The Cougar Book – interview with Rachel Kramer Bussel

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we will have interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today is Rachel Kramer Bussel, author of “What Pretty Girls Do.”

Rachel Kramer Bussel is an author, editor, and blogger. She’s Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations, has edited over 30 anthologies, including Peep Show, Bottoms Up, Spanked, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, and The Mile High Club, and hosts New York’s popular monthly In The Flesh Reading Series. She teaches erotic writing workshops and does readings nationwide.

What made you decide to submit your work for inclusion in The Cougar Book?

I had this story “What Pretty Girls Do” kicking around for a while and kept trying to find the right home for it. Let that be a lesson–never give up! It got rejected I think three times before being accepted for this book. It was inspired by a Kirsty MacColl song, “What Do Pretty Girls Do?”

Tell us about your story. Give us a little teaser.

As I said above, it’s inspired by the Kirsty MacColl song, which I encourage you to listen to, and made me think about what a woman who’d always been known for her looks would do once they started to go. Here’s the first two paragraphs:

Sheena looked in the mirror, peering at the fine lines that had crept into her skin over the years, and in the last month or two, it seemed, suddenly taken up permanent residence. She smoothed her cheeks, the ones that used to glow, smooth and sparkling as peaches. She used to thrill to the compliments that were passed her way, gracing every such stranger with a smile that would make his day, perhaps even his week. Being a model, she’d gotten used to the looks, the covert glances, the whispers, the constant, eternal adoration. She’d worshipped herself too, always had, ever since she was a little girl, twirling by every mirror she passed, learning early on to toss her hair back and bat her eyelashes at every man or woman she came across. Those skills had come in handy, and she’d certainly bedded some of the best. But she’d never expected to be washed up at 40. She’d had surgery to make sure of that. Sheena had never even really thought about what life might be like once she stopped being perfect.

The thing of it was, it was only up close that one would notice any crack in her armor, any slight imperfection to mar her otherwise magnificent body. She’d made sure of that, visiting the gym so regularly she didn’t even need to flash her card, simply gave a divine nod before heading off into the back to sweat and sweat and dream about being able to lie back and have handsome waiters bring her elegant drinks while she floated in the pool. If she even had a pool. She’d been reduced to living in a small cottage, just far enough away from the major Hollywood players, the ones who’d undoubtedly made it, no questions asked, to make visiting her not-so-desirable. And today was her birthday. Her 40th–although officially, on the record and in the press, she was only 35–and intended to remain so for some time. She’d been lying about her age for so long that even she had to double check, and realizing that the big four oh was approaching had shocked her to her core. She remembered starting out, a bright, young, eager wisp of a girl, and that was often how she still felt.

Could you see yourself being a cougar?

Maybe when I’m older, though probably not, since I tend to like younger men, but I have been with a few younger guys who were a lot of fun.

Does your writing turn you on?

Once in a while it does. The more personal stories, the ones inspired by a lover or a crush, often move me. Others turn me on more mentally than physically. It’s often in rereading my work, whether live at my reading series, In The Flesh, or to myself, that the power of it truly hits me. I sometimes go into a little writing trance and forget exactly what I’m writing, perhaps as a way to protect myself from fearing publishing truly filthy thoughts or feelings.

The Cougar Book release is in print and ebook formats. With ebook readers becoming more and more popular, what are your views on ebooks and their effect on the publishing industry?

I’m curious to see what happens with ebooks. I don’t have an e-reader and am pretty removed from the whole genre, plus I love physical books and cart at least 3, usually more like 5 or 6, around with me all the time, so I don’t think I will ever stop reading print books.

What do you find difficult about writing? What comes easy for you?

On most days, I’d say “everything” to the first question. I love writing but also hate it sometimes when the ideas in my head don’t work out the same beautiful way on paper.

Your birthday has been declared a national holiday. How do you want people to celebrate?

Naked with cupcakes!

You’re stranded on a desert island and you can only have one book, one album/CD, and one person with you—what would they be?

Oh wow, what a question! I’d say The Glass Castle, The Reputation by The Reputation and…well, I probably can’t steal my friend’s baby or my baby cousin, so I will say my boyfriend.

What are you working on now? Do you have a current release or a new release coming soon?

I have, crazily enough, 10 books coming out this year – 8 anthologies, and my first novel (Everything But…, Harlequin Spice) and my first nonfiction book (The Art of the Erotic Love Letter, Cleis Press). Plus I run a monthly reading series in New York, In The Flesh, and am doing a mini West Coast and Minneapolis book tour for Best Sex Writing 2010, my annual nonfiction anthology. So there’s that, plus I have a full-time job at Penthouse Variations so I keep plenty busy.

Where can we find you on the Web? Do you have a website or blog(s)? Any social networks?

I’m all over the Internet: my website is www.rachelkramerbussel.com, and my blog is http://lustylady.blogspot.com. I’m @raquelita on Twitter and have a Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Kramer-Bussel/122880675514?ref=search&sid=572008831.53549185..1

Please come out for the free cupcakes and hot stories every month at In The Flesh: http://www.inthefleshreadingseries.com

THE COUGAR BOOK IS AVAILABLE NOW!

The Cougar Book – interview with D. L. King

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we will have interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today is D. L. King, author of “A Great Commute.”

D. L. King publishes and edits the review site, Erotica Revealed.  The editor of two, soon to be three, anthologies, find her in Best Women’s Erotica, Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica and many others. She is the author of two novels. Find her at dlkingerotica.com.

Could you see yourself being a cougar?

Could I see myself being a cougar?  Honey, I AM a cougar!  I particularly like sweet, young computer boys.  I’ve had, um, used, um, worked with two of them.  After the HTML is put to bed—well, let’s just say they can be quite flexible, at times, and rock-solid when you need them to be.

Tell us about your story.  Give us a little teaser.

I live in New York and commute to and from work every day via subway.  That’s something with which I’m really familiar; all New Yorkers are.

Most of my best ideas come to me when my mind is in a relaxed state, like the period just before full wakefulness in the morning.  I usually doze on the train to work (because I’m not a morning person and want to get in that last hour of sleep…) and I often get ideas for stories.  The germ of an idea for this story came from a commute.  I was thinking about all the people I tended to see every day, and my mind naturally drifted to how nice it would be to see some hunky boy get on the train.  I just took it from there.

Here’s a short excerpt:

A Great Commute

“Ma’am is fine, Justin.  You can call me Ma’am if it makes you more comfortable.  Shall we?” I said.  I got up and walked out the door, turned right, and continued around the corner, sure Justin was following me.  I had a small boutique hotel in mind.  It wasn’t far, and I had a corporate account.  I stayed there on occasion, when I worked late, rather than make the commute home.

As we got closer to the hotel, I turned to see Justin following three steps behind me.  I took his hand, drawing him parallel, and put my arm around his waist.

“Good morning, Ms. Shepherd, nice to see you back with us,” the doorman said as we entered.  I could feel Justin’s intake of breath when he saw the lobby.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be all right.  I’ll just be a minute,” I said, leaving him to try to look without gawking.

We had the elevator to ourselves, and as soon as the doors closed, Justin closed in for a kiss.  And what a lovely, sweet kiss it was.  His tongue gently prodded my lips open and so sweetly explored my mouth as a hand tentatively slid its way up my body to my breast.  I allowed him to continue in this manner until we reached our floor.  As the doors opened, I wrapped my fingers around the front of his belt, inserting them between the leather and the denim, and then gently pulled him after me down the hall.  I held him like this while I opened the door, and then pushed him into the room, still holding onto his belt.

Once inside, I closed and locked the door behind us.  Pulling him along behind me, I opened the bathroom and looked inside—’cause that’s what you do—then continued on into the room.  All this time, Justin hadn’t made a sound.  I backed him up to the king-sized bed and forced him into a seated position.  Removing my fingers from his belt, I stroked his crotch and felt the growing bulge in his pants.  Giving it a squeeze, I buried my face in his neck and inhaled.

“Mmm, you smell nice.  You must have headed for the train fresh out of the shower.”

“Yes Ma’am,” he said, shivering as I licked his jaw.

“Be a good boy, and get out of those clothes while I call my office.”

(If you want more, you’ll have to buy the book!)

Does your writing turn you on?

Absolutely!  I was once told that if what I wrote turned me on, it would, most-likely, turn others on too.  I’d like to take that a little farther and say that I don’t believe I can hope to arouse any reader if what I’ve written doesn’t get me at least a little bit hot.

The Cougar Book release is in print and ebook formats.  With ebook readers becoming more and more popular, what are your views on ebooks and their effect on the publishing industry?

I love ebooks.  They’re convenient and a great source of instant gratification.  I’ve read tons of them on my Palm in the Mobipocket format and, now that I have an iPhone, I read them in ePub on Stanza.  And I haven’t just read a bunch of dirty books on electronic devices. I’ve read mainstream best sellers as well because of that whole instant gratification thing.

I like instant gratification.  You could probably tell that about me by reading a few of my stories.  Yep, I’m definitely the “Whirr, birr, thank you Sir” kind of gal.

But that doesn’t mean I think ebooks will be replacing print books.  I don’t believe that will happen, at least not in my lifetime.  I love books in print!  I like holding them and touching them and turning their pages.  I also like signing them for readers.  I’m glad The Cougar Book is being released in both print and e formats—something for everyone!

What do you find difficult about writing?  What comes easy for you?

Sometimes I find getting the initial idea for a story the most difficult thing.  As I mentioned earlier, sometimes ideas just come to me when I’m most relaxed.  Perhaps that’s the problem: I don’t get a chance to relax that often.

I’m also a big procrastinator and inherently lazy.  Yes, yes, it’s true, I am.  So most often I’d say the difficult part about writing is sitting down and actually getting started.

As far as easy, once I get started, if the story is engaging, things usually tick right along.  I write erotica exclusively so interestingly, perhaps, I often find the sex scenes the most difficult.  I can get really bogged down in the sex.  I’ll write like gangbusters, right up to the sex, and then take a break!  (That’s a little secret.  Don’t tell anyone, OK?)

What are you working on now?  Do you have a current release, or a new release, coming soon?

I’m in the middle of editing a spanking anthology for Logical Lust Publications as we speak!  It’s called, oddly enough, Spank! and I’m excited about it!  I’ve been reading some dynamite stories.  If you’re the least little bit into spanking, I think you’ll find it irresistible.

My latest anthology, The Sweetest Kiss: Ravishing Vampire Erotica, from Cleis Press, was released this past October 1.  It’s been getting killer press and reviews, which I guess is appropriate for an erotic vampire anthology!

I’m writing stories that will, hopefully, turn up in various places, and I’m thinking about possibly writing another Melinoe book.

Where can we find you on the Web?  Do you have a website or blog(s)?  Any social networks?

Oh, boy, I’m all over the place!  I have a website that, among other things, lists my upcoming appearances and latest reviews.  Check it out at http://www.dlkingerotica.com.  I have a blog that I could keep up more regularly… Find it at http://www.dlkingerotica.blogspot.com.  I can be found on Facebook (D L King), Twitter (d_l_king) and FetLife (D_L_King).  Come by and say hi.

Interview with erotica author, D. L. King

D. L. King dlkingerotica.com is a New Yorker with a penchant for smut writing. She is the editor of Where the Girls Are: Urban Lesbian Erotica and the up-coming

Smut specialist - D L King

anthology, The Sweetest Kiss: Ravishing Vampire Erotica, both from Cleis Press, she is also the publisher and editor of the erotica review site, Erotica Revealed.

Some of her most recent work can be found in anthologies such as Broadly Bound (Phaze), Girl Crazy, Swing!, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am, Frenzy, Best Women’s Erotica, Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica and Best Lesbian Erotica.  You can find her also in the soon-to-be-released anthology, Like a Sacred Desire: Tales of Sex Magick (Circlet Press).  She is the author of two novels, The Melinoe Project and The Art of Melinoe.

LL:  Who is your toughest critic?

DLK: I’d really have to say that I am my toughest critic.  I tend to think whatever I’m writing, at any given time, isn’t really very good.  I’m disciplined enough to soldier on and finish what I begin.  (Unless, of course, I’m right, and the story does indeed turn out to be utter crap, in which case I file it away with the rest of the unfinished stuff—because you never know, sometimes you can turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse…)  Usually, given distance, I’m pleasantly surprised when I go back and read a story.

But that’s why I really do rely on a couple of other people to give me an objective opinion when I’m working.

LL:  Does your family/significant other know and support your writing?  What do they think?

DLK: The SO is also a writer of erotica; as a matter of fact, that’s how we met.  So, yes, he supports my writing.  I really value his critical and editorial skills, too!  And—he doesn’t get mad when he recognizes certain lines, descriptions or sexual escapades…

As for my family, my mother died many years ago, but I know she would have been supportive.  My sisters know what I write.  They are both supportive, although one will actually read my work, while the other is a bit more reticent to do so.  My father learned that I wrote erotica (after I expressly told one of my sisters not to mention it) and was quite a bit less than happy to hear about it.  I never mention it, which is a shame, as I would like to share my successes with him.

LL:  Name an author whose work you’ve read for the first time that you enjoyed.

DLK: Donna George Storey recommended Susan DiPlacido’s book, American Cool (iUniverse) to me.  We reviewed it on Erotica Revealed and it sounded like an interesting read.  I’ll tell you what, that woman can write!  I read a lot of books, many of them extremely well written but Susan DiPlacido’s use of language blew me away.  She has three other books out, as well: 24/7 (Zumaya), Trattoria (Mundania) and Mutual Holdings (Magic Carpet).  I’d recommend her—and she’s a Las Vegas junkie, as am I!

LL:  Name a few references every writer (or writer in your genre) should have.

DLK: I have the following on my desk, by my computer: the Royal Shakespeare Company’s William Shakespeare: Complete Works (Bate & Rasmussen, 2007, Modern Library Edition, NY, NY), a well thumbed copy of The Oxford Dictionary of Current English, Third Edition, Oxford Pocket American Thesaurus of Current English and The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases. I also have a copy of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.

But, I’ll tell you, in Donna George Storey’s interview, she recommended The Synonym Finder (1978, Rodale Press).  I bought a copy and haven’t looked back since!  I LOVE THIS BOOK.  Thanks Donna!

I also use a version of the OED on my computer.  (As you can tell, I’m an OED snob.)

LL:  Who or what has been your best teacher when it comes to writing?

DLK: I credit my 10^th grade English teacher with teaching me to write.  Her name was Ms Welch.  She was ancient.  I’ve no idea what that would translate to now.  Ancient is relative when you’re fifteen years old.  She was mean.  She didn’t take any guff.  She corrected absolutely everything.  She used red pencil.  She took pride in correct usage of the English language.  Because of Ms Welch, I can write clearly and concisely.  (I even named one of the characters in The Melinoe Project after her.  It’s OK, I’m pretty sure she’d dead now.

LL:  Describe your experience getting published for the first time.  Would you have done anything differently?

DLK: My first two novels are very hardcore, explicit works of fem dom.  (Recently, a friend who just finished reading both books told me that she was happy to discover my Melinoe books were indeed, “extremely explicit, hardcore BDSM” as she is usually disappointed when she reads that on a cover and later finds that the book in question doesn’t come close to her idea of “extremely explicit, hardcore” fiction.)  There aren’t a lot of imprints that publish that sort of thing.  It took me over two years to get the first book, The Melinoe Project, published.

At the time, there were only three print publishers that would be interested in the title.   The first had signed all their titles for the coming year and asked me to resubmit in a year, if the book was still unpublished.  The second, through a series of mishaps, actually lost my manuscript—twice—before finally going out of business.  The third publisher seemed to be too squicked by the small amount of forced bi male action in the book.  (I don’t know—go figure.  I’m just telling you…).  By the time I got back to the first imprint, they had changed editors and the new editor needed me to begin the process again.  That editor liked my writing but felt the book was a bit too much for them at the time.

It was then, after having exhausted what looked like my only print options, I began looking at electronic publishers.  Let me just say, “I don’t write romance, erotic or otherwise.” With that on the table, there weren’t a lot of electronic publishers who would be interested in The Melinoe Project either.  I found Renaissance E Books and sent the publisher a query letter.  She was interested in seeing the manuscript, so I sent it to her.  She got back to me within the week and offered to publish it.

So, about two years and a week later, I got a contract!  Renaissance have since published the sequel, The Art of Melinoe and a short novella, The Marrying Kind.  The Melinoe books are also now available in print (CreateSpace) through Amazon.

LL:  Where did the idea for The Melinoe Project come from?

DLK: Such a good question, that.  You know, I’m not really sure.  I can tell you exactly when I began writing it (the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2002).  I can tell you the circumstances (friends and their child had driven down from upstate NY for Thanksgiving and stayed over.  They left that Friday morning and after I saw them off, I sat down at the computer and began writing).  What came out was this really extreme piece of fem dom erotica with elements of science fiction.  Oh yeah, and a lot of medical fetish.  Where the hell did that come from???  I really have no idea.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

LL:  Does your writing turn you on?

DLK: Abso-fucking-lutely!  If it doesn’t turn me on, how can I possibly expect it to turn anyone else on?

A HUGE thank-you to D.L King for the interview, and good luck with your new projects!

Jim Brown

LL-Publications

Logical-Lust Publications

Interview with Jeremy Edwards

This week we’re interviewing the writer with a pose for every mood – Jeremy Edwards!

Jeremy has his own unique ways...

Jeremy Edwards is a pseudonymous sort of fellow whose efforts at spinning libido into literature have been widely published online (at Clean Sheets and other sites), as well as in numerous anthologies offered by Cleis Press, Phaze Books, and Xcite Books. His work was selected for the two most recent volumes in the Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica series. Meanwhile, out on the newsstand, Jeremy’s stories have been seen in Scarlet and in Forum (UK). In addition he appears in the star-studded line-up of erotica authors in SWING! Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers, published of course by us at Logical-Lust! His first erotic novel will be unveiled soon.

So, Jeremy, what’s one of the nicest things a critic or fan has said about your work?

“I’ve been reading your stories to my lover.”

What makes your writing different from your peers? What kind of reading experience can you give your audience?

I love how, as writers, we all have our own distinctive voices. I think some of the elements of my writing personality that inform my particular flavor of erotica are a passion for witty, self-actualized women; a taste for offbeat “romantic” situations; a keen interest in the subtleties of language; a bottomless appetite for gentle laughter and both physical and psychological euphoria; and a zest for the elemental, animal urgency at the foundation of human sexuality.

Does your significant other know and support your writing?

My wife has been familiar with my erotica-writing efforts from the first, and once I got a feel for how to do it she became an enthusiastic admirer of my work. She’s truly wonderful and always supports me in everything I do; but it’s great to know that she actively appreciates my erotica, beyond simply supporting it out of general supportiveness.

Does your writing turn you on?

Yes indeed! (But not by the time I’m on the fourteenth draft)

Name a few references every writer (or writer in your genre(s)) should have.

I’m a big fan of the Chicago Manual of Style. There are other style manuals, of course (and I’m not familiar with all of them); but one thing I especially like about Chicago is the way it combines an authoritative, well-considered, and remarkably comprehensive and detailed exposition of the many stylistic questions that a writer can face with a refreshingly realistic acknowledgment of the gray areas, compromises, judgment calls, and shifting sands we encounter as we attempt to make our prose conform to standard conventions. Using the manual not only answers my specific questions, it also enriches my overall perspective on language use.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Any suggestions?

If you have the luxury of spending many hours at a time in your writing place, I recommend leaving the stubborn writing project open on your screen while you nibble away at other tasks. Keep going back to that open document, from time to time, to glance at what’s there and give your subconscious something to chew on . . . and—if you’re like me—after a while, on one of those visits, you’ll probably find you can add a little something to what you have there. By the end of the day, maybe you’ll find that you’ve added a bunch of little somethings, or perhaps even a medium-sized something, and that you’ve reestablished your engagement with the work in progress.

Going for a walk is also often helpful, in my personal experience. (And even if it doesn’t immediately help you surmount the writer’s block, well, hey, it’s good for you in other ways.)

Thank you, Jeremy, for a great interview! Jeremy Edwards can be followed at his blog

Jim Brown

Logical-Lust Publications

Interview with SWING! author Alicia Night Orchid

Alicia Night Orchid’s stories have appeared on various online venues. “Savage Nights” took first prize in Desdmona’s 2007 60′s Contest. “A Lover in the House of Spies” was runner up in the For the Girl’s 2008 Fiction Contest. Alicia’s stories are also featured in Oysters and Chocolate: Erotica of Every Flavor, Logical Lust’s Swing: Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers, and Alessia Brio’s Coming Together: Against the Odds.

Visit Alicia’s website at www.anightorchid.com.

How/when did you decide to become a writer?

I’ve been writing all my life. I wrote and read stories to friends and family since I was about five years old. Then, after college, I gave up on my writing and went to law school instead of pursuing a MFA. After practicing law for a couple of years and not writing, I realized how important it was for me to write. I quit my job with a big law firm and started writing again. I haven’t looked back.

Describe your experience getting published for the first time. Would you have done anything differently?

I was first published in a small literary journal associated with a university press. I submitted a story I wrote in college. Months and months went by and I didn’t hear a word. One day I received a letter in the mail that my story had been accepted. By then, it was pretty anti-climactic.

My first erotic story was published on Clean Sheets. I’d been experimenting with erotica for several months at the time, posting to Literotica to test market some of my stories and get feedback. The story “On Convention” felt really good to me and Bill Noble at Clean Sheets agreed. The story later appeared in my first erotica story collection, published by Renaissance, “Fulfilment and other Erotic Stories.”

I don’t think I’d do anything differently in either case.

What has been your greatest obstacle in getting published?

In the mainstream arena it’s been the competition from so many other really talented writers, all of whom enter the top contests like Zoetrope’s All-Story Contest and Glimmer Train’s monthly contests, and submit to the top literary journals. That same competition has made it difficult to find an agent for my first mainstream novel. I’m hoping with some of the success I’ve had publishing stories and placing in contests in the last couple of years, that it will be easier to find an agent to represent my second mainstream novel that I’m working on now.

In the erotica arena, I’ve been fortunate. Nearly every story I write is published somewhere, in either an anthology or an online site. Finding the time to complete the erotic novel I’ve been working on for three years has been the biggest obstacle to its publication.

What is one of the nicest things a critic or fan has said about your work?

A couple of years ago, I wrote a story for Desdmona’s 60’s Contest. The story, “Savage Nights,” took first prize. I remain very proud of that story, but was especially delighted when the writer Robert Fleming (http://robertflemingauthor.com/index.html) left a note on my website. I keep his quote on there today and look at it whenever I’m discouraged. It says, “I love your work (“Savage Nights”). It’s sizzling, carnal, and precise. No wasted words or images. Whenever I see your name, I know I will enjoy the story underneath. Bravo!”

“Savage Nights” is in a story collection I recently submitted to Logical Lust and hope to see out next year. As a result of reading that story, Robert asked me to submit to an anthology he’s publishing with Cleis Pres early next year focusing on interracial relationships. I think the story I gave him is one of my best.

What is your philosophy on writing?

I believe writing is important because like other art forms it provides insight and offers meaning for life that the mere existential experience of living does not. People sometimes want true stories or stories that are based on true events. But I find the “lies” we fiction writers tell are often truer than reality. Whether I’m writing mainstream or erotic fiction, it’s that insight, that understanding that I’m after. If my characters don’t experience epiphanies, if I don’t dramatize and entertain my readers, if I don’t leave the reader better off for the time he or she’s spent with me, I’ve not done my job as a writer.

What makes your writing different from your peers? What kind of reading experience can you give your audience?

I strive to distinguish my erotica by making it realistic and contemporary. I strive to distinguish my mainstream fiction by making it edgy and sensual. Readers of both my erotica and mainstream fiction will find an attention to craft. I strongly believe that love of language, character development through action and dialogue, and strong plots make for the best and the sexiest stories. That’s because the hottest sex takes place between characters we care about in conflicted situations we are invested in. Although I’ve written a number of “genre” stories, my work is definitely not romance, sci-fi, horror, or fantasy. My work is hard-edged contemporary realism—and I don’t think anyone else writes erotica like that.

Does your writing turn you on?

If it doesn’t turn me on, I won’t publish it. I wrote an essay on this several years ago that’s posted on my website, “Do You Masturbate to Your Own Stories.” I probably get more e-mail about that essay than anything I’ve written.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Any suggestions?

I’ve never suffered from “writer’s block” and I think there are several reasons for this. I’m a freelance writer in my day job, so I have a fair amount of flexibility in connection with my time. I write fiction every day for at least two hours/day. I’m relentless about this. Also, I keep several projects going at a time, and tend to work on the one that is most interesting to me at the moment. Some projects fall off the radar screen, but others emerge, so I remain excited about what I’m working on. Finally, I dedicate myself to a “writerly” life. I read, critique, and talk to other writers daily. I view life around me through the lens of a writer, looking for quirky characters and irony and stories in everything that goes on around me.

Generally speaking, what do you develop first? Plot or characters?

For me a story begins with a character or voice. With my best stories, it’s almost as if the main character is whispering in my ear. I am a mere conduit for placing the words on a page. Once I have that character, that voice, I begin to ask “what if.”

The story I currently have on Clean Sheets, “The Western Front,” is a good example. My character, Jolene, and her voice haunted me for weeks. The more I listened to her, the more I got to know her. Of course, she’s a lonely Iraq War wife. Of course, she lives in a trailer park. Of course, she lives next to a crusty old Vietnam war vet by the name of Rusty.

What if what she misses most about her husband, Carlisle, are the spankings he used to give her?

Why do you write erotica?

First, writing erotica as Alicia allows me to take chances I wouldn’t have taken in my mainstream fiction, but often opens doors on characters and situations that translate into my mainstream fiction. On the other hand, the skills I’ve developed writing literary mainstream fiction distinguish my erotica. I’m convinced I’m a better writer for having written both mainstream and erotic fiction.

Second, we humans are most interesting when we’re panting between the sheets or fighting for our lives. These are the raw, edgy places I want to go as writer. These are the places I want I want to take my readers. I thrive on the rush it gives me.