Monthly Archive for September, 2010

I met Rhian at my first RWA conference in 2008. We had a great chat before a session and it felt like we’d known each other for a long time rather than a few minutes. I’m thrilled to see her publishing credentials growing like crazy since then. Please make her feel welcome today on the blog!

Thanks for joining me here today, Rhian! Let’s get started with my first question. What or who inspired you to first start writing?

Tough question to answer. I’m not sure one thing can be pointed at, I’ve always written but I think I’d have to say Nora Roberts and Heather Graham were the two authors that made me think about pursuing publication.

If you could go back in time and lay claim to any book written, which one would you want and why?

I can’t think of any. I’d just like to be able to claim my own books as great ones that others would like to have written. *grin*

When you are writing and hit a stumbling block, what do you do to try and get over the hurdle?

I tend not to hit too many stumbling blocks because Mr. Muse likes to write a number of wip’s at once. He on the other hand just moves off to a different story if the characters aren’t behaving.

What was the strangest thing that ever inspired a scene/book? What was the end result?

My book Coyote Wild came about after we took a family holiday in the US. We were traveling through Yosemite National Park and this scene just popped into my head. Of course I didn’t realize at the time that the guy was a coyote shifter. lol

If you could have supper with any of your characters, which one would you choose and where would you take them?

Brogan (Coyote Wild) & Saxon (Singapore Fling). Bed.

Is there a type of story you would like to write, but are terrified you wouldn’t do a proper job? What is it and why?

I have an idea about a woman recovering from cancer, I’ve even written some of it and got lots of notes but what scares me is I’m not sure if this is a HEA and I love those. I usually don’t read books that don’t deliver a HEA or at least a HFN.

If you could sit down with one author from any time in history, who would it be?

What questions would you want to ask them? Nora Roberts. I don’t have any questions in mind, I’d just love to sit and chat.

If someone gave you a minion tomorrow, what would be the first task you’d ask them to complete?

Clean the bathrooms. God I hate bathrooms!

E-books vs print books? E-readers vs. paper? Can’t we all just get along? What’s your preference?

I love the immediacy of ebooks but I also like print books on my bookshelves (just ask my Hubby) so I can’t say I prefer one over the other. Here in Australia we pay high prices for print books and our selections aren’t always the best so ebooks work for me there.

If you were a superhero, what would your name be and what super powers would you possess?

I’m not sure I’d want that kind of pressure. Imagine all the people wanting you to perform. Then again a secret identity wouldn’t be bad….

What project are you working on next?

A hot contemporary romance, a hot contemporary ménage, the third Coyote Hunger book and edits on a hot contemporary quickie. Yeah, blame Mr. Muse. *grin*

How can readers find out more about you?

Head over to my website www.rhiancahill.com I also hang out at two group blogs. www.downunderdivas.wordpress.com &  www.internationalheat.wordpress.com There’s also my twitter http://twitter.com/RhianCahill and facebook  http://www.facebook.com/rhian.cahill Oh, and if you want to chat I can be found in the Heat Wave Reader group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heat_Wave_Readers/

Authors are readers too! What are some of the things that draw you to an author?

If I’ve read their work and loved it I’ll go hunt up all their other releases. If I’ve never read them before it’s the book cover and blurb. I rarely read excerpts though.

What favorite book of yours would you love to see be made into a movie? Why?

This is a tough one. Movies rarely do justice to a book so I’ll have to pass on this. I don’t want some director screwing up the way I feel about a story.

If you could ask your favorite author to do something for you, what would it be?

Keep writing. Write faster. *grin*

If you could have supper with any character, which one would you choose and where would you take them?

You know there are soooo many. Do I have to pick just one?

What story/character ideas would you like to see authors write more?

I love contemporary, paranormal and suspense but you know I think as long as it’s got a HEA or HFN I’m good with whatever, just keep writing good stories.

What story types/characters are you sick to death of seeing? I hate, HATE women who wait for a man to rescue them. I like my heroines to be tough enough to make it on their own but smart enough to accept a good man by their side.

How excited do you get when you find out a new book by your favorite author is coming out soon? What do you do?

If it’s an ebook I’m refreshing the book page continuously until it goes live and if it’s print I make sure my local bookshop is getting it in and holding a copy for me. *hangs head* I’ve also been known to send emails nagging authors for a particular story I’m waiting on. lol

OMG if I see another author promo of _____ I’m going to scream! Why?

I’m okay with most forms of promo but I really hate it when an author belongs to a group or twitter or facebook and does nothing but promo. I like to interact with authors whenever possible and the more open they are to their readers the more likely I am to keep buying their books.

Thank you for coming out today and spending time with me.

Sometimes you meet someone and you just click. I will meeting Del in person in a few weeks and I am so excited about it! We’re going to be roommates at the Ellora’s Cave Conference. That’s right, party in our room. *does a snoopy dance*

Today, Del has graciously agreed to let me interview her. Welcome Del!

What or who inspired you to first start writing?

I can’t recall a specific inspiration; I just don’t think it ever occurred to me to not write. I was always an avid reader, and from the time I was twelve or so I used writing as my natural response to things I’d read. And later to things I’d seen, like movies or TV shows. Missing scenes, what-if scenarios, next-generation stories. I loved picking apart the stories, and especially getting into the characters’ heads. I was into fan fiction decades before I even knew it was a thing. And that just naturally led, for me, to creating my own characters and narratives.

When you are writing and hit a stumbling block, what do you do to try and get over the hurdle?

I hop to another scene (sometimes even to another project), and if that doesn’t work I go back to my outline, or my original brainstormed batch of notes and “snippets”. I try to get a new perspective and regain sight of the big picture, the overall story and where I want the characters to be at the end.

What was the strangest thing that ever inspired a scene/book? What was the end result?

One of my “back burner” stories is built on a series of wine-fueled conversations I had with some close girlfriends, about what our very worst – and sometimes just plain funniest – sexual experiences had been. There were some real doozies in there. I won’t get specific, but suffice it to say that one chapter may be titled “Drumstick Dick”. And also, I will never look at a glass thermometer the same way again! I’d still love to collaborate with those two ladies, both of whom are good writers and neither of whom is published.

If you could have supper with any of your characters, which one would you choose and where would you take them?

Jack Benedict, from When in Rio. Forget supper, I would just take him to a hotel and have my wicked way with him. Or rather, let him have his wicked way with me. I’m sure my husband wouldn’t mind. Since Jack is fictional, and all.

Or I might go play some World of Warcraft with Seth and Allison from How to Tell a Lie, because I am geeky like that. And, if anybody reading this is geeky like that: Alliance, resto Druid. Off-spec is feral DPS but I suck at it. I have over fifty mounts but I’m still not satisfied because none of them is Ashes of Al’ar!

Is there a type of story you would like to write, but are terrified you wouldn’t do a proper job? What is it and why?

Yes! Historicals! I love reading a really good, well-researched historical by somebody who has a feel for the language and cultural differences. But whenever I consider writing one, I am daunted by the idea because I know myself and I know how easily I could get sidetracked by the period details. Probably at the expense of the story. But it’s on my to-do list.

If you could sit down with one author from any time in history, who would it be? What questions would you want to ask them?

I think I would sit down with Margaret Mitchell, get her to read that “Scarlett” book, and then ask her for her uncensored opinion about it.

If someone gave you a minion tomorrow, what would be the first task you’d ask them to complete?

Do you know somebody who is giving away minions? Because I really could use one. I’d set my lackey to cleaning my house, so I would never have to clean it myself again! This would leave me plenty of time to write books, and perhaps even take over the world! Muwahahaha!

E-books vs print books? E-readers vs. paper? Can’t we all just get along? What’s your preference?

If it is legible, I will read it. I don’t see why people feel the need to choose one over the other. I like both form factors. Most of the time I read fiction on my iPhone, non-fiction stuff like news and blogs on the computer. I’d like a Kindle or other dedicated e-reader at some point, just because it’s a little bigger, but it isn’t a huge priority. But I was SO excited when I actually held my first print book in my hand for the very first time! And glancing immediately to my left I can see my latest “treeware” library book (Terry Pratchett, Unseen Academicals, if anybody’s curious). All books are welcome in the House of Dryden!

If you were a superhero, what would your name be and what super powers would you possess?

Oh, but I already have a superpower. It is “Lightning Sarcasm”! I haven’t thought up a name yet, but I’m considering “Snark Girl”. Or possibly “Sarcastibitch”! (hat tip: Drew Carey).

What project are you working on next?

I just finished up two books for my “Truth & Lies” series, so I’m trying to settle on the next thing. I’ve been playing around with the fourth series book (it has shinbari in it! I’ve been trying to convince the hubster to tie me up for research, but so far we’ve only tested out about three different ties. It’s really hard to do complicated bondage in a smallish house with two young kids in it. Meh, every job has its frustrations, right?). But to get a little distance from the series, I’m also working on something very different – a zombie romance! It’s post-apocalyptic smut! The world-building is proceeding nicely, and it’s also a nice change of pace to work on merging my erotica writing mindset with my science-fiction writing mindset.

How can readers find out more about you?

Readers can visit my website, http://www.delphinedryden.com, for more info and links to purchase my books. Also excerpts, trailers, any contest I might be running, and all that good stuff! I’m on LinkedIn, but not Facebook. Folks can also follow me on my favorite social medium, Twitter, where I am @deldryden.

One of the things I love about interviews is it gives me the opportunity to get to know new authors. Author of the Bonded Fantasy series from Liquid Silver, Mima has so many cool books out, my credit card is cowering in fear. I’m thrilled to have her on my blog today.

Welcome Mima!

What or who inspired you to first start writing?

I’ve been writing fiction since I was in third grade. It’s who I am-a dreamer with a vivid internal world. It was my husband who really encouraged me to switch out of handwritten journals to the computer and get something finished.

If you could go back in time and lay claim to any book written, which one would you want and why?

This is tough because a lot of my favorite books were born of extreme anguish, so while they are incredibly important to me, I wouldn’t want to claim them because I wouldn’t want the life that created them. Night by Wiesel, for instance. Yeah, no thanks on that book which required that life. Maybe Coelho’s Alchemist. That’s a brilliant, beautiful, quirky, philosophical romance. He still lived a very difficult life, but one I think I’d find as amazing as it was painful.

When you are writing and hit a stumbling block, what do you do to try and get over the hurdle?

I  think! For me, thinking counts as writing. I also go back and look at the core of my characters and study the scenes that came before to see if I’ve taken a wrong turn.

If you could have supper with any of your characters, which one would you choose and where would you take them?

While my heroes are compelling, it’s my heroines who really surprise me. I think Vivienne the Flame Curate, or the wildling KarRa. Viv has great taste and is a classy person. I’d take her to one of the nicest restaurants in my city, Two Vine.  KarRa is guarded around crowds, so I’d take her to our grocery store and choose awesome summer sausage and fresh fruit, maybe a  cheese bread, and we’d go picnic by the lake.

Is there a type of story you would like to write, but are terrified you wouldn’t do a proper job? What is it and why?

A romcom. Straight out contemp comedy of personalities and modern life. I’m just not that witty, to reimagine ordinary life in a dazzling way. But I’ve been itching to try lately. Haven’t an idea in my head for a premise. It’s just this urge.

E-books vs print books? E-readers vs. paper? Can’t we all just get along? What’s your preference?

I have this theory that reading is like sleeping. Some people are really habitual and finicky. Some people can do it anywhere. Some people try new tricks, constantly trying to improve the experience, and some don’t want to mess with success. Me, I can sleep anywhere, anytime, and am constantly forcing new pillows on my husband. I must have a collection of every neck-support pillow ever invented. So in a similar way, I’ll read ebook or paper with equal satisfaction. That said, I haven’t bought an e-reader yet because my netbook and desktop are fine for me. I’ll get one soon, but the nuances  make my head hurt.

What project are you working on next?

I’m currently writing another Bonded. My hero is an asshole, but he’s earned it. I’m having fun sending him on a killing spree against bad guys. I’m also finishing my interactive paranormal set on a cruise ship.

How can readers find out more about you?

My website is www.mimawithin.com. They can check out my newest release, Dark Currents, about a witchy psychic warrior and her selkie guardian taking on the evil element water.

Thank you once again for joining me today!