Monday, December 20, 2010

COCKTAILS AND COCK TALES WITH SELESTE DELANEY


COCKTAILS AND COCK TALES would like to welcome Seleste deLaney! Sexy paranormal romance writer extraordinaire!
Today we will be sipping a Mommy's Special Hot Cocoa

Mommy's Special Hot Cocoa
6 oz hot cocoa
1 shot peppermint schnapps
1 ox Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka


Deanna: So here we go! Where are you and what are you wearing?

Seleste: I so should answer this at a different time of day LOL. I’m at my desk in my kitchen (new office sooooooon!) and I’m wearing jeans, a teal tank top, and a dark brown cashmere wrap sweater.

Deanna: Sounds sexy just the same! Now what’s your poison? Vodka? Hot Coco?

Seleste: I like my hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps, but I’m now thinking about trying it with vodka too. Hell, let’s go for all three…yummy!

Deanna: OMG! I haven’t had one of those in a while! And since its 20 degrees out, I say we defiantly add the vodka. Wouldn’t want to get cold, would we? (((evil grin)))Now that we’re comfy, tell me about your new book?


Seleste: My newest release (I actually had two holiday releases, how awesome is that?) is THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT and it’s the sequel to OF COURSE I TRY.

Deanna: Where did the idea for this story come from?

Seleste: Well, I had already decided to turn OF COURSE I TRY into a series, and I was toying with the plot of the novel (which is drafted now) while I was thinking about doing something for Decadent for the holidays. And I wondered if I could figure out a way to bridge from OF COURSE I TRY to the novel. I was taking a tiny page from your book and trying to think of a classic holiday story and seeing if I could twist it. THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT kind of came at me fully formed from that initial brainstorming session. I love it when that happens :)

Deanna: What was the hardest part of writing this story for you?

Seleste: Since THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT and OF COURSE I TRY are written from Jocelyn’s point of view (the novel is third person, multiple points of view) I needed to work in some little hints of things to come without giving away everything. The other difficult part came from the fact that through the whole story, from beginning to end, Jocelyn is never sure if it was a dream or real. Conveying that for the reader and making it believable was tough. Hopefully I pulled it off though

Deanna: What’s the easiest thing about writing it?

Seleste: I love this world and these characters, so sinking into Jocelyn’s head is easy. It’s always the most fun for me to write characters that I inherently “get”, and I know what it’s like to be a woman searching for her identity in the world.

Deanna: What is your dream story, your opus, if you will? The one you dream about writing but haven’t don’t it?

Seleste: The one that makes me an international best-seller? I don’t know if I have a dream story specifically. Basically if I have an idea, I get it out on paper. A friend of mine is still pushing for me to finish the one that I was working on way back when I first started writing again. But it’s another vampire series and the world would contradict with the BLOOD KISSED world, so I’m not sure how well that would work LOL.

Deanna: When did you first discover you were a writer? Were you like sitting on the toilet and just said, “Ya know, I think I’m gonna write a book.” Or was it more profound?

Seleste: I don’t know if it’s profound, but I’ve been writing since I was little. I stopped for a long time because I was told to “get serious about my future”. It took a lot of years before I realized I was happier writing. Pretty much since then, I haven’t stopped. I’m always working on at least one manuscript.

Deanna: What helps you when you are stumped on a scene in a manuscript? I usually have a cocktail or three. But that’s just me.

Seleste: Cocktails can help. Music too. Sometimes I just veg in front of the TV. But for me, the best thing is chatting with a friend. You know those moments on TV shows (House comes to mind right now) where the main character is just talking to someone and suddenly a random word or phrase makes the lightbulb go off and they know what to do? That happens to me a lot, so you’ll usually find me writing with at least one chat window open. It’s a good thing my friends are so understanding :)

Deanna: Most of my stories have a theme song, do you do that for your characters?? If so what is it?

Seleste: I have playlists (soundtracks if you will) for my novels, but not necessarily for shorter pieces. If I had to name a song for Jocelyn for THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT , it would be “That’s What You Get” by Paramore. I think it fits the mental turmoil that is still plaguing her.

Deanna: Tell us about a scene that you have written then afterwards, when you read it, you shocked yourself? You know I want a dirty answer (((hint hint)))

Seleste: Wow, I’m not sure I am ever that drunk that I completely forget the whole scene LOL.

Deanna: That's not what I meant, silly!

Seleste: I know! I will say in the novel, there is a sex scene that completely wasn’t in the plan and when it popped up, I just went O.O. My first thought was along the lines of “Well, this may be the scene that pushes the series to a heat level of five.” Oddly enough, it isn’t very long and doesn’t involve Jocelyn at all LOL. (But it will probably be your favorite, just because I know what you like :P)

Deanna: Thanks for stopping by, Seleste! I had fun and now I'm all out of vodka!

Leave a comment below and win your choice of OF COURSE I TRY or THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT

For the rest of you Seleste is all over the internet. You can find her at her website, blog, Facebook and Twitter. And THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT is available now at Decadent Publishing.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Holiday Storytime

So here it is!

Me!

On YOUTUBE!

OMG, don't pay too much attention to me, rather my story! Here it is and a great way to raise some money for a really great cause!

My latest story SECRET SANTA is a funny m/m about a naughty night by the fireplace where the hero, Adam, has no idea who just made love to him…that is of course is because he blindfolded himself! LOL

More importantly, SECRET SANTA is the December Decadent Publishing Read for Life feature. Read For a Cure is a Decadent Publishing program benefiting the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Each month, they donate ALL PUBLISHER PROFITS from one book to R4L in their efforts to help fight back against cancer.

I will be donating 50cents per purchase of SECRET SANTA to this same great cause until December 31st.

So if you have never read an m/m story before, please pick up a copy of SECRET SANTA. It is One Naughty Read for one Nice Cause!



For more information about how you can help donate to Relay for Life or to join TEAM DECADENT check out this LINK

Monday, December 6, 2010

COCKTAILS AND COCK TALES WITH ANNE HOLLY!


Today we have erotica Author Anne Holly with us. We will be sippin’ on some Bailey’s and coffee while she tells us about her two new holiday releases, UN-SCROOGED and GOOD FOR THE GOOSE

Bailey’s and Coffee
2 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
5 oz black coffee

Deanna: I start out all my interviews the same, Anne: Where are you and what are you wearing?

Anne: I am in Ontario, Canada, and quite chilly, so I am pretty much bundled up. Since I spend most of my time trying to squeeze my writing and other work in between bouts of toddler minding, my usual uniform consists of something schlumpy and relatively clean. Sexy, no?

Deanna: Schlumpy, that’s a good one. We usually call that dressing like a frumpkin. Ya know? A frumpy bumpkin? LOL, which is exactly my own personal look this morning. Good thing we’re not Skyping! So what’s your poison? Vodka? Hot Coco?

Anne: Coffee. Always with the coffee. Once a year, I add some Bailey’s to that or to some cocoa, but that’s about as wild as I get.

Deanna: You wild one. Well, the interview is called “Cocktails and Cock Tales” so bring on the Bailey’s! (((pours a healthy dollop into each coffee cup))) Now that we’re comfy, tell me about your new books?


Anne: My two brand new releases in the past week and a half or so are both Christmas stories. My new Decadent Publishing release is a romantic comedy set in England, which is sort of an homage to A Christmas Carol, called UN-SCROOGED, where an eccentric writer must come of out his protective bubble if he wants to grab onto his last chance – an optimistic and cheerful Canadian grad student who has moved into his building for the year. Their story culminates in an awkward family Christmas where he has to deal with what made him as bitter as he is.

Deanna: Sounds fun! And your second book?

Anne: I also have a new erotic romance for the holidays out with Wicked Nights’ erotic line, After Dark, GOOD FOR THE GOOSE, which focuses on a recently divorced professor who has a hot fling with a young Latin lover only to find that it might not be just a fling after all.


Both of the heroes in these two books are my favourite male characters that I have written so far – adorable, and hot, hot, hot. Just right for cold nights. ;)

Deanna: I’m sensing some similarities in these stories, can you tell us about that?

Anne: I was a grad student for many years, and now teach a university, so I love the weird, eccentric personalities one sees as a career academic – and as a writer, as well! That is why most of my works involve academics or writers, etc – it’s what I know. I am also fond of thinking of ways and reasons people resist love and romance, and figuring out how they can overcome that cynicism that life makes in them. And, well, the winter holidays are a great time for that – people are more vulnerable, I think.

Deanna: What was the hardest part of writing these stories for you?

Anne: Editing was no picnic, I can tell you that! My natural fiction style is quite chaotic, so forcing it into industry standards can be painful. I’m learning, though. Also, with erotica and sex scenes in general, I sometimes have a hard time writing things I wouldn’t say in mixed company. Full-body blushes are not unheard of when I write those parts.

Deanna: ROFL!!!! Yeah, one time I was writing a hot m/m sex scene and my mom called. A tornado was on its way and she wanted to come over and sit in my basement. Needless to say I had to leave my poor heroes hanging.
Way to solider on through those full bodied blushes. I’m sure your readers appreciate it. What’s the easiest thing about writing for you?

Anne: The characters! Also, my favourite part. When I sit down to write a story or book, the characters are already alive in my head. They make everything else so much more worth it.

Deanna: I totally feel the same. What is your dream story, your opus, if you will? The one you dream about writing but haven’t don’t it?

Anne: I have some more literary stuff I’d like to do some day when I have the time and introspection to do them – stuff about my family history. I will also be working on one soon, which is sort of in pre-production, to use a filmmaking term – a romance set in Nova Scotia’s ship building past, a time I find very exciting. I have also had a screenplay bubbling away on the back burner for a long time.

Deanna: Those all sound great, I hope you get to write all of them…and more importantly SELL all of them!
When did you first discover you were a writer? Were you like sitting on the toilet and just said, “Ya know, I think I’m gonna write a book.” Or was it more profound? J

Anne: I’ve had multiple epiphanies in my life. When I was a kid, I was all about pronouncing, “I am going to be a writer when I grow up!” I was good, too – for a kid. Then, after I finished my undergrad degree, I actually wrote a romance (mostly as something to do, but also because I was seeking direction), which got rejected on my one and only inquiry, so it got shoved in a shoebox when I started grad school. I wrote that one after I read LaVyrle Spencer’s retirement novel, where she included a letter encouraging people to write – that was like a light going on for me, and I remembered how much I wanted to write when I was a kid. But, that rejection made me think, “Well, I tried,” and I moved on.

Then, when I finished my PhD I thought – “You know, this summer, I am going to see what I can do with this.” So, I hauled out the old manuscript, and polished out the school girl stuff and made it a bit stronger, and I sent it off – and it got accepted! (I was stunned, frankly.) So, then I started in on my new direction of writing a lot and publishing as much as I could, so I could learn as much as possible and start building my name.

That novel, STRINGS ATTACHED, which was first written about eight years ago and then revamped, is being released in May 2011! I am still in awe of that. Take that, editor who rejected it way back when!

Deanna: Lol, success feels great, doesn’t it? What helps you when you are stumped on a scene in a manuscript? I usually have a cocktail or three. But that’s just me.

Anne: I watch movies. When I work on a story, I typically have a “muse,” or an actor who reminds me of the character’s qualities. When I get stumped, I take an evening off and watch one of that actor’s movies, which can get the creative juices flowing again. (Get your mind out of the gutter, there.)

Deanna: No, you can’t make me! See? I got out him just to prove a point!

Anne: Lol, You're bad!

Deanna: Thank-you! Now what else helps you kick writer's block?

Anne: Sometimes, it is music, though – for instance, when I did my paranormal erotic, I listened to a lot of Type O Negative, because Peter Steele (rest his soul) made for an excellent muse, and the music had the right feel, both dark and sexy… Then I had to do two Christmas stories immediately afterwards, which made for a jarring switch. I really had a hard time changing moods there.

Deanna: Tell us about a scene that you have written then afterwards, when you read it, you shocked yourself? You know I want a dirty answer (((hint hint)))

Anne: Well, in GOOD FOR THE GOOSE there is some very light bondage and the hero seems to like being teasingly whipped – that surprised me a great deal to see myself write that.

Deanna: HA! I knew I got out the whip boy for good reason!

Anne: Lol. In my current work in progress, I have an extended scene as my hero is in search of condoms, which I found rather amusing and that surprised me – I am usually squeamish about putting my heroes in really embarrassing situations, even though the poor guys do end up humiliated a lot of the time.
Sometimes, I have to say, though it might sound like conceit, I some times sit back and say to myself, “Man, did I write that? That’s good!” I am still shocked when I see myself write like an actual writer, if that makes any sense.

Deanna: Well you ARE a writer, so of course it makes sense!

Thank you for stopping by today, Anne. It was a lot of fun but now I'm all out of Baileys....(she says she only has a little, yeah right!)

If you had fun reading today's installment of COCKTAILS AND COCK TALES, please post a comment so Anne can stuff one lucky winners stocking with their choice of UN-SCROOGED or GOOD FOR THE GOOSE!

Here's where you can find Anne Holly on the web:
Website, Blog , Facebook, and YouTube
GOOD FOR THE GOOSE links:
Wicked Nights
Amazon:
UN-SCROOGED Links:
Decadent Publishing
Amazon