Everyone Needs A Bedtime Story

Category: Interview

My First Time: Kd Grace

I’m delighted to be able to bring you another insight into an erotica writers’ first publishing experience. Today it’s the turn of my wonderful friend, the brilliant, Kd Grace…

First Time

Can you remember writing the first story you actually wanted to write, rather than those you were forced to write at school? What was it about?

It was actually my first novel – very much a trunk novel that shall never see the light of day – at least not as is. It was sort of a Pygmalion story about a woman who takes part in an insane bet in order to get fit and get the body she wants, only to discover that wasn’t the key to happiness.

What was your first official publication? Was that erotica?

It was erotica, yes. It was a very short piece for the now defunct UK sexy women’s magazine, Scarlet. It was about a chance encounter in the back of the night bus.

I had no idea I’d be an erotica writer- it just came from nowhere! Was writing erotica something you intended to do, or was it a bit of a shock?

It was definitely a bit of a shock. I always found writing sex scenes easy, so thought I’d give it a try, desperate to get anything at all published, and the I figured I’d move on from there … eventually … some day …

What affect did that have on your life?

It made me a lot more open minded about kink and sexual relationships, about how people see themselves sexually. It also made me much more compassionate when I came to realize just how many people out there have been very wounded sexually – emotionally as much as physically, and just how people struggle to make peace with sex. I try very hard to make all of my works a celebration of sex and romance and the human connection. I think that’s something erotica writers need to do because no one else is doing it.

Does your first published story reflect your current writing style?

Yes, I guess it does. It’s very tongue in cheek, it’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on a contemporary romance at the moment – quite sexy, but not erotica. I can thank you, Kay, for the inspiration for this novel, which was a tin of pears in heavy syrup. Who knew???

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Buy links

Sadly, The Night Bus is no longer available, and it happened before I had a website and blog or even imagined I’d need one.

Links to latest:

Interviewing Wade

http://kdgrace.co.uk/books-2/an-executive-decision-novel-interviewing-wade/

 

InterviewingWade-1

eBook:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon AU

Amazon CA

Barnes & Noble

iBooks UK

iBooks US

Kobo

Print:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA

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Bio

About K D Grace/Grace Marshall

Voted ETO Best Erotic Author of 2014, and a proud member of The Brit Babes, K D Grace believes Freud was right. In the end, it really IS all about sex, well sex and love. And nobody’s happier about that than she is, otherwise, what would she write about?

When she’s not writing, K D is veg gardening. When she’s not gardening, she’s walking. She walks her stories, and she’s serious about it. She and her husband have walked Coast to Coast across England, along with several other long-distance routes. For her, inspiration is directly proportionate to how quickly she wears out a pair of walking boots. She also enjoys martial arts, reading, watching the birds and anything that gets her outdoors.

KD has erotica published with SourceBooks, Xcite Books, Harper Collins Mischief Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Black Lace, Sweetmeats Press and others.

KD’s critically acclaimed erotic romance novels include, The Initiation of Ms Holly, Fulfilling the Contract, To Rome with Lust, and The Pet Shop. Her paranormal erotic novel, Body Temperature and Rising, the first book of her Lakeland Witches trilogy, was listed as honorable mention on Violet Blue’s Top 12 Sex Books for 2011. Books two and three, Riding the Ether, and Elemental Fire, are now also available.

K D Grace also writes hot romance as Grace Marshall. An Executive Decision, Identity Crisis, The Exhibition, Interviewing Wade are all available.

Find K D Here:                                                                   

Websites: http://kdgrace.co.uk/

http://www.thebritbabes.co.uk

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KDGraceAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KD_Grace

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Many thanks Kd. Great interview.

Happy reading,

Kay x

My First Time: Lily Harlem

It’s time to delve into the writing past of another fantastic erotica author. Today I’m delighted to welcome the incredible Lily Harlem…

First Time

Can you remember writing the first story you actually wanted to write, rather than those you were forced to write at school? What was it about?

Yes, it was a children’s story about a magic balloon that when you held the string and made a wish it would whisk you off to wherever in the world you’d asked it to take you. I even illustrated it. Sadly it proved to be my first rejection letter – I was six years old!

What was your first official publication? Was that erotica?

Yes, it was erotica. Two pieces could be described as my first. One, Madam President, I wrote for a competition and was thrilled to win first place. This spurred me on, I’d found my genre, and I submitted story to Best Women’s Erotica 2010, Stable Manners, which Violet Blue picked up to be included in her anthology. I remember several months later seeing Violet on The Oprah Winfrey show discussing sexuality and the book even got a mention! I was beyond excited, you can imagine the squeals. You can read both of these short stories and more in my collection Stories for When the Sun Goes Down.

 SFWTSGD_cover

I had no idea I’d be an erotica writer- it just came from nowhere! Was writing erotica something you intended to do, or was it a bit of a shock?

It was a bit of a shock to be honest, but I’ve always felt that my competition win with Madam President led me down this path and so it was fate.

What affect did that have on your life?

I’d just given up a career in nursing which had been a hard thing to do, I adored working as a nurse in London but circumstances had changed. My husband suggested I attend a creative writing course as it was something I’d always expressed an interest in. I’m so glad I followed his suggestion as I now write full time, have over one million words published in nearly one hundred novels and short stories and a pile of 5* reviews. Being able to use my imagination to create characters and situations that readers enjoy is tremendously fulfilling, and it was doing something with meaning that I needed to regain after my nursing years came to an end.

Does your first published story reflect your current writing style?

Well it’s contemporary erotic romance so that has stuck. I dare say over the last 5 years my writing has matured though. The great thing about writing is that it’s a constant learning curve, sometimes I feel the more I know about it the more I realise I don’t know.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’ve got deadlines coming out of my ears at the moment. I seemed to have said YES to every editor and publisher that asked for something LOL. But that’s okay I’ll get my head down and get those stories written. Today I’m working on an MM, BDSM biker story and it’s just heating up!

MusclingIn-evernightpublishing-Jayaheer2015-3Drender

Buy links to your first story and most recent story

Stories for When the Sun Goes Down – only 99c/99p!

Muscling In – latest ménage a trois release.

Bio

Lily Harlem lives in the UK and is an award-winning author of contemporary erotic romance. She writes for publishers on both sides of the Atlantic including HarperCollins, Totally Bound, Pride Publishing, Evernight Publishing, Xcite, and Sweetmeats Press. Her work regularly receives high praise and industry nominations.

Before turning her hand to writing Lily Harlem worked as a trauma nurse and her latest HarperCollins release, Confessions of a Naughty Night Nurse draws on her many experiences while nursing in London. Lily also self-publishes and The Silk Tie, The Glass Knot,  In Expert Hands and Scored have been blessed with many 5* reviews since their release.

Lily writes MF, MM and ménage a trois, her books regularly hit the #1 spot on Amazon Best Seller lists and Breathe You In was named a USA Today Reviewer’s Recommended Read of 2014. Her latest MM novel is Dark Warrior.

lily-harlem

Lily also co-authors with Natalie Dae and publishes under the name Harlem Dae – check out the Sexy as Hell Box Set available exclusively on Amazon – The Novice, The Player and The Vixen – and That Filthy Book which has been hailed as a novel ‘every woman should read’.

One thing you can be sure of, whatever book you pick up by Ms Harlem, is it will be wildly romantic and down-and-dirty sexy. Enjoy!

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Many thanks for joining me today Lily!

Kay xx

 

 

 

My First Time: Lucy Felthouse

Today I’m beginning a brand new series of interviews on my blog. Every fortnight (novel deadlines willing!) I’ll be asking some of the best erotica writers in the business about their very first time…Their first time getting published that is.

Who better than to kick off ‘My First Time,’ than my dear friend, fellow Brit Babe, and prolific erotica writer, Lucy Felthouse!

First Time

Can you remember writing the first story you actually wanted to write, rather than those you were forced to write at school? What was it about?

I was never forced at school—creative writing sessions were always my favourite! I’d disappear into my own head for the duration of the lesson, and be one of the few disappointed when the break bell rang! I honestly don’t remember the first story I wrote, though, as I’ve been scribbling in notebooks ever since I could physically write.

What was your first official publication? Was that erotica?

Yes, my first published work was erotica, and it was on a now-defunct website. My first print publication was in the sadly also defunct Scarlet Magazine. My first publication in a book was Fantasy Assignment, which appeared in Xcite Books’ anthology, Seriously Sexy 3.

ss3

I had no idea I’d be an erotica writer- it just came from nowhere! Was writing erotica something you intended to do, or was it a bit of a shock?

Neither, really, because it all started on a dare! I was at university when one of my friends suggested I should have a go at writing an erotic story. I resisted at first, but then he dared me. Well, I couldn’t say no to a dare, could I? I took on the challenge and succeeded, and I’ve never looked back!

What affect did that have on your life?

I’m not sure it did, really. I started away writing more erotic short stories, and only told a select few people—i.e. those I knew wouldn’t be bothered by it, and it’s just grown from there. Now, several years later, that writing makes up part of my income.

Does your first published story reflect your current writing style?

It’s difficult to say, really. I don’t want to go back and read it now as I’ll probably cringe, as I always do when reading my much earlier work. I’d say in terms of content—it’s an erotic story featuring a man in uniform—it’s still very “me” as I’m a sucker for uniforms. It probably still sounds like me, too, but I’d certainly hope that now, after dozens and dozens more short stories, novellas and novels, that I’ve improved considerably!

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on a sexy little F/F tale for an anthology. Fingers crossed the publisher will accept it!

loveonlocation

You can buy Lucy’s latest book Love on Location, now- http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/love-on-location/

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Bio

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 140 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

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Many thanks for joining me today Lucy. 

Kay xx

(PS- if you enjoyed that, I am running a similar interview series over on my Jenny Kane site for writers from other genres. xx)

 

 

My First Time: Coming Soon…

This coming Wednesday sees the dawn of a new (fortnightly) series of blog interviews on this site, called My First Time.  I have to admit I rather excited about it!

First Time

OK- so it isn’t about what you’re thinking!

Each fortnight I will be asking an erotica author about their very first story writing and publishing experiences. The series kicks of this week with the brilliant and prolific Lucy Felthouse.

Putting the interviews together has made me reflect upon my own publishing experiences.

I wasn’t very good at English at school. I am a little dyslectic, and always struggled (and still do) with spelling. It was a big a surprise to me as anyone that I started to write.

It began when I suddenly had time on my hands after my children went to school, and I scribbled down a very kinky story for fun- on a napkin that I found under a Mars Bar scone…A story which was to end up in an anthology called Lips Like Sugar.

Lips Like Sugar

 

I entered the world of publications in a rather backwards sort of a way. There was never any talk of agents or having to have representation. I just bumbled from being a short story hobbyist- to someone who was paid to be a short story writer, to someone who got an email one day asking if I’d ever thought of writing a novel!! And here I am- still no agent- still bumbling- still writing…

make sense

I am interested to see how many other people ‘fell’ into writing, or if everyone else was grown up and did it the ‘proper’ way!!

So why not join me this Wednesday, and every other Wednesday after, to discover just how some of you favourite authors found themselves slaving away at a keyboard for hours each and every day, living in fictional worlds that- let’s face it- are often much nicer than reality!!

See you on Wednesday!!

Kay x

PS- if you enjoy this, I have similar non-erotic author interviews on my Jenny Kane website every alternate Wednesday as well. x

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