| To start, will you please tell us a little | | | | Egon Schiele's "The Lovers" hanging over my |
| bit about your current release, Sins and | | | | desk, and copies of Za-Hazzanani's |
| Secrets? | | | | photographs of men from my website under the |
| | | | clear blotter. Seeing these pictures really |
| Sins and Secrets is Victorian erotica. It is | | | | helps the mood! Za-Hazzanani's photos |
| set in 1880's London, and is a unique | | | | especially ring my chimes. Geez Louise, those |
| choose-your-own sexual adventure novel. Peter | | | | men are to absolutely die for! Take a look |
| Rennard is a London barrister. Pamela | | | | for yourself - |
| Kingston is the genteel daughter of Sir | | | | |
| George Kingston, also a barrister. When Sir | | | | Can you tell us about your book Passion and |
| George dies, he names Peter as his successor, | | | | how long it took you to write it? |
| and entrusts him with the guardianship of his | | | | |
| daughter, Pamela. | | | | PASSION began as an erotic dream I had while |
| | | | on vacation several years ago. I wrote down |
| The story begins when Pamela comes home after | | | | the dream, originally calling it A Horse's |
| finishing her schooling, bound by her | | | | Tale. Once I got home, the story continued to |
| father's will to live with Peter until she | | | | play in my head like a movie. Each time it |
| marries. She is not inclined to marry, | | | | did, the story became more detailed. I wrote |
| because by law, all rights to her inherited | | | | what I saw and heard. The "He Said / She |
| property pass to her husband. The story | | | | Said" narrative and dialogue evolved over a |
| follows the evolving relationship between | | | | period of time. Ivan's voice became as clear |
| Peter and Pamela, and presents the reader | | | | to me as Pash's, so I gave them each a chance |
| with alternatives to their sexual | | | | to speak. It took about a year to write it |
| explorations. | | | | and about two months to get it ready for |
| | | | publication. |
| From what do you derive the most inspiration | | | | |
| for your writing? | | | | As for what the book is about, this is the |
| | | | synopsis: |
| Men and romance!!! I love men, the way they | | | | |
| look, the way they smell, the way they do | | | | When Pash decides to forsake her quiet and |
| (ahem!) what they do. I am also a hopeless | | | | bookish fixation with the romance of |
| romantic. | | | | historical England for the hobby of horseback |
| | | | riding, she gets much more than she expected. |
| Most of all, I am a student of the sexual | | | | Ivan, her handsome and brooding riding |
| tension between men and women. This tension | | | | instructor, completely draws her into his |
| is the foundation of the rituals, the | | | | world of seduction and passion. |
| flirtations and finally the connection | | | | |
| surrounding relationship. The layers of | | | | And this is an excerpt from your own Fallen |
| physical, emotional and psychological | | | | Angel Reviews (Thank you Serena!): |
| attraction between men and women fascinate | | | | |
| me. | | | | Even though she discovers she fears horses; |
| | | | Pash cannot stay away from the enigmatic Dr. |
| My inspiration comes from what I feel by both | | | | Ivan Kozak. She is drawn to his body and the |
| observing and experiencing this dynamic. It | | | | care he shows the horses, but is drawn in by |
| creates a pleasurable burning in my body, and | | | | his mind; fascinated by the brain inside the |
| in my spirit, that I express in my stories. | | | | brawn. When she finds that they share more |
| | | | than a few preferences she has a harder and |
| What is the biggest misconception about being | | | | harder time thinking about the end of the |
| an author? | | | | summer. |
| | | | |
| There are two that occur to me. The first is | | | | Can you tell us a little about your upcoming |
| that you will get rich quick. Unless you are | | | | works? |
| a name author, a writer can't quit their day | | | | |
| job. The publishing industry moves slowly. It | | | | The book I am working on now is an erotic |
| takes time to build a name and a reputation | | | | ghost story. A well traveled female |
| which will translate into dollars and cents. | | | | journalist has a near death experience. |
| | | | During her out-of-body journey, she |
| The second is that it is so easy anyone can | | | | reconnects with a past life lover. What |
| do it. Having writing talent and solid | | | | happens once she comes back from the other |
| technique are only parts of the job | | | | side is an erotic liaison of cosmic |
| requirement. An author has to passionately | | | | proportion! |
| want to write to take on the required | | | | |
| lifestyle. I work a full time job, and write | | | | Also on the boards are two novellas to be |
| evenings and weekends. Many authors do this, | | | | included in separate anthologies and a full |
| as well as raising a family. It takes | | | | length novel about Sailors. I will be |
| dedication, stamina and tolerance for sleep | | | | cuddling with my computer for some time to |
| deprivation to write. It is also a lonely bit | | | | come. |
| of business. Writing requires solitude, and a | | | | |
| willingness to reveal your own internal | | | | What's one thing you would like your readers |
| world. Exploring your personal shadow is not | | | | to know about you? |
| for the weak of heart. | | | | |
| | | | There is a quote from my book "Sins and |
| What is your most favorite part of being a | | | | Secrets" that I have on the home page of my |
| writer? The least favorite? | | | | website: |
| | | | |
| Going into a bookstore and seeing my book on | | | | "It is a hard lesson to learn, that the fire |
| the shelf is an unbelievable rush, but the | | | | never goes away. It smolders and it flares, |
| most pleasure I get is having the capacity to | | | | and it always, always burns." |
| express myself in writing. The creative | | | | |
| process of writing is a shamanic journey of | | | | My original "mission" as a writer of erotic |
| self exploration. I am addicted to it. | | | | literature was simply to vent this burning. |
| | | | Most people take a holiday in the tropical |
| Following the characters through their lives | | | | climate of passion. I live there! With my |
| is like an Aboriginal walkabout to my own | | | | active imagination and potent libido, I |
| dreamtime. They become extensions of myself, | | | | needed a safe and creative way to express |
| and I bond to them as close family. The | | | | these parts of myself. |
| couples in my books, Pash and Ivan in | | | | |
| Passion, and Peter and Pamela in Sins and | | | | Now that my work is published, I write |
| Secrets, became three dimensional, living | | | | erotica for women. Through my writing, I |
| people to me. I care about them, and miss | | | | extend my method of coping to any woman who |
| being part of their lives when the story | | | | smolders with it as I do, and hopefully, my |
| ends. Having that close relationship with my | | | | work will make it easier for her to |
| characters is the most satisfying part of my | | | | acknowledge and enjoy her own fire inside. |
| writing. | | | | |
| | | | If you were a dessert, which one would best |
| As for the least favorite part, a deadline is | | | | describe you? |
| a deadline is a deadline! So, you've got the | | | | |
| flu, you're feeling lazy, you've planned a | | | | Crème Brûlée. It is a sensual, |
| vacation or the laundry and dishes are | | | | exotic dessert that caramelizes under the |
| waiting. You still have to write. The | | | | flame of a blowtorch, yet still retains its |
| discipline necessary to keep on keeping on is | | | | sweet and creamy textural contrast inside. |
| not always easily found. My characters have | | | | |
| to get it on even if I have a headache. It is | | | | You have 3 wishes, what are they? |
| certainly easier to write it when I feel it, | | | | |
| but I have to make it happen even when I | | | | To be: |
| don't. | | | | |
| | | | 1. Healthy |
| Also, public criticism is also a difficult | | | | |
| pill to swallow. The Internet has made it all | | | | 2. Wealthy |
| too easy for anyone who wants to take a swipe | | | | |
| to do so, sometimes anonymously and | | | | 3. Wise |
| maliciously. Not everyone will like | | | | |
| everything an author does, that is to be | | | | Is there anything else you would like to |
| expected. An author learns to not take it | | | | share with your readers? |
| personally. However, it is a rude awakening | | | | |
| to discover how vicious it can get, and how | | | | Looking back on everything that has brought |
| hurtful and potentially destructive Internet | | | | me to this point, I can honestly say that in |
| attacks can be. | | | | retrospect, all roads led to the same |
| | | | destination. I have a degree in writing, but |
| Do you have any special rituals to help you | | | | life experience made me a writer. It is |
| get in the mood to write? | | | | amazing what being knocked upside the head a |
| | | | few times can teach you! I understand that no |
| Music is my preferred ritual, a way to | | | | dream realized comes without a price. |
| naturally alter my state of consciousness. I | | | | Everything in life is a compromise, to get |
| have my Bose wave music system with wireless | | | | one thing, something else will no doubt be |
| headphones beside computer. The blues and | | | | sacrificed. I am very fortunate to be one of |
| soul music in particular get the juices | | | | the lucky few that can say "I actually did |
| flowing. I love Etta James, Queen Latifah, | | | | it! I am an Honest to God published |
| Nat King Cole, Barry White, Whitney Houston | | | | author!!!" |
| and many other artists, including Leonard | | | | |
| Cohen. In his song Anthem, Leonard Cohen | | | | Thank you so much for spending time with us |
| observes, "There is a crack in everything, | | | | today! |
| that's how the light gets in." Music helps me | | | | |
| find the crack that lets my light in. | | | | Thank you for inviting me to do an interview |
| | | | for Fallen Angel Reviews. I thoroughly |
| I also have a poster from the Neue Galerie of | | | | enjoyed it. |