Titania Ladley is not only a very sweet gal, but she is among my absolute favorite authors list. My first book by Titania was....JIAB..

Loved this book so much, I was on a mission for more. To me she has the best of worlds. A loving family, and a world she created on her own. Of characters that grab you and story lines that make you wish you were a character in her book. Im so glad I got the chance to know her even more.

Shay-----Thank you, Titania, for the chance to know you even more. My first question would have to be: Just who is Titania Ladley?

Titania----You’re very welcome—I’m glad to be here! Uh, who am I? Good question. Sometimes, even I don’t know. <G> Actually, I’m just a regular person who’s done a lot of normal life things…college, marriage, work, kids. It was nothing more than a dream and a relentless urge to write that had me evolving into an author. Today I’m very focused on that aspect of my life. I have twins going into their second year of college, a teenaged son and a wonderful husband. Now that those early childrearing days are over for me (until grandkids come along!), I have much more time to satisfy that urge. So you see, the reason I don’t always know who I am is because I now live in a fantasy world much of the time. I often feel like a director on a movie set shouting, "cut!" and "action!" all day long. ;)

Shay—What made you decide you wanted to be a writer?

Titania----Well, there’s that urge again. J I suppose it could be partially genetic in that both of my parents had a sort of a knack for writing in their day. Though my mother switched to housewife when the kids came along, they were both schoolteachers with a mind for books and education. But mostly I’d say it comes from devouring books as a child right on up into adulthood. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to become a published author some day. It felt right, I could envision myself doing it, and it could almost be described as an instinct I couldn’t ignore.

Shay—What was your reaction to your very first publishing?

Titania----I cried. Then I giggled like a crazy woman. Which quickly turned to stunned silence. There’s nothing quite like getting your work validated and hearing someone say it’s finally going to be published.

Shay—With your very first book, what came to you first? The plot or the characters? (Question from Terri)..

Titania----I don’t really recall, to be honest, but it’s different with each book. Often, a catchy title comes to me first. I build a plot from there, which naturally includes the characters. There are times when that title doesn’t stick, but just forming a tentative one first gives me the inspiration I need to grow a seed into a book. Other times simply a name, a phrase, a news story, are all I need to start brainstorming.

Shay—What is your motivation?

Titania----It’s that internal drive to tell stories and share them with readers that gets me motivated. And, of course, my husband and kids. They’re my whole reason for existence, period. J

Shay—Do you ever base a story line from personal experience?

Titania----No, not that I know of. ;) But oh, how I wish a magic genie bottle would appear on my doorstep, or Robin Hood would sweep me off my feet. <sigh> No, it’s just not in the cards for me. <G> Seriously though, I’m happy to experience my characters as I write them into being. There’s not much excitement in my past, so frankly, I’d make a pretty boring storyline. I like the freshness of new territory, places I’ve never gone before and may never go in the future. Or further exploring places I’ve lived or briefly visited in the past. Once I’m done with it, though, I’m ready to move on to a new setting, new characters, new dilemmas. It’s so much easier to cast off make-believe when you’re bored with it than it is to ditch reality.

Shay-----When you’re not writing, who do you read?

Titania—Oh, I have lots of authors I love to read. Any Ellora’s Cave author, for sure! EC authors really know how to write steamy love stories of so many varieties. Release days on Wednesdays are so exciting waiting to see what scorching titles are coming out next. But just to name a few outside of EC, there’s Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Karen Robards, Heather Graham/Shannon Drake, Johanna Lindsey, Laurie McBain, Barbara Delinsky, Dara Joy, Emma Holly, and, of course, Nora Roberts. Strangely enough, I’ve not yet read a J.D. Robb book. Oh, but I have a few sitting on my shelf just waiting for me to get my mitts on them. ;)

Shay—If you created a character based on yourself, what would she be like?

Titania-----Oh, my, tough one. Well, aside from boring, she’d be unorganized yet have an eye for detail, forgetful but able to remember exactly what the hero said or did years ago that hurt her. She’d hate to commit, yet expect commitment from her man. She’d make lists for everything, and stress until the last thing is crossed off…then start another list. Her house would be nice and neat…except for her office. It would appear to be a total wreck to the hero, but she’d know exactly where everything was, right down to the last paper clip. The heroine would always be flying by the seat of her pants and do her best work under pressure. She’d love to live in peace and quiet surrounded by nature, but it would be imperative to her sanity to be within driving distance of a Wal-Mart. And, of course, she’d have to be an erotic romance author. ;)

Shay—Do you have a favorite genre?

Titania----Erotic romance goes unsaid, but favorite sub-genres would be paranormal, mystery/suspense, fantasy, historical and contemporary. But truly, anything in the Romantica catalogue is a keeper for me.

Shay----Any writing tips for would-be authors?

Titania-----Write something every day. Whether it’s a grocery list, a chapter or a whole book, just write. The old saying practice makes perfect is mostly correct. I always like to say practice makes better. No book is ever perfect, IMO. But just like getting stronger and healthier with exercise, your writing will progress into what you want it to be if you continue to work on it faithfully. Oh, and part of that practice is reading. Read not only for the enjoyment of a good story but to understand the craft, to figure out what makes a good book a good one, and what makes a not so good one, not so good. Then write from your heart.

Shay----Now its time to dish a little. What makes you blush? Do you ever blush while writing a steamy scene? (question from member who asked to remain anonymous)

Titania-----LOL, not much can make me blush. I try to keep a sense of humor about things so if any thing, I’ll laugh rather than turn red. I don’t think I’ve ever blushed while writing a steamy scene, either. I’m usually all alone when I’m writing, so there’s no one to get embarrassed in front of. Usually—naughty me—I’m getting aroused instead. <EG>

Shay------What made you decide to write erotic romance?

Titania------Reading lovemaking scenes in books that slam the door in your face or make you guess if "it" really happened. I want to know all the juicy particulars. I love the detail, being able to picture, feel, almost taste and smell what I’m reading about, what the characters are experiencing. Mostly, I guess you could say I’m a nosy voyeur who wants to watch every single thing that occurs between the hero and heroine. ;) Right about the time I wasn’t always getting it in what I was reading, and started to write it myself, I found Ellora’s Cave. What a relief!

Shay-----Do you have any peeves? One little thing that just drives you nuts?

Titania-----Yeah, unauthorized people who park in handicapped spots. Maybe it’s my nursing background coming out in me, but I feel very strongly about the fact that safety and health issues should be given priority.

Shay-----Would you be so kind as to tell us how you got the nickname SPARKY? (Question for Jaynie)

Titania------Sure! It’s all because of my hair. You see, I have baby-fine strands that are loaded with static electricity on a daily basis. I was on the Ellora’s Cave loop one day, we were all discussing bad hair days, and I chimed in that EVERY day is a bad hair day for me. I mentioned it’s like I always have my hand on one of those balls in the science museum, and that I have to keep Static Guard and Bounce sheets with me all the time. Charlie, Ellora’s Cave author Jaci Burton’s husband, then spoke up and dubbed me Sparky. LOL, I love it!

Thanks so much for a wonderful interview, Shay! And hugs to all at Sensual Reads!

Titania aka Sparky

http://www.titanialadleyromance.com

A WANTON’S THIEF ~ Robin Hood ménage—5 Stars from JERR—now available!

ENCHANTED ROGUES ~ 5 Stars and a Recommended Read from FAR!

And many more titles available!

Kate Douglas is one lucky gal as well as a very sweet lady with alot of talent. With a busy world around her, she still finds time to write, be a family gal and friend, And still find the time to jabber with me. LOL..what a gal. Thanks again for the interview Kate. I loved learning even more about you.

www.katedouglas.com

Erin Aislinn is a super gal and so very talented. I had the pleasure of reading It Happened in Florence, and I fell in love with the characters, as well as the story. Erin is also a member of Sensual Reads and a blast to chat with.

Shay: Hi Erin ! Thanks so much for your time. I will have to start with,,,,,,,Just who is Erin Aislinn?

Thank you very much, Shay!

Hmm… Erin is many things, most of which she is still becoming—a dreamer, an optimist, a woman addicted to shaping feelings into words that inspire.

Shay: Can you tell us about your up and coming work?

I’m very excited about Earthly Possession, a vampire novella for Ellora’s Cave that will be released in an anthology Immortal Captives with Cathryn Fox and Lisa Renee Jones in spring 2006.

This is a story about Rhia, a vampire from a planet where females are the dominant sex, and males are used to maintain the status quo. Unfortunately, Rhia is a submissive, a fluke of nature punishable by death. To escape an arranged marriage, she runs away to Earth, where she is determined to submit herself to an alpha mortal. Instead, she trespasses on the hunting ground of Deacon Quincy, another vampire. Vampires are not supposed to exist on Earth. Not only that, but there is not a submissive bone in Deacon’s body. Then why doesn’t he accept Rhia’s submission?

I’m also working on a mainstream vampire romance novel.

Shay: I really enjoy your website. What brought about your idea of the book cover contest?

Actually, I got the idea from Sensual Reads, thank you very much. Every Monday, I’d see a new, enticing cover on the SR home page. I started really looking forward to which book cover I’d find. Around the same time, I had participated in a number of discussions about the quality of e-book covers. There seemed to be a prevalent opinion that many e-book covers were inferior. I had seen so many beautiful book covers out there, and I thought that they and the artists who designed them should be recognized in some way. That’s how Book Cover of the Week started.

Shay: Was there any certain inspiration in your book "It Happened in Florence?"

It Happened in Florence came to me in a dream. I often dream of things that could become stories, but I’d never dreamed an entire story in such a detail. What’s more, the images wouldn’t go away. I was thinking about the dream all the time, but I had never written a novel before, so I wasn’t sure that I could do it.

Shay: How about Night of Maya? Do you prefer the paranormal?

I prefer vampires. I had grown up dreaming and day-dreaming about them. Sometimes, I enacted stories that went on for days and nights. So for me, writing paranormal fiction will probably mostly mean writing vampire fiction. I’ve only recently thought of another paranormal story that wouldn’t necessarily be about vampires, but we’ll see. It’s just an idea at this point.

Shay: A little more on the personal side. Is there anything that just really drives you nuts? Any peeves?

That’s a can of worms. I’m a bit of perfectionist, so quite a few things drive me nuts, and they could be just little things. A palm reader once told me that I should be careful with my expectations because I expect so much of myself that I tend to expect more from others than they can comfortably accomplish. I learned this was true when I was a food service supervisor.

Being a writer has helped me mellow a great deal because I know I have to let a manuscript go at some point, and I know that it’s not perfect.

Shay: What do you enjoy doing for fun?

Watching movies. This is an actual health requirement for me. If I don’t see at least two to three a week, I start feeling depressed. Fortunately, my husband also loves movies. It’s our favorite way to unwind. I also like to read.

Shay: Is there a favorite author you enjoy?

I have varied tastes in books. I’m addicted to romance, especially Diana Palmer. There are others I go back to again and again, but Diana Palmer is the one I always want to read. I don’t care how predictable it is, I just love her virgin initiation stories.

In literary fiction, I love Alice Walker and Louise Erdrich.

I’ve also started to admire a few non-fiction authors, mainly RWB Lewis. He’s famous for biographies, but he also wrote a great book on Florence that became the focal point of my research. It was great to read in non-fiction that another person felt exactly the same way about Florence as I did.

Shay: I believe the erotica romances are among the hottest seller out now. I have talked to many who enjoy living their fantasy through a good book. They also enjoy reading them with their partner. What are your thoughts on this?

I think it is an important indicator of a positive trend in our culture. You would think that the western world has been sexually liberated for some time. I mean, we’ve had the sixties and free love. Still, sex has been a taboo. That erotica romances are so popular shows me that women are finally becoming empowered to admit their sexual needs and fantasies, even if only by reading a book. Women are taking proud ownership of their sexuality, which is a small part of the bigger picture of how empowered women really feel. I can only say: "Go girls!"

Shay: My husband enjoys erotica. He very much enjoyed Trick and Treat, your short story. But most erotica is said to be for the female reader. What do you think about the male erotica reader, and should there be more for the male reader?

When it comes to erotic content, I think men and women read for different reasons. Women still want their romance story with a happy ending. A man may enjoy the erotic segments, but he doesn’t really care about the fluffy improbabilities of a romance story. In commercial fiction, men (generally speaking) look for intrigue, thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction. They like stories with a lot of intricate action and technical detail. Sex could certainly be made a part of such stories, but it would never be the driving part because relationships are not central to such stories. I have a feeling that men wouldn’t necessarily want to read an erotic mystery more than a conventional mystery just because there is a lot of sex in it. A woman is intrigued by the details of erotic entanglements because they are an integral part of romance. The same doesn’t necessarily apply to a typical reading material for men. So, I guess my answer is that I don’t really know if there should be more erotic commercial fiction for men.

Shay: How about telling us about your site?

It’s at: www.erinaislinn.com. I offer monthly contests to my subscribers. I also have a second contest for all the voters in the BOOK COVER OF THE MONTH. When you vote for a book cover, you are automatically entered to win a copy of the winning title. I have a Q & A for readers, so anyone can send me a question, and I’ll answer it on the home page. I also have a few free goodies that visitors can request.

Shay: Thank you so much Erin. I very much enjoy talking with you and I look forward to more chats soon. Is there any other links or comments you would like to share?

Thank you, Shay, for this great interview. It’s an honor to be able to share more about my work and myself.

Shannon is the author of many fun and exciting books as well as an all around great gal. Her book, More Than Prophecy is one I still find myself reading again and again. i count Shannon among my growing list of favorite authors to read.

Hi Shannon. Let’s begin with my favorite question. Just who is Shannon Leigh? 

Shannon: Well, I’m the mother of four boys, wife to an alpha male (fully equipped with motorcycle and all other necessary alpha accessories), occupational health nurse for the federal government, domestic goddess on the weekends, sister to two wonderful young ladies, daughter, and of course, writer of paranormal fiction.  

I loved More Than Prophecy. Can you tell us your inspiration behind that story?  

Shannon: That was a story that just sort of hung around in my thoughts for several years until I finally sat down and started putting it on paper. I’m not sure where the inspiration came from, but I kept playing out that scene where Cheyenne is in the tub and Darian barges through the door. I do a lot of daydreaming when I’m thinking about my stories. I visualize scenes between the characters over and over until I can feel their thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, if I’m having trouble with a book, I’ll put it aside for a while and just meditate on it. Usually, something will come to me and it’s almost always something I never expected.  

Is there a favorite character you have ever created? 

Shannon: Probably my favorite character is one I’m working on, Lady Whisper Andreas, for my upcoming sequel to More Than Prophecy tentatively titled When Destiny Summons. She’s spunky and strong-willed, and also the best warrior in her father’s army. No man has tamed her thus far; any who’ve tried have suffered the consequences. But when she faces off with the son of her father’s enemy, Lord Aurelius Lachlan Ramekah, she realizes she’s finally met her match, in more ways than one. 

When you are not writing, Who are you reading? 

Shannon: Gosh, there are so many awesome writers out there that I don’t really have a favorite right now. I can say that I haven’t picked up a paperback in several years. What I read now is mainly ebook. I’m sure if I were to read some of the more “popular” paranormal authors, I’d enjoy their work as much as everyone else does, but I’m kind of in the mind set that I like to try new authors, one’s who may not be famous, but who are just as talented, none-the-less. 

Here is yet another favorite question. If you had to create a character based on yourself, what would she be like? 

Shannon: Probably a real smart-ass. J Ahem. That’s a difficult question. If I try to point out what I think are my good traits, I’m afraid I’d sound conceited, which I’m not. If I point out my bad traits, then I look like a real jerk. Let’s see if I can combine the two a little… She’d be educated with a college-degree. She’d be reasonable and use logic to make decisions, but she might be a little stubborn as well. She’d be caring and thoughtful of others, but she’d also be independent and strict, perhaps a tad unforgiving at times. She’d be artistic, creative, and resourceful, but she might also be a little too reserved and tight with money. She’d be honest, faithful and fun loving, but sometimes secretive and withdrawn as well. And while at times she may be critical of others, her criticism would likely be hardest on herself. 

What would be your version of the ideal hero? 

Shannon: I seem to have an attraction for the alpha male. But to me, the perfect man would also be loving, faithful, and honest. While he’d be protective of his mate and children, he wouldn’t go overboard and be brute. He would take care of business, but at the same time, be sensitive to others’ feelings and needs.  

I personally try my best to juggle my writing, website & group time to always have extra time for family. Is there a schedule you keep to allow your writing time and family time to level out? 

Shannon: I basically don’t do any writing when my children are home or awake. I wait until they’ve gone to bed or are out playing with their friends. I can’t give them the attention they deserve or my characters the concentration and depth necessary to make them believable, all at the same time. Most of my writing comes in snatches of time here and there. Unless it’s after everyone else is asleep, I rarely get two or three hours in a row to write. It’s more like ten or fifteen minute windows throughout the day. 

Is there one thing that just really gets under your skin? 

Shannon: Lying. I hate when someone lies to me or breaks their promise. To me, your word says everything about your character. If you can’t keep your word, then what type of person are you? Granted theirs always exceptions or emergencies. But I think if you can’t follow through with what you said you would do, then you better have a darn good reason and you better tell me about it. When I’ve got an author chat and for some reason can’t get online or have a last minute emergency, it drives me crazy because I feel like I’m letting down whoever has shown up to chat with me. It’s important that others can see me as being reliable.  

Any advice for the future writer? 

Shannon: If it’s your dream to be a writer and get published, then don’t give up on it, now matter what others say or how many roadblocks pop up. Keep charging forward and you’ll eventually succeed.  

How about we take this time to let others know of your site and all they may find there. 

Shannon: I’ve got several sites. I generally develop one for each book. But all my sites link together so the URL for my main site is: 

http://www.angelfire.com/darkside/s_leigh 

Thanks so much Shannon for this interview. Are there any final thoughts or comments you may want to add? 

Shannon: Thanks for having me.