I'm in love with the ability to publish anything, anywhere, for any reason.

I hated the idea of 'gatekeepers' that would prevent your words from getting out there, not only sharing with people what YOU enjoy writing, but finding others who enjoy the same things you do, and inspiring each other to share the worlds everyone is carrying about in their heads.

I have a love for erotica, which is very difficult to get published in a dead tree format. Most people won't touch it with a ten foot pole. Apparently they feel that there's something shameful about enjoying sex, though companies like Harlequin were built on a foundation of the soft core 'romance' novels about 'her softness and his hardness'. Good luck finding anything that caters more to the LBG community.

Since sites like Smashwords embrace the budding erotica author, many more of us are able to get out there and really share what we enjoy. I write gay vampire erotica because I LOVE it. I love writing it, and, I love sharing it. I can't wait to get my next couple of novels out there to people who may too enjoy it!

I have a small notebook I carry with me everywhere. In it, I have written on various pages things such as "The Diablo Valley Pack" or "LaFB:2". On these pages, I'll write down the characters, who's involved. Then, I'll write something brief that I'd like to see happen to them. Such as, with Lust at First Bite, there was Tobias' pack. Their names, their positions within the pack, their day jobs, their appearances, their relationships to the other pack members. Then, I'll decide what kind of story I'm going to write. In LaFB, I wanted to bring a new character into Tobias' world, and through him, show what it's like to be drawn into a vampire Pack. So, a brief bio for Alex came up. Now, I write a few points I would like to get to in the story. (Lots of sex for LaFB!)

Now, I can sit down and write! I have a separate computer for it now, where it has no social media attached to it. I can check websites, but there's no ability to converse. When I'm on that computer, I am writing, and that's all. I write in my spare time, which, I have very little of, so, for a story the length of LaFB, it can take about a week to get a rough draft hammered out.

Once I do that, I put it on my kindle, and I take it on my commute. I read it as a reader would, and make notes of where my words hang, feel uncomfortable, or if I do things like make Alex finish his drink...twice. (Yes, I did that.)

Then, once I'm happy with a polished draft, I ship it off to my editor. She's amazing, and she points out places where I make no sense. I put it back on the Kindle, and re-read it again, then re-write the awkward parts. After it goes through this process, I ship it back, and we agree the books much better now.

She then edits it for me. Because, I don't know what; I'm doing with "Punctuation.". (Ahem.)

While she's doing her editor thing, I sit down and start drawing a cover. I typically browse covers to see what kind of style will work for what I've written. I like the subtle shillouette type backgrounds, so I pull together my references, and settle in to draw. I use a Cintiq-12 WX and Photoshop. When I'm happy with it, I ask my friends for feedback. They give it, and I make changes.

Then, I have the edited manuscript, and the cover completed, all that's left is editing for Smashwords and BAM! Like magic, I have a new book ready to go!

My desk... I'm not only an author, but I'm a CSR, so my life pretty much focuses on my desk. They do allow me to do some work from home, so...

My desk is about seven feet long by three feet wide, with a curve on the right hand side that brings it out to about four feet there. At the curve, I have a flat screen monitor on a stand so that I can connect my MacBooks to it. (I really want a Thunderbolt...maybe if more people buy my books!) On the curve, I have a lot of notebooks on a shelf for writing various things in (I collect a lot of notebooks...) and that's also where my Betta, Bob the IV, lives (Bob passed away on 2/20/14. Sorry baby). He had a 2.5 gallon tank that I like to dress up seasonally (Halloween, Christmas, now it's 'zen' with a cherry tree and stone lanterns). I also keep a pencil holder a friend made for me filled with pens and honey straws. I have a hand made mug the same friend made for me, and my knitting bowl (same person!) made for me. To the left, when you're sitting and facing the monitor, I have Chuck the Plant, who's a large dragon plant. He's getting up into about three feet tall now.

Above the desk, on the wall where I eventually want to put a window, is some original comic art, a scene of a serene forest, and a Kuroshitsuji wall scroll, as well as an X/1999 wall scroll. I have a small wall sticker that reads "Peace. Love. Vampires" as well, because I'm a nerd. I also currently hate my rolley chair, and would love to get one of those bungee chairs. But, that's in time, I suppose.

I love reading. It's one of the things that defines me as a person, though, oddly enough I have a very hard time actually doing it. I've got some sort of attention disorder, so unless I have the ability to REALLY get into something, pouring myself into a book can be difficult, and, if I'm disturbed, getting back 'into' it, where it's not just words on a page, can be difficult.

I have a special shelf in my bookshelves for favorite authors, books that make me think, or really make my toes curl. Currently, located on that shelf is Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Series, and the Half Moon Hollow series by Molly Harper.
My favorite Manga are Night School by Svetlana Chmakova, RustBlaster (This one is in Japanese), and Paintings of you.
My favorite Non fiction books are the whole series on Witchcraft by Ellen Dugan.

As far as authors who influenced me when I was younger:
Roxanne Longstreet - I still love her novels The Undead and Cold Kiss.
L.J. Smith - The Vampire Diaries was my first vampire novel, and I still am totally in love with the character of Stefan. He's become what I like reading about, watching, and role playing in my vampire fiction.
Grudgingly, I'll mention Laurell K. Hamilton, but only up till Killing Dance. Her character became a Mary Sue, and a parody of a character, about then, and I couldn't take it anymore. I did try, but... Alright, enough about those opinions!

I am almost always writing. I write for my job (As a CSR, I answer emails) and I write to relax (Online RolePlaying).

However, in those few moments I'm not writing or sleeping, I play Animal Crossing New Leaf. I draw, I love drawing pictures of my characters. I also am a big fan of knitting. I mostly do fingerless gloves, but I've been known to do a hat or two as well! I'm currently making my foray into fair isle.

I also play Magic the Gathering and Pokemon when I get the chance to.

Also, there's the reading. I read a lot, when I get the chance. These days I've been reading more with my Kindle and more using Audible.com for a source of books, because of my attention issues.

I'm also hoping to learn to sew this year!