Your stories are often described as dark, erotic, and steamy. How do you find the balance between sensuality and intrigue in your writing?
I think that description is probably my fault as, since my dark, erotic, and steamy stories are seemingly more popular than the stories that have been crafted in my - many - other genres, I tend to place more emphasis on them. The truth is that I have written over 250 stories and poems and a lot of them are mainstream drama, sci-fi, fantasy and real-life. My writing style has often been described as quirky, which can quickly develop into erotic if I’m not careful!
I find the balance between sensuality and intrigue two ways. Firstly, thru the unpredictable behaviours and attitudes towards sex of my unusual characters, ‘bisexual feminist freedom fighter’ Isla McNair in Thrill Ride being the consummate example of sexual unpredictability who keeps men and women on their toes: you can’t tell how she will behave next! Second, I work very hard at unusual erotic phrases and quaint words where I can, creating mystique, avoiding swear words and crudity unless it’s essential to the nature of the character involved.
You’ve mentioned working with outstanding actors like Isla, Lizzie, Linnea, and Nikki. How do their performances influence the way you write or envision your characters?
Greatly in some cases! They bring my characters to life - to the extent that have influenced plots and outcomes in BEINGS (coming soon). Isla’s extensive repertoire of voices, accents, and nationalities makes her my first choice for complex, vulnerable characters like Vicky in Soon, She Must and Jane in The Kissing Gate from Is It Today?. Linnea, performing Italian model Lana and her synth Maria in Young at Heart, isn’t just astonishing, she’s funny, too. Lizzie plays great down-to-earth, slightly unhinged, obsessive women under threat like Jess in my new dark anthology predatory (due out before Yule) and mysterious Darcy in The Hide from Basque.
Your readers have praised your storytelling, with some comparing your prose to fine wine. How do you approach writing to create that kind of immersive, sensory experience?
I remain true to myself and my quirky, erotic writing style. I’m extremely candid, accessible to readers, arguably controversial, and don’t hold back. There are layers, moral statements, deeper meanings, hidden inside my stories. My characters are vulnerable, complex, lovable or intensely unlikeable but always intriguing, begging of reader’s concentration. I alternate between leisurely paced descriptive scenes and shocking episodes (unexpected explosions of intense sex, dark recesses, disturbing occurrences).
"Like a fine wine"—one reader said about your stories. What inspired you to start writing in this particular genre of dark erotica with a dash of intrigue?
I honestly can’t help it! Like most writers, I guess, I’ve become obsessed with my own niche, but I should stress, I don’t write erotica, I write stories with short erotic and or dark episodes, creative, imaginative scenes. Erotica, to me, is increasingly crude, full of swear words, quick thrills, and lacking in depth. I don’t write like that, but I do write intensely intimate sex scenes involving passionate, affectionate characters who make love in intriguing ways, like Georgie in Strange Taste from Basque. I’m told by a woman in Mississippi that I write sex very well. I hope women enjoy my stories as they’re largely women-centric, my women are far stronger characters than my mostly vain, weak men.
Your website has received a lot of positive feedback for its layout and interactivity. What was your vision when you created it, and how important is it for you to engage with your readers through your platform?
I exist to entertain readers, I’ve been fortunate to make a lot of friends and fans online and in my two writing groups in Essex, England, and I wanted to give something back to them. I found that relying on book reviews didn’t give me the audience engagement I cherish most. So, I started to have my stories recorded and posted on my unique audio-visual website at www.isittodayhjfurl.com and other reader / audible sites. I’ve sold 201 books, 2 audiobooks since I was first published in Sep 2019. Contrast that with over 400,000 online listens / reads!
Many of your stories build suspense and menace slowly. How do you craft the pacing of your stories to keep readers hooked until the very end?
I review, edit and build my longer stories as I go along, mostly with an ending in mind. I think this adds depth to the story’s build, enabling me not to give the game away too early, but I admit, it’s not a deliberate tactic – I’m still a learner when it comes to building suspense.
You mention that you write from images, drawing inspiration from the creations of artists and photographers. Can you walk us through your creative process from image to finished story?
I spend hours and hours searching for the right photo of a character on free photo sites and have occasionally stumbled on a character photo who launched a story idea. Izzy, a female who jogs thru the dark forest at night only to be impregnated by aliens in The Arrival (from Is It Today?) is a great example – find jogger photo, build the entire story around her – from her superficial appearance and dress style initially – then the imagination kicks in: how does she feel, act, behave, misbehave, think, what are her emotions, her attitudes, her strengths and weaknesses?
Your works are available as audiobooks on platforms like Audible. How has the transition to audio storytelling enhanced or changed the way you think about your stories?
It hasn’t! I write and finish the stories then select those that are most intriguing or popular for one of my wonderful voice actors to record for the website. The audiobooks are a new venture, launched this Summer.
Feedback from voice actors like Isla and Nikki shows how much they enjoy bringing your stories to life. How closely do you collaborate with them, and do their interpretations ever surprise you?
Intensely! I specify my characters voice, accent, age, sex, gender and personality traits in a detailed briefing. Linnea summed up my approach to briefing better than I could ever do:
“I’m having a fantastic time working on your book! Following all your detailed instructions. Thank you for being so thorough. Most people say things like Julie, woman, 30. So, I really appreciate it.” I’ve been thrilled to have my expectations greatly exceeded many times with the occasional disappointment. Beth in BEINGS is an incredible example of Isla thrilling me to bits!
Your stories feature a range of intense emotions and themes, from love and lust to terror and suspense. How do you explore such a wide emotional spectrum in your work?
I find it helps a lot that I am not constrained by genre – I write multiple genres, often in the same story, which gives me breadth and depth to work within. To me character is all. I live and love my characters, write from their viewpoint, their perspective not mine, and bare all their emotions by being a candid, honest, open, provocative writer. I try to treat them well, fairly and evenly. Some of my characters become victims, some suffer, some even get killed, but I try to ensure an equal balance between women and men as the victims, my women are gaining in strength, the more I write, my men are increasingly weak. In this way I reflect their growing influence and rightful positioning in our society as the most important sex for the survival of the human race.
You’ve described your stories as ‘remarkable’ and ‘pleasurable’ by readers. What is the most memorable piece of feedback you’ve received, and how has it impacted your work?
That’s a really difficult question to answer! My top 5 story comments (some of them relate to predatory which is due out later this month) and top 3 website comments are posted on the home page of my website. I do lack confidence as a writer which is why I need feedback more than I need Amazon book reviews! This kind comment about Heathen (from Basque) means the most to me as it greatly boosted my confidence:
‘It’s stories like this that make me understand just how much I still have to learn as a writer. Remarkable,’ reader, Canada.
With titles like Basque and Is It Today?, how do you come up with such evocative names for your audiobooks, and do they play a significant role in setting the tone for the stories?
Is It Today? came up in a dream. It fitted the 28 stories in the book well as they all revolve around fate to some extent, outcomes that are often unexpected. Basque is the title story in Basque: Love Stories and certainly sets the mood for the vastly different aspects of love.
You blend eroticism with elements of horror and suspense. What challenges do you face when writing stories that combine such contrasting genres?
I actually find that the eroticism stimulates the suspense and intrigue, the horror takes two forms: brooding and malevolent or sudden and unexpected! I find these stories the easiest to write- which is a bit worrying! predatory ‘s twenty-two stories all blend those bitter sweet, sour, savoury and salivating ingredients to a greater or lesser extent.
What can we expect from you next? Are there any new themes or projects you're excited about that we should be on the lookout for?
I am delighted to say that BEINGS will be coming for you all in time for Christmas! Who are they? What are they? Why are they? You’ll just have to read the book to find out. predatory, my 22 blends of eroticism, horror and suspense should be released at the end of November. I intend to feature both books: covers and details on www.allauthor.com if I may?! BEINGS is being recorded for a possible audiobook. predatory will feature on my website. I’ve just started to write a semi-fictional account of a teenage carer who cares for a severely manic depressive mother, without doubt, Rose will be my toughest, most emotional challenge yet.
How were you introduced to AllAuthor and would you say that this website has been helpful?
AllAuthor was recommended to me by a fellow author. I haven’t looked back since. Your attention to detail, the variety of techniques you employ, and your high quality standards not only give me the confidence I need to write, but your website gives me that all-important time I need to write at all. I can’t fault AllAuthor.
