Monday, July 9, 2012

Author Interview - Margie Church - Erotic Romance with Sass!


Margie Church
Erotic Romance


     Margie Church is a multi-published author who writes erotic romance novels. Her books have a strong suspense element, in keeping with her moniker: Romance with SASS (Suspense Angst Seductive Sizzle). She has a degree in writing and editing and have been a professional writer, editor, and journalist for over 25 years. If you enjoy books you can't put down, read one of hers.

    She lives in Minnesota, is married, and has two children. Some of her passions are music, flower gardening, biking, walking on moonlit nights, nature, and making people laugh. She also writea children's books under the pen name, Margaret Rose.

Tonya:  Margie, welcome to my blog! I'm so excited for my readers to learn about you because readers love to know more about their authors. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Margie:  I'm a native Minnesotan, who grew up in a large family. I have six siblings – five unfortunately are brothers.  ;-) When I was a kid, I played saxophone and oboe and frequently performed solos. I even have albums and I made All-State Band as a freshman.  Pretty heady stuff for a young girl.  All year long you could find me on the stage performing in one-act plays, musicals, and summer theater. I also spent 14 years marching in drum and bugle corps and color guard. My family was dirt poor so we never vacationed. We didn't even have a car large enough for all of us to go anywhere together if we wanted to. These activities were my escape from all of that less-fortunate reality.
     When I was 12, McCall's magazine published one of my poems. Then, I became a radio DJ at 16, and that cemented my career aspirations to work in communications. I have a degree in radio and television news writing and editing. I've worked in marketing communications for almost 30 years.
     I'll be celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary this October. We have two terrific sons who inspire me every day to be a good parent.

Tonya:  Congrats on the 30 year anniversary! That's something to celebrate these days. Do you have a day job?

Margie:  Yup. I'm a copywriter and editor for a direct marketing firm that specializes in the credit union market. I'm one of those peeps who send you credit card promotions and such from your credit union. I also freelance magazine articles whenever I can. I work in commercial construction for those. Love that work. Wish the economy would rebound so I could do more. It's very, very lucrative.

Tonya:  Wow, busy busy lady! Some of us have things we do to get into the writing frame of mind like music, or drinks. Do you have anything special you do to get into the writing mood?

Margie:  I sit at the keyboard.  I worked from home for 12 years starting when my children were toddlers. That taught me how to get in the zone right now. I've learned to write with a lot of distractions around me. It gets frustrating sometimes, but we all live here so I had to learn to cope. I'm also a workaholic. Ask anyone who has written with me or been my editor. I've very disciplined. I often struggle to balance my family's needs, the EDJ, and my career as a novelist.

Tonya:  Where do you get story ideas? Where do they come from?

Margie:  Nowhere in particular and everywhere in general. A snarky response, but true. Usually I see an image in my head and let that kind of simmer and bloom until I've got some kind of a cinematic representation of what the story might be. Then, I start writing. I don't have a file of story-wannabes. In fact, I was freaking out a couple weeks ago because everything I'd written not only was sold, it was in cue for publishing.

Tonya:  If you’re self-published, can you tell us a bit about that and how it’s going for you?

Margie:  I've gone the traditional route. I felt the cache and support of having publishers and editors was important for me.

Tonya:  Are you a daytime writer, night time writer, and do you have to be alone to write?

Margie:  I probably do my best work in the morning when I'm fresh, but most days I don't get that chance. Evenings seem more productive. I spend a lot of my afternoon time on social media and other promotional activities. I don't have to be alone, but I do like to be left alone. Writing is a profession for me. I do need to concentrate.

Tonya:  What advice would you give to new authors?

Margie:  Buy the biggest jar of patience you can. The work is complex and challenging – it takes patience to hone your craft. The business is ever-changing and most of us don't have a mentor. Take the time to ask questions, learn, try some things (give it time to work before you decide it failed), and be prepared for a lot of crickets at first. Punching a hole in the authorial universe is no easy feat for 99.9% of us.

Tonya:  So true! But you've accomplished that! Do you write better when you first have an idea of what your characters look like or do you write, then add character looks?

Margie:  I start with a character worksheet (you're not surprised to learn I'm a plotter, are you?) and fill in their emotional and physical motivations/needs so I get a real sense of them. Then, I find a name that suits those characteristics. Lastly, I find a photo of someone who closely resembles my vision– which to me is icing on the cake. Once I begin writing the story, there will be other things I'll learn about the character and add to their sheet – because I've got a TERRIBLE memory and I forget these details all the time.

Tonya:  I suppose I'm a bit of a plotter, since I do write down the character traits. What attracts you most about men?

Margie:  Oftentimes it's their voice. I love hazel eyes and full lips. I like men who are taller than me – I'm quite short so I like that sense of physical strength that I don't have. Good sense of humor and a great conversationalist and I'm definitely interested. Humm, for the most part, I've just described my husband!

Tonya:  We’re dying to hear about your latest book. What can you tell us without spoiling the storyline?

Margie:  Razor is the coolest damn book about a married couple who invite a Domme into their relationship. It all begins quite a straightforward way. Amy wants her husband Bryce to explore whether he can become a switch in the bedroom. She boldly suggests her friend, Raine, mentor him. If you're unfamiliar, the term switch describes a Dominant who can occasionally be a submissive for the right partner. The Dominant really has to want it. Razor takes our threesome on a psycho-emotional journey to discover whether that can actually happen for Bryce. There's a lot of emotional pushing and shoving from Bryce, who vacillates between this great sense of sexual freedom and marital guilt. It's interesting to watch him try to turn the tables on Raine, and see how she keeps him in check.
    Additionally, this book isn't about an unhappy couple looking for something to spice up their life in hopes it'll fix things. Bryce and Amy are very much in love and committed to each other. My co-author, K.B. Cuter, and I hope you'll appreciate the honesty and perspectives these people share. Throughout Razor, you'll see the characters revealing hidden desires and new emotions. Watch them question long-held beliefs and open their minds and hearts to something completely new that they hope will be immensely rewarding. There's enough BDSM kink in the book to satisfy most appetites without making you cringe from excessive pain or technique. Make no mistake, Razor is a very adult story with numerous love scenes. It's also a drop-dead gorgeous romance. We'll begin writing the sequel – Razor: Desire's Edge – this fall.

Tonya:  I love the premise of experimenting because we all secretly fantasize about that, too. *glancing at her audience* YES You do!!! None of you fool me! Did I forget to tell you I'm a bit psychic? LOL  Margie, tell us more about your main characters in Razor. 

Margie:  I'd love to!

     By the sound of her name - Amy - you think she's not a very strong woman. Vanilla, predictable, a true submissive. And to a large extent, Amy has been those things, but her friendship with Raine has released her sense of adventure and her inner strength. Let's face it, for her to pretty much hand over her beloved husband to her best friend takes some character!

     Then we have Bryce. He's a great guy, and even though he never had feelings for Raine before this complicated triangle was drawn, he develops them pretty quickly. Yet he loves Amy. Firmly, Unequivocally. And damn if he doesn't get green-eyed over Raine's date, Neil. When he meets Lucien Chase, it's all Bryce can do not to clean this guy's clock. Ah, lots of hidden emotions are bubbling up, and Bryce is doing his damnedest to keep everything under control. Good luck with that, my boy.

     And Raine, smart, beautiful, loving, incredibly strong, and independent. She loves Amy and cherishes their friendship above all others. And yet, she covets the kind of relationship Amy and Bryce share. It takes every ounce of her self-control to remain in her role as Domme, mentoring Bryce as she was asked. But each scene together ends in bittersweet goodbyes for her.

Blurb: Razor by Margie Church and K.B. Cutter

    Amy and Bryce don't live the Dominant/submissive lifestyle, but Bryce acts every bit the Dom in the bedroom. And Amy's had enough. Enlisting her best friend's help is a drastic move. Will inviting Raine into her marriage destroy it? How will she cope when Bryce and Raine become intimate?
     Though Bryce doubts he'll ever become a switch, he's determined to make Amy happy. Months later, he struggles to keep an emotional distance from Raine. His journey of self-awareness is anything but predictable or vanilla.
    After only a few scenes with Bryce, Raine's roles as Domme and best friend blur. Her ideals about love and marriage shift. She questions her own motives at every turn. Can she get out of this relationship triangle unscathed?
   Three people with different motives come together to form a very contemporary relationship. Who will get what they want, and who will be forever changed?

Adult Excerpt: Razor

cobalt storm

onyx control

reflections,

desire's edge

     Wet heat pooled between Amy's legs as she watched Bryce through the kitchen window. Knees trembling from the insistent throbbing of her clit, she pressed her thighs together, knowing her panties were already damp.
      She really wanted to suck her husband's cock.
      Bryce took off his T-shirt, and draped it over the neat pile of split logs. In the heat of the day, perspiration glistened on his chiseled torso. One handed, he thrust the axe head into a tree stump, his bicep rippling.
     A jolt of sexual electricity zipped through her every time he moved. Her nipples strained against the white cotton tank top she wore.
     Amy needed to calm her jangled nerves. She inhaled the earthy scent of the forest wafting through the open kitchen window. White lace curtains fluttered on the light breeze. The frilly sheers were one of the few feminine accents in the rugged décor.
     She traced the wood grain of the butcher's block with her fingers. Their cabin was built of white pine, saddle notched logs. Rough-hewn plank floors and functional, yet elegant, Quaker furniture added a certain Spartan charm. Amy didn’t mind the rugged design. All of it seemed an organic compliment to the lush beauty of Norford Falls, Maine. And their vacation home seemed a natural extension of her husband, Bryce, who'd built the retreat. Bryce Gage thrived on hard work, and even though he was CEO of Gage Commercial Constructs, he always said he still enjoyed getting dirty.
     Amy relished his large, calloused hands roaming her body. A mischievous grin played on her lips as she grabbed a can of beer from the refrigerator. She sauntered out the kitchen door, and strode down the sloping lawn, with her hips swaying theatrically in her tight Daisy Duke's.
     At the sound of the screen door slamming, his head turned toward her. She had his attention with her firm, pert breasts bouncing suggestively as she walked.
    His gunmetal-blue gaze swept over her body.
   She shivered with anticipation.
   The corners of his mouth turned up, a grin curiously lupine in appearance.
      "Thought you might like a cold one, babe." Amy offered him the beer.
      Bryce smiled wider, revealing even white teeth, the lines of his unshaven face an alluring masculine contrast. He reached for the can.
      Amy pulled it back, holding it between her breasts as she slid her hand into her shorts.
    His expression morphed from curious to aroused. His nostrils flared, muscles visibly tensed.
     She dipped her fingers into her moist panties and between the folds of her sex. She shuddered over the provocative, erotic sensations, but never let her gaze waver. Removing her hand, Amy traced her moisture over the rim, popped the tab, and handed the beer to him.
     Bryce brought the can to his lips. His tongue darted over the dewy metal before swallowing.
     She sucked in her breath under his intense gaze.
     He placed the can on an upturned log, his jaw clenching.
   With anxiety rolling in her stomach, Amy watched in silence, waiting for her husband to give voice to her churning thoughts. The look in his eyes told Amy she'd surprised him.
     Would he let her have her way?
    Emboldened, she pressed against him. The full impact of her seduction manifested itself. Every hard line and angle of his body seemed to bulge with heat. Without breaking eye contact, Amy reached up and drew his lips to hers.
     Curiosity, mixed with passion, flared in his eyes. He didn't resist, didn't blink.
 
Razor Buy Links:
 Amazon


Tonya:  Damn! *grabbing her fan* Now that's a HOT read. I wish you all the best and may your sales skyrocket! Let's move on to other things we NEED - What is your favorite night time snack?

Margie:  A cold Miller Genuine Draft and roasted almonds.

Tonya:  Yummy! I'm a Jack Daniels woman but I do enjoy the dark beers in a frosty mug! Try Irish Death! Do you like toppings on your ice cream?

Margie: hot fudge

Tonya:  What’s your favorite meal - Italian, Mexican, Thai, etc?

Margie:  Steamed, fresh lobster with corn on the cob, tossed salad and white wine.

Tonya:  Now I'm really hungry! Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?

Margie:  Thanks for spending time with me today, for buying my books, and sharing with me on social media. I really enjoy yacking with friends and fans. And you asked some great questions, Tonya!

CONTEST:   I'm giving away 2 copies of Razor and an autographed 18" x 24" poster of the book cover. (that's THREE winners!!) Tell me what you think of a relationship such as the one Bryce, Amy, and Raine are exploring. Can it work? What would it take? All things aside, would you try it?

Other links: 

Margie's website  Romance with SASS



                                        K.B. Cutter's Website

Tonya:  Readers, go back and read about the CONTEST and let's get some chatter started. Margie, it's been a blast chatting with you! I'm glad you'll be around all week for our readers. Your books are so HOT! Where can our readers find you and your books?


Margie: The most comprehensive list is on Amazon.