Friday 13 July 2012

Welcome Ellora's Cave author, Sara Brookes!



 Hi, Sara and welcome to my site! From what I've heard from other authors, Ellora's Cave are a fantastic publisher to work with. Do you have any tips or stories you'd like to share about your experience with them? I wish you all the best with your ongoing tour. I have to say, you look SO young - huge congrats on your writing success!

Okay, on with the interview...

1)   What is your writing routine?

Since I still have a day job, a husband & teen who are both avid golfers, I’m one of those who has to be able to write anywhere at any time. I’m the one scribbling in a notebook on the sidelines. LOL So my routine is more focused on getting a book from first draft to submission. From the technical standpoint, it’s pretty boring. Sometimes just finishing is a huge milestone itself.

2)   Which author/s inspire you to write?

Every single one of them? *g* I mean that too. From the NYT Bestseller to the author just releasing their very first book.

3)   Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

As far as reading goes, I’ll read anything. I don’t have a specific preference, as long as it’s a good story (sometimes, it doesn’t even have to be romance!). On the writing front, I tend to gravitate to contemporary romance and science-fiction/futuristic romance. Lately my work has been of the erotic variety as well, which is fun.

4)   How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

I personally take it in stride. I think you have to in this business because you’re knowingly opening yourself to criticism as soon as you hit send or a book releases. Some people like to be more vocal about it than others. The reality is not everyone is going to like or connect with you and your work. Best thing I like to do is focus the energy I could spend sulking about criticism/rejection on writing. Time better spent, IMHO.

5)   What do you expect from an editor?

I want someone who will work with me and sometimes give me a push when I need it. One of my editors is fabulous for this. She’ll tell me I’ve done a great job, but she knows I can go deeper and make a particular scene even more passionate and intense than it already is. She’s always right too—which I love!


6)   Tell me about your latest release

Chasing Sin is a ménage (m/m/f) contemporary erotic romance about three friends who chase storms. Yep, I wrote an erotic romance about storm chasers! *g* Snyder and Tripp have been together for around nine years, and they’ve been chasing storms in Tornado Alley with Kate for five of those. After a particularly dangerous chase, they decide they can’t wait to let Kate know how they really feel about her. She’s reluctant but she gives in. Oh yes, does she ever give in. *G*

7)   Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt

Every spring, Kate risks her life chasing violent storms. Tired of watching her take unnecessary chances, two of her closest friends offer a different thrill. Devoted lovers Snyder and Tripp don’t just share a passion for nature’s fury; they long to have the fearless woman between them.
Though she is reluctant, she also knows the proposition is too irresistible to refuse. Her acceptance leads to an explosive night of no-holes-barred sex for the threesome. However, when morning dawns, she realizes this type of unusual relationship isn’t one she belongs in.
Despite her best efforts to keep the men at arm’s length, Kate finds herself facing down the storm of the century with them at her side. When Mother Nature intrudes, the trio discovers shelter in each other’s arms. With the hurricane raging outside and passion raging inside, everything is at stake.

8)   Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?

Sorry Snyder and Tripp – as much as I loved working with the two of you, I gotta go with Kate here. LOL Kate is one of those women who knows what she likes—a hot night with two men sharing her isn’t a new thing for her. There’s even a spot early on where readers get to see her hesitation in no way relates to a threesome:

She liked sex. She liked it dirty and raw. And she liked it enough to never make any kind of apologies about just how rough and uninhibited she liked it.
Being with Snyder and Tripp together was right up her alley.

Though she finds herself attracted to both men, she knows the risk of ruining their friendship is high. Plus, she’s a firm believer chasing storms isn’t suited for a relationship, much less a triad relationship that comes with its own set of complications. As the story unfolds, readers find out that’s not her only concern though.

9)   What are you working on right now?

I have a few projects going on at the moment, most notably a follow up to one of my other m/m/f books (this one a BDSM title) Ragged Edge. Before we even finished up with edits for it last year, my editor was already asking for another book set in the same world/club. Luckily, one of the secondary characters in Ragged Edge was already talking up a storm for me to tell his story. Adam is a complicated Dom to work with because he’s all about denial. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. *g*


10)                  Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

My one word piece of advice: READ. Okay, I have more than one word to say here, but that’s the gist of it. Most authors started out as readers. I know I personally love to get lost inside a book—leave reality behind even for just a little bit. Most of the time reading reminds ME why I love to write and tell stories.

11)                  Where can readers find you?

I’m a Twitter nut, so that’s a good place to start! I’m on Facebook too where I also have an author page. I use that to share news in general, plus the occasional special announcement. My webpage is a good place to find out information about all my books, coming soon and recent releases. There’s even a booklist that’s sorted by series order and publication order. And I love to hear from readers through email.

Email:  sara@sarabrookes.net
  


Chasing Sin
By
Sara  Brookes

BLURB:  

Every spring, Kate risks her life chasing violent storms. Tired of watching her take unnecessary chances, two of her closest friends offer a different thrill. Devoted lovers Snyder and Tripp don’t just share a passion for nature’s fury; they long to have the fearless woman between them.
Though she is reluctant, she also knows the proposition is too irresistible to refuse. Her acceptance leads to an explosive night of no-holes-barred sex for the threesome. However, when morning dawns, she realizes this type of unusual relationship isn’t one she belongs in.
Despite her best efforts to keep the men at arm’s length, Kate finds herself facing down the storm of the century with them at her side. With Mother Nature intruding, the trio discovers shelter in each other’s arms. With the hurricane raging outside and passion raging inside, everything is at stake.
 

EXCERPT: 

A small group of men played near the waterline, flinging a Frisbee back and forth. Their laughter drifted on the breeze and she knelt in order to snap a few images. She watched them play their game, and got so caught up, she jumped in surprise when two long shadows stretched out on the sand on either side of her.

At least out here the atmosphere wasn’t as suffocating when they came near.

She stared out at the shoreline, waiting for one of the men to speak because she didn’t know what to say.

“You know we don’t care why you left.”

Kate lowered the camera as Tripp spoke, thumbing the power switch to conserve the battery.
Snyder crouched beside her, his fingers dragging through the sun-warmed sand. “Whatever happened that made you feel as if you needed to take off can be fixed. Especially if we had something to do with it.”

Tripp crouched as well, his knees just inches from her arm. “Let us fix it if that’s the case, but please just tell us what we did.”

The desperate pleas in both their voices made her heart clench. She longed to tell them and wanted to share with them her thoughts and feeling on the subject as a whole. It shouldn’t be this hard, but the reality of the future she now faced shook her to her core.

She pushed to stand, waiting as she felt them stand as well. If she didn’t get some of this out now, it would fester like an open wound, and that couldn’t be good for any of them.
“It wasn’t you. Either of you.” She stared out at the Gulf, unable to stomach turning around to face them as she confessed. At least partially. The reason she left was easy. The reason she kept running was more complicated. “At least nothing intentional. You were yourselves and that’s all I ever could have asked for.”
  


AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Sara Brookes is an award-winning author who has always been fascinated by the strange, the unusual, the twisted and the lost (tortured heroes are her personal favorite). She is an action movie junkie, addicted to coffee and has been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing RPG video games. Despite all this, she is a romantic at heart and is always a sucker for an excellent love story. Born and bred in Virginia, Sara still lives there with her husband and daughter. The entire family is owned by two cats, Galahad and Loki, who graciously allow the family to cater to their every desire.
  
Sara will be giving away a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/vbt-chasing-sin-by-sara-brookes.html 

9 comments:

  1. It's very true what you say about the fact that not everyone will love your work, but it's great that you knowledge this and move forward. It looks fabulous to me & I can't wait to start reading.


    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    Replies
    1. It's sometimes a very hard lesson to learn, marybelle. But one that's necessary, I think.

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  2. Thanks for having me here today and offering up some great questions for me, Rachel! And thank you very much for the compliment. Since I'm nearing 40, that's a lovely, lovely thing to hear!

    I have to say, I love working with Ellora's Cave. My editor there is a gem, she's pretty structured and organized with me--giving me deadlines when she needs something and that's something I really, really like. The cover art department has given me fabulous covers from the get go and overall the staff has been fantastic to work with. I'm attending their convention in Oct and I'm looking forward to meeting more EC readers and authors. For authors looking to publish with them, check out a few of their books, see if their books are in-line with your vision for your career and then give it a shot if so! You never know until you try. :^)

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  3. Now I'm curious...will you ever tackle an erotic menage about golf? SOMEONE's got to be able to make that sport more interesting!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. ROFL I was just sitting here next to my husband who is watching the John Deere Classic. I kept asking him a few questions about golf in general (as my experience is limited to the golf range) and it opened his "sharing" flood gates. I even said "You keep filling me head with all this useless knowledge and you know I'll *have* to write book..."

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  4. Congrats on the new release. I think it's great that you read everything. I do also. You never know where inspiration will strike. This book sounds fantastic. Can't wait to read it to see more of Kate, Snyder, and Kate.

    e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

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  5. I, too, had a big smile when I read your comment about a golf-themed menage, Vitajex. I recall--many, MANY years ago--having my own romantic encounter on a golf course in Puerto Rico. SOOOO...there could be a book there. I'd read it!
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

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    1. Sounds as if you already have your book right there, Catherine!

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  6. I am really liking the idea of a golf menage. I have never read a book featuring this sport, but I think it could make a fun story.
    I am really eager to read this book. I have always loved storms and this book sounds terrific.
    manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

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