Nov 10, 2014

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Slow Satisfaction with #MFRWauthor @CeciliaTan

Cecilia Tan is "simply one of the most important writers, editors, and innovators in contemporary American erotic literature," according to Susie Bright. Her BDSM romance novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award in Erotic Romance. In a career that spans 23 years, Tan is the author of over a dozen novels including The Hot Streak, The Prince's Boy, and Daron's Guitar Chronicles, as well as the founder of Circlet Press. Her short stories have appeared in Ms. Magazine, Nerve, Best American Erotica, Asimov's Science Fiction, and tons of other places.


TODAY, Cecilia answers some questions for MFRW. Let's start by asking just how much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing? 

A: Oh, a ton. Especially since what I'm writing a lot of now are BDSM romances, and I've been able to draw on more than 20 years of ""hands on"" (and other parts, ahem!) experience with bondage and kink.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript?

A; I was calling myself a writer from when I was four years old and instead of drawing on manila paper like the other kids I would fold mine over into a book and write ""Th End"" on the back. I couldn't spell yet. I wrote for years, took creative writing classes in high school and college, but it wasn't until after college graduation I wrote a story called ""Telepaths Don't Need Safewords"" and felt like I was really on to something. It felt like a full and complete story somehow, when everything else had felt unfinished. It was erotic BDSM science fiction and I could NOT submit it anywhere because it was prohibited by the writers guidelines of literally every publication in the USA. The BDSM publishers and erotica publishers would not accept science fiction, and the science fiction publishers would not accept anything with sex. So I self-published it. That was in 1992.

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? 

A: Well, we've come a long way from 1992! Publishers are finally catching up to me. Now all of a sudden they WANT all the BDSM that for the past 20 years they would not touch. So my latest book finishes off a BDSM trilogy for a big New York publisher, the Struck by Lightning series. Slow Surrender, the first book in the trilogy, was motivated by me reading 50 Shades of Grey and thinking, dang, I could write a much better book than that.

Where did the idea come from?

A: The genre demanded a mysterious billionaire, of course. I decided if I was going to give him a secret past or a secret identity it wasn't going to be like anything I'd seen before. Making James secretly famous, a rock star, let me play with two of my favorite things in one, BDSM *and* rock stars!

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?

A: Absolutely. I especially wanted my heroine, Karina, to have a sense of humor. She needed to be both smart and likable, and to be the type who isn't passive, instead she pushes back. Part of how she charms James is through her sense of humor and she never loses that throughout the book. Even as she's falling under his ""dom aura"" (as she calls it), she finds she can't take a lot of the play-acting common in BDSM seriously. She wants the real thing, real passion, not playing dress-up.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?

A: Start? You make it sound like I get to start and finish a book and then rest before starting the next book. I'm always writing a book, sometimes two or three simultaneously. My ""routine"" is I write in every spare minute I can scrounge out of every day, every plane flight, every train ride, every hour at the coffee shop before an appointment. I run a small publishing company and I am also the editor of two academic journals about baseball, I teach martial arts part time, and I'm a massage therapist. Yeah, my ""routine"" is just write whenever I can. I sometimes host ""Ass In Chair Day"" at my house on a weekend afternoon. It's like a knitting circle except everyone brings their laptops over and we all write like fiends. It's great.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

A: Hahaha! Relaxing and recharging isn't something I get to do often. When I do, it usually involves either travel or gourmet food, or both. Last year we took a trip to Spain and ate our way across Barcelona and Catalonia. We're hoping to do a cruise next year and maybe a trip to Japan after that. It's great to unplug during those trips: almost no email or Internet, and no writing. But you never stop being a writer. Every trip I take ends up providing a setting for a scene or a future book!"


MFRW Author Cecilia Tan released Slow Satisfaction (Struck by Lightning Series, Book 3), an Erotic Contemporary BDSM Romance, with Hachette/Forever in August 2014.

James has finally pushed Karina beyond her limit--not her limit for kinky sex play, but for his extreme secrecy. She has had enough and breaks things off. But James won't give up on Karina and will do whatever it takes to get her back. He's ready to share his deepest, darkest secrets, but is Karina ready to hear them? 

James offers Karina not only the truth but a place at his side... onstage. He wants Karina to star in his final musical production and enter his life and his world fully and completely. As the two work together, they rekindle the trust and love they'd lost. But James's world is full of deceit. When he is blackmailed by an unscrupulous music industry executive, James must give in to unreasonable demands or risk exposure of his and Karina's secret sex life. 

Will Karina and James's love be strong enough to withstand the many obstacles being thrown their way?

BUY LINKS
Barnes & Noble  |  iTunes  |  Amazon

EXCERPT
James's eyes were serious, even as his face and body were relaxed and languid post-orgasm. “Did I convince you to give me another chance?”
I considered. “You at least earned the chance to tell me what I don’t know.”
He took my hand in his, like he had so many times before. This time he kissed my fingertips, his eyes closing as he did. “I have a lot to tell you. More than any single interrogation might reveal.”
I squeezed his hand. “I shouldn’t have to interrogate you for the answers.”
He sucked in a breath. “No. Of course you shouldn’t. There’s so much I need to tell you if you’re really going to get to know me.” He reached up and traced the curve of my cheek with his fingertip. “Yet I feel like you know me better than anyone.”
“I do know you,” I said. “I just don’t know the facts about you.”
His gaze shied away from mine. “Many of the facts are sordid.”
“Says the man who put a six-inch dildo into me and walked me around the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”
“I mean much more sordid than that.” Now his face had completely clouded over.
“I want to know, James. I need to know. I have a right to, if we’re going to be together.”
He nodded, though his eyes were closed. “I know. I agree. That still doesn’t make it easy for me to open up.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Except during sex.”
“As you well know. Were you serious about what you said before? I would sincerely give you a piece of my past for every time you give me…” He kissed my fingertips again. “Anything. Sex. Your body. Your submission.”
Even though we’d just had sex, I felt a thrill go through my loins. “I wasn’t suggesting it lightly.”
“I want to be sure. Sometimes we say things in the heat of passion that seem less than wise afterward.”
“But sometimes we get inspired.” This could be the perfect solution, I realized. “I know the time you’re the most open is when we have sex. That’s the time your answers will be the best. Of course, if we do this, I could still revoke my forgiveness at any time.”
“Of course. Just as you can revoke your consent at any time. I understand, Karina. It’s the Thousand and One Nights, only this time I’m Scheherazade, telling the stories.”
I touched his face with my fingers, feeling like a weight was slowly lifting from my back. Maybe we were going to make this work after all. The fact that he was willing to try so hard made a huge difference in how I felt. And I wanted him.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Repost.Us

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Labels

#excerpt #MFRWAuthor #Thursday 13 #Thursday13 1001 Nights Press A. Catherine Noon A.B. Gayle A.C. Arthur A.D. McLain Abbie St.Claire AC Katt Adam Mann Adele Downs Adelle Laudau Adera Orfanelli Adite Banerjie Adriana Kraft Aidee Ladnier Aileen Fisher Aithne Jarretta Akaria Gale Alethea Williams Alice Orr Alison McMahan Allison Knight Ally Shields Amber Kallyn Amber Polo Amy Quinton Ana E Ross Andrea Cooper Andrea Parnell Angela Benedetta Angela Benedetti Angela Drake Angela Quarles Angela Scavone Angela Smith Anita Philmar Anna Alexander Anna Durand Anna James Anne Ashby Anne Carrole Anne Kane Annemarie Brear anthology Ashley Ladd Ashley York Author Interview Author Spotlight Autumn Piper Ava Martell Avril Ashton Ayla Ruse Azure Boone BA Tortuga Barb Caffrey Barbara Donlon Bradley Barbara Edwards Barbara Lohr Barbara Meyers Barbara White Daille bdsm Ben Tanner Berengaria Brown Berkley Heat Bet Trissel Beth Barany Beth Caudill Beth Rhodes Beth Yarnall Betty Jean McLain Bev Irwin Black Opal Books Blaine D. Arden blog hop Blushing Books book bundle Book Hooks book party Book Spotlight BookStrand Romance Boroughs Publishing Brannan Black Breathless Press Brenda Jernigan Brenda Novak Brenda Sparks Brenda Whiteside Brina Brady Brita Addams Bruce Jenvey Brynna Curry C.C. Marks C.R. Moss Calisa Rhose Campbell Hill Publishing Candace Sams Cara Carnes Caridad Pineiro Carina Press Carly Carson Carmen Stefanescu Carmen Webster Buxton Caroline Clemmons Caroline Warfield Cassandra Carr Cat Grant Cat Johnson Catherine E. McLean catherine gardiene Cathie Dunn Cathy Perkins Catrina Barton Cecilia Tan Celine Chatillon Cera duBois Champagne Books Changeling Press Chanta Rand Chantilly White Charmaine Gordon Chelle Cordero Cherise Sinclair chick lit chris redding Christi Williams Christian Phillips Christian Romance Christina Routon Christina Tetreault Christine Fairchild Christine Young Christmas Cinsearae S. Clare Dargin Coleen Kwan contemporary romance Contest Entry Cora Blu Cora J. Ramos Crimson Romance Cupid Publishing Cynnara Tregarth Cynthia Cynthianna D Dominik Wickles D.X. Luc Dahlia Dewinters Dani Wade Dariel Raye Dawn Montgomery Dax Varley Dean Pace-Frech Debra Andrews Decadent Publishing Delaney Diamond Denise Devine Denise Patrick Denyse Bridger Desert Breeze Publishing Desiree Holt Dev Bentham Diana Rubino Diane Burton Donna Gallagher Donna June Cooper Donna Maloy DP Denman Dreamspinner Press Dystopian Eden Winters Ednah Walters eKensington EL Esch Elaine Cantrell Elise VanCise Elizabeth Kolodziej Ellora's Cave EM Lynley Emerald Emily Ryan Davis Entangled Erika Kelly Erin McRae Erin O'Quinn erotic romance erotica Etopia Press Evernight Publishing eXtasy Books fantasy Fated Desires Featured Author of the Month Flame Arden Flossie Benton Rogers Frances Pauli Gail Olmsted Gail Roughton Branan Gale Stanley Georgie Lee Gerri Bowen Ginger Simpson giveaway GLBT Glenn Maynard Greta Buckle Guy Ogan Gwenna Sebastian H. Lewis-Foster Hachette/Forever Harlequin Heartspell Media Heather Curley Heather Long Heaven O'Shey Helen Ellis Helen Henderson historical romance holiday romance Holley Trent Hywela Lyn Indie Published Ines Johnson inspirational romance interracial Irene Preston Iris Blobel J.C. Conway J.F. Jenkins J.L. Sheppard Jackie Leigh Allen Jacquie Biggar Jami Gray Jana Richards Jane Leopold Quinn Jane Toombs Janet Mullany Janie Franz Jannine Corti Petska Jasmine Hill Jaymi Hanako Jean Joachim Jeanne Barrack Jenna Storm Jennette Green Jennifer Britt Jennifer France Jennifer Lynne Jerri Hines Jerrie Alexander Jessi Gage Jessica Cale Jessica E. Subject Jianne Carlo Jill Blake JJ DiBenedetto JJ Keller JM Maurer JM Stewart JMS Books Jolie Pethtel Joselynn Vaughn Joyce Holmes Joyce Palmer Juli Revezzo Julia Talbot Julie Eberhart Painter Juliette Springs June Kramin June Shaw Jupiter Gardens Press K. Lynn K. Starling K.A. M'lady K.E. Saxon Karen Blake Karen Cino karen cote Karen Lopp Karen McCullough Karen Michelle Nutt Karenna Colcroft Kathleen Rowland Kathryn R. Blake Kathy Kulig Katya Armock Kay Dee Royal Kayelle Allen Kaylin McFarren KC Klein Kelley Heckart Kendra James Kenra Daniels Kensington Keta Diablo Killarney Sheffield Killian McRae Kim McMahill Kimberly Dean KindleUnlimited Kingsburg Press Kissa Starling kristen ethridge Kristina Knight Kryssie Fortune L.A. Remenicky L.A. Sartor L.C. Chase L.C. Giroux Lace Daltyn Lauren Linwood Laverne Thompson Lazy Day Publishing Lee Rowan Leta Blake Libby McKinmer Liese Sherwood-Fabre Limitless Publishing Linda Banche Linda Bond Linda Hoover Linda McLaughlin Linda Mooney Linda Rae Sande Lindsey R. Loucks Liquid Silver Lis Anne Harris Lisa Carlisle Lisabet Sarai Livia Quinn Lizzi Tremayne Lizzie T. Leaf Lloyd A. Meeker Loose Id Lorelei Confer Louisa Masters Louise Lyndon Luanna Nau Luanna Stewart Lucy Francis Lynda Bailey Lynda Coker Lynda Kaye Frazier Lyndi Lamont Lynette Sofras Lynn Cahoon lynn crain Lynn Gale Lyric James Lyrical Press M.K. Gilher M.S. Kaye M.S. Spencer Mackenzie Crowne Madeline Archer Madeline Pryce Mae Clair Maggi Andersen Mahlee Ashwynne Malia Mallory Marci Boudreaux Marcia James Mardi Maxwell Margaret Fieland Margay Leah Justice Margery Scott Margo Bond Collins Maria Alexander Maria-Claire Payne Marianne Rice Marie Harte Marion Webb-De Sisto Martha O'Sullivan Mary J. McCoy-Dressel Mary Montague Sikes Mary Morgan Matthew Lang Meg Benjamin Megan Kelly Melinda Curtis Melissa Fox Melisse Aires Melody Jerva menage Mercedes King Meredith Bond MFRW Author Banner Day Mia Frances Michael Monaghan Michaela Rhua Michelle Roth Mickie Sherwood Miguelina Perez military romance Miriam Newman ML Skye MLR PRess Molle McGregor Mona Karel Multicultural Romance Musa Publishing Muse It Up Publishing N.N. Light Nancy Corrigan Nancy J. Cohen Nancy Marie Bell Naomi Bellina Neil S. Plakcy New Adult New Release Nicky Penttila Nicole Graysen Nicole Hurley-Moore Nicole Zoltack Normandie Alleman North Shore Press Notion Press novel novella P.A. Estelle P.J. Dean P.J. MacLayne P.S. Singer P.T. Macias Paisley Brown Paloma Beck Paranormal Romance Patricia Preston Patricia Yager Delagrange Pauline Baird Jones Peggy Jaeger Pender Mackie Penny Estelle Phaze Books Pippa Jay PJ Fiala R Costelloe R. Ann Siracusa R.E. Mullins R.M. Sotera Rachael Slate Rachel Haimowitz Rachel Wilder Racheline Maltese Rae Renzi Raven de Hart Reana Malori Rebecca Hunter Rebecca J. Clark Rebel Ink Press Reet Singh regency romance Renee Michaels Renee Reynolds review Rhonda Hopkins Rhonda Jackson Joseph Rianna Morgan Robert Costelloe Robin Glasser Rolynn Anderson romantic comedy Romantic Mystery Romantic Suspense Rosalie Redd Rosanna Leo rose anderson Roz Lee Rue Allyn Ruth Casie Ruth Kaufman Sabrina York Sadie Grubor Samara King Samhain Publishing Sandy Nachlinger Sapphire Phelan Sara Walter Ellwood Sarah Jae Foster Savannah Chase Savannah Morgan scifi romance Secret Cravings Publishing Selena Illyria Self Published Shannyn Schroeder Sharon Clare Shauna Knight Shauna Roberts Shelley Munro Sheri Fredricks Sherry Ewing Shirleen Davies Silver Publishing Siren Publishing SKN Hammerstone Sloane Kennedy Snap Dragon Press Soul Mate Publishing Sourabh Khanna spanking romance Stacey Brutger Stacy Eaton Stacy Juba Starla Kaye Steampunk Stephanie Queen Stevie Woods Stormy Night Publications Sultry Summers Susan Behon Susan Frances Susan Jaymes Susan Sofayov suspense Suz deMello Suzanne Rock Suzzana Ryan Sydney Jane Baily Sylvia McDaniel Synithia Williams Tamara Hoffa Tami Brothers Tara Lain Tarah Scott Tasarla Romaney Teagan Oliver Tena Stetler Teresa Reasor The Wild Rose Press Thea Dawson thursday13 Tiffany Daune Time Travel Romance Tina Donahue Tina Gayle Tmonique Stephans Toni Noel Torquere Press Totally Bound Trevann Rogers Tricia Schneider urban fantasy Ursula Sinclair Ute Carbone V.S. Tice Vicki Batman Vicky Burkholder Victoria M Noxon Victoria Pinder Vijaya Schartz Viola Ryan w. lynn chantale W.M. Kirkland Wendy Lynn Clark Wendy Soliman Western Romance Whiskey Creek Press Wild Child Publishing Willa Blair women's fiction Yolanda Ashton Young Adult Zeenat Mahal Zrinka Jelic