Reviewer Extraordinaire

Interview with Bonnie Blisss

2012-02-26T21:21:00.000-06:00

Interview with Bonnie Bliss
Interviewed By Barb February 26 2012

Bonnie Bliss has been four years in the making. After years of discovering her ideal style and what works best for her, she decided that a career as an independently published writers was her best route. Being independent allows her to have control of her writing, release dates, and being able to not just write what she knows but what she ultimately wants.

Bonnie Bliss creates worlds of Paranormal Erotica, Contemporary BDSM Erotica, Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance that are sure to entice, arouse, and tease the senses. Let her help you live out your ultimate fantasies through the written word. So please feel free to go through her site and get some teasing excerpts, and look into already released books, as well as books soon to come.
Bonnie is not just a self published author. She believes very deeply about quality before her books go to the published stage and strives to give you her best efforts.
Thank you Bonnie for joining us here at Risqué Reviews, I am so excited to get started!!

Q. Did you get a lot of support from family and friends while trying to attain those goals?

I would like to say yes. Although, no one in my family really understands writing, or the writing process for that matter, so for them, they just think you write a book and a best seller is made. They have no clue about rewrites, editing, going through and pulling whole scenes. So, they are supportive when I make sales, but they aren’t supportive of the process. Most people that aren’t author don’t really understand the full depth really. I get that, because my mother is an artist. I have no clue what it takes to do what she does.

Q. How difficult is it to separate the author from the person?

It is not hard for me to separate Bonnie Bliss from who I really am. Bonnie is very free spirited, she says what she’s thinking. I have way more fun on Bonnie’s Facebook and Twitter than on my Real life Facebook page. Mommy, wife, and me mode is something I can drop back into very easily. I also have Disneyland annual passes to fall back on when I need to reconnect with me and not Bonnie Bliss.

Q. What do you think is more acceptable to readers, emotional domination or physical pain?

Oh, I do like this question, and I think I could get very wordy with it. I think when you mess with someone’s emotions it hits a reader very hard. But I am also speaking as the reader. I recently read a dub con book, and the emotional toll that this woman took, hit so many triggers. However, I see so many reviews on BDSM books, even books with just heavy spanking, where readers say things like “I didn’t sign on to read a book about abuse!” People have really, no clue if they aren’t educated or curious. I always know that if I dig into emotions with my characters, I’m going to get a bigger response. I can flog a character till she bleeds, but more readers are going to respond to her inner dialogue than the pain. Because the pain breeds the emotional response.

Q. I notice some of stories feature BDSM themes. Would you considered them more on the lines lighter side of D/s types where it is more about the physical or closer to hardcore BDSM where you also bring in the psychological aspect of the BDSM life?

I would first like to start off this bit with; my husband and I are in the BDSM lifestyle. So, the elements of our BDSM fiction are as true to life as we can get without getting to preachy. I am a firm believer that everyone has different levels of kink that are kinky; however, I also believe that there is a safe way to do that.

With the Dominance books, you will see a slow progression of them both getting into more heavy play. Marie is slowly discovering that she has masochist tendencies, darker fantasies, and Neil is noticing he is not adverse to that idea. The series started with a session in the new ‘playroom’, the second book is a longer session, with a break and then leads into wax play and some impact play with a crop.

Marie is slowly discovering that she needs pain, something that she never quite realized before. Neil is also discovering other needs she’s not yet aware of. You will see some cage play in the future. It is almost an evolution. Marie has a kidnapping kink that might be explored in a book. I personally don’t like humiliation, so it will never go to that point. However, Neil will be pushing her hard limits, because he sees what she needs deeper than she does. It sort of reflects what recently happened with us in real live. He started to notice I was leaning into whippings and spankings. Something I had no clue I was doing. We will show how Marie and Neil explore that in a safe and controlled setting before playing on their own.

I guess you could say that I play, writing wise in a little bit of all of it. We have intensions to write much darker non consent BDSM stories. With the new censorship going on with paypal I’m not sure how I will get those stories out to everyone, but for me they are brilliantly constructed storylines.

Q. Tell us a bit about your latest release When Lilly Met Bryn? Is it a Paranormal Romance or a Paranormal Erotica?

When Lilly Met Bryn was originally intended to be a paranormal erotica, but when I went back and read it, had it edited and critiqued I realized it was more romantic. There is a HEA at the end. Yes you have priority sex. But I hate that people would label it as ‘not a romance’ because of sexual content. It would be labeled as Paranormal erotica, the length and plot doesn’t give it a erotic romance title.

This is actually a short that is part of the series Lilly and her Pet Wolf. The series started out just to be a series of short stories. All erotica with Lilly having fun with her pack. I am unable to write a story without the aim for a HEA it would appear. After the first two books, I came up with a history, a background, so this book is the beginnings of this background. I will be adding some flash fiction stories to my newsletter. So please subscribe if you are interest, because our flash fiction on this series will only be featured in our newsletter monthly.

Q. Which leads me to my next question, you write in several genres, Paranormal Erotica,

Contemporary BDSM Erotica, Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Can you tell us do you sometime combine genres in one story? Is so how do you keep the character/relationship central to the story while still combining genres?

Actually, we haven’t crossed genres as of yet. But we are working on a few series that will cross. We have some horror erotic BDSM, we have some paranormal BDSM erotic romances. You will begin to notice that I try to put in some bondage. But at times I like to mix it up. I think when you cross genres, it helps you connect better, and you have to pay such close attention to detail. Whenever you are properly writing any BDSM element, you can’t help but make is emotional. Everything about BDSM is soul deep, so it makes it easy to develop lasting relationships and evolving characters.

Q. When did you first feel that you were an author?

When I was eleven and all I wanted to do was write. It was all I did do. Poems, short stories, full novels. It was a passion and something I was very good at.

Q. Do you work with a critique/editing partner before submitting a book to your publisher?

I am my own publisher at this point. But yes, I have a critique/editing partner and she is my saving grace! I tend to write and just get it all out and not look back, bad habit, I know lol! I also have a few beta readers just to make sure it is all flowing.

Q. Do you feel that erotic fiction is getting the recognition it deserves in the publishing world?

Erotic fiction, yes, Erotica, no. I think erotic romance writers get loads of credit. So many people read it; it is on best seller lists. Erotica is too, but it gets stamped as just ‘smut’. When my characters are in love, and that love comes out even in an erotica short.

Q. Do you ever reach a point in writing a book where you have to step back because you feel it is getting too intense? Whether sexually or the complexity of the story itself?

Quite often, actually. I have a habit of getting very intense with all my characters. Cry even while writing. I think you have to, that emotional connection sometimes makes the story that much more powerful.

Q. How do you keep the character/relationship central to the story while still combining genres?

I think I answered this one already above. =)

That brings us to the close of the interview. What do you say we end with something fun, Ok?

Q. Biggest turnoff in the opposite sex? Come on don’t be shy. Details lots of details!!!

LOL! I like this question. Only because I think my answer is so strange to what most people would say. I can’t stand a man that would turn away from the offer of tying me up. Trust me, I have been there, so frustrated that I have been “Ok, you are going to have to tie me up and span me.” Nothing hits me like a ton of ice water like a man refusing to do that. I don’t have the issue anymore lol! Thank god! Dating was hard!

Thank you Bonnie, for letting us get to know a little bit about you, and sharing your time your time with all of us here at Risqué Reviews. I had a lot of fun and I hope you did too!

If you would like to find out more about Bonnie, because let’s face it one interview certainly doesn’t give us the time too truly learn everything, right? So stop by her website to learn more. Here is the link, http://www.bonnieblissauthor.com/

I just had to share this…

2012-02-10T01:23:00.000-06:00

This came to me as an email and after I read it I thought even though I am 4 years short of the age of the grandma I didn’t feel old or sad. I thought “how cool”. I'm a part of history!

I mean would I like to be in my 30’s again? Hell yea! But if I was truly honest what I’d really like is to be this age and just look and feel like I was in my 30’s. Now that would be the cat’s meow. But the science for that is still in the works and I fear by the time it’s perfected it will be far too late for me. So why fret about what you can’t change.

That is why I choose to embrace what I am…history!!!

So I hope for those who are history I hope you enjoy this. And for those who have yet to achieve that status I hope you you enjoy this too.

Stay with this -- the answer is at the end. It will blow you away.

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events.
The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.

The Grandmother replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:
'      television
'       penicillin
'       polio shots
'       frozen foods
'       Xerox
'       contact lenses
'       Frisbees and
'       the pill

There were no:
'       credit cards
'       laser beams or
'       ball-point pens

Man had not

yet invented:
'       pantyhose
'       air conditioners
'       dishwashers
'       clothes dryers
'       and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and
'    man hadn't yet walked on the moon

Your Grandfather and I got married first, and then lived together.

Every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir."
And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir."
We were before gay-rights, computer-dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege.
We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.
Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze started.
Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends -not purchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CD's, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios.
And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk.
The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.
Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents.
Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel.
And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.
You could buy a new Ford Coupe for $600, but who could afford one?
Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day:
'      "grass" was mowed,
'      "coke" was a cold drink,
'     "pot" was something your mother cooked in and
'     "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
'     "Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office,
'      "chip" meant a piece of wood,
'     "hardware" was found in a hardware store and.
' "software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap.
How old do you think I am?
I bet you have this old lady in mind. You are in for a shock!
Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time.

Are you ready?????

This woman would be only 59 years old, Born in 1952!

Interview With Author Sarah Grimm

2012-02-06T15:12:00.000-06:00

Romance author Sarah Grimm writes everything from ‘page turning, edge of your seat suspense,’ to contemporary romance with a touch of suspense. Her books vary in heat levels. All are sexy, a few downright hawt.

As a young girl, Sarah always had a story to tell. At times they were funny, other times scary, but they always ended with a happily-ever-after.

Sarah spent years scribbling in notebooks, filling the pages with partial chapters and the margins with titles and story ideas. She told friends that the characters spoke to her, and that she was compelled to get their stories on paper. Eventually, she sat down at a computer and wrote her first tale of dangerously sexy suspense. That book, Not Without Risk, is a 2011 Readers Favorite Award Winner.

Sarah lives in West Michigan with her husband, two sons and three miniature schnauzers. Between mom's taxi service, parts runs, and answering the phone for the family marine repair business, Sarah can be found curled in her favorite chair, crafting her next novel.

Sarah loves to hear from her readers.
sarah@sarahgrimm.com

Welcome Sarah and thank you for allowing Risqué Reviews this opportunity to discover more about you. Shall we begin?

Q. So what kind of reactions did you get when you told your friends that “the characters spoke to you”? And how old were you exactly the first time this happened?

I’ve never been snubbed or threatened to be committed when people learn I hear voices. Honestly, I don’t recall anyone being surprised by the news. You see, I’ve always been a bit of an odd duck—quirky and loud, a daydreamer who is a bit too impulsive. I was the child you would find talking to an empty room. The one who carried a notebook everywhere she went and would often drift away from the conversation to write. Because of this, my friends have always been a bit ‘quirky’ as well.

Q. Right out of the gate your first book Not Without Risk got the 2011 Readers Favorite Award. Did you feel any anxiety when you began writing your next book?

My second book, After Midnight, was already completed when Not Without Risk won the award, and I was actively writing my third book. Do I feel any anxiety when I sit down at the keyboard after that win? No more than normal.

Some days, usually when the words just won’t come, I have moments of ‘who’s going to read this anyway?’ Those days I’m filled with anxiety, but that would be true with or without the award.

After Midnight Blurb:

Thirteen years—that's how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother's life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar...

Black Phoenix singer/front man Noah Clark came to Long Island City with a goal--one that doesn't include an instant, electric attraction to the dark-haired beauty behind the bar. Coaxing her into his bed won't be easy, but he can't get her pale, haunted eyes nor her skill on the piano out of his head.

Can Noah help Isabeau overcome the past? Or will her need to protect her secret force her back into hiding and destroy their chance at happiness?

Warning: This book contains hot as hell rock stars and sex that will straighten your hair.

Purchase Links: Amazon / Wild Rose Press / B&N

Q. What motivates you? (other than those characters demanding to be heard)

Maintaining my sanity! Seriously, writing is my escape. When I write I’m not thinking about my problems, the taxes, or how I’m going to pay the electric bill. I’m not worried about the state the world is in. We all need to escape now and then. For me, this comes with writing.

Q. Do you believe a good life is attainable? Or is it something that is out of our control i.e. subject to luck etc.

A little bit of both, actually. With hard work and dedication, I believe a good life is attainable. Luck, however, can play a big role in going from good to great.

Q. Tell us about what happens when you start a book. Does the plot take form first or does the idea come first? Do you then outline the direction (plot) and follow through?

The idea comes first. I’m a panster – which means I don’t outline, I just ‘fly by the seat of my pants’. When I start a book, the only thing I usually know are my characters’ names and how they first meet. I have a general idea of where they’re going to end up, but no idea how they get there. That way I’m just as surprised as the reader with the way the story unfolds.

Q. Do your characters ever “get in the way” when writing a scene?

All the time! I’ve learned not to fight them. After all, they know their story better than I do. (That makes me sound a bit ‘off my rocker’, doesn’t it? LOL)

Q. There are a lot of reviewers out there. What advice would you tell other writers when looking for a review site to submit their books too?

Do your homework. Don’t just send your book to every review site out there. Take a closer look at the site first. What type/genre book does the site review? Does it have a positive reputation? Are the reviews well written or do they tend to bash the book without giving any constructive criticism?

It’s impossible to please everyone, which is why as a writer, it is so important that when we hear someone doesn’t like our work, we also get an explanation of why they didn’t like it. That way we can take the information and move forward.

Q. How do you come up with the names for your leading characters?

Wow, that’s a tough one! Sometimes my characters come to me fully formed, names and all. Other times I struggle to name them. When I wrote After Midnight, Noah (the hero) had a totally different name. A name that didn’t really fit him. But he was a bit stubborn and wouldn’t tell me his true name until the book was in edits.

Q. Would you say your stories are character or plot driven? Can you have one without the other?

Definitely character driven. But can a book have characters with no plot or plot with no characters? I don’t think it can. Although no one seems to be able to agree on how many plots there are, most can agree that a plot driven book, one where the characters fall flat, will not engage the reader as well as a character driven book. Plots are basically standard, it’s what the characters do in certain situations that changes everything and makes for an engaging read.

Q. When you’re not dreaming up the next book what do you do, as my father would say… “That’s nice dear but can you pay the bills”?

During the day I’m as an office manager/bookkeeper for a local blueberry farm and packing house. Eight months out of the year I also oversee the farm store and the college students who work there.

Q. I know in your bio you mention from a young age you always had a tale to tell. Was writing always your goal?

No, it actually wasn’t. Had you asked Sarah Grimm, the young girl, what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would have given a different answer every time. My dream changed like the blowing of the wind through the trees, or with whatever story I was reading. Then, I picked up my first romance novel and that was it for me. I was in love with falling in love, and knew that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up: Get married, have children, and write romance.

Q. Besides writing, are there other goals you’ve yet to achieve?

I would love to visit England and Scotland. I haven’t met that goal yet.

Then there’s the goal a lot of authors have…hitting the NYT Bestseller’s list. I haven’t met that one yet, either. *grin*

Let’s close our interview with something amusing…

Q. What sort of character would you play in a comic book (hero, humorous sidekick, villain, that abrasive newspaper guy, etc.)

Oh, boy! The writer side of me would be the villain. I’m cruel to my characters. The things I put them through before they get their happily-ever-after—the heartache and loss, the physical suffering—I’m downright villainous to them.

The non-writer side of me would be the person in the red shirt. (Oh wait, that’s from Star Trek.) You know the character I’m talking about, the one no one remembers. The first victim or maybe the sidewalk vendor. ROFL That’s not to say I’m unimportant, just too normal for most to pay too close attention to.

That brings us to the end of our interview Sarah. I hope you had fun. I certainly enjoyed getting to know you.

And I predict the next adventure your characters start bugging you about will be very arousing! (As she slowly licks her lips while they turn into an amused as well as licentious grin).

If you would like to learn more about Sarah and her works go to her website at http://www.sarahgrimm.com or check out her blog http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com