Author of the Week - Veronica Scott

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Veronica Scott visits the blog. I met Mardi online during Six Sentence Sunday that morphed into Weekend Writing Warriors. Veronica writes some magnificent science fiction and fantasy Egyptian romance. I truly appreciate that because I started out as a science fiction/fantasy reader and writer. Today I asked her one question about what grabs her most about ancient peoples.

BBTF: Many of your books contain ancient civilizations with a magical twist. What spurred you to write about these historical peoples?

Veronica: I grew up in a home with a huge library and parents who read all the time, which encouraged me to do the same. My Dad loved science fiction and my mother was into fiction and nonfiction about the ancient world, especially Egypt and Greece. So I grew up loving both genres but definitely leaning toward stories containing mysterious, mystical touches. I ate up the novels where cool things happened if the old gods – of Earth or out in the galaxy – got involved. I enjoy giving glimpses of mysteries that are so far in the past we can’t ever know anything for sure about them, even as my characters are affected for better or for worse, as in Escape From Zulaire. I love events that can’t be explained by any rational process because I believe they add spice to life. I always wanted to write romance novels about ancient Egypt, but couldn’t bring myself to do it without involving the gods as active participants. When I write my science fiction romances, I bring all the research I’ve done into Egypt’s past, and other ancient civilizations, plus that healthy imagination I developed as a kid, and I add touches of myth and mystery to the SF goings-on.

You can find out more about Veronica Scott's books on her website. Be sure to buy a book and tell a friend. Happy reading!

Author of the Week: Dianne Hartsock

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Dianne Hartsock visits the blog. I met Dianne online at Six Sentence Sunday and found her writing to be heartfelt (makes sense, doesn't it?) and endearing. I wanted to know more about the characters, what they did to succeed in their love, and where she would take them. Today I asked her one question about how her muse became in engaged in her genre.

BBTF: You write heartfelt M/M romance in different genres. What about M/M romance captured your heart and your muse?

Dianne: I read my first m/m erotic romance about four years ago, and oh my! I was enchanted. I read pretty much every genre under the sun, but there's just something about two men falling into each other's arms and hearts that fascinates me, makes my pulse pound in my veins.

But I never thought to write an erotic romance story of my own until I attended an online conference for writers several years ago hosted by Muse it Up Publishing. One of the writers there, Jamieson Wolf, held a series of lectures called 'Riding the Lightning'. Did I say lectures? Definitely not! More like a slow seduction, coaxing and teasing us with the delights of writing male on male love.

More than this, Jamieson literally challenged us to write an m/m romance. And a tiny voice inside me whispered, why not? Go ahead. Imagine that strong body shiver under your hand. Feel the texture of his skin, the contours of hard muscles. Write that down.

Now go that one step further, add that bit of naughtiness by having it be two men in this room. See! For whatever reason, this image makes my heart jump and race. Go on, says the impish voice in my head, slide your hand down that sexy body. And if you write it as if your character is another male doing this, wouldn't you feel that slide as if it were on your own body? You would know the delicious pleasure of being rubbed and squeezed, the slow lick of a tongue. You'd want to give that pleasure to your lover. Write that down.

And this is why I write m/m romance! I start with my two men undressing and touching and kissing, one thing leading to another in a hot sensual dance, leading to climax. I love stretching my writing skills, imagining their movements and capturing every touch and emotion and position on the page. Love is Love! And I love writing about it.

Thank you so much for having me as your guest today Siobhan!

Oh, you write so delicious, Dianne! :D

You can find out more about Dianne Hartsock's sexy, seductive, and very male characters on her website. Be sure to buy a book and tell a friend. Happy reading!