Phoenician prince Talen Jacek has lived a cursed existence for over two thousand years. Suffering one violent death after another, though, is nothing compared to the emotional isolation he endures. Computer programmer Keri Maddox’s life may not be exciting, but predictability is her mantra. Then she discovers Talen in her apartment wearing only a towel-and her safe, tidy world is yanked from under her feet. An inferno of carnal need erupts between them. Yet the power of their igniting love may not be enough to save Keri from a killer who is determined to deliver the inevitable death stroke.
- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Samhain Publishing (December 1, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1605044474
- ISBN-13: 978-1605044477
- Available now at Amazon.com.
Hi Tawny, thank you for agreeing to an author interview today.
Hi Lillie, thank you very much for having me! Your blog is so much fun to follow.
Can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself?
There isn’t much to tell, IMO. I am the mother of five, as well as grandma to one adorable little girl. My second grandchild is expected the first week of January. My family is the center of my universe. If you asked my kids to describe me, I’m guessing they’d say I’m a little quirky, in a way that makes me a smidge odd, but not scary-strange. My husband would say I have an easy smile and tend to laugh when I don’t know what else to do, but he knows I hide my shyness under that grin. And I’ll admit I tend to find a new passion and become totally obsessed with it. (Right now, that passion is the police procedural program, Criminal Minds) All in all, I’d say I’m like a lot of other women my age…at least, I think I am…right?
How long have you been writing?
For publication, since the summer of 2001. For pleasure, since I learned to print the alphabet.
What is your writing process like?
My writing process changes with every book I write. When I was just starting out, I would draft a detailed chapter-by-chapter outline, making sure I had mapped out every major plot point. Gradually, I moved away from that process, instead writing a blurb and a short synopsis. Lately, I just jot down notes about characters and motivation then dig in and write the first three chapters. Only after I’m happy with the sample chapters do I tackle the synopsis. But like I said, that’s in general. I’ve done something a little different each time I’ve started a book.
Can you tell us about your upcoming release Prince Of Fire?
The December 1st release of Prince of Fire is actually a re-release of a book that was formerly only available in ebook formats.
I wanted to write about a hero who was emotionally cut off from everyone, every single human being, and not by choice. No friends. No lovers. No family. The only way I could see that happening was for my hero to be isolated from humanity in some way. After doing some reading and soul-searching, I decided he would be like a phoenix, living, dying and then being “reborn”, over and over. This cycle would restrict him from becoming close to anyone, and would provide such profound isolation and loneliness, I had to write the book to make sure he received the HEA deserved.
Do you have any other books releasing in the near future?
The second book in my Masters of Desire series, Decadent Master (Aphrodisia, Feb 2010), is releasing in the next few months and is already available for preorder on Amazon.
What are you currently working on?
I have a couple of books in process right now. The first is the second book in my Masters of Sin series, titled Lust’s Embrace, and the second project is the first book in a new series for Aphrodisia titled Darkest Fire.
Where do you get your ideas for your books?
People ask me this question all the time (I have a feeling all authors are asked this). I get my ideas from everything/everywhere–conversations with friends, brainstorming sessions with fellow writers, books I’ve read, movies or television programs I’ve watched, artwork, music, dreams, the list goes on. I think everyone, writers and non-writers alike, get ideas about stories, but writers are the ones who write them down.
As an author, you must be an avid reader. What books do you enjoy reading? Who are your auto-buy authors?
I do read a fair amount, and I read a wide variety of books, both fiction and non-fiction. I can’t say I’ve purchased every single book written by any one author, because I tend to be an impulse reader and buyer, but I have purchased a lot of titles by James Rollins, MaryJanice Davidson, Katie MacAlister and Gena Showalter.
What books are on your keeper shelf?
Every book I’ve purchased. *Guilty grin* I’m a book hoarder. I can’t part with even one.
What was the first romance book you read or the one book that has stood the test of time for you?
Despite my proclivity toward hoarding, I don’t have any of my old books, from back in the day–too many house moves. But I cut my teeth on 80’s Native American Indian romance novels, historicals, and time travels. Gotta say, I loved the whole concept of the time travel, specifically the kind where the heroine travels back in time and falls in love with a prince/duke/king/Scottish laird/whatever. I’m sure this has everything to do with my obsession for historical reenactment and costuming.
If your book was made into a movie, which actors would like to see as the lead characters?
Hmmmm….have you seen the cover of this book? That’s one serious set of abs to live up to. I’m drawing a blank at the moment.
If you could switch lives with one of your characters who would it be & why?
Oh gosh, I don’t know if I’d want to switch with any of them. My life is great. I’ve loved like my characters have loved. I’ve hurt like they have too. And I’m living the HEA each of them get by The End. You see, I don’t need to switch.
When you are not writing or reading, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Sewing. I just LOVElovelove researching and constructing historical costumes. It started when I was a child–my mother had no idea what she was doing the first time she put me in period garb. It’s become an obsession. During the summer, you’ll find me (and my family) in Revolutionary War period garb, Civil War period garb, mid and late Victorian garb, and, of course, Renaissance garb.
If you could ask readers any one question, what would it be?
What story are you waiting to read? What story hasn’t been told yet, but needs to be?
Where can readers find you on the internet?
Readers can find me here and there on the internet. I’m not big on promoting myself, and I don’t hit dozens of yahoo groups, blogs and forums on a regular basis, but I have a myspace (http://www.myspace.com/fictionwithsassitude) (though I haven’t updated it in a while) and facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/tawny.taylor). And, of course, there’s my website (www.tawnytaylor.com) and blog (tawnytaylor.blogspot.com). I’m also a regular visitor of the Romance Divas forums (www.romancedivas.com).
Thank you again for having me!
Tawny
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