Author Interview:
1. How did you start writing erotic romance?
Hi Erzabet, and thank
you for having me here. My sorry little tale is that in 2007 I submitted the first
three chapters of a mystery novel to a writing contest. I won! The first prize
was the professional critique by a literary agent, but after giving me glowing
praise-including the fact that I had a unique premise and protagonist - he said I would never get it published
because the mystery genre is a closed shop.
He suggested that I write erotic romance until my ship came in (he
actually used this cliché) and after sulking for a couple of days, I got over
that sucky review and looked into writing erotic romance.
I pitched Phantom Lover to a publisher and got a
book contract the same day. BTW, that agent was wrong. I sold that mystery novel. It was Wanted, book 1 in my Mingo McCloud Honolulu Mysteries series.
There are six so far and I am working on book 7 now. It's one of my most
popular series. So, never let criticism stop you. Take it all in, learn from it
and move forward!
2. Plotter or pantster?
A mixture of both!
I do let the characters control me,
sigh...
3. What are three things you have on your writing desk?
In the morning, a cup
of coffee. In the afternoon, bottled water or tea. The other two things are my cats. They always
sit me.
4. Favorite food?
I love Asian foods. I
love Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Hawaiian...heck...I love exotic foods!
5. Tell us a little about your new release. What character
in the book really spoke to you?
My newest release is
with Breathless Press. 'Ailani is
book 1 in my Last Warrior trilogy.
It's fiction based on a little bit of fact. The last king of the Hawaiian
island of Oahu had a fearsome band of warriors - a Hawaiian version of the
knights of the round table. After breaking up with his lover, Lio, my main
character discovers he had a past life as the last king's favorite warrior. I
loved writing this book!
I love all my
characters but I think my favorite is Kord, who becomes 'Ailani's lover. I
don't want to blow the plotline so I will just say this. Not many men could
handle falling in love with a guy whose past life from 200 years ago keeps
interfering with the present. How would you handle it if you were in bed with
your man and you're suddenly transported magically back to those times?
Kord is a gracious
guy about it! I love him!
6. I write because I
have to.
7. What is your favorite type of character to write about?
Anyone looking for
love, who is dealing with real life, with problems and anxieties, but is
willing to take a chance on true love.
8. What is the sexiest scene you ever wrote?
To be honest, I love
the scenes in 'Ailani. There's a table top sex scene I thought was killer! Also
in my first book, Phantom Lover, I have my heroes Kimo and Lopaka making love
on the edge of Kilauea Volcao as it's erupting. That was a hard scene to top!
9. What advice would you give new authors in the
erotica/romance field?
Just do it. Read,
read, read. Read everything. And write. Don't show partials to ANYBODY because
you will get negative critiques that may not be helpful. Write your book and
try not to edit too much until it's done. If you get stuck, you've gone off the
track somewhere. Leave it alone for a day or two and reread it. You'll find
where you went wrong. Repack the snowball and keep going.
Most of all, believe
in yourself and the power of story. Keep calm and story on!
10. What is next on your writerly horizon?
I mentioned above
that I am working on book 7 of my Mingo McCloud series. It's called Hogtied and
there's murder, marriage and mayhem for Mingo in this one. I am working on a
new series with my frequent co-author, D.J. Manly. I am blessed. So much going
on and I appreciate and value my career each and every day.
Please check my
website www.ajllewellyn.com for updates, free short stories, and free blog
stories. Thanks for having me here, Erzabet!
Readers can find 'Ailani: The Last Warrior here - it is
available for pre-order:
http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=1&products_id=634&zenid=4d156ac214f9672a5b3bbddc498bb479
Synopsis:
After a bad breakup, Lio rents a cheap house with magical views.
It seems the perfect solution, but the house has a haunted connection with an
ancient statue. Once unearthed, it gives Lio the power of...THE LAST WARRIOR...
When Lio's lover cheats on him, he's forced to give up what he
thought was the idyllic romance he's lived with Maks, including their stunning,
scenic Waikiki apartment. He rents a cheap house with magical views on the
other side of the island. So why is it so cheap?
He soon becomes haunted by dreams in which a
fearsome yet sexy Hawaiian man begs him to rescue him. Lio is certain he's going
nuts until one night in the midst of a tropical rainstorm he follows the man's
urgings and digs a hole in a church graveyard. He finds a gigantic, ancient
stone statue with scary eyes...that soon gives Lio the power of...THE LAST
WARRIOR...
Excerpt:
We shared a slice of the pie I'd never tried
before. It was like eating a giant orange Creamsicle. That's when I remembered
why Hau'ula was familiar. I'd come here many, many years ago on a school
excursion.
"Isn't there a great trail into the rainforest around
here?" I asked him.
"Why, yes." He grinned at me.
I recalled quite clearly going with my class. We'd bought ice
creams from a portable ice cream stand as we were leaving. Orange Creamsicles.
"Do you hike much?" I asked.
"Every chance I get."
"Wow, that's great."
"You like to hike?" he asked, pushing the last bite of
pie toward me.
"Yeah, my ex hated it, though."
"I'm always up for a hike," he said. "Give me a
shout some time."
Speaking of shouting, the volume rose considerably with some newcomers
so we gave up our table. Outside, I inhaled a mouthful of sweet night air.
He was giving me so many mixed signals, or so I thought.
Sometimes he reached out to me, then pulled his hand away. I was certain he was
staring at my mouth in a hungry way. I sure as hell wanted him to kiss me. He
smiled at me a lot. Maybe he was being kind, but I felt certain we were on a
date. When he took me to his own home, I didn't think I was wrong. His beach
cottage sat right on the reef, and I was stunned by his uninterrupted view of
the ocean.
Kord's life seemed to be straight out of my childhood.
Everything on the walls and sideboards was found art. He'd discovered gigantic
shells, sea glass balls, bleached pieces of driftwood that almost looked like
antlers. He'd even made a hammock out of an old fisherman's net.
He showed me his home office, which took up most of the space.
He pointed to the garage. "That's where I build stuff."
I had a sense he didn't bring many people here. I almost felt
glad I didn't see any chick stuff. His home spoke of a solitary existence.
"Take a seat." He pointed outside. I swung in one of
the aged rocking chairs on the lanai as he brought me a beer. Longboard. My
favorite.
"You had a recent breakup too," I said. "Isn't
that what you told Marcella?"
"Sure. It never works out for me with women." He
scowled.
"Why's that? You're a great guy. Handsome,
hard-working—"
"Thanks. That's part of the problem. I love to work."
The words swayed between us like a coconut palm. "I have a
hard time with women because...because..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't want me to know he was
bi. I sensed he didn't want to give me ideas. It was okay. I didn't need any. I
was too busy licking my own wounds and couldn't have handled any confusion.
When he dropped me home and kissed me on the lips, I felt my
spirit and my body reacting.
"Have a great night," he said, then watched as I let
myself inside Dad's house.
As I closed and locked the door behind me, I felt something
shifting. I couldn't explain it as I leaned with my back against the blue
stained-glass mermaid and felt her coolness seep into my hot skin.
Aaaahhh...something had changed. Something good. I touched my
lips. We'd had a great date. No, not a date. He was being kind.
So why did he kiss me?
We'd had a swell time. A gentle time. I hadn't had such a sweet
evening with a man in a very long time. When I'd cleaned my teeth, I fell into
bed. I could almost feel his dark hair on my face, his lips on mine. I tasted
salty tears. Yeah...something was changing. I didn't know what.
I dreamed of fishermen's nets, mad laughter, and mud.
At around three o'clock in the morning, I awoke from a strange
dream.
No. They were not coming back. I wouldn't allow them to come
back. Not the dreams. Not those ones. I closed my ears to the voices
whispering...
Remember...remember...
I worked very hard to forget. To think of
nothing but the soft press of Kord's lips, wishing for more. So much more.
How to find/friend
me:
email:
ajllewellyn@gmail.com
website:
www.ajllewellyn.com
www.facebook.com/aj.llewellyn
www.twitter.com/ajllewellyn
A.J. Llewellyn is an author whose
obsession with myth, magic, love, and romance might have led to serious
stalking charges had it not been for the ability to write. Thanks to the
existence of some very patient publishers, A.J.'s days are spent writing, reading,
and dreaming up new worlds. A.J. has definitely stopped Google-searching former
boyfriends and given up all ambition to taste-test every cupcake in the
universe to produce over 150 published gay erotic romance novels.
A.J. wants you to read them all.
You can find this author lurking on
Facebook and Twitter—part-time class clown being another occupation. When not
writing or reading, A.J.'s other passions include juggling, kite-boarding, and
spending a fortune buying upgrade apps for Diner Dash.
Please connect with A.J. here at:
www.ajllewellyn.com
www.facebook.com/aj.llewellyn
www.twitter.com/ajllewellyn
Author Interview:
1. How did you start writing erotic romance?
·
Erotic romance is really a new territory for me.
I started writing erotic based on a submission call that I had to write for.
The story was demanding to be told, and I had to go with it. Generally, I am a
heat 1-3 romance writer and that is definitely my comfort zone. But, that first
story made me grow as a writer and I couldn't be more grateful. Now, I don't
blush anymore when I write erotic. LOL.
2. Plotter or pantster?
·
Can I say both? Let me explain. When I get an
idea, I have a small notebook that I write a very general outline in. It's one
page at most, broken into chapters, scenes, and only important events. Total,
it may be 400 words for a 15k novella. Then, I start writing. During my writing
process the story may change, and I go with it. Then, I bring it back to the
ending. That's the best way I can answer that. However, I have written entire
shorts from nothing but sitting and typing as well. Some of those shorts have
been written and edited in a day, and accepted in less than 48 hours. So, for
me, either way works.
3. What are three things you have on your writing desk?
·
Coffee cup, noise cancelling headphones, and
usually a printed copy of the submission requirements for the story I'm
writing.
4. Favorite food?
·
Crab legs. But, when I can't get those, I'm an
Alice Springs Chicken at Outback fan.
5. Tell us a little about your new release. What character
in the book really spoke to you?
·
The hero Marcus was whispering in my ear when I
saw my first live hockey game. He had a story, a great story. You see, Marcus
is a great athlete in a manly sport, and he's gay. We had to find out how the
world would react to his coming out.
6. I write because ____...
·
I write because of characters like Marcus. They
beg for someone to hear their side of the story and tell it to others. I do my
best and we are usually satisfied with the results.
7. What is your favorite type of character to write about?
·
Though this particular character doesn't appear
in my newest release, I love to write about strong females. Females who know
exactly what they want, how to survive, and how to love. These characters are
great, because you know eventually something will happen that makes them see
that they can't so it all alone and having a caring partner suddenly breaks
them and they become better people.
8. What is the sexiest scene you ever wrote?
·
I wrote a short story the other day that has two
females as the leads. Their encounter was probably the sexiest I had ever
written. It wasn't just sex. There was a raw emotion underlying everything.
That emotion drove the scene and the outcome was very sexy.
9. What advice would you give new authors in the
erotica/romance field?
·
There are so many publishers out there that are
looking for erotica and romance. The field can be the easiest to break into.
Just don't give up. Don't take a rejection personally. Open that rejected
story, re-write, revise, have others beta read, and submit it somewhere else.
Someone will want it. Just keep pushing.
10. What is next on your writerly horizon?
·
That short story I mentioned above with the two
females, well I'm currently in the processes of editing it with a hired editor.
I hired a cover artist, and I am well on my way to self-publishing. That's
what's next. It's been an interesting learning experience.
Social and buy links:
-
Twitter: @LisaAdamsWriter
Author bio:
- Lisa
A. Adams writes from a little plot of country, tucked away in the North
Carolina Sandhills. When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found in her sewing
room, in a classroom, or at a local soccer field. When asked about her family,
Lisa will be the first to tell you that they have been the backbone of not only
her writing career, but anything she chooses to pursue as well. She has been
married to her husband for over ten years, has five wonderful children, and two
very spoiled cats.
Blurb:
-
Facing a firing squad of reporters accusing him
of adultery with another player's wife, Marcus Zankoriewicz sees there's only
one way out. He must make the announcement he knew would come one day.
But, this is hockey. Well known for its rough
and manly men, Marcus must prepare himself for an on slaught of changes that
threaten his career and love life.
Buy Link
Book excerpt:
Marcus chuckled.
"After all this time I ignored the questioning looks and there were still
people whothat
figured it out. I should have knownguessed."
"Don't get
me wrong. You're definitely not flaming. In fact I bet my ass you're the hitter
in the game."
Marcus grinned.
"Really? You bet your ass?"
Justin rolled to
his knees and stood in front of him. "Of course, you'll have to catch me first."
