Naughty Nights Press is excited to interview Vampirique Dezire, author of "A Forced Witness" to be included in the anthology
Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex to be released tomorrow February 1st!!!
Hi Vampirique! Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to host an interview with you on Naughty Nights Press today! I am so excited to have you here!
Hi Gina and thank you so very much for having me, I feel very honoured to be one of your interviewees *huggles n kisses*
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Well I am 42, very happily married to my childhood sweetheart for the past 24 years this April. I have 2 handsome sons, one of whom is engaged to be married to a girl whom I love as a daughter. I have the most adorable grandson who is extremely excited to be turning 4 this year *smile*. We all live together as a combined family, which can be fun, especially when I want to write. Then there are the 2 dogs and our 19-year-old cat who believes he is the ruler of the home.
Apart from being extremely proud and biased about my family, if I am not spending time with them, then I am writing, reading, doing book reviews or hanging out in Facebook , yes darling one’s I’m a Facebook addict and proud of it, which I’m sure Gina will agree with *wicked giggle*
2. When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
You know that is a truly interesting question and one that I have just had to think carefully over and even talk about it with my husband Shane. I suppose in the back of my mind I have always had the dream of becoming an author but never knew how to find the ones who could help me or how to go about submitting to any type of publishing house. Then I met you Gina and well if it wasn’t for your support and encouragement, I would not be sitting here now with you in this interview. So that said perhaps the last 2 – 3 years.
3. Can you please share with us how old you were when you wrote your first erotic story? Did you share it and if so how was it received?
*giggles* I wrote my first erotic story when I was in my late twenties, early thirties and yes I did share it as at the time I used to write them for friends who requested specific fantasies, they would then show their friends and I ended up being inundated with requests to write stories for individuals.
My first real foray into writing erotica would have been when I was about fifteen and Shane and I had already been dating for three years but due to the fact that we lived three hours apart, we would send each other letters every week (yes back when there was no such thing as computers for communications) and I would describe to him what I wanted to do to him when we met on the following weekend.
4. What was your goal for yourself as a writer when you started? Did you meet or surpass it or did it change for you along the way?
My first goal was to actually write something that could be read and enjoyed. Then it did change as it become a goal to have at least one story published and that has certainly been surpassed now *laughs*
Now my goals tend to be on length of story, submitting as many as I am able to and I am still working on that but most of all, to make sure that a story I write is not only enjoyable but able to paint the image of what I am writing about in the readers mind. Plus I want my name to be as well known as Anis Nin (delusional thoughts but good ones to aspire too)
Learning new things all the time about writing, helps to enhance my writing and I try to put into practice what I have learned from critiquing, other writers, writing information on the web etc.
5. How did you decide to write stories in the erotic genre? Was there anything that influenced your choice? Are there any other genres that you write or have dabbled in?
I think I just fell into erotica to be honest. That and the fact that I have a very vivid imagination and loved reading books that got my juices flowing so to speak and to be honest, I think I am fairly good at it!
I haven’t written in any other genres...yet! Down the track it would be nice to do a romance or children’s book but at the moment I am going to just keep to the on e genre I know.
6. How do you become inspired to write? Is there someone who inspires you?
I am an avid people watcher and sometimes I can see someone and wonder what their bedroom story would be and off I go. Other times it can be a conversation I am having with someone, a scent, food, song...in fact anything.
The person who inspires me the most though is Shane, I love seeing him naked and imagining doing all types of things with him and having him do all those wonderful, sensual, erotic things that make my body quiver and scream out for more.
7. What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?
Most challenging would be the first paragraph. If you cannot hook your readers in that first paragraph then you are not going to be able to grab them in the rest of the story.
The most rewarding aspect has to be when your peers compliment you on your work and are not just being nice about it.
8. What part of the story do you think is your strength to write?
I think it would be my descriptions of what is happening. I like the reader to be able to see in their mind what myself and my characters can see. It gives a feeling of being involved.
9. What is your favourite genre to read in, and does it have an impact on the stories you write?
Oh wow, I don’t think I have an actual favourite genre as I love to read anything that is good. That said, I have read repeatedly and own the entire
Vampire Diaries set by
Anne Rice as well as the
Mayfair Witches books. I also love
Patricia Cornwell’s Dr Kay Scarpetta, she is such a strong, yet fragile character. Fantasy books, horror stories, romances, the occasional autobiography, right down to children’s books and the classics like Shakespeare.
The impact on my writing is that I keep an open mind and like to introduce different aspects you would find in other genres. For example I am currently writing a short story called
Death by Grammar, where it involves erotica and murder. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I am able to pull it off.
10. I understand you had two of your short stories accepted by different publishing companies in just short of a week. How did you feel when this happened? Did you expect it to happen eventually or was this a complete surprise to you?
Shock, elation, and surprise, overwhelmed and overjoyed, excited, stunned, teary, laughing hysterically...basically any other word that would fit the descriptive state of joy.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect my very first submission to be accepted let alone have two accepted within a week. It truly was a dream come true. I think it validated the fact that I could write and people who did not know me from Eve thought I could too.
11. Can you tell us a little bit about the book that your first acceptance is to be in? It is to be released very soon is it not? Do you have a direct buy link for our readers to get it when it is released?
I would love to tell you about the book. It is called
Gotta Have It: 69 Short Stories of Sudden Sex and it is edited by the wonderful and truly awe inspiring
Rachel Kramer Bussel and
Cleis Press.
The anthology has 69 writers involved, with each story being no more than 1200 words long. Each writer has written about different scenarios and apparently they do range all over the place, from mine, which is a B.D.S.M story (A Forced Witness).
Taken directly from
http://gottahaveitbook.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/hello-world/
“These stories aren’t all about quickie sex, though there’s plenty of that. There are strangers who meet and know right away they must have each other, neighbours, travel mates, coworkers and long-term couples such as those in “After Ten Years” and “Remembering the Wrinkles” who are looking for ways to hold on to that spark. There are stories of sex in libraries, vacation sex and lots of outdoor sex—in the rain, in the street, all over. There are lovers with pecan rolls dripping in caramel, and meals where lovers feast on nothing but each other. There are even a few stories with no actual sex in them at all, you’ll have to hunt those down and see why anticipation can be the sexiest act of all.”
Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex, is due for release on February 1st and is available for pre-order through these following places:
Amazon
Kindle edition coming soon!
Barnes & Noble
Books A Million
Borders
Powell’s
Indie Bound
Cleis Press
12. Where do you hope to go from here in respect to your writing? Will there be a book someday?
I want to be able to do a series of Novella’s involving a main character/s and their sexual escapades and yes there will be a book. I have been working on one for the past 12 months now and as I am extremely anal retentive about making it exactly right with little or no editing to be done, it is taking me a very long time but it is a labour of love and I am hoping it will end up being a book that people will not only enjoy but will know the name if someone else says it.
I know you Gina have already had a peek at the start of it.
13. Is there a specific bit of advice you would give to an aspiring author who is looking to publish their work? Traditional or Self-Publishing, which would you suggest?
I was once advised by truly sexy lady, that before you send anything in for submission, that you need to read your work, read it out aloud, read it again, fix up any mistakes you may have made and then read it again. *wink*
But most importantly, write as much as you can, join a writing group that is supportive and can give critique and take the critique, don’t argue with the person who has taken the time to go through your work, you may not agree with them but you also don’t have to use every bit of advice your given either.
When you are ready to submit, make sure you know what the publisher’s guidelines are in regards to font, size, formatting, how they want the manuscript sent and in what format of word if by email. Write a mind blowing 3rd person bio and have someone check it over. If you need to write a synopsis of the story make sure you don’t tell the entire story or give away the ending in it.
Do try and go with a traditional publisher, like
Naughty Nights Press because then you have access to editors who will help you polish up what should already be a fairly spelling/grammar error free piece of work.
The added advantage is that you write and they organize everything else PLUS it doesn’t cost you a cent.
If you are prepared to self publish, you will find that you will have the added stress of organizing all the printing and advertising on top of concentrating on your writing, which should come first.
14. Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers that we might have missed here today? Where can our readers find you?
Just remember that everyone has a story to tell, it is how you weave the words that will make it memorable or not.
I can be found at:
Blood, Lust and Erotica my blog, strictly 18+ only.
Facebook Fan page Vampirique Dezire
Vamp's Book Reviews
Facebook Fan page Vamp’s Book Reviews
Facebook known as Monie Penny
and as a moderator of
The Mistress Journals Erotic Stories Forum
Thank you so much honey for having me here and not picking my brain too much *bites n kisses*
Thank you Vampirique. It has been a pleasure having you with us on the
Naughty Nights Press blog. I hope we have the opportunity to do it again!
Post By:
~ Lady Gina Kincade, The Mistress
Author of Erotic and Erotic Paranormal Romance
Mistress Journals Erotic Stories Forum, Founder and Administrator
The Mistress Journals of Gina Kincade Blog
Naughty Nights Press (NNP) Blog
Owner of Naughty Nights Press (July 2011)
NNP: Do you find that it can be frustrating at times trying to get the cover exactly right? 
and match the models to the characters in the book? 
Let’s say I was doing cover for a story about a strip poker game between two or three couples that gets carried away and turns into a steamy “full house” of “Kings over Queens” and “Aces High”. 
VT: Yes, on many occasions no matter what the author has described in the cover art request, it is impossible to comply. So, we have to make concessions and we end up going back and forth several times. As an example, for one publisher/cover I ended up doing seventeen different mockups for a cover before everyone was happy. This is not the norm, and most other cover artists would have refused to do that many, but I really wanted to make everyone happy, even if it was a financial loss to me. 
