I'm lucky to have Susan Child here sharing some insights into her book and the writing process. Take it away Susan!
Do you base any of your characters on real people in your life?
Absolutely! My younger brother died over twenty years ago, and because he is still in my heart, naturally I made him the hero of Smash. They have roughly the same qualities except the age and their love relationships lol! I based Melissa, heroine of Smash, on an avatar that I thought represented me perfectly well. She is mini-me and we get along really well! Other major characters, Stacey (which I’m writing her story as I’m typing this) is based on a friend and her love interest John. John was a surprise as I didn’t base anything on him, except I knew he had to be different to David and Stacey. Researching him was fun!
How do you research for "steamy" parts of the book?
I read a lot! Everything from erotic to erotica, fiction and writing references gave me some inspiration, otherwise I just think how it would work, picture it in my mind and go from there. I make my sex scenes fun, or see how sexy I can get it. I try to push the limits each story and sex scene I write.
How long did it take you to write the book?
I started writing it in June and it was completed in August. Then just the editing took the longest of 4 months.
How do you motivate yourself to write?
Since writing is my job, I treat it as such, I get up at the same time every day, take Cody (my puppy) for a walk, sit at my laptop and write. Depending on deadlines, I will either make sure I write or edit X amount of pages, or words. My writing process is I write down on a blank page what is going to happen in each chapter, I then do a bit of research on things I’m not 100% sure about, find pics that would suit my characters and start writing. That process can take up to a day or two, then no excuses I sit and write.
What are you working on next?
I’m currently working on Stacey’s story - Smash 2. I’m also working on other short stories which I hope to self publish in the future.
What was your favorite book as a child? Do you think it influenced what you read or write now?
I love any books that made (and make) me escape, fiction always. As for a fave book as a child, I can’t answer that as I don’t remember, but now, anything with a happy ever after is my fave =)
The book that got me into reading and writing was Maureen Child - A Crazy Kind Of Love. After reading that novel, I grabbed one of her Harlequin novels and after reading that, I wanted my name next to hers on a book. That is a dream still, though with what I currently write, I don’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon!
Do you base any of your characters on real people in your life?
Absolutely! My younger brother died over twenty years ago, and because he is still in my heart, naturally I made him the hero of Smash. They have roughly the same qualities except the age and their love relationships lol! I based Melissa, heroine of Smash, on an avatar that I thought represented me perfectly well. She is mini-me and we get along really well! Other major characters, Stacey (which I’m writing her story as I’m typing this) is based on a friend and her love interest John. John was a surprise as I didn’t base anything on him, except I knew he had to be different to David and Stacey. Researching him was fun!
How do you research for "steamy" parts of the book?
I read a lot! Everything from erotic to erotica, fiction and writing references gave me some inspiration, otherwise I just think how it would work, picture it in my mind and go from there. I make my sex scenes fun, or see how sexy I can get it. I try to push the limits each story and sex scene I write.
How long did it take you to write the book?
I started writing it in June and it was completed in August. Then just the editing took the longest of 4 months.
How do you motivate yourself to write?
Since writing is my job, I treat it as such, I get up at the same time every day, take Cody (my puppy) for a walk, sit at my laptop and write. Depending on deadlines, I will either make sure I write or edit X amount of pages, or words. My writing process is I write down on a blank page what is going to happen in each chapter, I then do a bit of research on things I’m not 100% sure about, find pics that would suit my characters and start writing. That process can take up to a day or two, then no excuses I sit and write.
What are you working on next?
I’m currently working on Stacey’s story - Smash 2. I’m also working on other short stories which I hope to self publish in the future.
What was your favorite book as a child? Do you think it influenced what you read or write now?
I love any books that made (and make) me escape, fiction always. As for a fave book as a child, I can’t answer that as I don’t remember, but now, anything with a happy ever after is my fave =)
The book that got me into reading and writing was Maureen Child - A Crazy Kind Of Love. After reading that novel, I grabbed one of her Harlequin novels and after reading that, I wanted my name next to hers on a book. That is a dream still, though with what I currently write, I don’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon!
Smash
by Susan Child
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Can a vampire and a human find love, or will the rules of his society tear them apart?
When Melissa Waters attends the opening of Smash, a newly renovated nightclub, she meets a man who will change her life forever.
David thought his time with Melissa would just be a one-night stand, but he can't get the beautiful redhead off his mind. He wants more. But she's human. David's father, the king of the vampires, will never allow them to pursue a relationship. He will stop at nothing to ensure that his son mates with another vampire. When he abducts Melissa, David is in a race against time to locate her and save her life.
Content Warning: contains graphic sex and explicit language
by Susan Child
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Can a vampire and a human find love, or will the rules of his society tear them apart?
When Melissa Waters attends the opening of Smash, a newly renovated nightclub, she meets a man who will change her life forever.
David thought his time with Melissa would just be a one-night stand, but he can't get the beautiful redhead off his mind. He wants more. But she's human. David's father, the king of the vampires, will never allow them to pursue a relationship. He will stop at nothing to ensure that his son mates with another vampire. When he abducts Melissa, David is in a race against time to locate her and save her life.
Content Warning: contains graphic sex and explicit language
David got up from the bar and walked to the shadows so he could watch the beautiful redhead. He looked at her with a growing need to shelter her from the club. More importantly, what and who was in the club. He'd never felt this way before. What was it about this woman? She was human for gods' sake! Why did he feel this primal pull toward her?
He nearly smiled as she looked over her shoulder at the bar to find he was no longer there. At least he knew he wasn't the only one affected by what was between them. When she looked back to the man sitting at the table with her, David wanted it to be him that she was looking at. Was the guy her boyfriend? At the thought David felt a growl coming on…she was his.
His imagination ran wild as he started to picture his hands running through her shiny, wild red hair. How her head would tip up to look at him. Her mouth would part as her eyes closed, and he would lean over to have a taste of her neck. Slowly, his elongated fangs would draw softly over her pulse and she'd shudder, exposing her neck and giving him better access.
Buy Links: Beachwalk Press Amazon Barnes & Noble
He nearly smiled as she looked over her shoulder at the bar to find he was no longer there. At least he knew he wasn't the only one affected by what was between them. When she looked back to the man sitting at the table with her, David wanted it to be him that she was looking at. Was the guy her boyfriend? At the thought David felt a growl coming on…she was his.
His imagination ran wild as he started to picture his hands running through her shiny, wild red hair. How her head would tip up to look at him. Her mouth would part as her eyes closed, and he would lean over to have a taste of her neck. Slowly, his elongated fangs would draw softly over her pulse and she'd shudder, exposing her neck and giving him better access.
Buy Links: Beachwalk Press Amazon Barnes & Noble
When Susan was in high school she never really liked to read, but when she was a child she did. Go figure. It wasn't until after she graduated that she caught the reading bug. She had to go to a bookstore to sell off her textbooks and a particular book caught her eye. This book stood out from the other second-hand books because it had a pink cover. It was only a couple of dollars, so she thought Why not? But she couldn't quite bring herself to read her bargain book. It had a pink cover!
Then, after it tormented her for three weeks, she finally picked it up and…could not put it down. She finished it in two days.
After googling the author Susan found that she'd written a heap of books for Harlequin Mills & Boon as well as Single Titles. So of course Susan had to buy all her other books. And when she realised that there were other Mills & Boon authors out there, she just had to search out their books too. And she loved them!
Susan got a ton of inspiration from those books. But the most important thing she realized was that she wanted to write those books too. She wanted to be a paranormal author! Because let's face it, who doesn't like things that go bump in the night?
Author Links: Site Facebook
Then, after it tormented her for three weeks, she finally picked it up and…could not put it down. She finished it in two days.
After googling the author Susan found that she'd written a heap of books for Harlequin Mills & Boon as well as Single Titles. So of course Susan had to buy all her other books. And when she realised that there were other Mills & Boon authors out there, she just had to search out their books too. And she loved them!
Susan got a ton of inspiration from those books. But the most important thing she realized was that she wanted to write those books too. She wanted to be a paranormal author! Because let's face it, who doesn't like things that go bump in the night?
Author Links: Site Facebook
Susan is giving away to one lucky winner an eCopy of her book More Than Friends.
For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.
For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.
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