Emma: As a writer of erotica, I'm in an odd position when it comes to giving out biographical information. What *do* I want my readers to know, and what might spoil the fantasies they'd like to have about me? They may want to believe I'm a size sixteen dominatrix who strides through the streets of Manhattan in her leather bustier!

I will say my favorite things in the world are long walks, good reads, dear friends, friendly cats, chocolate, late mornings, peace and quiet, and time to write.

Vic: Could you define some terms that I think may be confusing to readers? They are:
1) Romantic Erotica
2) Fem-porn
3) Women's Erotica
What is the distinction here?

Emma: Everyone you ask will give a different answer, but here's mine:

1) Romantic Erotica - Erotica that has a romantic plot or sub-plot. The heroine ends up committed to somebody, though she may have to sleep with a platoon before making up her mind.

2) Fem-porn - Blech, what a horrible term. It sounds like a dish they'd serve up on an X-rated episode of Hee-Haw. Or would that be corn-porn?

3) Women's Erotica - Erotica designed to appeal to a woman's sensibilities.

Vic: The term "Fem-porn" implies that there is "male porn." How is "male porn" different from "fem-porn?"

Emma: It's hard for me to make fine distinctions because, as far as I can tell, sometimes the only difference between pornography and erotica is who you're talking to and what the publisher decides to put on the spine. Some people think if a book is geared towards a female audience, it must be erotica, and if it's for a male one, it must be porn. Once upon a time, there wasn't such a thing as gay erotica because - regardless of the quality of the writing - if the story was about a homosexual, it had to be pornographic. Needless to say, these are politically loaded terms.

Supposedly, the difference between male and female pornography lies in strength of characterization, language and type of fantasy. But I have seen females write very hard stories and males write soft ones. I have male fans who like my books precisely because they are emotional (i.e., romantic). I suspect men and women do gravitate towards different fantasies, but I don't think the differences are as predictable as people like to think. The differences between one individual woman and another may be as great as those between the genders.

Vic: I have noted that on the back of Black Lace books, they describe themselves as "Erotic fiction written by women for women." I think when I first saw that, I had the idea they would be more on the "romantic" side because I had the idea that women prefer romance along with their sex. I was shocked to find that nearly all the Black Lace books I have read are pretty much devoid of romance and focus more on the "darker" elements of sex, such as bondage, domination/submission, degradation, and, in almost all cases, this was directed towards the women themselves. I feel baffled by this. Is this truly what woman are seeking when they choose their preference in erotic reading? Doesn't this compromise the idea that women should be independent and not be dominated or physically abused by men?

Emma: Good question. I'll try to tackle it from a couple angles. First of all, Black Lace sells very well, so - yes - you can safely conclude that a lot of women like reading these particular fantasies. But you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that these women want to be hurt or abused in real life. Fantasies aren't about being politically correct. In fact, the things we know we shouldn't want often hold the most appeal - the lure of the forbidden, and all that.

Secondly, Dominance/submission stories are popular with men and women and the interest can be quite mainstream. Look at the popularity of shows like La Femme Nikita. Every week thousands of people tune in to watch those characters get locked up, beaten, and emotionally tortured - and consider this a very sexy show. For good or ill, the drama inherent in D/s, whether overt or covert, is one our society finds gripping. I think it reflects, in part, our ambivalent attitude towards sex. It's hard for Americans (and Brits, too, I guess) to embrace the pleasures of sex without guilt. Some puritanical part of us believes it ought to hurt, that we ought to punish or be punished. As sad as that sounds on the surface, I can't completely lament this attitude because the conflict can give sex (and erotica) a charge it would never otherwise have. Handled responsibly, D/s can be a reliable, relationship-enhancing aphrodisiac. Think Viagra without the side effects.

Thirdly, from an author's perspective D/s is a great way to explore the power plays that occur in all relationships. (Not that every author cares about doing that.)

That said, I would love to see Black Lace and other publishers put out erotica that appeals to a wider variety of kinks, especially the kinks of those who like their sex in a romantic package. Until they do, I don't think we'll know how large the market for erotica can be.

Vic: Do you think that sexual submission by women is a way for them to perhaps give over the responsibility of sexual acts to the partner so they can feel free of sexual guilt? The "he made me do it" syndrome maybe?

Emma: That's the standard explanation, but I'm not sure it holds true in all cases - and probably not for most younger women. As a child of the sixties, when I read those force fantasies in the old romances, I took the hero's violence as a metaphor for extreme desire, rather than the heroine's excuse for enjoying it. (I didn't think she needed one.) In any case, submission holds appeal for both sexes. If you read Nancy Friday's MEN IN LOVE, the fantasy men wrote about most frequently was being mastered. Submission can mean lots of things. It can be an expression of trust. It can be an abdication of responsibility: making the partner take charge of one's pleasure. It can be a way for someone who's always in charge to take a load off - so to speak. And remember, what you see in fiction is often a simplified and simplistic version of a submission fantasy. The reader adds a subtext all her own.

Vic: Your book MENAGE is a story of a threesome involving two men and a woman. I think this is a very common fantasy of women. However, it usually focuses on the woman herself and two heterosexual men. Your characters, Joe (bisexual) and Sean (bisexual but preferring mostly men), DO interact quite graphically sexually. What compelled you to use two gay/bisexual men instead of heterosexual men? Do you think this is something women secretly feel sexually stimulated by?

Emma: I chose this because it's been a fantasy of mine ever since I read Mary Renault's THE PERSIAN BOY. What woman hasn't felt excluded from a boy's club at one time or another? What better way to be admitted into their secrets than to watch two men engaging in the most private act any human being can share with another? I think many women harbor this fantasy, but not all. Just as not all men harbor fantasies about lesbians.

Vic: Although MENAGE is the story of an unconventional relationship and is extremely sexually graphic and titillating, I found it to be extremely well written with very well developed characters, good emotional connections between all three characters, with what developed into a romantic theme and even a "Happily ever After" ending! I found this to be somewhat of a departure from other stories I have read from Black Lace. Do you consider yourself to be more of a "romantic erotica" writer or a strict "erotica" writer?

Emma: I consider myself a writer of romantic erotica. The main (koff) thrust of my stories is always the development of a committed, romantic relationship between one or more characters. I am a huge romantic. I love the optimism of the genre. I love its focus on emotion and character and classic storytelling. As far as I'm concerned, romance is my secret weapon.

Vic: The concept of "Erotica for Women" is perhaps a way of finally allowing women to, shall we say, "come out of the closet" regarding this subject, and it "legitimizes" our curiosity toward/enjoyment of this genre. Although I still feel there are "prejudices" towards women who enjoy this type of literature, I do believe it is becoming a bit more acceptable having this label. Do you experience prejudices towards yourself by your peers who consider themselves "straight" romance writers, or do you feel it is becoming more acceptable with this "female" concept?

Emma: Some romance writers don't get that we are sisters under the skin, that prejudice towards erotica can easily be turned on romance. To deny that sexual content helps sell romance is, to me, a tacit admission that women shouldn't be writing about sex. For the most part, however, my peers have been very accepting, not to mention intrigued. The idea that I write "erotica for women" has certainly eased my way - especially with readers. They feel safer with a female author; just like they might feel safer with a female doctor - which is not to imply I have any medical training!

Vic: What led you to start writing erotica?

Emma: I've been fascinated by sex since I knew there was such a thing, so it was really just a matter of working up the nerve to include it in my writing. As soon as I did, I knew I'd found my niche. For whatever reason, my view of the world and the people in it is easily dramatized between the sheets.

Vic: You are a very talented writer. Have you ever considered writing along the more traditional lines of romance - say in the tradition of Robin Schone or Susan Johnson - in order to appeal to a wider market of readers?

Emma:Thanks, and you bet I have!

Vic: When you read for pleasure, do you read erotica, and who are your favorite authors?

Emma: I don't read much erotica, though I probably read more than most people. I have trouble finding stories I like - which is one of the reasons I feel compelled to write them. I read a lot of romance and mystery and a little science fiction. My favorite authors, oy, how to narrow it down! Judith Ivory, Anne Perry, Elizabeth George, Sharon Shinn ... how long do you want this article to be?

Vic: Could you give us some recommends as to your favorite erotic books? Which of your own books is your favorite and why?

Emma: Right now, I'm totally obsessed with Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Executioner series. Wonderfully kinky and romantic and exciting and, boy, does that heroine kick butt! Sexiest books ever: THE MUMMY and CRY TO HEAVEN by Anne Rice. Susan Johnson's GOLDEN PARADISE. I thought the novella Thea Devine did for Zebra's CAPTIVATED anthology was pretty boffo. Best Black Lace: Juliet Hasting's CRASH COURSE and Cleo Cordell's PATH OF THE TIGER. But try that Laurell K. Hamilton. She is *bad*.

VELVET GLOVE, the book that comes out in December, is certainly one of my favorites among my own books. In it, I explore the very question that troubled you: what makes a woman want to surrender to a man? It's an emotionally charged book, I think, with two charismatic heroes. One is a masterful Irish bartender, the other, the heroine's best high school bud. It's one of my sweetest books and I'm quite fond of it.

My heroine, Audrey Popkin, is an S&M Goldilocks in search of the perfect master. The man who introduces her to the game, an icy-eyed international banker, is far too hard. The childhood sweetheart she runs to is far too sweet. When she meets charismatic bar owner, Patrick Dugan, she thinks he's just right. Naturally, he's the most dangerous of all because he doesn't just call to her body, he calls to her heart.

Before I wrote this book, I'd read a number of erotic novels with submissive heroines. They frustrated me because I just didn't "get" the appeal. I knew the fantasy was popular - it fueled early romance, after all - but, apparently, that particular kink wasn't pre-wired into my brain. I set myself the challenge of writing a submissive heroine women like me could identify with. My strategy was to look at the process as a surrender to someone else's care, rather than a submission to someone else's will. I was also careful to make the attraction between the hero and heroine mutual. From the start, Patrick is as fascinated by Audrey as she is by him.

Incidentally, VELVET GLOVE has two of my favorite heroes. The Irish bartender is inspired by British actor Robson Green, and the childhood sweetheart by Seth Greene of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame.

Vic: Maybe you would like to talk a little bit about the difference between the Black Lace books and the Red Sage books. They most certainly are different.

Emma: If you're curious, I'm sure that Alexandria Kendall, Red Sage's publisher, would be happy to fill you in about Red Sage's plans/philosophy. She's a nice lady, and very passionate about what she does. She's got a website at http://www.redsagepub.com. There's an email address there that can be forwarded to her.

Vic: Can you give us a "sneak peek" of what's coming up from Emma Holly?

Emma: On the future front, I've just sold another book to Black Lace which I've teasingly dubbed my topless amnesia story. It's called IN THE FLESH, and it's about a woman who is so good at being bad she's irresistible. An accomplished stripper, Chloe Dubois seduces a conservative Japanese American businessman and proceeds to turn his personal - and sexual - life upside down. Then she gets amnesia and has to make sense of herself from the outside, as a stranger would.

IN THE FLESH is a slight departure from my previous books in that it involves more of a story, and more of a serious story. Yes, it's got plenty of exotic sex - and a few exotic settings - but it's a story about redemption and forgiveness and the true nature of identity, all themes that interest me as much as the sexy stuff. I'd like to continue to add this kind of substance to my stories, not because I want to get all meaningful and gloomy, but because I'd like to give my readers a real meal with their dessert. I see no reason why a really good book can't have lots of really good sex in it. Hopefully, as time goes by, I'll take more strides towards reaching that goal!

Vic: Here's one we ALL want to know!!! Where do you get your ideas??? Do you write from real life experiences??

Emma: I get my ideas wherever I can, and the rest is a deep, dark secret! (Come on, if I was doing all this stuff when would I have time to write?)

Vic: Do you have guidelines from the publisher as to what is acceptable and what is forbidden?

Emma: Yes. If anyone wants to know what they are, the Erotica Readers Association (http://www.erotica-readers.com) posts these and other guidelines on their site. Black Lace's are extensive and informative.

Vic: What are other people's reactions when they find out that you write erotica?

Emma: They vary. Because I have a foot in both romantic and erotic camps (not only are my books romantic, but I'm a member of RWA), I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. Many women who meet me for the first time express a lot of gratitude. At first, their response surprised me, but now I think I understand. For one thing, I'm not the least bit scary. The occasional streak of naughtiness aside, I'm quite ordinary. I think this makes me easier to approach, and easier to buy. If a nice woman like me writes this stuff, how bad can it be? Even when women know they have the right to read erotica, they can be leery of diving in. They're afraid they'll end up with something that will offend them. Because I seem like a regular gal, and because I'm a fellow romance fan, they're willing to stick their toes in the water for me. One of my chapter members told me I was the most-bought first-time author in the group. People who otherwise wouldn't have dared to buy an erotic novel - even if they sort of wanted to - dared to buy mine. This, of course, makes me very happy!

I would like to thank Emma Holly for spending some time with us and, on behalf of RBL Romantica, I extend our warmest welcome to her to visit and promote her work at any time. Oh, and one more thing - I DO browse the Erotica section of the bookstore now!

In conclusion, I would like to include these statements by Emma from her website which I found very inspiring and appropriate, and which spoke to me about the woman herself:

"I am learning - slowly, but I am learning - to censor my prejudices. That, I think, is not such a bad thing."

"And here's one final thought. Despite the prevalence of erotic images in the media, Americans are still very uptight about sex. This attitude comes at a price, one that may be higher than we can calculate. The cost of kids who don't feel comfortable enough to talk to their parents about it must be staggering in and of itself. Perhaps it's time to stop trying to shove sex into the closet. Perhaps it's time to grow up."

~Vic~



Ketchup
September 2003





Vic: This month we're "Ketching Up" with one of our VERY FAVORITE Divas of HOT - "our own" Emma Holly! Yep, we bagged her a few years ago and we claim her as ours. So she's back in the Newsletter this month to spend some time and tell us what's new and coming up. And boy, is she a busy girl!

First off, GREAT NEWS for all you "para" fans - Berkeley Jove has contracted Emma for THREE more vampire stories! And she assures us they will be HOT HOT HOT!

Emma: Well, what other sort of story would I write? *g*

Vic: More great news - Emma's verrrry hot contemporary novel, PERSONAL ASSETS, that was released only through the Venus Book Club, will be available to EVERYONE in January 2004. This is Emma Holly at her BEST! Check out this excerpt!

PERSONAL ASSETS

Then, in March 2004, HOT BLOODED, an anthology with another of "our own" authors, Christine Feehan, along with Maggie Shayne and Angela Knight, will be hitting the shelves. Emma's novella will feature a character from her upcoming release, HUNTING MIDNIGHT. And here is what she has to say about it:

Emma: My novella, "The Night Owl," was one of those occasions where I fell in love with a character and had to give him a happy ending right away. Usually, I'm much more patient than my readers!

Vic: And very kewl news!!!!! FANTASY, the last anthology Emma was part of, won a Dorothy Parker award!!! (Yaaaaaaaaay Emma!). And how bout this ... COOKING UP A STORM (you had to wear oven mits to handle this one!) was translated into Czech! Congratulations Mz. Hollyova!

(Emma - That IS of course YOUR stiletto, right?!?)

HUNTING MIDNIGHT, which will be released on November 4, 2003, is Ulric's story from CATCHING MIDNIGHT ...

"His naked body was lean with muscle, his eyes like golden fire. The only sign he wore of their recent hunt was a light mantling of sweat. An ability to shed impurities was a useful upyr gift, but he bore other tokens of his nature. The glossy blond hair that fell to his shoulders was a little too thick for human, a little too soft for wolf. His flawless skin glowed in the dimness like moon-kissed pearls."

(HOOOOBOY! You KNOW the HeadMistress has her visual all set up for this one! A real drool-fest it'll be! Mmmmm mm! I'll play Little Red Riding Hood with this Big Bad Wolf!!)

Emma - How 'bout giving us a "sneak-peek" at HUNTING MIDNIGHT.

Emma: My editor suggested that I do Ulric's story for HUNTING MIDNIGHT. Like any self-respecting author, I'm reluctant to admit she was right, but Ulric really was left unrequited at the end of CATCHING MIDNIGHT. He deserved not to wait as long as I originally planned to meet his match.

Weirdly, since I'm very much a city girl, HUNTING MIDNIGHT is a back-to-nature, cross country adventure-y sort of tale. Ulric, the leader of the wolf-pack from the first book, is blackmailed into helping a merchant's daughter escape an unpleasant marriage. Since this is a romance, Juliana turns out to be a good bit more than baggage. I'm very fond of her. She's an interesting mix of can-do practicality, obedience, and flat-out nerve. I guess you could say she's someone I wouldn't mind being myself.

Though you can read it alone, much of the story takes place in the wilds of Scotland, among the pack I introduced in the first book ... with a few surprise additions. HUNTING MIDNIGHT has more action than my usual - which I'm proud of - and of course my *usual* action is there, too. *vbeg* My editor claims this book is even hotter than CATCHING MIDNIGHT. Naturally, you're all are welcome to judge for yourselves. *g*

Vic: Read the VERY HOT excerpt!!!

HUNTING MIDNIGHT

So Emma, where did the upyrs come from? Have you had these stories in your head for a long time just waiting to tell them?

Emma: I'd been wanting to write a vampire story ever since I read INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE. It took me, and the market, a while to get around to it, but in the meantime I had the chance to play with ideas.

Vic: And how does one research this sort of writing? I know when I was reading CATCHING MIDNIGHT I kept wondering to myself where all these weird names came from. How the heck does one dream up a names like "upyr"? (it took me a while to figure out in my mind even how to say it! "up yer"? "u per"? Am I close?) Ulric, Gytha, Nim Wei, Helewis, etc. - strange mushrooms for dinner? LOL! - where does a "beautiful mind" go to create these things?

Emma: First, "Upyr" is an early Slavic word for vampire. It's pronounced ooh-peer, with an accent on the second syllable. J. Gordon Melton's THE VAMPIRE BOOK was the source for this. But there is a completely unglamourous and simple answer for the rest of the question ... the names came from NAMES THROUGH THE AGES by Teresa Norman. Also handy, but not as "period," is A WORLD OF BABY NAMES by the same author. A writer can waste quite a bit of time flipping through these books,especially since they include the meanings of the names as well.

Vic: Would you talk to us about a character from CATCHING MIDNIGHT, because she REALLY fascinated me. And that is Nim Wei. She was so vilified, yet there was something so vulnerable about her. She caught my attention right away and I found myself thinking, "She's my kinda girl!" There's more to Nim Wei than meets the eye, isn't there? She will have her own story, won't she?

Emma: I adore Nim Wei. I really enjoyed making her as morally complex and sympathetic as people seem to find her. During revisions, my editor asked me why I kept saying she was evil. I had to explain that it was the *other characters* saying she was evil. The reader was supposed to like her, despite her being a murderer. This was definitely one of those fun moments for a writer to have, when you know you've accomplished what you meant.

I hope to do a story for Nim Wei. I have a very vague idea for her in my head, but it may be a while before I get to it. To me, she is a modern woman and I suspect only a contemporary hero will do her justice.

Vic: You MUST!!!

You are writing a new contemporary titled STRANGE ATTRACTIONS. Okay, you've piqued my curiosity BIG TIME!!! Straight from the author's mouth, ladies ... KINK - guy/guy/girl triangle! WOOOOOOWEEE! SPILL IT, Emma! When's it coming out, what's it all about, and PLEASE tell us it'll be a nationwide release and not a book club release!!!! (BTW, forgive my ignorance, but what are grrl tunes and grrl magazines? If you're using them for research for this book, I wanna get some too!).

Emma: I'm still writing STRANGE ATTRACTIONS - smack in the middle of it, in fact. I'm reluctant to say much about it until it's done except that I'm finally giving in to reader requests to write another MENAGE-type story. In case anyone has any doubts, m/m/f triangles are one of my favorite things to write about, so naturally it will be hot. It will be a national release, trade paperback from Berkley Jove, probably October 2004.

My heroine is pretty young, by my standards at least, so I've been studying hard (!) by watching "Smallville" and listening to grrl tunes. In case you're wondering, grrls are, oh, teens through twenty-somethings, who are in that test-your-power stage of life. RBLs with daughters can correct me if I'm wrong, but Liz Phair, Avril Lavigne, and Dido are probably good examples of grrl singers. There are plenty more, but some are too far from my cuppa to listen to - even in the name of research!

Vic: Is there a new historical in the cooker?

Emma: The vampire stories will probably be historicals, but other than that there's nothing in the cooker right this minute.

Vic: You went to RWA in NYC in July! Do Tell!!!

Emma: That was fun. As I mentioned, I'm a city girl and New York was postcard perfect when we were there. The Literacy signing was a blast for me. I always enjoy the people who come up and say hi. Aside from that, I walked around a lot, ate great, saw the Cloisters, and crashed a really fancy Harlequin party. Oh, and I squeezed in a few workshops, too. All play and no work isn't good, either.

This is me with my two best published author buddies - Nita Abrams on the left, me, and Michele Hauf - when we crashed the Harlequin party at the RWA Conference in New York. (Actually, Michele wasn't crashing. She writes for the new Luna line!)

Vic: As I said above, you're a busy girl, so we thank you so much, Emma, for taking time to play "Ketchup" with us. And we'll be looking forward to reaping the rewards of your labor!!!

And ... RBLs, don't forget to check out Emma's Everything Vampire Contest. The grand prize will be signed copies of FANTASY, CATCHING MIDNIGHT, HUNTING MIDNIGHT, and other vampire-themed surprises. Check out her web site for details on how to enter!

Ketchup
October 2006



     


First off, I should let the readers know that this interview will be totally biased because Emma and I are, after all, BFFs (best friends forever). You can find my name in the acknowledements of Emma's book ALL U CAN EAT. Emma has been at RBL longer then I have and is a favorite of mine and many others. Now to catch up with her ...



Leiha: Hi Emma! You have been an incredibly busy author since the last time you were interviewed by RBL. When you first started writing there were very few options for authors who wrote women's erotic fiction. Now it's everywhere (but you are still the best!). Has that made things easier or more difficult for you as a writer - and please explain why.

Emma: Oh, it's definitely made it easier. Every author who delivers a good read grows the market for all the rest, and with so many different hot authors to choose from, the chance that any one reader will find a book she likes increases exponentially. Plus, I now have the option of pitching all sorts of steamy stories to my publisher. More romantic erotica, more erotic romances, historicals, contemporaries, paranormals - you name it, and there's an author who's proved it's viable. As a writer who loves variety, this current market is heaven for me. It's so wonderful to feel that the possible territory is still expanding. It's also fun to have more peers, though - honestly - I never really felt alone. There were always authors like Susan Johnson and Robin Schone to, um, plow the furrow first, as it were.

Leiha: What is your writing process like?

Emma: I'm in a very good place in my career right now, and my writing process is pretty relaxed. I work every day for the most part, at a steady, reasonable pace, and do my best to keep my head where I want it by getting plenty of fresh air, practicing a (very) little yoga, and inspiring myself by reading other authors I admire. There's not a whole heckuva lot of drama in the way I put a book together, but that's the way I prefer it. When it comes to writing, I like small surprises better than big ones.

Leiha: You've written many different genres - why is that? Is there any one genre that you feel more comfortable writing?

Emma: To me, I write one kind of book: very hot and very emotional, but within those parameters, I love to play! To use an analogy you might understand, suppose someone tried to make you eat only one kind of food from now on. You wouldn't do it! The world is full of yummy cuisines, and it seems perfectly natural to me that you'd want to sample lots.

Leiha: Have you ever been told to tone down the sex in any of your books that were not erotica and if yes, can I read those scenes?

Emma: Would it disappoint you if I say never? No one has ever put the brakes on anything I wrote but me.

Leiha: You always seem to find such a wonderful balance between the romance and eroticism in your stories, even in your eroticas, so how do you differentiate in your writing between writing a romance that is erotic and contemporary erotica?

Emma: Thank you! That's always gratifying to hear. I really couldn't give you a list of rules, though, since I can't swear I always stick to them. My number one priority is to write an affecting story. Coloring between the lines - even lines that I've established myself - has to take second place to that.

Leiha: How do you decide what you will write next? Do you have a set amount of Demon or Midnight books planned, or do you just write what you feel at the time?

Emma: Right now, I've got four more books under contract to Berkley and they're set to alternate between historical paranormals and contemporary erotics. I expect to do more Midnight and Demon books, but I'm not bound to any specific story or series.

Leiha: Let's talk a little about PRINCE OF ICE, which will be released in November. You're very excited about this book - in all of the years I've been at RBL, I've never seen you so excited about a release. What makes PRINCE OF ICE so special to you?

Emma: The concept of the demons' *interesting* sexuality is one I've been playing with for a long, long time but didn't have the courage to pitch until recently. The wide-open nature of the current market (and my current editor's mind) is what made me get up the nerve. If authors like Lora Leigh could write men with extra bits, I figured so could I!

In addition to that, I'm just really pleased with how it turned out. To write what I call an "obsessive" book, and to feel you did a good job, is a pleasure for any author.

Leiha: From the names and character descriptions, the Yama seem to be very Asian inspired (which you know I love). is this deliberate on your part and, if yes, why?

Emma: It is deliberate. The Forbidden City in the book is based (very loosely) on the actual Forbidden City in China. I love fantasy that has real underpinnings, and the age of Asian culture, the mannered nature their civilization seems to embody, was appropriate for what I wanted the Yama to be. That said, I took a lot of liberties!

Leiha: Will we be seeing more of Corum and Xishi in the future? Do you have any plans for Tea Rose? And you know I'm waiting for more of Prince Pahndir!

Emma: The evasive author says "probably," "maybe," and "me, too!"

Leiha: Can you give us some hints on FAIRYVILLE and what else you have planned for 2007?

Emma: Oh, I'm so not in hinting mode! FAIRYVILLE is contemporary, set in Arizona, and once I finish my edits, I'm taking a nap :-).

I'm not sure when in 2007 FAIRYVILLE will come out, but a cool anthology called DEMON'S DELIGHT, which features me, MaryJanice Davidson, Catherine Spangler, and Vickie Taylor, is slated for March. I wrote a demon novella for that one called "The Demon's Angel." It has an awesome cover that my BFF might just want to post with this interview. HEAT OF THE NIGHT, which bundles HUNTING MIDNIGHT and "The Night Owl" will be out in January.

Leiha: Of course, Emma, that's what BFFs are for!

Emma: Thanks for taking the time to interview me! Like a lot of authors, RBL Romantica is my "special" place on the Internet. I feel very fortunate that folks there like to keep up with what I'm doing!

Thank you so much Emma! We're honored to have you at RBL and love the fact that you are a sister as well as an author. And ReBeLs, look for PRINCE OF ICE in November, as well as the HOT SPELL mass market paperback release!


~Leiha~


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