1). Hello Rae, how are doing this fine October evening?

Oh, I’m doing fabulous. Happy to be here with you good folks. Hope you guys are doing well also.

2). Thank you for sitting down with us as we conduct our very first author interview for the newly relaunched The Sweetest Taboo. Tell us and our readers a bit about yourself. When and why did you begin writing?

My pleasure! I’m loving the way the new launch is coming along.

Well, I’m an author/artist. In between writing my books and stories, I’m usually doing cover art and other graphic design work. I began writing at about 10 years old? It was on a whim after I saw a call for submissions in one of those Disney Adventure Magazine. And coincidentally it was around this time, too! It was for a scary Halloween contest thing and Twin Peaks was all the rage back then. I remember my story was about a creepy red room but it had no point and was so bad that it went nowhere! But the bug hit me then and from that point on I started writing short stories, screenplays and plays all with an edge of suspense or horror to them. Soon, I started to get the hang of writing and I really enjoyed the storytelling process.

3). You’ve been a member of TST since November 2005, during its beginning stages. Did you ever think the forum would be as big as a success as its been (4 years on)?

Oh man, I had no idea! I remember it’s inception back on the Fox and Whitney board on those really old Invision like forums. There was such a great group there. We were small but were supportive of each other, our couple and the camaraderie was wonderful. LaTee and NickyCrane then went on to create TST and it just grew from there to what it is now. A ginormous success! Smutty is kickin’ booty helping to keep it in line and I’m always loving the new skins the forums have. I was so excited to see that you guys were getting a new site now, also!

4). What inspired you to write your first novel?

My very first novel was Cimmerian City and strangely enough, that was still a bit smallish. But I’m calling it a novel anyway because that took me a while! *laughs* Cimmerian City was inspired by my favorite novel Brave New World with a dash of Blade Runner and a little bit of the Matrix. It went through so many incarnations since I started it in my senior English class but I imagined a world that had a perpetual dark cloudy cover over the city. Vampires existed and since there was no sunlight, they never had to hide. The story grew and at one time there was a android takeover with a virtual reality theme, but I chucked it. Eventually I started noticing tons of pharmaceutical ads all over the place with tons of side effects (that sometimes outweighed the very medicine that was supposed to help)! I wondered what would happen if those pharmaceuticals were sold as an experiment to make stronger, faster humans to live longer. The side effects caused them to turn into blood lusting humanoid creatures called Dracins (a vampire-like species) and from then on, the world of Cimmerian City and my kick butt heroine Raven Blackheart was born.

5). You’ve written numerous stories, orginial as well fan based stories that are currently posted on TST. Would you say as a writer that your style of writing has grown since you first started your thoughts to paper? Do you look back on some of your earlier efforts and wonder what the hell was I thinking (many authors do years down the line)?

I like to think so, yes! I was pretty rough in my storytelling that sort of have a sense of feeling my way around when I first started writing and even when I attempt some stories it still has that non-cohesive feel. But as I write more and learn and teach the story structure, my stories get stronger I think. I like to dip into different genres because I have so many stories to tell like I did back then. I dug up some old stories recently and did indeed wonder what I was thinking lol. If I only knew then…etc.

6). What novels would you say have most influenced you life and your writing?

I’d say Brave New World by Aldous Huxley because of how close to our own society is mirrored in that satire. Creepy, poignant and very well written. What science fiction storytelling really is to me. Also Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire. She made me fall for vampires then not because they were hot to trot, big immortal sexy guys with a 6 pack but because of the way she presented the community as a real separate entity. She really humanized them (a bit oxymoron, but there it is) and made them jump off the page. Plus I was going through that whole teen, dark phase so her work really spoke to me!

7). You’re currently a published author, congratulations, with 7 books and numerous short stories under your belt and many others in the works? How do you manage to keep your ideas fresh and also how do you manage to keep your stories from bleeding into each other?

Thanks! Sometimes I get the names mixed up when I’m referring to one story and call the heroine by another name *laughs*. But I make sure to keep them coherent on the page.

I think the ideas tend to categorize themselves by genre. I love to mesh the genres together to get a new idea or a new spin on an old idea. I think it’s the characters that really make the story ideas fresh because I try not to write clichéd stories and characters that a lot of authors have covered already. I like to bring new experiences and characters to readers to give them a new perspective on things they may not have considered or read about before. Thankfully a lot of my fiction has its own world and mood so it’s easy to keep them separate from each other. There are still some genres I want to try that I’ve never written in before so stay tuned for those works!

8). Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I think it’s always challenging during the first draft with me. Just getting that story out of my head and onto the page can sometimes be a bit laborious. After it’s down, I can mold it, rewrite it, tweak it anyway but it’s that first hump I have to dive over.

9). Are the experiences based on someone you know or experiences from your own life?

Hmm. Not directly. My life is pretty dullsville so it’s more about “what would happen if…” especially based on the world around me. I get a lot of ideas from news and society where I often like to ponder certain circumstances based on a particular personality. If I add a little paranormal bend or maybe a science fiction/futuristic angle, I can see how far that story will take me.

10). You write mainly romance, science fiction and fantasy. Romance is a very broad genre and incredibly popular as the numerous bestseller listings attest to. However science fiction and fantasy, especially when they come to characters of colour isn’t that big a niche in the world of publishing. So why did you decide to write for such a genre?

I think it’s always been a part of me. I grew up on sci-fi and fantasy practically from birth. My father and brother were both into Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, all the tv shows and movies that came out during the 70s and 80s with that SF &F flair that I naturally fell into it. I loved the futuristic worlds and technology that were presented and many of the shows were progressive in putting people of color in where they were usually ignored other places. They were pretty off, of course, as far as the ratio of people of color to the majority, but I loved the idea of how progressive humanity can be technology and society wise. It seemed natural to see more authors of colors explore that venue since there’s so much speculation and wiggle room to explore so much of humanity in an alternate text. Since I came up with so many ideas in the genres that featured characters who looked like me, I thought I could help change things to a little more diverse and positive light with my stories. But all in all, it’s always been apart of my likes and dislikes. I guess I’ve been a lifetime geek girl at heart!

11). Speaking of science fiction, tell us about your Cimmerian Series? How did you come up with such a title?

Sure! This series is definitely my heart because it’s the first one that really pushed me into writing novels. Way back when as I came up with the story, I wanted something that was similar to a “dark city”. After all, this futuristic Los Angeles was metaphorically dark based on the society’s values and way of thinking. But they were also literally dark as in bathed in darkness due to pollution taking over most of the city. At the time I had an old word processing thesaurus in my computer and when I punched in “dark” up popped ‘Cimmerian’. Usually it’s likened to Conan the Barbarian (who was a Cimmerian) but it’s also in Homer’s The Odyssey where Odysseus meets the Cimmerians who “live in a world of perpetual darkness”. I thought perfect! There’s my title! I even went ahead an added a quote from The Odyssey in the follow-up to Cimmerian City called ‘A Feast of Shadows’ coming in March 2010 to set the groundwork for the world.

12). Would you say there is a message in the Cimmerian Series that you want readers to grasp?

I think so. There are issues of how one race can see another as inferior and treat them as such based on keeping the majority in power; whether through blatantly not giving them basic human rights and needs or using them as guinea pigs for experimentation. There also issues of class differences and privilege based on how much money one has and how they look. All of it is naturally based on what I see in today’s world and through my main character Raven, it’s a way of saying these things are wrong and will eventually lead to society’s destruction. In fact, because of these things and the greed of government the Earth is quickly dying but there lies a hope for a better life that comes with some hard fighting and kicking butt.

13). If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in any of your previous works?

I would probably tweak a bit of my contemporaries here and there. I’m glad I wrote them and I’m proud that I started and finished them but some I will continually want to tweak because I’m harder on myself with that genre than the others. Contemporaries are more grounded in reality so you have to make it as realistic as possible.

14). Can you share a little bit of your current work with us?

Sure! I’m about to go through edits to polish up ‘A Feast of Shadows’ which will be a standalone story in case any readers want to hope into the world of the Cimmerian Series. I’ll be re-releasing Cimmerian City around the same time so it will serve as a prequel, in a sense. I’m also tweaking a princess and a violinist themed romance novella that will be released very soon. I love classical music and wanted to make one with that theme especially with an interracial couple. It’s harkens a bit back to sweeter romances.

I also have a few projects up in the air. I needed a break from longer works so I’m working on a few novellas and short stories. One has a wizard theme and it’s for an upcoming anthology. Another short story is a young adult twist on an old Japanese myth that will take place in a futuristic off world sci-fi setting. I’m also polishing up a mystery/noir novella with a side of romance and revenge.

For longer works, I have a historical in the works based on a young girl who grew up in slavery and went on to become one of the most beautiful and sought after women in 18^th century France, shortly before the French Revolution broke out. This was a true story that I dug up and am currently trying to get together. It’s a little tough because some of the facts aren’t there which will take the historical in ‘historical fiction’ territory. Also, another romantic suspense and an untitled cyborg sci-fi romance that’s a bit down the line.

On the non-fiction end I’m working on an academic paper on the rise and relevance of the interracial romance subgenre in romance.

15). Do you see writing as a viable career choice?

I think a few years ago it was definitely a viable career choice but now with the depression hitting the publishing industry, there is a lot up in the air for people who want to pursue traditional publishing. Many of the larger houses are folding, outsourcing and closing down divisions while getting rid of many in-house editors who’ve been there for years. Author advances are shrinking down to nothing while editors focus on their blockbuster list.

The industry overall is highly outdated and they’re being dragged into the 21^st century kicking and screaming with the advent of e-books and print on demand. It’s not going through a change, it’s going through a major overhaul and it probably won’t look the same as it is now when it’s all over. That said, there’s a wonderful way of making it as a writer if you’re willing to be creative in how you get your work out. Marketing and promoting are just that, but you have to engage your readers, get to know them and enjoy reading yourself. A lot of authors are taking the publishing process in their own hands and reaching readers who enjoy their work. It’s definitely doable now even more, but you have to learn the process and be willing to go the extra mile for your work. You’ll probably have to keep your day job for a while until things really even out and you start to see some big returns on your work.

16.). Many of us feel that the publishing world has neglected writers and characters of colour. Do you feel that enough is being done to bridge the gap in the world of publishing?

I don’t think nearly enough is being done in publishing itself and in bookstores. I don’t believe in segregating books based on author background which is what is happening a lot, especially in romance. There can be much more done to promote diverse characters and integration of authors across all genres whether by giving them the promotional push or just making them more available. Publishing is sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Editors believe diverse books or books featuring characters of color don’t sell so they don’t put the money behind it. Therefore it doesn’t get a chance. A book that they want to put on the bestseller lists, they will make available everywhere, promote it like crazy and put it right out front on the tables the second you walk in the bookstore. With a little shifting, they can up their portfolio of book backlists and get mainstream readers comfortable with a variety of books.

Right now many characters of color are either stereotyped in urban lit or just plain ignored. Unless you go online to the blogs and the small press. I’ve been amazed at how much support there is for more diverse books in the young adult arena and have found many editors, teachers and readers sharing some great titles there. I’d love to see this spread to the adult book arena, especially in romance and the speculative genres. I think as the industry changes, it’ll be the people rather than those running things who will make the biggest differences.

17). You also teach a course in writing for adults. How many days per week do you do this and what exactly do you teach? Basic writing skills, novel writing 101, etc?

I do, yes. Every Saturday evening I teach a novel writing course for people who have always wanted to write a novel but never had a chance. It’s in Second Life which is a great virtual world for learning and teaching courses. Many schools currently use it for teaching virtual classes and I was excited when I was asked to teach novel writing. I go through the basics of storytelling structure and touch a bit on publishing as well. It’s merged a bit into a writing discussion as well as a class and it’s been really fun. The first session consisted of getting students ready to write and finish their first chapter. Right now we’re gearing everyone up for National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) for November and sharing how to structure a novel will hopefully help everyone to get ready to write that novel throughout the month!

18). Who is your favourite author and what is it that you find so wonderful about their work?

Hmm. That’s a good question because I always tend to hop around books and genres. Usually I don’t tend to like all of an author’s work, but I’ll enjoy a good amount. For instance, I really enjoy Diana Gabaldon’s first two books in the Outlander series. I love the way she takes risks in her books and really brings out the emotion with her characters and their trials. She has a way of writing so you can identify exactly how the character is feeling and thinking with a simple yet universal description.

19). Any tips for would be writers?

Yes, I’d say whatever you write, write from the heart. If you love penning the story, the passion will show in your work. Learn what goes into writing a good story and read A LOT. The more you read, the better writer you will become because you will know what works and what doesn’t work. When you start, keep in mind the golden rule: give yourself permission to write a crappy first draft. Whatever you write, it won’t come out perfect the first time so focus on getting it out of your head and onto the page. Then you can mold it, edit it and rewrite it to perfection. Learn the craft, apply it, rinse and repeat. You’ll only get better with each book you write. Above all, never give up.

20). Any books you love above all others and read time and time again? What book are you currently reading?

Oh yes. A new favorite is a free novel I happened to come upon online called Letter to My Mother by Rebecca Heath. Wonderful, poignant love story that I can read over and over again. Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice and my Edgar Allen Poe Collection. I’m still catching up on some classics and old favorites so this list will probably grow very soon!

I’m currently reading a few: Faerie Blood by Angela Korra’ti, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Dark Lover by J.R. Ward and Black Ice by Anne Stuart. Hopefully, I’ll get some heavy reading done this weekend!