Today I thought I’d try my hand at interviewing a writer friend who belongs to my writing forum. She sometimes edits my books and is a writer herself for two e-publishers.
Good afternoon, Anastasia. I noticed that you have several fantasy e-books in addition to your erotic-romance e-book published on the web.
Thanks so much for picking me, Carol, and yes, I’m a genre crosser!
My first question is what is your favorite genre to write and why?
Fantasy was always the genre that drew me. Currently, I have Shahzar Warrior Queen available from Forbidden Publications, the first book in a four part epic series. It’s sent in a world where magic is rare, passed on through the generations of priests in the city’s temple. Shahzar is the city’s princess, but the guild council that’s been running the city since the prior queen’s untimely death during childbirth, doesn’t really want the princess to become queen. Her rite of passage to attain the throne is to birth a child sired by the local temple’s bishop. Mystery and hatred surround the old religion and Shahzar’s uncle wants her to murder the bishop when he’s sent to her bed. This first book in the series follows her through her trials to take the throne.
The second book in the series, Shahzar Last Shan-Sei, also available from Forbidden, focuses on Shahzar’s quest to bring back the true priests of the Shan-Sei temple. She wants their dark magic as a weapon against the rival city of Klem. When she leaves behind her home to seek out the last known Shan-Sei priest in the distant forestlands, she gets much more than she bargained for. The man she discovers is not exactly what she expected and she must choose between him and her city.
Where do you get your ideas to write your books?
Some I can explain, like my fantasy works. All stem from stories I made up when I was young adult. I had an overactive imagination and created maps, cities, characters, and all manner of plotlines set in Shahzar’s world. They probably came from watching too many fantasy movies and reading too many fantasy novels.
My contemporary romance derive sometimes from personal experience as in my loveyoudivine novella Rope. I didn’t have an affair with a cowboy at the guest ranch near where I live, but I did go to banking seminars there every year, and I was surrounded with some wild and crazy banker folk who probably would have, given the chance—especially with my main character Garrett.
My paranormals are generally what if scenarios. In the Moon’s Light, a vampire erotica which will release in April 2008 at Dark Eden Press was just that. A what if I wrote a vampire tale…what if he lived in an old guesthouse near the mansion where he grew up ages ago before he was turned…what if he was a selfish jerk…what if someone came along who made him want to change? One question often leads to another until I end up with fully realized characters and a plot to overcome.
A lot of my paranormal and fantasy tales are inspired by my insatiable interest in myths and religion. God in the Stone, (to be released at Forbidden Publications) an erotic romance featuring the little-loved god Pan, came to me when I was reading a book about demons and myths. In it, the both of Christianity brought about the death of the old Greek gods. “The great god Pan is dead,” a quote from the book made me wonder and imagine what if…Pan is still alive? What if he’s waiting for someone to discover him, to fall for him, to see him for who and what he really is and accept him? Acceptance by someone we love, despite our imperfections, is something I think any person can relate to.
Both Demon in the Basement (Forbidden Publication) and The Noonday Demon (Amira Press) were both inspired after I read up on demons and sins. One of the bits of lore I think the general people forget is that all demons are actually fallen angels. Some texts indicate that they fell after going against God and taking human wives. Demon in the Basement is about redemption whereas The Noonday Demon focuses on the cardinal sin of accidie and is about the main character accepting the dark side of herself along with the light. Both are hot, short tales of unusual passion.
If you are at home with free time, what would you be doing if you are not writing?
Free time is for writing! All right though, if the muses are silent, I’m either editing, designing cover art, doing the accounting for the family business, and if the kids aren’t at school, I’m helping them with their homework, reading to them, chasing them or playing hide and seek. Ugh and I have to squeeze in the chores too.
If you like movies, who are your favorite actors and what are the titles of your favorite movies?
I do like movies on occasion. My favorite movies are: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Godfathers, The Harry Potters, Excalibur, Tristan and Isolde, The Lord of the Rings series, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Fight Club, The Devil’s Advocate and the Shrek series.
My favorite actor is Al Pacino because of his smoldering dark brown eyes and his awesome acting ability.
Do you have a work in progress? Can you give us a hint regarding what it is about?
I have four works in progress but only one I’m focusing on. It’s entitled Urden, God of Love, and it’s a sequel to another work which has not been contracted yet. Urden is a futuristic erotic romance. Enrue is the leader of a city in the outer reaches of the galactic Empire and although he is a cold, calculating man, he’s not happy with the way the Corporation-run Empire uses people by enslaving them in the human trade markets and exploiting them. Along with his band of six leaders from other planets, he’s planning to overthrow the Empire.
Melia is the assassin sent to kill him. Both are intrigued with each other and though they fight the growing attraction between them, it’s only a matter of time before they change each other’s lives.
Is there anything you would like to relay to everyone?
Good afternoon, Anastasia. I noticed that you have several fantasy e-books in addition to your erotic-romance e-book published on the web.
Thanks so much for picking me, Carol, and yes, I’m a genre crosser!
My first question is what is your favorite genre to write and why?
Fantasy was always the genre that drew me. Currently, I have Shahzar Warrior Queen available from Forbidden Publications, the first book in a four part epic series. It’s sent in a world where magic is rare, passed on through the generations of priests in the city’s temple. Shahzar is the city’s princess, but the guild council that’s been running the city since the prior queen’s untimely death during childbirth, doesn’t really want the princess to become queen. Her rite of passage to attain the throne is to birth a child sired by the local temple’s bishop. Mystery and hatred surround the old religion and Shahzar’s uncle wants her to murder the bishop when he’s sent to her bed. This first book in the series follows her through her trials to take the throne.
The second book in the series, Shahzar Last Shan-Sei, also available from Forbidden, focuses on Shahzar’s quest to bring back the true priests of the Shan-Sei temple. She wants their dark magic as a weapon against the rival city of Klem. When she leaves behind her home to seek out the last known Shan-Sei priest in the distant forestlands, she gets much more than she bargained for. The man she discovers is not exactly what she expected and she must choose between him and her city.
Where do you get your ideas to write your books?
Some I can explain, like my fantasy works. All stem from stories I made up when I was young adult. I had an overactive imagination and created maps, cities, characters, and all manner of plotlines set in Shahzar’s world. They probably came from watching too many fantasy movies and reading too many fantasy novels.
My contemporary romance derive sometimes from personal experience as in my loveyoudivine novella Rope. I didn’t have an affair with a cowboy at the guest ranch near where I live, but I did go to banking seminars there every year, and I was surrounded with some wild and crazy banker folk who probably would have, given the chance—especially with my main character Garrett.
My paranormals are generally what if scenarios. In the Moon’s Light, a vampire erotica which will release in April 2008 at Dark Eden Press was just that. A what if I wrote a vampire tale…what if he lived in an old guesthouse near the mansion where he grew up ages ago before he was turned…what if he was a selfish jerk…what if someone came along who made him want to change? One question often leads to another until I end up with fully realized characters and a plot to overcome.
A lot of my paranormal and fantasy tales are inspired by my insatiable interest in myths and religion. God in the Stone, (to be released at Forbidden Publications) an erotic romance featuring the little-loved god Pan, came to me when I was reading a book about demons and myths. In it, the both of Christianity brought about the death of the old Greek gods. “The great god Pan is dead,” a quote from the book made me wonder and imagine what if…Pan is still alive? What if he’s waiting for someone to discover him, to fall for him, to see him for who and what he really is and accept him? Acceptance by someone we love, despite our imperfections, is something I think any person can relate to.
Both Demon in the Basement (Forbidden Publication) and The Noonday Demon (Amira Press) were both inspired after I read up on demons and sins. One of the bits of lore I think the general people forget is that all demons are actually fallen angels. Some texts indicate that they fell after going against God and taking human wives. Demon in the Basement is about redemption whereas The Noonday Demon focuses on the cardinal sin of accidie and is about the main character accepting the dark side of herself along with the light. Both are hot, short tales of unusual passion.
If you are at home with free time, what would you be doing if you are not writing?
Free time is for writing! All right though, if the muses are silent, I’m either editing, designing cover art, doing the accounting for the family business, and if the kids aren’t at school, I’m helping them with their homework, reading to them, chasing them or playing hide and seek. Ugh and I have to squeeze in the chores too.
If you like movies, who are your favorite actors and what are the titles of your favorite movies?
I do like movies on occasion. My favorite movies are: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Godfathers, The Harry Potters, Excalibur, Tristan and Isolde, The Lord of the Rings series, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Fight Club, The Devil’s Advocate and the Shrek series.
My favorite actor is Al Pacino because of his smoldering dark brown eyes and his awesome acting ability.
Do you have a work in progress? Can you give us a hint regarding what it is about?
I have four works in progress but only one I’m focusing on. It’s entitled Urden, God of Love, and it’s a sequel to another work which has not been contracted yet. Urden is a futuristic erotic romance. Enrue is the leader of a city in the outer reaches of the galactic Empire and although he is a cold, calculating man, he’s not happy with the way the Corporation-run Empire uses people by enslaving them in the human trade markets and exploiting them. Along with his band of six leaders from other planets, he’s planning to overthrow the Empire.
Melia is the assassin sent to kill him. Both are intrigued with each other and though they fight the growing attraction between them, it’s only a matter of time before they change each other’s lives.
Is there anything you would like to relay to everyone?
I’d love for any interested readers to stop by my website at http://RabiyahBooks.com and check out my work. I’m also running a contest which ends November 30, 2007 so read my contest page for details on how to be entered. Catch my work at my publisher’s websites: http://ForbiddenPublications.com http://AmiraPress.com http://loveyoudivine.com http://DarkEdenPress.com
I have many other upcoming works which you can read about on my website.
Thank you, Anastasia, for talking with me today. I’ll be on the lookout for the release your new books in the Shahzar Series as well as your erotic romances.
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