Really happy to 'meet' another Wild Rose author today! Welcome Emma, shall we get on with the interview, I am so nosy about how other writers work...
1) What is your writing routine? A few years ago I decided to try NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The problem was, it’s in November and I had family coming for Thanksgiving. If I was going to write, I had to get up early. So now I wake up around 4 AM in the morning, eat breakfast, check email and Twitter, then write until it’s time to get ready for work. I leave home before 7 to teach, get home around 4 PM and repeat until it’s time for dinner. Then after dinner, more writing, but this time usually in front of the TV.
2) Which author/s inspire you to write? So many! I love Nora Roberts and Jennifer Crusie most of all, but I love Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series and Karen Templeton and Virginia Kantra. My critique group—Cerise Deland and Layla Chase—were the ones who really inspired me to try my hand at erotic romance, and I’m having a blast!
3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write? I enjoy contemporary romance to read and write. I enjoy romantic suspense, historical and erotic romance, and an occasional paranormal to read. I have them arranged by genre on my shelves, and my contemporary romance shelf is by far the biggest.
4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection? Well, I’m pretty used to it by now! Sometimes it hurts more than others. Recently, this book that I loved was rejected by EVERYONE, and that one really hurt. I moped for a day and got back to work the next day. Too many rejections will ruin the creativity if you let it, will have you second guessing yourself. You just can’t let it.
5) What do you expect from an editor? I love my editors. Every one has a great attitude, and “sees” my stories the way I do. I like timelines, because I work best with deadlines in mind, and I like feeling comfortable enough to email them if I have a question or concern.
6) Tell me about your latest release. Lessons for Teacher is about university teaching assistant Jamie Winston, who is ready to break out of her shy, unadventurous shell by finally approaching Brady Lane--the sexy Iraqi war vet seated in the front row of her journalism class. He's brave and outgoing--something Jamie is not--and good looking to boot. Her shy flirtation with Brady at a frat party leads to a deliciously sinful tryst that leaves her wanting more. Each breathless encounter with Brady peels away a layer of Jamie's insecurity, leaving her more wanton and willing each time. But eventually, all good things must come to an end. When Brady finally leaves for an internship, will Jamie be brave enough to let him go?
7) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt.
Here’s an excerpt:
She shifted anxiously. “I’m not—I don’t want you to think I’ve ever done anything like that. All weekend I worried that you might think—”
He placed his hand on the table, close to hers but not touching. He didn’t want to spook her. “I never thought. I don’t either, for what it’s worth.”
She swallowed. “Really? Because I know a lot of girls—”
“Girls,” he repeated. “Not really my thing.”
She giggled. “It seemed to be exactly your thing.”
He reached across the table to rest his hand on her arm. “You’re no girl, innocent as you are. There are things you know—”
“Not according to my ex.”
He blinked. “Then he’s an idiot.”
A smile flashed through her eyes. “You have no idea.”
“You know what gets me?” he asked, leaning even closer. “This, right here.” He circled a finger in the air above the hollow of her throat. She lifted her hand to her neck and he pushed it away. “It tightens up when you get passionate about something, like in class. And it tightens up when you’re around me.” He dragged his fingertip over the smooth skin and felt her pulse flutter under his touch.
He’d wanted to taste her there for months, and when he had, on Saturday night, it had been a concentration of her scent. Just remembering her taste on his tongue aroused him. Hell, watching her eyes widen and darken aroused him, and he shifted to accommodate his erection.
“Is there someplace we can go?”
“Brady. You have a class.” Her voice was breathy and shot straight to his groin.
“Not for a couple of hours.”
“I don’t have my own place.”
“Neither do I. I live in the dorm.”
“Right. With the roommate who never leaves.”
“You have an office or something?”
“I’m just a T.A.”
She was chickening out. Okay, he could get that. He was disappointed, after Saturday night, after reliving the encounter on Saturday, after fantasizing about getting into her panties for months. Resigned, he reached for his backpack.
“Our classroom is empty right now,” she said, her words rushed. “It’s where I usually work on my plans for the next class.”
He snapped his gaze to hers. Her blush ended at the vee of her blouse. Christ, that was adorable.
“Should we go?” he asked, watching her eyes, seeing the indecision underlying the desire.
She looped her hand through the straps of her bag. “Let’s go.”
He waited for her to stand, then stepped behind her, his hand on her elbow, but allowing her to lead the way. His jeans weren’t baggy enough to hide the erection he couldn’t get under control, especially when he watched the unconscious sway of her ass.
She moved like that in class, too, and it was a miracle the room wasn’t full of walking hard-ons. Right now all he could think about was getting her alone, rubbing his cock against her ass, making her come. Those sounds she’d made the other night, those sweet little whimpers—Jesus, no wonder he couldn’t get a handle on his arousal.
When he would have guided her toward the elevator, she headed for the stairs. The classroom was only on the third floor, but he wanted to be alone with her now, wanted to feel her mouth open for him, wanted to feel her body against him.
He consoled himself with watching her walk up the stairs ahead of him.
What a great ass.
Then they reached the room and he turned her to him, his hand on her waist, diving in for a kiss.
8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why? Well, while Brady is sexy as hell, I have to admire Jamie, who has bowed to what other people want for so long and has been afraid to take what she wants. When she decides she wants Brady, she has to act or lose him. I love that bravery.
9) What is next for you?
I have a novella coming out in February from Samhain Publishing called “Two StepTemptation.” It takes place at a wedding at a Texas Hill Country resort, where one of the bridesmaids hooks up with one of the groomsmen with whom she had a secret affair. I had fun making them hide their renewed relationship from their friends in those close quarters!
10) What are you working on right now? Right now I’m working on a novella with a Bad Boy hero, a definite man-slut, who falls for his best friend’s little sister. I love making the guys who think they’ll never find love fall, because they always fall hard.
11) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists? Write every day, even if it’s just 100 words. It keeps your head in the story, and if you’re not writing, how can you have a finished project to sell? (Though, honestly, I write every day because I have so many stories in my head and not enough time!)
12) Where can readers find you?
I’ve got a blog and a Twitter page so far.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmmaJayromance
Blog: http://emmajay13.blogspot.com/
Great to have you here, Emma! You sound as busy as me which is not necessarily a good thing, LOL! And I am totally with you with the writing a little each day - that's my mantra and it works. If you think rather than write, you'll never have anything to sell. Can't wait for the readers comments!
Thanks for having me, Rachel! Yes, the early-bird bit has ups and downs. I'm wiped by 9 PM, but I get a lot done in the wee hours!
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