J.S. Wayne
Erotic Romance
Readers, please help me welcome fellow romance author, J.S. Wayne, who is also Dom. You won't want to miss this so grab your drink. I interviewed him recently and I have to say, I learned a thing or two! Take a read through and leave a comment so he can respond back to you!
Tonya: Readers love to know more about their authors. Tell us a bit about yourself.
J.S.: I’m a Texas native who’s moved around most of the country and now live in Portland, Oregon. I write erotic romance with a dark edge and enjoy writing to shock, titillate and please my readers. I have a lot of facets and interests, from tabletop RPGs to hunting and from drawing nudes to singing karaoke.
Tonya: I like all of those facets about you, JS. Do you have a day job?
J.S.: I do a lot of different things as a day job! First, I’m the Head and Lord of House Unicron, which is a polyamorous D/s House I started with my submissives, Skwirly and Sparrow. This position is a full-time job and then some on its own, but I love it and my girls fiercely. I design websites and write Internet articles and content on a contract basis to keep my lights and Internet on while I spend my evenings writing. In addition, I teach individualized writing classes and couples’ and group courses about kink, focusing mainly on the consent and communication aspects of BDSM and D/s dynamics.
Tonya: OMG, you have my mind going in so many directions. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at your place, right readers! JS, 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?
J.S.: My writing ritual for almost two decades has never really varied, although now that I’m actively trying to quit smoking, I have made one minor modification in the form of not having to bother with making sure I have a clean ashtray or a full pack of cigarettes.
Before I write, I sit down and make sure I have some version of caffeine close by, typically Mountain Dew. Then I play this song:
Unicron Theme Remix by Rose of Jericho, and bring up MS Word, as well as any visual aids I’ve identified previously. Once that’s all done and the song’s over, I bring up a suitable playlist for what I’m writing that day/night and get to work.
Tonya: I hope the non-smoking time is getting better for you. Where do you keep story ideas? Where do they come from?
J.S.: Personally, I find my best ideas come from life. They may be conversations with my girls, things I experience in and around the Portland kink scene, stories I hear or read which make me wonder why someone zigged rather than zagging and so on. Sometimes I find inspiration in folklore, ranging from the Book of Enoch to White Wolf’s Old World of Darkness games. Then I take all these elements, put them together in a blender, figure out how I can make them sexy for the reader, et voila! One sexy story coming up, if you’ll pardon the multiple puns and entendre's implicit in that statement.
Tonya: If you’re self-published, can you tell us a bit about that and how it’s going for you?
J.S.: Through most of my career, I’ve been a hybrid writer, mainly because I never initially intended to write romance in the first place! One of life’s little ironies, I suppose. So my non-romance work has mainly been self-published, and much to my dismay has not received nearly the attention my romance work has, but hey, I like being able to prove men have a romantic side too, so as far as I’m concerned, it evens out.
Tonya: I'm convinced that romance is the genre to write, no matter the sub-genre. I enjoy it all. Are you a daytime writer, night time writer, and do you have to be alone to write?
J.S.: By and large, I work better at night, when my girls are all safely tucked into bed and sleeping the sleep of the just. There are far fewer distractions and a lot more time with my own thoughts. Unfortunately, I seem to have found my way into more of a daywalker schedule than I’m accustomed to, which means my writing time is both at a premium and subject to far more interruptions than I prefer. All things considered, though, it’s a tradeoff I’m happy to make for the women who mean so much to me.
Tonya: My readers are going to enjoy what you write, just because you sound like a huggable teddy bear. Then again, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a paddle! What advice would you give to new authors?
J.S.: I write on Quora quite a bit, and this answer comes from there. If you enjoy it, I hope you’ll check out some of my other writing and kink-related responses on there!
First, delete the word “aspiring” and all its conjugates from your vocabulary. An aspiring writer is like a slightly pregnant woman: You either is or you ain't. (Ungrammatical but intentional.) Don't advertise as a wannabe. If you're putting your ass in the chair and doing the damned work, you're a writer. Period.
Second, put your ass in the chair and do the damned work.
Third, repeat the second step. Over and over and over.
Fourth, there is no such thing as writer's block. Sorry.
Fifth, write what you love.
Sixth, you're going to have to revise, rewrite and edit. A lot. Be prepared to murder your darlings.
Seventh, keep this link handy: 25 Things You Should Know About Story Structure.
Eighth, when you're sick to death of reading what you've written, it's ALMOST ready.
Ninth, remember the 1:10 rule. Every time an editor gives you suggestions, pick 10 changes to make so you can save that 1 thing you really like the way it is. (And it may need to be rewritten anyway once editing is done.)
Tonya: I hope some of you are taking notes here. JS, do you write better when you first have an idea of what your characters look like or do you write, then add character looks?
J.S.: Honestly, it depends on what I’m writing. When I’m writing my #MasturbationMonday stories, I often start with no idea of what my characters look like, so I can let things flow as I wish and then decide later. When I write longer works, I usually like to have something of an idea beforehand so I don’t have to stop in the middle and track back through 40k words of story to try to figure out what color my heroine’s eyes are, for example. So (usually) for short vignettes I don’t feel as urgent a need to know as I do for longer tales.
Tonya: What attracts you most about women?
J.S.: I’ve always been fascinated by women. There’s no one thing I can point to which makes this woman attractive versus that one. This woman may have a particularly interesting shape to her eyes; that one may have an especially wicked sense of humor. One mixture which never fails to intrigue me is a woman with high intelligence, a strong sense of her own worth and who is sex-positive. Truly, an intoxicating combination!
Tonya: Good answer! We’re dying to hear about your latest book. What can you tell us without spoiling the storyline?
J.S.: 'Dusk' is actually a re-release, and I’m really proud of it! It was my first foray into both sci-fi and menage romance, and if I say so myself, it came out pretty damned good…but I’ll let the readers be the judge of that!
On the remote border world of Dusk, the Dusk Diplomatic Corps serves their planet as diplomats and aristocrats. A bombshell lands on the Corps when Terra sends a request for negotiations to begin mining the planet’s most vital resource: magickstone, a uniquely rare element that allows those exposed to it to use magick and to live an unusually prolonged and vital life. Olivia Gunnarson and her lover, Merrick Grissom, believe Terra’s real reason for wanting to mine magickstone is their desire for a new and devastating weapon of galactic conquest.
On Terra, Marine Corps Colonel Pedro Silva is dispatched as part of the Terran diplomatic team to serve as a military attaché. En route, he is advised of the unthinkable: The sitting head of the DDC, Ambassador Nils Trelawney, has been assassinated. A new and untested diplomat, Olivia Gunnarson, has been tasked to take his place. What Pete doesn’t count on is that the outwardly demure ambassador possesses a wild streak… and her bodyguard-lover will do anything to keep his charge safe and happy. But with an assassin in the shadows and diplomatic relations between Dusk and Terra in jeopardy, will a love affair save them or destroy them all?
Tonya: Below is an excerpt from the book, do check it out. Readers, let's show JS some love! Where can our readers find you and your books?
J.S.: Dusk will be released on September 8th, 2017, so right now there aren’t any buy links to speak of. However, I will be launching a special preorder sale on August 18th which I’ll be announcing the details of at my website. In the meantime, be sure to follow my blog, my Twitter and my Facebook for the latest on my upcoming releases and where to find out what’s happening next!
Tonya: Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?
J.S.: First, I want to thank Tonya for being such a gracious host, and you, gentle readers, for stopping by to check out what I’m up to! I’m very excited to get back into the writing game, and I really hope you are as excited to read my books as I am to produce them for you. Please follow my site for the latest news and happenings in my corner of the universe, and let me know what you think of my naughty, dirty, nasty, sexy, sensual world on paper!
Tonya: Thank you, JS, for being my guest. I can't wait to check out the dirty nasty! I know my readers love that, too. Now let us into some of your personal life. What is your favorite night time snack?
J.S.: Since I seldom eat after dinner, it’s rare for me to snack. However, if I’m going out to karaoke, I like to order nachos and a Northwest IPA called Total Domination when I can find it. Living in the PNW has turned me into a beer snob!
Tonya: OMG! No wonder I felt a connection with you online! Hubby and I hosted a beer tap at a Brewfest, and Total Domination was the tap! I hate to say, but that night, I got Dominated! LOL Yes, living in the PNW has its perks! Do you like toppings on your ice cream?
J.S.: Usually I don’t, but every once in a while I indulge myself with Cool Whip, cherries and pineapple chunks, depending on what flavor I’m eating at the time. Cookie dough and mint chocolate chip don’t need any embellishment, in my opinion, so I rarely bother with it.
Tonya: My fav is mint chocolate chip, with dark chocolate topping! What’s your favorite meal - Italian, Mexican, Thai, etc?
J.S.: My favorite meals are:
Tequila chicken tacos – click here to see the recipe on my website!
Chicken fried steak, hash browns with cheese and gravy and scrambled eggs
Chicken fettuccini Alfredo (I’ve got a really good recipe for this, but it’s HORRIBLE for the waistline!)
Tonya: How did you come up with the original idea for Dusk?
J.S.: Dusk started life as a contest I held at the end of December 2013 as a thank-you to my readers, because I wanted them to have the chance to tell me what I should write next. The winning elements were MFM ménage (naturally), futuristic sci-fi (or speculative fiction, if you prefer), aliens, and magick, which I have to say was NOT the easiest combination of things to write! As a special thank-you to the winner, Cassie J. Reed, I also wrote her into Dusk as a character. I still owe her her own HEA…which I will resume work on shortly, I promise, Cassie! 😊
Tonya: With so many romance books being released every week, what about your book would make it stand out to readers?
J.S.: My stories stand apart because I don’t really like to write “damsels in distress.” Sure, I may put them in situations where they’re over their heads, but generally, I try to write strong, capable women who seek out and attract partners as kick-ass and capable as they are. Also, I like to write romance which hints of a much broader universe than just the narrow corner the characters in my stories inhabit. In Dusk specifically, there are elements of high fantasy, sci-fi, murder mystery, political intrigue, the military thriller and psychological suspense in addition to the obvious erotic and romantic components. It’s a book I feel people who don’t normally read romance could read and enjoy on different levels and for different reasons than romance readers, without feeling like they’re missing anything.
Tonya: Readers love to know more about their authors. Tell us a bit about yourself.
J.S.: I’m a Texas native who’s moved around most of the country and now live in Portland, Oregon. I write erotic romance with a dark edge and enjoy writing to shock, titillate and please my readers. I have a lot of facets and interests, from tabletop RPGs to hunting and from drawing nudes to singing karaoke.
Tonya: I like all of those facets about you, JS. Do you have a day job?
J.S.: I do a lot of different things as a day job! First, I’m the Head and Lord of House Unicron, which is a polyamorous D/s House I started with my submissives, Skwirly and Sparrow. This position is a full-time job and then some on its own, but I love it and my girls fiercely. I design websites and write Internet articles and content on a contract basis to keep my lights and Internet on while I spend my evenings writing. In addition, I teach individualized writing classes and couples’ and group courses about kink, focusing mainly on the consent and communication aspects of BDSM and D/s dynamics.
Tonya: OMG, you have my mind going in so many directions. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at your place, right readers! JS, 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?
J.S.: My writing ritual for almost two decades has never really varied, although now that I’m actively trying to quit smoking, I have made one minor modification in the form of not having to bother with making sure I have a clean ashtray or a full pack of cigarettes.
Before I write, I sit down and make sure I have some version of caffeine close by, typically Mountain Dew. Then I play this song:
Unicron Theme Remix by Rose of Jericho, and bring up MS Word, as well as any visual aids I’ve identified previously. Once that’s all done and the song’s over, I bring up a suitable playlist for what I’m writing that day/night and get to work.
Tonya: I hope the non-smoking time is getting better for you. Where do you keep story ideas? Where do they come from?
J.S.: Personally, I find my best ideas come from life. They may be conversations with my girls, things I experience in and around the Portland kink scene, stories I hear or read which make me wonder why someone zigged rather than zagging and so on. Sometimes I find inspiration in folklore, ranging from the Book of Enoch to White Wolf’s Old World of Darkness games. Then I take all these elements, put them together in a blender, figure out how I can make them sexy for the reader, et voila! One sexy story coming up, if you’ll pardon the multiple puns and entendre's implicit in that statement.
Tonya: If you’re self-published, can you tell us a bit about that and how it’s going for you?
J.S.: Through most of my career, I’ve been a hybrid writer, mainly because I never initially intended to write romance in the first place! One of life’s little ironies, I suppose. So my non-romance work has mainly been self-published, and much to my dismay has not received nearly the attention my romance work has, but hey, I like being able to prove men have a romantic side too, so as far as I’m concerned, it evens out.
Tonya: I'm convinced that romance is the genre to write, no matter the sub-genre. I enjoy it all. Are you a daytime writer, night time writer, and do you have to be alone to write?
J.S.: By and large, I work better at night, when my girls are all safely tucked into bed and sleeping the sleep of the just. There are far fewer distractions and a lot more time with my own thoughts. Unfortunately, I seem to have found my way into more of a daywalker schedule than I’m accustomed to, which means my writing time is both at a premium and subject to far more interruptions than I prefer. All things considered, though, it’s a tradeoff I’m happy to make for the women who mean so much to me.
Tonya: My readers are going to enjoy what you write, just because you sound like a huggable teddy bear. Then again, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a paddle! What advice would you give to new authors?
J.S.: I write on Quora quite a bit, and this answer comes from there. If you enjoy it, I hope you’ll check out some of my other writing and kink-related responses on there!
First, delete the word “aspiring” and all its conjugates from your vocabulary. An aspiring writer is like a slightly pregnant woman: You either is or you ain't. (Ungrammatical but intentional.) Don't advertise as a wannabe. If you're putting your ass in the chair and doing the damned work, you're a writer. Period.
Second, put your ass in the chair and do the damned work.
Third, repeat the second step. Over and over and over.
Fourth, there is no such thing as writer's block. Sorry.
Fifth, write what you love.
Sixth, you're going to have to revise, rewrite and edit. A lot. Be prepared to murder your darlings.
Seventh, keep this link handy: 25 Things You Should Know About Story Structure.
Eighth, when you're sick to death of reading what you've written, it's ALMOST ready.
Ninth, remember the 1:10 rule. Every time an editor gives you suggestions, pick 10 changes to make so you can save that 1 thing you really like the way it is. (And it may need to be rewritten anyway once editing is done.)
Tonya: I hope some of you are taking notes here. JS, do you write better when you first have an idea of what your characters look like or do you write, then add character looks?
J.S.: Honestly, it depends on what I’m writing. When I’m writing my #MasturbationMonday stories, I often start with no idea of what my characters look like, so I can let things flow as I wish and then decide later. When I write longer works, I usually like to have something of an idea beforehand so I don’t have to stop in the middle and track back through 40k words of story to try to figure out what color my heroine’s eyes are, for example. So (usually) for short vignettes I don’t feel as urgent a need to know as I do for longer tales.
Tonya: What attracts you most about women?
J.S.: I’ve always been fascinated by women. There’s no one thing I can point to which makes this woman attractive versus that one. This woman may have a particularly interesting shape to her eyes; that one may have an especially wicked sense of humor. One mixture which never fails to intrigue me is a woman with high intelligence, a strong sense of her own worth and who is sex-positive. Truly, an intoxicating combination!
Tonya: Good answer! We’re dying to hear about your latest book. What can you tell us without spoiling the storyline?
J.S.: 'Dusk' is actually a re-release, and I’m really proud of it! It was my first foray into both sci-fi and menage romance, and if I say so myself, it came out pretty damned good…but I’ll let the readers be the judge of that!
Three people. Two worlds. One love. One galactic threat.
On the remote border world of Dusk, the Dusk Diplomatic Corps serves their planet as diplomats and aristocrats. A bombshell lands on the Corps when Terra sends a request for negotiations to begin mining the planet’s most vital resource: magickstone, a uniquely rare element that allows those exposed to it to use magick and to live an unusually prolonged and vital life. Olivia Gunnarson and her lover, Merrick Grissom, believe Terra’s real reason for wanting to mine magickstone is their desire for a new and devastating weapon of galactic conquest.
On Terra, Marine Corps Colonel Pedro Silva is dispatched as part of the Terran diplomatic team to serve as a military attaché. En route, he is advised of the unthinkable: The sitting head of the DDC, Ambassador Nils Trelawney, has been assassinated. A new and untested diplomat, Olivia Gunnarson, has been tasked to take his place. What Pete doesn’t count on is that the outwardly demure ambassador possesses a wild streak… and her bodyguard-lover will do anything to keep his charge safe and happy. But with an assassin in the shadows and diplomatic relations between Dusk and Terra in jeopardy, will a love affair save them or destroy them all?
Tonya: Below is an excerpt from the book, do check it out. Readers, let's show JS some love! Where can our readers find you and your books?
J.S.: Dusk will be released on September 8th, 2017, so right now there aren’t any buy links to speak of. However, I will be launching a special preorder sale on August 18th which I’ll be announcing the details of at my website. In the meantime, be sure to follow my blog, my Twitter and my Facebook for the latest on my upcoming releases and where to find out what’s happening next!
Tonya: Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?
J.S.: First, I want to thank Tonya for being such a gracious host, and you, gentle readers, for stopping by to check out what I’m up to! I’m very excited to get back into the writing game, and I really hope you are as excited to read my books as I am to produce them for you. Please follow my site for the latest news and happenings in my corner of the universe, and let me know what you think of my naughty, dirty, nasty, sexy, sensual world on paper!
Tonya: Thank you, JS, for being my guest. I can't wait to check out the dirty nasty! I know my readers love that, too. Now let us into some of your personal life. What is your favorite night time snack?
J.S.: Since I seldom eat after dinner, it’s rare for me to snack. However, if I’m going out to karaoke, I like to order nachos and a Northwest IPA called Total Domination when I can find it. Living in the PNW has turned me into a beer snob!
Tonya: OMG! No wonder I felt a connection with you online! Hubby and I hosted a beer tap at a Brewfest, and Total Domination was the tap! I hate to say, but that night, I got Dominated! LOL Yes, living in the PNW has its perks! Do you like toppings on your ice cream?
J.S.: Usually I don’t, but every once in a while I indulge myself with Cool Whip, cherries and pineapple chunks, depending on what flavor I’m eating at the time. Cookie dough and mint chocolate chip don’t need any embellishment, in my opinion, so I rarely bother with it.
Tonya: My fav is mint chocolate chip, with dark chocolate topping! What’s your favorite meal - Italian, Mexican, Thai, etc?
J.S.: My favorite meals are:
Tequila chicken tacos – click here to see the recipe on my website!
Chicken fried steak, hash browns with cheese and gravy and scrambled eggs
Chicken fettuccini Alfredo (I’ve got a really good recipe for this, but it’s HORRIBLE for the waistline!)
Tonya: How did you come up with the original idea for Dusk?
J.S.: Dusk started life as a contest I held at the end of December 2013 as a thank-you to my readers, because I wanted them to have the chance to tell me what I should write next. The winning elements were MFM ménage (naturally), futuristic sci-fi (or speculative fiction, if you prefer), aliens, and magick, which I have to say was NOT the easiest combination of things to write! As a special thank-you to the winner, Cassie J. Reed, I also wrote her into Dusk as a character. I still owe her her own HEA…which I will resume work on shortly, I promise, Cassie! 😊
Tonya: With so many romance books being released every week, what about your book would make it stand out to readers?
J.S.: My stories stand apart because I don’t really like to write “damsels in distress.” Sure, I may put them in situations where they’re over their heads, but generally, I try to write strong, capable women who seek out and attract partners as kick-ass and capable as they are. Also, I like to write romance which hints of a much broader universe than just the narrow corner the characters in my stories inhabit. In Dusk specifically, there are elements of high fantasy, sci-fi, murder mystery, political intrigue, the military thriller and psychological suspense in addition to the obvious erotic and romantic components. It’s a book I feel people who don’t normally read romance could read and enjoy on different levels and for different reasons than romance readers, without feeling like they’re missing anything.
Excerpt:
“It’s really quite beautiful, isn’t it?”
If Merrick hadn’t been lowering right behind them, he might have said something stupidly romantic like, “It’s okay, but without you here, it wouldn’t mean much.” He caught himself just in time and settled for agreeing with her. “It is.”
She scooted around so she was looking him right in the eye, as if trying to see through his iris into his mind or perhaps his soul. He cringed a little on the inside, but met her eyes with all the calm and discipline his training permitted.
“I… well, we… would like to ask you something.”
He raised his eyebrows in an invitation for her to continue, not trusting himself to speak. Her proximity and the soothing, warm scent of her body teased his prick into a vertical attitude, and he was suddenly sure if he said anything, his voice would crack eight ways to Sunday.
“We would like you to… join us.” She flushed, the red color flooding her face contrasting with Astaroth’s light in a way that reinforced his initial feeling of her as someone, or something, that did not fully share the laws of regular human existence.
“Join you? Like… how?” he asked.
“Well…” She fell silent for a moment, her bottom lip thrust out so tantalizingly that for a mad instant, he was tempted to lean forward and capture it gently in his teeth. She shook her head and looked at Merrick helplessly. “Help.” The word came out as a squeak so irresistibly cute that it took everything Pete had not to lean forward and take her in his arms.
Merrick knelt down behind her. “We’re asking you if you want her.”
Pete’s eyes bulged. Of all the things he’d expected, this wasn’t within parsecs of being on the list. “Wh-what do you—”
“Look, it’s not complicated,” Merrick said impatiently. “Do you want to fuck Olivia?”
Olivia’s face was now an alarming shade of purple in Astaroth’s light, but she nodded emphatically. “I want you, Pete. More to the point, I want both of you, together, inside me. I hoped that you would want me, too.”
Pete’s mind whirled back to the Above Top Secret orders he’d received on shipboard. He’d read the orders with disgust, knowing he’d follow them if opportunity presented itself but determined to find any possible way to avoid it. Now here Olivia was, with her bodyguard/boyfriend/plaything… whatever the hell he was, asking him to fuck her with the full consent and acceptance of her man.
A surprisingly vivid and graphic image of Olivia, balanced precisely between the two men, supported by their cocks inside her and their arms around her, seared into his brain. The vision was so powerful he could feel his brain melting into goo inside his skull.
“Are you serious?” he asked, husking the words over a parched tongue and sandy lips.
For answer Merrick pulled Olivia to her feet and began to undress her. He seemed to know exactly in what order to pull on the straps comprising her outfit to reveal her skin.
Born in Amarillo, Texas, Jericho “J.S.” Wayne has lived, worked, and traveled in approximately three quarters of the North American continent, amassing a résumé which could kindly be described as “eclectic” along the way. Currently he lives in Portland, Oregon and feels no particular urge to be anywhere else.
An author in multiple genres, a misanthropic humanitarian and cynical optimist, J.S. spends most of his time when not writing erotic romance turning words into money as a website designer, SEO/SEM consultant and article and blog writer, filling the balance of his hours as a polyamorous kink practitioner and educator. He is fascinated by the use of language, human sexuality, occultism, quantum physics and trying to figure out just what the hell the lyrics to "I Am The Walrus" actually mean.
