Interview with romance author Laramie Briscoe

Laramie Briscoe is a hot indie author with a passion for romance and motorcycle clubs. She has three books available in the Heaven Hill series and a fourth on the way. Let's learn more about Laramie and her writing...

Angie: How long have you been writing and when did you decide to indie publish? What was the biggest hurdle in going it alone?

Laramie: I have been seriously writing for about 10 years. It wasn’t until late 2010 that self-publishing came onto my radar and it wasn’t until 2012 that I figured out just what I was supposed to be doing.

The biggest hurdle is being motivated. I love to write, but I don’t necessarily think I’m good at the other aspects of everything. Such as the marketing and the interactions with readers. I’m getting better, but that’s been one of my biggest hurdles too. Staying motivated and learning to devote the proper time to each part of the process.

Angie: You’ve published three books in the Heaven Hill series. Can you explain the idea behind the books? Where did the inspiration come from?

Laramie: I actually started plotting the Heaven Hill series in probably early 2010. I had a lot going on in my life at the time. I was a huge fan of Sons of Anarchy – I loved everything about the lifestyle they portrayed on the show. At the same time, I was facing foreclosure on my home (everything worked out), but I took every bit of sadness, fear, shame...you name it and it went into that story. The female character is facing foreclosure, she’s laid off from her job. For me, it was a way of taking all the worries and fears I had and putting them somewhere. A motorcycle club just happened to be it!

Angie: Meant to Be was the first book in the series. Can you give us the basics behind the H/h?

Laramie: Meant To Be is about William “Liam” Walker Jr. and Denise Cunningham. He is the reluctant Vice President of the Heaven Hill MC and she is a single mother of 13-year-old twins. Denise is facing the most depressing time in her life and is willing to do anything it takes to make things better for her family – even if that is illegal means. Liam sees something in her that makes him want to protect her, even when he has to use her.

Angie: In August 2013, you published Out of Darkness. What is the back story of the H/h?

Laramie: Out of Darkness is about fan favorite Tyler Blackfoot and Heaven Hill enemy #1 Meredith Rager. Tyler and Meredith had a flirtation in Meant to Be and then something tragic happened to her. Tyler has taken it upon himself to bring her out of her dark place and help her heal. Their love story is my favorite of the bunch so far.

 

 

Angie: You released Losing Control in the fall. How does the H/h differ from the other couples?

Laramie: Jagger and Bianca “B” are not nearly as serious as the rest of them. They are younger and, I think, more fun. Jagger plays guitar and sings rocking country tunes at the strip club that Bianca’s a waitress at. Whereas the first two had dire circumstances, this one deals with Bianca’s stalker and Jagger overcoming what happened in his childhood. While that could be serious subject matter, these two are much lighter.

Angie: You're preparing to release the next book in the Heaven Hill series on March 6th. Can you tell us about Worth the Battle?

Laramie: It's about discharged Army Vet Layne O'Conner and Hollywood starlet Jessica Shea. He invited her to a military ball off YouTube and she said yes...they've been friends ever since. He's battling PTSD and she's battling the Hollywood machine and trying to be who she really is, which is an erotic romance writer. They are way different than any other characters I've ever written and I can't wait to see how it goes!

Angie: Do you plan to write more in the series? If so, how many books do you envision?

Laramie: There will be a total of 8 novels and 2 novellas in the Heaven Hill series.

Angie: What drew you to romance as a genre? Do you plan to branch out to other genres as your career progresses?

Laramie: I love to read romance..it’s my favorite!  I don’t know if I could write anything else. My brain loves the HEA.

Angie: How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Laramie: A lot of times they truly name themselves, other times I will go through the popular baby names and something will jump out at me.

Angie: Chicken or the egg question. Do you create a character and build around him/her? Or do you imagine a concept and create characters which fit the idea?

Laramie: I always have the story idea first and then the characters reveal themselves to me.

Angie: How do you avoid writing a Mary Sue or Marty Stu when most writers can’t help falling desperately in love with their creations?

Laramie: There are parts of me in every female character I write, but they are also the type of women that I would love to be. I give each one of them something about myself that I wish I was!

Angie: Do you use anything to inspire you while you’re writing? Music, visual aids, etc? Also have you found ideas come to you more freely in particular places or at certain times of the day?

Laramie: Music is a huge inspiration to me. My new series came to me when my Spotify was on shuffle and “Unholy Confessions” by Avenged Sevenfold came on right before “Sparks Fly” by Taylor Swift. Don’t ask me what happened, but a story idea popped into my head and would NOT leave me alone until I wrote it!

Angie: When an idea hits you, do you start writing immediately or plot it out first?

Laramie: I used to be a plotter, but my characters always had other ideas. I stopped plotting and I find writing like that more fun. Granted, sometimes, I have to fix things, but I like not being put into a box.

Angie: When you read less than fawning reviews, how do you know when to use the critique to improve your future writing and when do you chalk up the criticism as different strokes for different folks?

Laramie: If it’s a review that says they completely hated it, then I figure that they probably weren’t my target audience and say different strokes for different folks. Anything else, I take into account and try to improve that in my next stories.

Angie: I’ve read criticism from particular bloggers (Fangs for the Fantasy being one) about the lack of people of color and different sexual orientations in fiction. Do you take this lack of diversity into consideration when creating plots and characters?

Angie: I can see where that would be a criticism and I personally got criticized for using a Native American character and then some people thought that the man on my cover did not fit the look of what they deemed he should be. It’s tricky and I hope in my other series’ I can bring even more diversity.

Angie: Do word counts mean anything to you? Do you find your books top out at around the same lengths?

Laramie: Word counts aren’t that important to me. I do set a goal, just so I can keep track and I try to stay at that goal, but if the story is done before the word count…then it’s done. Yes, my books tend to be between 60,000 & 80,000 words.

Angie: How big a deal is writer’s block for you and what do you do to shake it off?

Laramie: It’s not a huge deal for me, but when I do get it, I make sure I get out of my house and go somewhere else to write. I tend to do Panera and Barnes and Noble more often than not. Sometimes I’ll even go to the park.

Angie: What books did you enjoy most in 2013?

Laramie: Take Me On – Cherrie Lynn, The Shine On Series – Allison Jewell, Bully – Penelope Douglas, The Marriage Diaries – Erika Wilde.

Angie: What trends do you hope die in 2014? Are there any you hope take off?

Laramie: I think there’s room for everybody. Differences in trends are what make this business so unique. I will say, though, that I HATE a cliffhanger! 

Angie: What are you plans for 2014 as an indie writer?

Laramie: I’ll be attending a couple of signings this year and I’ll be releasing a new series – called the Rockin’ Country series – as well as 2 more Heaven Hill books. I have 2 more series in the works and I always hope to quit my day job…lol!

*****

Find Laramie's books at Amazon and B&N.

Follow Laramie on Facebook.

Cover Reveal for "Scattered" by Dakota Shepherd

Check out the cover reveal for my upcoming Christian romantic fantasy novel by Dakota Shepherd. Scattered is scheduled for publication in early January 2014.

Book Summary
Micah is free from his demon prison and his armies amass on each coast. Guided by angels Camille and Xander, the hunters face horrors never experienced before.

 

A virus is unleashed on the human population. The mysterious children are collected by a powerful hunter hostile to Micah’s plans. Roman is slow to regain his powers while Lila embraces her new gifts. Joaquin struggles to put the Lord’s will before his own. Doubts and deaths leave the scattered hunters fighting for redemption.

 

Scattered is the third installment in the Angelic Redemption series.

"Fallen from Grace" Now Available

The newly released fourth Grace book is already scaring up fans. Check out Fallen from Grace by M. Lauryl Lewis at Amazon.

Book Summary
The living continue to struggle to survive in world that now belongs to the dead. From the farmlands of the Pacific Northwest to the Cascade mountain range, a group of survivors now finds themselves at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. They will meet other survivors, face new losses, and come across even more horrors.

Grace Series Reading Order
Grace Lost
Tainted Grace
Dark Grace
Fallen from Grace

Check out M. Lauryl Lewis at her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Hot New Release: "Distractions" by Emilia Winters

Distractions is the next installment in The Rebound Series by Emilia Winters. Get your copy today at Amazon.

 

Book Summary

 

Alex and Olivia’s passionate love story continues…

Olivia Ward always felt second best during a six-year relationship with her now-ex-boyfriend. That is, until she meets Alex Matlock just weeks after her break-up. Sensual and charming, Alex makes Olivia melt, in more ways than one, and he loves to demonstrate—in sizzling, painstaking detail—the way a man should treat a woman.

But once Alex and Olivia embark on their scorching affair, they discover a consuming need that helplessly binds them together. Every day intensifies their relationship and, suddenly, Alex wants to be more than Olivia’s rebound and she longs to give in to him. But the more Olivia learns about Alex and his painful past, the more he seems to close himself off. When a looming threat emerges, the two lovers need to decide if they can be without one another, or if they will surrender their hearts to stay in each other’s arms.

"Damaged and the Outlaw" Now Available

Damaged and the Outlaw by Bijou Hunter is now available at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. In the fourth book in the Damaged series, Vaughn and Raven find their HEA. 

Book Summary
After turning against his former MC, Vaughn Majors found refuge in Ellsberg. Years later, he remains a dead man walking, avoiding commitments and hiding his loneliness.

 

Raven Hancock refuses to fall in love again. Men are her poison and Vaughn is all kinds of bad news. He’s also the hottest, funniest, sweetest bastard she’s ever met.

 

Can Outlaw free himself from the dangers of his past and build a home with a girl able to see more than the blood on his hands?

 

*****

 

Follow Bijou at Twitter, Facebook, and her blog.

Interview with romance author Emilia Winters

Emilia Winters is a new indie author on the romance scene. Complications is the first novella in a sexy trilogy. Let's learn more about Emilia and her writing...

Angie: How long have you been writing and when did you decide to indie publish? What was the biggest hurdle in going it alone?

Emilia: I’ve been writing since childhood. I’ve always been really enamored by stories and the concept of storytelling. So when I was maybe 8 or 9, I stapled some sheets of paper together and wrote a story about the tooth fairy…with pictures and everything! But I only really got serious about indie publishing once I graduated college. I researched self-publishing like crazy and wrote like mad and before I knew it, Complications was on Amazon a few months later. It’s definitely a lot of work because I was essentially doing everything a traditional publishing would do, such as editing, cover art, marketing. But it’s more than worth it in the end.

Angie: In Oct, you published your first novella Complications. Can you explain the idea behind the Rebound series? Where did the inspiration come from?

Emilia: I’m a huge fan of the “billionaire” romance erotica that’s been all the rage lately. But I wanted to make my character a bit more realistic (I mean, not every uber hot guy is a billionaire, right?) with a healthy dose of the alpha maleness of bossy billionaires. So I dreamed up Alex and, with a bit of matchmaking skills, Olivia.

Angie: How many books do you envision in the series? When do you expect the next installment to be published?

Emilia: There will be three books total in the series, each around 30-40k words in length. I’m currently working on the second book for NaNoWrMo (National Novel Writing Month), so I expect to be finished with the first draft at the end of November. Publication should happen sometime mid-December…or earlier if things go smoothly!

Angie: What drew you to romance as a genre? Do you plan to branch out to other genres as your career progresses?

Emilia: Romance is my favorite genre to read, so, naturally, I was drawn to writing romance as well. But I do have other genres I’m interested in that I would like to explore later down the road, such as historical fiction and maybe a bit of paranormal.

Angie: Olivia Ward is the heroine of Complications. Can you tell us about her character?

Emilia: Olivia is the sweetheart of the series. She’s recently come out of a bad relationship that wreaked havoc on her body image and self-worth. So when Alex takes an interest in her, she’s a little hesitant about it at first, even though the attraction is there. For Alex’s heroine, I needed a character who could be understanding and gentle with him, but also someone who could stand up to his arrogance and pushiness if needed. And I feel like Olivia does that perfectly.

Angie: The hero of Complications is Alex Matlock. What’s his story?

Emilia: Alex is nowhere near perfect. He’s bossy, he gets what he wants, he emotionally shuts down when he’s asked about something too personal. But he still allows himself to open up to Olivia. And even after a traumatic childhood bearing the rage of his father and a strained relationship with his best friend, he still wants to love and be loved.

Angie: How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Emilia: I look through lists and lists of names until I find one that fits perfectly for a character. I also usually try to consider the etymology of the name as well, so that it holds some meaning. 

Angie: Chicken or the egg question. Do you create a character and build around him/her? Or do you imagine a concept and create characters that fit the idea?

Emilia: Usually, I create a concept and then work from there. But in Complications, I imagined up Alex and Olivia first and then worked them into a concept.

Angie: How do you avoid writing a Mary Sue or Marty Stu when most writers can’t help falling desperately in love with their creations?

Emilia: I’ve always thought that Mary Sues (or Marty Stus) are characters who have absolutely no flaws. So, to avoid that, I simply give them flaws. When I’m reading a story, I always want to see a flawed hero/heroine. It’s a prerequisite for me to even like the book. And I like to give the same treatment to my own characters.

Angie: Do you use anything to inspire you while you’re writing? Music, visual aids, etc? Also have you found ideas come to you more freely in particular places or at certain times of the day?

Emilia: I usually don’t. Music tends to distract me when I’m writing, although I will occasionally use photographs as visual aids. As for my ideas, they come at me randomly, no particular place or time. I’ll be driving, or taking a shower, or running errands and I’ll just automatically envision a scene between my characters.

Angie: When an idea hits you, do you start writing immediately or plot it out first?

Emilia: When an idea hits, the first thing I do is write it down (I have awful memory). More than once, I’ve thought up a perfect scene only to forget it a few hours later. But I’m not much of a plotter. I like to go with the flow and see where my writing and my characters take me. Whenever I’ve done outlining in the past, the finished product usually ends up dramatically different than how I originally imagined it. Or I restrict myself too much to stay within the guidelines of my outline and it turns out a bit awkward and stiff. So now I simply write.

Angie: When you read less than fawning reviews, how do you know when to use the critique to improve your future writing and when do you chalk up the criticism as different strokes for different folks?

Emilia: I haven’t had any negative reviews for Complications quite yet since I only published it a few weeks ago. But I used to write original stories on fictionpress.com for years and I’ve learned that criticism can really help your writing but only if you allow yourself to be critiqued (and can take critique). Negative, bashing reviews with no feedback offer no help whatsoever, so I honestly try not to take them too personally. I figure that when it comes to my stories, there will be people who like them and people who don’t. It’s just a fact.

Angie: I’ve read criticism from particular bloggers (Fangs for the Fantasy being one) about the lack of people of color and different sexual orientations in fiction. Do you take this lack of diversity into consideration when creating plots and characters?

Emilia: Not so much in Complications, but in some of my earlier stories on fictionpress, I did have more diverse characters. Personally, I’m half-Asian myself, and my experiences growing up in an ethnically diverse family have always wriggled their way into my writing one way or another.  So I won’t be surprised if that happens in this series or in any of the spin offs that follow.

Angie: Do word counts mean anything to you? Do you find your books top out at around the same lengths?

Emilia: My earlier writing was all over the place when it came to word count. I would write anything from short stories (2-3k words) all the way to 100k+ novels. I like the range of 30-40k, which is what I’m following for the Rebound Series, because it keeps me sane and I don’t feel bogged down by any deadlines I’ve set for myself.

Angie: How big a deal is writer’s block for you and what do you do to shake it off?

Emilia: Oh, writer’s block…my oldest foe. I’ve learned that writer’s block is inevitable when I’m writing. Inspiration (or motivation, for that matter) doesn’t come easily sometimes and when that happens, I usually take a brief break from writing altogether. I force myself to take 2 or 3 days off. But then it’s important that I force myself to write again afterwards.

Angie: What books did you enjoy most in 2013?

Emilia: I’ve discovered Susanna Kearsley this year and I can honestly say that she has become my favorite writer. I read The Winter Sea earlier this year and had a book hangover for days after. I immediately went out and bought all of her books because she’s just that good. So if you enjoy modern gothic romances complete with history and ghosts, I really, really recommend her.

Angie: What trends do you hope die in 2014? Are there any you hope take off?

Emilia: I really hope all of this 50 Shades of Grey stuff dies, but I have a feeling I won’t be so lucky. And vampires. For some reason, they won’t go away! As for new trends, I really have no preference.

Angie: What are you plans for 2014 as an indie writer?

Emilia: I’ll be finishing the Rebound series hopefully by February 2014. But I’ve also started writing a novel about Luke, Alex’s best friend from the series. I’m hoping to explore each of Alex’s friends actually, so I’ll have a very busy—but fun—year ahead of me!

 

*****

 

Find Complications at Amazon.

 

Follow Emilia on Twitter and her website.

 

Be sure to check out Candy Girl's review of Complications on our sister blog Just That Good.

Shooting the Shit with author Rebecca Espinoza

Rebecca Espinoza is a hot new indie author. In 2013, she broke onto the urban fantasy scene with her Binds series. Earlier in the week, we talked to Rebecca about her writing. Now, let's get to know her better...

Favorite Food and Drink

Shrimp and coffee, but not together

Favorite Books

On the Jellicoe Road and Gone with the Wind

Favorite Music

The Killers

Favorite Movies

Wayne’s World and Pride and Prejudice

Favorite TV

Don’t watch much, but HGTV when I do.

Best memory from childhood

When my mom came home after being stationed overseas for two years. She was in the Marines and we lived with my grandparents during that time.  

Best memory from adulthood

The days both of my children were born.

Life of the party or stand back and observe?

Stand back and observe.

What makes you rage?

Reaching into the pantry for something only to find the box empty. My kids do this to me all the time.

What makes you giggle?

My kids and husband. They’re the funniest people I know.

 

*****

 

Follow Rebecca at Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Be sure to check out Candy Girl's review of Binds at my sister blog Just That Good.