Today I have the pleasure of interviewing erotic romance author Lissa Matthews and she will also be guest blogging about her upcoming release, Sugar Rush, on Thursday. I had such fun interviewing Lissa and I hope you all enjoy reading it here and don't forget to come back to read her guest blog which I'm sure you will all enjoy reading since she gives an insight into how she came to write her upcoming release, Sugar Rush. Now onto my interview with Lissa:

Phoebe Jordan: When did you know that writing romance was going to be the thing that you would do with your life? Which author inspired you to start writing romance?

Lissa Matthews: I didn’t know I was going to be a writer. The things I wanted to do, or thought I would do weren’t part of whatever greater plan there was. I didn’t become a concert flautist or a composer an English teacher or the roadie for a rock band (no laughing now). I became a wife and mother and followed a path I thought I was supposed to in order to make everyone happy. I have realized in the last few years that what I want, what will make me happy, is not always in line with everyone else’s wishes. I became a writer a long time ago, when I was a kid, I just didn’t know I could become one. It came about as I was sitting on the couch one day reading The Bride by Julie Garwood. I devoured romance novels daily, usually more than one. I would stay up until well after midnight reading. I began to wonder as I was reading her book if I could do it. So, I gave it a shot, started writing short, flash fiction then longer free reads, and finally started longer pieces. I haven’t regretted any of it.

Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?

Lissa: I knew exactly what type of romance I wanted to write. I wanted to write very sexy, very hot, erotic romance.

Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote? And do you still have it with you?

Lissa: The very first was a fan-fiction serial my friends and I wrote in middle school and high school. It was stuff we shouldn’t have been writing at that age. And I do still have part of it…after all these years.

Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?

Lissa: I have written a lot from people I know, from my own personal experiences. I have written based on trips I have taken, things I have read, seen, done. Recently I have been doing a lot of reading for a new book I am writing based in Alaska, talking to people that live there, that have visited. I write some fetish lifestyle things as well that have come from the extensive research and personal experience I have.

Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your currently released novel, Educating Rose?

Lissa: Jack, the hero in Educating Rose, was based on a man, a friend I know that is in BDSM lifestyle. He was kind enough to allow me to use him as a basis for Jack. I often see, hear, meet, learn of things that inspire me. Jack and Rose were part of such inspiration. The realness of Jack, of the pain he suffered, the realness of Rose and how she went about learning what she knew, what she wanted. It was a fun story to write.

Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, Sugar Rush?

Lissa: It was based on a trip to Denver I took a number of years ago in February. I was completely taken by the beauty of everything; the mountains, the snow, the small town of Breckenridge, the city of Denver. We passed a small cabin in the woods on the way into the mountains and even though it was so long ago, I kept it in memory and it fell right into this book. There’s a cabin as well in western North Carolina that inspired the inside of Graham’s cabin. From there, everything just fell into place.

Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels?

Lissa: How do you choose their names out of so many names out there? I like strong solid names. Real names. I want real characters that look real, act real, come off the page real…not superhuman, not Hollywood beautiful and thin, not perfect, and because I want real, I like real names, traditional names in some cases.

Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your currently released novel, Educating Rose? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your currently released novel, Educating Rose?

Lissa: I loved Jack. I truly loved Jack. And I could really relate to Rose. She’s got a love for books and she started her journey into the BDSM lifestyle much like I did, online. Reading, researching, learning, asking questions. Rose had someone come to her, offering to help her, teach her. It doesn’t usually happen that way in real life, but for the purpose of fiction, that’s how it happened for her.

Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, Sugar Rush? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, Sugar Rush?

Lissa: I really enjoyed writing about all the characters. Edward, the business partner was especially fun. He’s got only the best interest at heart for Jane but she sees him as meddling. And again, of course, I could really relate to Jane in a few different ways. Her love of chocolate, she’s plus sized, she’s a smartass.

Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?

Lissa: I plunge right in. I come to a decision about a storyline and I just start writing. I do as much as I can, going with my gut with as far as I can see the detail.

Phoebe: Have you ever considered writing a series or are writing stand alone novels your preference? How would writing each be different for you?

Lissa: Yes, I have considered and am embarking on a couple of series as we speak. One, a contemporary. The other, a paranormal shifter. It is a scary thing for me to consider, to do. It’s something new, something out of my comfort zone and while I am unsure how to do it exactly, I am looking forward to the challenge.

Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?

Lissa: I entered the Wicked contest Cobblestone Press had early 2008. Educating Rose was that entry and I was one of the finalists. After that, I started writing a lot, started submitting. Educating Rose was contracted in February of 2008 and published in August the same year. Since then, I have had releases with Phaze, Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, and now, Loose Id.

Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?

Lissa: I don’t know if what I get is writer’s block, but I know I get stuck, frustrated, irritated. This is one of the reasons I like having at least two books going at the same time. When I get stuck on one, I can work on the other. By doing that, I can hopefully keep the writing juices flowing. It usually works.

Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)

Lissa: Stock characters are one thing. Predictability, definitely. Every book sounding the same. A series that should have ended long ago. Bad editing.

Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?

Lissa: I love writing. All of it, even when I’m frustrated and stuck, I love it. I can’t think of a better job, of a better career. Now, if you’re talking about editing…grins. I could give you a whole LIST of things that are my pet peeves...

Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?

Lissa: The thesaurus. I don’t write without it. Ever. Is coffee or chocolate considered a writing tool? If so, I can’t live without either of those either. And recently, my netbook. I bought it this past fall and I quickly became enamored of it. I have found it has helped me focus a great deal on my writing. It’s what I write on all the time now. Everything else, like interviews, website updates, most email, etc…is difficult to do for me on the netbook, but writing. I love writing on it and can’t do without it.

Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?

Lissa: I write primarily in the mornings. I have a set word count that I must meet every day. Once I meet it, I can get on to the other business of writing and my personal life. I home school my son and having that freedom helps a lot with scheduling my days.

Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?

Lissa: I walk on the Greenway Trails in Charlotte. I read, I crochet, I want to learn how to knit. I watch some television. And I cook. I love to cook, to bake. I play video games with my kids, go to rock concerts with my daughter, NASCAR races with my son. I have a lot of hobbies and things I enjoy doing.

Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?

Lissa: Patience. It’s all in that one word. And tenacity. Don’t give up.

Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?

Lissa: I actually have a really good friend that is a promo and marketing guru. She has helped me tremendously with learning websites, blogging (even though I’m still learning). Twitter is invaluable, as is Facebook, MySpace. I think one thing I would say is to remember what you say is seen by readers and industry professionals alike. What you say, how you act, how you treat others is all very visible and reflective. Bathtub crayons for ideas when paper isn’t available. Notebooks, pencils. Hit the before school sales. Excellent deals on all sorts of things. Markers, note cards, sticky notes. My friend I mentioned before got white boards for us. Large sheets of it from the home improvement store. It was cut in half and is perfect for plotting, outlining, or just doodling. Listen, learn, talk to other authors, read craft books, attend workshops. Never stop learning. Never stop thinking you have more to learn.

Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?

Lissa: I read a lot of male/male erotic romance, ménage, fetish, historical. Gosh, favorite authors? There are so many! Sierra Cartwright, Eden Bradley, M L Rhodes, Ava March, Samantha Kane and the writing team of Anna Leigh Keaton and Madison Layle. I’ve recently begun reading Juniper Bell, Selena Illyria, and Vivian Arend, and R.G. Alexander.

Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?

Lissa: Currently, I am reading Eden Bradley’s Tempt Me Twice. After that, I plan to read Midnight Hour by Anna Leigh Keaton and Madison Layle.