We have today erotic romance author from Ravenous Romance Angela Cameron being interviewed by me. I met her through Keta Diablo who writes for Ravenous Romance as well and I had a great time interviewing Angela that I got to know her and her writing better. But that is not all because I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing both her RR books in her Blood & Sex series. I also had the pleasure of hosting Angela Cameron's day on the Ravenous Romance Blog Tour last Tuesday where I learned so much. You can find the review for the first book in her Blood & Sex series called Blood & Sex, Vol. 1: Michael and you should also keep a look out for the reviews for the second book in her series Blood & Sex, Vol. 2: Jonas. Also Angela will be guest blogging about her first book in her Blood & Sex series on Thursday, April 30^th so come back to read about how she came up with the first book in the series. Leave your comments and questions because Angela Cameron will be stopping by to answer any that you leave in the comments section. Now for the interview:

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

Angela Cameron: *laughing* It takes me a while to figure out some things. For the erotic romance issue, I didn’t realize that this was what I was going to do until I was already doing it. I didn’t really know what I was writing when I started down this road. I came at it from the urban fantasy angle, Laurell K. Hamilton and Anne Rice having been my favorites at that point. So, I just wrote the story the way that I wanted, and it was too steamy for certain publishers. One thing led to another, and here I am—an erotic romance writer.

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

Angela: I always knew that I wanted to write about the paranormal. It’s my passion. I just fell into a crack between horror, suspense, and erotic romance. I write a little of all three, but I finally chose to accentuate the romance line in the books last year because the love story became the most fascinating aspect for me.

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

Angela: I started writing from a young age. But I didn’t write a full novel until about four years ago. Oh, I still have the story. *grins* In fact, I’ve been thinking of finishing it up now that I know what I’m doing. It’s a bit more of a horror novel, a vampire fiction, of course. I think it’s still my favorite, too.

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

Angela: It depends on the novel, Blood & Sex, Vol. 3, which takes place in Venice. That’s taking a good bit of extra research. Otherwise, the research usually goes along pretty quickly. I’m finding that I have a talent—an intuitive skill—for finding things.

Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your latest novel Blood & Sex Vol. 1: Michael, which is part of your Blood & Sex series?

Angela: Michael came to me first, with Tori along for the ride. He sort of appeared when I was doing research for a BDSM article. From there, the story grew organically, with both main characters trying to have their own story. It sort of wrote itself really.

Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your latest novel Blood & Sex Vol. 2: Jonas, which is part of your Blood & Sex series?

Angela: Jonas was a little different. He loves to be in the spotlight and have his way. *laughs* His basic story came along naturally, but I had to work hard to keep him on track. If he’d his way, the entire series would be about him. I don’t think any of us want to spend quite that much time in Jonas’s dungeon though.

Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your Blood & Sex series and how many more books do you think will you be writing for that series?

Angela: It all started with Michael. I thought that he was going to be one book. Then, when Lori Perkins mentioned a series (and the title), the world just exploded with characters jumping forward to tell their stories. I don’t know that I’ll ever write all the stories, but the day I sat down to sketch up basic ideas for the trilogy, the guys stepped up to give me ideas for seven books. I stopped writing them down after the seventh, but every guy in Collins Bay wants a story written about him. Even characters that aren’t introduced in the trilogy have torrid stories to tell.

Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?

Angela: I can’t really take credit for it. It’s like they’re already people in my imagination who tell me who they are. I know that it sounds pompous, but it’s the truth. I just write it down. The only thing that isn’t quite that way is the names. I go through lists of names based on their origin, time period, etc. Then, the character pictures the name. I’ve tried choosing names that I liked, but it never feels right, and I have to go back to what they want.

Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your Blood & Sex series? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your Blood & Sex series?

Angela: I really enjoyed Jonas. He’s sort of that bad boy that you can’t help but love—especially when he’s trying to coax you into doing things that you know you shouldn’t do. I think that’s why he is still so distracting. The character I relate to the most. Hmmm. In some ways, I think that’s Elena. I think like her on the most basic levels. She has my practical nature. But I also relate to Tori’s spunk. She’s actually named for my younger cousin Torie Cody, who has that same fiery personality that the women in my family share. So, she feels very familiar to me.

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

Angela: The basic idea comes to me. Then, through research and brainstorming, a skeletal plot is born. From there, I write with the layers coming together during the process.

Phoebe: Which do you like best, writing a series or writing stand alone novels? How is writing each different for you?

Angela: I think I was born to write series stories. It’s how I think. They’re not just one little idea. It’s a whole world with a history that stretches out long before and after my arrival. Even the short story “Return to Wynd” that is in the upcoming Rekindled anthology at Ravenous has become a series in my mind. Wynd is a witch with brothers who are just as fascinating to me as he is, and it’s those worlds that keep me restraining myself, trying to hold back the books that want to flow out of me day and night.

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

Angela: I don’t think my process was as bad as many other writers. I didn’t try very hard to have my first story published (the one I’m thinking of reworking). So, I do have a stack of rejections, but the first long story I really submitted was the novella Nocturne. I sent it to one house before Drollerie, and it was rejected with a note to resubmit something else because they loved my characterization and plot skills. The first novel I published was Blood & Sex, Vol. 1: Michael. I sent it to that first house I mentioned, who never responded. The next house (Ravenous) bought it.

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?

Angela: I get it in weird spurts. I’m finding that when something’s wrong with the story, I can’t write until I figure out what it is. I do all sorts of things to break through it. Sometimes walking, sitting in carpool, or watching movies works. Other times, I have to just write something else, like journal entries by the characters to make the story flow.

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.)

Angela: Unresolved endings and predictability are two of my main gripes. I never liked to watch shows with “To Be Continued” at the end, and I don’t like for books to end that way either. Predictable books are a little less annoying, but adding stock characters puts it right up in that top slot. One of the latest annoyances for me was the anticlimactic ending of the Twilight series. I was able to overlook the other flaws, but that one had me fuming for days.

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?

Angela: I love the beginnings, the actual writing when I’m discovering everything that way that first time readers do. The characters are new and that period of discovery is what keeps me typing away in the middle of the night.

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

Angela: Pen and paper. I know that it’s probably archaic in the digital world, but when the story won’t come out in the convenient Word program, a pen and a legal pad in the middle of the night will turn out my best work. If it weren’t for the annoyance of having to retype the whole thing, I’d write all of my first drafts longhand. Somehow, the story just flies out that way.

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

Angela: Who says I’m not insane? *laughing* I don’t think anyone’s accused me of being sane lately, especially my husband.

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

Angela: Writing is my relaxation. But editing is a whole different monster. If it begins to overwhelm me, I start to bake anything and everything or ride around with the windows down and the music up.

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

Angela: Don’t listen to all the advice that other authors give you. I’ve been through a degree program, read tons of books about writing, joined all sorts of writing groups, attended cons, and talked with lots of writers. Everything you need to know about writing is in On Writing by Stephen King and The Elements of Style. If you want to write erotic romance, read Angela Knight’s Passionate Ink. While a lot of writers will give you some excellent advice, more will give you crappy advice because the authors who really know what they’re talking about are often too busy in their own careers to help. The one exception to this is local writing groups, but even they have to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.

Phoebe: Are 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?

Angela: Don’t be afraid to get your name out there and network before you have a book out. It will only make your life that much easier once the first book does come out. Don’t get so caught up with promotion and marketing that the work slips. It’s simple, I know, but so many writers work on promotion when their careers could be better served by just writing. I’ve been guilty of it myself before.

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

Angela: Right now, I’m reading a combination of paranormal romance, young adult paranormal romance, and horror. I recently added the YA fiction as research for a novel I’m working on under my real name with my daughter. The others are just my long time favorites. I love several authors, but my main favorites right now are Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Anne Rice.

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

Angela: I’m reading Elle Amery’s Saving Sophie, and I plan to read Charlaine Harris’s Dead Until Dark.

Phoebe: Well thank you Angela for taking time from your busy writing schedule to be interviewed. I had a blast asking and reading your answer to my questions.

Angela: Thanks so much for chatting with me, Phoebe!