Welcome to Tawny Taylor's guest blog

Welcome Ms. Tawny Taylor to Love Romances and More, thank you for joining us.

Thank you for having me! It’s always a pleasure chatting with you.

Did you always want to become a writer?

That’s a tricky question. You see, I’ve always been a writer. No matter what job I held, I found ways to exercise my writing muscle. But I didn’t always want to write novels, and I didn’t always dream of having one of those novels published. Those wants and dreams didn’t come along until about seven years ago.


What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

The most interesting part of writing is exploring the characters. Every time I get to know a new hero, heroine, or villain, I learn a little more about human nature and myself.


The least interesting part…? You got me on that one. When you write full time, it can sometimes be tough to get going in the morning. There are so many distractions—real life, kids, email, forums, Yahoo groups, blogs, the list goes on and on. Generally, I find once I dig into my story, though, the pages pretty much write themselves.


How did you celebrate your first release? Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release?

When my first book released, I flew to New York and went on an extravagant shopping spree…just kidding.

I celebrated my first release with a simple dinner out with the hubby, and subsequent releases are celebrated pretty much the same way. It’s nothing elaborate or exciting to read about, but I’m quite happy to enjoy my fave steak and a decadent dessert every few months or so.


What was it like to see your book in a bookstore?

Seeing my book in a bookstore for the very first time was a HUGE thrill! And even now, after having over a dozen books in print, I still get giddy when I walk into a Borders or Barnes and Noble and see my books on the shelves. I feel so very fortunate to have the opportunity to share my stories with readers, whether they buy at their local mall or online. Extremely fortunate.


How did your family react to fact that you also write romance novels? Have your family read your books?

I am without a doubt blessed. My immediate family is extremely supportive of my writing. My children proudly tell their friends and teachers their mommy is a published author. My husband tells his coworkers about my new releases, book signings and television interviews.


Have your family read your books?

My oldest daughter and a couple of my sisters-in-law have read my books. The hubby doesn’t read fiction so, although he’s skimmed bits and pieces of my stories, he hasn’t read an entire novel.


Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you?

I have loved reading since I was a child. I was the kid who lay in bed, reading in the dark, when I should have been sleeping. Now that I write, I still love to read, but it’s a little different. I read both for pleasure and to learn and grow as a storyteller.

I think it’s extremely important for writers to read consistently, both within the genre they write and outside of it. In a movie I watched recently, one character said to another (who happened to be a writer), “You produce more than you read, a sure sign of an amateur.” That statement really struck a chord with me, and now I make a point of reading at least as much as I write, if not more. That’s no chore. But sometimes, with my hectic schedule, it’s a little tricky to find the time.

If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

I have LOTS of favourites, and they tend to change as I explore new authors and genres. But over the years, two have stuck with me:

I love James Rollins. I would call his books are an odd blend of history, sci fi and suspense. However you describe them, they’re page-turners.

I adore Gena Showalter. Everything she’s written I’ve gobbled up.


Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example?

Thank you so much, Danny! I won’t say the characters live with me, but throughout the day, during those rare quiet times, my mind slips into their world and I start to think about their problems, their goals, and their desires. Often, during these moments, they’ll whisper to me, telling me they’d like to take the story in a new direction or reveal a secret about themselves I hadn’t known. I love it when that happens!


Do you have living role models for your characters?

No, not really. For the most part, my characters are completely fictional. However, they do tend to possess certain traits, physical and mental, of real people—I guess you could call them fictional Frankesteins.


Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

I get inspiration from all kinds of places and things: dreams, books, movies, reality television, people-watching…everywhere.

Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

Not at all. Love scenes are fun and easy for me to write because sex is such an intimate way to express one’s feelings and needs. I’m most definitely writing the right genre for me.


What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

Oh gosh, I wouldn’t know how to choose. Each story is unique and the characters all mean something special to me for different reasons. They all deserve a special place in my heart.

That said, at the moment I am currently a bit smitten with the first book in my Masters of Sin series, Wrath’s Embrace. There are two to-die-for heroes in this book, both delightfully dark and tortured. They take the heroine on a wild emotional journey, and in doing so, help her see some things about herself she hadn’t recognized before. I just signed a contract with Ellora’s Cave, so Wrath’s Embrace will be published. I’m hoping it’ll be sometime in 2009.

Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

The easiest was probably Wet and Wilde. That book was just plain fun and I wrote it in a few weeks. The hardest? I’d have to say Blackmailed. The characters had to work through some serious trust issues, which makes it hard to write the sex scenes. For me, if the sex scenes are slow to write, the whole book is more challenging.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

If I was single, Cailey from Wicked Beast. First, Lander is scrumptious. And second, to get a chance to meet the man of my fantasies? Heck, yeah! Before I met the real man of my fantasies (my hubby), I would’ve given up a non-vital part of my anatomy to do that.

I’d also love to change places with a character from one of my non-published books because she travels through time. I would love to be able to do that! Which leads to your next question…


If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?

No doubt about it, I would go to Tudor England and meet Elizabeth I. First, I have a fascination with the time period—I sew Tudor costumes—and second, I would love to see how fairly history has represented that period in England, and uncover any forgotten secrets.


Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?

No, I write to the sound of kids bickering and cartoons blaring. Music is too distracting.


If you could choose of your books for a movie, which one would it be and who would you as the cast?

I think Prince of Fire would make a terrific movie. There’s lot of steamy sensuality, a little kink, and a touch of suspense. Orlando Bloom would make a yummy Prince Talen, but he’d need to spend some serious time in the gym before filming. Keira Knightley would make a fab Keri.


Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?

I’m currently working on the next book in my Twilight’s Possession series, King Kaden’s story, Torrid Hunger. There’s a reason why the title has the word “torrid” in it, LOL. Kaden’s partner in the blood bond, Pierce, is wicked in a very good way. And the two of them do some sinful things to Eden, the heroine.


Big congrats to your newest release, Wicked Beast, can you tell us some more about the book?

Thank you! Wicked Beast is the story of a romance writer who comes face-to-face with the man of her fantasies…and nightmares. She’s cat phobic, so her critique partners talk her into writing a book about a man who shifts into a lion, thinking it might help her get over her fear. She can’t be afraid of something that makes her hot, right? Well, that’s their logic.

And so she reluctantly agrees to write the book, not expecting her friends’ scheme to work. Then the impossible happens—her book’s hero comes to life and hauls her (kicking and screaming) into her story’s world.

I guess you could say that there is a recurring theme in some of my stories: a secret fantasy coming true, and how the reality of it lives up to the character’s expectations. That theme is definitely explored in this book.

Contest: Tawny is giving away a download of one of her ebooks to a lucky person, so stop by and ask her a questions. The winner will be announced here tomorrow