This week’s brilliant author is Brynn Paulin with her brand new release All Chained Up. So read the interview then go immediately to Ellora’s Cave and buy the book – and if you see a couple by the Jones girl please consider buying them to keep me in Tim Tam money...thank you. Next week Bronwyn Green author of Ronan’s Grail will grace us with her presence.
All Chained Up – The Blurb
On the run from a stalker, Keera has carefully hidden her attraction to Theo, knowing surrendering to her lust isn’t an option. She can’t put him in danger.
Theo, however, is determined to take the choice from her hands. For months, he’s studied her and he has a few secrets of his own. The biggest is his D/s lifestyle. He’s a Dom without a submissive, but he’s not interested in anyone but Keera.
After a surprise night of passion, she consents to be his. But one minute she’s there, the next she’s gone and on the run again. Theo is determined to bring her back to his side where he can protect her. Then he’ll keep her there forever, wrapped in the chains of his love.
The Interview
1. You have some sizzling sex scenes in your book. How hard is it to write sex and make it convincing?
All Chained Up – The Blurb
On the run from a stalker, Keera has carefully hidden her attraction to Theo, knowing surrendering to her lust isn’t an option. She can’t put him in danger.
Theo, however, is determined to take the choice from her hands. For months, he’s studied her and he has a few secrets of his own. The biggest is his D/s lifestyle. He’s a Dom without a submissive, but he’s not interested in anyone but Keera.
After a surprise night of passion, she consents to be his. But one minute she’s there, the next she’s gone and on the run again. Theo is determined to bring her back to his side where he can protect her. Then he’ll keep her there forever, wrapped in the chains of his love.
The Interview
1. You have some sizzling sex scenes in your book. How hard is it to write sex and make it convincing?
I do find sex scenes harder to write than regular scenes. You have to be in the right mood or they read like sex manuals. However, once I get going, whew! Sometimes I have to rein it in. If I continue to have trouble with a scene, it’s because the characters don’t have a strong enough connection yet. If there’s no connection, the scene won’t be convincing no matter how hot or kinky the sex.
2. Romance and the condom. How hard do you find to slip it in or on when the action is hot between characters?
I have trouble remembering to put it on. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl. Maybe it’s because there haven’t been condoms in my house for eleven years. I usually have to go back and rewrite them in unless I consciously think…“okay, today, hero X puts on condom and gets down to business.” But I have to be at that part of the scene. Usually, I’m three scenes down the line and suddenly swear because I realize I have to go back and slip the thing on him. How he puts on the condom is directly related to my frame of mind. If he jerks on the condom, I’m pretty pissed.
3. Do you think romance just happens or do you make your characters work for it?
For the most part, they work for it. I think everyone works for it and I try to relate some element of that reality into my writing—even the fantasy books. Lust pops up out of the blue sometimes. Romance, however does not. That takes a conscious effort.
4. What is it about your hero that makes him irresistible to women?
He’s hot. He’s successful. He’s dominant. And he cares enough about his woman to put his life on the line. Most women are pretty taken with a man who’s a bit possessive and dominates without being a jerk.
5. Do you think readers want to escape or do they want to identify with a character?
Both! Reading is about escape. We have enough junk in our lives without being bombarded with it in fiction. We need our happy endings. However, I think a reader needs to identify with the character and how they deal with problems and succeed. It gives hope and relief from the everyday pressures of life.
6. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when writing romance?
That it’s a romance. It’s easy to get caught up in the sex or the world building or the action and adventure. In the end, though, you’re writing about two people discovering one another and falling in love. You’re writing about two people who your readers should believe can exist in the real world. It’s imperative that they have believable emotions and reactions to what’s going on around them. I like to put my characters through the emotional wringer.
7. What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a mid-length fantasy for Ellora’s Cave and two novella for Total-e-bound.
**Click on the Cover and buy the book**
The blog serial continues on www.annycook.blogspot.com and as you can tell Anny has quite the imagination. Kelly is talking about kissing or kiting…or maybe it's knitting - something like that on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. And please take a squiz at the blogs to the left and see what writers get up to in their spare time….they are a creative, yet scary bunch...not me of course, I am completely normal-ish.
2. Romance and the condom. How hard do you find to slip it in or on when the action is hot between characters?
I have trouble remembering to put it on. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl. Maybe it’s because there haven’t been condoms in my house for eleven years. I usually have to go back and rewrite them in unless I consciously think…“okay, today, hero X puts on condom and gets down to business.” But I have to be at that part of the scene. Usually, I’m three scenes down the line and suddenly swear because I realize I have to go back and slip the thing on him. How he puts on the condom is directly related to my frame of mind. If he jerks on the condom, I’m pretty pissed.
3. Do you think romance just happens or do you make your characters work for it?
For the most part, they work for it. I think everyone works for it and I try to relate some element of that reality into my writing—even the fantasy books. Lust pops up out of the blue sometimes. Romance, however does not. That takes a conscious effort.
4. What is it about your hero that makes him irresistible to women?
He’s hot. He’s successful. He’s dominant. And he cares enough about his woman to put his life on the line. Most women are pretty taken with a man who’s a bit possessive and dominates without being a jerk.
5. Do you think readers want to escape or do they want to identify with a character?
Both! Reading is about escape. We have enough junk in our lives without being bombarded with it in fiction. We need our happy endings. However, I think a reader needs to identify with the character and how they deal with problems and succeed. It gives hope and relief from the everyday pressures of life.
6. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when writing romance?
That it’s a romance. It’s easy to get caught up in the sex or the world building or the action and adventure. In the end, though, you’re writing about two people discovering one another and falling in love. You’re writing about two people who your readers should believe can exist in the real world. It’s imperative that they have believable emotions and reactions to what’s going on around them. I like to put my characters through the emotional wringer.
7. What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a mid-length fantasy for Ellora’s Cave and two novella for Total-e-bound.
**Click on the Cover and buy the book**
The blog serial continues on www.annycook.blogspot.com and as you can tell Anny has quite the imagination. Kelly is talking about kissing or kiting…or maybe it's knitting - something like that on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. And please take a squiz at the blogs to the left and see what writers get up to in their spare time….they are a creative, yet scary bunch...not me of course, I am completely normal-ish.
www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?
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7 comments:
Normal, huh? Not in this lifetime and you love it.
Excellent interview, both of you. Loved the condom answer!
Great interview:) Can't wait to read this one:)
Loved the answers, Brynn, and you are so right on. It made me stop and rethink how I create my stories and gave me some good ideas. I'll sure be reading your book.
Defintitely agree with your definition of a hero! Whew!
Excellent interview - you two rock!
Dear Chel,
I just read this amazing interview by author Brynn Paulin. What a card she is! And I'm thinkin' she's pretty gosh darned interesting too. You oughta check her out sometime.
sincerely,
Fred.
Great interview, Brynn and Amarinda!
Sandra
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