We’d like to welcome Jane Toombs to our interview blog this week. A very talented author, Jane writes in many different genres, and has several pseudonyms. However, her Freya’s Bower works include Sweet Hawk of Love, a sweet contemporary romance, and her upcoming sweet contemporary romance Two Hearts and a Crow.

FB: Welcome, Jane. You’ve written in so many different genres (horror, fantasy, and mystery and a variety of romance genres), what made you choose contemporary romance for Sweet Hawk of Love?

Jane: Since erotica has become so popular, I felt there weren’t enough contemporary sweet romances for readers who preferred a romance with less sex, but weren’t necessarily interested in sweet Christian romances. Since the advent of ebooks, those we write are read world wide and, as it is in the US, not every reader belongs to the same religion. Or has the same taste in books. My belief is romance readers should have a choice–erotic, spicy or sweet. And there seems to be a dearth of sweet that is not Christian romance. Plus not all Christian romances are sweet. Sweet to me means the hero and heroine must fall in love first, even if they don’t realize they are. Then physical demonstrations of love. Though tempted to consummate their love, the couples in my sweet romances don’t quite get there. The hero may have a different reason than the heroine, but though they do indulge in passion, their commitment to be together happens first, so the reader knows marriage will follow. This is not to say I don’t also enjoy writing many other genres.

FB: The heroine, Aldis, and Coleman, the hero, meet at a Christmas party. He kisses her under the mistletoe before they even speak. What prompted this beginning?

Jane: He’s a man and was attracted to her immediately. Since the mistletoe was right there, he took advantage of it. Coleman is a man accustomed to getting his way, in most senses of the meaning. Aldis will prove to be quite a challenge for him, but I also wanted to show she was attracted as well, even though she fights the feeling.

FB: Aldis doesn’t trust Coleman. He’s a man, after all. Not that I can blame her. There was a time in my life where my opinion of men equaled my opinion of, say, cockroaches (excluding my father, of course). Yeah, I’d been burned. My opinion changed over time, not necessarily due to any man. What is it about Coleman that allows Aldis to trust a man again?

Jane: Aldis does fear being badly hurt again by a man, so resists his efforts to move closer. But gradually, as she sees his kindness to others, she begins to thaw. Only to have him demonstrate what she sees as ruthlessness, which makes her retreat. Part of her problem is fear to trust again and she has to finally realize she tends to prejudge everyone, before she’s free to break the shackles of her past and enjoy love.

FB: I am always fascinated by why authors choose different names for their characters. The few times I have written, the name seems to come out of the ether. What’s your approach?

Sweet Hawk of Love by Jane Toombs

Jane: I’ve come to the conclusion I store in some mind niche odd first names I’ve heard that interest me. When I begin a new story, out they pop. Both Aldis and Coleman came from there. Last names often come from people I knew here or there in my life’s travels. And, like many authors I’m not above giving a villain a first name of someone in my past I had good reason to dislike. So sometimes I do get my payback time and those involved never know it. But I get even, evil author that I am.

FB: That’s a very tame way of getting even, but it works none the less. (grin) Now, Two Hearts and a Crow, still in the editing phase, is also contemporary, but set in Alaska. You seem to like colder climates, at least for these two. Is there a reason for that?

Jane: It’s not so much I like colder climates, more that I grew up there, so have a real feel for them. My stepdaughter and her husband lived for many years in Anchorage, so I made quite a few trips to Alaska and found it a fascinating place. Nothing like being shown many of its interesting features by those who live there year round. Alas, they finally got tired of the long, dark winters and moved to Idaho. I learned from them that ravens abound in Alaska, but there are extremely few crows, which is when the idea for this book took hold. They actually had their wedding reception in Stuckagain Lodge and, yes, the sled dogs were there. First time I ever ate reindeer sausage and moose stew.

FB: Um, I can gratefully say I’ve never seen either reindeer sausage or moose stew. It doesn’t appeal for some reason.

Do you feel the heroines of these two works have any common traits?

Jane: Yes. Both are strong, resilient women, even though they have, for a time, retreated from life after being hurt. Both are also basically nurturing.

FB: Do any of your characters exhibit any of your own personality or quirks of people you know?

Jane: I certainly have some traits I share with heroines, but by no means all. I do encounter difficulty when one of my heroines accepts a situation I wouldn’t tolerate for one second, so I have to get her out of it in her own way as soon as possible. Naturally, since I’ve learned a few things in my lifetime, I am by no means as naive as some of my younger heroines.

FB: Of all the genres you’ve written, which is your favorite?

Jane: Paranormal romance. I read Poe when I was too young to actually understand all I read, but I fell in love with darkness then, at least in my imagination. and it’s never left me. I truly enjoy writing about creatures that never were and imagining how they would act and feel. But, since I also read Dracula at an early age, I’ve never been able to write about a vampire hero. Hey, they’re dead and don’t give me any of this nonsense about Undead. As a nurse, I’ve seen enough dead bodies to become convinced that dead is dead. Vampires do, however, make great villains. Shapeshifters, on the other hand, are alive. Beasts at times, maybe, but alive.

FB: Now for some fun questions:

What about writing life/being an author took you by surprise?

Jane: The way some people viewed me after I’d been published more that once. Once at an RWA conference I stepped into an elevator and another attendee looked at my badge and squealed, “Jane Toombs! Oh, may I touch you?” I felt like a freak, but I was courteous and friendly. In later life, at a husband-wife bridge group I was in, one of the men always greeted me with, “Written any new pornography since I last saw you?” My chance to skewer him finally came when he told me, “It’s impossible to make love in a tree without falling out.” So then I knew he’d read my book where the young couple make love on a branch of a big old California live oak. This is the first I knew he actually read my books. I smiled and said, “Oh, so you’re speaking from experience? Did you break anything?” I’m not a ready quip person, but the laugh I got from the rest of the group made me feel good for days.

FB: Where did your journey as a writer begin?

Jane: When my father, who was forty when I was born, told me when I was four I was not to touch his big old L. C. Smith typewriter until I learned to spell. At six I wrote my first four line story by hunt and peck. And every word was spelled correctly. As I recall he didn’t critique that one, but later, in high school. He did help me tremendously when I wrote poems and stories. He wrote non-fiction–history of the area, and was published. His method was to first point out what I’d done well, then gently point out what could be improved, so the work would be even better. He once tried fiction and told me He didn’t know how I did it, but I wrote dialogue better than he could. Unfortunately he died before my first book was published. He gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my writing. My only problem is I still type with two fingers on the computer keyboard by hunt and peck

FB: If you could have any couple on one of your covers, who would they be?

Jane: You pose a hard question here. Because of the many clinch covers I’ve had on my romances, I’ve come to hate couples on a cover, so I really can’t answer that. I do like the cover on Sweet Hawk of Love, where the hawk takes center stage against a mountain background appropriate to the upstate NY area, and the hero and heroine’s faces are all you see of them. Not in a clinch.

FB: Of the following men, who do you think is the best kisser: Mick Jagger, Brad Pitt, Clark Gable, or Gene Kelly? Would you kiss any of them for charity? (grin)

Jane: My brother, now dead, was twenty years older than I. He was often compared to Clark Gable. Yes, he had a mustache. And, yes, he was handsome. So Gable, who was a real romantic hero, would be my first choice, if I didn’t feel it might be like my brother kissing me. None of the others are my type, but I would kiss Gene Kelly for charity.

FB: Any last words? Um, for the interview, that is. (grin)

Jane: Given my age, I’m glad you qualified that. Here’s some unasked for advice for writers : Writing is hard work, but if you enjoy what you’re writing, that helps. Always be courteous to your editors, even if you’d like to kill one or more of them. Same goes for publishers. You can get by with an ounce of talent, if you also have a ton of persistence and are willing to learn.

And thanks for this interview, Marci.

You can read more about Jane Toombs by visiting her website.

Freya’s Bower titles by Jane Toombs:

Sweet Hawk of Love by Jane Toombs

We’d like to welcome Jenna Byrnes to our interview blog this week. A very talented author, Jenna was one of our first interracial erotic writers. Her works include Edge of Sanity, which started as a chapter book series, and a story in Dream by the Fire anthology. She’ll have you sitting on the edge of your seat and reaching for your significant other at the same time. (grin)

Welcome, Jenna.

Thanks for having me today, Marci!

FB: What was your inspiration for Edge of Sanity?

Jenna: Romantic suspense has always been my favorite genre. I fancy a little mystery with my love stories. So naturally, I write what I like to read. I don’t recall a specific inspiration for Edge, just an idea rattling around in my head, a story that needed to be told.

FB: Joss is a strong woman, but Jake is a little put off by her at first. I find this interesting because he thinks her a little odd, and it seems to me that whenever someone does not conform to convention, that is how people react. What changes his mind?

Jenna: At first Joss comes across as strange because she claims her house is haunted. Jake gets a front row seat to the next scary chain of events, and his mind changes rather quickly. He’s also quite smitten with the woman, and we all know what that does to a person!

FB: Are there any aspects of Joss’s character that you wish you had more of?

Jenna: Joss is stubborn, strong in some ways, and delicate in others. I think it’s a nice combination. I could probably use another dose of self-confidence.

FB: Other than great fun to read, is there a message in this book you would like readers to walk away with?

Jenna: No message, as such, unless it’s that things aren’t always as they seem. That’s the best part of writing a suspenseful story- the twists and turns taken to reach the end.

FB: Would Joss or Jake like to add anything?

Jenna: Jake’s not real big on interviews and publicity type stuff, so he politely declines. He’s pretty busy these days, remodeling the house and taking care of Joss who’s expecting twins!

“High Maintenance” - Dream by the Fire anthology a story by Jenna Byrnes

FB: In “High Maintenance,” the story in Dream by the Fire, you touch on the subject of social class, or what some people perceive as class (To me, class has little to do with money and everything to do with the way a person handles themself.), and the stigma of weight and the expectations laid upon a woman and what this can do to her psyche. Again, you use the differences to show the humanity of your characters as well as a social commentary without hitting us over the head. There’s also a twist at the end, but I won’t divulge that because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. What inspired this story?

Jenna: Striving for something different, I guess. BBW heroines are becoming more in vogue, but traditionally, the heroines in romance are beautiful and tiny. I wanted to show that a woman could be more rotund, and just as sexy, even if she doubts herself. The issue of social class was a fun touch to throw in. I love messing with people like Deidre’s mother, who was concerned that her daughter was dating a ‘maintenance man’. It’s always fun to see people like that get set straight- or to know that other people are on to them, and they eventually will be set straight.

FB: Joss and Deidre, “High Maintenance’s” heroine, have strength of character in common. Do you relate to either of them more than the other?

Jenna: I can probably relate to Deidre more, since I’ve never been a tiny person. *grin* That’s a tactful way to put it, isn’t it?

FB: LOL Is there any one thing that influences your writing than anything else?

Jenna: My mood is the only real influence on my writing. Music, other things I’ve read, and people watching are all factors, but everything depends on the old mood.

FB: Are there any other genres you’ve considered trying?

Jenna: I really feel like I’ve tried all the genres I’m interested in. Most of the stories I write these days feature gay characters, I still write some hetero and have written some lesbian stuff. I’ve done paranormal with shifters and ghosts, both were a lot of fun. I’m not a fan of historical and am so-so about science fiction, so those are areas I shy away from.

FB: What are you currently working on?

Jenna: I’m writing a gay romantic suspense novel at the moment, and co-authoring the third book in a series with my friend and writing partner Jude Mason. The latest news can be found on my website, listed below.

Now for some fun questions:

FB: What about writing life/being an author took you by surprise?

Jenna: The amount of time it takes to handle the business end of things. Promotion and getting my name out there takes far more time than writing!

FB: Where did your journey as a writer begin?

Jenna: If you don’t count the notebooks I filled up in 5th grade, then probably about fifteen years ago when I decided to write in my spare time. That first novel started out as a 120,000 word tome and was eventually published as a 30K novella. Since then, I’ve learned to write tight! I began seriously attempting to get published in 2005 and saw my first book come out in 2006.

FB: If you could be any one, fictional or real, who would you want to be? Why?

Jenna: I’d have to take a pass. I’m a fairly realistic person. I know that everyone has issues, and the grass is always greener on the other side. I recall the old tale about a group of people who were able to throw their problems into the center of a room and choose out any problem they wanted. Almost everyone ended up taking their own problem back. So, rather than flippantly say I’d like to be Julia Roberts or Joan of Arc (um, that would be a bad choice, wouldn’t it?) I think I’m happier saying I’d rather be myself.

FB: Of the following men, which one (or two) would you like to see in his birthday suit: Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, or Johnny Depp?

Jenna: Hmm, no George Clooney? Antonio Banderas, then. I love a dark-haired man with a three day beard growth. And if I could choose two, I’d go with Denzel. Yum!

FB: You know, I didn’t think of George Clooney, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the running. He’s certainly hot enough. LOL Any last words? Um, for the interview, that is. (grin)

Jenna: I’ll end with a quote from my bio. This really sums up how I feel about writing.

Jenna thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and loves to provide as many of those as possible to her gay, lesbian and hetero characters. Her favorite quote, from a pro-gay billboard, is “Be careful who you hate. It may be someone you love.”

Thanks for having me here today, and I hope everyone will check out my books among all the wonderful listings at Freya’s Bower!

You can find out more about Jenna by visiting her website and her blog.

Jenna Byrnes’s Freya’s Bower books:

“High Maintenance” - Dream by the Fire anthology a story by Jenna Byrnes

Edge of Sanity by Jenna Byrnes

We’d like to welcome Maggie Toussaint to our interview blog this week. A very talented author, Maggie has a fabulous contemporary, sweet romance with us titled Seeing Red.

Welcome,Maggie.

FB: Seeing Red touches on the dynamics of family life. Even though Emma is the oldest, she still has disapproving younger sisters. (I relate. ) Where did the inspiration for this book originate?

MT: Hi Marci, thanks for this opportunity to showcase my work. Seeing Red was very much borne out of real life. I have three sisters, and we jointly inherited a property. In time that property needed rehab, or it would be uninhabitable. One of my sisters, the one who occupied the home, was willing to undertake the repairs at her expense. However, she couldn’t get a loan without clear title. To get a clear title meant that the rest of us had to sign over our share of the property. Like Maddy in the story, I had a very difficult time signing over my interest. It felt like I was invalidating my father’s trust in me, that I didn’t value my heritage or his gift. I eventually came around to the others’ viewpoint, but I had to work through a lot of emotion. That experience really stuck with me.

FB: Does Emma share any characteristics with you? If so, do tell. If not, did you base her on anyone you know? (No names necessary.)

MT: One of the cool things about writing is that bits and pieces of people are glommed onto characters. I share a science background with Emma. I never had such a hostile work environment as portrayed in Seeing Red, but there were times when it seemed like I was on the outside looking in. At the most basic level, that’s Emma’s dilemma. She just doesn’t fit in the life she’s living. I think many people can identify with being stuck and with wanting something different.

Seeing Red by Maggie Toussaint

FB: How did you choose your names for your characters in this book? I love the name Emma, but Quentin is not a name you see that often.

MT: I’m so glad you asked about names! I love naming characters. My goal is to have the name reveal more about the character. This is a bit tricky as we all have name associations with folks we know, but I go for it anyway. Emma struck me as a name that was a bit old fashioned. I liked the way it sounded, and I especially liked that it was plain because Emma is fighting for identity on many levels. I selected Quentin for my hero’s name because it was different. I wanted a name that stood out, a name a man had to live up to. I had a cousin growing up named Chisolm. We called him Quiz. I thought that might be a mouthful for a romance, but I liked the idea of a “Q” name. Thank goodness for baby naming books. That’s where I found Quentin’s name.

FB: Beyond looks, what is it about Emma that draws Quentin to her?

MT: This question made me smile. As a rehab contractor, Quentin is an excellent fixer, plus his secret passion is cooking. Emma is living in a house that is quite literally falling down around her, and she’s a terrible cook. Her goal is to turn the old house into a bed and breakfast, so she keeps trying to cook – and failing miserably. Quentin wants to fix the house, the cooking, and the hole in his heart.

FB: What would you like readers to take away with them after reading Seeing Red?

MT: My take home message for this book is that dreams come true. The odds were heavily stacked against Emma, both in finding herself and her career. She went for it anyway and found more than she’d ever dreamed possible.

FB: Do you write in other genres as well?

MT: Yes, I do. Besides romance, I also write mysteries. My romances have a bit of suspense, and my mysteries have romantic subplots. To me these are essential story elements, like the hot fudge sauce on the ice cream.

FB: Will we see any of the characters from these books in any others?

MT: This book has two possible follow-ons, the stories of Emma’s sisters. Sadly, I have been tied up with other projects and these haven’t moved forward as yet. But there’s always tomorrow!

FB: Do you have anything else in the works?

MT: I have been developing several mystery series of late. I enjoy my association with Freya’s Bower because I believe in the viability of the electronic market, however I want to explore other markets as well.

Now for some fun questions:

FB: What about writing life/being an author took you by surprise?

MT: I’m amazed that people want to know what I think about writing. I worked hard and for many years to get published. It’s amazing to me how many people are inspired by my struggle to succeed in publishing.

FB: Where did your journey as a writer begin?

MT: I’ve always been a scribbler, but I didn’t decide to write a book until a back injury sidelined me in 1991. Then I had the opportunity to read nearly a hundred books; some of them were not very good. It didn’t take long before the idea of trying to write a book progressed into scribbling in a notebook while I sat at my daughters’ extracurricular activities.

FB: If you could be any man, living or dead, who would you want to be? Why?

MT: I’ve never actually thought about being a man before, LOL. Given my sympathy for the underdog, my propensity for detail-oriented tasks, and my love for animals, I think I might like to be St. Francis of Assisi.

FB: Jane Eyre, Jo March, or Cathy Earnshaw? Which these famous historical heroines do you share the most characteristics with? And what are the characteristics?

MT: (this is a great question!) I’m definitely Jo March. I’m independent, creative, and outspoken. I like to push the bounds of my life, and I encourage others to reach for their potential. In addition, I have high personal standards, and I truly believe anything is possible.

FB: Any last words? Um, for the interview, that is. (grin)

MT: This made me grin as well. I recently visited my mother-in-law. She always prays for us to be taken safely home. I know she means home from our travels and not to the afterlife, but still, her words always catch me by surprise. Given that circumstance, my parting thought is that words matter. Choose how you spend your words. My choice is to spend mine entertaining others. I hope you’ll try Seeing Red and many of the other fine products from Freya’s Bower. For more about me, visit www.maggietoussaint.com.

To find out more about Maggie Toussaint, you can visit her website.

Freya’s Bower books by Maggie Toussaint:

Seeing Red by Maggie Toussaint

Lex Valentine

We’d like to welcome Lex Valentine to our interview blog this week. A very talented author, Lex joined us recently. Her works include the two sizzling shape shifter stories Mating and Runaways. She also has a short story in our sister site’s soon-to-be-release Weirdly 3 anthology.

Welcome, Lex.

FB: Mating and Runaways are two hot (and I do mean hot) shape shifter tales. What is it about shape shifters that makes you want to write about them?

Lex: I love that they can express their animalistic side. They scent their mates. They’re very possessive. They cut through all the crap to take what they want. They are earthy and unhampered by culture when it comes to sex and love and mates. As a writer, that type of character frees you and your imagination.

FB: Of the two heroes/brothers, do you have one you prefer over the other? Roul or Ranulf?

Lex: You know, I don’t prefer one more than the other. The reason is that despite the fact that they are twins, they are not identical nor are they alike in personality. There are some basic things that are the same – they’re both intelligent, loyal, ethical, driven men who feel strong emotion and aren’t afraid to show it. Roul the Alpha is bound by conventionality and is hampered by feelings of responsibility to his pack, his brother, and now his mate Morgan. Ran the Beta is more willing to do the unconventional, buck the system, be wild. Running away to New York with his mate Dante appeals to him. Even the fact that his mate is a vampire and not a werewolf speaks to the kind of man Ranulf is. For all that Morgan is a very capable woman who can best Roul on a number of fronts, she has a lot of ingrained fears, and she needs him. Roul is a man who needs to be needed. You just can’t choose between the Verlaine brothers.

Mating by Lex Valentine

FB: The two heroines are strong women in their own right. (They must be stand up to the males.) Do they share any traits with each other and/or you? (grin)

Lex: Both women are strong but in different ways. They also have one really important thing in common – inner fears. Dante is less confident than Morgan, but she’s not afraid to stand up to Roul. She’s breaking free of her family and discovering who she really is, spreading her wings for the first time. Morgan is a kick ass (literally) heroine but a lifetime of being a lone wolf has left her with some issues. Both women have a deep need to belong and be loved for who she truly is. Both long for a man who accepts her, protects her, but lets her fly free. I think every strong woman wants that for herself. I do find myself empathizing with both heroines in some ways. Dante wanting to run away from her family – sometimes my family drives me nuts, and I wish I could run away! LOL Morgan feels alone and isolated, a feeling I get sometimes because I spend so much time working.

FB: Do you relate more to any one of these four characters than any of the others?

Lex: Probably Roul. I’m responsible for my family. My DH has had issues. My kid has issues. I’m the one who has to be strong and make everything work, fix everything and keep things going. I feel the weight of my responsibilities for all my jobs very keenly. Like Roul, I just get tired and want a break away from it all. He enjoyed himself tremendously just being with Morgan in NYC without his life weighing him down. I wish I could do that.

FB: Do you prefer one of these stories over the other?

Lex: Runaways is an older story, and I love how they come together so quickly, but really Mating is such a tight story that I can’t help but like it more. I feel like it’s the best thing I’ve ever written.

FB: Do you write in other genres as well?

Lex: I do! I have a contemporary short story out and a contemporary Christmas story. I’ve just finished a ghost story. I have an urban fantasy in the works as well as a few more contemporary holiday stories coming. And I have my dark tale in Weirdly 3! That was a blast to write. I love dark, weird tales – not horror so much but strange Twilight Zone-ish stories. Writing Ain’t Nuthin’ But a Hellhound gave me the chance to do a piece without a HEA, without sex scenes, with some violence, and a very strong heroine who gains strength as the story moves along.

Runaways by Lex Valentine

FB: Will we see any of the characters from these books in any others?

Lex: I do have plans for a Watchers series of shorts based on Runaways and Mating. Watcher’s is the name of Morgan’s agency in Mating. I’ve been thinking of going back to tell Joey and Angel’s story. If you read Mating, you’ll know they are the empath team that Morgan sent to watch Ran and Dante. After that, perhaps Ran’s best friend Griffin’s story.

FB: Do you have anything else in the works?

Lex: I always do! My plate’s overflowing all the time! LOL I have a lot of commitments for other publishers that take me out to the end of the year. I’ve got 2 subs out currently, a novel due Nov 1 for my Tales series, three Christmas stories due, and a short contemporary piece for a new project due in January. I’ll probably start Watchers in January 2010.

Now for some fun questions:

FB: What about writing life/being an author took you by surprise?

Lex: The fact that I’ve been so driven since I started down the path to being published a year ago shocks me. I’ve always been sort of a procrastinator with stuff. I’m really driven with this though. Oh, and being a bestseller. Having two bestsellers with stars at ARe is amazing. I pinch myself everyday, I swear!

FB: Where did your journey as a writer begin?

Lex: As a kid I would write poetry and make up stories in my head. By my teens, I was writing constantly. In my twenties, I wrote a contemporary novel longhand and started building what is now the Darkworld, the world where most of my paranormal stories, including Mating and Runaways, is set.

FB: If you could be any man, living or dead, who would you want to be? Why?

Lex: Man? Richard Branson, hands down. The man is amazing. He’s always trying new things, always gives away money to charity and those who need it, always strives to work hard, play hard and enjoy life. He’s good to his employees and he owns Necker Island which I drool over. LOL

FB: Buffy, Sookie Stackhouse, or any one of the Charmed ones? Which these famous vampire/demon hunters do you share the most characteristics with? And what are the characteristics?

Lex: You’re gonna laugh, but it’s none of the above. I never got into Buffy. Sookie Stackhouse left me yawning. Couldn’t get into those books either. Charmed… I watched a few but it just didn’t grab me. I’m not a good TV watcher unless it’s CNN, Speed Channel, ESPN, TVG, Weather Channel. Anderson Cooper… rawr! You gotta love a man who comes from a background like his and who can laugh at himself on camera in front of the world. I adore him.

FB: Any last words? Um, for the interview, that is. (grin)

Lex: Well, fans should check my site for info on what I’m working on. Or they can come by Sunlight Sucks, my personal blog. I post Marcus Schenkenberg every Marcus Monday and babble about my life and friends. They are also welcome to follow me on Twitter where I’m lexvalentine or join Avoid Writer’s Hell, the writers Yahoo group led by Faith Bicknell-Brown. I’m always doing the writing exercises there so you get to see some of my mad genius in action.

Thanks for having me, Marci! It was a lot of fun!

To find out more about Lex, visit her website.

Freya’s Bower Books by Lex Valentine:

Mating by Lex Valentine

Runaways by Lex Valentine

Before Dawn Breaks by Rae Lori

We’d like to welcome Rae Lori to our interview blog today. A very talented author, Rae has been with us since 2008. Her works include Uthiel’s Embrace, One Evening in London, and Before Dawn Breaks.

FB: One Evening in London and Before Dawn Breaks are both multicultural romances, but different genres. The first is a contemporary short story while Before Dawn Breaks is a romantic suspense spy story. Do these two books heroines, Angela and Alexandra, have any common traits?

Rae: I’d say they are both skeptical about trusting and giving their heart to someone, but that’s probably where the similarities end. Angela is more comfortable in herself and in what she wants. She knows where she’s been, where she’s going, and how she plans to get their and will definitely voice her opinion if she feels something is wrong or off!

With Alexandra, it’s a little trickier because the life she believes she has lived is a false one. Although she is seemingly confident in her place in life as Camilla, she’s a little nervous about things happening around her. She always feels like something isn’t quite right, almost as if she’s living a lie. It turns out she is because she’s really Alexandra, and her memory is fed to believe she is a girl who just finished college and is a writer named Camilla. Alexandra is completely different because she’s cold and has cut herself off from the world to do her job as an assassin but that person changes once she meets Josh, her love interest.

FB: Who do you think you are more like: Angela or Alexandra? And why?

Rae: Ooh, good question. I’d say I’m more like the Camilla persona of Alexandra. I’m nervous about stepping my foot into things and like to ponder it before hand. I’m also happy just spending some down time writing and kinda get thrown off when things out of the ordinary happen to me. Sort of like what happens to Camilla when she finds out her true identity.

FB: Although both are modern, did either of them require any research?

Rae: Alexandra did more so than Angela. I had to study a bit on government organizations (particularly the Secret Service for Josh) and what entails working in undercover operations. I took some liberty creating my own secret government agent as I can’t know everything (not being in the government myself), but I can use my imagination and news stories to fill in the blanks.

Uthiel’s Embrace by Rae Lori

FB: Now, Uthiel’s Embrace is a completely different genre—a fantasy that is also a sweet romance. I am always intrigued by fantasy stories and what makes their authors write them. Where did the inspiration for this story come from?

Rae: I think this one came out of a challenge. Sometimes I see calls for submissions, and the deadline gives me a goal for someplace to submit by a certain time. Once I check out the guidelines, an idea spurts, and I’m ready to go. The first manuscript didn’t quite fit, but I ended up rewriting it, and it became Uthiel’s Embrace.

I love the idea of faeries, and, normally, I think of small winged creatures like in popular culture. But as I did more research and found the vast array of fae creatures out there, I knew I wanted to explore something different this time around. I love water and wanted to do something like a Selkie, and I ended up coming across Ondines and the Sleep of Ondine myth about a fae woman who was forbidden to mate with a mortal male or else she’ll lose her immortality. I thought, “Perfect! That’s a great inspiration for a story!”

FB: Will we see any of the characters from any of these book in others?

Rae: Maybe. I tossed around the idea of making one of my other works within the universe of One Evening in London only as a romantic suspense, but I’m still thinking about it. I also thought about writing a story based on the secondary characters of Before Dawn Breaks, but nothing really stood out storywise. I guess we’ll see. I have a lot of other ideas to explore for original stories so it’d probably be after I write those.

FB: Do you have a favorite character?

Rae: I like Josh Mayer from Before Dawn Breaks. He’s great.

One Evening in London by Rae Lori

FB: Do you have anything else in the works?

Rae: Yes, I’m taking a little bit of a break from romance after I finish this short story for a print magazine. I’ll be working on a fantasy story for an anthology and then a YA fantasy after that. I miss my speculative fiction origins, so I’m going to dabble in that pool for a while. I may do a romance here and there just to spice things up though.

FB: What about writing life/being an author took you by surprise?

Rae: I’d say the industry. There are a lot of things that as, a regular old reader, I had no idea about concerning the process of getting books from manuscript to book format to bookstore. And I was also surprised at the politics and how cutthroat it can get in some of the communities.

At the same time, it can be a very rewarding and warm place once you connect with the supportive authors, editors and publishers who are going through the same things you’re going through. And, of course who are passionate about books and reading.

Now for some fun questions:

FB: Where did your journey as a writer begin?

Rae: I was 10 years old and I hadn’t thought about writing until I got a particular Disney Adventures magazine in the mail. They were looking for scary short stories for their Halloween issue and I decided to enter just for fun. I didn’t win, but the writing bug did bite me from then on, and I haven’t turned back since. I dabbled in short stories, plays, and screenplays anytime an idea hit me. It was fun learning, and I’ve corresponded with many editors over the years who gave me wonderful advice.

FB: If you could be any man, living or dead, who would you want to be? Why?

Rae: That’d be difficult because everyone has trials, and, if I were someone in the past, I know I’d be a wuss cause I’m so used to electricity and all the modern conveniences. So I’ll just say myself because I know me. LOL.

FB: Whoopi Goldberg, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, or Miley Cyrus? Which these famous people do you share the most characteristics with? What characteristics do you share with them?

Rae: Wow, that’s a good question. I’d say Whoopi not only for obvious certain physical characteristics but because she has this attitude of being carefree. She’ll love who she wants, no matter how different he may appear, she’ll say something if it’s wrong, and she’s comfortable in her own skin. I love that and I try to remember that myself.

Cleopatra and Marie Antoinette had a bit of that, too, and although they had their faults (as most politicians do with lots of power), they were pretty strong women. Their downfalls are probably a good reminder for me that you can’t get too big for your britches over people because everyone has their downfall with hubris.

I’m not too much of a Miley Cyrus fan, but she seems to be a carefree, fun kid. Perhaps her childlike innocence and wide-eyed wonder about the world is what I’d like to have a little more of. I tend to lean a bit cynical (I blame my love for dystopia sci-fi).

FB: Any last words? Um, for the interview, that is. (grin)

This was a really fun interview, and I’m so jazzed to be apart of Freya’s Bower. I’ve had such a great experience here and I have to say I’m a bit of a fan (reader wise) because I love the romances and authors coming out of this house and WCPs. Thanks for the interview, I had a blast!

You can find out more about Rae Lori by visiting her website.

Books by Rae Lori at Freya’s Bower:

Before Dawn Breaks by Rae Lori

One Evening in London by Rae Lori

Uthiel’s Embrace by Rae Lori

Our first sacrifice, er, volunteer for our author interview is Cate Masters. A very talented author, Cate writes both erotic and mainstream romance. Her erotic urban fantasy The Lure of the Vine released July 2009 from Freya’s Bower. Freya’s sister site Wild Child Publishing published Cate’s lighthearted Liberation Via Pen.

Cate Masters: Hi Marci! Thanks for having me here on the Freya’s Bower blog. I’m excited to be part of Freya’s family!

The Lure of the Vine by Cate Masters

FB: What was the inspiration for The Lure of the Vine?

CM: I’m a bit of a research junkie. Once I start, it’s sometimes hard to break away. I’d done research on the Nine Muses for another short story, and once I came across Dionysus, I knew I had to write something about him. He stood out among the Greek gods as one who loved and was faithful to his wife, Ariadne. Unfortunately, as a mortal, she passed on and left him lonely. As an immortal, theoretically, he’d still be around today, plying his wine wares. And pining for Ariadne, or someone very like her…

FB: Personally, I love Greek myths, but what drew you to them? They’re so intriguing, aren’t they?

CM: Mostly they seem like juveniles, always lusting after someone and using their powers as they see fit. Dionysus was unique in his faithfulness to his wife, a concept missed by most gods and goddesses! Even more intriguing to me are the Maenads, Dionysus’ followers. Though subservient to him, they’re powerful in their own right. And fear-inspiring! You don’t want to come across them in a dark forest. They may be singing and dancing, but they’ll tear you apart after inviting you to join them!

FB: What kind of research did you do for the book?

CM: I had a copy of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology and Robert Graves’ two-volume The Greek Myths. Web searches unearthed great info too.

FB: Does Clio have any traits of someone you know? (Did you base her on anyone you know? We won’t divulge names. Grin)

CM: Not really. My personal policy is not to base any character on a real person. I might use a personality trait or interesting quirk of someone I know, but I’m too big a believer in karma. I don’t want anything coming back on me. I do, however, like to use names of real people.  In Picture This, the editor Claudia is named for my next-oldest sister. In Angels, Sinners and Madmen (coming soon from Freya’s Bower!) the hero is Sam Langhorne, named for my literary idol, Mark Twain (aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens), and his wife Olivia, or Livvie is the heroine. Oh, and two dolls are named for my sister Annette and her husband Julian. They really are dolls.

FB: Will we see any of the characters from this book in any others?

CM: Funny you should ask. I recently interviewed Dionysus for a guest post on You Gotta Read Reviews (should be up on Aug. 12), and he asked the same thing. He, of course, wanted a rewrite on The Lure of the Vine, but when I told him that’s not possible, he asked about a sequel.  I have a few other projects in the works right now, but the idea definitely appeals to me.

FB: Who is your favorite character?

CM: Always the one I’m writing at the time. I fall in love with my own characters and can’t wait to get back to them. In fact, they’re tugging at me now. [Whispers to them] Just hold on! I’ll spend the rest of the day with you, all right? Can’t a writer have a few minutes away? [sighs] They’re very demanding.

FB: Do you have anything else in the works?

CM: I have a backlog of ideas! I’m about 62k into a contemporary, and am revising a historical novella. After that, I have a few fantasy stories calling me to finish them. And I’d love to write more about gods and goddesses. Time is my greatest challenge—having enough to finish them all. Luckily, my hubby’s very understanding, and has his own hobbies!

FB: What about writing life/being an author took you by surprise?

CM: Hmm, good question. Maybe the support of other authors. I’m always touched by how others will cheer me on, wish me the best, help me celebrate when I get a good review. It’s great! I love it and do my best to reciprocate. Otherwise it can be a bit lonely, and if anyone understands a writer’s journey, it’s another writer!

Now for some fun questions:

FB: Where did your journey as a writer begin?

CM: A long long time ago, in a deep dark forest… I had a pretty solitary childhood, and tended to wander around the woods with my dog Tippy (a mini Maenad, if you will—without the flesh-eating bit). I felt like the world around me was a living poem, and tried to capture it in poetry beginning at about age ten. Yes, truly awful poetry, but it’s fun to read now.

FB: If you could be any man, living or dead, who would you want to be? Why?

CM: I honestly don’t envy anyone else their life. What might appear to be a carefree, wonderful lifestyle could in fact be a personal nightmare. So I’m content to be myself. At least I’m familiar with my own demons! If I could meet anyone, I’d choose Mark Twain, for many reasons—his humor and sarcastic wit, his dedication to his wife Livvie, and his sense of adventure. He explored the world and lucky for us, wrote about it. If you’ve never read Following the Equator or Innocents Abroad, I highly recommend both.

FB: Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Meg Ryan, or Greta Garbo? Which of these famous people do you share the most characteristics with? What characteristics do you share with them?

CM: Tough choices! Okay, not Paris Hilton, that’s easy.  Meg Ryan’s very sweet, and I like to write funny romantic stories sometimes, but I also have a dark and adventurous side like Angelina. Of all, though, I’d aspire to be like Greta, a groundbreaker in her time.

FB: Any last words? Um, for the interview, that is. (grin)

CM: I’m excited that my first erotic romance, Wilderness Girl, will also be available soon from Freya’s Bower, and later this year, my historical novel, Angels Sinners and Madmen, set in Key West in the mid-1800s.

Thanks again for allowing me to spotlight my stories, Marci!

Our pleasure, Cate!

To purchase The Lure of the Vine, you can find it here:

Freya’s Bower
All Romance eBooks

To find out more about Cate Masters, you can visit her website.

More books coming soon from Freya’s Bower by Cate Masters: