Tonya: Thank you for stopping in to meet another new erotic romance author to add to your TBR listings. Grab a drink from the bar then come sit by the fire with us. Sable, I’m so excited to have you here this week. I must say, I love your website! It’s gorgeous! Now tell us a bit about yourself.
Sable: Thanks so much for having me Tonya! I’m so glad to get a chance to chat with the readers! Hi readers! *waving* About me, hmm… You know, you never realize how hard that is to answer until someone asks. Gotta go with my standard on this one: Tattooed vixen, wicked humorist, incurable humanist, and proud geek! Oh, and I write smut, too. *giggles*
Tonya: 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?
Sable: Nothing specific to get into the mood, I’m always in the mood. ;) It’s finding the time to stay in said mood that’s the problem. But I do listen to music while I’m writing. Lately I’ve been on a jazz kick with a little hip-hop and rock thrown in for good measure. Once a story really gets going it picks its own soundtrack, though. Aside from that, having chocolate and candy close by isn’t frowned upon. I can write without it, but why deprive myself?
Tonya: I hear you on the chocolate! I always have some hidden somewhere! Do you like pushing the envelope when writing?
Sable: You know, I’m trying to do that more lately. I just finished a novelette called The Doxy’s Daybook: A Friday in Two Acts that I absolutely love (look for it this summer!) It’s told entirely from the perspective of a prosti —er— doxy named Roz. That one ripped the envelope and tossed it to the wind, which is fine by me. I think my future work will benefit from it.
Tonya: Do you have a card file where you keep story ideas? Where do they come from?
Sable: I keep a general synopsis for every idea on a jump drive and also on a notepad (technology has a way of misplacing things) but they never really leave my mind once I think of them. They just sort of roam around up there amidst the flotsam while I sort them out enough to start writing.
The majority of my ideas just show up in my head, but I do have some that come from rather strange situations. A current WIP started because my crit partner and I were contemplating euphemisms for manly bits and out of nowhere she offers—straight-faced mind you— “sword of hope and destruction?” Couldn’t stop laughing, and in a flash I had a new character and a concept for a new book.
Tonya: Crit partners are so good for us! Tell us about a day in your life as a writer.
Sable: Oh, that’s easy. It goes very much like this: “I need to finish the scene where” —SOMEONE ELSE’S CRISIS— “and then the part about” —SOMEONE ELSE’S CRISIS —Repeat…repeat…*sigh*…repeat. And then around midnight I get to knock out a couple thousand words.
Tonya: Sometimes we do have to deal with other people and family ‘crisis’ but we always find time for us. Are you a daytime writer, nighttime writer, and do you have to be alone to write?
Sable: I’ll steal time no matter day or night. I even talk into a voice recorder while I’m driving (alone…well, with the muse) if the word faucet starts flowing. But I can usually be found in my dungeon typing away happily between midnight and 4am. It seems those are the only hours where everyone is asleep long enough for me to get some real work done. Being alone isn’t a necessity to write, I just have to tune everyone out. I’m remarkably good at ignoring people…like scary good. *wink*
Tonya: Do you have critique partners or ever been in a critique group? What was the best thing you learned from a critique?
Sable: Yes, I have a couple and I absolutely adore them! They’re very blunt, which I appreciate. Best thing one ever told me about sex scenes was “You’re holding back like you’ve got your mom looking over your shoulder. Tell her to shut up and go watch Lifetime.” If I get my pages back with “Lifetime” in the margins, I know exactly what to do!
Tonya: Crit partners have to be honest with us so we continually improve our writing. Do you intentionally give your characters flaws so the reader might relate to them better?
Sable: It might be a sure sign of insanity, but the characters really do tell me what flaws they have. They’re honest, and pushy, that way. (Is it an equally scary sign that I’m blaming them? Hmm…) I scrapped a book that I’d worked on a couple months because I kept trying to force my heroine into this sticky-sweet nice girl role and she wasn’t having it. We’ve since started again, and she’s threatened bodily harm if I don’t get her right this time, so…
Tonya: How about an excerpt from Different Shades of Gray?
Sable: I’d love to share and whet their appetites! *wicked laugh*
Here’s the buy Link for Different Shades of Gray from eXcessica: http://bit.ly/e0dMPQ
Here’s the Blurb from DIFFERENT SHADES OF GRAY:
A set of twins, one rich bachelor, a reality show and a favor…
When aspiring model Charlene Roberts is running late for an audition, she begs her reliable sister to stand in for her at the casting for the reality show Free Money. Of course Charlotte, a.k.a. Charlie, can’t say no. She could never say no to Charlene, whose agent believes a television appearance will boost her modeling career. Free Money is much like all contemporary dating shows: twenty hot women living in a mansion doing everything they can to catch the eye of one filthy-rich bachelor.
And that bachelor is the media’s favorite bad boy, the insanely sexy Jake Logan. The thirty-something business tycoon only wants one thing—to get his parents to stop meddling in his love life. What better way than to be trapped in a house with gorgeous women for two months, right? He’s already done the relationship thing, and has no intention of doing it again. That is, until he meets Charlie…who he thinks is a model named Charlene.
Knowing how important this opportunity is for her sister’s career, Charlie denies her feelings for Jake, because at some point she’ll have to walk away from what could be the love of her life.
Excerpt from DIFFERENT SHADES OF GRAY:
“Mmmm. This is so good, Logan,” I said, savoring the first bite.
“I really like the way you say my name.”
“Jake?” I squeaked around the bite of food.
He shook his head then turned his body toward me completely, resting one foot on the bottom rung of my stool. “Logan. It rolls off your tongue like honey, like you enjoy saying it. Do you?”
I stared into his eyes, watching as his pupils started dilating. Medically speaking this could mean any number of things. Maybe he was having a response to some sort of external stressor, or that the room was darkening, although neither of us had turned off the lights. Or, it could mean he was aroused. Bingo. I dropped my eyes to the pulse point in his throat, noting the erratic throbbing, and dragged my peepers up in time to catch him licking his lips. The notion that I was turning this man on was turning me on, and adrenaline shot through my body in time with the alarms going off in my head. I needed to pull away fast. But try as I might, I couldn’t. Or wouldn’t.
“You always this forward, Logan?” I purred, unable to resist.
His lids lowered to half-mast, and he licked his lips again as if hearing me say his name was giving him the best ear-gasm ever.
“I won’t forget that you didn’t answer the question, and I told you before, when I know what I want I go after it-”
“And you get it with frightening consistency,” I finished. “So what exactly is it you want?”
“You.”
“How?” My mouth moves faster than my brain sometimes. The way it was intended was not the way it was interpreted.
“Any way you’ll let me,” he retorted silkily, that easy grin returning to his face.
I playfully slapped his thigh, cutting my eyes at him. “That’s not the way I meant that and you know it. I mean in what capacity? Just friends? Friends with benefits? Or something more? Cause I’m here for something more.”
He didn’t respond, so I continued in a rush.
“We did just meet, and I can’t imagine you’ve developed any serious feelings for me in less than a day. So, how and why, Jake?” I really hated doing that. Making a man think when all the blood was flowing away from his brain wasn’t exactly fair. But I had the feeling any second now we’d be on this countertop doing all the things I wanted him to do to me, and then Char would be screwed. Well I’d be screwed, but you know what I mean.
Our eyes locked, deep brown to ice gray, each watching as lust built in the other, when Nicole rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. We both promptly returned to our omelets like teenagers caught making out under the bleachers.
“Good morning, Jake,” she chirped as she came around the island, ignoring me completely. “How’d you sleep, baby?”
I chuckled under my breath and Jake poked me in the side, chewing furiously to keep from laughing.
“Omelets?” she asked, looking at our plates. “You cook, Charlene?”
“Actually, Jake made these, and the mimosas.” I can’t lie. I got some satisfaction out of that. “They’re really good, too.” I never skimp on the frosting.
Nicole poked her lip out into a pout. “Can I have some of yours, baby?” she whined, hugging him from behind and dropping her head on his shoulder. Then she cringed and backed away quickly, her voice returning to normal. “Why are you damp and sticky?”
“Not for the reasons I was hoping,” he mumbled.
I nearly choked on my omelet.
“I didn’t get to shower after my run. Which reminds me about my earlier offer, Charlene,” he said the lust still simmering in his eyes.
“Answers first, Jake.” Finishing my food and downing the drink, I pushed myself off the barstool and carried my dishes to the sink.
Nicole started jabbering away as I cleaned up. Things were starting to get complicated. When Char came in a few days she’d be embroiled in a full-blown physical relationship if I weren’t careful. I pushed away a feeling of melancholy and refocused my attention on the reason I was here.
This is Charlene’s thing, Charlie. You’re just a stand-in for the next couple days. Anything you feel for Jake is a fabrication for Char’s sake. Okay? Okay? Okay.
Nicole came over and dumped Jake’s dishes in the sink causing the soapy water to splash up my arms, and then went back to chatting him up. The girl was purposefully grating on my nerves, but I refuse to let her see me bothered. I’d get my own back. I finished the dishes, drained the water and dried my hands.
Leaving the sink I went behind Jake, dropping a quick kiss on his neck and interrupting his boredom, said a quick, “Thanks for breakfast,” and headed out of the kitchen.
“You never answered my question, Charlene,” he called after me, stopping me in my tracks. “Do you enjoy it?”
He asked that loaded question in a neutral tone that belied its origin. I glanced at Nicole who looked upset that I’d taken his attention and that she was once again out of the loop. Pleased, I turned back to Jake, seeing that same intensity in his eyes. “Yeah, Logan. I enjoy it.”
I wasn’t lying.
Tonya: Great excerpt. Readers, book mark her links! Can you tell us about your tagline?
Sable: I’m no branding guru, but if there’s one thing I’m amped about it’s my tagline: Stories so whet, you’ll want to Lick My Ink! I love, love, love it! Hits on everything I write about while still being a reflection of me. I’m really into body ink and I’ve got a tattoo or two (all right, more than two, but don’t tell anyone), and I write stimulating stories. I was shaky about people not getting it, but then a few e-mails came in from other authors who said they loved it and wished they’d thought of it first! Plus it makes a cool hashtag on twitter: #LickMyInk.
Tonya: Where can our readers find you and your books?
Sable: Different Shades of Gray is out through Excessica as is a second release, If It Isn’t Love, which will be out later this year. The Doxy’s Daybook is scheduled for summer and will be available through Smashwords. My website has lots of excerpts from my unreleased works, and synopses from my WIPs. You can also find me on Amazon, B&N, and All Romance Ebooks. But if you want to catch some of my zany on a more regular basis, find me on my blog, Dripping Whet Ink.
Tonya: Thanks so much for joining us all this week and for being around to comment with readers! Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?
Sable: Tonya, thanks again for having me, and thanks to all the readers for stopping by to Lick my Ink! I had a blast! Now, for the e-Book giveaway of Different Shades of Gray. Let’s do a question: Boxers, briefs, or commando on your man? Leave your answer in the comments and I’ll pick a winner on Friday!
By the way, we authors love hearing from readers. And I like to talk about a wide variety of things: romance, music, fast cars and slow guys, what happened on the Amazing Race, whatever! Drop some ink on my blog or website, or hit me up on Facebook and Twitter. Search for Sable Jordan and let the tats be your guide. *wink*
Here are my links:
Don't forget to leave your answer to the above question from Sable IN YOUR COMMENT - pls include your email addy (at yahoo.com?) so she can get in touch with you! (I also have a POLL up on the right - answer there, too!)
