First, some awesome news!  Three days after going live in the Kindle Store my first memoir, Being Naughty: The Life & Times of an Erotica Novelist, hit the Top 100 Bestsellers List in two categories.  It was #26 in Sex books and #21 in Marriage books out of almost 2000 books in each category.  And it stayed on the Marriage list for over 24 hours.  Wow!  I swear, I have the best readers/fans in the world.  Yes, I do. 

Okay, I have a treat for you today.  This is an interview that ran last week on the “Sizzling Hot Books” blog.  When I posted about it on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter, several of my readers said they loved it because it gives a more in-depth view of my writing process and my books than my other interviews.

Cool!

So I thought I’d run it on this blog for you today.  Thanks, Marissa for asking me such fab questions!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laura Stamps Interview & Giveaway

Marissa’s Sizzling Hot Books (July 2010)

 

I am excited to welcome Laura Stamps here today.  “The Rune Witch Series” is a great series!  Laura, thank you for taking the time to stop by Sizzling Hot Books. I am delighted to have you here.

1.) Would you mind telling the readers a little about yourself and the books you write?

I’m a paranormal erotica novelist, and my blog is wickedly naughty (as you can imagine *lol*).  I’ve been a fulltime author for 23 years, and my work has been published in over a thousand magazines, literary journals, and anthologies worldwide. The recipient of a “Pulitzer Prize“ nomination and seven “Pushcart Award” nominations, I’m the author of more than forty-five books. I’m also a Wiccan Faery Witch, empath, and psychic, so I enjoy writing novels about contemporary Pagans living in the Deep South. Because it’s important to me to portray Pagans realistically, my novels are full of real spells, chants, and rituals. And the erotic ones have lots of romance and HOT sex. Why? Because I’m totally oversexed and LOVE it!  And I’m a kinky slut.  Okay, that just about sums it up.  *sex-obsessed grin* 

2.) Why erotica? Did you always know that was the genre you wanted to write?

As for the erotica question, I think I just answered that.  I inherited my dad’s raging hot libido, so sex is my life and my career.  No, I have not always written genre fiction.  I started out in the literary market, writing and publishing literary fiction and poetry for more than a decade before I made the switch.  In fact when some of the people I used to know from the literary market find me on Facebook now they’re HORRIFIED at my change in career.  What can I say?  When I made the switch to genre fiction many years ago I kinda disappeared from the literary market.  I knew it would be a shock for them, and I didn’t wanna cause too many literary heart attacks, ya know?  lmao! 

3.) What scene did you have the most fun writing for The Rune Witch Series?

It would have to be the ocean sex scene in Bewitched at the Beach.  Why?  Because I have a rep for only writing sex scenes I’ve experienced in real life.  If I haven’t done it, it’s not gonna show up in one of my novels.  So, yes, Wes (my long-suffering husband) and I had sex in the ocean when I was in college, and we were dating.  It was AWESOME!!!  Have I mentioned I’m also a kinky exhibitionist?  Well, I am.  Anyway, there were people not more than 20 yards from us in the water at the same time.  But no one knew what we were doing cause the waves are always rocking you when you’re in water waist-deep.  The beach was packed with tourists, too.  GAWD, I loved it!  Okay, I’m always getting my conservative husband into kinky sex situations much to his dismay.  But that just makes it more fun, right?  *falls over laughing*

4.) I believe that ‘The Rune Witch Series’ is a spin off of another series you wrote, ‘The Witchery Series’, can you tell us about that?

The Rune Witch Series is a spin-off in a very loose way.  I say that because all my series (4) involve the same cast of characters.  It’s just in some series or novels they are the main characters, and in others they are secondary characters.  The Witchery Series is the only series of mine that is not completely erotica.  The first novel (The Witches of Dixie) is very empowering for women with no sex or romance.  The second one (What Witches Want) is a sweet romance with tasteful sex.  The third one (Call of the Witches) is a sweet romance with erotic sex.  This series basically builds the neighborhood in Columbia where most of my series and novels take place, and it introduces you to the main characters.  But all my series can be read out of order, and each novel in The Witchery Series can be read as a stand-alone with its own HEA.  All the novellas have a HEA too, but are more fun if you read them in order and the entire trilogy, like The Rune Witch Series, for example.

5.) Could you tell us a little about ‘The Manigault Vampires’ series? What inspired you to write about vampires?

The Manigault Vampires series is a serialized, romantic erotica series in ebook. In this series, you’ll meet Drayton Manigault, the owner of Manigault Technologies and one of the richest businessmen in Columbia, South Carolina. Dray also happens to be one of the oldest vampires in the city. All of the Witches in The Witchery Series novels return in this series for lots of erotic, vampy fun with Dray, Val (Dray’s older brother), and Atwell Gibbs (their cousin). Did I mention how gorgeous these vamps are? Oh, yeah, they’re smokin’ HOT in and out of the bedroom. Trust me! 

As for inspiration, I had been wanting to write a vamp series for years but didn’t know how I would fit it into my Witchy world.  Then Wynn (from The Rune Witch Series) mentions one day he works for Drayton Manigault, and Dray is a vamp.  EUREKA!!  There was my connection, and the entire vamp series took off from there.  In fact it starts at a Samhain party at Wynn’s and Noelle’s house. 

6.) I heard there is another spin off series from ‘The Witchery Series’, called ‘The Faery Witch Series‘ could you tell us a little about that and when to expect it to be out?

This is a series I plan to write after I finish the next vamp novel.  All my series follow the same timeline.  Sometimes they happen at the same time.  Sometimes they move in a straight line.  For example, Call of the Witches: Book Three of the Witchery Series leads right into A Vampire’s Kiss: Book One of the Manigault Vampires.  And The Rune Witch Series happens at the same time as Call of the Witches.  So my readers never feel lost.  As for The Faery Witch Series, there is a missing 6-week period at the end of What Witches Want (the third week of June) and the beginning of Call of the Witches (the first week of August) that I wanna explore.  It’s when Donnie’s and Savannah’s (from What Witches Want) love affair heats up smokin’ hot, and I wanna know what happens during those 6 weeks.  Like I said, that will be The Faery Witch Series, an erotica novella trilogy like The Rune Witch Series. 

7.) Your books are full of hot steamy sex scenes do you ever have trouble writing them? Do you reward yourself once you write the sex scene or do you just keep writing?

Thanks!  I’m glad you like them.  No, I never have trouble writing hot sex scenes because sex is my life, and it’s what I love, and I have a lot of sex in real life.  However I will say writing a good sex scene is not easy.  I think most people find this out when they try to write one.  It’s a delicate mix of action, thoughts, and dialogue.  I like a fast hot pace, so those three elements are written to give the reader an instant panty-melt in my sex scenes.  I’m a ruthless editor, and all my chapters go through at least 15-20 edits before I’m finished with them.  The editing on a sex scene is even more meticulous, and they go through at least 30 edits before I feel every word is right in them. 

Actually, I never thought about rewarding myself after writing a sex scene.  Cool idea!  I usually just go on to the next chapter.  I’ve been doing this for so long I never have writer’s block, and I write every day of the year.  Thanks for the reward idea, gf.  I’m always looking for another excuse to indulge in my addiction to shopping for trashy lingerie.  Alrightyyyy!  lol 

8.) Where do you get the ideas for your books? Are you inspired or influenced by anything?

Hmm.  Let me think about that.  I’m much more interested in how relationships grow during the course of a novel than suspense or chasing bad guys.  So my novels are all character-driven.  I allow them to give me the idea for a series or novel.  The thing about writing character-driven novels and series is they tend to run away with them sometimes.  I think Sara and Dray in A Vampire’s Kiss did the best job of that. 

Let me explain.  I usually follow a brief outline for the next 4-5 chapters.  And I don’t start writing a novel until I know the h/h, the climax, and how it’s going to end.  Then I let the characters lead me through each chapter.  So I always have an idea how I want the next 4-5 chapters to go.  That’s my outline.  However Dray and Sara refused to follow my outline.  Finally, after 20 chapters I gave up and let them lead.  They ended up making that novel longer than usual.  And they did a fab job with it.  It truly is one of my best so far.   

9.) When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Were your family and friends supportive?

I have a mild form of dyslexia, so I never considered being a writer, even though I was always an avid reader.  In high school and college my professors told me I had writing talent, but spelling and letters moving around made that kinda hard so I never pursued it.  However I was also blessed with artistic talent and won all the top art awards in school.  I went on to major in art in college and became a professional artist.  My paintings were sold in galleries across the country, and my art prints are still sold worldwide by my art print publisher in California (Haddad’s Fine Arts).  You can find them on the web and Amazon.  My paintings are also on the covers of the paperback version of The Witchery Series published by Trytium Pubishing.  

But when I was thirty I gave up the struggle and became a writer.  I was never 100% satisfied being an artist, and writing satisfied me completely.  So I taught myself how to write, which I call painting with words, and I never looked back.  My friends have always been supportive.  I come from an abusive family so there was no support there.  However, my dad did buy my first typewriter in college so I could type my term papers, and I will always be grateful for that.  It was the one I typed my first published books, stories, and poems on.  Now my fans, husband, the Goddess, and the Fey are my greatest supporters.  I did mention I’m a Witch, right? 

10.) Who inspired you the most to follow your dream of being a writer?

Don’t laugh, okay?  Angela Lansbury on Murder She Wrote.  That show was on when I made my career change.  I kept thinking how tired I was of carrying big framed paintings and big portfolios to galleries and art fairs.  And I thought it would be much more fun to sit at a typewriter all day.  Plus, manuscripts are not as heavy or awkward to carry as big paintings.  Then I discovered Writer’s Digest magazine, wrote my first poem, and that was it.  I was completely satisfied creatively for the first time in my life.  So I changed careers that day.  Being that I have always done what I wanted to do with no one cheering me on (like family), I pursued my dream of being a writer all by myself and never looked back.  I always knew I would succeed one way or another.  That was never a question cause I always do what I wanna do and keep doing it until I find a way to make to work.  My writing career has been no different. 

11.) What is the writing process like for you? Do you have a particular writing process or any writing rituals?

I’ve said before I’m character-driven.  That means to write the first draft of a chapter I simply set my characters in the scene and let them move around and do their thing.  Then I follow them and write everything down.  That’s basically it.  Of course they continue to talk to me and tweak and add and cut up chapters and paragraphs and do all kinds of stuff during the editing process.  You could say it’s definitely a team effort.     

12.) I believe I read somewhere that the first draft of your novels are done long hand, and then you type them is that true? Why do you do it that way?

Because I started out in the literary market as a poet, I write all my first drafts longhand in a spiral notebook.  Rarely do poets compose on computer.  Instead they carry around index cards and note paper and write and edit that way.  So I just got used to it, and now when I want to create fiction, I do it longhand.  I fill one spiral notebook after another until I’m finished with a novel.  A Vampire’s Kiss is 40 chapters long, and I finished the first handwritten draft of it in 9 weeks in several spiral notebooks.  Then I go back and type it on computer and edit ruthlessly until the manuscript is finished and ready to send to one of my publishers.  For a novel, this editing takes 5 – 8 months.  The cool thing about writing first drafts longhand is several universities around the country collect my archives, and they LOVE this kinda stuff. 

13.) In your free time what can you be found doing?

I have two hobbies (if you don’t count sex *lusty grin*).  I am an avid gardener, and I’ve been in feral cat rescue for 30+ years.  That’s why some of my Witches (like Sara, Donnie, and Blaine) are Green Witches and have lots of gardening and herbal experience.  And that’s why there are always cats in my novels. 

I live next to a state forest and at the moment my current feral cat colony is from there.  When I found it 4 years ago it grew to 21 cats and kittens before I could get them all socialized, fixed, and find homes for them.  Now there are 3 left, and they live on my back porch and think of themselves as my outdoor kitties, which they are.  Plus, I have 6 indoor cats who are all ferals and strays. 

I should add I am a vegetarian and eat mostly organic.  That’s why my Pagan characters are also vegetarian, and you’ll find yummy vegetarian recipes in my novels and novellas.  My fans say reading my books makes them hungry for veggies and veggie recipes.  Yeah, vegetarians eat realllllly good, and I love showing my readers just how good we eat.  lol

14.) If you could be any paranormal creature what would you be and why?

A vampire.  Why?  Because a vamp’s bite gives you an instant O.  They are verrrry sexual creatures.  Plus, my vamps are Daywalker vamps, meaning they can walk in daylight.  What’s not to like, right?  The funny thing is when Wes found out I was writing a vamp series he started biting my neck during sex, acting like a vampire.  Yummmy!  Of course when we watched the Underworld movies he started doing the Lycan thing and growling when he bit me.  Yummy!  But I digress….  *sex-obsessed grin*

15.) What are you currently working on? Anything you can share regarding your current Work in Progress?

Currently, I am working on the final edits of A Vampire’s Kiss so I can release the last installments of that fab vamp serial novel.  Then I will write The Faery Witch Series.  Should take about 6 months.  I have that one in note form at the moment and look forward to getting that hot series in the hands of my fans. 

Then I’ll write the second novel in The Manigault Vampire series called A Vampire’s Embrace.  I already have the first chapter of that one in first draft.  That one will also have some swinging in it.  My parents were swingers, so it’s a lifestyle I am familiar with.  Plus, I would LOVE to swing myself (Pleeeeeeease, Wes! *lol*).  The cool thing about my vamp series is it’s not a trilogy like The Witchery Series, The Rune Witch Series, and The Faery Witch Series.  I intend for it to go on for as long as it likes. 

The first three books in The Memoir Series will be coming out in the next week or so.  That series is made up of posts from my X-rated blog.  So The Memoir Series and The Manigault Vampires series are not trilogies and will both go on for as long as they like.  And that’s what I will be spending my time writing from now on.  Unless my characters tell me they want another series.  Then all my plans are shot to hell.  *falls over laughing* 

xoxo
Laura Stamps ©
The Magickal SexWitch
Author of Paranormal Erotica Novels
(HOT Vampires, Shapeshifters, Witches)
laurastamps@mindspring.com
To see all my novel series:
http://www.avampskiss.blogspot.com
(All Kindle & pdf ebooks are $1.99)
My verrrrry naughty blog:
http://www.LauraStamps.com
My “Laura Stamps” Fan Page at Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/sexwitch
Follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/sexwitch

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 6:00 am and is filed under Book Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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