Nocturnal Journal–Mandy M. Roth

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Virgin Publishing.

A: Virgin, Black Lace were the first publisher I subbed to, and also the first to accept any of my work. Both the editors I´ve worked with their have been encouraging and supportive. I´m very happy with them and hope to continue publishing with them in future.

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author?

A: Yikes. I´m sure I´m hopeless at marketing. The most useful tool has probably getting online and chatting to people via blogs, chats and message boards. A website and regularly updated blog are also essential tools for any author.

Lately, I´ve also been hanging out at the Romance Galleria where I share a suite with fellow Black Lace author, Portia da Costa.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: Up until recently I´d have said historical without question, particular pre- Regency Georgian England. I´m absolutely fascinated by the costumes, architecture and social mores of the period, although my love of history certainly isn´t restricted to that era.

However, lately I´ve really enjoyed the freedom of writing in a paranormal setting that mixes ancient and modern, and the blood-soaked gritty eroticism of Japanese manga with elements of gothic horror.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?

A: I have two at the moment, Broken Angel which is a paranormal novella featuring shape shifting demons, which just needs a few tweaks before it goes to my editor. Here´s the cover blurb…

Broken Angel: After a stealing a copy of an ancient manuscript, Blaze Makaresh finds himself being hunted down by a gang of youkai - demons who infiltrate human society in order to satisfy their hunger for sex and flesh. When the Talon, an elitist society of demon-hunters, come to his aid, he’s soon enmeshed with the beautiful Asha, and the dawning of an age-old prophecy.

The second is the sequel to my first novel, A Gentleman´s Wager, and is titled Phantasmagoria. It´s a Georgian set historical, and takes up the tale of Vaughan, Bella & Lucerne, from the first book approximately three years later. They´ve been enjoying life as a threesome in London, but things are slowly sliding out of control and to a dramatic head. It´s not been an easy book to write. I love these characters but it´s been a long gap between the first book and the sequel, so I´ve had to remind myself what these people are about and then discover how they´ve grown in the intervening years. I´m hoping readers are going to enjoy this book as much as the first one.

Q: How did you get into writing?

A: A friend found the Black Lace novel I was reading and suggested I give it a go. I sent off for their guidelines and went from there. My first novel was accepted in 2002.

Q: How do you come up with your ideas?

A: Usually I start with a character that tells me their name. I can´t write a thing until I know the character´s name. Occasionally, a place will inspire me. Then I tend to get a series of snapshots about the character´s life, which slowly link together. I´m not the sort of writer who does much in the way of outlining and plotting; I´m more of a pantser. Things occur as I write and slot into place, although I do generally know the ending before I start writing in order to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Q: What authors inspired you growing up?

A: JRR Tolkien, Agatha Christie, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Winston Graham. I like anything can transport me to another time or place, or that can make me feel.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: With great difficulty. I have two small children, so I´m constantly trying to fit writing in around them. I mostly write while they are at Nursery and in the evenings once they´re asleep. The downside is that I have very little relaxation time. I´m hoping things will improve once they´re both at school fulltime.

LINKS:

http://www.madelynne-ellis.com
http://www.madelynne-ellis.blogspot.com
http://www.lustbites.blogspot.com

Visit me in 3D at the Romance Galleria.

Publishers website

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s Virgin Publisher Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy’s backlist and Michelle’s backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy Virgin Publisher Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

A: I’ve written 2 books so far for Virgin ‘Cheek’-”Where have all the Cowboys gone?” May 07 and “Roping the Wind” Dec 07 and 2 short stories in ‘Sex and Shopping’ and ‘Sex in Public’.

It’s kind of a match made in heaven for me because I’m originally from the UK and now live in California, so I get to write about U.S. themes and deal with my old country at the same time-a nice blend of cultures

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author?

A: Definitely my website which has gradually brought me new readers and my blog. Myspace is interesting too! And I try and write the best books I can and get my name out there with as many publishers as I can find as well!

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: My latest release came out on May 29th in the U.S. from Virgin ‘Cheek’ and is called “Where have all the Cowboys gone?” It’s an erotic twist on the traditional cowboy romances. After a passionate night in Vegas and a quick marriage its the hero who wants to stay married and the heroine is the one with the commitment problems!

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: I still love to write the historicals best. I think it’s because I’ve always believed I have lived many lives! the Regency period is a particular favorite of mine. My new Kensington Aphrodisia titles will both be erotic Regencies.

Q: What authors inspired you growing up?

A: I read all the time as a child. I loved Enid Blyton and Rosemary Sutcliff. As an adult I love Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Linda Howard, Mary Balogh, Dorothy Dunnett and Ian McEwan

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: It’s hard. I have 4 kids between the ages of 18 and 5, one with special needs so I’m in a constant state of mothering! I try and make 2-3 hours a day all mine so that I can write and I try to make my family understand and respect that time.

Q: Why do you like writing romance/erotica?

A: It just totally fits my style of writing. I think I have a lush steamy style that just works-and I can’t really write any other way.

LINKS:

www.katepearce.com
http://lustbites.blogspot.com/
http://the spiced teaparty.blogspot.com/
www.myspace.com/katepearce

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Virgin Publishing.

A: I’m extremely impressed with Adam Neville’s energy, rebranding of the line, and promptness. He seems to be achieving miracles in terms of the brand, without being given very much (like a higher budget, more assistants… That said, my first book comes out in July and as far as I can tell they don’t organize any sort of event or launch, which I think is a shame.

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author? Please feel free to elaborate.

A: The Lustbites blog is great, because it’s drawing attention to us with wit and style rather than straight hardcore marketing - people will return to a witty blog, but not to an ad. Also, being a group thing, keeping it sparkly is easier than just on one’s own. Then of course, to support that, a website.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: Almost released - 4 July! The Ten Visions is a ghost-story, a mystery, and a love-story - it’s set in contemporary Oxford, then with absolute realism and much to the protagonist’s bewilderment starts to introduce aspects of the supernatural. The official blurb (and I don’t know if I can describe it better!):

“The moment she starts her doctorate in Oxford, Sarah is beset with mysteries. An old portrait in her rented house bears an uncanny resemblance to her. A new lover insists he’s a ghost. Her attractive, sinister supervisor obstructs her research at every turn. An ordinary hill on the meadow fills her with fear - and not just her, but also the man with whom she falls in love. And every time she has sex, she hallucinates strange places and other times.

With her own life and soul at risk, Sarah uses sex-magic and a sequence of visions to travel between different times, worlds and places. On an epic journey, she battles an ancient evil to solve a mystery dating back centuries - a mystery that holds the truth of her origins and purpose.”

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: Fantasy - not necessarily of the good versus evil kind with lords and ladies and castles and promising young peasant boys, etc, but other worlds where other ways apply. Most fantasy sticks to a medieaval feudal society, which can be fun, but can also get a bit wearisome. Writing other worlds offers endless possibilities - or maybe I just like magic! I’ll also set magical writings in various ancient civilizations (Sumeria and so forth).

Q: What types of research do you do for your books?

A: Lots of googling! I’m persnickety about getting the exact details right. I check factual details - streets, restaurants, directions. If I write about witchcraft, I want it to be accurate. If I describe someone’s studies, there should be just enough detail to suggest this is a real person embarking on a real and substantial area of study, and anything I say about it should not annoy people who know about that area. That last is the key, mostly: I don’t have to know everything about a subject, but don’t piss off the people who do.

Q: How do you come up with your ideas?

A: We can’t usually see it, but there’s a vast colorful swarming throng of feathered and scaly iridescent bodies, swooping and pressing around us all the time, and all one has to do is squint a little, reach out and… grab! Then I squash the ethereal critter between the pages of my small, gleaming Ideas Book, which I carry around everywhere. When I want to write something, I flip through the book and choose aspects I like of the different pressed ideas.

LINKS:
Website: http://www.oliviaknight.co.uk/
The Ten Visions on amazon:

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s Virgin Publisher Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy’s backlist and Michelle’s backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy Virgin Publisher Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Virgin Publishing.

A: I’m still in the early phase of being a Virgin author – my One Breath at a Time won’t hit shelves until January. Before that, I have a story in Love on the Dark Side, a Virgin anthology that will be released this fall. Everyone at Virgin, the editors, the authors, the marketing department, everyone has been entirely professional and friendly. I love the fact that I was given a set schedule for every step of getting the book to print, and sure enough, it’s right on track. Virgin Publishing runs a tight ship! I already know it’s a great place to be.

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author? Please feel free to elaborate.

A: There are so many good ways to market a book, but my favorite has been the close interaction with readers. They love the newsletters, the occasional contests, and the more personal blog posts. I do radio spots when a book is about to come out, and those are wildly popular – the readers love to hear the voice behind the words. Once they feel they know you a bit, what you’re about behind the pages, what your life is like from day to day, they are more likely to discuss you with their friends, and more likely to spread the word about your books.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?

A: There are more than a few! I tend to work on many projects at once, bouncing from one to another, and I’m always starting new ones. The projects on the back burner right now include Carolina Hurricane, an old-fashioned romance set in South Carolina during – you guessed it – a hurricane making landfall. I just finished The Green Room, a darker kind of novel about making a relationship work in the harsh glare of the celebrity spotlight. And I’m also working on Iowa, a series of short stories centering on a murder-suicide in small-town America.

Q: What types of research do you do for your books?

A: The research is so much fun! I make a point of exploring the setting of the book. For Carolina Hurricane, I have amassed reams of information on hurricanes, the history of the Carolinas and the coastline, the people and the social mores unique to that area. It’s important to spend time there, too – nothing makes the writing move vivid than allowing my readers to see the waves, smell the air, feel the wind on their skin.

And when it comes to characters, if I can’t relate to them, then I can’t write them. Things like The Green Room were easy to write, because I’ve been in the position of forming a very intimate, private relationship with a very public figure. But there are things I haven’t experienced – for example, the lead male character in One Breath at a Time is a former special agent with the CIA. I’ve never been in that situation, never even close, so I can’t rely on my own experiences. I had to interview a few men who had been there, and then try to incorporate their personalities into the story. I had to get to know them, come to understand them a little, and then I could write the character.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: It’s become much easier over the last few years, especially since my children started school! Now I can write during the day, when they are learning from their teachers, and by the time they come home I’m ready to spend that time with them. My husband has a rather flexible schedule, so we manage to have quality time with each other as well as time with the kids. The writing gets done during those early morning hours, and sometimes late at night, if I can’t sleep and the house is quiet. When it comes to book tours or traveling for research, that can sometimes mean time apart, but not always. We tend to make it all a family affair, and go to those places together.

Q: What would you do if you weren’t a writer?

A: I’ve been asked that question so many times, and I don’t know how to answer it. I’ve been a writer since I was a kid, and published since I was a teenager, so I sometimes say I don’t know how to do anything else! But if I had to choose something, I would probably move into tour management, or a position in the recording industry. I’ve been around that kind of business and lifestyle for as long as I can remember, so that kind of life is familiar enough that I think I could be happy working in it, too.

LINKS:
My website: www.gwenmasters.net
My blog: www.gwenmaters.blogspot.com
Lust Bites: www.lustbites.blogspot.com

Spotlight on Author Nikki Magennis

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Virgin Publishing.

A: I sent the manuscript of CIRCUS EXCITE to Virgin in 2003. I have terrible timing – it arrived just as they started a major reshuffle and were neglecting their slush pile. So I waited two years before I heard back!

CIRCUS EXCITE was published last year, and was one of the first books to get the ‘makeover’ – I love the new covers, so I’ve been lucky that way. Since then, I’ve had several short stories in the ‘Wicked Words’ anthologies, and I’ve just submitted my second novel proposal. (That is why I have no fingernails left.)

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author? Please feel free to elaborate.

A: Well, it’s hard to tell what’s translated into actual sales. Instinctively, I’d say the lustbites blog (http://lustbites.blogspot.com) has really helped publicise the names of the authors involved. Guests report that their Amazon sales rank has leapt forward on the day of their post. I think it’s also been a great way for readers to ‘meet’ a bunch of Virgin authors all in one place, and get an idea of how diverse and talented the girls are.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?

A: I’m currently working on a couple of novels that I plan to submit to Black Lace. One is the story of a punky-rocky chick and her perverse philosophy tutor from University. Another is an expanded version of ‘Housebound’ – a short story that appeared in ‘Sex in Public’.
Plus I’m working on several short stories and hoping to edit an anthology later this year. I like to pile the deadlines up until I panic – it encourages me to work like a demon.

Q: How did you get into writing?

A: Sheer stubbornness and years of accumulating rejection slips and experience. Luck always comes into it, I suppose, but I worked very hard to get published. I still do!

Q: What types of research do you do for your books?

A: Obsessive and over the top research! I can spend days lost in the subject – whether that be dance school or burlesque or 1960s geology or vanilla orchids or … you get the picture! I interview people in the field, borrow all the books I can find and do a lot of reading on the web. Chat rooms and forums are brilliant places to find specialists in just about any obscure subject.

Q: Why do you like writing romance/erotica?

A: Because I think love is the most mysterious, wonderful and powerful thing in the world. Might sound cheesy, but it’s the truth! : )

LINKS:
http://nikkimagennis.blogspot.com

http://lustbites.blogspot.com

CIRCUS EXCITE at Amazon:

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s Virgin Publisher Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy’s backlist and Michelle’s backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy Virgin Publisher Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

A: I published my first novel, Hard Blue Midnight, through Virgin/Black Lace in 2003, under the pseudonym Alaine Hood. Since then, I’ve written two other erotica titles and three erotic romances for Virgin, and I’m currently working on a paranormal erotic novella for a Black Lace anthology. I’ve enjoyed the creative freedom that Virgin has given me; the editors (first Kerri Sharp, now Adam Nevill) have pretty much given me free rein to write the stories that I wanted to write, using my own voice and characters that engage me. I haven’t always “colored inside the lines”
with my books, especially the erotic romance titles, but Virgin has been very generous and supportive about letting me write the stories that I’m passionate about.

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author? Please feel free to elaborate.

A: I have to confess, I’ve been a slacker about marketing, but I’ve made a resolution (must have been a Chinese New Year’s resolution, because I made it in
February) to get more involved in promoting my work. I have a web site now and a writer’s blog, and I’m going to the RWA conference in July. I like the web site because it’s inexpensive, it can be updated easily and frequently, and it’s the quickest way to give readers a sense of what you write and who you are.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: My latest release is Head-On Heart, an erotic romance that was published in April by Virgin/Cheek.

It’s the story of Amity, a sporadically employed, wannabe musician who hooks up in Las Vegas with Daniel, the rock guitarist she had a crush on as a teenager. Unfortunately, he’s just gotten married—to Amity’s stepsister. But when Daniel decides that the only way to revive his career is to go on a crazy quest for the first guitar he owned as a kid, Amity is the one who ends up doing the driving, while her disgruntled stepsister stays behind. Over the course of their road trip through the West, Amity and Daniel fall in love, and she blossoms sexually and creatively. I loved writing this novel. It has some of my favorite story elements: a road trip, a quest, hot sex with a brooding musician, and lots of sleazy Vegas stuff!

Q: How did you get into writing?

A: I made my first attempts at writing when I first fell in love with books, at the age of two or three.

Before I could actually write, I would dictate stories to my mom, then illustrate them with crayons, and we’d staple the pages into booklets. In high school I mostly wrote poetry, then I started seriously writing fiction after I graduated from college. I spent a lot of time writing mainstream fiction (including three novels I could never sell) before I found my voice through erotica. That was back in the early 1990’s, when Susie Bright, Carole Queen, Annie Sprinkle, and other women were writing about sex in a fun, bold, creative way. Once I turned to erotica, I started selling short stories pretty quickly, but it took me a long time to sell a full-length novel. I published my first novel with Virgin ten years after I published my first story. I guess I’ve always written fiction and poetry because I love to read, because telling stories is deeply comforting to me, and because playing around with words turns me on.

Q: How do you come up with your ideas?

A: Ideas are everywhere! Movies, magazines, songs, public transportation, greasy all-night diners, bars – they’re all great sources of stories. I like to build stories around people who intrigue me, either because of their unusual looks or their weird behavior or bizarre sexual history. One of my favorite things to do is to take two characters who are completely different – different backgrounds, personalities, tastes – and throw them into bed together, then see what happens. I also like to improvise on questions that interest me: Can people truly find happiness in an open relationship with multiple lovers? How do people with straight, vanilla lives fulfill their kinky sexual fantasies without blowing their cover?

Are women really more naturally monogamous than men, or is that just a myth to keep women sexually repressed? I’ll take a question like that, mix in some characters that I like, stir, and wait for it all to come to a boil.

Q: Why do you like writing romance/erotica?

A: I was originally drawn to erotica because I loved the creative freedom that it gave me. As soon as you start writing about sex, you enter a world that’s wild, primal, lush, out-of-control. Conventional restrictions of plausibility and realism still apply, but you have a lot of leeway to use your imagination.

Sex is one area of life where we can all, if only for a moment or an hour or a few days, become transformed by pleasure. I love writing about normal, everyday people who discover miraculous things about themselves when they begin to explore their deepest fantasies.
Erotic romance is perfect for me, because I also like to have my main characters form loving relationships along the way. Sex for its own hot, passionate sake is fantastic, but I like to seal the deal with love.

LINKS:

http://www.annetourney.com

Spotlight on Author Portia Da Costa

A: I’ve been writing for Virgin Publishing since 1991, mainly for Black Lace. My first Black Lace book GEMINI HEAT came out in 1994 and my eleventh, GOTHIC HEAT, is due in May 2008. I’ve mostly written erotic contemporaries, but recently I’ve been writing some paranormals too, now that Black Lace has opened up to more variety in terms of themes and subgenres. I’m especially pleased that Black Lace now publishes erotic romance as well as women’s erotica - although my books have been pretty romantic all along.

Q: What have you found to be the best marketing tool to you as an author? Please feel free to elaborate.

A: I’ve absolutely no idea! I am completely clueless about marketing and generally just blunder through hoping for the best…

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: My latest release is GOTHIC BLUE, a reprint of an erotic paranormal originally published in 1996. It’s about a semi immortal sorcerer and his struggle to be reunited with his true love who was banished to an incorporeal state by an evil sorceress. He’s helped by a woman who resembles his lost love, and her boyfriend, who’ve stumbled upon the sorcerer’s home during a driving holiday.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?

A: My current WIP is GOTHIC HEAT, a semi sequel to GOTHIC BLUE and it’s about a woman who’s possessed by the evil sorceress who was the adversary of the hero in the first book. She’s helped by a sexy new age therapist who’s battling some personal demons of his own. Together they have to search for the mysterious Gothic Priory from the first book in order to discover magical secrets that will set her free from the possession.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: Quite easily. I don’t do very much housework. I have no children. And my husband works long hours and also has hobbies that he enjoys, like motorcycle maintenance and studying military history. So I have plenty of time to write.

Q: What would you do if you weren’t a writer?

A: I can’t imagine being anything else other than a writer, but I also enjoy web design, so maybe I’d concentrate on that.

LINKS:

http://www.portiadacosta.com
http://www.wendywootton.co.uk
http://wendyportia.blogspot.com
http://www.blacklace-books.co.uk
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planetportia/

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s Virgin Publisher Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy’s backlist and Michelle’s backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy Virgin Publisher Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

Sometimes, it really is the little things. As a new author, anxious to get a variety of writing credits under my belt, I submitted a story to Virgin Books’ Wicked Words anthology collection (Sex in the Office, 2005). Little did I know one 6000 word short story/writing credit would lead to a much bigger offer to continue writing for the UK publisher under a new line. Now, four Virgin contracts later, I’m proud to say I’m part of the evolving imprint that is Cheek.

The imprint, started in 2004, is constantly evolving with today’s readers. The most recent changes involve hot new covers and a shift in the stories’ focus—moving away from hard erotica and more into erotic romance where I, as an author, am free to take readers on a journey of love in all its forms.

My first two titles, Fierce Competition and Opposites Attract, were originally released in trade paperback and are about to see their second printing. They arrive in mass market Summer 2007. With my third Cheek book, Bit by the Bug (Feb 2007), I’ll be starting a new series within the line. One which my Cheek editor, Adam Nevill, calls, “Very much what I see as representing all of the Cheek values and facets—youthful, funny, contemporary, hip, very passionate and intensely romantic too.”

In March 2007, 90% of Virgin Books was acquired by Random House, giving RH full use of the Virgin brand name

RH will also be overseeing the new Virgin Books USA line. Ken Siman is heading up Virgin’s US division. The second in the Matthews Sisters series, Along for the Ride, is due for release October 2007 as part of the new Virgin Books USA launch under Random House.

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s Virgin Publisher Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy’s backlist and Michelle’s backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy Virgin Publisher Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

Please email me your choices mandy@mandyroth.com

Thanks everyone for stopping by this week for our Marketing with Mandy NCP Spotlight! The authors were awesome for taking time out with us to share their tips/ tricks/ and experiences.

To all the readers/authors who commented throughout the week to be entered in the contest, don’t give up hope if you didn’t win this week… I’ll be running a comment on the blog contest EACH WEEK of the June. Be sure to join me next week for Virgin Book’s Publisher Spotlight. I’ll also be spotlighting others pubs this summer, including Kensington, Lotus and so very many more!

Authors/Publishers, interested in having your publisher in the spotlight? Email mandy@mandyroth.com and sign up for a week!

I’m all moved into my office now. It was only 3.5 years in the making with getting me down here. It was getting to the point that I was going to either hollow out my formal living room’s sofa for book storage or pester my husband to get the extra bedroom in the lower level (the one he’d claimed for himself when me moved in… you know… a place where he could do all his computer stuff, hang out… chick free zone.. oh, and the place he used to try to pile things a mile high just because he knew I wouldn’t go in there) cleaned out. After dejunking the room and hauling almost everything he had in there to the dump, we tore the carpet out and had new laid, we also painted the walls and purchased some additional book cases for me for down there. Ahh… I’m finally all moved in and I love it! Its not much but I’m DAMN happy to have my own space.

Here is my desk area (that shut door is a half bath that was NEVER used until I moved down here… then all of the sudden… all of the Roth boys are running in to use it. OY) Yes, that’s a light up skull on my desk. Thanks Debbie for it!

This is a picture of the wall to the right of my desk area. It houses some of my ref book collection. They’re shelved according to genre. Those two wooden TV trays you see are used when I have a really big project going on and need more surface space to set ref books on. I move them up and put them next to me so I can lean over and read from the ref book while I work. They then fold down and move away to give me more space.

This one shows the back wall. This houses more ref books and also some of my files. The roll top desk makes a nice area to put all my office supply things that would normally clutter up my main desk area. Plus, it holds the fan. With all these books surrounding me, it can get pretty damn hot in here without something moving the air around, regardless if the central air is on or not. Also, see the skull pirate thing mounted to the wall. Big thanks to Dobby for snagging that for me!!!! Before anyone asks, yes.. that is a stuffed witch doll with a raven on her lap to the right, sitting on the edge of that shelf. Isn’t she cute!!!!

Finally, this is the area that is to the left of my desk. Its sandwiched between that half bath and the closest (which plays home to my filing cabinets and promo materials). This cut out space kind of odd shaped, being about four and half feet wide and about for feet deep. I thought about having my husband custom build some shelves there for me, nice deep ones. He still might but in the meantime, I decided to make it a reading corner. Somewhere just for me when I want to have some quiet time and catch up on my TBR pile.

That’s it… I was just excited and wanted to share!

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with NCP.

A: I signed my first contract with NCP in July 2004. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to release three novellas and two novels with them and have a number of other projects on the way. Signing that very first contract of your career is such a fantastic high and it has only gotten better. Working with my editors at NCP has really helped me grow as a writer, and the network of support with the other authors at NCP (especially when I first started out) is really wonderful.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: Sacrificed is the second book in my From Tonight Until Forever Trilogy. Here’s a peek at the blurb:

For Julia Sanchez, Infinity is more than just the name of the popular nightclub she runs, it’s also how long she expects to live. Alone. Abandoned by her life-mate over a century ago, Julia has come to terms with her future. Or so she believes, right up until Brody sweeps back into her life…and right back out again. But a lot has changed in the years he’s been absent and Julia has no intention of sitting idly by when he pulls another disappearing act.

Hunted by warriors sworn to protect humankind from vampires, Brody forced himself to walk away from Julia. A century later, even imprisonment has done little to ease his need for the only true light in a world of darkness. But as long as his pursuers believe Brody is the Key to unlocking the mystery of his race, only one thing will keep Julia safe. Convincing her that he never loved her. And before she’s used as a pawn in a dangerous game that could mean sacrificing more than just his heart for the woman he loves.

I feel in love with vampires when I discovered Linda Lael Miller and Maggie Shayne. In 2005 I decided I wanted to try my hand at it, and the first book in this series, Destined, was born. I also knew I wanted to go at the creation of vampires a little differently than what I had come across. In Destined the vampires in my universe don’t really have a clue where they come from or how they came into being. They know they share many similiarites between a race of extraordinarily strong humans, a race that also has been hunting vampires for as long as anyone can remember. And there have been many whispers about the “Key”, a mythical object said to lead back to the origins of vampires. In Sacrificed my hero and heroine discover exactly what those origins are, so I can’t give any details away on that

Q: How did you get into writing?

A: I started writing my first romance when I was 16. Wrote half a dozen chapters and then summer hit and it seemed like there were more interesting things to be doing outside. I put aside my writing for a few years, finally finishing my first book (a romantic suspence still waiting to be rewritten) just after my first son came along. I wrote another romantic suspense before I decided to try my hand at a short, sexy novella while I was pregnant with my second son. Two months after he was born, I submitted When Lightning Strikes to NCP, and the rest as they say is history.

Q: What authors inspired you growing up?

A: I was in love with Nancy Drew mysteries for years growing up, which is way there is often an element of suspense in most of the books I write. I devoured many a Babysitter’s Club and Sweet Valley book too. In high school I discovered a love of English literature and carried on with that in University reading many of the classics. Wasn’t so big on dissecting them since I was really always just about enjoying the story than interpreting what the author might have meant with this scene or that. The first book I read that really pulled me hard into the romance genre was Perfect by Judith McNaught.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: Not well at all. lol At least that’s how it feels most days. I figure if I ever get to a point where I feel like I’ve got a handle on both, then it will probably be a sign of a pending breakdown. Most of the time I’m doubting whether or not my children will turn out screwed up, if my husband has forgotten what my voice sounds like, or if my next book will out right suck. Considering for most other writers I know (even for most women) this is normal, I try not to stress too much. Easier said than done most days. The best I can do is make my kids laugh each and every day, try to keep the dust bunny population under my couch from exploding, hang out with my husband in the garage whenever he lets me and remember why I love writing each time I sit down in front of the computer to work.

LINKS:

Website: http://www.sydneysomers.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flirtingwithpassionnewsletter/ “>Newsletter
Blog: http://sydneysomers.blogspot.com
MySpace: http://myspace.com/sydneysomers
My Book at New Concepts Publishing
My Books at Samhain Publishing

Q: Can you tell us a little about your time with NCP?

A: So far I have been pleased with NCP. My first release, Fated Passion, is coming up this month. It is a contemporary erotic romance of lovers reunited after fifteen years separated. I had given up on finding a new home for this novella until NCP emailed saying they wanted it. The story is special as it was the first completed book I ever wrote and submitted for publication. It was previously released, but I don’t think it reached enough potential readers. I am hoping the NCP fan base will give this story another chance.

Since selling Fated Passion, I sold two more books to NCP: The Gladiator and Fairy Dust and Magic Kisses. I have a sequel to The Gladiator in the works called The Centurion.

I had been a fan of NCP books and authors for a long time. I am happy to be in the company of Mandy Roth, Michelle Pillow, Donna Grant, Kaitlyn O’Connor, Jaide Fox, and so many countless others.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: I love writing historicals or time travels (back). I’ve always been very interested in history, particularly Roman and Egyptian history. Only recently I’ve actually taken the plunge to write about these time periods. My first book set in Ancient Rome is The Gladiator, set to come out soon at NCP. I mentioned the sequel, The Centurion, is in the works for later this year. Both are time travels and are connected by a secondary character—Cleopatra. While The Gladiator takes place in Rome during the final days of Julius Caesar’s life, The Centurion will take place in Egypt when Marc Antony has his famous affair with Queen Cleopatra.

Q: What types of research do you do for your books?

A: I do a lot of reading online and books. I will generally browse the bookshelves at Borders or Books a Million and I walk away with several books. I have a few books on Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and the history of Roman gladiators which helped a lot in writing The Gladiator. The first source of research anymore is the internet. It is a good place to start…but you have to cross reference a lot. I run into conflicting “facts” from one site to another. That is where going to the library and reading books becomes very important.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: It is easier to find time to write when the kids are in school. They are home now until August, and the time is much more difficult to steal. However, I do write. I am working on a novel right now that is due soon. Once I finish that, I am taking the remainder of their summer break off. I have a QuickPad PRO, a portable word processor, that I carry around when I take the kids to McDonald’s. It helps a lot! They go play and I sit and write. The QuickPad is the best investment I ever made.

My husband, Mark, is extremely supportive on my career. I hear from many writers divorcing or having endless fights with their husbands over the time spent writing or the long road to success which can take years and years. Luckily, Mark is my biggest fan. He has faith in me and my work, and will do anything to help me on my way to success. I couldn’t ask for a better support system.

My mom is also very supportive too. She always said I should write ever since I was a kid. She reads my books, and I think she is shocked sometimes. My upcoming book at NCP, Fated Passion, worried her. I based the hero (loosely) on an ex-boyfriend, and mom worried I was still in love with him like Alex was with Robert. I had to explain to her that it was all fictitious.

Q: What would you do if you weren’t a writer?

A: I’d be a nurse. I am one, actually, just not practicing. I worked in the Cardiac unit for several years and a nursing home. I’ve seen a lot of pain and suffering, a nurse’s daily experience, but I found when I could help relieve the pain or ease the suffering, the job was very fulfilling. I run into family members of patient I cared for in the nursing home on occasion. They still fondly remember me. It is quite nice to know I made that much of an impression—even years later.

LINKS:
Home page: http://www.mariannelacroix.com
Blog: http://blog.mariannelacroix.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/marilacroix
Bebo: http://mariannelacroix.bebo.com
Reader Group
Newsletter (announcements only)

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s New Concepts Publishing Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy M. Roth’s New Concepts backlist and Michelle M. Pillow’s New Concepts backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy New Concepts Publishing Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

NCP is actively seeking top-notch:

Historical Romance
Contemporary Romance
Romantic Suspense
Fantasy Romance
Paranormal Romance
Futuristic/S.F. Romance

We’re receiving a fair amount of good quality paranormals in old favorites like vampires. This is good, however, there are worlds beyond vampires and werewolves. NY is getting into this market in a serious way. Vampires and werewolves are going to get old fast, so it’s up to us to keep the paranormal market fresh and alive. Ghosts, fairies, psychics, fire starters, superheroes, skin walkers, mystery, unexplained phenomenon (i.e. X Files) etc. The only limit to this genre is your imagination. Believe me, we have readers dying to get their hands on something different from the norm. Draw inspiration from classic TV like Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, X Files. There’s no doubt that this genre is hot right now. You can see it everywhere on TV and in movies. Books should keep up with the times and go beyond.

We still have a need for original contemporary, historical, fantasy, and futuristic, so keep this in mind when you’re brainstorming your next project. We want “big” contemporaries–not necessarily Harlequin type books, but along the lines of Jaycee Clark, Linda Howard, Susanne Brockman, Cherry Adair, etc. Romantic suspense, chick lit, and some romantic comedy would be great! Just remember, if you’ve seen the plot a thousand times by Harlequin, chances are it’s not going to go over well with small press readers. NY publishers dominate this market. It’s going to be extremely tough to build up sales in the small press industry, but it is possible to have good sales with readers-we’ve done it before. Sexy characters and situations are good. What can you do that’s different? Take your story somewhere exotic, introduce elements of the forbidden or taboo in your story like domination/submission, voyeurism, fetishes, or have an adventure like Romancing the Stone or Treasure Hunt.

In the historical market, we want something other than what’s being published in the NY arena. This means no Avon historical type plots that revolve around catching a husband. Unfortunately, this plot has been done to death. I’d love to see darker historical romance with a lot of “meat” to the plot, tormented/flawed characters, emotionally drenched, gothic, or epic adventures of the type that used to be published. Highland warriors, pirates, highwaymen, spies, clan wars, Vikings, Tudor, Celtic, American Indian, revolutionary period–the list goes on and on, and the possibilities are endless. We need fresh sexy plots, time periods, and exciting characters to revitalize this market. I’d hate to see it die off because it’s headed that way right now. I think NY won’t take chances, and it’s up to us to do it. With the right books we can get the readers back to loving the historical romance genre.

Futuristic Romance-the world we live in is changing rapidly. Use it to plot your books. Scientists are discovering new worlds and galaxies right now. The first android has just been introduced in Japan. Nanotechnology is not far from practical use. Read science magazines and visit their websites. There is tons of stuff out there just waiting to be written about.

Fantasy Romance-again, good plots and characters are key to this. Chances are, if a reader likes historicals and paranormals, they’re just steps away from loving this genre too. Dragons, manticore, centaur, unicorns-add interesting creatures and magical abilities to your characters. Take them on an epic adventure, or deal with social issues like racism, overpopulation, etc. We’d love to see more in this genre, and I know we’ve only scratched the surface here.

Also, keep in mind that your audience is mostly women, 25 years old and up. They want the men in these books to be different than what they see every day in their lives: romantic, cultured, strong, capable, take charge, witty. NO nerds or wimps. If they wanted that, there are plenty of NY books to satisfy that need. Heroes shouldn’t demean the heroine or humiliate her and vice versa. Strong heroines are very good. Bitches are not. Learn to recognize the difference between spunky/sassy, and bitchy.

Elements strongly desired in any novel or short story include: edgy, unique plots; strong, believable conflict between the hero and heroine; heavy sexual tension; concise story-telling; combinations of dark, sexy heroes with sassy, humorous heroines, inter-racial, and characters that reflect the spectrum of the world such as East-Indian, Asian, African American, etc. We have readers of all colors and would love to publish romance representative of different cultures and races.

To read more of what NCP is looking for CLICK HERE

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s New Concepts Publishing Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy M. Roth’s New Concepts backlist and Michelle M. Pillow’s New Concepts backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy New Concepts Publishing Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with NCP.

A: NCP has allowed me to explore my characters and their different time periods and realms. They’ve encouraged me to push my writing to my limits and beyond.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: PRINCE OF SEDUCTION is the second book in my Royal Chronicles series where four princes from a hidden magical kingdom in the Scottish Highlands must find their mates and return with them in order for the kingdom to remain.

Q: How do you come up with your ideas?

A: A movie, a song or a snippet of research will spark an idea. I most commonly think of ideas in the shower. Hubby has learned to keep pen and paper in the bathroom in case I shout out something for him to write down.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: I lock my office door. lol. Kidding. Seriously though, I’ve been writing since before my oldest was born so both my kids know what it means when I’m in my office on the computer. I also set a schedule to work Monday - Friday from 8-3 when I pick them up from school. I try to leave the weekends and nights for the family, and only in emergencies do I write during those times.

Q: Why do you like writing romance/erotica?

A: I love writing romance because I like seeing people fall in love, to have characters go through massive turmoil and insurmountable obstacles and then find the one person they were destined to spend their lives with.

LINKS:

Website: www.donnagrant.com
Blog: www.donnagrant.blogspot.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/donnagrant

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with NCP.

A: I’ve had a very positive experience with NCP.

Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?

A: I don’t think I have any tips or tricks…definitely none hiding up my sleeves. LOL I would say to have a functioning website with up to date information about your books on it, get a blog, get a myspace and bebo pages…get yourself out there as much as you can.

Advertise yourself through yahoo groups, and review sites, take out banner and book cover ads, and pray that someone is paying attention! LOL

Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?

A: Just believe in yourself and keep writing! Never give up!

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: My latest release with NCP is a regency romance set on the High Seas, called I’LL BE YOURS.
Here’s the blurb, How far would you go to reclaim a love that does not remember you?
Mallory St. Martin, a penniless Duke turned daring pirate, will go to the ends of the Earth and beyond.
His exploits are revered throughout the High Seas, and yet, he’d risk everything for one loving embrace from the woman of his heart. Miss Elizabeth Caulfield is that woman and also the richest heiress in all of Christendom, but Mallory quickly discovers he’s met more than his match when he kidnaps her. Elizabeth has fire, and she will not be manipulated.

I’ve also just signed two contracts with NCP for my paranormal historical, THE WITCH AND THE WOLF and my futuristic novella, DOORWAY TO THE STARS. Here’s the teasers for both,

THE WITCH AND THE WOLF-He’s a spy for the British Crown…she’s a woman desperate for revenge—together their love will save the British Empire and make them both believe in second chances.

DOORWAY TO THE STARS-Aries D’Halen is an Outlander from the far reaches of Space, Freya Kirkland is a defeated war-hero—together their passion will ignite a new hope for the future.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: I like to write in numerous genres. Currently,

I’ve signed contracts for historical romances, futuristic romances, paranormal romances and fantasy romances, so I don’t like to play favorites when it comes to writing in a specific genre.

Q: Why do you like writing romance/erotica?

A: I like writing romance because I’m a sucker for a Happily Ever After.

Q: What would you do if you weren’t a writer?

A: What else would I want to do? I love writing, and I’m living the dream.

LINKS:
http://www.marlymathews.com/
http://www.marlymathews.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/marlymathews
http://ladyknightstarr.bebo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marlymathews/

And my online chapter that’s a sub-chapter of RWA National, RWA Online!
http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/

CONTEST: Monday-Friday of this week– anyone who comments on ANY of the posts for Marketing with Mandy’s New Concepts Publishing Spotlight (going on all week long) will be entered to win a download of their choice from Mandy M. Roth’s New Concepts backlist and Michelle M. Pillow’s New Concepts backlist. (There will be two winners, each selecting one download)

To enter: Comment on the blog in a Marketing with Mandy New Concepts Publishing Spotlight post this week! The more you enter, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be selected on SUNDAY and announced on the blog.