What is your writing process?
I think it's best to say that for inspiration, my eye lights upon something or someone and I develop a scene for it in my head. Then it begins... After I've written a few chapters, I go back and outline what I have so I can reference scenes quickly and ensure continuity. I make character thumbnails for the characters that appeared under my fingers as I typed. I don't develop characters first and I don't outline -- my characters surface in the story and I flesh them out as I go. I let them do what they're going to do. They tell me the story and I write it down. When I sit down to write a story, I never know how it will end -- I just know that it will flow from the original situation in some manner.
What do your fans mean to you?
They validate me. They let me know that I'm providing entertainment -- pleasure and laughter and maybe an opportunity for thought -- and occasionally, one of them tells me I'm screwing up. I take THAT seriously, too. People who take the time to write me an email generally get an answer, even -- ESPECIALLY -- critics! Sometimes, the limitation appears to be theirs -- I write about just about EVERY sexual practice and I can squick people -- but a lot of times, they have something important to say, even then. You can't create totally in a vacuum.
Reviewers are a lot of fun. I love getting reviews, but a review from someone who is looking for something other than what I write can KILL a book! The very first review I ever got was from someone looking for a stroke story who decided my stuff was too romantic. That drove me to put out more hard-edged stuff -- which may or may not have been a good thing. Recently, I got a review on a title I consider to be relatively innocuous, if odd -- 'The Date.' I got NO stars -- the reviewer HATED it -- but she READ it and she apparently couldn't put it down and she said GOOD things about it! To quote the review:
" And yet I couldn't stop reading. One minute I thought the story was cruising in one direction, just to be immediately jarred onto an entirely different course. Did not anticipate AT ALL what I got with this one. From the characters to the dialogue to the themes, certainly the most singular erotic title I've read in a long time. Much to be said for that."
I dunno. To me, that's a good review. I must've done something right.
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