Frequently Asked Questions

About The Books . . . . . .

How many books are in the Living in Eden series? Is it important to read them in order?

So far, three books have been contracted in this series which will center on Eden and Darrak. After that I hope to explore different characters within the same world. It is a good idea to read them in order, but I do try to write my books so that you can pick up the story without too much difficulty if you read them out of order.

1 – The Demon in Me
2 – Something Wicked (October 2010)
3 – That Old Black Magic (Late 2011)

I’d like to arrange to be possessed by Darrak. Is that possible?

Me first.

When will the third Demon Princess book be out?

At the moment there are only the two books contracted in this series, Reign or Shine and Reign Check. I do hope one day soon to continue Nikki’s story since I absolutely adore writing about her and her friends, but at the moment there is nothing officially in the works. Sorry!!

How many books are in the Immortality Bites series? Is it important to read them in order?

There are five books in total in my vampire series and they go in this order:

1 – Bitten & Smitten
2 – Fanged & Fabulous
3 – Lady & the Vamp
4 – Stakes & Stilettos
5 – Tall, Dark & Fangsome

It is best to read them in order but I have tried very hard to write them as stand alone as possible. if you pick one up out of order, hopefully you won’t be confused.

Why was Lady & the Vamp a spin-off about Quinn and it had no Sarah and Thierry in it?

Why not?

If there was a movie based on the Immortality Bites series, who would be in your perfect cast?

Sandra Bullock as Sarah;  Hugh Jackman as Thierry;  Jensen Ackles as Quinn;  Cameron Diaz as Janie;  Anna Faris as Amy;  Marcus Schenkenberg as George. And yes, I give this sort of thing wayyy too much thought. Sorry you asked?

How do you pronounce Thierry’s name?

Tyair-ee.

Will there be a sequel to Angel with Attitude?

I don’t have anything currently planned for this. The book was meant to stand alone as a paranormal romance and all loose ends for my demon and angel are tied up at the end of it. However, two supporting characters from this book, Claire and Reggie, do make a cameo appearance in my vampire book Stakes & Stilettos.

What book releases do you have in 2010?

I have four book releases and one anthology out in 201o. Early May brought forth the first book in my Living in Eden series, The Demon in Me. Late May was the release of the second book about my Demon Princess, Reign Check. In August, a young adult anthology, Kiss Me Deadly, was released in which I have a short story called “Familiar.” In October the second Living in Eden book, Something Wicked will be out. And in November, my second sexy Harlequin Blaze, Touch and Go, about a couple sexy paranormal investigators from the PARA agency who fall for each other will be out.

What are you working on right now (*as of August 5, 2010)?

I just handed in my third Harlequin Blaze, Inevitable to my editor the other day. Next week I’m starting to write That Old Black Magic, which is the third book in my Living in Eden series.

You also write futuristic romantic suspense as Michelle Maddox. Do you have any more books coming soon under that name?

Countdown was the title of the futuristic romantic suspense I wrote for Dorchester Publishing. It was a lot of fun and different enough from my light paranormal romance that I knew using a separate pen name was a good idea. Michelle Maddox has a short story in The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance that came out December ‘09. That will be the last of Michelle Maddox for the foreseeable future. If you like the feel of Countdown, I suggest you be on the look out for Nightshade, a fast-paced, edgy, sexy, vampire urban fantasy romance I’m writing as Michelle Rowen, which will be out February 2011.

Are your books available in other countries?

Yes! Please check out my page devoted to my International sales and covers!

Why don’t you make a movie out of your books?

I would love for my books to become movies, televisions shows, role playing games, manga books…whatever! The screen rights are still available and a production company must acquire these in order for this to become a reality. If you happen to know an interested producer, please have them contact my agent! And we’ll do lunch and stuff.

About Writing and Publishing . . . . . .

How did you get your agent and get your first contract?

I wrote the first 50 pages of Bitten & Smitten (then titled Dearly Departed) in a novel-writing course with Writer’s Digest. I received many good comments from my instructor, enough to make me believe that maybe it had a chance out in the cold cruel world. I hired an independent editor to help me shine it up, and made my list of potential agents. A week later, one of the agents I sent it to acccepted me right out of the slushpile. He suggested a few more ways to tighten up the manuscript, then requested 10 copies which he sent out to publishers. A short and exciting week later, I accepted a two-book contract with Warner Books. I realize that this is not the way it usually happens. It was a matter of right place, right time. And a little deal I made with the devil.

Who is your agent?

Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

Where do you get your ideas?

From my password-protected “Ideas File” on my hard drive. I seriously have one. Don’t you? But those ideas originally come from many places — seeing an image in a magazine. A fleeting scene in a movie. A word, a phrase, or a dream. Questioning what’s already being done. Like, ‘why couldn’t the vampires be the good guys, and the vampire slayers be the bad guys,’ was the spark that started Bitten & Smitten. Whatever the idea is, though, I’ll add it to my ideas file, because ideas are fleeting if not captured and caged immediately – the good and the bad.

Is there any advice you can offer people that are trying to get published that they might not normally know?

Realize that if you want to get published by a major publisher, your story has to be something people want to read. It sounds simplistic, but if your idea has no commercial value but being a ‘book of your heart’ then your odds are less than if it has mass market appeal. Fiction is a business. Study the market. But still write something you love. There is a middle ground. You just have to find it.

Are there stories in your head that sound good in concept but when applied to paper, suck? Do you think those will ever make it to reality?

Many. I have the start of at least ten novels on my hard drive. All fizzled out because I didn’t know where to go with them after about page thirty – usually because I tried to write with just a spark of an idea instead of an outline I gave some serious thought to. I don’t think they’ll ever see the light of day, but I have no problem cannibalizing them and using elements, a character here, a setting there, a joke or two, in future work.

What keeps you writing when the self-doubt demons show up?

I call them doubt weasels, myself. Wish I had the perfect answer to that one. They hound me. Can weasels hound? But I work through them because I don’t have much of a choice because I want to be a writer. I guess, when I’m feeling down about myself, my own talents, when the weasels are whispering in my ear that I’m a no-talent loser who’s just damn lucky, I try to focus instead on the story. My characters. If I can’t believe in myself, I should at least be able to believe in the story I’m trying to tell. And then I think about the good things. The compliments, the contracts, the days when the writing goes well and I’m happy with what I have. And Anne Lamott has an entire chapter in Bird by Bird all about “Shitty First Drafts.” So I allow myself a little leeway when it comes to writing crap the first go-around.

And when all else fails, I take the day off and eat a lot of ice cream.

What courses/books did you find helpful as you perfected your craft?

I took a few courses through Writer’s Digest. Namely the Novel Writing Correspondence Course, which is now a online workshop. You’re mentored through your first 50 pages with a published author (my mentor was Ardath Mayhar). I also took a short story workshop through WD and a Creating Dynamic Characters course. I own approx. thirty books about the writing process and for a time, endlessly researched the internet for tips and tricks. Nothing in particular was the “key” to writing, but all the information settled over me like a big fiction-writing blanket.

Some of my favorite books on writing are:

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
On Writing by Stephen King
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
The Career Novelist by Donald Maass

What are your favorite and least favorite things about writing?

I love pre-writing. Figuring out who my characters are, what they look like, what they want. What I’m going to make them do. I love outlining. I don’t do it to death, though. As long as I know where they’re starting, where I want them to be at mid-way, what my climax should be, and how I want things to turn out, that’s enough for me. The first draft can be scary, especially at the beginning, but still exhilerating. Least favorite thing? Frankly, I like it all, but if I had to pick one thing, it would be revising. It’s necessary, but oh-so-tedious sometimes.

Do you do any research for your novels?

As little as possible, that’s why I like to write fantasy! LOL. I can normally just make most of the stuff up out of my head. However, there are a few things I need to research. Real locations, history, that sort of thing where it pertains to the plot. I make full use of the internet for that. I’m a Google search queen!

What do you suggest for an aspiring writer to improve their craft?

Take courses where you get one-on-one time with your instructor. Read books about the craft – every big book store or library has a “writing” section. Visit other established writer’s websites and read about their creative process. Love your story and characters like they’re real, not just fiction. Get great beta-readers and critique partners you can trust to give you an ‘honest’ opinion, and don’t baulk at the idea of hiring a professional editor to help you shine your work up! You want it to be the best it can be, right? Oh yeah, read other novels for the fun of it, and also for analysis of what the author did to make their story publishable.

I have an idea for a book and want you to co-write it with me and we’ll split the money. Sound good?

Will you recommend me to your agent/publisher(s)?

Will you read my work in progress and let me know what you think of it?

No, thank you. Please don’t take it personally, though, as this is my answer to anyone who asks these questions.

However, I do wish you the best of luck in your journey to publication!!

Just for fun . . . . . .

Have you ever met any real vampires?

Not that I’m aware of. But I’ve met many soul suckers.

Do vampires make better romance heroes?

As long as they’re at least room temperature and keep their fangs to themselves.

Why vampires? Are werewolves too hairy to make good lovers?

Werewolves are only hairy during their “time of the month.” But they tend to need attention and “treats” to get them to behave.

Would you marry a vampire to get story ideas?

Depends what size of diamond the engagement ring has.

Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Team Jacob for the books. Team Edward for the movies. I may have a little crush on RPattz. I will admit nothing.

I have a really hot, rich single brother who looks exactly like Hugh Jackman, he’s the president of your fan club, and he’d love to go out with you sometime. What say you?

Have him contact me ASAP and we’ll take it from there.