Author Chat Friday with Phoenix - More Questions Authors Don't Like

So once again I'm back to discuss three more questions authors don't like being asked. These three questions are suggested by fellow author Dy. 

"You must be good at sex."
Obviously specific to romance and erotica authors, this question is extremely confronting. An author's ability and confidence to write hot sex scenes is no reflection on their skills in the bedroom, and in fact it's quite rude to ask. It's natural to wonder, of course. But to actually ask an author such a personal question, or make the statement, is a little bit more information than an author usually likes to provide about themselves. The fact that an author writes about steamy sex scenes doesn't mean that they're asking for such questions, either. Rule of thumb: if you wouldn't want people asking about your sex life, don't ask other's about theirs. Even if they are a writer of erotica and/or romance. 

"What does your mother think?"
There are a number of reasons why this question is a drag. Not every person knows their mother for one thing; you can't be sure the author hasn't lost their mother, or that they're in contact with their mother. 
Aside from that, this is a question that suggests writing certain genres is shameful. Many authors have open relationships with their mothers, and so their mother might fully support their son or daughter in the genre they write; or maybe it's a sore spot between author and mother. This is another question that, although is natural to be curious about, is one best left unasked. It's personal, and only between the author and their family. 

"Where do the ideas come from?"
I've been asked this in a few blog interviews, which I don't mind. But when you're asked by every fan you come across, it can quickly become a hated question. 
Ideas come from many places. Maybe the author sees something on the news and the mind goes in to overdrive, spinning out possible story lines to follow or lead up to that event. Or maybe an odd conversation with a friend or fan sparks a story. Let me list two different examples for where some of my ideas have come from.
The Wolf in the Neighborhood, for example. I was lying in bed, trying to drift off to sleep but my mind just wouldn't pipe down. A random scene (the opening scene, in fact) popped in to my head vividly; I could feel the satin dressing gown, the heat of the sun and the cool breeze. It started writing itself in my mind so I flipped over to my stomach, grabbed my phone and started typing away in Drafts. That little snippet, probably only about 150 words, sparked the entire story, which then sparked the two sequels.
Acapello's Lady is one that I always share for a laugh. I was dancing around to Zumba with guilty pleasure song Cotton Eyed Joe on repeat, blasting away. The idea began to tease me. After the zumba session, the song still on repeat, I jumped in to the cold shower and the idea started forming in to something solid. Allowing it to form a bit more, I hopped out, straight to the computer and started writing. I always shake my head and grin at how random that one came about! 

So while a newbie like myself might be happy sharing a story or two about how some of our ideas come about, not all authors like hearing that question. Sometimes the ideas just come out of thin air; there isn't an interesting story behind everything we write. So just keep it in mind next time. Just because we write interesting stories, doesn't mean we have something interesting behind them. 

And so ends another episode of "Questions authors don't like." To see what other questions I've discussed so far, you can view the previous blog posts here and here. For the next two Fridays, I have two new guests, Karenna Colcroft and Kharisma Rhayne will be joining the roster due to busier schedules of Liz and Delena. These two ladies are quite lovely and very interesting, so I hope you're looking forward to see what topics these saucy ladies come up with! 

Happy Easter!

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter, and a safe long weekend, wherever in the world you are.
Although I would usually bring a guest to post on the 5th Friday of a month, this time around, I just want to wish you all a wonderful time no matter how you are spending it.

For those wanting some Eye Candy with their sweet candy...

Following from that, I would like to hear how you are all spending your Easter weekend. My partner and myself are lucky to be having a couple kid-free days to relax and have some couple time, before the big family lunch on Sunday. Those are days always filled with good food, good company and plenty of laughs. We all have our own "designated" food stuff to bring, which makes it easier, and everyone has a good time. Someone usually brings some bubbles, which are usually quite nice, followed by snacking on chips, dips crackers and chocolates, and a yummy lunch of roast chicken and salads. Sitting in front of the air con means a delicious meal eaten in comfort, followed by whatever yummy dessert my oldest sister thinks of. All in all makes for a good day every time.
So now it's your turn. How do you spend your Easter weekends?

Author Chat Friday with Phoenix Johnson

So once again I am a little late, and I do apologise. Yesterday was a pretty silly day, and then by the time I had a chance to post, I had no idea just what to write. So I slept on it, and I think I have an idea now. Of course, the way my mind works I'll probably start of talking about topic A and then end up talking about a dream I had last month on a Tuesday night... If I do go off on a tangent, please do bare with me; I plead pregnancy brain! (For those who don't know, my partner and I are expecting our second child in August. So I will probably be a little silly with posts for a while, and with moving to a bigger place in a couple months, things will be a bit hectic. But I won't forget about The Naughty Pages, I promise.)

Alright, what was I saying... Oh, that's right. What my author chat today is about. The annoying and silly questions authors get asked. Knowing as many other authors as I do, I can tell you, there have been some real doozies! 

"Will your book be in print?"
Now, in itself, it doesn't annoy me. My first one has only come to ebook, but I'm hoping it's popular enough the publisher finds it worthwhile putting the trilogy in to print. We'll see further down the road. I know, however, that other authors quite probably get frustrated by this. Ebooks are becoming more popular than print, yet there are so many people still asking for print. I love that, personally. I'll always prefer hard copy to digital as a reader. However, the digital copy means that stories that are short, yet don't necessarily belong in an anthology can now stand on their own and be read, and loved, by readers like stories are meant to be. Unfortunately, with so many readers still preferring print, many authors will be asked this question A LOT, and more than likely get quite frustrated by it. 

"What happens in the next one?"
I have had a few people try to pry the plot out of me for Once Bitten Twice Shy (book two of Wolf Smitten), but I've been able to laugh it off. If you want to know, you have to sit patiently and wait. I know, it's frustrating to wait so desperately for a sequel. I have done plenty of waiting for "the next book" myself, so believe me, I know. And it's not just the reader waiting; often, the book may already be written, but it needs to go to an editor. Editors have many other books to edit, so they can't drop everything just to get one particular one published. Besides, the wait makes it all the sweeter, doesn't it? 
Back to the question, though. Many readers might try to claim they know what the next book in a series is about. It's the same with movies. Goodness knows how many false trailers for movie sequels I've seen. The Fast in the Furious series is a great example. The sixth movie is only just about to come out, yet there are already false trailers for a seventh on youtube, using clips from movies not even in the FF series! It's really a bit idiotic, in my opinion. There isn't even a promise that there will be a seventh. Seriously, fans, just calm down and continue with your actual lives, please. Leave that up to the writers. 

"Being an author must be so awesome, you get to stay at home all day!"
Ok, I haven't been asked this, but I know it's an assumption many people have. One I intend to correct. No, this is not always the case. I have a few friends who work 60+ hours a week in a "normal" job, then come home and still manage to write a few thousand words before crashing in to bed, to start it all again tomorrow. One in particular, I still just shake my head at the amount that she does every day. Wow. (You know who you are, lady!)
Myself? Ok, yes. I stay at home all day. But I'm not kicking back doing nothing until inspiration hits. I study full time. I have a 3-almost-4-year-old with another on the way. I proof-read. I have a place to keep clean (thank you so much to my fantastic man for helping with that!), and food to cook (again, thank you for helping most nights, babe!). Then, when I can squeeze some brain power after studying and proof-reading, THEN I might be able to get some words written down for the next one. Very few authors are able to sit at home all day to focus on writing. Most of us have full time jobs we need to keep to support the family and keep our backsides in a house with power so we can type away at our computers. Or, in my case, study so that I can get a great job. Point being, it's not an easy ride like so many people assume. Life does get in the way quite often. So unless it's someone like J K Rowling (who would still have public appearances and all that famous person stuff), then don't assume they sit at home all day doing next to nothing. 

Well, I think 3 questions is enough for this week. I might have some more for next time. It's a month away, so we'll just see now, won't we? 

Next time you go to ask an author a question, stop and think for a minute. Make sure it's not a question that could make you look like an arse. The author will thank you for it!

Fantastic Company Breeds Success!

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Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't? When we're surrounded by others doing well, it inspires us to do well. And when we're all doing well, nay-sayers and doubters only make us strive to do better to prove them wrong. Can you say you disagree? I sure hope not!
I have been surrounded by quite a few successful authors for months now, and I do believe it is rubbing off. 


Warning: This is a total suck up, gratuity blog! I love my fellow authors and will take every chance to brag about them that I can get!


So who do I start with? Well, I won't put these in any particular order, just random. 

Cassandre Dayne: A wonderful author published with many presses and a truly wonderful lady. Cassandre was one of the first authors I reviewed, and that book, Spankdown, opened me up to the world of BDSM. She is a fantastic role model for aspiring authors, and a testament to just what one person can do when they put their minds to something. In my opinion, she is the poster girl for success!
Sherry Tooker: A fellow starting author. We have become super close over the past few months and are so similar it is a little spooky at times. Being so new to writing for publishing, we both have a lot of moments where we are filled with self-doubt. Sherry has helped me out of some severe funks, and I will always be grateful that I can call her friend and writing sister. We bounce ideas off each other, read over snippets from the other to make sure they read ok and are always ready to give a shoulder to lean on. That is what true family is about. 

Vampirique Dezire: A naughty Mother Hen, in my eyes. Without her, I wouldn't have met Gina (whom I shall speak about momentarily), and been encouraged to get back in to writing. I wouldn't have ever considered reviewing. And I certainly wouldn't be writing books two and three of Wolf Smitten since The Wolf In The Neighborhood was accepted by Naughty Nights Press. My first submission accepted. I cannot tell you how thrilling that was, but I owe a lot of my success to this wonderful lady. She, like Cassandre, is supremely busy as Director of Marketing for NNP, as well as writing her own blog, writing her own stories from time to time and spending time with her family. (And I'm not just talking about her writing family) This lady is definitely an inspiration and a wonderful person I'm honoured to call friend.

Gina Kincade: What can I say about this woman. She's strong, professional, intelligent and knows what she wants, when she wants it and how she wants it. Gina is the CEO/Owner of Naughty Nights Press, a writer, a mother, and a good friend. We all jokingly refer to her as the Bosslady, but it is a term of endearment. This is one woman who will give everything she has to something she is passionate about. She has one of the highest levels of commitment I have seen in anyone. This company is only six months old and most of the feedback any of us have received has been positive. She is doing really well as the captain of this ship, and I am excited to see just where she steers us: Success! 
Pablo Michaels: A wonderful writer, and a loving friend. He has so much going on in his life and yet he still tries to keep up with his friends. Pablo gives so much, and I am honoured to know this man. He was one of the first people to sign up for The Twelve Days of Naughty Giveaways, and one of the first participants to submit his Naughty Shorty, a beautifully naughty tale involved the Greek Gods and Demigods. His participation in Six Sentence Sundays paved the way to my willingness to start reading m/m, and I am so thrilled that I had the opportunity to read from him. Pablo always has something nice to say and is ever encouraging. He has got a lovely way of writing that warms the heart and opens eyes. I can not wait until he starts writing again. 

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Brenda Woody and Steve Tindle: Another couple of authors, these two write books together. It is quite wonderful the way they work together to produce such fantastic writing. I had the pleasure of reviewing them a few months back, and was delighted when Brenda nominated me for Xcite Books awards for Best Reviewer. I didn't make the final six, but it truly is an honour to be nominated. I know, only losers say that. That's far from the truth. To be nominated goes to show that there are people out there who recognise your work and appreciate the time you take. I am so touched to have been nominated by Brenda. I also have to admit it comes in handy having the two of them as friends, because if I ask one a question and they aren't sure, they work together to get an answer. It's brilliant and another inspiration.


There are so many other people I would love to mention, but I don't want to bore everyone. I just wanted to say thank you to all those who have, in one way or another, helped me strive towards success. This time last year I was struggling to write. Now, I have my first accepted work, two follow up novellas, a short story just written, two full sized novels started and an idea for my own compilation. With so much success surrounding us all and so much encouragement from others, may 2012 be our year! 

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To everyone wanting to achieve something, surround yourself with wonderful people who are revelling in their own success and celebrate with them. That positive energy will then reward you with your own celebrations. The Universe rewards positivity, and we must all strive to shake off negativity. If someone is doubting you when you know that you will succeed, ignore the doubting. If you make a mistake, that's just life. Shake it off and keep on going. And when you're feeling down, crank up some inspirational music like Katy Perry's Fireworks or Blue Lagoon's Break My Stride, and dance like crazy. Absorb the positive messages and use it in your life! You'll be amazed at how much things will change for the better!
And to all the doubters out there, stand aside and let us pass. As someone once said "The one who says 'It cannot be done' should never interrupt the one who is doing it."