was it?"
Tom shook his head. He suddenly looked sad.
"What’s going on?" Skye demanded. "If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll scream so loud that Mrs. Bradford will come to my aid in a second."
"That’s an exaggeration," Tom said with a weak smile as he sat down beside Skye. Her body tensed in response. "Besides, your screams wouldn’t yield any results. I’ve fired all the staff. The last employee, the woman from the gift shop, left the estate just minutes ago. We’re alone."
Skye’s terrified eyes darted around the room; she bit her lip.
"Don’t be afraid," Tom gently urged. "I’m not going to hurt you."
"Tell me what’s going on," Skye begged.

Thank you to Heather Beck! Don't Forget to check her out!

Changes at Dark Diva Reviews

Please take note that our Interviews and Spotlights will no longer be posted at this blog. Please visit us at our new blog.

Dark Diva Reviews

Author Interview: KIERNAN KELLY

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Kiernan and welcome to the Dark Divas’ Den! You are very prolific, but my first question would have to be about your new book, Outland, which has had great reviews. It’s also an interesting subject matter. You tackle gay love in the bible belt and, something I find absolutely fascinating, your two leads are in their 50’s! You don’t see that much in gay erotic fiction. Where did the idea come to you for this book?

Hi, and thanks so much for the opportunity to interview here! The characters in Outland, Hank and Beaver, were inspired by a pair of real life partners I met two years ago during the Gay Days convention in Orlando. The men were older, in their late fifties or early sixties by my estimate. They stopped by my table and when we got to chatting, I discovered they’d been together twenty some-odd years. I remember thinking how awesome it was that they’d remained together for so long, and wondering about the challenges they must have faced in their lifetime, and how interesting it would be to base a pair of characters on them. The opportunity arose when I sat down to write Outland.

I realized when I wrote the book that using a pair of silver foxes was taking a chance (I’m as guilty as the next writer of using hunky stud muffins as my characters), but truthfully, I think there’s something incredibly sexy about mature, experienced men. I don’t think my readers were disappointed.

2. Your reviews always say that in spite of the high ‘heat’ level of your books, that your story development is excellent, that you don’t have your characters jumping into the sack on page one. Is this a deliberate choice on your part?

Absolutely. I think that if the characters have the time to invest emotionally in one another, then the sex is hotter and more fulfilling. Plus, I like the reader to feel like they’re right there in bed with the characters, and the only way I’ve found to do that is to vividly describe the setting, and let the readers inside the characters’ heads before diving between the sheets.

3. Are any of your stories based on your actual experiences?

I haven’t written any “true” stories, but I’ve often pulled bits and pieces from my life, experiences, and my personality and infused the stories with them. The character closest to being me is Beaver from Outland. The dedication in the book reads, “This book is for my husband. He tolerates my odd hours, encourages me always, and most of all, believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself. Hon, we are Hank and Beaver.” It’s true, we are, right down to the aching joints and gray hair. LOL

4. I know you live in Florida. Whereabouts and are you juggling a dreaded day job as well as your prodigious output of fiction?

I’m in Central Florida, land of the Mouse. I love it here, actually, even when it’s six degrees hotter than hell. I even love the kitschy tourist traps. I was fortunate enough to be able to leave my day job two years ago to write full time. Believe me, writing is the hardest, most time-consuming job I’ve ever held. I put in far more hours at my computer now than I ever did when I worked a day job!

5. As far as I can tell all your books are published by Torquere Press. How has your experience been with them and will you be working with other publishers soon?

Actually, while my novels are all held by Torquere, and I’ve written numerous short stories for them (and will continue to do so as long as they’re willing to publish them!), I’ve also written shorts for several other houses as well, including Cleis, Starbooks, Aspen Mountain Press, MLR Press, and coming soon, Circlet Press.

My experience with Torquere (pronounced “Tork-AH-ray” by the way) has been wonderful. They took a chance on me when I wrote my first title, Riding Heartbreak Road, and have been instrumental in helping me develop my craft.

6. There is a raging debate on the web about women writing gay erotic fiction. Do you think it matters and can you personally tell if a book’s been written by a man or a woman?

Personally, when I pick up a book to read (which I do often, having always be an avid, near-rabid reader), it never occurs to me to question the plumbing of the author. All that ever matters to me is the story. If it’s good, I treasure it, and look for more by that author. If it’s bad, I put it behind me and move on. I think that gay erotic fiction is the only genre where people seem to question whether the author has an “innie” or an “outie.” In my opinion, a good writer should be able to get inside anyone’s head, -- male, female, gay, straight, or other.

That said, I can’t always tell who wrote what. It depends on the person’s writing style. I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I’m a woman. People who haven’t read my webpage, or any of my interviews still often address me in emails as “Mr. Kelly.” I take that as a compliment.

7. You have a fondness for ice cream (even if crazed supermarket workers like to challenge your determination to eat it – yes, I read your blog!) what do you eat and/or drink when you’re writing?

Coffee. I’m a diehard coffee drinker. I would set up an altar and worship the beans in Starbucks if they’d let me.

Wow, you read my blog? Thank you! Yes, that was some adventure I had trying purchase ice cream at Publix. Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh, or go crazy, you know?

8. I know what you mean! Kiernan, do you read much and which authors and what genres do you enjoy the most?

I am a voracious reader, always have been. I ‘m pretty eclectic, too, reading everything from horror, to romance, to thrillers, to historicals, both straight and gay. As I said before, what really matters to me is the story. I love Stephen King, especially his early work, when his novels were set in or around Castle Rock. I adore Jean Auel and her Earth’s Children series. I would read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s laundry list. I loved Milton Stern’s On Tuesday, They Played Mahjong.

9. As an author, which words or phrases do you find you most overuse?

I am forever looking for new and inventive ways to say “penis,” without resorting to stupid euphemisms like “greased love pole.” Seriously, there are only so many times you can use the word “c**k” in a paragraph, particularly when both parties involved have them.

10. How old were you when you learned there was no Santa Claus? How upset were you?

Wait…what? No…oh, no.

Seriously, I was eight when a horrible boy (whom I hope grew up to have terrible acne and is still a virgin living in his mother’s basement) in my class told me. I didn’t believe him.
Still don’t.

11. Another tough question: What was your favorite toy growing up?

My absolute favorite toy when I was growing up was a ratty old pair of roller skates. Mind you, this was before rollerblades -- these were bare-boned, metal skates that had a key that you needed to use to make them fit over your shoes. My parents’ basement had a tile floor, and I had a ball skating around down there like it was my own private rink.

12. Please tell me about your upcoming books.

My next novel releases in October, I believe, from Torquere Press. It’s the second book in my In Their Own Skins shapeshifter series, called The Mark of Cain. This one picks up several years after the first book ends, and continues the story of the shapeshifters at the Shifting Sands Ranch. I’m also working on a pirate novel, a vampire novel, a young adult series, and plan to begin writing a sequel to Seti’s Heart this fall.

13. If you weren’t a writer, what talent would you most like to have?

In an alternate universe, where I was not a writer, and was thin and graceful, I’d be a dancer. I always wanted to learn to dance, especially tap, but considering how clumsy I am, how uncoordinated (I barely qualify for having opposable thumbs at times), and how frequently I trip over my own two feet, the chances of my being a dancer have always been slim to none.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Kiernan Kelly for stopping by today. To learn more about Kiernan's work, please check out these links:

http://www.kiernankelly.com/
http://kiernankelly.livejournal.com/
www.myspace.com/kiernankelly

Janet Mullany In The Spotlight

BIO
Janet Mullany grew up in England and has worked as an archaeologist, performing arts administrator, classical music radio announcer, bookseller, and editor, and unexpectedly became a writer eight years ago. Her first book, DEDICATION (2005), was the only traditional Signet Regency with two bondage scenes and she continued to break conventions with her Regency chicklit book THE RULES OF GENTILITY (2007, HarperCollins and 2008, Little Black Dress, UK). She’s currently writing another book for Little Black Dress, an alternate historical-paranormal about Jane Austen joining vampires to battle a French invasion (HarperCollins, summer 2010), and pursuing another existence as a writer of erotic contemporaries for Harlequin Spice. She lives outside Washington, DC and is a voracious reader. Find out more at http://http://www.janetmullany.com/ and enter Janet’s contest.
LINK TO BUY WITH FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE:
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9780755347797/ref/janetmullany.aff
BACK COVER BLURB
1822, England. Young, beautiful Lady Caroline Elmhurst is down on her luck. Twice-widowed (once is unfortunate, twice just looks like carelessness...), pursued by creditors, she needs to get back on track before the world realizes just how desperate she's become.
But she's optimistic about finding a new husband and when she meets handsome, mysterious Nicholas Congrevance at a houseparty in the country, she sets out to entice him. For his part, Nicholas simply sees Lady Caroline as just the sort of woman he's used to exploiting--rich, available, and gullible. Neither realizes the other is penniless--and neither has any intention of falling in love...
EXCERPT
After fainting with hunger at an inn, Lady Caroline Elmhurst, traveling with her maid Mary, meets a handsome stranger and discovers they are both on their way to the same house…
I am not so much of a fool, or a hypocrite, to deny the carnal interest that hums between me and Congrevance. He has done nothing but sum up my various parts since our first meeting, and I must admit I have given him every opportunity to do so. My lawn scarf is too creased to wear at my neckline and I cannot help if my skirt pulls up a little as I enter the trap. I study him with equal interest. I was not entirely unconscious when he carried me inside the inn; I heard the pleasing thud of a man’s heartbeat close to mine, and had the opportunity to examine the cloth of his coat (a very fine wool). An excellent sign, as is his absence from London, for chances are he has had little opportunity to squander his money there, or to know the most sordid details of my fall from grace.
Being pressed against his warm, hard person (his chest, that is) almost made up for the distressing weakness and sickness that assailed me, but happily that was dispelled shortly after by toast and tea (paid for by Congrevance) and now I feel quite restored to health.
He travels simply, but the quality of his clothes, his air, speak of breeding and undoubted fortune. He is accompanied by a manservant whose ugly face and squat build I find repulsive, but with whom Mary, the shameless slut, flirts and giggles as the trap bowls along the country lanes.
“I have missed this,” Congrevance says, gesturing in a foreign sort of way.
“Cows, sir?”
“No.” He shakes his head, smiling. “The countryside. It is so very green and soft.”
“You are a great traveler, then?”
“I was most recently in Italy.”
He doesn’t seem inclined to chat, which is as well--for gentlemen, I find, gnaw upon topics that are of no interest whatsoever like a dog upon a bone: Bludge (politics), Elmhurst (horseflesh), Linsley (cricket, surely the worst of the lot), and Rotherhithe (military maneuvers, a close second). So I am quite content to watch Congrevance, and a beautiful creature he is, with his long elegance of bone and dark gray eyes--a surprise, for I should have thought he would have blue eyes. However, I do not wish to appear a mindless ninny who cannot carry on a conversation, and I like to watch his mouth when he speaks.
“Do you know which part is yours in Otterwell’s play, Mr. Congrevance?”
“His play?”
“Yes. Has he not invited you to be an actor in his, or rather Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
“Ah. Otterwell did not mention anything of the sort to me when we met in Italy earlier this year, although one cannot help but notice how much he admires Shakespeare. And you, Lady Elmhurst? What part is yours?”
“I am to play Hermia.” Hermia, in my opinion, is something of a tediously virtuous ninny, but she fits quite well into the impression I intend to make on Congrevance--that of a respectable and modest widow. How very fortunate that he has been abroad, and how relieved I am to find that my reputation has not crossed the Channel. If he had been in London, it would be an entirely different story. Indeed, it is a miraculous stroke of luck that he is a blank slate upon which I can rewrite myself, provided he does not listen to vulgar gossip from his fellow guests.
“You enjoy the theater, Lady Elmhurst?”
“Oh, I adore it.” I clasp my hands to my bosom (he watches) and sigh deeply (he blinks). “It is tremendously diverting. It is one of the great pleasures of town.” I do not mention that cards and flirting and activities well beyond flirting behind closed doors are what I really prefer. “And of course I enjoy music; I play a little upon the pianoforte--my friends say I am not totally devoid of taste--and I have a very small skill with watercolors.”
“Otterwell has some very pleasing prospects on his estate. I expect you will wish to sketch them. Perhaps I might be permitted to accompany you, Lady Elmhurst.”
“That would be delightful, Mr. Congrevance.”
The question, of course, is whether I should take him as protector or husband. As enamored as he seems to be of the countryside, there is a good chance he will want to settle on some tedious estate and commune with his cows. He might expect a wife to slop around there with straw in her hair and breed! But I am sure that if Congrevance wished to amuse himself in town he could keep me in the manner to which I am accustomed (or, to be honest, unaccustomed of late). Mary, whose knee is now pressed firmly against that of that ruffian of a manservant, can find out the extent of Congrevance’s fortune well enough.
However, there is no great rush to entrap him. I should wait and see who else Otterwell has invited; for although I cannot deny the attraction I feel to Congrevance, it would not do to sell myself short. How would I feel if I, for instance, missed a duke?

Author Interview: MARC JARROD

1. Hi Marc and thanks for coming into the Dark Divas’ den…don’t get too many other guys in here, so this ought to be fun! Okay, my first question is, apart from being an author of romantic fiction, you’re a UPS driver. What’s the weirdest thing that ever happened to you in the course of delivering a package? Ever had a woman open the door naked?
Well, I hate to say this but, even though, I do work for UPS, I am not a driver. I am sorry I misled anyone. I think what it is, is that when I tell somebody I work at UPS, they immediately think I am a driver. What I do is work inside the building. I sort packages to their destination and I am also a clerk, doing address corrections. However, I was a driver at one point. One of the most humorous comments I would get from people receiving packages is when I would knock on the door and say UPS, I have a package, I would hear from the other side, Is it paid for? I don’t want it, if it’s not paid for. In other words, if it was a COD, they wouldn’t even open the door. (Okay, you had to be there.) LOL

2. Your books are intriguing because you seem to understand women very well and tell the stories from their POV. They all have quirks though, such as Charlie Jackson from One Dangerous Woman being a very violent, dangerous assassin. You know many women like this in your every day life?
Well, I hope not. LOL I love reading about the underworld— Demons, vampires, etc. I also love mobster novels, such as the Godfather. So, I incorporated the two genres into one. What I loved about One Dangerous Woman, especially from the woman’s perspective is that though Charlie was a cold blooded assassin, she also had a human side in that she loved children and she could also be in love as in loving Dexter.

3. If I were to describe your books, I’d say they were twisted romances…with demons, Satan and vampires running around in them. What books do you have coming out next? Will you continue in this paranormal realm?
As a matter of fact, next release will be in that genre. Last Christmas I wrote Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish, which was a vampire story. I had never written vampire before, even though I love that genre in that I have seen dozens of movies dealing with vampires. My favorite is Interview with a Vampire. There will be a sequel to the Ferver story, titled, Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish…Return to Darkness.

4. I know you are tackling M/M for an anthology…how graphic will it be and ahem…how much research is involved here?
Just like my Ferver story, this will be my first attempt. Luckily because it will be an anthology, it will be short so I wont have to stretch my imagination. J I believe it will be a love story. More like a male who thought he was straight, and a gay male who brings him around and shows him the joys of the gay life style. Because it will be his first time, it won’t be very graphic, but there will be some sex involved. I did my research from reading your stories, AJ. You are a master storyteller where, though your characters are vampires, you also make them human in that they laugh, cry, joke around etc. I love that. That is why I believe you are so successful.

5. Wow, thanks, Marc! You live in St. Louis, Missouri but moved there from Italy when you were a child. Do you remember much of Italy? Have you been there since?
Not a whole lot, I must admit. When I came here, which was July 4th, 1959, I spoke fluent Italian. Unfortunately, I went straight to school that September. I was able to speak some English but not a whole lot. So when a nun would tell me to color the drawing of a boat, blue, I would color it another color because I had no idea what she was talking about. LOL. I am thinking of perhaps traveling there when I retire from UPS.

6. What are the best and worst things about living in St. Louis?
The best things— along with the Arch, I would say it is truly a sports town what with The St. Louis Cardinals and Rams and the St. Louis Blues. When it comes to the Cardinals, people and even other teams say St. Louis is one of the best sports towns in the country because of the support we give our team. I was also proud that St. Louis was the host of the All-Star game in which we were able to showcase our city. The worst part is, because of the economy, two of our major auto plants—Chrysler and Ford have down. They were major employers for the city.

7. What is your writing routine like? With three books published (that I know of, including One Dangerous Woman, Ferver Black’s Christmas Wish and A Heavenly Christmas, you are pretty prolific. Do you write every day?
Well, not as prolific as you, AJ. LOL but thanks for the moral and morale boost. I try to write everyday even if it is in small spurts. Sometimes, just as every writer goes through this, I hit writer’s block. When that happens, I watch TV, take a walk or go to a movie. Believe it or not, I also get inspiration when I work. Sorting packages can be boring, so I would kind of daydream, thinking how I could write a scene. When it hits me, during lunch, I take pen in hand and start writing the scene before I forget it.

8. You were in the middle of edits on a book called Time Eternal when the publishing company went under. Will you ever resurrect that? The premise sounds so intriguing!
I am glad you asked that. Time Eternal—now renamed, Imagine because I felt it fit the story line better and the title to me, was exotic—is just about finished. I am very proud of this story because it was my first effort as a writer. To show how naïve I was a writer, the first thing I did after finishing the story, was to look for a literary agent to hawk my masterpiece. LOL I had no idea epubs were out there. Then I came across some epubs on the internet and after getting rejected a number of times, StarDust Press took me on. That is where I met one of my colleagues Stephani Hecht. Imagine is a time travel book but it will have a twist in the end and of course a HEA.

9. I know you are a big football and baseball fan. What other interests do you have? Do you read a lot and who are some of your favorite authors?
My favorite author is James Patterson who writes crime novels. I love his books because he is a fast read. His chapters are like only 2-3 pages long. What I love about his works is he is an author who cuts to the chase, without giving vivid descriptions of scenery or minor characters. Another favorite leisure time is Trivia. I occasionally go to Trivia Night gatherings and more than once, my team has won first place.

10. Now for a tough question. You ready? What was your favorite toy growing up?
The old Etch A Sketch and yo-yo’s. I loved doing, walking the dog, rock the cradle, around the world etc. on my yo-yo. I loved drawing landscapes on the Etch a Sketch. OMG, I am truly showing my age now. LOL

11. I know you like classical music and oldies rock. Do you listen to music and what kind when you’re writing? What about when you’re having sex?
I listen to oldies rock when writing. But if I am struggling, I will listen to classical to help me relax. Music while having sex? I don’t usually have music, but if I did, it would be classical because it would be so relaxing.

12. Which living person do you most admire?
My next door neighbor. She is close to 90 but has the energy of a 20 year old. I could only hope I have even half that energy if and when I reach that age.

13. Which living person do you most despise?
Osama Bin Laden. He is the true antichrist. And any dictator who is guilty of genocide.


On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank Marc Jarrod for stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author’s work, please check out his links:
www.myspace.com/marcjarrod

Cindy Jacks : Point of Distraction

Blurb:

Ever dreamed of leading in a glamorous, sexy, and extravagant life? Experience it all vicariously through Ana Welsh in these dynamic chick-lit stories. In the third collection in the Point of Distraction Series, Ana's back -- and as bad as she wants to be!

In Ghosts of Ana Past, Ana reconnects with an old flame who stirs up memories of a more carefree time in her life. Now that Eli's set this fire, it's up to Ana to contain the blaze.

Misadventures in cougar-ing plague Ana in Boy Toy. Jake's hot, bold...and only twenty years old. But in the midst of a premature mid-life crisis, what's a girl to do?

Friends with Benefits finds Ana reeling from a family emergency. When Nikhil provides a strong shoulder to cry on, it's all too tempting to toss out that pesky platonic relationship and give in to romance.

Excerpt:


My eyes drank in the expanse of his mocha skin. I’d suspected since I’d met him that underneath his clothes lay a body of exquisite muscle tone. Now, faced with his taut abdomen and sinewy arms, I was taken by his form. The desire to touch every inch of him struck me, but before I could act, he reclined me and covered my neck with his mouth.

I relaxed into his caresses. His lips, his tongue, his fingertips seemed on every inch of my exposed skin. Urgency existed in his embrace and yet he did not stray from my neck, my breasts and abdomen. He spent untold time there as if he were making a careful map of my body.
Though I was enjoying his sweet attentions, my natural impatience flared. I reached for his belt buckle, but his hands diverted mine and set them back onto the blanket. He stretched out one of my legs, untied my shoelace, and slid the boot off along with the sock. He repeated this with my other boot. His fingers strayed to the zipper of my jeans and unfastened it with apparent care. He slipped my pants over my hips and off my legs. His hands stroked the length of my bare legs, varying the pressure of his fingertips. His thumbs hooked the waistband of my panties and inched them down, over my knees, past my ankles, and laid them to rest on the growing piles of my clothes.

Buy it now link: http://www.lyricalpress.com/cindy_jacks

Web link: http://cindyjacks.com/

Bio:
Cindy Jacks worked for ten years in the corporate arena, but left the boardroom at the age of thirty-three for a more fulfilling existence. Three years later she is happy to be a full time writer. Her characters are usually strong women, but with real insecurities and concerns of universal to all women. Recurring themes in her books include the sensuous qualities of food, the identity struggles we all experience, and pushing the boundaries of traditional femininity.

She lives in Northern Virginia, a stone's throw away from Washington, DC. When not writing or chasing after her four year-old son, she makes jewelry, practices belly dancing, and experiments with international cooking.

Author Interview: ERIN SINCLAIR

Author Interview by A.J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Erin and thanks so much for entering the Divas’ dark den. So in doing a little homework on you, I googled your name and was shocked to find the first entry is you as a bondage and fetish model. I knew you were naughty, but Erin, you’re NAUGHTY! All jokes aside, I know you are not this particular Erin but don’t you get some nasty, suggestive email from men thinking you ARE that Erin?

They say you never really know people, huh? LOL Hello, AJ and thank you for inviting me! No, not me, but the irony of a porn/fetish model and a romance writer who writes sensual, sexy love scenes sharing the same name is hysterical to me.

Actually, I’ve had the pen name Erin Sinclair (for my romance author persona) picked out for years than the model has been alive, because I thought the first name and surname sounded good together. Approximately one month before the debut of Twilight’s Son, I double-checked Erin Sinclair and BAM, Erin Sinclair, model, pops up all over the place. Not sure if I didn’t notice it in prior searches or her career hit a point where constant searches brought her to the top of the Google list, but the rest as they say is history.

I advised my EIC and my publisher at Devine Destinies. A name can’t be copyright protected. We’re in two divergent career fields. I like the pen name Erin Sinclair, so I ran with it. No suggestive email thus far, although I noticed I started receiving an awful lot of young men following me on Twitter recently.

Young men following a sensual romance writer somehow didn’t compute. I updated my tweets with the message, “Sorry, not her”. Apparently, someone must have mentioned it to her because Miss Sinclair started to follow me! Time will tell if it becomes an issue. I have no judgments about her. In my mind she’s a consenting adult, has a constitutional right to live her life as she chooses. I have my career, she has hers, there’s more than enough room for the both of us on the ‘Net, lol.

2. I have read one of your books, Witch One - and enjoyed the cats in it by the way - and enjoyed your story. You are a romantic, clearly. Where did the idea come to you for this book? Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. I love Minerva and Cyrano. I had fun developing the interplay between the cats and dogs. Having been a companion to both species, the personalities I attributed to the characters comes from owning animals I swore thought they were human.

I’m most definitely a romantic. I believe in the power of love. I believe that a partnership, be it friends, family, lovers, built on a foundation of respect, communication, and loyalty wrapped in a blanket of love will succeed against all odds. Witch One grew out of my enjoyment of escapist fantasy over the years plus ideas I have on certain aspects of spirituality. I grew up watching Bewitched, Fantasy Island, etc. My personal spiritual belief system includes the concepts of a divine feminine and a divine masculine presence in my life. The idea for Witch One is an evolution and inspiration of all those influences.

3. Please tell me about your Fallen Angels series. I know Twilight’s Son came out last year and I am fascinated by the topic of reborn angels and the lives they live on earth. I know you have a new book in the series, The Betrothed coming out. I know this involves the same two characters, Brie and Shade. What new developments occur in this book and how many do you see in the series?

I’m fascinated by angels, angelic energy and have explored the concepts all of my life as well. The idea for the novels came to me when I was on the phone at my former job listening to an irate customer.

In order not to take his ranting personally, I zoned out. Suddenly, this beautiful angelic man appeared in my mind’s eye. I started writing down everything about him. His name is Shade. He calls himself Shade, as he believes he is only a shadow of his former self. The love he has for his human ward is so powerful he gave up his entire angelic existence just to be with her. In the world I’ve created that means giving up a very special gift clearly delineating the difference between an angel’s soul and a human’s soul. I don’t want to say what that is, suffice to say it is an enormous sacrifice.

However, as is the way with most great loves there is always something or someone who attempts to interfere. In my world, that would be the Archangel Uriel, the angel whom, according to biblical lore, will be the judge all of humanity when the world ends in the distant future. Twilight’s Son introduces our couple. Their relationship and their world develop in the first novel. It isn’t lighthearted (she’s a homicide detective and investigates a murder) but it is romantic and sensual.

The Betrothed is far darker than Twilight’s Son. It is a continuation of Brie and Shade’s story but revolves around discovery, conflict, and revelations leaving the hero and heroine at a place in their relationship where the rose colored glasses from Twilight’s Son are ripped away. Garden of Eden is the third and final novel of the series. It’s the Armageddon, the culmination of Books 1 and 2 and will take place in a very short period, picking up where The Betrothed left off. Yes, the biblical/spiritual references are intentional. The Fallen Angel series is a trilogy.

4. Wow, Erin. It sounds great. I WILL read all three! Where do you live and what is your life like? Apart from writing, what are your interests?

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada but not for much longer. My husband and I are moving to the Midwest at the beginning of August, 2009. My life right now consists of endlessly packing. My life prior to prepping for the move consisted of defining me.

I was reborn at 30 when I divorced and became a single mom. The succeeding years spent learning an awful lot about myself and realizing I’m still…becoming, what that is remains to be seen. However, one aspect I know for sure is perennial is I am a writer. I can’t wait to see where this part of the journey takes me.

I have varied interests, but they seem to revolve primarily around all things artistic. I love design--interior and horticulture. I’m considering becoming a certified paralegal (as I have practiced in law for years) however, because I have such a passion for design that may change once I’m settled in Oklahoma.

Our environment is so important to us on so many levels I love the idea of helping people create sacred spaces inside and out. I’m a very conscientious green fiend and love the idea of nurturing and protecting my first mother, the Earth. Time will tell. My immediate goals are to finish my degree (in Art and Creative Writing) and become a successful author.

5. What is your writing routine like? Are you balancing a job as well as being a wife and mom - as well as writing? Do you write every day?

My writing routine prior to publishing Twilight’s Son was more along the lines of dreaming. I wrote when the mood struck me always with the desire of someone publishing me in mind. My haphazard writing habits are now unacceptable. It is my career. Organization and consistency is the key to production.

Over the last year I’ve let life take over and haven’t been as consistent in my writing technique as I know I should be. I try to write something every day but even that approach is unacceptable to me and will be pushing myself harder once after The Big Move. One thing I didn’t anticipate is how overwhelming it is to learn how to self-promote. I know my way around a computer and one or two social websites but I am a total novice in public relations. I’m considering a promotion company eventually but I’m the kind of person who wants to know how first before I allow others that type of control over me. It will enable me to know what to look for if their approach gets out of hand.

I balanced wife/mom/day job/writing and it wasn’t easy. Something always had to give. I put needs first wants second. My gorgeous girls are now married and on their own. My husband is very low maintenance because he’s so easy-going my focus has narrowed to me which is really helping me develop my writing career and how I should approach it.

6. Which authors and genres do you like to read? What are you reading right now?

I read everything. I’m finally incorporating reading for entertainment back into my life. I’ve been a student for so long I’ve been reading books that teach me something for the most part. I read all genres with the exception of horror/gore because I don’t understand the attraction to that genre at all. I do love suspense/thriller if it is well written and keeps me breathless until the end though.

I love anything by Marion Zimmer Bradley, love Anne McCaffrey. I’ve read just about everything ever written by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Love Anne Rice. When I was younger I was a big fan of King and Koontz. Loved Judith Krantz and Danielle Steel when a teenager, definitely Maya Angelou, Judy Blume, Toni Morrison. I love anything written by the husband and wife team of David and Leigh Eddings. I’m having so much fun writing romance, I’m rediscovering my enjoyment of the genre.

7. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Self-doubt. I was going to say procrastination, but I get around to accomplishing what I put off, eventually.

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

Lying.

9. What was your favorite childhood toy?

My Breyer model horses. Anything to do with horses for that matter. Oh and my Pentax K-1000 camera, of which I still have to this day. I fancy myself an up and coming genius free lance photographer one day, lol.

10. You have an intriguing quote on your website. I bet you would have been so much fun to hang out with at school! “One of my many goals in life is to engage you, the reader, to take you to my worlds, drop you off, let you have fun in my playground, then bring you home. Tomorrow we’ll do it again!” Don’t you think romance writing should be like this? A beautiful escape?

I write with two goals in mind, one to entertain, one to impact. I love receiving feedback from readers because the ideas I think about enter into my novels. I wonder if other people think about those subjects I write about and what’s their perspective on them as well. Romance writing is all about beautiful escape. I’m glad to be a part of it.

I have very distinct ideas on what romance should be like. I observe some couples I know and think, “You guys, it doesn’t have to be that hard!” One of the most beautiful expressions of love I’ve EVER heard of was while watching an Oprah Winfrey show many years ago. It dealt with the devastating effects cancer has on a family psychologically, spiritually and emotionally. I was crying my eyes out through the whole show.

A wife learned she had breast cancer. Her adoring husband was by her side through all of it. When she started going through chemotherapy, she started losing her hair, a feature the husband adored. She was afraid he wouldn’t love her any more because she was losing her hair, her breasts, things she thought marked her as woman, as female (okay, choking up here). He lovingly shaved her head, and then he shaved his! When her eyebrows fell out he shaved his as well. It was the dedication, the solidarity that brought me to tears. He let her know in no uncertain terms he had her back, she wasn’t alone and never would be.

Another love story that I’ve never forgotten was on a NOVA episode regarding HIV. This old (they were both in their 70s) divorced couple, who remained friends despite the break-up had a gay son who tested positive for the virus.

The young man’s partner nursed his lover until the day the young man died in his arms. The old man, who had issues at first with his son’s sexuality but eventually came to terms with it, made such a profound statement in his interview, I’ve never forgotten it. This isn’t verbatim, but he said, “The love my son experienced prior to his death was astounding. The devotion his partner showed him until he died was not something I could ever have been capable of giving my wife. Who am I to judge my child when I myself could never love like that?”

I bawled my eyes out! That’s what I write about, the love we should all have, should be able to give and love that knows no boundaries. It is the type of love I have with my current husband.

11. That was a beautiful answer, Erin...wow...I have water on my face...ahem...what is your greatest extravagance?

Designer perfume. One day I hope to include designer shoes and purses of unique beauty in the mix. They are all my weakness! LOL

12. Please tell me about any of your other upcoming projects.

My current publisher, Devine Destinies, mainstream imprint to eXtasy Books, has contracted me for some wonderful projects. Once the Fallen Angel series is complete I am moving on to my next set of stories, a paranormal romantic comedy series known as Big Fat Greek Tall Tales of which Cupid’s Folly – Tall Tale 1 was released on February 15, 2009! It is a series set in 21st century San Francisco approaching the Greek pantheon of gods and goddesses with tongue totally in cheek.

I’m having a rocking good time writing them because I love romantic comedy with an HEA. From there I will complete my shape shifter series known as The Five Prides (five full length novels in all). This series will be dark and intense. I’ve come up with an intriguing twist on the concept I hope readers will love. I’ve also written a short erotica story for eXtasy Books’ Café Nowhere anthology entitled, Kameoth.

It is set during the firestorm created by the allied bombings of Hambourg, Germany in 1943. It is currently in edits. It is my understanding Café Nowhere will be released in September, 2009. I have much more on my plate, now to start writing them!

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I’d like to thank the lovely Erin Sinclair for stopping by today. To learn more about this talented author, please check out her links:

Thank you, AJ, this was so enjoyable and thank you, readers of romance! I can be found at— www.erinsinclairauthor.com

www.devinedestinies.com,

www.myspace.com/erin_sinclair_author,

www.facebook.com/ErinSinclairRomanceAuthor

www.twitter.com/ESinclairWriter,

plus I blog every Friday at http://themanyshades.blogspot.com/.

Come join me and together let’s believe in love that’s out of this world!