Hi, today we have Ellie Marvel (aka Jody Wallace) with us discussing her latest release, a novella called "Heat" in Red Sage Secrets Volume 22, Dark Whispers, out now.
NN: Welcome Ellie! I'm glad you're here. Please tell us about your story "Heat."
NN: Welcome Ellie! I'm glad you're here. Please tell us about your story "Heat."
EM: "Heat" is the story of a beta alien male who goes into heat, hence the oh-so-creative title of the story, and has to find a compatible partner before his cycle ends or he'll suffer some pretty permanent consequences. It just so happens that on the mining planet where he lives is a Terran female mineral and ore specialist, a race that is physically compatible with his race. She's a tomboy, but he likes her--a lot. He always has. So he researches Old Terran courting customs and tries his luck with his best friend.
NN: Sounds wonderful! I love those stories where best friends get together. Do you have any reviews for this book?
EM: Sure! Secrets 22: Dark Whispers has been reviewed by Enchanting Reviews, Romantic Times, Romance Reviews Today and The Romance Reader's Connection so far. Specific things folks have said about "Heat" are: "The first story in the Secrets Volume 22 anthology starts with a bang." (Sarah for The Romance Readers Connection) A bang, heh heh heh! I'm so juvenile sometimes. Jane from Romance Reviews Today says, "Heat shows that opposites attract across the universe."
NN: Wow! Great reviews! What inspired you to write this story?
EM: There are a number of erotic stories available about dudes going into heat. Ladies, too. But most of the time the dudes are not -- well, they're not boy-next-door types, are they? They're often kings or dread space pirates or pack chiefs or CEOs or what have you. They're commanding and dark and alpha and about six foot six, bodies rippling with muscle or the onset of their change into werewolf form.
Not that I don't enjoy such stories, but what I enjoy more is variety. All types of people can be fascinating when they're in the throes of passion, and many have a story to tell about how their relationship got off the ground. It's just my job to make it interesting. So I wrote "Heat" about a guy who's not the big kahuna, who's not naturally assertive and oozing the sex appeal. I love to take established erotic romance tropes and twist them around to see what comes out the other side.
NN: Very interesting and unusual. I love variety. Please tell us about your other published works.
EM: As Ellie Marvel, I've got another novella published in Secrets 17 about another beta male -- shock shock -- and his lady friend who prefers dark, dangerous men, so he decides to shake things up. Oh dear, I think I see a pattern! But I also have a couple stories with Amber Quill Press that aren't about beta males and best friends --"Strip-o-Gram" and "Behind the Mask". As Jody Wallace I have a story in an anthology from Zumaya Publishing, "SUM3: The 2006 Zircon Anthology of Speculative Romance", which is a long title for an excellent book.
In novel-length fiction I have a book coming out in January 2008 from Samhain called "A Spell for Susannah", based on the fairy tale "The 12 Dancing Princesses", and I'm in the process of contracting a second novel to them which is a paranormal romance set in Las Vegas. If you want to get a sample of something I wrote, you can check out the Dunvegas anthology by me and my fellow Samhain Paranormal authors here: http://www.carolanivey.com/dunvegas/. It's wonderful because of what it is but also because the PDF is FREE. Yep, a full-length shared world anthology for free!
NN: Ooooh free? What could be better? Must check it out. What do you wish you'd known before becoming published?
EM: I can't say -- maybe I haven't been published long enough to learn it yet! Ok, I'll try again. I wish I'd have tried short fiction earlier in my career because it can be very liberating. The sense of accomplishment I get when I actually finish something is invaluable to my morale. Right now I'm a slow writer. I stay at home with my young children who are the same as most young children--time sinks. So light at the end of the writing goal tunnels is pretty important to keep me motivated and confident.
NN: You're right, short fiction is really liberating. Thanks again for being here today, Ellie! To finish, do you have a question for blog readers?
EM: Yes. What breaths of fresh air might you like to see in the romance genre? What themes/topics/etc. do you think have grown stale?
NN: You're right, short fiction is really liberating. Thanks again for being here today, Ellie! To finish, do you have a question for blog readers?
EM: Yes. What breaths of fresh air might you like to see in the romance genre? What themes/topics/etc. do you think have grown stale?
Jody W. w/a Ellie Marvel
Secrets 17 (12/06) & Secrets 22 (12/07)
4 comments:
Thanks for taking the time to interview me and post it! Just letting you know I'm ready to answer any reader questions!
Ellie M.
Wow! Excellent interview! I'll have to check out all of your work.
As a stay at home mom of a couple young ones myself, I agree that writing the short fiction is liberating, and gives me a sense of accomplishment. I have a novel that I've been working on for about a year and a half, and just keep plugging along, its been done several times, then I redo it, so its never really complete. But I have finished several shorts and novellas!
So a breath of fresh air... I like where you're going with the normal guy, not the over the top, although I do love the alpha hero...but I think it would be humorous/fun to read a book about a guy who's kinda awkward, can't unsnap the bra so to speak. We've all been through that, might be fun to read about it too!
I can't think of any themes/topics that are going stale...I still read all the same things I've been reading for about 14 years...
I do cringe at this one line though...no ofense to anyone who's used it... "she gave him all she had and then some." I feel like I read that everywhere.
Happy Wednesday! Good luck with your books!
Eliza
Thanks, Eliza! Can't unsnap a bra, huh? Might have to work that into my next piece, and no, he won't just RIP it off her *heh*. I always think about how much it must hurt when that happens, at least when the ripper pulls the item of clothing against the rippee's body before it tears. Ouch!
Jody W.
Thanks for being a guest here, Ellie! I enjoyed the interview! I love reading your mean kitty blogs. So funny! And can't wait to read your stories!
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