Talking with Roxanne Wells

Hello friends, today I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine, erotic author Roxanne Wells. Roxanne has a wonderful book available from Dark Eden Press titled, SAVING SOPHIE, and a second coming this Thursday! I hope you enjoy learning a little about Roxanne Wells.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a California girl. I have lived here most of my life. I just can’t seem to get enough of the beach. Staring out at that great big ocean gives me inspiration.

Your debut novel, SAVING SOPHIE, is available from Dark Eden Press. Please tell us about the book.

When Jesse Franklin made the move from insurance agent to Las Vegas cab-driver, being a ghost wasn't in his career plan. But then neither was saving a beautiful blonde from a psychotic killer known as the Cab-cutter. Caught between worlds, Jesse finds himself in a coma. He is the only person who can save Sophie from becoming the Cab-cutter's next victim. And Jesse has to do it, because Saving Sophie means more to him than life.


How did you come up with the story line?

When one night I was desperate for a cab and all of a sudden one showed up to rescue me.

How did you discover Dark Eden Press and what’s it like to write for them?

I discovered Dark Eden Press through a fellow author friend. I submitted Saving Sophie and they accepted it within a week. I love writing for DEP, their response time is quick, the cover art is fabulous, and the staff is so kind. If I have any problem they are right there to help me resolve the issue.

What made you decide to be a writer?

I’m new to the world of erotic writing and I dared myself to try it, of course I giggled all the way through the first sexy scenes. Writing is a great escape for me when the world is too serious, I love to throw in a little humor to make people laugh.

How do you research your books?

Everything I research is over the internet and what a great tool it is.

What goals have you set for yourself now that you’re a published author?

To get into print and actually make money.

What are you working on now?

I just finished an erotic fantasy entitled “Masterpiece” that will release on July 27th with Dark Eden Press. It’s about a sculptor whose statue comes to life. Very cute story with a bit of an adventure.

What does your family think of your writing?

They are very supportive and when I get a new cover they all gather around my computer and tell me how great it is. Of course I have no naked men on the front of any of my covers…yet. Those I’ll have to tuck away for my view only.

What does the future hold for you?

More erotic romance. I have a third one “AS YOU WISH” coming to Mardi Gras Publishing by the end of this year. Also, cowboys are in my future as well.

What’s your idea of the perfect hero?

Physically strong, sexy as hell, smells like Hugo cologne, has a smile that could melt your heart, and a kiss you feel in your thighs.

What is it in a man or woman that turns you on?

Man, definitely a man. His teeth, smile. If his teeth are perfect he’s damn near close.

Thanks to Roxanne for taking the time to answer some questions for me.

Friends, you can read an excerpt from either book by following their link. Check it out!

Conference Week

This is the week many writers have been gearing up for all year, for this is the week of the annual RWA National Conference. This year the conference will be held in Dallas, Texas. Originally I made plans to go, but as happens, my plans changed. No, not because at the moment I am without publisher. In fact, the National conference is a great place to search for a new publisher.

I want to wish all of my writer friends who will be attending, the best week possible. For those of you with agent or editor appointments, my fingers are crossed for you. And for those of you who are going to meet up with old friends or make new ones, to learn as much about the industry as you can in the hope of one day selling your first book, I know you’ll have a fabulous week.

For those of us who are not attending this year, you can read up to date conference information here:

Blogging National
A blog where RWA members attending the conference share the fun.

Official RWA Blog
Official conference blog with scheduled author blog times.

07.07.07

On this seventh day of the seventh month of two thousand and seven…

Okay, so you get the idea. Today is a big day for a lot of people, and not just those who are superstitious. Seven is believed by many to be the luckiest number, so today, with three sevens in a row - well, many believe today will hold extraordinary luck for them.

Everyone seems to be honoring this day in their own way, so I decided to join in the fun. Do you believe the day will bring you luck or is it just another day? If you’re a believer, are you planning something special?

Maybe your bit of good luck has already come to you this week? If so, I want to hear about it. Did you get a raise? Find a last minute babysitter? Discover a new author? Receive a fantastic review or sign a new contract?

Happy 4th

My kitchen needs cleaning.

My head is killing me.

I really want to go to the movies and eat lots of popcorn while losing myself in a world where robots from outer space come to destroy us. Yes, I admit it, I want to see Transformers.

What will you do today? Whatever it is, stay safe and happy.

I've got mail!

I just went out to check for mail and what did I discover? Something that always brings joy to my day. A box labeled Amazon.com. Okay, so I knew the box was coming. In fact, yesterday I was wondering why it hadn’t arrived yet, but that doesn’t detract from the thrill of receiving a new shipment of books. Seriously, you’re readers, you must know what I mean?

What did I order?

UNDEAD AND UNEASY by MaryJanice Davidson (what can I say, I love Queen Betsy!)

YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY by HelenKay Dimon (I read an excerpt on her MySpace page and was hooked!)

and

WITSEC: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program

Honestly, I’m not sure which book I’m most excited about receiving or which I will read first. I have been forcing myself to spend a bit of time each day, brainstorming a new story. About a week and a half ago I believed I had my story idea. Then, a few days ago a new story popped into my head. A story that I can’t seem to let go of. A story about a woman in the Federal Witness Protection Program.

So, I sit at my desk, with my three new books strewn alongside my laptop and I wonder…which to read, which to read…

I might have to resort to a game of Einy, Meiny, Miney, Mo.

Did you get anything fun in your mailbox today?

Story Ideas

As a writer, the question I get asked the most is ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ The answer to this question is very simple. It is also a bit complicated. Confused? Hang in there, I’ll clarify.

Story ideas come to me all the time, from lots of different places. Sometimes it is as simple as a line in a song sparking my imagination. Usually a line of dialogue comes to me first. From there, I begin to imagine just who said it, the hero or the heroine. Or maybe it’s something the villain says. From there, I begin to see the scene unfold. (Yes, as odd as it sounds, my stories come to me like movies in my head.) I have written an entire book around one particular scene.

In fact, this is how AFTER MIDNIGHT came to me – as the opening scene. From there I had to figure out who the characters were. That brings me to the next part of the creative process for me. Who are the hero and heroine? Why are they doing what I envision them doing?

Again, I’ll use AFTER MIDNIGHT. The book opens with the heroine playing the piano in a bar after closing. Why, you ask? Well, that’s one of the questions I asked myself. Why is she doing this? Why is she drawn to play? Why doesn’t she play more often?

However, not every story idea starts with a line of dialogue. Sometimes it begins with a question. For NOT WITHOUT RISK, it was this question:

What if a killer set his sights on you and the only way to survive was to revisit a past you swore never to look back on?

For me, story ideas that come to me in the form of a question are easier to flesh out than those where I ‘see’ the scene in my head or that begin with a line of dialogue. Why? Simply because when I have one question, it’s simple to come up with a second question:

What if you then had to trust the type of man experience told you was untrustworthy?

Then, a third:

What if you fell in love with that man? Is love worth the risk?

Oops, I guess that’s four. LOL

Anyway, as you can see, for me at least, answering the question “Where do you get your ideas?” is not easy. I get my ideas from everywhere - people, movies, a line in a song, a news report on the television. From there they either become dialogue, scenes, or questions I feel the need to answer.

Still confused? I think I am. Which brings me to my favorite quote - so true in my case.

"Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing." ~ Margaret Chittenden