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Autoras en la
Sombra's Interview with Patrice Michelle
AS: Patrice, first of all we want to thank you
for sharing a little of you precious time with all of us. We are
really honoured to have you here answering these questions, and of
course we want to congratulate you for the success of your all your
work, and for your upcoming books.
PM: Thank you so much, ladies! I really
appreciate your kind words.
AS: When did you decide to become an author and
why did you choose to write romantica? What do you like the most
about writing romance-sensual novels?
PM: I've always been an avid reader, ever since
elementary school. But it wasn't until I was fifteen
and I finished reading a book that left me smiling that I told my
mom, "One day I'm going to be an author." I didn't write my first novel until I was in college, and
even though I didn't finish that book, I was hooked on the entire
writing process. I knew that's what I wanted to do.
Fast forward a decade, and during the process
of moving, I thought I'd lost the computer file of my first novel. I
panicked that I might've lost all that hard work and sat down to
read the story. It was a pretty good story, the
characters were strong and likable, and at that moment, I realized I
really wanted to do the "writing thing" seriously. At that
point in my life I was mature enough and had enough discipline and
drive to sit down and do the work-to see my dream through. I
started writing again and seven months later I sold my first
novel.
I never set out to write romantica (TM). I've always
preferred reading romances with more descriptive love scenes, so
when I started to write my own it made sense that I would write with
a sensual tone. The way I look at it.if I'm going
to spend pages and pages describing the characters, their clothes,
their homes, their struggles in life, their internal conflicts, then
why wouldn't I spend just as much time on their loves scenes-that
one true expression of love everyone can relate to.
What I like most about writing sensual novels
is the freedom to let both the hero and heroine be themselves in a
typical relationship. I don't have to cut the scene
short or soften it. I let
the people say what they want to say, act how that particular
character would react in a certain 'charged' situation.basically.I
let my characters "be" without censure.
AS: What is a typical day for you when you're
working on a novel?
PM: I write for at least five hours a day,
usually in the morning through lunch. I go somewhere to write, to get
away from my computer, email and the internet. I find
that if all I have to do is write, that's all I'll do. No
distractions! :o)
AS: How long does it take you to write a story?
Do you use to work in several books at the same time?
PM: It takes me about three months to write a
full length novel from start to finish. I've
worked on several novellas at the same time, but not full novels. I
find that writing a full novel takes all my concentration and effort
so that I carry themes all the way through and paint the characters
as deep as I can make them. When I'm working on a novel I'm
thinking about plot twists and dialogue scenes in my head even when
I'm doing daily chores.so I don't want the distraction of other
books and their characters in my subconscious while I'm trying to
get the full length novel just right.
AS: I really enjoy your books and I always
wonder where do you get ideas for your stories? Do you ever use
personal experiences when writing your stories?
PM: Thank so much! I'm
thrilled to hear you've enjoyed my books. Honestly, other
than songs igniting an idea and dreaming a scene in Resurrection, I
have no idea where my ideas come from. I do
start with a basic premise for a story-kind of a three line idea,
but that's about all I know at first. I used to be a seat-of-the-pants
writer, but I've evolved into a hybrid type where I do very high
level plotting and then I write the story. The high level plotting
helps keep me on track but doesn't hamper my muse and make me feel
like I can't go down a different path.if I feel that path is better
for my characters and the story.
Personal experiences weaved into a story are
part and parcel with every author, I imagine. After
all, the stories do come from our imaginations. But that said, for
me at least.most of what I write is pure fiction because the story
is about two other people and their lives.
AS: Do you read romance yourself? Who are
some of your favourite authors and how do you think they've
influenced your writing? What would we find on your
bookshelf?
PM: Absolutely! I've read romances since I was
thirteen and though I read other types of books, romances still
remain my favourite genre. When I was a young teen, I was a
historical reader. Now I hardly ever read historical. I prefer Urban
Fantasy and Paranormal stories. Favourite past authors: Johanna
Lindsey, Jude Deveraux, Julie Garwood, Amanda Quick, Virginia Henley
and Judith McNaught. Today my favourite authors are:
Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, Christine Feehan and Marjorie M. Liu
to name a few.
AS: What type of research did you do for your
books?
PM: A lot of my research is online or personal
interviews of experts in the areas I need more information on. But
here are a couple of trips I took for research purposes.
I visited a rodeo and interviewed the stock
contractor before I wrote COLT'S CHOICE.
During my trip to Ireland I took lots of notes and realized certain
places would make wonderful settings for my third vampire novel A
TASTE FOR CONTROL. I believe at least fifty pages of that book were
set in Ireland.
AS: What is the hardest part of writing a
story? What is the funniest thing that has happened related to your
writing?
PM: The hardest part of writing a story for
me.the editing process. I love just sitting down and
banging through the story, getting it out of my head and onto the
computer.
I think this is my favourite part because so much of the
story is still unknown to me at that point. It's
like a puzzling journey I'm taking.and just like my readers do when
they sit down to read the final product, I get
to discover the full story as it unfolds on my screen. After
I've written the story, the true art begins.ie, the editing
process.
That's where I go in and make every scene pop for the
readers' senses, where I'll take the readers 'deeper' inside the
hero or the heroine's heads and make sure all that angst and love
and any other emotions my characters experience are truly
felt.
Funniest thing related to my
writing.
When a friend introduced me at a party to his
neighbours as, "This is Patrice. She writes smut," and then he
walked off, leaving me standing there beside this husband and wife
with looks on their faces somewhere between shock and horror. To
which, after contemplating all the ways I planned to choke my friend
for being 'such a guy', all I could do was smile at the poor people
and say, "Weeeeeell, that was a real ice breaker, wasn't
it?"
AS:
Is there anything in particular, like music, etc,
that helps you get into the mood to write?
PM:
Actually, as much as I love listening to music,
I don't listen to it while I write. Because I see music as a source
of inspiration, if I listened to it during the writing process, I
wouldn't write. Heh! I'd spend my writing time
listening to the story the musician was trying to tell with his
song.
If I'm having difficulty with a scene, I'll walk away and
read a book or watch a movie, then I'll come back to writing once my
mind has cleared.
Caffeine does help me write. If I
have a cup of tea or coffee in hand, I feel more invigorated and I
just start writing.
AS:
What comes to you first, the characters or the
plot for a new story? Once the basics are in place, what do you do
next?
PM:
I have to have three things before I start
writing: the hero and heroine's names, the title of my book and a
basic three line idea for the story. Then I can begin to write.
Attributes and personality quirks and other internal
conflicts pertaining to the hero and heroine come out in the story
as I write it. Which can be really surprising,
let me tell you! *g* My plots have started out one way
and as I've written the story, they've twisted and morphed, going
down a whole new path.
AS: Do you
consciously change the types of your characters or do they just form
as you write them? Did you ever happen when you finish a book some
of your characters are different to the way you have envisioned them
in the first place? Do you outline your stories from start to
finish, or do you create your story and refine
it later?
PM: My
characters' basics are pretty set up front, but as I mentioned
above, other facets of their personalities do come out later in the
book as I write. They aren't planned. They just
happen. It's like the people take on a life of their own and direct
me to make sure I paint them exactly as they really are. I
haven't had a main character do a complete one-eighty change on me
by the end of the book. The issues I've run into are more
with secondary characters where they'll take on a much stronger role
in the story than I had initially planned. Or, I'll have a secondary
character who was so strong I had to tone him down so he doesn't
take the limelight from the hero. That usually only works once I
promise him he'll get his own book. ;o)
I do a high level outline that I consider very
fluid and could completely change as some aspect of the story
deviates.
AS:
Your characters are strong, alpha male with a
tender side. Two of my favourite are Duncan and Colt. How do you go
about in the development of your characters? When do you decide a
secondary character must have his/her own book and why?
PM:
These are my favourite heroes to write: Strong
alphas with a tender side! My characters are very organic and
their little quirks, what makes them tick, their hot buttons.all
those things develop as I write the story. How I
develop my heroes has a lot to do with the heroine. I let my
"men" react to their "women". Basically, I let the characters play
off each other. So they drive themselves, defining
who and what they are, how they respond, etc based on the people
around them and their own pasts coming into play with the
present.
Secondary characters get their own stories when
they become too strong in the story. I guess they're trying to tell me,
"Hey, I'm a lot more interesting." To which I reply, "Fine. But pipe
down for a bit until I get to your story." That
usually pacifies them. :o)
AS: This a
difficult one, we know, but... Which of your male and female
characters (out of all of your novels) do you think is the most
interesting, complex and compelling, and why?
PM: I can't
pick just one, so I'll narrow it down to three:
Colt from COLT'S CHOICE. He had
such a sad past and then being thrust into fatherhood at such a
young age, I could understand his cynicism when it came to trusting
women.
I loved his sense of honor, his fairness with business
partners and family, his tender side with Elise-the total package
made him a great character to write.
Duncan from A TASTE FOR CONTROL had so much angst
about his hybrid status, yet he still gave a part of himself to
thousands through his music. I liked how complex his character
turned out to be.
Jachin from RESURRECTION, my upcoming
Nocturne.
Jachin is a tortured hero who has "duty" pulling him one way
while his heart tugs him in the opposite direction. His
journey was one of the hardest, yet most satisfying I've
written.
AS:
Why do you think romantica is so popular today?
PM:
Personally, I believe that if a story is written
with deep emotion, the descriptive love scenes are just icing on the
cake, making the appreciation of the story and the connection the
readers feel with the hero and heroine that much stronger and more
intimate.
AS:
You have been writing in the erotic romance
genre so far, have you considered writing other types of
books?
PM:
I definitely plan to write in other
genres. Currently I have a mainstream fiction storyline I'm
working on and a Young Adult storyline that I've started as
well.
AS:
In the erotic genre there's a tendency to write
a story with a lot of sex and very little, and sometimes
non-existence, plot. So one of the things I like the most about your
books is them are not just a collection of sex scenes, there's also
a good plot. Do you think a good plot is important in this genre?
PM:
A good plot is key. Every scene in a book is
supposed to move the story forward, to help the reader discover
something knew about the hero, the heroine and the underlying
plot.
Love scenes aren't excluded from this. They
also should enhance the story.something new should be learned about
the hero, the heroine, a new complication should arise or even how
the hero and heroine react to each other during or after a love
scene.
When a relationship goes to a deeper, physical and emotional
level, a bond has been formed and that connection should ripple
throughout the story, touching every element.
AS:
One of the most difficult scenes to write are
the sex ones, I can still remember the scene on the elevator from
Harms' Hunger and some others. Is difficult
for you to write the sex scenes for your books? Is it made
any easier knowing that the majority of romance readers are female?
Is it hard to keep these love scenes fresh and hot book after
book?
PM:
I don't find the love scenes hard to write
because they are an expression of a physical and emotional response
between the hero and heroine. Sometimes the relationship is in
the early stages, like the elevator scene in Harm's Hunger, so the
emotions don't/can't run as deep because the characters don't know
each other as well. Other scenes, when the hero and
heroine have learned more about each other, go much deeper into the
emotions. At that point, it's not about the hero's point of view or
even the heroine's point of view, but how they both view each other
and how their internal hang-ups and past issues play into their
relationship. Because the vast majority of
romance readers are female, I write my love scenes with the female
in mind even though the scenes are in both the hero and heroine's
points of view.
As for keeping the love scenes fresh, I only
write the scene if the hero and heroine dictate it. In other words,
what will make that love scene unique
is incorporating the characters' personality traits, their internal
conflicts as well as their desires when they finally connect
physically and emotionally.
AS:
Dark Vampires and sexy cowboys are two kind of
characters so many people enjoy. Why do you think a man with fangs
and another with a big... hat appeals so much?
PM:
For vampires, I believe it's the whole bad
boy/he's-from-the-dark-side-and-different-from-me thing.
As for cowboys, these men believe in and uphold
a code of honor that seems to be a throwback to the old west
days.
I think both archetypes appeal to many women.
AS: To someone who is just being introduced to your
work, what novel of yours would be the perfect
introduction?
PM: Since my books are written to be read stand
alone, it doesn't matter which book they start with. If the
reader is interested in a contemporary story, I'd tell them to start
with Colt's Choice. If they're interested in
paranormal, I'd tell them to start with A Taste for
Control.
AS:
Can you tell us a little bit about your books
and give us a glimpse about the new ones?
PM:
I have ten books published in eBook format, nine
of which are currently available in print as well. Right
now I have two running series, my Kendrian vampires and my Bad in
Boots cowboys. And now I have a trilogy with
Harlequin called Scions. Several of my other stories are
included in anthologies. Once I get the go ahead from my
editor at Harlequin, I'll put up information about Scions on my
website as well. To check out my novels, here's a
link where readers can read reviews, blurbs and excerpts at their
leisure.
http://www.patricemichelle.net/novels/index.html
My website also includes a printable listing of
all my books, the order they fall in the series and the appropriate
ISBN numbers.
http://www.patricemichelle.net/novels/printable.htm
AS:
We want to congratulate beforehand for your new
Scion Trilogy, which has been sold to Harlequin's Nocturne Line. How
do you feel about it? ¿Could you tell us a little about this new
Trilogy?
PM:I'm very excited about my Scions Trilogy! Right
now the titles are tentatively: Resurrection, Insurrection and
Revelation.
The first book Resurrection was inspired by a
dream.
The scene in my dream was so surreal I knew I had to write
it.
Once I did.an entire story formed around that one scene.
Resurrection is about a librarian who writes a
fictional novel about vampires. Her novel stirs controversy
because vampires, though now extinct, at one time did exist in her
world as violent, bloodthirsty creatures.
AS:
What advice would you give an aspiring writer?
PM:
Publishing can be a tough business at times, but
always remember why you started writing in the first place.for the
love of telling a story. Continue to hone your craft,
attend conferences and make connections in the industry and most of
all.keep believing in your talent and capabilities. NEVER
give up! You never know if that next story will be the
"one"!
AS: Do you
have anything you'd like to add? Would you like to say anything to
your Spanish fans from Autoras en la sombra?
PM:
To my Spanish fans: Thank you for enjoying my
stories! I'm delighted that my writing translates and speaks to your
heart.
It makes me believe love truly is the universal
language.
AS:
Thank you so very much for sparing the time for
this interview for Autoras en la Sombra, it has been a real
pleasure to talk to you. We wish you success in your writing career.
We are looking forward to see your books published in Spanish very
soon. Thanks again!
PM:
I would like to thank Autoras en la Sombra for
their interest in my novels, for their well-wishes and for taking
the time to do this in depth interview with me. It was a
pleasure!
~return to
top~
Interview with Bill Freda
Who wouldn't want
to ask a hunky cover model the secrets behind his
success?
I first met Bill
Freda at the 2003 Kansas City Romantic Times conference where he
placed first runner up in the Mr. Romance contest. I was thrilled
for Bill when I learned he was picked as one of the cover models
that would grace the 2004 Ellora's Cavemen anthologies along with
three other well-built models: CJ Hollenbach, Rodney Chatman, and
Peter DeCicco.
When I decided to participate in this year's
New Jersey RWA conference, I asked Bill if he would attend the book
signing sponsored by NJ RWA so he could meet readers and sign the
cover of the Ellora's Cavemen: Tales from the Temple II anthology
for them as well. What a perfect opportunity for a captive
audience.bwahahahhaha, the poor man had no idea I'd be so full of
questions!
While Bill was signing away, I asked him what
life was like as a model/actor.

Patrice: How long have you been a
model?
Bill: 9 years doing
print, 7 years runway and stage
Patrice: What do
you like most: acting or modeling? **Psssst, my guess is he'll say
acting because Bill's good with a crowd.Mr. Social! <g>**
Bill: Acting, it's
more dimensional and my true passion.
Patrice: In your
RT bio, it said you're a degreed engineer. How did you jump from
being an engineer to being a model? Do you miss the 9 to 5 hours
from your old job?
Bill: I was both for
a while....but when the modeling got really busy, and the acting
started, I decided this is what I really wanted to do. So I bought
into a fitness facility and began doing modeling/acting full time.
No, I don't think I'll ever miss 9 to 5!!!
Patrice: Did you
initially set out to be a romance cover model?
Bill: No
Patrice: Has
becoming a romance cover model changed your view of the romance
genre?
Bill: For one, I
never realized how big of an industry it was, and two.....I've
learned about the industry itself and how a book makes it to and
through publication (not as in-depth as an author would know, but a
general idea).
*~*~*~*~*
"...book cover modeling stays
what we call "hot" for a longer time after release..." ~ Bill Freda
*~*~*~*~*
Patrice: How does
romance cover modeling differ from other modeling jobs?
Bill: Well it pays a
lot less (haha). There is a lot more fan interaction and follow-up.
Also book cover modeling stays what we call "hot" for a longer time
after release. Meaning, it's not like other modeling where the
finished product crescendos with its release, and then it's
over.
Patrice: Since
RT, I believe you mentioned you've added some movie credits to your
résumé. What types of roles have you played? And what are the titles
of the upcoming movies so the readers can be on the look out for
you? Do you have anything new in the works you can share with
us?
Bill: I just finished
filming the lead in a music video and Bud Light commercial. The song
name for the music video is "Warning" by Cheryl Engelhart. I have
two films booked for Winter and Spring 2005. They are The Big Cream
(no not a porno), and Football. They are both supporting lead roles
and they are both independent feature films. I am also slated to
play a character in a new television pilot, but I can't disclose any
information about that at this time.
Patrice: Are
there some days you're so glad you can just get up, throw on a cap,
and not have to look your very best or smile for a camera for hours
on end?
Bill: Yes, but not
because I don't enjoy what I do, but just because I have my business
and personal life to attend to as well.
Patrice: Have you
ever wanted to role-reverse and be the man behind the camera for
once?
Bill: I do some PA
(production assistant) work, but other than that.....NO.
Patrice: I took a
stroll through your website. It's a very nice site. I imagine the
photo gallery is one of the most hit pages on your website. I see
you've got some interesting poses and action shots in your gallery.
You mentioned that some of the more uncomfortable shots turned out
to be some of the best ones. Why is that the case?
Bill: It's kind of a
joke, but it does have some truth behind it. It just seems the more
uncomfortable the position, the better the shot.
Patrice: When
you're not acting or modeling, what do you do in your spare
time?
Bill: Running my
business, working out, traveling, enjoying movies, and playing &
watching sports. (Go Yankees)
Patrice: What do
you see yourself doing or want to see yourself doing five years from
now?
Bill: Same as what
I'm doing now, just a hell of a lot more of it!
Patrice: I'm sure
the readers will want me to ask.can they expect to see you at the
2005 Romantic Times conference?
Bill: Most likely.
Patrice: Thanks
for being such a good sport in answering my
questions!
~~~
An Up Close and Personal Interview with
MaryJanice Davidson
You know how sometimes you meet a person and
you just immediately click? That's how I felt with MaryJanice
Davidson. Actually, maybe I should back up a moment and tell you how
MJ and I met. I met MJ when I entered Lori Foster's writing contest.
Lori put on a contest where aspiring and established authors could
send in 750 words of their work and Lori would pick the best ones.
Of those winners, Lori's editor at Kensington would pick the winning
entry and that person would get a book contract. That person was
MaryJanice Davidson and the subsequent book was Under Cover
published by Brava this past year.
I read MJ's 750 word entry and fell in love
with her humor. Not only does she have the timing in her humor down
to a science, but she also writes steamy-a great combination in my
opinion. I laughed so much throughout the Ellora's Cave version of
Undead & Unwed that my sides hurt. I can't wait until the
Berkley version of Undead & Unwed comes out March 2! Now, to
just my hands on a signed version..<grin>
During Lori's contest MJ and I became
friends. Not only is she funny in her writing, but her emails
cracked me up on a daily basis. So one day, this aspiring author
screwed up her courage and asked MaryJanice: Would you consider
being my mentor? And she said yes, without ever seeing a bit of my
writing. Now that takes courage! LOL!
Sometimes you've just got to believe in fate.
With MJ and our friendship, I do. She's been a wonderful friend and
an invaluable mentor to me as I went on to sell my first book to
Ellora's Cave. She's been there for me from proofing my first query
letter to advice on where to submit my work. And even though we
don't get to talk as much as we used to (that's a good thing since
it means we're busy writing <grin>,) I can't thank her enough
for everything she's done for me. All this generosity from a person
I'd never met face to face! It was so wonderful to finally meet
MaryJanice in person at the Romantic Times conference in Kansas
City. It might have been the first time we'd met, but I felt like
I'd known her for years instead of only through emails for a year
and a half.
I'm so excited to announce that almost every
month this year MaryJanice has a book coming out. I thought now
might be a great time to get inside MJ's head and get her to tell us
a bit about herself. If I know MJ, her answers will be just as
entertaining as her books. LOL!
Okay, MJ, the first couple of questions are
standard rigmarole. No griping. I'll get to the good stuff later.
:o)
P: How long have
you been writing?
MJ: I
never write. I've been secretly plagiarizing off my protégées for
years. That's the big industry trick that nobody ever tells you:
writing = stealing = book contract.
Okay, not really. In truth, I've been writing
since I was thirteen. I'd scribble short stories when I should have
been paying attention in class, then pass the stories around. They
were lurid and violent (you know, like my books today). This made me
very popular, and explains my mediocre G.P.A.
P: When did you
get your first book published?
MJ: In
1999 I published a YA e-book with Hard Shell Word Factory, called
ADVENTURES OF THE TEEN FURIES. It's still for sale and is now in
paperback as well; www.hardshell.com.
P: Has your
writing always been humorous?
MJ:
Well, yeah. Even my non-fiction book, ESCAPING THE SLUSH PILE, was
funny. It's not that I'm this deep comedic thinker who tries to
reach the audience through humor, it's more like I'm this immature
7th grader who never grew up. Poop. Now there's a funny word!
P: What made you
chose to write sensual romance?
MJ: I
mostly write what I read or, if I can't find them, what I want to
read. And I love the connection a couple can make when they make
love...especially if they're in danger, or furious, or not even sure
there's going to be a tomorrow. I mean, you can always snuggle. The
house can be burning down your ears, but you can snuggle. My house
burned to the foundation when I was seventeen, so I'm not talking
through my ass, here.
P: You write both
contemporary and paranormal. Which is your favorite genre to write
and why?
MJ:
Paranormal, absolutely. It's not that I don't love writing
contemporaries, but paranormal is always going to be my first love.
(You can love your husband but still have your heart go Tha-Thump
whenever you catch sight of The First Guy You Ever Did It With.) I'm
34 and still buy comic books, for God's sake. When I was a kid, the
three shows I never, ever missed were Superfriends, The Bionic
Woman, and Wonder Woman. I love a heroine (or a hero) who has extra
powers, or can turn into a wolf, or rise from the dead. The whole
reason I made up Betsy (heroine of UNDEAD AND UNWED) is because I
wanted a vampire who wouldn't be caught dead sleeping in an alley,
or sulking in her coffin. I wanted a vampire who seemed real. That's
what I try to do with all my paranormal work...even if the
characters are doing incredible things, they've got to seem real,
like people you'd meet up with after work to have drinks with.
P: When you're
not writing what do you spend your free time on?
MJ:
Reading, reading, reading. I'm voracious. And eclectic! I'll come
home from the library with a true crime book, a young adult book,
something from the Martha Stewart sect |