Author: Michelle Fox
Series: Vampire Erotica
Genre : Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date : June 24 2013
In a world where vampires are real, blood is a financial asset and sex mixed with blood commands the highest price...
Myra Danson is in desperate need of cash and when she has the opportunity to join the shadow world of blood courtesans, she jumps before she looks. Soon she’s sharing a bed with the handsome Kristos Anastos, but then bullets start to fly and she finds herself running for her life.
At first, Kristos assures her the attack stems from his enemies hoping to destroy him, but it quickly becomes clear that Myra is the real target. Worse, she’s falling in love with Kristos, but is the sexy vampire friend or foe?
Blood is money and Myra’s may be worth the most of all. A past she never knew existed has come to claim her and she’ll be lucky if she only ends up dead.
Note that parts of this novel were previously published as shorter works under the bestselling titles Blood Rush and Blood Bound
Where did you come up with the idea for your book?
I spend a lot of time thinking and mulling over ideas. The blood courtesan was the hook that convinced me to start this story. I figured if vampires really existed, blood would become a commodity to be bought and sold. That’s how I got started.
How did you come up with your characters?
They just sort of arrived in my brain and unpacked their baggage one day. I suspect the questions I asked myself (Who would sell their blood? How would that transaction work?) had something to do with their development.
Who did you show your first draft to and why?
My husband. He always reads my first drafts, which is funny because he’s not a reader. This must be proof that he really loves me. He is my biggest cheerleader and my own hunky romance hero.
Do you have plans to a follow up?
Not with these characters. I do plan on another vampire story later this year (and possibly going into 2014 depending on edits and my work schedule). It will delve into the intersection of immortal vampires and past human lives.
Right now I’m focusing on finishing up a novella that follows one of my more popular werewolf stories, Make Her Howl. I’ll also be publishing some urban fantasy novels later this year under my non-erotic pen name.
Open your book to a random page and tell us the first paragraph…
I turned to look and saw him. He took my breath away. In a room full of noise and movement, he was motionless. His absolute stillness made him stand out in sharp relief, timeless as ancient statue. I studied his features, noting the hooked nose and square jaw. His shoulders were broad and his suit followed the trim muscle of his physique. As far as I knew it was the first time I’d ever seen a vampire up close and personal, and he was much better looking than I had anticipated.
What do you like to read? Do you only read the genre you write in?
I read anything that interests me. I do read in the genres I write, but have found that I really love a good non-fiction book. Mary Roach is one of my favorite non-fiction authors. I think her humorous approach to science is fantastic.
Where do you go to escape?
Inside my head. Is that even an answer? As a writer, I spend a lot of time thinking and I retreat into plotting when real life is boring (I tend to not listen to speeches). More physically, I love to go for walks, which often shake loose new ideas for my work.
Every year we vacation in Northern Michigan and take a week to sit on the beaches up there. It’s a beautiful, pristine area and I highly recommend it as a vacation spot.
I still write even on vacation. Any time I take the pressure off and tell myself it’s okay to take a break, my muse takes that as a signal to come up with a great story idea that I have to write down or I’ll forget it. So there’s no rest for this writer.
Do you have a favorite chapter in Blood Struck?
I have lots of favorites! If I have to pick just one I would say the chapter where Myra meets Kristos. Not only is there an instant attraction between them, but there’s a touch of physical comedy when she trips and falls that makes me laugh. I tried to come up with the worst thing that could happen to Myra when meeting a hot, sexy vampire and well...here’s how it goes:
“For some unknown reason, I was instantly attracted to him, and the moment I had that insight he moved, turning his head to focus on me. For a long second, everything and everyone around me ceased to exist, it was just me and Kristos. My pulse quickened and my breathing came fast. I felt like I was falling into his gaze, as if his eyes were swallowing me whole and then....and then I was on the floor, my dress finally bringing me down.
With a loud ‘oof’ I slammed to the ground, trying to land on my side to avoid face planting. The momentum rolled me onto my back, whipping my legs apart, which displayed my lack of underwear for all to see.
There was a moment of silence before a sonic wave of gasps and titters crashed down on me, bringing my humiliation to the fore. The security guys just stood there, apparently just as shocked as everyone else that I had a real live vagina under my dress.”
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
First, write until you can say you’ve learned something about writing and know how to produce work on a consistent basis. The work schedule in this business is brutal, you have to know you can produce. Second, don’t wait for traditional publishing to find you, make your own splash in the industry.
Would you recommend self publishing or main stream publishing for first time novelists?
First, the main key to success is having more than one book. I see too many authors with only one book and this is not a ‘one and done’ business. Readers love backlists and backlists allow writers to survive financially. Breakout hits are awesome, but when you pair them with an extensive backlist, those other books will easily double an author’s sales income. So write lots of books and then worry about how to bring them to market.
That being said, I think self-publishing is the way to go because it prepares you for a mainstream career. What makes authors successful, especially in a crowded marketplace, is their brand and that can take years to build. Any writer who cultivates a brand with self-publishing will go far when/if they make the switch to traditional publishing.
If a writer opts for a traditional book deal starting out, they typically don’t have a platform or any brand recognition, which can make it harder for their book to break out. Authors need readers who recognize them and follow their books. This is a little easier to achieve with savvy self-publishing, at least in my experience.
Of course there are always exceptions, so don’t let my opinion limit you! I don’t know that anyone has counted, but there have to be at least a million different paths to a successful writing career. There’s a path for every writer, just try to avoid the ones that take you through hell.
A former preacher's kid (which is code for 'wild child') Michelle Fox enjoys exploring the erotic in her fiction. Fantasy also carries a special place in her heart and she likes to blend the best of both genres in her work.
Her novellas, To the Limit, Blood Rush and Blood Bound along with her short stories, Werewolf Rebel Tamed, To Bring Her Wolf and At the King’s Pleasure are all Top 100 bestselling books.
Places to find Insatiable Reads
Places to find Michelle
Blog
Facebook Author Page
Goodreads
Places to find Blood Struck
Amazon
Barnes and Noble (B&N)
Kobo
Goodreads
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1 comments:
Aw the hubby sounds like a definitely keeper! That's so sweet he reads all your first drafts for ya :) Loving the concept behind the book. Haven't ready one quite like that before so looking forward to it :)
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I would love to hear your thoughts. :) HAPPY READING !!!!