The Symphony of Spring was actually written as a gift for a friend of mine. She has a thing for cowboys, and when we were talking about my writings, she mentioned her "fantasy" which I tried to put to paper. She was VERY happy with the result, and I can't wait to hold the anthology in my hands, autograph it and give her a copy. Although, since The Symphony of Spring is very tame compared to Cowboy's Dungeon, I will have to issue her a warning.

Cowboy's Dungeon actually came about as a result of the Ride 'em Cowboy anthology. When I read the Calls For Submissions on the ERWA website, Natalie started talking to me, about all the naughty things her and Andrew did out in his dungeon. With the help of a wonderful friend (and editor) Natalie's tale of D/s pony play came to be.

Um, I wrote my first 'poem' in the third grade. *smiles* But I really started to seriously pen my thoughts when I started high school. Wrote my freshmen and sophomore years, generally the typical teenage angst ridden poems that most teenagers seem to gravitate towards.

But I started writing erotica in 1998.

About age 16, I was hooked on romance novels (still am) and I had a boyfriend who encouraged me to try my hand at writing, so I started writing my "fantasies", putting to paper the things I had read about that I wanted to try with him. Luckily, it never progressed beyond putting it to paper.

After breaking up with him, I pretty much stopped writing, until I moved in with my husband. (we lived together before marrying). Thanks to him, we got the Internet, and I started trying to find other bisexuals to talk to, and wound up meeting several erotica authors, who encouraged me to try my hand again at writing.

And it just fit. I enjoy writing short stories, and I love writing erotica.

It fluctuates. Sometimes I write for four hours a day six days a week, for months, and other times I go a month or more without writing anything.

I get up to either my daughter asking for cereal or the pesky alarm going off. I get my daughter feed (and either off to school or settled for a day at home), check my email and get ready for work. After the standard day job is done, I come home, cook dinner, check my email again and then I open word.

While hubby has the TV going, and is working, and my daughter is doing one of a dozen different things, I write. If I have a story to tell that is. If not, then I surf some, read a lot, spend time with my husband and daughter, and generally veg.

I've thought about it, and even have some ideas, but it's a whole different ball game than what I am used to. I have the utmost respect for novel writers - I can't get past the second chapter. There is SO MUCH more fleshing out required of a novel than a short story. The whole back-story, evolving plot, and depth to the characters

. Right now, I still have so much to learn, but here's hoping - one day.

Without a doubt, my husband. He convinced me to submit to calls for submissions, he consoled me when I received rejection letters and cheered for me when I received acceptances.

Best advice? Ouch. Um, one of the writers at ERWA said something to the effect of "Write a little each day. Even if it sucks, just get something down. Cause when it comes down to it, it's a whole lot easier to edit a crappy story than a blank document."

Yep, lots of favorite authors. Suspense, murder mystery type novels I love Kay Hooper. I am biting my nails wailing on her next book. As for romance, I love the futuristic authors - Susan Grant, Angela Knight, Catherine Spangler, Linnea Sinclair, and C. J. Barr. Erotica/Erotic Romance would have to be MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight and Alison Tyler.

To be honest, I still don't see myself as "successful." I know that some editors and readers enjoy my writings, and I have some stories that I am very proud of. But successful? Not just yet. But I am getting there.

"It was a long time before I was able to say to myself: I am *not* going to be ashamed of my sexual thoughts and desires, they are me myself, they are a part of my life. I am going to accept myself sexually as I accept myself mentally and spiritually, and know that I am one time one thing, one time another, but I am always myself. My sex is me as my mind is me, and nobody will make me feel shame about it."
~ D. H. Lawrence ~

Being bisexual has been hard at times, and this statement just sort of leapt out at me the first time I came across it online.

What is the one item in you life that you couldn't live without?

Besides family members? LOL, My BOOKS! I remember once, my grades slipped in school and my dad grounded me from my books. Took them all away, boxed up and locked up, until my grades improved. Let me tell you, I started doing my homework as soon as I got home. Nine weeks later, my books were given back.

If you could travel to anyplace in the world, where would you go and why?

Egypt. While I have always wanted to visit other countries like England and Scotland, if I had to choose just one - Egypt, without a doubt. While each country has it's attractions and wonders, there's just something about the idea of standing at the base of the sphinx, of looking up at the pyramids that intrigues me.

What stories are you currently working on?

I have about a dozen short stories I have been pecking away on the last few months. My words in progress folder sometimes gets as full as two or three dozen, or every so often I get it whittled down to a few stories, before I start on new one.s

Is there anything you would like to add before we go?

Just that it's been great filling out this interview, a first for me. And if anyone has any questions, my email is always open

Michelle, thank you once again for taking the talk to us at Fallen Angel Reviews. I wish you the best with all your future projects.

Michelle has a great website with lots of short stories, excerpts and more. Check out Renaissance Books to buy her collection of steamy bedtime stories!

Interviewed by: Kathi