Wednesday Check-In: At least there’s Jensen Ackles

I never have enough time. Ever since my grandmother patiently explained to a very young little me that there is never a good reason for an imaginative person to allow themselves to be bored I’ve been keeping myself all sorts of busy. Sometimes, back in my pre-parent days, even busy doing nothing. But as of late I feel like the race begins when I wake up five minutes before my alarm and ends when I lay down having only accomplished three quarters of my to-do list. On my good days! My small, super dependent roommates have been sick on and off this week and making me beautiful art.

 

I’ve been reading A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. I’m only about a quarter in, but it is mesmerizing, terrifying, shocking, and revelatory so far. I highly recommend educating yourself with this fine book. I don’t read that much non-fiction for fun, so an interesting experience to say the least. We started watching American Gods, of course, and it is amazing (my review). I would take any job Bryan Fuller wanted to give me. How does one apply to be an apprentice to a TV God? Hubs and I watched American Honey a few weeks ago and scenes and moments from it are still replaying in my head. It was engaging while we watched but I did not expect to still be thinking back on the film. Beautifully shot too. Also reading Bared To You, by Sylvia Day. That’s going about how you’d expect 😛

Maximus remains a doggie challenge, though I did get him to come to me for a treat when he got out of the yard a few days ago. Progress of a sort, I suppose.

I almost forgot! With all the stress and uncertainty in our world right now I wanted to recommend watching all the back seasons of Supernatural. For some reason, I find watching Sam and Dean Winchester driving around together and stabbing bad guys oddly therapeutic. Maybe you will too. All previous 1 million seasons are on Netflix for your tuning-out-your-brain needs.

WIP is still Tinseltown Temptress #3 – Screwed Over. I’m loving this one the most of any of the books. So much touching back on various characters it’s like old home week every day on my keyboard. Cassie is … changing. Evolving, I guess, but it sounds pretentious. She is learning to prioritize.

Both my released books continue to get great reviews on Amazon. Book 1, Screw Up, is still at 99 cents and Book 2 remains on KU for a limited time Click here to sign up for my newsletter if you want insider info and offers.

The sun is actually shining today, though it is still cold and VERY windy. Hope you’re on a warm, sunny beach right now. What are you reading?

READER QUESTIONS #2 | Well, one is really more of a statement but that’s cool.

 

That bouncy ball with the side eye though. (The Sweethearts, by Vilhelm Pedersen)

My ask is open (anon or not) over on tumblr and I receive a bunch of reader questions. Here are some answers.

 

What’s the best thing about writing erotica?

Great question. Thanks anon!

That moment right before they get into it physically. For me, there’s just something about that lead up to sexual activity that makes my fingers fly over the keyboard. I write pretty slowly, so whenever I get in a super productive zone I’m always relieved. It’s the best writing fun in the world for me. Those scenes are where that happens, so I am always looking for excuses to dive right into the sexual tension of it all. Pure selfishness.

I’ll also answer the flip side, the worst part of writing erotica for me is when people assume that my characters are all somehow an extension of myself. Awkward. I get that it’s an aspect of auteur theory, I just wish it wasn’t being applied to me in this particular instance. To my face. With detailed questions. Yuck.

If you could cast anyone as the celebs in your books who would you cast?

Thanks for your question, anon.

This is an extensive list and I’d rather leave them up to your imagination. More interesting, perhaps, is whether they should be cast with actors playing caricatured versions of themselves, or if the actor characters should be portrayed as fully fictitious. The casting director would have to find a brave group of guys if they were going with the first option. If your imagination is faulty, you can always check out the guys at mycelebrityfantasy.tumblr.com. I do.

You should post more Rihanna.

Will do.

I have quite a backlog of questions due to my laziness business so I’m going to try and get through them, three at a time. If you’d like to chat drop by my ask box on your preferred social media type. I’ll do my best to get them all answered eventually. Thanks for reading.

Sometimes you need a rainbow.

Reader Questions #1 | Be Careful What You Ask For

me thinking (Rosamund, by Fredrick Sandys)

My ask is open (anon or not) over on tumblr and I receive quite a few reader questions. Here are some answers gathered together.

What scene from your book would you like to see come to life?

Great question. Thanks anonymous!

If you are waiting for me to launch into some raunchy rundown of how I’d like to screw such and such (totally fictional) actor from Screw Up, today is not that day. The scene I would most like to see come to life is the remote controlled, self-building, pool awning. Remember the one that extends over SC’s pool at the push of his little finger? I am fair skinned and extremely susceptible to sunburn. I also hate the feeling of sticky sunscreen all over my skin so this invention is tailor made just for shade loving swimmers like me.

tumblr user hsm7 asks: What were your influences in choosing the genre for your book?

Thanks for your question, hsm7.

Though I love reading every type of fiction, romance and sci-fi/fantasy have always been my particular favorites. My only criticism is often that they don’t have enough sex in them for me! True story. So I practice what I preach and no matter what I’m writing, let my characters go at it as often as they like. Everything I’ve written before deciding to publish this series has been paranormal/space opera in nature, but when a friend and I were brainstorming ideas for novels this one came tumbling out and stuck. A series of realistic, erotic fiction without aliens, AI robots, vampires, or ghosts. No one was more surprised then me. As far as specific influences in erotica goes I’d say Laurell K. Hamilton, Anne Rice, Sylvia Day, and a large number of fanfic writers from a few different fandoms. Chat with me on tumblr about them.

How did you like Magic Mike 2? Did it give you any inspo for your next novel?

Thanks for your oddly specific current media question, anonymous. Spoiler-ish content ahead.

I loved MM2XXL, actually. Was it the strongest plotted movie I’ve ever seen? No. But it had charm, heart, fun, and most of all it was entertaining! I was never bored, that’s for sure. The wonderful, nuanced, considered treatment of all women throughout is alone reason enough to spend money seeing it. The next time Mr. Tatum decides to make a film about skilled, sensitive, sexy male dancers (and singers, hello Matt Bomer and Donald Glover) I’d be more than happy to help out with story structure, character consults, abdominal oiling, really whatever he needs. Pro bono. As far as inspiration goes, a writer could do worse than Big Dick Richie and friends. Who knows, maybe a moment or two in the Tinseltown Temptress Book 3 were influenced by some of their signature dances. At the very least, I know that Channing and Twitch’s mirror dance at the end is burned in my brain, so that scene might be partially responsible for some of the steamier passages. Nice to be able to spread around the blame, anyway!

If you have any questions drop them into my ask box on your preferred social media type. I’ll do my best to get them all answered eventually. Thanks for reading.