Imaginarians, today is a great day for me and for you because my cool friend, author Raine Delight is here. Creator of the fantastic Devon Falls series, Raine sat down with me recently and let me in on a few of her trade secrets, plus a little about her hottest new release.
Hi Melissa and thanks for having me here. A little about me… Raine Delight loves to be pampered by her harem of men that exist solely for her pleasure. Wait…..that was in a movie I saw. Hey, I can dream. I love to fight with my muse, attack my manuscripts and find a way to silence the many voices in my head. Inspiration hits at odd times and for me, a blank word document page gives me many possibilities on story ideas. Living with my two kids, a significant other who supports my every move in writing, doesn’t mind that I talk about my books like they are real people and that I get up at 2 am to type away on the computer. With a love for Johnny Depp, movies and 80’s hair bands, I find a way to bring all my chaotic thoughts into a story that tells my readers about love and romance.
What was the inspiration behind your latest release?
Raine: Fantasies Unbound is a repackaged, rewritten re-release of a formally titled Fairy Kisses & Magical Dreams. It’s about a Fae Prince who is down to the wire in finding his life mate. Unfortunately falling in love with humans is against the law in his land but when he finds that his life mate is no other than a sexy human woman, well, Aryan has to figure out how to keep his fated mate forever or be forced into an arranged marriage. A little mother’s intervention, a magic spell and a magical Faberge Egg all factor in for these two to have a fairytale happy ending.
What I loved about this is I was able to incorporate my love of fairies into a sexy story that is smoldering hot and it included my fascination of Faberge Eggs.
Next up is a futuristic ménage-my first one. *laughs* It is my ode to pirates of the Caribbean and Firefly shows/movies I adore. Mix them both up and you get Space Pirates: Bounty. It’s a race across the stars for a human woman as she falls for the most wanted space pirates known in the galaxy-Capt. Rafe and Tyrese his first mate. With bounty hunters on their trail, they set off to save Kara’s friend from alien slavers and in the process find a love worth fighting for. That will come out in late June from Shadowfire Press.
I enjoy your Devon Falls books. What is it like to create a series as opposed to just a single title?
Raine: Why thank you Melissa. You will be happy to hear that the first four books are being re-released at Secret Cravings Publishing this year. I expanded them considerably to give them a bit more depth and in Fiery magic (book 4), I added two key scenes that had me crying while I was writing it.
I wasn’t anticipating writing a series at all. I was just planning two books but somehow it morphed into over five books with five more planned in the future. It was like a snowball rolling down the mountainside; it kept building and building until I had a series of books that just were fun to write. I love coming back and seeing all my favorite people I created and adding to the town in someway be it with new characters or rejoining past couples I wrote about. I am thinking of doing a few “After the story ends” free reads soon but that won’t happen until I get some deadlines cleared up.
I do also enjoy writing single titles because it gives me a break of world building and everything. Besides lately every single title I wrote seems to have secondary characters yelling for a story. *laughs*
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? What do you love most about being a writer?
Raine: I always read whatever I got my hands on-magazines, newspapers, cereal boxes and drove my mom nuts by asking to go to the local library constantly. I never thought I could be a writer…but after reading one to many TSTL Characters, I was dared by an author friend to see if I could do better. Many drafts later, the beginning of Devon Falls came about and the rest is history as they say.
I love creating new stories, be it in far reaches of space or in the paranormal genre filled with sexy werewolves, seductive vampires and all things that go bump in the night. Letting my muse loose is fun if at times exasperating. My muse has a tendency to go off in the middle of nowhere and leave me to my own devices at critical moments. Drives me batty in the end, he pulls through for me and helps me get the story done.
Raine: The pirates…hands down they annoy, stress and continue to plague our business. I could go on and on about this but it is something that needs to get resolved and quickly. The pirates in the publishing world have no shame in stealing our hard earned money by sharing our books for free. We need a federal law or something to stop them in their tracks but alas, if you shut one place down, several more pop up that same day.
The other thing is that the NY houses always seemed to look their noses down on us E-publishing people and yet e-book sales grew in record numbers. Authors in e-book publishing are as hard working as their NY author counterparts and I am thrilled to see that recognized by NY houses. Will the print book go away? No…but it can enhance the business. Just my opinion anyways.
What was the biggest shock for you when you once you got that first story published?
Raine: OH…MY…GOD…I got to do WHAT????!!! *grins* I remember thinking I will never use my business degree yet once I got my first contract, I was immersed in learning marketing for e-books, promoting my work and myself and trying to build a readership.
What genre haven’t you tried, yet, that you would love to explore?
Raine: M/M…I am writing two M/M stories that are my ode to one of my favorite genres. I just hope I can do this genre justice and tell a story readers will love.
If we looked on your bookshelf right now, what are some of the titles we would find?
Raine: *Laughing hysterically* What bookcase do you want to look at? I have five plus three boxes in the living room. I have Bertrice Small on there, JD Robb’s In Death series, Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters, Chronicles of Nick series, DN Simmons “Knights of the Darkness series, Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series, Jaye Wells, Gail Z. Martin’s Fantasy series-Chronicles of the Necromancer, Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series and the list goes on and on. *grins* That is jus ton a few bookcases, doesn’t include my e-reader or flash drive for the computer.
Music or silence when you write?
Raine: Music all the way. Some scenes click with the right music and others I just use for noise. Sometimes the music gets in the story like in Fiery Magic. Bon Jovi came out with a single called (You want to) Make a Memory that fit the entire story perfectly and I used their music as my inspiration for Damien and Alicia’s story.
If you could take one of your characters out on the town, who would it be and what would you do?
Raine: I have a feeling it would be my Club Fantasy boys-Sim and Damien. They are hot, sexy and who doesn’t love a demon of lust and his lover as dates. *grins* Since they own the hottest paranormal BDSM club in Club Fantasy, I would love to see what they have to offer there. *wicked grin*
What was the best piece of writing advice you have ever received?
Raine: Write for yourself first then for readers. What may be enjoyable to one may not appeal to others. I love picking the brains of some of the more established authors who have been in this business far longer than I have and they are always so generous with their advice and comments when I ask questions on this business. I am hoping to grow as an author by following their advice and maybe have a career that spans into the NY houses. *fingers crossed*
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My links:
Website: http://authorrainedelight.com
Raine’s Blog: http://authorrainedelight.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Raine_Delight
Author/Reader Loop: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Author_Raine_Delight
Email me: rainedelight@yahoo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorRaine-Delight
Shadowfire Press: http://www.shadowfirepress.com
Secret Cravings Publishing: http://www.secretcravingspublishing.com
Rest assured, my friends, Y and Z, the Big Finish to the Big A to Z are coming, I'm planning a party for The End with a giveaway. Have a stupendously awesome day or if things are crap, have a day, then treat yourself tonight. :)
