What are some of your favorite childhood memories?
My favorite childhood memories involve horror movies. I know, that sounds weird. My grandmother and mother both loved scary movies. I was only three when I saw Gremlins, and I was hooked! After that, I watched everything from Child’s Play to movies based off Stephen King books. They didn’t give me nightmares. I knew they were make believe, and the monsters weren’t going to come get me.
What is the one thing you hated the most when growing up?
Milk! Seriously. My mother would force me to drink milk, no matter how much I complained it tasted bad and made me feel sick. I guess she thought I was making it up. Of course, back then, I don’t think “lactose intolerant” was really a thing. Now I know exactly why I hated that milk so much!
Which of your childhood dreams was the first to die?
That’s a hard one. I honestly remember little about my childhood dreams. I didn’t want to grow up and be rich and famous. I didn’t have a career I was dying to get when I was older. I think I mostly lived in the moment. Although, if I had a big dream, it was most likely to own a hundred horses. Needless to say, that didn’t happen.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?
I’d most likely be working for a college. It’s what I did before writing full time and being a stay-at-home mom. But the anxiety nearly killed me. I think staying home was the best decision I ever made.
How long did it take you to finish your book, Enslaved by Monsters?
If I’m being honest, about 3 hours. Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop! I gulped down coffee and wrote the book from start to finish in one day. Then I set it aside and re-read it a few days later, making adjustments and trying to clean it up a little.
Which of your books was the hardest to research and write for?
I haven’t had to do much in the way of research for my books. Now and then, I look for little-known monsters to see if there’s a way to make them sexy. Usually, it’s not possible, so I stick with the better known options. As for being the most difficult to write… probably Snake Charmer. I worked on that one off and on for months before I finished it.
What gave you the idea for your book series “Naughty Films Inc”?
Someone said my books were porn. So I used that in my next series. It made me wonder if there was a such a thing as monster porn out on the internet. I didn’t search for it because I worried I’d end up with a nasty computer virus, but… it made me think about how one would be created. Each book in the series will be about a woman in the Adult Entertainment industry, except their costars aren’t wearing costumes as they’d first thought. Nope, the monsters have come out to play!
Can you proofread your own work? If not, who usually does the editing and proofreading for you?
I use ProWritingAid when I’m writing, so it helps catch a lot of things. But I also send my books to an editor, when she’s available. If she doesn’t have room in her schedule, I let the book set a while, run it through ProWritingAid again, and try to catch all the typos. I prefer to use an editor though.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Do you think one can ever retire from being a writer?
With some luck, I’ll still be writing. I guess that depends more on my body than anything else. I’ve recently had some health issues pop up that are forcing major changes in my life. Not the least bit fun! But if I can soldier through this, then I want to write a lot more monster erotica in the future. I’ve even written some reverse harem erotica recently as part of Kindle Vella.
What would you say is the most challenging thing about being a writer?
For me, it’s getting the time to write. With two children and a houseful of cats, there’s always someone going to the doctor or vet. I swear someone sick can just look at my kids and they’ll catch whatever bug is going around. It seems like one or both are sick at least once per month. It cuts into my writing time. But when things are quiet, I get a lot of words on the page in a short amount of time.
If you could have dinner with any well known figure - from the past or living - who would it be and why?
Stephen King! As I mentioned, I’m a huge horror fan! I’d love nothing more than to meet him, and hear more about what drove him to start writing, and maybe even dig into parts of my favorites like Pet Semetary and Rose Red.
How many days a week do you write? What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?
I don’t really have a set writing schedule. Some weeks I may write all seven days. Others I may write one or two days. It depends on what else is going on in my life that week. As for my perfect weekend… I love going with my husband to antique malls, comic stores, and finding new places to eat. Every city we’ve visited, we track down the nearest comic shop. He browses the back issues for comics he’s missing, and I usually end up bringing home a few figures. I collect horror figures, mostly NECA.
If you could acquire one skill, other than writing, what would it be and why?
Magic aside, I’d love to know a few different foreign languages. I’ve met people who could pick up another language easily. For me, it would be a struggle.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? Is there any advice you’d like to impart on any budding writers?
When I first started writing monster erotica, my books were pretty much 2% plot and 98% smut. I was fine with that, but I’ve found as the months and years pass, I’m adding more and more plot to those stories. I’ve even written a novel length one in Kindle Vella, and am working on a second novel length story now. At first, I just wanted something fun, so I could blow off steam. I didn’t take writing seriously. This was more of a fun adventure. But the stories are taking on a life of their own, and I’m enjoying every moment.
As for advice to budding writers… don’t let other people tell you what you should or shouldn’t write. If you have a story trying to burst free, get it on paper. Not every book is enjoyed by everyone. We each have our own likes and dislikes. Don’t allow the negativity of other people to stop you from pursuing your dream. Whether you want to write the next horror bestseller, a sweet romance, or an erotica that’s mostly sex, do it and don’t let anyone stop you. Of course, that being said, there are some lines you can’t cross if you want to actually publish the stories. But aside from that, live your dream and write what you want.
How big a role do you think social media plays in the marketing department? Have you enjoyed your experience with AllAuthor so far? Would you recommend it to other authors?
Oh, A LOT. Especially these days. How often do you go out and not see people glued to their phones or tablets? Even the doctor’s offices have used tablets instead of writing notes in paper charts. Technology is all around us, every second of the day, and most people have at least one social media account, if not more.
AllAuthor has been great! I love all the options, and the “Featured” books make promotion a little easier. The Contest of the Month is always fun. Even if I don’t have a title selected, I still like to see the pretty covers. I’ve even found a few new reads that way. I definitely recommend it to other authors! The pro account is worth every penny, and AllAuthor is one of my favorite promo sites.
