Welcome to BRB, everyone! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend. I guess the countdown has started for most. Once Remembrance Day is over, and Veterans Day in the US, next on the agenda is Christmas. I'm nearly done my Christmas shopping. I'm not bragging, believe me, and I wish I could've done things differently, but I've been bedridden for almost three months and had to purchase almost everything online. Thank goodness for computers. Anyway, I don't know what you have planned for Christmas, but the sooner you get your shopping over with the more relaxed you'll be. :) My guest today is the talented Layla Hunter. Welcome to my blog, Layla. What genre do your currently write? And, is
there a genre you'd like to write, but haven't tried yet?
Maybe because I’m a Scorpio, I find myself
blessed with a particularly passionate ‘alter ego’ so inevitably, I’ve been
strongly drawn to erotic romance. I tried my hand at erotica, but I found that
I need a romance to be central to my story and have the ‘intimacy’ between my
characters a sensual enhancement to their relationship. And the hopeless
romantic in me needs a HEA, or at the very least, a HFN ending.
I’ve always loved the paranormal/fantasy
genre as well, and I’m drawn as powerfully to this genre as I am to erotic
contemporary. I'm currently trying my hand with an Erotic Fantasy and an
Urban/Post Apocalyptic Fantasy. I love the freedom the 'fantasy' element adds.
I can't say there is a genre I wouldn't at least give a try, though. Someday, I would love to write a chilling,
spine-tingling, jump at the sound of door slamming ghost story reminiscent of
Stephen King's The Shining.
Many authors use a nom de plume, and they
may use one opposite to their own sex. Do you think an author's sex or sexual
orientation should dictate what genre they write?
Oh that's a trick question but personally,
no… I believe an author should be able to write in whatever genre they prefer. In
my experience, though, I've found it a bit more difficult to write from the
male point of view so I am assuming (and I could be wrong) that a male author might
face the same difficulty when trying to write from a female's point of view.
Some authors have issues with character
development, writer's block, plot summary etc. What is the biggest challenge
you face when writing? How do you overcome the problem?
Sometimes simply finding the time to write
can be a challenge since I work full-time. To overcome this problem, I simply
schedule time to write just as I would schedule a doctor's appointment, etc. Another issue I have is writer's block. I
start by shutting down Word and just putting the story away for a little while.
Instead, I will research something that interests me that has nothing to do
with the current WIP. I’ll watch a
movie (or three *winks*). I will play the “What If” game or ‘story tag’ with my
daughter. Go for a long walk. Read something outside the genre I’m writing in.
Google! Amazing what you can conjure up when clicking from one link to another,
etc. Usually, any or all of the above work and I’m cooking in no time!
What has been the single most successful
marketing tool you've used to date?
Choosing only one would be difficult but it
seems my top results come from participating in Blog Hops/Interviews and
'chatting' with those who stop by. A close second would be Facebook, where I
not only post news about upcoming books, but try to post helpful and/or
interesting information I come across for readers and writers. I'm still trying
to finesse Twitter but I do tweet and re-tweet often and at the recent NJRW
convention, I attended a workshop on Street Teams so I'm going to consider
starting one of my own.
What are you currently reading?
I just started to re-read Freda
Warrington's Taste of Blood Wine. It's finally been reprinted so I was able to
get my hands on another copy.
How do you measure success?
I think success is subjective. Some measure
it by fame, fortune, education, material possessions or accomplishments, etc.
If we're talking about success as an author, then for me, the simple fact that
I am published is a measure of success. Add hearing from someone who has read
one of my books and were moved enough to share what it meant to them with me is
icing on the cake.
Just for fun–
What is your favourite drink?
In the morning, coffee! In the afternoon, I love tea, as well, and
have recently discovered a store called Tevana which sells loose leaf teas.
After much practice, I've finally become proficient at brewing the perfect pot
of tea. In the evening, I love sipping a glass of
Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or a nice Red blend.
Are you a cat or dog person?
Both! We have a goofy dog
(Greyhound/Catahoula Leopard mix) we adopted last year, and a tiny pride of
cats we adore!
Love or lust?
How about love with lust? *smiles* If I had
to choose one over the other, it would be difficult but being a hopeless
romantic, I'd choose love. Besides, I believe when you have a deep, abiding
love, passion is innate. Lust can always be nurtured with some very creative
thinking! *winks*
If you could spend the day with any famous
author, who would it be? And, why?
Josh Whedon. Brilliant man, brilliant mind!
The writing for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel was remarkable and hooked my
from the very first episode. After I would watch an episode, I’d re-watch it
and pick it apart to figure out what made it work! *laughs* Serenity sealed the
deal for me. I'd love to pick his brain for a day!
The writers for the Vampire Diaries have
caught my attention too (Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec) and if you haven’t
had a chance to watch the series (especially lovers of all things paranormal),
I’d suggest you catch up as quickly as you can!
If you could indulge free of any
consequences, what would be your ultimate sexual fantasy?
I've always had this fantasy about a
stranger on a train…
Whisper Sweet Nothings
Blurb:
Sarah Cole never expected to find herself
divorced and nearly broke at the age of thirty-four, no less working part-time
as a phone sex operator for Whisper Sweet Nothings.
Solely responsible for the care of her
grandmother, she's willing to do whatever she needs to care for the woman who
raised her, even if it means foregoing her dream to sing.
News of his impending deployment turns Lt.
Samuel Meade's world upside down, and he finds himself alone to face the
unknown when unexpectedly abandoned by his girlfriend.
Eager to help him shake the blues, friends
set him up with Whisper Sweet Nothings for a little fun before deployment. Not
wanting to seem ungrateful or endure the merciless ribbing of his buddies, he
goes ahead with the call, expecting the worst.
Instead, he finds Sherry (aka Sarah Cole),
a kindred soul as seemingly lost as he is.
Neither could have imagined the instant
bond forged that night, the foundation for a friendship that would span nearly
a year. Sharing heartfelt letters with a woman he's never met, Sam finds
himself falling for her.
Scarred in more ways than one during his
deployment, Sam returns stateside suffering from PTSD and a painful leg injury.
Convincing himself that he is as broken as his dream of pursuing her, he gives
himself over to despair.
Unbeknownst to them, with the help of a
friend, they find themselves face to face, embarking on a journey of
self-discovery, acceptance and a once in a lifetime love.
Excerpt:
Sarah jumped when the phone finally rang,
staring at the console like a deer caught in headlights, unable to move. What
the hell was she doing? This was
insane, an introverted, thirty-something, afraid-of-her-own-shadow
architect-wannabe trying to pass herself off as a phone sex operator?
She'd lost her mind.
"Are you going to get that or
what?" Rachel chided. Sarah looked helplessly to her designated trainer.
"You can do this. Remember why
you are doing this, sweetie. It makes it easier. I'll be nearby," the
woman reassured her.
Sarah nodded, adjusting her headset and
reaching over to press the flashing button—the button that would lead her down
a path she'd never pictured herself traversing, especially not at this point in
her life.
When she began training, she'd been asked
to pick a name for herself and had chosen Sherry. It had a sweet,
girl-next-door quality to it unlike her actual name. Her eccentric,
literary-minded mother had thought it a wonderful idea to name her only daughter
Scheherazade, although most of her friends called her Sarah. Tonight, though,
she was Sherry, a sexy voiced seductress on the other end of a telephone
entertaining horny men and perverts and…
Stop! You can do this Sarah. If you could
live through one of the most brutal divorces in recorded history, you can do
this.
"Hello, this is Sherry. Welcome to Whisper
Sweet Nothings…have you called us before?" she asked sweetly even though
her hands shook and her heart pounded painfully within her chest. Quickly, she
glanced at the computer screen to scan a few details about her caller.
"Uh, no…this is…well, this is my
first time calling."
Given she was new she'd been told she would
get the undecided first-timers or the clients who wanted a more vanilla
experience. Most of the women here had a specialty…BDSM, fetish, gay/lesbian,
etc. As she trained, she could add to her repertoire if she chose which would
increase her moneymaking potential.
"Not to worry. That's why they put you
in my very capable hands. I will take care of you. What's your name?" she
asked, pulling out the scripts she had studied ad nauseum.
"Sam. My name is Sam. Know what…this
was a mistake. I…I should go. I'm sorry, ma'am…I didn't mean to waste your time
and…"
She could hear his voice trembling
and her heart went out to him. He was as nervous as she was. "Sam…listen
to me. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but would it make you feel better to
know that this is my first time too?"
She caught the look of disdain from
Rachel who shook her head from side to side, obviously a mistake and likely not
to be her first. Sorry, she mouthed, turning her attention back to Sam.
"I think you are just saying
that to keep me on the line."
She smiled. "No, this really is
my first time. I'll make you a deal. We take this one-step at a time…together. How
does that sound?"
"That sounds fine."
Purchase Link: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/
Publisher Link: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/
Thanks for stopping by, Layla. I wish you best of success. :) Blak Rayne
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