I'm thrilled that Saskia Walker is here today to talk about her scorching hot new novel Reckless! Stick around and you might win something. :-)
Saskia: Thank you so much to the Fierce Romance writers for inviting me here today!
Nicole: Please tell us about Reckless. (I'm still drooling over this cover!)
Saskia: RECKLESS is my most recent novel, a contemporary erotic romance set in the Catalan region of Spain. The heroine is called in to evaluate an art collection, and she encounters two brothers who seduce her in different ways. She enjoys the thrill the situation brings, but she soon realizes that they have dubious reasons for their actions. She has to decide what their motives are, and who she should trust. When she gets emotionally entangled with one brother, she also has to decide whether she can trust her own judgment, when her heart and her
libido are involved.
Nicole: Sounds fantastic and sexy! Who is your favorite character in this story and why?
Saskia: That is so hard! Katrina, the heroine, was a dream to write because she discovers so much about life, love, and herself, throughout the story. She revels in her sensual liberation, and she also gets to solve the mystery. I loved giving her that adventure! Both brothers were fascinating in their own way. Nicolas, the more mysterious brother, was a favorite to write. There's also a secondary character, a housekeeper called Raimunda, who I enjoyed writing about immensely. She's stoic and loyal, grumpy and funny, too. I loved her. I wanted her to be real :)
Nicole: How cool! I love it when characters come to life that way. What element of story creation is your favorite and what is your writing process like?
Saskia: Another hard one! I don't think there is any part of the process that I dislike. Maybe proof reading.:) I enjoy all the stages, from the moment the idea sparks, to brain storming the tiniest plot details, even synopsis writing. I particularly enjoy the organic nature of the writing once you get into a big story, the way a novel will give you back ideas as you're writing it and you can weave them into the tale. The only part of being writer I truly dislike is the business side.
My process: I brainstorm a bunch of ideas when the urge takes me and then I do a synopsis/ road map for the ones that won't let me forget them. :) When I'm working on a novel, I need 3-4 months. I get very bound up with it, it's running back and forth in my head constantly -- when I shop, cook, when I go to asleep, as I wake up -- it's there, bits of it playing out. I try to write about 2,000 words a day; sometimes it's less, sometimes more. I'm always surrounded by scraps of paper with notes of things to remember to add.
Nicole: You like synopsis writing?? I want whatever you're taking. :-) What inspires and motivates you?
Saskia: Oh, so many things! Places inspire me immensely. I've visited Spain many times and when I started writing I knew I would have to set a story there. RECKLESS is that story. One of the biggest personal motivations I have is learning. Writing is all about learning to me. Both the research, and the joy of discovery inherent in creating a story. Every story and every character teaches me something new about writing and about life. That is some major motivation right there.
Nicole: You inspire me! Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?
Saskia: Never give up, and enjoy what you do! You have to have a big personal investment in the act of writing itself, in order to weather the ups and downs of the publishing industry. On a daily basis, it's going to be you and the blank page. That never changes, so you have to enjoy that. It can be a lonely job, but I truly believe that writing is one of the healthiest things a person can do. Exploring and expanding the imagination, learning through research, setting yourself goals, being self-motivated, gaining mental focus -- what could be better? Also keep in mind that it shows when you are having a good time with your work, if you have fun with it your readers will experience all of that fun and pleasure too!
Nicole: What great advice! What's next for you?
Saskia: I'm currently working on a novel entitled RAMPANT. This one is an erotic paranormal set in Scotland. My Real Life Hero and I had a romantic break in a fisherman's cottage on the east coast a couple of years ago, and as soon as I got there I just knew I had to set a story
there. The area was steeped in history about witchcraft. Eerie and beautiful, it echoes in my memory every day. RAMPANT is that story, and it will appear on Harlequin Spice line in 2010. After that one is done, (December) I'll be working on INESCAPABLE, a contemporary set in
London and Wales. Meanwhile, my next publication comes out tomorrow! STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT is the second in a series of Spice Briefs. I had far too much fun writing those three naughty short stories!
Nicole: Wow!! That's a lot of stories. Congratulations! I can't wait to read them! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?
Saskia: Yes indeed. When you're reading an erotic romance, do you have a favorite sub genre? As a writer (and as a reader) I dip in all over the place from contemporary to fantasy, but I'd love to hear what you all think works best for a sexy story – a contemporary setting, historical, paranormal? Or does a good mix of all appeal to you? Leave us your answers and we'll choose one at random for a copy of RECKLESS! And if anyone wants to ask me a question based on what I've said, or anything about writing, please do!
Award winning British author Saskia Walker first dreamed of writing her own stories when she discovered a handful of romance novels stashed away in her school library. An avid reader, she lapped up the fun, the adventures, and the life-affirming emotion of these stories, but always felt dismay when the bedroom door closed the reader out. She vowed that if she ever had the chance to pursue her dream, all the passion would be right there on the page.
Saskia finally began writing seriously in the late 1990s. By that time she'd traveled the world, got herself a BA in Art History, a Masters in Literature and the Visual Arts, and she'd worked in all manner of diverse careers—but the stories in her head simply had to be written. Her first erotic short story was signed in '97 and since then she has had several single title novel publications. Her work has also appeared in over fifty anthologies including Best Women's Erotica, The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, the Red Sage Secrets series, and the Black lace Wicked Words series. Her first novel, DOUBLE DARE, received the Passionate Plume award for the Best Contemporary Erotic Romance of 2006. Saskia now writes erotic fiction across genres, but always with the passion right there on the page!
Saskia lives in the north of England—close to the beautiful, windswept landscape of the Yorkshire moors—with her real life hero, Mark. Mark supports her work through all its ups and downs, and somehow manages to keep her sane and grounded when fiction threatens to take over.
Saskia finally began writing seriously in the late 1990s. By that time she'd traveled the world, got herself a BA in Art History, a Masters in Literature and the Visual Arts, and she'd worked in all manner of diverse careers—but the stories in her head simply had to be written. Her first erotic short story was signed in '97 and since then she has had several single title novel publications. Her work has also appeared in over fifty anthologies including Best Women's Erotica, The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, the Red Sage Secrets series, and the Black lace Wicked Words series. Her first novel, DOUBLE DARE, received the Passionate Plume award for the Best Contemporary Erotic Romance of 2006. Saskia now writes erotic fiction across genres, but always with the passion right there on the page!
Saskia lives in the north of England—close to the beautiful, windswept landscape of the Yorkshire moors—with her real life hero, Mark. Mark supports her work through all its ups and downs, and somehow manages to keep her sane and grounded when fiction threatens to take over.
Nicole: Welcome, Saskia! I'm glad you're here to tell us about your stories and your writing life! (And I'm jealous that you live so darn close to Scotland.) :-)
Saskia: Thank you so much to the Fierce Romance writers for inviting me here today!
Nicole: Please tell us about Reckless. (I'm still drooling over this cover!)
Saskia: RECKLESS is my most recent novel, a contemporary erotic romance set in the Catalan region of Spain. The heroine is called in to evaluate an art collection, and she encounters two brothers who seduce her in different ways. She enjoys the thrill the situation brings, but she soon realizes that they have dubious reasons for their actions. She has to decide what their motives are, and who she should trust. When she gets emotionally entangled with one brother, she also has to decide whether she can trust her own judgment, when her heart and her
libido are involved.
Nicole: Sounds fantastic and sexy! Who is your favorite character in this story and why?
Saskia: That is so hard! Katrina, the heroine, was a dream to write because she discovers so much about life, love, and herself, throughout the story. She revels in her sensual liberation, and she also gets to solve the mystery. I loved giving her that adventure! Both brothers were fascinating in their own way. Nicolas, the more mysterious brother, was a favorite to write. There's also a secondary character, a housekeeper called Raimunda, who I enjoyed writing about immensely. She's stoic and loyal, grumpy and funny, too. I loved her. I wanted her to be real :)
Nicole: How cool! I love it when characters come to life that way. What element of story creation is your favorite and what is your writing process like?
Saskia: Another hard one! I don't think there is any part of the process that I dislike. Maybe proof reading.:) I enjoy all the stages, from the moment the idea sparks, to brain storming the tiniest plot details, even synopsis writing. I particularly enjoy the organic nature of the writing once you get into a big story, the way a novel will give you back ideas as you're writing it and you can weave them into the tale. The only part of being writer I truly dislike is the business side.
My process: I brainstorm a bunch of ideas when the urge takes me and then I do a synopsis/ road map for the ones that won't let me forget them. :) When I'm working on a novel, I need 3-4 months. I get very bound up with it, it's running back and forth in my head constantly -- when I shop, cook, when I go to asleep, as I wake up -- it's there, bits of it playing out. I try to write about 2,000 words a day; sometimes it's less, sometimes more. I'm always surrounded by scraps of paper with notes of things to remember to add.
Nicole: You like synopsis writing?? I want whatever you're taking. :-) What inspires and motivates you?
Saskia: Oh, so many things! Places inspire me immensely. I've visited Spain many times and when I started writing I knew I would have to set a story there. RECKLESS is that story. One of the biggest personal motivations I have is learning. Writing is all about learning to me. Both the research, and the joy of discovery inherent in creating a story. Every story and every character teaches me something new about writing and about life. That is some major motivation right there.
Nicole: You inspire me! Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?
Saskia: Never give up, and enjoy what you do! You have to have a big personal investment in the act of writing itself, in order to weather the ups and downs of the publishing industry. On a daily basis, it's going to be you and the blank page. That never changes, so you have to enjoy that. It can be a lonely job, but I truly believe that writing is one of the healthiest things a person can do. Exploring and expanding the imagination, learning through research, setting yourself goals, being self-motivated, gaining mental focus -- what could be better? Also keep in mind that it shows when you are having a good time with your work, if you have fun with it your readers will experience all of that fun and pleasure too!
Nicole: What great advice! What's next for you?
Saskia: I'm currently working on a novel entitled RAMPANT. This one is an erotic paranormal set in Scotland. My Real Life Hero and I had a romantic break in a fisherman's cottage on the east coast a couple of years ago, and as soon as I got there I just knew I had to set a story
there. The area was steeped in history about witchcraft. Eerie and beautiful, it echoes in my memory every day. RAMPANT is that story, and it will appear on Harlequin Spice line in 2010. After that one is done, (December) I'll be working on INESCAPABLE, a contemporary set in
London and Wales. Meanwhile, my next publication comes out tomorrow! STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT is the second in a series of Spice Briefs. I had far too much fun writing those three naughty short stories!
Nicole: Wow!! That's a lot of stories. Congratulations! I can't wait to read them! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?
Saskia: Yes indeed. When you're reading an erotic romance, do you have a favorite sub genre? As a writer (and as a reader) I dip in all over the place from contemporary to fantasy, but I'd love to hear what you all think works best for a sexy story – a contemporary setting, historical, paranormal? Or does a good mix of all appeal to you? Leave us your answers and we'll choose one at random for a copy of RECKLESS! And if anyone wants to ask me a question based on what I've said, or anything about writing, please do!
Nicole: Yes, please leave your comments and questions. You know you want to win this deliciously hot book! Also please visit Saskia's sites:
Website: http://www.saskiawalker.com/
Thanks again, Saskia, for visiting with us!!
32 comments:
Hi, Saskia and Nicole...
Thanks for a great interview. I really enjoyed reading about Saskia's process, and would love to read Reckless!
As for my answers...I like a good mix. I'm very fond of paranormals, whether contemporary, historical, or futuristic, but the paranormal element isn't as important to me as a good solid story with a solid ribbon of "hot" running through it.
Hey MsValerie, thanks for your comment. I should confess my "process" isn't *always* as streamlined as that sounds, but it's my goal and that helps me get somewhere near it. ;-)
Nicole, I meant to answer this one: You like synopsis writing?? I want whatever you're taking. :-)
I think maybe it's because I started out as a short story writer. That really helps me with synopsis writing. Also, when I get the ideas I do the synopsis early on. I once left it until I'd written the whole MS and I got bogged down by all the details, not sure what to include. I learnt my lesson from that!
I liked the advice you gave Saskia to writers.
I love hot paranormal contemporaries. The paranormal just adds to the fun.
Chris R
Reckless sounds great! I love reading paranormals, contemps, romantic suspense, westerns, and sci/fi.
Hi Nicole and Saskia! Thanks for a fun interview. :D I look forward to reading your work(s).
I, too, love Scottish heroes and settings and get all tingly when I 'hear' that yummy brogue. MMMMM!!!
To answer your question about genres/sub-genres, I typically enjoy all sorts but I'd have to say that paranormal is my favorite. Now, tie that in with historical or scottish warrior types and I'm pumped!
Thanks for all the advice and it's great to know that you are a success at what you love--nothing is more satisfying.
Lanna
Thank you, Amy and Chris. It's great to see the votes for paranormal when I'm writing one. ;-)
Westerns, you know I haven't read a western in a while. Has anyone got an author/book recommendation for me?
Lanna, oh yum, you've put thoughts of a deep, sexy, Scottish brogue in my mind now. Thank you. ;-)
Great interview Nicole and Saskia. I must say, I long to visit Spain one day, and the fact that you novel is set there definitely makes me want to go out and pick it up.
Let me see, what is my favorite sub genre?? Hmm, I must say that while I don't read a lot of steamy/eroritca, I have read a few paranormal ones that I enjoyed. I think I like the paranormal/fantasy the most because it just gives me a better opportunity to leave the everyday world behind and get fully engrossed in the story.
Saskia, that's a great synopsis writing tip!! I think I need to write them earlier in my process than I do. Also I meant to say during the interview that your cover was featured on the Today show clip about RWA National conference in July. That was so cool!! Hope this link works:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25966976#25966976
Okay the link to the video didn't work but I've added it to the main page, just after Saskia's links.
Thanks for dropping by Fierce Romance,Saskia - great interview. Reckless sounds intriguing, and what could be hotter than two brothers? For my erotic romances, I like contemporary (especially with humor), historicals, and I love a dash of suspense.
La-Tessa, that's it isn’t it, leaving the everyday world behind. I love a good escapist read.
Nicole, thanks so much for posting the link! It was so incredible seeing my cover on TV. An angel surely smiled on me that day.
Hi Mia! Thanks so much for having me here. It's been an honour. The sparring brothers theme really appealed to me. However, when I came out of writing it I had this urge to write about three brothers who got on with each other, just to restore the balance. LOL
with erotic romance, I prefer a paranormal world. It leaves open the door to whatever and where ever your imagination can take you. I love to be taken away from the everyday world and transported to another place and time to live vicariously through someone else.
Sherri
Hi. What a great interview. Thanks for sharing. I love all type of genres and settings and cannot wait to read your latest.
Thanks again.
Best,
Alison Pion
I have a question for you, Saskia. As someone who writes paranormal, historical and contemporary, I often wonder if readers will follow me to different subgenres if they're all within erotic romance. Or outside erotic romance? Have you found that to be the case and what do your fans think of that?
Thanks!
Sherri and Alison, this is great feedback, thanks so much for commenting!
Nicole, I often wonder that myself! When I hear from Secrets readers they've usually read all my stories, and my stories cross over as yours do. However, many of the readers who contacted me after reading my fantasy novels were fantasy/fantasy romance readers, and they hadn't read my contemporary set fiction. Not so much crossover there, perhaps? It's difficult to say if that's a general trend, though. I also discovered via my newsletter feedback that some of my readers only read what is available in ebook format, while others are strictly print readers. Luckily more print books are coming out as ebooks now, a very positive thing.
Hi, Saskia!! Loved Reckless. Loved it. And I can't wait to read Rampant. That one sounds so great!
For favorite sub-genres, well, I'm a paranormal girl. :-) But I can sure enjoy the other sub-genres, too.
Great interview. I also write a synopsis early on. I like having that roadmap to keep me from wandering off target!
New books sound awesome. Congrats!
Hi Cynthia! I'm so glad I had you editing one of my first paranormals. :D
Dara, thank you! I think of it as a road map too, although I have to nudge myself to go back and check it from time to time, see how far I'm veering off the route. ;-)
It's getting late here in England, so I'll check back in the morning. Thanks to everyone who has commented so far, it's been very informative and lots of fun!
Fantastic interview!
I go through phases in terms of the genre I'm into. But I'm open to everything. Currently I like contemporary with a touch of the paranormal.
I would hate to pick one. I love paranormals, historicals and everything in between. I think the characters are what truly draw me in.
And thanks for the interview, it's good to know that I'm not the only one obsessed with the stories in my head.
Happy Writing
Mageela
I'd have to say my favorite sub genre of erotic romance is paranormal, set in current times, in this world as it is, but with the addition of hidden paranormal elements existing alongside the normal humans, most of whom have NO idea it's even there. To me that type allows for total suspension of disbelief, because technically that could be the way things really are and as one of the normal humans, you'd never know! :)
Of course I love pretty much anything paranormal, whether historical, current times, total fantasy, whatever, but that's my favorite.
Oh and as to the question of whether, as a fan, I'd follow an author I usually read who changed genres, yes, I would. Probably not *any* author, if it's not one of my top picks I'd check out the book heavily first, but any of my top favorites, I'd buy anything they did, even a genre I don't usually buy, because in their case I'm buying not just because they write my genre, but because I particularly like their voice, their writing style.
Have a good night's sleep, Saskia! Thanks for answering my question about crossover readers. Very interesting. And yes, I'm thrilled most print books are now coming out in ebook. Thanks again for being here today and chatting with everyone and answering questions! You're awesome!! Also thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered!
Looks like a yummy read. Please pick me. Hehe
Sindee
Thank you for sharing with me.
I love hearing from authors.
Sue A, I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview. Nicole coaxed me out of my shell, I'm not very good at these things ;-)
Mageela, you are definitely not the only one LOL!
Murrrmaiyd, I love your name. :-) Thanks so much for your input.
Patti and Sindee, thanks so much for entering!
Okay, I got my Real Life Hero to pick an entry at random before he shot out the door. The winner is Lanna Kaye! Lanna, please email your postal address: saskiawalker(Atsign)gmail.com
Thank you to Nicole and all the Fierce Romance Authors for this opportunity to chat, and thanks to everyone who commented. Your feedback is very much appreciated!
Have a great week.
hugs
Saskia
Woohoo!! Congratulations, Lanna!! You lucky girl!
Thanks so much for being here with us, Saskia! I've enjoyed all the information you've given us and learning more about you and your stories!
Hugs!
Recently read Along For the Ride and it was very HOT! Looking forward to reading this one also, nice seeing you here today! tWarner419@aol.com
I liked the environment of Spain portrayed in the story. The scene of Barcelona left resonance to my mind. Actually the description of the Teodoro family estate is quite lovely. The red hot is the chemistry of relationship between Katrina and Nicolas. Depth and magnitude of relationship sometimes makes me cry (not their).
Post a Comment