Paranormal Romance Author Danica Winters Presents Romance Author Sue Lyndon and Surviving the Erotic Romance Stigma

Thank you for visiting Danica Winters' blog.  I would like to present to you my friend and fellow author Sue Lyndon.  Sue Lyndon writes steamy bdsm romance. She's currently published by Books to Go  Now, Etopia Press, Blushing Books, and Discipline and Desire.  She enjoys a good book in any genre, loves Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica, and runs on coffee and chocolate.  Please feel free to visit her blog, see her other work on Amazon, or order her book Valentine Submission, or Mountian Devil and show your support! 

Surviving the Erotic Romance Stigma

by Sue Lyndon 

Hi there.  My name is Sue and I’m an erotic romance author.  I’ve always been an avid reader too, and I enjoy a good story in pretty much any genre.  I’ve participated in book clubs, chatted books with folks on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, and other places, and even before I became an erotic romance author I was aware of the stigma against erotic romance readers and authors.  Before I began writing in this genre, I didn’t advertise the fact that I read these books either.  I was afraid my bookish friends would think I was a pervert, especially since I preferred bdsm romances to any other subgenre of erotic romance.  Talk about a double whammy.

I suppose whether or not I’m a pervert is a matter of opinion, but I can tell you I’m pretty darn normal.  I’m a wife and mother.  I have a real job and I pay taxes.  I vote.  I go to church on occasion.  Oh, and I drive a minivan and live in the suburbs too.  That paints a pretty normal, soccer mom-like picture, right?

Despite my love of reading erotic romance, I started my writing career by writing science fiction and fantasy.  If my characters in these stories had to have sex, it was glossed over in a sentence or two.  After all, my mother, relatives, and friends were reading these stories.  I sure didn’t want them to think I was sick and needed counseling.  I firmly believe that reading erotic romance is just as healthy as reading any other genre, but I understand not everyone shares this view.  Some readers and authors look down their noses at erotic romance and don’t take it seriously.  It’s seen as a lesser genre, and unfortunately it doesn’t get the respect it deserves.  It’s been called names like trashy, smutty, and lowbrow, to name a few.

At first I was hesitant to tell anyone my pen name, but that’s all changed during this past year.  If someone asks what I’ve been up to lately, I usually divulge my naughty writing activities.  After all, it’s a big part of my life, so why should I walk around pretending it doesn’t exist?   I’m aware of the stigma and I know there will always be those who blast the erotic romance genre, but I’ve developed a devil-may-care attitude and it feels great.  If erotic romance is not your cup of tea, don’t read it and don’t ridicule it, because chances are you don’t understand it.

Criticism cuts deep, but I think life is too short to worry about other people’s opinions.  If you enjoy reading erotic romance, then read it.  It’s a perfectly healthy form of escapism no different than reading science fiction, fantasy, young adult, or any other genre out there.  And if you enjoy writing it, then write it and hold your head high.

Tanya Contois, YA Paranormal Romance Writer of Adoration and Crimson Moon

Dear Readers,

This week I have the honor of presenting to you my friend, Tanya Contois, YA paranormal romance writer of Adoration and Crimson Moon.  Tanya Contois was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. After living in a few different small towns she moved back to Worcester in 2008. In 2010, she created the Facebook page: All Things Books and the Blog :All Things Books. Tanya Contois got her first taste of success when a short story she wrote was chosen to be in an anthology to be published by Firefly and Wisp publishers. In October 2011, she signed with Trestle Press and is currently working on Wicked Little Lies and a full length novel titled Cloaked in Darkness. 
She was gracious enough to do a quick interview and share with us excerpts of her YA (young adult) projects.  Enjoy!

-Danica

 

Hello-

My name is Tanya Contois and I am a fairly new author. I signed with Trestle Press in October 2011 and have had 3 parts of my serial novel Wicked Little Lies released. I am currently working on completing my first full length novel titled Cloaked in Darkness which will be a collection of short stories about a variety of supernatural and paranormal beings. In addition, I also have 3 other projects in the works - Adoration, Crimson Moon, and an untitled WIP.

 

 

ADORATION - YA Paranormal Fantasy

Katerina frowned at Cal, “I don't remember asking you for help so let go of my arm now.” Cal just stared at her like she had two heads. “Are you deaf? I said let go of my arm.” He released her arm and sneered down at her. “Excuse me for trying to help you. I won't make that mistake again. You are one of the most unpleasant people I have ever met.”
“Do I need to remind you that this is the 21st century and I'm not some damsel in distress who needs to be saved. I can take care of myself.”CRIMSON MOON - YA ParanormalCassia hesitantly made her way down what seemed like an endless spiral staircase. As she reached the last step a door shimmered into view. While she was deciding whether she should knock or just open the door a voice from the other side of the door spoke. “Come in dear, I have matters of great importance to discuss with you.”
Doing as the voice told her, Cassia pushed open the door and at a rather large desk sat a wizened little old lady. “Who are you and where am I?”
Laughing softly, the lady pushed the chair she was sitting in away from the desk and stood. “ I am Jarinda, keeper of Lucian Crimson. You are Cassia, the next in line to be a Keeper. It is my responsibility to teach you how to guard all of his secrets.”
“Okay...What if I don't want to be a Keeper? How do I get out of it?”
Jarinda frowned and said, “ There is no way out of becoming the next Keeper. If there were do you honestly think I would still be in this awful place?”

Paranormal Romance Author Chris Karlsen Presents: Where Does Inspiration Come From

Dear Friends,

This week, I have the honor of presenting you with my friend and fellow paranormal romance author with Books To Go Now Publishing, Chris Karlsen. Chris Karlsen is a retired police detective. She spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. The daughter of a history professor and a voracious reader, she grew up with a love of history and books. Check out her paranormal romance books:   on Amazon check out the following link: HEROES LIVE FOREVER or JOURNEY IN TIME.

Enjoy!

-Danica Winters

Where Does Inspiration Come From

by Paranormal Romance Author Chris Karlsen

As a [paranormal romance] writer, the most frequently asked question I get is: “Where does your inspiration come from?” My answer is always: “It depends on the story.” Inspiration can hit me like a lightning bolt or it can creep up on me like a ladybug on my arm or it can be an idea that was buried deep within me and has clawed its way to the front of my thoughts.

With my first [paranormal romance] book, “Heroes Live Forever,” the inspiration was an idea buried in my psyche for years. I love a good ghost story and always thought what fun it would be to be a ghost. But then, as I really examined the possibility, I realized how sad it might be too. In the case of my two medieval knights, Basil and Guy, they fought and died for king and country during the 14th century, only to see their homes and family destroyed three-hundred years later because of loyalty to a king. They’ve seen wonderful advances in the world over the centuries, but they’ve also seen everyone they cared about die. I was inspired to explore both the good and bad of their ghostly world because they do still have fun with mortals.

While writing the paranormal romance “Heroes Live Forever,” I found myself liking Guy and enjoyed writing him so much, I was inspired to give him his own book. What to do to him and for him came from my fascination with time-travel and medieval English history. What to do to my characters came to me like the lightning bolt I mentioned.

In “Journey in Time,” Guy has been given another chance at life. Guy, as Alex Lancaster leads a happy, modern world life as a music producer. He finds himself deeply attracted to Shakira Constantine, a successful London attorney. Because he’s her client, it takes a lot of charm for him to get her to agree to spending a weekend in the country with him.

The marriage of time-travel and medieval history gave me the opportunity to torture Alex and Shakira with a world of problems, life threatening problems. Sending them back to the year prior to Guy’s death in battle, I was able to put Alex in the position of facing his death again, if he can’t return to the modern world. His death put Shakira in the position of potentially having to face a very frightening time alone.

“Heroes Live Forever,” and “Journey in Time,” are from my “Knights in Time,” paranormal romance series.

With a  book I’ve just finished from a different paranormal romance series, “Golden Chariot,” inspiration crept up on me and over several months.

While walking the ruins of Troy, in Turkey, I thought about the Trojan War. I found myself wondering how it must’ve felt to a citizen of Troy to look out over the Dardanelle Strait and see the masts of hundreds of enemy ships, invaders by the thousands coming to sack and burn your home. From that thought, I wondered what if Homer got it wrong in the Iliad. What if the Trojans didn’t lose the war?

Over the next few months, thoughts of the Iliad’s heroes and villains crept into my head. Another visit to the Troy ruins brought more questions regarding the mythical characters. When it came time to write a paranormal romance story about my curiosity, I gave the heroine my same questions.

I have paranormal romance writer friends who’ve been inspired to write stories around nightmares they’ve had or human interest articles they read in the paper. Some are inspired to write paranormal romance about events they’ve experienced and people they know.

I’d say imagination is a paranormal romance writer’s greatest inspiration. If you can imagine it, you can write about it.