Welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews Marianne! On behalf of all of us here, I extend our heartfelt thanks in taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions and giving us all the chance to get to know you better.

Thank you, Tracey. I can’t tell you how thrilling it is to be interviewed by Fallen Angels!

What inspired you to begin writing one day?

Well, I always wanted to write. Ever since I was a kid, I toyed around with writing. In third grade, I wrote a children’s story about a Christmas under the sea, and the teacher loved it. I got to present it to the younger grades by reading it to them. Nothing like a talking shark and eel to make those kids get excited. Since then, I wrote daily by keeping a diary or several comical poems. Then, I went to college and it was years of studying, and writing for fun went out the window.

It wasn’t until after I got married that the need to create my own worlds on paper crept back to mind. I think it was a contest ad that made me think, “Hmm, maybe I could do that.” I had tons of ideas, so why not? I started writing a Regency romance, then turned to a ghost romance. Looking back at those, all I see is crap, but it was a learning process. But at the time, it was just something I did in my free time after coming home from the evening shift at the hospital. Writing romance was my way of winding down from eight hours of nursing duties/stress.

Then, the miracle happened and I got pregnant with the twins, and I started to write more. I started a vampire romance set in the Regency period, which is now Moonlight Rendezvous With a Vampire from Amber Quill. After the girls came, everything took a back seat for about a year. Then last December, I decided to go back to writing. Maybe I could make a few extra bucks while staying home with the girls. So, I began to seriously think of writing as a career. Quite a switch from nursing!

You have been a reviewer for years, were you hesitant about branching out as an author?

Starting out as a reviewer was probably the best thing I ever could have done. I never thought about doing it until a few friends wanted to start a review site. I joined but decided to branch off on my own. I started LoveRomances and loved it. It gave me an insight to the romance world enough for me to take the chance. You can’t find out if you’re any good unless you try.

My mother always said I was psychic. The year I met my husband, I said to her, “I’m going to meet the man I’m going to marry this year.” Four months later, I did. When it turned 2002, I said to her, “I’m going to be published this year.” Six months later, I signed the contract for LADY SHEBA. So, no, I didn’t hesitate. I knew the time was right for a change.

Will you continue reviewing as well as writing? Do you find it difficult to balance the two?

I won’t be reviewing books like I used to. I could pump out about 10 reviews a month before, but not now. I will review only a couple a month from now on. I do read a lot of books per month still, I just don’t review all of them anymore.

It is difficult to balance a writing career with reviewing. Toward the end of my stay at LoveRomances, I had already wanted to back away from the site and reviewing. Basically, I had to make a choice between being known for reviewing or writing in the romance community. I chose writing. I enjoy reviewing though, which is why I will continue on a much smaller scale at Fallen Angels.

What do you consider a good review?

A well written review is one that gives a good summary of the story without telling too much of the little details gained in actually reading the book. In addition to the summary, a well thought out critique should reflect the reviewer’s opinion.

Of course, if they disliked the book, a reviewer’s opinion should not be a direct attack on the author personally. Reviewers sometimes forget that each story put out by an author is their ‘baby’ and will have emotional responses to comments made. Hey, we’re all human.

A book has to have some quality about it to be published in the first place. Reviewers should find SOMETHING good to say about it. If the book has faults, it is ok to point them out, but in a sensitive manner. Some reviewers need to keep in mind the old saying, “Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.” No one wants to read a review saying their book is crap.

Does reader’s feedback help you with your writing? Is the feedback something that is very important to you?

Oh, I love to hear reader feedback. That is why I attend a lot of chats. People talking about my book and how much they liked it is something all authors love. We pour our hearts and souls into our work, and when someone says, “Hey, that book by Mari is awesome, you’ve got to read it!” is like a drug. Yes, it motivates me to continue writing, definitely.

I had a lot of reader feedback on Lady Sheba's secondary character, Nathaniel, a grey house cat with a dry sense of humor. So much so, I will be bringing him back in the sequel, Sands of Seduction. So you see, reader feedback is important. They wanted more of the wise-cracking Nathaniel, and I will deliver.

How long did it take to get your first book published?

Once I completed Another Chance, I sent it out to two publishers, one of which turned it down flat. I got pretty discouraged, but had hopes someone would like my short erotic romance. In the meantime while waiting to hear word from the other publisher, I wrote Lady Sheba. When that was finished, I sent it off to them too. A month later, I was at a chat and gave away a galley of Lady Sheba, and an editor of Extasy won it. The next morning I was asked if I was looking for a publisher for it. It was contracted within hours. Really, considering some people take years to get published, my story is fairly quick. I had my first contract within two months of my first completed story.

How did you feel the day your first book, Lady Sheba was released?

Unreal. I am still in awe each time something of mine comes out.

Can you tell us about your latest release, Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

The idea for Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? came to me after reading all the hype over takes on fairy tales, an idea going on for years with numerous publishers ranging from the more romantic to the more risque. I was an avid fan of the Linda Jones’ books like Let Your Hair Down and Cinderfella, so trying a fairy tale adaption seemed inevitable. But which one?

I didn’t want to be tied to one tale, too limiting. There were just so many cool ideas to use. So, I came up with Big Bad Wolf. Of course, think of a wolfman, you think Wolfman Jack (or at least I do), and the idea just snowballed. What kind of fairy tales have a wolf in them? Little Red Riding Hood, of course. Perfect! Wolfman is caught by Red eating Grandma in a very precarious manner. As I wrote, I came up with more connections: the beanstalk and the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, Jill from Jack and Jill and their true story of what happened on the hill, and of course, the Bacon Brothers from the Three Little Pigs. Writing that story, which is really a romantic comedy with fantasy elements, I figured the crazier, the better.
If readers are in the mood for a wild hysterical adventure with lots of action and hot sexual heat, then Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? will fit the bill. I really had a great response on the book, where people have said it was the funniest book they read in a long time.

What is a day like in your life? Do you have a strict writing schedule?

My life is pretty boring really. I get up at about 8am and get the twins up and give them breakfast. After that, they play in their play yard while I answer emails and plan my day. I don’t keep a strict writing schedule. That is almost impossible to do with toddlers around. But the good thing about twins is the instant playmate. Luckily, they play very well together and don’t need me to entertain them on a constant basis.

I write when I can through the day, during nap time or when the girls are at play. Everyday isn’t a work day though. I take a break on the weekends sometimes to go out with my mother and the girls to lunch and a trip to BAM.

During the week, my husband does things to help me spend more time writing by fixing dinner and such. Now, if I could get him to vacuum, he’d be perfect. :D

In all, I get plenty of time to write and it shows. I had three releases in three months at Extasy and more to come. Now, I have a line of releases at Amber Quill to come over the next few months as well.

What do you find the hardest thing about writing? The easiest?

Hardest thing about writing is editing. I hate it. Once I’m done a book, I don’t want to go back. I want to start something new by then. I don’t mind editing other people’s stuff, but my own...blah!

Easiest part is the creation part. I’m a go with the flow type of writer, which means I have a basic idea of what I want to happen, but I don’t plan every little detail. I don’t outline. Ideas flow like the words from my fingertips. I’ll write something then a week later I’m working on the same book and say, hey, I know what I can do. I mentioned such and such earlier in the book, and this will fit in nicely for a good twist. Once people read Christmas Magic, they’ll know exactly what I mean. It has a surprise ending that I didn’t expect until the moment I was writing it. It ended up being a wonderful addition to the story.

I usually write something of my own life within my stories, which makes it easier for me to identify with the characters. In Christmas Magic the surprise ending is actually a part (kind of) from my real life. In Another Chance, that story is so based in reality, its hard for me to read over it again. Not that I want my lost love back, but some things mentioned in it are just too personal. In the upcoming Amber Quill short, Descendants of Darkness: Alonso, there is a past incident mentioned about the heroine, Jolie, and her pet pony, Peanuts. Again, it’s right from my real life. Some may wonder what part of Lady Sheba is a part of me. Actually, I come out as Nathaniel, which is odd since people just loved him. His sense of humor is very much how I am in real life, always finding something to joke about or comment on.

Do you write any other stories besides erotic fiction?

I do write some non-erotic stories under the name Shaylee O’Hara . Right now, as Shay, I’m writing a faerie story, called The Price for Victory, for (hopefully) an upcoming NBI anthology. It features a Fae Queen turning to a human knight she finds at a Renaissance Faire for help in ridding her land of an evil hydra sucking the life force and magic from her people. I also have plans for a historical romance set in Ancient Egypt at the time of King Tutankhamun, tentatively called Eye of Devine Vengenance.

You have recently announced that you have joined the Amber Quill Press family. When will you have a release out with them? What can you tell us about this book?

My first release with Amber Quill should be in December 2003 with Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire. Then in January 2004, my new vampire series Descendants of Darkness will begin with the release of Alonso. There are four books planned to the series.

Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire
Coming from Amber Quill Press - December 2003:

Angelina had met a mysterious man as a child, and he continued to live in her memory all her life. Now a young woman in her sixth season on the London marriage mart, Angelina looked for the man who haunted her dreams with his striking green eyes and mesmerizing touch.

Count Roman waited years to finally take Angelina as his mate. Her blood called to him as he waited for her to grow into a beautiful woman, and now the time has come. Can he wait to win her heart in the restrains of English society? And once she learned his secret, will she be willing to become like him, and live off the blood of the living?

Descendants of Darkness: Alonso
Coming from Amber Quill Press - January 2004:

Alonso existed for over six and a half centuries, and the anniversary of his turning was always troublesome. When he hears a woman call to him in the recesses of his mind for help, he knows why. The demoni Lucius was hunting her. Only, when he comes face to face with Jolie, a psychic and Tarot card reader, his entire world is turned upside down. Only bonding his body and soul to her could ease the hunger she invoked.

Where do you hope to see your career at within the next 5 years?

I hope to be still writing, of course. I’m perfectly happy with small publishers at this time. Although, I would like to get into a bigger publisher, like Kensington’s Brava line, in the future. Hey, if you’re going to aim for something, why not aim high?

What do you love most about writing?

Story telling is the best part of writing. I can get completely swept up with the characters and the action around them. I guess you could say, I live the adventure along with them.

Need I mention the gorgeous heroes? They are all my fantasy men in some way. Who hasn’t fantasized about a muscular Gladiator pleasuring them for a night? Or, a stormy reunion with a lost lover? Or, a dark vampire vowing you are his life mate and promises an eternity of sexual pleasure and love everlasting? See, being an author gives a dreamer (like me) free reign to live with fantasies. Oh, the torture.

Do you find it difficult balance writing as well as a husband, TWIN daughters, & home life?

My husband is extremely supportive in my writing. If he sees me not writing, he’ll ask why. I swear, sometimes he can be a task master.

My girls at this time are toddlers and it is much easier now than it used to be. They play well together and they don’t need me as their sole source of entertainment. For the first year, I had to be in the room at all times and that was difficult. Now, they play together fairly well in a gated play area. It’s a mess, but hey, they’re safe. Yes, my house looks like a toddler hurricane plowed through, but you couldn’t meet happier kids. I get a lot of compliments from family and friends that they must be the happiest children. They are always smiling and laughing. Actually, both have potential to be class clowns. Just like mommy.

So, my home life is pretty full around my writing. I’m happier than ever before. Mark and the girls are my life and my writing is just the cherry on top of it all. I may not make thousands of dollars in writing (yet), but I’m home and enjoying every minute with the ones who love me the most. The fact they are supportive, including my mom, brother and in laws, how could I ask for anything more?

Who are some of your favourite authors?

What a hard question! I love so many, I don’t think I can list them all. I find new authors that become auto buys all the time too. Sahara Kelly, Stephanie ‘Flash’ Burke, Jeya Jenson, Sascha Illyvich, Desiree Erotique, MA DuBarry/Angelique Armae, Caitlyn Willows/Catherine Snodgrass, Linnea Sinclair, Johanna Lindsey (older works), Tori Carrington, Sandra Hill, Lisa Jackson, Christine Feehan, Victoria Alexander, Deborah Lynne, Christine Poe, Virginia Henley, and Heather Graham/Shanon Drake are some of my favorite authors.

I was lucky enough to meet quite a few of them at RT this year, which was a total thrill. Deborah Lynne ended up being my long lost soul sister! And I almost got on the ground to bow before Heather Graham. I’ve been a fan of hers back when she wrote historicals for Harlequin. Need I mention how wild and zany Flash can be? She needs to bottle that energy and sell it. The high point of the convention was meeting Catherine Snodgrass and Angelique Armae. I’ve been reading and reviewing their books for a while and it was very moving to meet them face to face.

What advice would you give aspiring authors with their writing and on how to get their works published?

Believe in yourself, and others will too. Self confidence is key. No matter what, keep plugging away. The right publisher will want your stuff when the time is right. I totally believe that.

Reviewing helped me gather connections within the romance world, so I’d suggest that to aspiring authors as well. Hey, it helps your name get recognized and will bring that manuscript out of the slush pile, or at least, closer to the top of it.

And go to conventions. Go to RT and/or RWA conferences. I can’t tell you how wonderful those are with building your career.

What do you want readers to take with them after reading one of your books? What do you hope for them to understand about erotic fiction and/or love and relationships in general?

My goal for my readers is to be entertained. I write what I would like to read – books with lots of action, to-die-for heroes, hot, passionate sex, and love that is everlasting. I write on the lighter side of erotic romance, which means people can pretty much know what to expect, a one man/one woman relationship based in love.

Erotic romance/fiction is vastly misunderstood as a whole. With publishers like Amber Quill, Ellora’s Cave, Extasy and New Concepts, readers are finding that ‘erotic’ doesn’t mean ‘porn’. Sure, there are levels of heat in erotic romance, but not all are the same. If what many erotic romance/romantica authors write was porn, I doubt it would be as popular as it is now.

In my books, many times the hero and heroine feel a mutual attraction at their first meeting. The time it takes for them to act on those feeling varies, but the outcome is the same. Once they sample the passion, it becomes an addiction they must have again and again. Didn’t everyone feel like that at one time? I know I did, so I express that through my characters. It is nice to revisit those exciting times of new love, and I hope readers come away feeling the same exhilaration.

You have some amazing covers on your books, who does the covers and do you have any input into them?

I know, I have been extremely lucky with all my covers.

At Amber Quill, the talented artist/wizard is Trace Edward Zaber. I couldn’t be more pleased with the covers for Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire and the Descendants of Darkness series. As I said on my website, I wanted to keep Alonso hidden away for my own enjoyment. All of my Descendants are hunks and I love them all.

At Extasy Books, our cover artist extra-ordinaire is Martine Jardin. I am amazed every time she sends me a new cover. It’s like Christmas opening up those emails. The Lady Sheba cover has to be one of my favorites.

Generally, I do get input in all my covers. I tell what I imagine and they create it. Now, not all my ideas happen, they have a better knowledge of what would work than I would. I love to be pleasantly surprised like that.

If people like the covers, I do have a few wallpapers made of my covers on my website in the ‘Extras’ section. Trace made a wonderful compilation of all the Descendants in a wallpaper. Talk about eye-candy.

How many releases are tentatively set for release for the next year? What do you have coming up for release? Can you give us brief tidbits about any upcoming tales and their release dates?

As of right now with Amber Quill I have Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire coming in December 2003 and four installments to Descendants of Darkness coming in 2004. I also plan a sequel to MRWAV as well. I talked about those earlier in this interview. The Descendants series may continue into more stories depending on reader response. If they like the tales of vampires in New Orleans, I’ll write more.

With Extasy, I have Christmas Magic set to come out in December 2003. I am also taking part in an anthology called Twilight Syndicat that will feature stories set around a paranormal investigation company run by vampires. My story is called The Haunting of the Desert Rose and features a ghostly prostitute haunting the Desert Rose Ranch outside Las Vegas.

Here is a sampling of Christmas Magic coming from Extasy Books:

She leaned over the back of the chair placing her hands on his shoulders. A shudder of excitement shot through his veins. He had to make love to her tonight. It was a must. God, it had been way too long since he plunged into her inviting wetness. Her standing so close and smelling so enticing, he had to make her his once again.

Right then he decided to ease up his business duties. It was time to hand over more to his staff. He could afford to delegate more to keep his wife happy.

“Finished working for the night, David?” she asked in a sultry voice. When did he last hear her sound so...sexy?

“Yeah,” he gasped in reply as her long fingernails grazed his face. His eyes drifted closed as he sat enjoying the touch of her against his skin.

“Good, ‘cause, I’ve got plans.” She lifted his arms and a softness wrapped around his wrists.

With a click of metal, he realized he was cuffed. Fuzzy handcuffs encircled his wrists. “What the–“

“It’s about time you gave me your attention, David. And tonight, it won’t waver. You’re mine to do with as I please.”

Also coming in December from Amber Quill will be Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire Here’s a teaser of this erotic historical vampire romance:

Upon the night wind, a voice drifted a thought through the air into her room. Angelina, let me in. Invite me, moya lubov.

Sitting up in bed, she kept an eye on the ebony bird glaring at her with dark eyes. Fear and exhilaration shot through her body as her blood pumped faster through her veins. Was she imagining again?

Call to me with your heart, Lina.

Warmth spread around her body as a lover's embrace. The feeling left her comforted, yet her body felt on alert. Her breathing quickened and her heart raced. The warmth wrapped around her tighter and soothed her. The raven jumped down to the balcony floor, and its shape grew larger, shifting in size and shape, until the outline of a powerful man stood outside her door.

I need you, my Lina.

Coming in January is the beginning of the Descendants of Darkness series with the first installment, Alonso. Here is a short excerpt:

He gazed at her with an intense heat in his eyes. Sex. Hot, passionate sex. The look told her, loud and clear. Could she give herself to him for a night of lust?

Hell, yes.

“Ah, could…could I get you something to drink—coffee, a glass of wine?” she stammered as she walked to the kitchen.

“I never drink…wine,” he said with a slight chuckle.

She smiled. “A fan of old horror movies?”

“I find some of the films of vampires quite entertaining.”

“Those are my favorites, too. Bela Lugosi was an awesome Dracula, but Frank Langella was much sexier.”

“I liked both of those,” he said, closing the distance between them, the crackle in the air utterly palpable. “Have you ever dreamed of a vampire coming to seduce you into an eternity of love and passion?”

“I think there are many women who dream of a love everlasting.”

He stood so close, she could smell his spicy scent, woods and the clean outdoors. Placing his palm on her hip, he pulled her to him. Her body fit perfectly, his hard planes an intoxicating contrast to her softer curves. His hypnotic gaze melted her against him further.

“Would you want me to be that vampire to give you that love?”

Right now I am working on Love in the Arena. It’s a time travel erotic romance set in ancient Rome during the time of Julius Caesar. Here is a brief snippet to tantalize:

His finger went to her chin and stroked the skin along her jaw. All thoughts of anything else washed away and Julia felt herself entranced under Marcus' magical touch. His lips traced over her forehead along her hairline, his warm breath sending tingles along her skin. It was hard to believe such a simple act could be so erotic and arousing.

Her fingertips grazed over the hardened muscles of his back and a small moan escaped her lips.

“Ever since I saw you those years ago, only you have haunted my dreams, Julia,” he breathed softly against her hair. “To have you here, now, I can hardly believe my own senses.” His arms pulled her body harder to his as his lips tasted her neck’s tender skin. “How can this condemned slave show his gratitude?”

Julia’s lips parted and she inhaled deeply, taking in his intoxicating scent of sandalwood and male. His lips were doing incredible things to her senses as his hands awakened the sensual being she never knew existed. Finally she breathed out her wish as her eyelids fluttered closed, “Take me.”

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

I invite everyone to come and visit me online at Marianne LaCroix or Shay LeeOHara. I include excerpts of all my upcoming and available works there and have contests running all the time. Please, come and check visit me.

Thank you again Marianne. We wish you luck with all your endeavours.

Thank you, Tracey, and Fallen Angels Reviews for this opportunity.

Interviewed by: Tracey