Spotlight Author Interview - Paranormal Romance Author Tianna Xander!

BIO: Tianna Xander is an eclectic, multi-published, award-winning author of paranormal romance and erotica. Harassed by her muse daily, she rarely puts the pen down. However, she’s the first to admit that, when she does set the pen down, or her muse has momentarily deserted her, she spends too much time on the internet.

She lives in Michigan with her family, four cats, a German Shepherd Dog, and a raisin addict disguised as a Netherland Dwarf bunny named Babs.

 

Interview begins here:

GRACIE: I’m excited to have you here at The G-Spot, Tianna! Please tell us a little about yourself (or a lot J) and how and when you got into writing?

TIANNA: Thank you for having me, Gracie. I’m excited to be here!

I started telling romantic stories to my friends at a very young age. However, my first book wasn’t published until 2006 when Tina, the owner of Extasy Books, offered me my first contract. I have since been published by Siren, Cobblestone Press and the Extasy Books sister company, Devine Destinies.

I’m a bit outdoorsy. I love to camp, hike and ride my mountain bike anywhere it will take me. I love watching sci-fi shows and movies. Netflix is great and a sci-fi geek’s dream. My newest book, Woman Beware even has a few red shirt references. LOL

GRACIE: Is there any one thing or person in your life that inspired your writing? Any one thing or person that influenced the genre you write in?

TIANNA: My husband inspires my writing on almost a daily basis. He’s the type of man who still opens doors and walks between me and the street. After over thirty years, he still holds my hand. He’s a perfect romance hero come to life and I consider myself a lucky woman to have his love and companionship.

As far as who influenced the genre I write in, I would have to say Christine Feehan. I had never read paranormal before I read her Dark series. After that, I was hooked on all things paranormal. I would also say Sandra Hill played a roll in my writing time travels. I love her Viking series.

GRACIE: When did you get The Call and what was your first published book?

 

 

TIANNA: Virgin’s Blood was my first published book. I borrowed this from one of my son’s English papers—with his permission, of course. “Note to self: Never take 1000 dollars to a drug dealer. He will kill you for it.” When he read that sentence to me, something snapped and I suddenly had this picture of a man killing a woman amidst a mess of pizza boxes and spilled cocaine in my mind. I looked at my son and said, “Oh, my goodness! I just had a great idea for a book. Can I use that?” LOL

The first few lines of Virgin’s Blood were, “Never take 6000 dollars with you to a drug dealer. He will kill you for it.” After that, the rest came easily and The Chosen series became my first series of many and the only series I write in first person.

GRACIE: What do you know now about writing and the publishing industry that you wish you’d known before you started?

TIANNA: That it’s not as easy as everyone seems to think and you don’t get rich doing it. LOL Don’t get me wrong. I love writing and I do it because I love it, but those dreams of buying a new house and car were very nice, but still dreams, nonetheless. J

GRACIE: Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired your long-running Paradise series.

TIANNA: Actually, I started the Paradise saga writing a story for the Extasy Books Tarot series. I needed a book with characters that would fit the King of Wands card.

True to the character of my overachieving, sadist of a muse, I was forced—forced I tell you—to make the King of Wands book the first of a series with villains so nasty they would give most shape-shifting heroes the creeps. Thankfully, said muse allowed me to kill off most of the bad guys quickly and with extreme prejudice. Believe me, they deserved it.

GRACIE: What do you think are the drawbacks and perks of writing a series like Paradise?

TIANNA: The perks of writing a series are revisiting old friends, not having to dream up a new premise and stories almost guaranteed to be accepted by your publisher. LOL The drawbacks are few, but there.

After a while, you wonder why you’re still writing about a town or people who feel like relatives and start having a difficult time telling their stories because you feel like a voyeur. Isn’t that crazy? These people don’t even exist, but somehow, you feel as though you just might be invading their right to privacy.

GRACIE: In Woman Beware what do you think is Lena’s Achilles’ heel and how do you go about stomping it?

 
TIANNA:  I’m not sure. She hasn’t shown a weakness yet. Well… other than Artu. Maybe a red shirt will be the death of her after all. LOL

GRACIE: In The Water Dragon Summer is an independent heroine who knows what she wants. Despite her being claimed by a chauvinist what do you believe makes Summer the perfect mate for Adrian and Adrian the perfect mate for Summer?

TIANNA: I think they will work well together. Water gives him strength and she can bring on the rain at a whim, now that she has his strength to anchor her.

GRACIE: Of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

TIANNA: Alicia: The Awakening is my favorite. There is a lot of history (sort of) in that story for me. If her emotions seem real, it’s because they are real. They are mine. Writing that book was a catharsis for me. It rid me of old fears, by making me see that I have become a strong woman just as Alicia became a strong woman after her ordeal. Letting go of all of that emotional baggage opened doors for me that had remained closed for years. It changed me and I’m better for it.

GRACIE: I know this is like asking a mother which is her favorite child, but which of your characters is your favorite and why?

TIANNA: Gabriel in Alicia: The Awakening. He was so patient and loving with Alicia, just as my husband has always been patient and loving with me. Well… he is when it really counts. LOL

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

 

TIANNA: They have their own unique code of honor. None of them are perfect, but they are always perfect for each other.

GRACIE: What is your favorite aspect of the writing process? Your least favorite?

 

TIANNA: Plotting and writing are my favorite parts, right up until I get to the sex scenes. Bedroom scenes seem to get harder to write as I write more and more of them. One would think it would get easier, but there are times when I wonder if I’ve already written a certain passage the same way. I don’t want to plagiarize anyone—including myself. It cheats the reader.

GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

TIANNA: I do a little bit of both. I’m a pantser when I’m especially excited about a storyline. I sometimes feel as though typing 100 words per minute isn’t fast enough. LOL

GRACIE: If you weren’t a writer, what other profession would you have chosen to pursue?

TIANNA: Actually, I would have been a quantum physicist—believe it or not. LOL

 

GRACIE: Who are some of your favorite authors and why? Name some of your favorite books and why they’re your favorites.

TIANNA: As I said, I love Christine Feehan’s Dark series. I love Sandra Hill’s Viking series and I adore the Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands.

I like Sandra Hill’s Viking series because I like the old-fashioned heroes who only want what’s best for their women. Guys like that are difficult to find these days. It isn’t impossible. I have one. He’s definitely a keeper.

I like Lynsay Sands and Christine Feehan’s vampire books because there is just something about a tall, dark and hungry vampire who can get rid of the bad guys with a flick of the wrist.

GRACIE: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

TIANNA: I’m working on book three of the Gate To Fate series, Reporting from Paradise, the next in the Dragon Bound series and I’m waiting for Viola to finish adding her part and ship the next DARE book back to me to write more in it.

GRACIE: Do you have a website and/or how can readers contact you?

TIANNA: Of course! My website is www.TiannaXander.com I’m on Facebook as Tianna Xander or readers can like my Tianna Xander Fans page. I’m also on Twitter @TiannaXander

GRACIE: Where and how can readers purchase and/or read samples of your work?

TIANNA: My website www.TiannaXander.com/books has blurbs and excerpts as well as my publisher’s websites. However, some excerpts are more explicit than others. There are also buy links for my books on my website.

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

TIANNA: To borrow a phrase from Galaxy Quest, “Never give up. Never surrender.”

Always keep learning about the craft. I’ve been published many times over and I’m still learning something new every day. Don’t let rejections get you down. EVERY published author has been rejected at least once. The secret is to keep on writing and keep on submitting your work. Sooner or later an editor will see the potential in your baby and tell you what you can do to convince them to make you an offer.

One more thing: You will never, and I mean never, please everyone. Don’t try. Don’t read reviews that have less than four stars if you must read reviews and never let a snarky or poor review stop you from writing book two or book two-hundred.

GRACIE: LOL, love the quote from one of my favoite movies! Anything else about yourself or your writing you’d like to share with your readers?

TIANNA: I love that my readers take the time from their busy lives to visit my worlds and fall in love with my characters. I thank them for their time and the effort it takes to leave reviews for their favorite titles.

GRACIE:  Tianna, thanks so much for taking time from your busy schedule to share yourself and your work with us at The G-Spot and giving us a little insight into your prolific writing and the writing process! We’ll let you get back to writing those wonderful books you write! All the best!

TIANNA: Thank you for having me here at the G-Spot. It was a blast!

Spotlight Interview with Award-Winning Paranormal Romance Author STEPHANIE BURKHART!

Author Bio: After spending 11 years in the US Army, 7 overseas in Germany, Stephanie Burkhart found a home in Castaic, CA and is now a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She loves Andes Chocolate, Starbucks coffee and is "Mom's" taxi service for her boys. She's been writing stories since was six. You can find her on the web at:

Website: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

Blog: http://sgcardin.blogspot.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor
Good Reads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

The Interview:

GRACIE: I’m excited to have you here at The G-Spot, Stephanie! Please tell us a little about yourself (or a lot J) and how and when you got into writing?

STEPHANIE: My gosh, I remember watching a kid's show in the 1970's called "The Electric Company" and my favorite was the Spiderman skit. I'd finish watching then go to the kitchen table and draw comic books about the Spiderman episodes.

Growing up as a teenager, I loved reading Claremont's "X-Men," and the Wolfman/Perez "Teen Titans." I also discovered Victoria Holt and fell in love with gothic romance. My early attempts at comic books grew into short stories and then into novels. My love for Holt's gothic romance evolved into a love for paranormal romance.

GRACIE: Wow, we followed a similar path <g>. “The Electric Company” was one of my favorite shows too (“Hey you guuuuuuys!”, LOL). Is there any one thing or person in your life that inspired your writing? Any one thing or person that influenced the genre you write in?

STEPHANIE: I'd have to say the one person who inspired my writing is Dina Hickman. She believed in me early on, always offering an encouraging word. She was never critical – always constructive.

I write in the romance and children's genres. I kind of "lucked" into children's writing. I wrote a couple of plays for my church's Sunday preschool and Vivian at 4RV Publishing offered to publish them. As for my romance writing, I wanted to write in that genre since discovering Victoria Holt.

GRACIE: When did you get The Call and what was your first published book?

STEPHANIE: My first published book is a paranormal romance with Desert Breeze Publishing, “The Hungarian”. Werewolves and witches haunt the streets of Budapest at the turn of the 20^th Century. I self-published a couple of books before that one, but I've taken them down to retool them a bit.

 

GRACIE: What do you know now about writing and the publishing industry that you wish you’d known before you started?

STEPHANIE: Be patient. We're so used to "instant gratification" in our modern society, but it takes time to write a functional first draft, edit, publish then market the book.

GRACIE: Good point and very true. Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired your paranormal romance series Moldavian Moon.

STEPHANIE: The Moldavian Moon series is set in the Romanian principalities of Moldavia, Wallachia, Carpathia, and Transylvania. Mind you, I take fictional liberties with the story and Romanian unification.

I originally wrote book 2, “Twilight Over Moldavia”, first. It was intended to be a fairytale in reverse, in that the princess had to kiss the hero to save him. There was the gothic castle and an evil curse. Only Caroline could save Stefan. Once I wrote it, I was left with the question: How did Stefan become cursed? "The Wolf's Torment" is that story. It won GOLD in the 2012 Reader's Favorite Contest in Fiction: Supernatural.

 

GRACIE: In “The Hungarian” (Budapest Moon Book One), what do you think it is in Katherine Archibald’s character that makes her the perfect match for Hungarian Count, Matthias Dumas and vice versa?

STEPHANIE: What makes Katherine perfect for Matthias? She harbors the same romantic heart Matthias does. Matthias is moody to the bone, but he believes in classic old-fashioned romance. He loves to give flowers and observe the stars. These are extremely personal gestures to him; he doesn't make them lightly. Katherine appreciates his attempts.

What makes Matthias perfect for Katherine? He's not afraid to let her find her passions, be it books or traveling. He shares in her delights, embracing them.

 

GRACIE: In “The Count’s Lair” (Budapest Moon, Book Two), what do you think is Count Anton Vargas’ Achilles’ heel and how do you go about stomping it?

 

STEPHANIE: Count Varga's Achilles' heel is his insecurity when it comes to family. His family and brother treated him poorly. They died and left him with practically nothing. He had to rebuild his life and he didn't have a good, solid role models to emulate. When the Martins and Amelia come into his life, he's offered a second chance at having a family and he's determined to do it right. It's a scary endeavor for him because his concept of family is a bit skewered.

GRACIE: Of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

 

STEPHANIE: My favorite story? That's a tough one. I love them all for the different opportunities they've afforded me. If anything, I love my steampunk romances, “Victorian Scoundrel” and “A Gentleman and a Rogue”. The Windsors are hoot to write. The series is a bit more light- hearted than my paranormals.

GRACIE: I know this is like asking a mother which is her favorite child, but which of your characters is your favorite and why?

STEPHANIE: Yikes, this one is just as hard. Edmund and Alice Windsor from the “Windsor Diaries” are two of my favorites.

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

STEPHANIE: Despite the paranormal or fantastical elements, my characters are very human.

GRACIE: What is your favorite aspect of the writing process? Your least favorite?

STEPHANIE: My favorite aspect is writing the beginning. The creative juices are really flowing. My least favorite is writing the middle. The juices have waned a little and I must concentrate to stay on course.

GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

STEPHANIE: I outline the first 3 chapters and go from there.

GRACIE: If you weren’t a writer, what other profession would you have chosen to pursue?

STEPHANIE: A 911 dispatcher! I like helping people.

GRACIE: Who are some of your favorite authors and why? Name some of your favorite books and why they’re your favorites.

STEPHANIE: My favorite authors include: Victoria Holt, the original VC Andrews, Anne Rice, George RR Martin, and JK Rowling. I love their books because they allow their imaginations to soar while keeping their characters very human.

GRACIE: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

STEPHANIE:  I'm working on book 3 in the Moldavian Moon series, "Sunrise Over Brasov." I'm telling Michael and Rosa's story.

GRACIE: Do you have a website and/or how can readers contact you?

STEPHANIE:

WEBSITE:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor
GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart
YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee
PINTEREST:
http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart

GRACIE: Where and how can readers purchase and/or read samples of your work?

STEPHANIE: My Amazon Author Page has a comprehensive list of my stories. http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Burkhart/e/B003R00R5I/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1355892458&sr=1-2-ent

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

STEPHANIE: Don't rush.

GRACIE: Anything else about yourself or your writing you’d like to share with your readers?

STEPHANIE: Here's a nifty little fact: I was married in Denmark in 1991. My marriage certificate is in 5 different languages. Can you guess which ones?

GRACIE: I’m not even going to try and take a shot, but if my readers would like to, they’re welcome, LOL.

Stephanie, thanks so much for taking time from your busy schedule to share yourself and your work with us at The G-Spot and giving us a little insight into your writing and the writing process! We’ll let you get back to writing those wonderful books you write! All the best!

Spotlight Interview with Erotic Author Liz Adams!

 

 

Bio: Liz Adams, author of erotic fairy tales such as Alice’s Sexual Discovery in a Wonderful Land and Amy “Red” Riding’s Hood lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA. Liz studied music and creative writing at UCLA and worked as a freelance model before making her writing her career. In her spare time she cuddles with her husband on the couch to watch her favorite shows.

The Interview:

GRACIE: I’m excited to have you here at The G-Spot, Liz! Please tell us a little about yourself (or a lot J) and how and when you got into writing?

LIZ: when I was 14, my girlfriend and I found a dirty newspaper in the bushes. She and I returned to her house and giggled over the pictures of naked women. But when she read aloud some of the letters of men's fantasies, more than just my face got hot! She was gracious enough to let me keep the paper. That is, I pulled it out of her trash can when she wasn't looking. When I think back on it, she made such a show of throwing it away, she was probably going to retrieve it from the trash herself after I left! Anyhow, I really wore that newspaper down as I read those letters over and over. I finally tried writing out my own fantasies when I was 16. About a year or two later, I sent one to Penthouse Forum and it was published! I was so excited, I decided to work hard at improving my writing so I took up creative writing in UCLA.

GRACIE: What was your first published book?

LIZ: Alice’s Sexual Discovery in a Wonderful Land was my first published book. I also put out an erotic version of Red Riding Hood and shared an erotic experience I had when I was in college in the anthology Campus Sexploits 3: Naughty Tales of Wild Girls in College. But both of those are short stories. Alice’s Sexual Discovery is my only full book, albeit a novella.

GRACIE: What do you know now about writing and the publishing industry that you wish you’d known before you started?

LIZ: In the writing business, especially in erotica, self-publishing is the way to go. I have two great book coaches, a husband and wife team. Beth and Ezra Barany have helped me so much with the process on how to get my books published without having to spend a ton of time or money. Beth helped me with getting connected to my readers, and Ezra did the cover art, book layout, and did his search engine optimization (SEO) magic to determine the best titles for my stories. Now the likelihood of readers stumbling upon my writing is much greater, thanks to the titles.

GRACIE: Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired your erotica novella Alice’s Sexual Discovery in a Wonderful Land.

LIZ: I was a kid when, at a neighbor's place, I saw a cartoon cover for a rated X video version of Alice. Being the curious girl I was, I got upset when my mother wouldn't let me watch it. I always wondered what was so forbidden about it and eventually did see it when I was older. The idea of making a better story stayed with me. So I started with an erotic version of Alice in Wonderland and went from there!

GRACIE: What do you think is Amy’s Achilles’ heel in Amy “Red” Riding’s Hood and how do you go about stomping it?

 

LIZ: I would say that the Achilles’ heel which Amy Riding – nicknamed “Red” for her red hair – has is a fear of wolves. Ever since she had a traumatic experience finding herself accidentally stuck in the middle between a mother wolf and its cub. Though she survived the moment, the growls of that wolf stayed with her. The trouble with having this fear is that she now loves a lycan named Sean. What will it be like seeing her beloved grow a snout? Will he ever wind up finishing what that mother wolf threatened to do years ago?

That’s her inner issue. The external issue is that she lives in a community that frowns upon human-lycan relationships. She’ll have to be strong to keep Sean as her boyfriend.

GRACIE: What do you think it is in Sean’s personality that makes him a perfect mate for Amy?

LIZ: I’d say it’s that Amy needs an alpha male. Someone who will stand up for her and her love in times when her parents and her community demand that she stop seeing him. That, and his wicked bulge. (wink)

GRACIE: Both Alice’s Sexual Discovery in a Wonderful Land and Amy “Red” Riding’s Hood are adult versions of two popular children stories and fairy tales. What was the appeal of revising these two specific stories with prerequisite erotic elements?

LIZ: I mentioned how my desire to write Alice came from wanting to write a better version than the rated X movie I saw. After publishing that, I wanted to write a short story. Something just 2,000 words or so. I flipped through a book of fairy tales and noticed Red Riding Hood was the shortest, so I chose that one. The result ended up being over 14,000 words, though, ha, ha. But to answer your real question of why fairy tales, there’s something about the visceral fear and excitement in fairy tales. The heart pounds, the breath quickens. There’s something about that moment when we can’t tell whether we’re afraid or excited that thrills me.

GRACIE: Of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

LIZ: That’s a hard one. I’ve only written three stories but still, I love them all. And the best part about writing erotica is that I get to edit it. In what other genre can you edit your own work and fully experience the pleasure of the story over and over again? My fingers sure get tired. If I had to choose, I’d say Amy “Red” Riding’s Hood because the story had the opportunity of building a true relationship among the characters. In Alice’s Sexual Discovery, Alice doesn’t stay long enough with any one character to build a relationship. So that was a harder story to write.

GRACIE: I know this is like asking a mother which is her favorite child, but which of your characters is your favorite and why?

LIZ: My favorite character is myself in Campus Sexploits 3: Naughty Tales of Wild Girls in College, the autobiographical telling of my experience in college. My heart pours out to that younger version of me.

 

 

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

LIZ: In my fairy tales, I think it’s that my characters live in a world where anything can happen. Something else stands out. As one reviewer said, all the characters in my stories come across as real people, not just fillers.

GRACIE: What is your favorite aspect of the writing process? Your least favorite?

LIZ: I love discovering what will happen in the story and can’t wait to reveal it to others. My least favorite aspect of writing is the waiting. When I send out the story to beta-readers and when I publish, I have to wait to see how the story is received by the public. Will they like it? Will they hate it? I get very antsy waiting.

GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

LIZ: Unlike a lot of my fellow writers, I prefer to heavily outline the full story first. It’s the best way for me to make sure the story has a compelling plot and doesn’t ramble into nowhere.

GRACIE: If you weren’t a writer, what other profession would you have chosen to pursue?

LIZ: I’d still be a model. I was a freelance model for a short time after college, but now I get to do this wonderful job. I get to do a lot of wonderful research with my hubby. It keeps me on my toes (and on my knees!).

GRACIE: LOL! Who are some of your favorite authors and why? Name some of your favorite books and why they’re your favorites.

LIZ: I’m so impressed with Anne Rice’s erotic writing style. I absolutely adore her. I also love Poppy Z. Brite’s writing. No specific books stand out, though.

GRACIE: Wow, another Poppy Z. Brite fan! Cool. I love her work too, and I can see where you would like her sensual writing style. What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

LIZ: I’ve fully outlined an erotic version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears where Goldie is a clever thief skilled at picking locks and is caught by three bearish men when they return home. The working title is Goldie’s Locks. I’ll also be coming out with a version of Alice Through the Looking Glass. Alice and her new boyfriend run into each other frequently in this version. Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum? They’re twin versions of her boyfriend. Can you imagine being taken by your boyfriend and your boyfriend’s clone?

GRACIE: Do you have a website and/or how can readers contact you?

LIZ: The best way to contact me is via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Liz.Adams.Author. I’d love to hear what my readers think!

GRACIE: Where and how can readers purchase and/or read samples of your work?

LIZ: The best place to go is to my author page on Amazon. (http://www.amazon.com/Liz-Adams/e/B007VXOXHU) Once there, choose the book you’d like to sample and download that taste onto your Kindle or Kindle app. Ready for the full load? You can get both stories of Alice and Red in my Adult Fairy Tale Erotica Bundle. (http://www.amazon.com/Erotica-Discovery-Wonderful-Ridings-ebook/dp/B009195DZI/)

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

LIZ: The trick is to finish your story. Turn off that inner editor and let yourself write an awful story. When you’re done, then you can edit. Your best editors, however, are your beta-readers. They’re your specific audience, they care about how it comes out, and best of all, they’re help is free. Ask them “What would I need to change to make this be a five-star book?” Then, incorporate their advice in your fiction.

GRACIE: Anything else about yourself or your writing you’d like to share with your readers?

LIZ: It’s been an honor being with you and for all you readers out there who read this far, thank you so much for your time. I truly appreciate it.

GRACIE:  Liz, thanks so much for taking time from your busy schedule to share yourself and your work with us at The G-Spot and giving us a little insight into your writing and the writing process! We’ll let you get back to writing those wonderful books you write! All the best!