Thanks to Christina Harding for this… CLICK HERE … or read below for the interview …
What made you want to write erotica?
Story of O heavily influenced me but I have to say the reason I chose to write erotica was that I had a story in my mind to tell, and it was meant for erotica. Charlotte has chronic low self-esteem which she battles during a long, difficult journey. I talked to someone exactly like her who had the same issues and didn’t know how their behaviour came across until someone with the same thing turned around and said, “Hey, you have low self-esteem. You don’t have to suffer with it.” You may ask how does someone not know they have it? Well, you’d have to read Charlotte’s full story in A Fine Profession to find out – and discover how low self-esteem might wreck your sex life, which is obviously a very important aspect of any healthy relationship.
Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
Oh yeah. I have done lots of jobs that didn’t involve writing and I think actually, they were key to developing me as a writer. I always knew I’d need a bit of life experience before I could class myself as anything of a writer. I’ve worked in professional spheres and the service industries and it has helped because variety in characters fascinates me.
Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published?
Meeting readers who say, “I rarely read a book I connect with so deeply. Characters I can relate to. Thank you.” This kind of response makes it all worthwhile. A writer’s work is never going to appeal to everyone, but for those it does, it can really make a difference to them.
Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
Horror. It’s just not my thing, at all. I’d never get anything done because I’d be sat at my laptop with a pillow over my head, not typing!
Your thoughts on receiving book reviews – the good and the bad –
Of course every writer loves a five star review. We love our own books and love it when someone else loves it too. I also like reviews that are in-depth and perhaps point out what a reader did and didn’t like about the story or characters. If you find out what your writing strengths are, you can bear that in mind for next time. Then there’s the one-star review. If you look at Goodreads there are some people who place one-star ratings even on books that haven’t been published yet! Either because they just didn’t like the sound of the blurb or the cover or the author (often for no real reason). It’s not fair, at all. The one-star rating without any review doesn’t really explain the bad points about a book and says, to me, that the reviewer never read it at all. The most horrible thing a reviewer could ever do is spoiler a book. I had that once and it really upset me. Sure, they had issues with the book. However, other people loved it and the spoiler in question might have ruined it for them, should they check out the reviews beforehand. Spoilers are not for public areas, but for book clubs discussions and social groups. Fair enough! As a reader myself, some spoilers have put me off reading a book everyone else is raving about because I already know the twist. What’s the point after that?
What is the hardest and easiest part about being an erotica writer?
The easiest part (which leads onto the hardest part) is that I know what turns women on and I write it, and it works. The hardest part is looking your friends and family in the eye when they know you write such stuff.
How do you feel about your life as a writer now? Do you regret any past decisions you’ve made?
You can’t regret anything as a writer because writing is like life; you live it and learn it. My books reflect my journey and how I have developed as a writer and a person. I’m proud to share that journey with others.
Have you ever written anything else?
Yes, I’ve written four novels set in a dystopian world. I have also written plenty of poetry, short stories and journalistic material. I recently released a contemporary romance and also, I am currently working on a romantic thriller.
How hard is it to write a book?
It’s easy to write a book if you have an idea. It’s hard to edit it for an audience who need the words in some sort of readable order, without all your own writerly indulgences getting in the way.
What is your favorite or best thing about being an Indie writer?
As an Indie, I have total control over my work. I don’t have a rule book that I have to stick to and I can write whatever I want. For an artist, that is the dream. I started out in this being very aware of how hard it is to be an Indie but I feel some of the stories I wrote were very cathartic for me – and the best thing is that I’ve met loads of other Indies who have enjoyed my work, recommended it to others, and even have let me read their stuff too. I’ve read an awful lot of good Indie books I wouldn’t have known about unless I was part of this network too.
Sarah Michelle Lynch 