Guest Blog Questions and Answers - Lynn Townsend

Every now and then you meet someone online that has so much in common with you it's crazy. One of those persons for me is Lynn Townsend, we have so much alike and yet we are very different people.

I'm very happy she agreed to answer a few questions for me and so without further ado here is Lynn!

What was it that got you into writing?

I've been a reader as long as I can remember, but it never occurred to me that writing was a thing I could do as a profession until I was in 5th grade. We did a book project in 5th grade where we wrote a short story, edited it, made a blank book and then copied the story into the blank. Most of the kids in my class hated that project; I remember particularly listening to my best friend in class, Layla, complain for the entire two weeks of the project. I... loved it.

Yes, I still have my book... no, I won't let you read it. But it was fully illustrated with my uber bad drawings and had a blue cover. I wrote short stories and whatnot after that -- had a few of them "published" by the school's literary magazine when I was in high school. 

Unfortunately, for a long time that's where my interests stopped. I wrote, shared with my friends sometimes, but that was all. I rarely submitted anything until I was in my late 30's.

What was your first piece of published work?

I started in erotica with Cleis publishing. Through some social contacts at my local coffee shop, I met Kristina Wright and helped her set up a book signing at the coffee shop. A few months after that, she drew my attention to her call for submissions, knowing that I was into Steampunk. I wrote a short story, Golden Moment, for that call and sent it in. I was so stunned when I got the acceptance that I actually had to have my husband come over and read it out loud to me so that I could be sure I saw what I thought I saw. 

That was May of 2009. Since then, I've published over 30 pieces, including seven novels, with contracts for two more.

Has the genre you write in had an impact on your everyday life and relationships?

No one important has completely disowned me; I write both erotica and LGBT romance/erotic romance, and I refuse to shut up about it. I'm not ashamed of what I do, and this has made me slightly less popular with some of my more conservative relations. I can't say that's a bad thing, the ones that are highly offended, I didn't particularly like to begin with, so there's that. I've had one super-big fight with a person I gamed with (MMO type gaming, so no one I know in meat space) and one meat-space friend who doesn't talk to me anymore.

That being said, I'm highly political, an LGBT activist, a Black Lives Matter supporter, and a feminist. There are people who disown me for who I am, not just what I write. I'm kinda controversial anyway, before you add my job into the mix. 

On the other hand, one of my daughter's teachers reads my work and loves it, so you never know where you're going to find supporters.

What was the first thing you did this morning?

Well, school starts up for us next week (yeah, I know, we start REALLY late around here) and so we're still in practice mode. My daughter (and husband) are natural night owls, so during the summer, she gets herself on this 2am - sometime after lunch sleep schedule, and we've been having to roll back through the last few weeks. So today, I got up at the "normal" time, woke her up, and we went through our "pretend we're going to school" routine. I think she fell asleep in the recliner, so I'm not sure this is helping any...

If you become stranded which one of your characters would you want to be stranded with and where would you be stranded?

This may sound odd, but I think I'd rather be stranded without a character. The main male character from my fantasy novel-set (two books, A Marked Man and A Wanted Woman) is Bastian Hooke. I first wrote a short story about him... maybe back in the 8th grade? Quite a long time ago, at any rate. He moved into my head back then and he's never moved out. Seriously, the guy camps out in my brain and comments on my life. Given that Bastian is a thief and an assassin, he's not exactly the safest, sanest person to be giving me advice. I am 43 years old now, which means I've been living with an assassin for about 30 years.

I'd really like him to shut up. Just for a while. That'd be great!
 

What are you working on now?

NOTHING! YAY! 

I just wrote The End on book three of my urban paranormal romance series, Sins of Angels, yesterday. (publication date, March, 2016)

Technically, that's not true, but I'm always a little gleeful when I can put a project to bed. SoA will be in sleep mode until the end of the month. In October, I'll take 2 weeks to run through my draft and make any changes that I can see, then ship it off to my beta readers... 

Book three in my LGBT collection comes out Sept 2, so I've been working on blog tours and some marketing for that...

In the meanwhile, I'm working on editing a collection of short stories about weird shape shifters for a charity anthology that I'm showrunning this fall. (Coming Together: Strange Shifters, probably out Oct 30th). I just sent out acceptances yesterday. I also just got the list of anthologies that Torquere Press is hosting for next year; so I'm eyeballing those and trying to decide which ones I want to do.

I'll be starting work in October on my next LGBT contemporary novels; All That Jazz...

And I have several other projects that are in various states of pre-planning, including a series of young adult space opera stories, a steampunk romance, and a contemporary western LGBT novel.

But Today, TODAY I have the day off!

What got you into writing your current genre?

My best friend, Elizabeth L. Brooks, http://everyworldneedslove.blogspot.com/ is also a writer and editor. About 10-12 years ago or so, we used to write stories for each other's entertainment. We... sort of accidentally wrote 2 and a half novels with an m/m/f poly relationship at the core -- they are terrible and we both wish that we had time to re-write them because the story is quite good, but we really had no idea what we were doing at the time. Neither of us had any idea that this sort of work had a market, at the time... 

And then Liz sort of stumbled onto Torquere's stuff. So, that happened, and now we're both rather joyously writing stories about hot guys boinking. And getting paid to do it.

Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate?

Coffee. Coooooooooooffffffeeeeeeee. 

I hate tea. Tea tastes like weed water.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you've been given about writing?

You can't edit the words that aren't written.

I used to have the worst time making progress; I'd write and rewrite the same three pages over and over again, striving for perfection.

These days, I've been known to put a note in my novel, midway through -- PLOT CHANGE, go back to chap 1, 3, 7, 8, and 9, and fix this... because truthfully, editing is also hard work, but it's not as hard as filling in that blank space to start with. You can always, always fix things. 

What's the worst?

Write what you know.

It's so limiting. What most of us "know" is television shows and hanging out with our friends at the Applebee's, and stupid cubical hive jobs. Do your research, talk with experts in the field (you'd be surprised how many people will talk to you if they know you're a writer and you're doing research. I've talked to an officer working for Scotland Yard, three scientists, a doctor, several nurses, a few people who lived in Bangkok, a mixed martial arts instructor, an auto-mechanic, a farmer, and the dean of a college -- I actually had to sign a non-disclosure agreement with that source, that while I could use the information provided, I am not allowed to disclose the university where that person works.) and add in little personal details. 

I have a little note-taking program on my phone, and I have a disconcerting tendency to start scribbling notes whenever someone says something interesting. Sometimes it's things people say that I want to transcribe. "Ah, watered down Jack and Coke... tastes like college." or sometimes it's just stuff they know... I wrote down almost three pages when my cousin was telling me about Bogota and how the triangle of official government, drug cartels, and rebel guerrilla forces interact. (He was down there a few years ago, adopting some children) I don't know if I'll ever have a use for the information, but I've got it, just in case. 

Where can readers find you and your books?

Bio

Lynn Townsend is a geek, a dreamer and an inveterate punster. When not reading, writing, or editing, she can usually be found drinking coffee or killing video game villains. Lynn's interests include geek comedy music, romance novels, octopuses, and movies with more FX than plot.

Social Media Links

Twitter: @tisfan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynnTownsendwriter

Website: http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/

Blog: http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kthicks3/rainbow-connection-novels-storyboard-inspirations/

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/tisfan

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LynnTownsend

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5262501.Lynn_Townsend

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Townsend/e/B005OQA0AA/

One of the many things we have in common is our love of the Coming Together series of books. We have both edited and sent out into the world books in that series. Every story in a Coming Together anthology has been given for free by the authors so its all about authors coming together to do good!

Lynn's most recent Coming Together is Coming Together: Among the Stars an anthology to support the International Still’s Disease Foundation.

 

Thanks so much to Lynn for dropping by! Don't forget if you would like to be interviewed and feel up to answering a few questions for my blog shout out!

 

Guest Blog Questions and Answers - Zak Jane Keir

This week for Friday's Friends I am happy to introduce someone who stars in Valves & Vixens. Zak Jane Keir has written a lot of varied pieces and has done a lot of varied things too - so without further ado here's Zak.

What was it that got you into writing?

I was one of those kids who was always either reading or scribbling stories. I wrote my first 'novel' when I was in my teens - it was unpublishable rubbish, of course (a lot of mary-sue mayhem involving a girl rock star who gets kidnapped and loses her memory, and her boyfriend, who thinks she's dead, goes nuts and embarks on a revenge mission...)

What was your first piece of published work?

An interview with Screaming Lord Sutch (he was a former rock star who got into politics. Nice chap.) I talked my way into a job (unpaid, or so it turned out) on a local music fanzine when I was 18 and that was the first assignment they gave me.

Has the genre you write in had an impact on your everyday life and relationships?

I worked for a publisher of 'top shelf' magazines for many years, and it did lead to some interesting conversations (and some very careful ones with new acquaintances when we got to 'And what do you do for a living). The one good thing I would say about EL James is that it's made people more open about discussing erotic fiction and less likely to pass out if they realise that they are in the company of an actual erotic writer. It does even seem to have gone some way to stopping people asking you if you've done all those naughty things yourself...

What was the first thing you did this morning?

Went to the loo. Doesn't everyone?

What are you working on now?

Stories for a Kinky Brits anthology, polishing up some very old short stories I wrote for magazines and putting them together into an anthology of my own, and fiddling around with the concept of a steampunk erotic novel featuring some of the characters from the story I had in Valves and Vixens 1.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you've been given about writing?

Have something to say, a point to make. Even when you're writing something that's a bit of fun, it needs a bit of a spark to it.

What's the worst?

It's not so much specific advice but I do read some of the writers' magazines, and when I look at how bloody awful most of their competition winners' work is, it makes me think their advice on writing probably isn't up to much.

Where can readers find you and your books?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Heart-Zak-Jane-Keir-ebook/dp/B00EALIOAI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395449200&sr=1-1&keywords=black+heart+zak+jane+keir

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spy-Games-Ashton-Peal/dp/178538158X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441060945&sr=1-1&keywords=spy+games+jillian+boyd

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Thrilled-Cock-Robin-Inspired-ebook/dp/B00WS29SQA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

(and Valves and Vixens too)

Thanks so much to Zak for popping along to answer my questions! Don't forget if you would like to be interview please do get in touch.

Guest Blog Questions and Answers - Slave Nano

It's another Friends Friday (I'm playing with names so watch this space) and this Friday I have the honour of introducing Slave Nano to the blog.

As you will hear he has had a very varied and interesting introduction to writing and this has flavoured a lot of his work which is always fresh and interesting and well worth a read especially if you like BDSM.

So without further ado please welcome Slave Nano

• What was it that got you into writing in the erotica genre?

How did I get to become a writer of erotic stories? Well, it was by a bizarre route. For a number of years I served a dungeon mistress who was very skilled at creating scenes and assuming different characters. I used story telling as a way of contributing to those scenes and adding my creativity to them. These stories would often get woven into the sessions this supremely skilled and imaginative dominatrix conducted. It was a fantastic experience and provided me with the inspiration to write and then go on to get my writing published. My work still draws on the themes of feminine domination, bdsm and fetish acquired through this experience, though not exclusively.

• What's your most recent piece of published work?

I’ve just had a story released called ‘The Nemesis Bird’ published by Forbidden Fiction. It’s inspired by ‘The Tales of the Arabian Nights’ and relates the tale of Sofia-al-din Hasan, a servant-girl in the Caliph of Ishfahan’s household. She’s ordered to capture a magical bird for the Caliph but she sets it free instead. For that she’s punished for forty days and forty nights. It’s dark erotica and not for the faint hearted - though it does have a satisfying denouement!

• If you become stranded which one of your characters would you want to be stranded with and where would you be stranded?

That would have to be with The Red Queen from my erotic novel ‘Adventures in Fetishland’. She rules over a fetish fantasy world, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, where anything can happen…and does!

• What are you working on now?

I’m two-thirds of the way into a new erotic novel, provisionally titled ‘La Contessa’. It develops the characters from one of my short stories and is set in 18^th century Venice, which provides a wonderful setting for some debauched and decadent erotica!

• Do you write in any other genres?

Yes, under another pen name I’ve had work published by a Pagan e-magazine called Eternal Haunted Summer. I also regularly contribute to story-telling sessions at my local Pagan moot, usually with stories drawn from mythology or local legends. I also conduct tours of local prehistoric and Pagan sites for the same group based on my own research. I’ve recently submitted a ghost story based on a Yorkshire legend, which is my first serious attempt to get published outside the erotica genre.

• Do you enjoy promoting your writing?

I do enjoy giving readings and am a regular attender of ‘Smutters’ events where I’ve had the opportunity to do that. You do get a buzz from giving a reading. I was also proud to get my book featured in Bizarre magazine accompanied by a stunning photo taken at a studio session by a professional photographer.

• Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate?

I’m definitely a coffee man. I need repeated shots of caffeine through the day to keep me going, especially when I’m writing!

• What's the most valuable piece of advice you've been given about writing?

Have faith in your muse and stick to it. I don’t believe in chasing the current trend or anticipating what that might be. I write what gives me pleasure and if other people read it and enjoy it then that’s a great bonus.

• Where can readers find you and your books?

My web site is at http://www.slavenano.co.uk/writing

My face book page is at: http://www.facebook.com/nano.vaslen

My Amazon author page is at: http://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile

My pinterest page is at: http://uk.pinterest.com/nanovaslen/

The Nemesis Bird can be found here: http://forbiddenfiction.com/story/SN1-1.000258

Blurb: One day the cruel, vain Caliph of Ishfahan spies a magical bird in a courtyard garden. He summons Sofia, one of his servant girls, to go there with a gilded cage and capture the bird for him. But when she sees the wondrous bird she tells her to fly away to safety. The Caliph is enraged and orders Sofia to be put into an iron cage, and for his imperial guard to abuse her for forty days and forty nights. But what will befall when her forty day ordeal is complete and she is summoned to the Caliph to be executed?

Thank you to Slave Nano for answering my questions and don't forget if you are wanting to be interviewed please get in touch!

Guest Blog Questions and Answers - Kathryn Lively

This week I'm honored to introduce Kathryn Lively - little known fact it was Kathryn that actually got me into writing in the first place!

As Kathryn says in the interview she has worked with a large number of authors in the past and there are many of us who will always be thankful for her guidance so I'm supper excited to be able to have her over here answering questions! She's also a self confessed massive fan of the band Rush so what's not to like.

What was it that got you into writing?

I have been writing since elementary school, so you could say it's something that's a part of me. As for writing professionally, I had planned to become a journalist. After taking a creative writing class in college, fiction hooked me. I published my first story at 19, and finished my first novel before I was 30. I haven't looked back.

What was your first piece of published work?

My first book, Little Flowers, was published in 1999. It's inspirational fiction, and came about through writing exercises I engaged in during Lent a few years prior. The story focuses on a small church community in the wake of the murder of an abortion practitioner, and how various people connected to the man react. When the published folded, I self-published the work and it's since become one of my better selling books.

Has the genre you write in had an impact on your everyday life and relationships?

It's hard to say, because I write more than one genre. My first works are mysteries, which I have enjoyed reading for years. Now that I'm mother to a "tween" girl, I find the experience comes in handy when I'm trying to figure out what is going on in her head. (I imagine many mothers can say that.) I've recently started writing romance, because I enjoy reading them as well. I find that happy endings boost my mood, and encourage me to do more work. I hope once I get make more stories available people will find something positive in what I write.

What was the first thing you did this morning?

I went for a two-mile walk. I recently got a FitBit and am trying to improve my energy and health.

What are you working on now?

I am currently serializing a romance called Geek Overboard in the Sexy To Go romance box sets, which are published every month. The story is about a woman, dumped by her boyfriend just as she boards a cruise ship, who gets involved with a B-list actor. She agrees to pretend to be his wife in order to boost his public image.

What got you into writing your current genre?

I have worked as an editor for years, and have worked with a number of romance authors. I love the genre and the variety of stories available - everything from historical settings to paranormal beings. Romance is so versatile, with characters you want to know. I want to be a part of it.

Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate?

I love them all, but I do enjoy hot Earl Grey on a cold day.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you've been given about writing?

Just write. It's short and simple, but it holds true. Write now, edit later.

What's the worst?

I wouldn't call it bad advice, but sometimes people suggest I should write like (insert other author here). I can only be myself.

Where can readers find you and your books?

I am online at www.KathrynLively.com and Twitter @MsKathrynLively. My Amazon page has all my current books.

http://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Lively/e/B004FW06U8/

I have to admit I love mystery books and spend most of my reading time (yes I'm that busy I have to have designated reading times!) devouring book after book. Currently I'm reading one of Kathryn's called: Killing the Kordovas. Just click on the cover for more information on it!

A big thank you for Kathryn for taking the time to answer my questions. Don't forget if you would like to be interviewed please get in touch!

Guest Blog Questions and Answers - Lucy Felthouse

Every now and then I love to open this blog up to other authors and this time is no exception. Over the coming weeks I've got a number of interviews by a wide range of authors. If you are an author and would like to be interviewed get in touch and I'll send you over the questions!

Now for the first interview of the series I'd like to introduce Lucy Felthouse she is a very prolific author and another Brit author!

What was it that got you into writing?

Writing in general is something I’ve done ever since I physically could. As a child I was constantly scribbling away in notepads. Then when I got my first computer I typed away.

Writing erotica started when I was at university, and someone dared me to write an erotic story.

What was your first piece of published work?

A short story called Wet & Willing, which appeared in an issue of Scarlet Magazine back in 2006.

Has the genre you write in had an impact on your everyday life and relationships?

No, absolutely not.

What was the first thing you did this morning?

Pressed ‘snooze’ on my alarm.

If you become stranded which one of your characters would you want to be stranded with and where would you be stranded?

Oooh, that’s a great question. I’m going to cheat and use a couple, because you wouldn’t have one without the other ;) It would have to be James and Logan from my upcoming book, Eyes Wide Open, because they’re just so incredibly hot, fun and naughty!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a M/F erotic romance novella called Love Through a Lens. If it’s accepted, it’ll be available as part of a contemporary erotic romance boxed set. Watch this space ;) It’s set in the Peak District, so naturally is a very outdoorsy tale, which is a nice change of pace.

What got you into writing your current gene?

The dare I mentioned in the first question ;)

Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate?

Tea. Milk, three sugars, please.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you've been given about writing?

Learn to edit your own work. It needs to be as polished as possible to impress editors, especially right now when the genre is getting increasingly crowded.

What's the worst?

I don’t think I’ve ever been given poor advice. Or if I have I’ve not taken any notice, or just ignored it anyway!

Where can readers find you and your books?

The best place to find out about all my books is my website, http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk. It’s kept well up to date, and my blog is there too, so there’s plenty to keep you entertained!

*****

Lucy's most recent release is Sated - check it out now from Totaly Bound!

 

Blurb:

A human, a vampire and a werewolf walked into a bar. Sexy is what happens next.

Since getting together with her vampire boyfriend, Ace, Aneesa is enjoying a sex life she could never have with a human. Ace has skill, strength, stamina…and is massively adventurous. Aneesa is checking things off her sexual bucket list at a rate of knots. However, she hasn’t even come close to experiencing the ultimate item on her list. So when Ace beats her to it, proposing a threesome with his werewolf friend, Barton, Aneesa’s definitely up for it.

Barton is attractive, smart and sexy—almost too good to be true, in fact. Aneesa decides not to jump straight into things, but makes sure it’s what she truly wants. However, it turns out Barton’s not so easily dissuaded.

Will Aneesa get the ultimate erotic experience she’s desired for so long? Will she be truly sated, or is the plan doomed to failure?

Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/sated/

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25950736-sated

*****

Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 100 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Thank you so much to Lucy for popping by! Don't forget to go check her books out you won't be disapointed, and if you would like to be interviewed yourself get in touch!