SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH DENYSE BRIDGER!

BIO: Canadian born and bred, and a lifelong dreamer, I began writing at an early age and can’t recall a time when I wasn’t creating in some artistic form. My life has had several on-going love affairs that shape much of what I write, the American West, Victorian England, cowboys, a passion for pirates, Greek Gods, and Ancient Egypt. The other endless love affairs in my life are Italia and Romania, and all their magic, beauty, and dazzling culture. That passion spills into all aspects of my life.

The Interview:

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

DENYSE: Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Gracie. It’s wonderful to be here. I really don’t know what to tell you about me. I’m an avid reader, and writing has been something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. I started in school with class essays, and discovered I loved creating stories. I got lost in music for a lot of years, but found my way back to the written word after I left school. Oddly, it was one of my English teachers who told me I could have a career as a writer, and I thought she was kidding... that wonderful lady attended my first book launch party back in 2007, brought me flowers and had me sign my book for her. It was an incredible moment.

I got my start with writing as an adult when I was so bored with the stories on one of my favourite TV shows. So, an idea came to me, a full story, and I decided to write it. I’d never heard of fan fiction back then, I was writing it for me. I sent it to the actors in the show, and one of them called me 13 days later. He told me I should consider a career as a writer, too–so I was blown away. I spent the next 20 years writing fan fiction, learning, and finally daring to take a shot at a pro contract. I entered a contest 24 hours  before it closed, wrote the story and proofed it in that time–12K words, and a few weeks later I was told I was one of the winners–that’s how it all began back in 2004.

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

DENYSE: No one person, honestly. People I admired were very encouraging of my efforts, so there were a lot of influences. I write in so many genres, too, it would be impossible to nail down even a couple of influences. Writers I read avidly are Conan Doyle, Lara Adrian, Cynthia Garner, Nalini Singh, Lucy Monroe, Opal Carew, Barbara Conelli–to name just a few.

GRACIE: I know it might be difficult to remember the beginnings of your writing journey since you are so prolific and have countless books published in numerous genres, but when did you get The Call and what was your first published book?

                            

DENYSE: My first published book was a sizzling short story called A Safer Haven, which won the Amber Heat Award at Amber Quill Press in the Spring of 2004. I’d entered at the last minute, having written the story in under 24 hours, and I didn’t expect to win, believe me. My sister was doing my email back then, and she called me one morning a couple of weeks after the contest closed, and read me the message that told me I’d won. It was pretty amazing to us all!! And very exciting, of course. I published all of my first titles with AQP, though none of those books remain with them now.

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

DENYSE: The extraordinary amount of time you have to invest in building a brand, and a following. Making a public presence that people recognize is hugely important in this business, but it eats up days upon days of time that could be spent writing. Finding a working balance is very difficult.

GRACIE: Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired you’re espionage book Defector.

DENYSE: Oh that one is based on my love of an old television series from the late 80s. I had written a fan fiction of the same name, and it was nominated for a Fan Q Award. I revised and updated the story when Midnight Frost Books did a pitch session, looking for non-romance books, and they liked it, so here we are. It has one of the coolest covers I’ve seen in ages. I love it.

GRACIE: As the lone-wolf, life-long spy in Defector, what do you think is Andrew Dahle’s Achilles’ Heel and how do you go about stomping it?

DENYSE: Andrew’s weakness is his growing awareness that there are cracks developing in his armour. He’s a hard-ass, doesn’t care about anything but the job. Then he gets involved with people who actually like him and befriend him, and he finds himself wanting to be worthy of that trust. He hates it, but he can’t shake it–the cracks have begun, and he’ll have to adjust. I have a few more stories with him, so it could be fun watching him relearn his own strengths and weaknesses.

GRACIE: In your romance Texas Heat, what do you think it is about war veteran Chase Jordan that makes him a perfect match for the determined and enamored Cheyenne MacKenzie and vice versa?     

DENYSE: Cheyenne wants to break through Chase’s walls, to make him feel wanted, loved, and needed. Their attraction is burning hot, but their emotional attraction is the real chemistry. Chase has lost half his life to PTSD, and Cheyenne knows more about him than he knows about himself. That scares him and lures him at the same time. It’s her willingness to lead him back to his own life that makes them work. They need each other, Chase to find himself, and Cheyenne to be able to love the one man she truly wants.

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

DENYSE: That’s a toughie. One is published, and one is pending contract. The one that is published is The Devane Files: Out of Hell – a Victorian era mystery with ties to Jack the Ripper. I love historical fiction, and this one required research and a careful touch. I think it worked out well, though the book never really attracted the attention it should have.

My next novel is Grande Amore–a sensual romance set in the beautiful country of Italia, Roma and Amalfi to be exact. An internationally renowned singer, an injured tourist, and an attack that leaves the heroine in the care of the hero.

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

DENYSE: Inspector Michael Devane of Out of Hell and An Unspoken Betrayal. He is deeply flawed, a man of honour, courage, and strength. He’s also an opium addict, and a clairvoyant. Makes him very interesting. After him it would be Austin Standish, from Champagne and Chocolate, one of my latest releases. He’s a gambler, gunfighter, and gentleman all rolled into one.

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

DENYSE: I don’t know if they’re wholly unique, really. I think they’re flawed, which makes them accessible to readers, so they can relate. They make mistakes, have fears and do stupid things–just like real people! Maybe that’s part of their charm. But, they are, at the core, people who are strong and determined, and passionate about what they want. Loyalty and trust is key to each of them, heroes and heroines.

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

DENYSE: Favourite part of the process is editing. I love to edit. The polishing and fine-tuning, working with a good editor can be more exciting than initially writing the book. I’m not a lover of first drafts. Once that dreaded part is done, then I have fun. J

GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

DENYSE: I have to outline. I tried the pantster approach and didn’t like not knowing where I was going with a story. So, for novels I have often detailed outlines, with settings, research notes, and even partial scenes written in so I don’t forget things. If it’s a short, I still end up with a page of notes and a general idea of beginning, middle, and end to keep me on track.

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

DENYSE: I have no idea. I seem to have a flare for promotional stuff and networking, because I know a lot of amazing people. Maybe I’d do advertising or marketing.

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

DENYSE: All of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels that were written by Conan Doyle. It was through reading Holmes that I learned to pay attention to detail and the small little foreshadows in a story. Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind is probably my all-time favourite book–it’s epic in that it not only sweeps us up into the Civil War and the suffering it inflicted, but it’s a love story of incredible reach. Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara is also my favourite fantasy novel, it was the first one I read in the genre, and it’s never been topped for me. Also, Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders series, I love them. Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed, Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series. All are sweeping, well plotted and executed stories that live and breathe in a reader’s imagination.

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

DENYSE: I’m always working on new things, at the moment, I have a list of things that I want to get working on once I have the current edits and revisions done. I have a new Western, a contemporary with an older couple, a couple of fantasy stories plotted and waiting, a gargoyle novel, and two djinn tales. All in all, I never know if I’ll live long enough to do half of what I want to get done in terms of storytelling.

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

DENYSE: Website • Fantasy Pages (general) • Bound by Passion (adult content) • Newsletter • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • LinkedIn • Tumblr • Google+ • Romance and Fantasy Google+ Page  •  Amazon Author Page  •  Smashwords  •  Barnes & Noble  •  Kobo Books  •  ARe Romance Books

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

DENYSE: The best place is probably on the books page of my website: http://www.denysebridger.com/booksV2.php

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

DENYSE: Write, read, and learn. When you finish a project, begin another. Accept that there is no such thing as a perfect book, but each one is a learning process. If you spend all your time trying to perfect one book, you will never write another. Also, and this is critical, be gracious and work with a decent editor. Your best friend, your mother, or your husband/wife is going to be enthusiastic and praising. They love you. You need the impartial thoughts and insights of someone who will be constructive, helpful, and above all honest. There are a lot of excellent guides and instructional books out there, written by people who are experts in their field. Take advantage of that, and read those books that pertain to your genres. Learn to address your weaknesses and make them strengths.

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

DENYSE: Nothing I can think of at the moment. I think it’s important to find inspiration in everything you see and let your imagination weave beautiful things for your spirit to embrace and share with the world. If you write with positive energy and a desire to create something that makes people smile, I think you will win hearts in all you do. I’m a firm believer in all things coming when they are meant to, so faith really can make miracles happen. If this is your dream, give to it, and it will give back, in wonderful ways.

GRACIE: Denyse, 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!

DENYSE: Thanks so much for sharing your time with me, Gracie. It’s been my pleasure.

Blessings and much happiness to you and your readers, always.

Denysé

A new genre débuts at Naughty Nights Press with this highly charged, erotic Historical Western.

Available from these sellers:

ARe Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-champagneandchocolate-1419358-148.html

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/407861

Publisher: http://naughtynightspress.com/nnpstore2/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=32&products_id=104

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/champagne-and-chocolate-denyse-bridger/1118628043?ean=2940045692625

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Champagne-Chocolate-Denysé-Bridger-ebook/dp/B00IEGHAKK/

SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR INTERVIEW - EROTIC ROMANCE AUTHOR KAREN S. JOHNSON!

BIO: I grew up in southwest Missouri and currently live near Branson with my cat Bobby Joe (who is deaf). I grew up in a Christian home with a minister for a father so it is a little ironic that my genre is erotic romance. I love the outdoors and enjoy gardening, fishing, and hunting. I have been a nurse by profession for thirty years and love helping others. I have enjoyed writing all my life. Through my stories, I am able to live vicariously through my characters doing things that I might not ever do myself.

The Interview:

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

KAREN:  Thank You for having me Gracie, I am happy to be here. Hmm tell you about myself, well I lived a somewhat sheltered life growing up in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri. I was the daughter of a minister, and spent the majority of my childhood and teenage years in church which kept me out of a lot of trouble I am sure. Growing up I always enjoyed reading but it wasn’t until the seventh grade that I took an interest in writing. My English teacher Mrs. Sears had us writing poems and short stories and it was then that I knew I wanted to write. I became obsessed with poetry and it opened a whole new world to me. It was in high school that I decided I wanted to write a book. I have started several books over the years but didn’t finish one until I was fifty.  My first book Red Skies At Dawn was published the day after my fifty first birthday and that was about the best birthday present I ever had.

I would say that I have lived an interesting life. I have been to Sturgis four times two of which I rode my own motorcycle. I always liked the bad boys and that has given me my share of excitement, trouble, and heart ache. It seems that no matter how hard I try to be the bad girl, the good girl inside me always wins out. My experiences and my very vivid imagination have given me a lot to write about. I believe it is the collection of all our life experiences good or bad that make us who we are and I like myself so I have no regrets for the life I have lived.

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?

KAREN: I have always been an avid reader and according to my mother have always had a vivid imagination. I can remember reading the Little House series in grade school and thinking I wanted to write stories too. In my teen years I read every Harlequin Romance I could get my hands on and dreamed of finding my hero. If I had to credit a single person with my desire to write it would have to be my seventh grade teacher Mrs. Sears. It was in her class that I came to realize the power of words. As far as my genre, I guess I would have to give an ex husband the credit for that.

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

KAREN:  By the time I reached high school I knew I wanted to write a book someday but it wasn’t until my 51^st birthday that my first book “Red Skies At Dawn” was published. It is a story about a young woman who is involved with a biker and agrees to go to Sturgis with him. His true colors come out and she realizes he is the wrong kind of biker. He basically abandons her on the way and she is thrown into the arms of his half brother who comes to her rescue. There is a kidnapping, drugs, alcohol, and of course some hot sex scenes. This story was based in part on my own experience and of course my vivid imagination.

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

KAREN:  It is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Writing takes time and working a fulltime job as a nurse doesn’t allow for much of that.  I have also learned that just because I think my work is good doesn’t mean that anyone else will. Having a book published takes work and getting the book to sell now that is the hard part.  I think that one of the secrets is to get your name out there and to do that you need to have several books out. Looking back, I wish that I would have kept up with my writing when I first had the urge years ago.  

GRACIE: Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired your Siren Allure title, Red Skies at Dawn.

KAREN:  I road my Harley to Sturgis one year and the experience made such an impact on me that I wrote a short story about the ride. When I was finished I read what I wrote and thought, gosh I could make a book about this so I started. There are many of my own experiences scattered throughout the book. I think to make your story interesting and believable it is important to know what you are talking about. The book was originally to be a sweet romance that I could send to Harlequin, but my characters had a mind of their own and the book has a few scenes that are quite dark and “in your face.” Of course love wins out in the end.

GRACIE: What is it you believe makes Sammie a perfect match for biker Mitch and vice versa?

KAREN: Sammie is rather innocent and is easily taken advantage of. She is mixed up with the wrong kind of guy, Jake. Jake is a biker and he is a selfish man who is always seeking his own pleasure. He doesn’t care who he hurts to get his way. Mitch, Jake’s half brother is a biker but unlike Jake, he lives by the biker code. He cares for his “family” and would do anything for them. He has so much more depth. He is a little older and knows what life is all about. Sammie is a little naive and needs someone to look out for her and Mitch knew the first time he met her that he was the one who could do it.

GRACIE: Mitch or “Cowboy” as the other bikers call him, seems to be a bit of a rebel. What is it you think is his Achilles’ heel and how do you go about stomping it?

KAREN: Mitch is a man who has always taken care of himself. He is strong willed and his job has always been his focus. Mitch is a man who has always been in control of his life and his emotions. He is a man of action and when things go wrong his first instinct is to go balls to the wall to take care of things. He doesn’t need to count on anyone for help because he can take care of himself. People think he is a little arrogant because he is so so sure of himself. His weakness is his love for Sammie, being thrown together with her has turned his world upside down.

GRACIE: Do you have any more books planned in the biker universe or sub-plot characters you think warrant their own book in the Red Skies vein?

KAREN: I am currently working on revisions for “Red Skies At Night” which is a sequel to my first book. It has the same characters and starts shortly after they return home. There are a few twists and turns that are sure to surprise. There are some strong secondary characters and two of them are the main characters in a third in the series which I have outlined. It is possible that there might also be a fourth book depending on how the third turns out. I have also written another “biker” novel that I recently submitted and I’m crossing my fingers that it will be accepted. I am thinking that the title for it will be Undercover Lies.

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

KAREN: That is a hard question. Sammie is a lot like me in that she is very caring and maybe a little naïve. She is always looks for the best in others and that tends to get her in trouble. She has had pain in her life yet she is not afraid to take chances. She is strong although she doesn’t realize it. What is not to like about Mitch. I just wish that I would meet someone like him. I think that Grizzly is also a great guy and would be a great friend to have.

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

KAREN: They are all bikers yet each one has their own unique characteristics. Jake is hard core, seeking pleasure where ever he can find it. Sammie is young and naïve, and sometimes she does things that she doesn’t want to in order to please others. One of the things that makes her unique is that she has a distorted view of herself. She sees herself as average and in reality she is a beautiful woman inside and out. She is also very strong which she doesn’t realize. Mitch is always in control. He comes across as aloof or arrogant at times yet inside he is a mess of emotion.

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

KAREN: I love to sit down and lose myself in writing. I can interject things from my own life into the story and it is quite cathartic. I like to visualize the scenes in my head as I go and it is almost like being there. Writing allows me to experience things that I might never do in my own life. It is very liberating. My least favorite thing about writing is that it takes time and time is a valuable commodity.

GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

KAREN:  Well in Red Skies at Dawn I was more of a panster, letting my characters go their own way. Red Skies at Night was much the same, however in Undercover Lies I made an outline about half way through and finished it uisng the outline. I found that if I don’t have a little bit of an idea of where things are going next my characters would take off in their own direction and the story would change completely. My third book in the Red Skies series is already outlined and I think that will help me to keep on track. Although I do believe there are some stories that need to tell themselves, you know evolve on their own much like life does.

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

KAREN: Well I wish I was a full time writer but I do have a day job. I knew as a child that I wanted to make a difference in some way. I have been a nurse for the last 30 years and being a nurse has allowed me to touch the lives of others every day.  I love helping people in their time of need. I believe that if we look hard enough, we can find something good in even the worst of situations. I strive to remain positive and like to encourage and motivate others. We all need encouragement and I try to make an inspirational post on my Facebook page every morning. We need to choose our word carefully because we don’t always know who is listening and how our words will affect their lives. I actually have started an inspirational/motivational book as well which I hope to finish before the end of the year.

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

KAREN: J.R.R. Tolkien is my absolute favorite. My sixth grade home room teacher read a chapter of The Hobbit to us every day after lunch. I had never read a book like that before and it awakened my imagination. It is still one of my favorite books. I love all his books. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, is a classic romance and her characters were so developed you could feel their thoughts. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women has always been a favorite as well. She was able to make each of the sisters so real, and so different. Both these women were remarkable writers. In my genre, erotic romance I am partial to Tymber Dalton, her Reluctant Dom is a real tear jerker. I love a book that evokes an emotion from the reader.

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

KAREN: I am currently working on revisions to Red Skies at Night the second in the Red Skies Series which I hope will be out sometime this summer. I just submitted a third book which I think will be called Undercover Lies and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be accepted. The third in my Red Skies Series, Red Skies Again  is outlined and I will be starting it as soon as I finish my revisions on book two. I am hoping to have it finished by the end of the year. As I said earlier I am also working on an Inspirational book which I hope to finish by the end of the year as well.

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

KAREN: The best place to contact me is by private message on my personal Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ksjohnsonrnc or by private message on my Red Skies page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RedSkiesAuthor.

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

KAREN: Red Skies at Dawn is available at http://www.bookstrand.com/red-skies-at-dawn, as well as Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Kobobooks.com, and Goodreads.com. I will be posting non-adult excerpts from Red Skies at Night and Undercover Lies on my Red Skies page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RedSkiesAuthor on a weekly basis. Check out my web page as well http://karenbennett-johnsonauthor.com/.

  

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

KAREN:  Write, write, and keep writing. Don’t give up and don’t get discouraged. There is no one else who can tell the stories inside your head. They are unique only to you, and you are meant to share those with the world.

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

KAREN: I don’t know who said it originally but I have always loved the saying: “Life is like a Piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it.”  Don’t let life pass you by, get out there and play.

GRACIE:  Karen, 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 AUTHOR INTERVIEW - EROTIC ROMANCE AUTHOR SKYE MICHAELS!

BIO: I was born in New Jersey and grew up an only child on a small farm in the “Garden State”. 

After my job as a paralegal was ended by the economic downturn, I decided to finally write the stories I’d had in my head for many years.   I had always wanted to write romance novels. 

Books have always been my escape into love and adventure, and through reading I have been able to be many people, do many things, and go to many wonderful places I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to be, do or see.

The Interview:

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

SKYE:   After losing my job three years ago and seeing what was happening in the e-book industry, I decided to give it a try.  I sent my first manuscript to Siren Publishing because I had enjoyed many of their authors.  They accepted the book, and I have been with them ever since.  I have always been a big romance reader starting with Silhouette way-back-when, and really wanted to give it a try.  Everyone thinks they can be a writer.  What makes the difference is actually doing it.  You have to put yourself out there and possibly court failure – or hopefully success.

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?

SKYE:  When my daughter bought me a Kindle for my birthday and I downloaded a few of the erotic romances, I found I really enjoyed them.  They had much more of an edge than the traditional “sweet” romances.   I had always wanted to give romance writing a try but was too busy with work, etc. to buckle down and actually do it.  Now I write love stories that don’t end at the bedroom (or dungeon/LOL) door.   Sex is an important part of life and one of the great gifts, and we should celebrate it.

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

SKYE:   I started writing in the summer of 2011, and my first two books were published in January and February of 2012 by Siren Publishing, the first publisher I sent them to.  The first was Calleigh’s Collar, Book 1 of the Le Club Series.

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

SKYE:  Well, the editors at my publisher are all over head hopping and point of view, about which I knew absolutely nothing when I started.  I didn’t even know what they were talking about when they requested changes in the manuscripts.  Now that I understand what it is and how to write to avoid it, edits go a lot more smoothly.   My questions is:  If I can’t head hop, why can Nora Roberts???  Oh well, when I have that many books out there maybe I can make my own rules too!  Just kidding.  Nora is one of my favorite authors and she is amazing.

GRACIE: Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired your spicy BDSM series – The LeClub Series and The Golden Dolphin Series.

                                                                                                 

SKYE:  I WISH I KNEW!  The story for the first Le Club book, Calleigh’s Collar, was just in my head.  I have a small farm and vacation home in Ocala, Florida, and the downtown historic district is one of my favorite places.  The story of Calleigh and Jason was fun and easy to write.  It’s the shortest of my books and introduces most of the cast of characters in the other five books of the series – a group of friends that belong to a secret BDSM club located in the historic district in a renovated Victorian mansion behind a ten foot wall (Calleigh was the project architect but didn’t know it was a BDSM club!).

The Golden Dolphin series is a spinoff – Jamie Devereau from Anne’s Courage (Book 3) a bad boy billionaire bought the 300 foot mega yacht, the Golden Dolphin, for BDSM cruises!  If  you would like to see the actual ship that is the basis for these books just Google Attessa IV.  I have made a few changes to fit the stories, but basically that’s my boat, baby.    Also, I just couldn’t bear to say goodbye to my Le Club characters.  While each book focuses on a different new couple, occasionally some of our old friends take a cruise on the Golden Dolphin so we can see them again.  My next book coming out (Pandora’s Box, the Alaska cruise) has three of the original couples on board, as well as continuing stories for some of the sexy crew members.

GRACIE: What about BDSM intrigued you enough to build two series around this theme?

SKYE:  It’s interesting, sexy and a little edgy.  I was writing in this genre before I ever heard about 50 Shade of Gray.   My heroines (while submissives) are not downtrodden spineless women.   They are accomplished women who have minds and hearts of their own and choose to give the gift of submission-or not (witness Paula Greenley in Paula’s Commitment who is always topping from the bottom).   They are not all perfect Victoria’s Secret women.  Anne in Anne’s Courage had body image issues due to scars from her breast cancer surgery and Jamie had to break through some serious barriers.  My heroes are not all perfect either.  They are all successful, but they have their own issues to overcome.

GRACIE: As an ambitious attorney and a Domme, Harper Cameron, by necessity, has a strong and dynamic personality. What do you think is the powerful attorney’s Achilles’ heel and how do you go about stomping it in Harper’s Submission?

SKYE:  My hero, Morgan Court (pharmaceutical entrepreneur) has a hard row to hoe with Harper who was abused as a child and has trust issues.  She tried various therapies over the years and it was suggested that she try being a Domme in order to gain control of her life.   Morgan thinks that if he can get her to submit and trust him he can break down her walls.  I have a friend who faced this problem, and I know some of this was hard for her to read.

GRACIE: In Ivorie’s Surprise, what is it you believe makes ultra-successful businessman Drew Blessingame a perfect match for his second assistant Ivorie James and vice versa?

SKYE:  I LOVE these two characters.  Drew has to learn to become human, and Ivorie is just the girl to kick his butt.   She’s taken the second assistant’s job because even though she has her degree good jobs are hard to come by, and she wants to get her foot in the door of Blessingame’s conglomerate.  However, he is far from a pleasant guy to work for.  He’s had his challenges too.  Having to basically take over running the family business at 25 years old after 911, the stress has been enormous and has soured his easy-going personality.  As the guy at the top, he takes his obligation to make sure his employees can earn a living very seriously.   It takes her a while but Ivorie eventually gets under his skin, and he realized he has to make some changes in the way he deals with people.

GRACIE: With its equestrian theme of polo and international level dressage riding, what sort of research went into The Appearance of Impropriety and did you find realistically portraying this intriguing world for your readers challenging and/or fun?

SKYE:  This was my first book started 20 years ago.  After my parents both got sick and died, I put it aside half finished.  When I was between other books, I took it out and finished it, so it is my first love and was lots of fun to write.  I am a horsewoman and have played around with musical freestyle dressage myself.  (Played around being the operative words here.)  If you would like to see some musical freestyle, you can view the YouTube video entitled “Ravel & Steffen Peters – FEI CDI Grand Prix Freestyle – An Evening of Musical Freestyle.   It feels like riding the drums in the band when your horse is right on the beat and not just going to elevator music.  My daughter rides dressage as well.  I also love going to the polo games in Palm Beach (especially the practice matches at the private polo fields in Wellington), so I really already knew quite a bit about both of those worlds.  Nonetheless, there was some research to do to make sure I got it right.    Actually, the technological side of the story involving the computer program stolen by email etc. was more challenging to write.  Thank goodness my daughter, the Goddess of Technology as we like to call her, was able to help with that.  She sat me down and clued me in on the changes that had taken place in 20 years-Yikes!  I love to be able to take readers to places they might not have been able to go in their lives and make them feel like they have attended a tailgate party at the polo club or watched international dressage.  After all, this is romance and escape from our daily lives.

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

SKYE:  That is so hard to answer because I love them all like children.  They are all different, but equally loved.  I would have to say The Appearance of Impropriety is my absolute favorite because I never thought I would finish it.  It was a huge undertaking to just sit down and start writing that first book.   I love Tori and Zack, and I adore Rocky (Rachmaninoff), the dressage horse who has a running competition with Zack for Tori’s attention.   That the backstory is set in the legal field is also part of the attraction since I spent my entire adult working life in that arena.   I am also particularly proud of Book 5 and 6 of the Le Club Series, Madison’s Choice and Belinda’s Crown, which are set against the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown.  As the song says, “My horse naturally won.”  I love the horse character in these books, Rockstar, the one-eyed race horse.

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

SKYE:   I love Jamie Devereau (Anne’s Courage, Book 3, Le Club) because he gets it.  He gets Anne, and he loves her no matter what and no matter that she fights him tooth and nail the whole way.  He definitely has a sexy edge, and it would not be wise to cross him twice.   I also really like Drew Blessingame (Ivorie’s Surprise, Book 1, Golden Dolphin) because he came so far in his personal development.  Of the girls I love Anne because I too had breast cancer and some issues.  I also love Paula (Paula’s Commitment, Book 4 Le Club) because she is always getting into trouble.  If God lined up all my men in a row and then said, “They are real, and you can have only one” I don’t know what I would do.  But it would be a wonderful dilemma!  Thirteen of the handsomest men on the planet-how would one choose?

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

SKYE:  I try to make each of them different and set them in a different location or profession.  None are stock characters, and all have obstacles to overcome.  I have them in my head all the time and will frequently wake up with snippets of dialog in my mind that I write down immediately before it slips away.

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

SKYE:  When a story is flowing, there is nothing like it.  Your fingers can’t go fast enough on the keys.  Then about in the middle, I may have to slow down and figure out where the story is going.  Since I don’t make an outline first, that can be a problem.  In Violette’s Vibrato (Book 3, Golden Dolphin), my heroine, first violinist with the New York Philharmonic, has a problem with a jealous competitor and the Russian Mob.  Well, how do you get rid of the Russian Mob? – not very darn easily that’s for sure.  I had to figure that out and then go back and write in some changes to facilitate my solution.  I love everything about writing.  It is so much FUN!   And these people live in my head.  I’m really never alone – don’t tell the guys with the white jackets who are knocking on the door.

GRACIE: LOL, you already answered my next questions, but I’ll ask it anyway: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

SKYE:  I never outline.  I just sit down, write a prologue and Chapter One and GO.  I will have the main characters in my head and a few sentences of what the story is about.  Sometimes that can be a problem if I haven’t thought the plot out far enough in advance.  I will often discuss a plot line with my friend/editor or my daughter, and they always have good ideas.

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

SKYE:  I was a commercial real estate paralegal for many years.  I loved it.  The big deals are exciting to work on, and I got to meet some really interesting people.  If I had known what I wanted to do when I younger, I probably would have become an attorney, but I couldn’t face going back to school and all that would have entailed.

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

SKYE:  Of course, I love Nora Roberts (even if she does get to head hop occasionally), particularly The Bride Quartet, and I recently read all eight of the Rock Chick series by Kristen Ashley and loved it.  Sometimes I have to get out of my own head and give it a rest.  You can see a theme here.  I love the groups of friends and how they interact.

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

SKYE:  In February, 2014, Pandora’s Box, Book 5 of the Golden Dolphin series will be released.  That is the cruise to Alaska.  It’s fun to see some of the original characters again and to follow the continuing stories of some of the crew members (Captain Con Cortelis and Purser Casey Campbell as well as First Mate Alex Dragados and jewel thief Baylee Baxter).  The main characters are Pandora Wescott, wildlife photographer, and Dr. John (Gray) Grayson, neurosurgeon.  Researching a whole Alaskan cruise was daunting not to mention gold mines and other assorted things.  Thank goodness my friend had just gotten back from one and brought me tons of literature.  I have an idea for a third series, but I am still mulling that over in my mind.

I’m currently working on Book 6, Hannalore’s Treasure, which continues after the Alaskan cruise.  The Golden Dolphin goes down the West Coast, through the Panama Canal to Miami and has an archaeological back story that takes place in Guatemala.  I’ve currently got 38,000 words – a little more than half – finished.

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

SKYE:  I have a Facebook fanpage, Skye Michaels Books, and can be reached by email at skyemichaelsbooks@yahoo.com

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

SKYE:  My fan page has the covers of all the books and first chapters.  The books are available on Bookstrand.com for the first six weeks after release and then are available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and various other sites.

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

SKYE:  Just sit down and start.  If you have an idea that keeps buzzing around in your head, go for it.  Get something on paper even if it’s very rough or just notes and ideas.  That’s what editing is for.  I constantly go back to the beginning and re-read my work as I go, so there is not so much editing –at least until my first editor get her hands on the first draft before it goes to the publisher.  We don’t call her Ms. Red Pen for nothing.   But everyone works differently.  The thing is to just get started.  You will feel so proud of yourself if you do.  Don’t be the one to say “I wish I had…”  For me the story is the main thing.  If you don’t have a good story, you don’t have a book.  You can have all the kinky sex in the world, but if the story isn’t good it will be boring.

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

SKYE:  I just want to thank everyone for their support and friendship.  I know I can’t please everyone every time, but I do try.  I love to hear from readers and know what they think.  I recently had two surprises.  Two of my readers told me that they stayed up all night to finish Cassandra’s Revenge and were sad that it was over.  Another person told me that her HUSBAND was my biggest fan, had read all the books and loved them.  I was really surprised since they are erotic romance geared to women.   Some readers have said they wanted longer books, but then complained when the prices went up.  They probably don’t realize that the price of many of the books is controlled by the length and that the publisher and/or Amazon etc. set the price, not the authors. 

GRACIE:  Like you said, you can’t please everyone, but your output and quality should bring you pretty close, Skye! 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!

Deep Discount for SEXUAL HEALING FOR THREE!

Donna Vega is a dedicated woman on a mission. Matchmaking sister Angela is determined the mission include a love-life with Dominant and architectural landscaper Russ Merrick and his younger brother, Chance Novak, a gifted and sensitive ER doctor. The mission goes awry, however, when Donna lands on the radar of a psychotic employee obsessed with Russ.

Escaping an abusive past, Donna Vega is determined never to be the victim of a man's whims again. She doesn't have the inclination or time for one man, much less two. 

  

Wiccan and drowning survivor, Chance Novak has inherited psychic gifts that he's wary of using. When he meets Donna at a domestic abuse seminar, Chance recognizes an injured soul that he'd like to heal. But can he get past Donna's armor to make her see him as more than just a colleague? 

Russell Merrick has always put everyone's needs before his own, pursuing a vanilla ideal of wedded bliss. But now since his divorce can he abide sharing the one woman who could fulfill his every sexual fetish, when his younger brother is the other man?

More importantly, can Russ deflect the twisted attentions of a killer who's willing to go through Chance and Donna to get to him?

To learn more, read excerpts and/or to purchase, visit here: http://www.bookstrand.com/sexual-healing-for-three   

SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR INTERVIEW -- YA GLBT AUTHOR JOHN H. AMES!

BIO: My real name is Juan H. Alvarado and I was born in El Salvador, C.A. I currently live in Belize and my passions are writing, reading and spending time with the ones I love. I began writing in 2009 and After posting some of my work on an internet website and receiving positive feedback, I went on to write several full-length novels under my penname, John Henry Ames. My first completed series is the Surviving Elite High Trilogy which chronicles the life of a gay sixteen-year-old boy as he makes his way through life as an outcast in the shadows of an elite high school where he is tormented by two psychopathic bullies.

You can Like me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJohnHAmes Or visit my site: http://jhabooks.webs.com/

 The Interview

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

JOHN: Hi Gracie! Thank you so much for having me here today. It’s an honor. Well, let me start by saying that my real name is Juan H. Alvarado and I was born in El Salvador, C.A. I have always loved reading and writing but never had the courage to sit down and write something. After graduating from college in 09, I took a night shift at a small motel. To keep myself occupied, I began writing and completed several full-length novels under my penname, John Henry Ames. My first completed series is the Surviving Elite High Trilogy which chronicles the life of a gay sixteen-year-old boy as he makes his way through life as an outcast in the shadows of an elite high school where he is tormented by two psychopathic bullies.

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?

JOHN: This is an excellent question since there are so many people who have inspired my writing and the genre I write in. The first person to ever inspire me was the amazing J.K. Rowling. The first time I read a Harry Potter novel was back in 2003. That novel instantly pulled me into a world that I had never seen or heard of before, leaving me wanting more. When the last novel came out, it blew my mind to the point that it made me sit down and write a novel of my own. I spent a few months writing, and the finished product was called Raven and Crow: a Chain of Memories.

Raven and Crow: a Chain of Memories is my first and only straight fiction novel. It tells the story of two guys who meet in high school and find out that they have more in common than they thought, since they share the same memories, dreams, and nightmares. Soon enough, they discover that they are unearthly beings from another world and that they are the incarnation of the beautiful Raven and the amazing Crow. You might be wondering two guys, the incarnation of a man and a woman? Not much of a Twilight novel, right? True, but let the story flow, and you'll see that not everything isn’t quite what it seems. I’m currently looking for the right publisher for this novel, and when I find one, I will let you and all my readers know where to get it.

Another individual who has inspired me and got me into the world of gay fiction is the incredible Jeff Erno. The first m/m romance that I read was A Better Place by Mark A. Roeder. That little novel has a jock/nerd theme in it, and I absolutely fell in love with that theme. I immediately researched for that theme and came across Dumb Jock by Jeff Erno. I fell in love with that novel almost immediately. It was like love at first sight. That little work of fiction inspired me to write Surviving Elite High in 2010 and the rest is history.

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

JOHN: I definitely got The Call after reading Dumb Jock by Jeff Erno. OMG! I loved that novel so much that it inspired me to write my debut novel, Surviving Elite High. Jeff Erno is amazing and he’s one of my favorite authors of all time. His novels are emotional and incredibly cool. I have to thank him for getting me into this amazing little world.  

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

JOHN: Not to take reviews seriously. Yes, constructive criticism is an excellent way to improve your writing and grow as an author. However, in this modern era where everyone has access to a computer and everyone is a critic, readers often criticize novels with their emotions. If they had a bad day and read your novel, you will mostly get a bad review. That’s why I don’t take reviews seriously. They are tied to a reader’s emotions and feelings.     

GRACIE: Please, give us a little story behind the story and what inspired your YA Trilogy, Surviving Elite High.

JOHN: The novel Dumb Jock by Jeff Erno was my main inspiration for my debut novel because of the jock/nerd theme found inside. I wanted to write something similar to that theme, but unique at the same time. At that point in time, I was also dating someone who stole my heart and, sadly, broke it. He was also my main inspiration for Surviving Elite High. Since he was an American citizen and had attended a small high school in Buffalo, New York, I drew inspiration from his high school life and wrote Surviving Elite High. I simply added a few unique twists and turns that would leave readers wanting more.      

GRACIE: In Surviving Elite High, aside from being a star quarterback, Nick Anthony Hawking is not the best student academically. Besides his doing poorly in school, what do you think is Nick’s Achilles’ heel and how do you go about stomping it?

JOHN: I think that Nick’s Achilles’ heel is his tendency to want to be a protector. That got him into big troubles because it blinded him from seeing people’s faults. For example, look at what happened in Surviving Elite High: Senior Year, especially with Emily Roberts. Nick was trying to be kind and protective with her and that blinded him to the bad things she was doing behind his back. That almost got John killed a second time. In the novel, Nick realized his mistake by apologizing to John and focused on protecting John and only John.

GRACIE: In Surviving Elite High: Loving James, what do you think it is that makes Nathan so irresistible to James, despite Nathan’s complete incompatibility? By the same token, what makes James so blind to Jacob Ashmore’s feelings for him?

JOHN: In James’ little world, there is no one more perfect than Nicholas Anthony Hawking. He’s obsessed with the idea of having someone like Nick to love and protect him, someone who acts rugged, straight and manly. That’s all he wants in life, someone like Nick. That blinds him to see what an incredible person Jacob is to him and how Jacob really feels toward him. James wants someone like Nick so badly that he will do almost anything to make Nathan into another Nick. That fails of course and almost gets him kill.

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

JOHN: Whoa! I have to say Raven and Crow: a Chain of Memories. Why? It’s my first completed novel and it comes straight from my heart. I absolutely love that little story and I am hoping and praying that my readers fall in love with it as well.

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

JOHN: Oh my God! I would have to say Nick Hawking. To me, Nick is the bomb! He’s not close to perfect and he can be a huge a****** to people most of the time; however, he can be so sweet and sensitive with John. I absolutely loved the way he changes for him and becomes a better person for him. It just goes to show you that people can change if they set their minds to. 

GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique?

JOHN: My characters are not perfect or even close to perfect and that makes them real and unique, relatable to readers. Each one of them has so many issues to deal with and as the story unfolds, they grow into better and responsible individuals.  

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

JOHN: My favorite aspect of the writing process would be sitting down and plotting the entire novel from top to bottom. I love that part so much! Ideas flow in and I love sticking them together into a beautiful story. My least favorite aspect of the writing process would be editing. Oh. My. God! I hate it so much! It’s stressful, long and tedious. I wish I could just skip that part, but sadly, I can’t.

GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?

JOHN: I have to admit, I am both. When I have something solid or concrete in my head, I write it down before I lose that precious information. Everything is outlined thoroughly from top to bottom and my writing goes smoothly. Sometimes, I can be a pantser though. I simply sit down and write with no direction whatsoever. I do, however, take longer to finish a novel this way. 

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

JOHN: I think that I would have been a model. LOL! Nah, I can’t model. I don’t think I the looks. I honestly think that I would have been a manager or an accountant. But, I love writing and I don’t see myself doing something other than writing cool and kickass stories.

GRACIE: I think you’re being modest about your looks, John, but who are some of your favorite authors and why? Name some of your favorite books and why they’re your favorites.

JOHN: I have so many favorite authors but I would say that my top two would be the amazing J.K. Rowling and the incredible Jeff Erno. Both of them have inspired me with their work and they keep on doing it.

As for my favorite books, I would say:

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – I couldn’t pick one, to be honest. Every single book in that series is so good that they inspired me to write Raven and Crow: a Chain of Memories.

Dumb Jock by Jeff Erno – This is my favorite GLBT novel of all time. Yes, there are so many out there, but this one is the first one to make me cry. This novel was so thrilling and inspiring that it led me to write my first GLBT novel, Surviving Elite High.

Something Like Autumn by Jay Bell – Dear God! This novel is so awesome! Mr. Jay Bell came up with one the most amazing little pieces of literature ever and this is the third and last novel to make me cry. (Something Like Summer by the same author was the second novel to make me cry).

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

JOHN: Right now I’m working on my fourth GLBTQ novel called, Love, Joy, Heartache and Pain. Now, this novel is special because it’s my very own collection of short stories, three shorts to be exact. They can stand on their own or act as a long one if you want them to. I absolutely love them. Here are their names:

1)         The not so unrealistic detailed account of how my best friend and I swap bodies for a short period of time. Swapatize for short.

2)         The Spirit Indestructible.

3)         And The Lake View Psychopath.

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

JOHN: Yes I do. I can be found online in several places actually:

1)         http://jhabooks.webs.com/

2)         https://www.facebook.com/JohnHenryAmes

3)         https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJohnHAmes

4)         http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820153.John_H_Ames

5)         https://twitter.com/JohnHenryAmes

6)         http://instagram.com/authorjohnhenryames

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

JOHN: My work is everywhere, but here are the major links to them:

Surviving Elite High - http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Elite-High-ebook/dp/B00BIOF58E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361488153&sr=8-1&keywords=surviving+elite+high

Surviving Elite High: Senior Year - http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Elite-High-Senior-ebook/dp/B00BKLG98A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1361727037&sr=8-4&keywords=Surviving+elite+high

Surviving Elite High: Loving James - http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Elite-High-Loving-ebook/dp/B00BKKTOZQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361727091&sr=8-3&keywords=Surviving+elite+high

GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

JOHN: Never give up. If you want to be a writer, know that the journey will be long, tedious, and hard. But remember that classic Lao Tzu quote, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step'. You'll get there eventually. Just keep a positive mind and attitude and aim for the stars, because you might just end up on the moon.

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

                      

JOHN: Yes, there is a little question that fans always ask. Will there be more books in the Surviving Elite High Saga? Yes. Right now, I’m working on a possible plot for Rick Sanders, a minor character in the Surviving Elite High Saga. I also want to write a third for Nick and John. Wish me luck guys!

GRACIE:  We wish you much luck, John and thank you 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!

JOHN: No, Thank you for having me here today.