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| Taylor’s Hostile Takeover review |
T: I recently had the privilege of reviewing Hostile Takeover, the latest book in Joey W. Hill’s Knights of the Board Room series. I became an instant fan of hers, gobbling down the rest of the series in a couple of days, so I’m thrilled to welcome her to Guilty Pleasures. Thank you, Joey, for joining us today.
J: It’s a delight to be here, Taylor. Thanks for having me. And needless to say, I was beyond tickled by your review of Ben and Marcie’s story. You made my day!
T: You are incredibly talented, your stories capture the imagination, and your characters come to life in the pages of your books. When did you first get bitten by the writing bug?
J: Thank you for that wonderful compliment! Fifth grade. There’s an inside joke among my critique partners and editors (or maybe they roll their eyes and sigh, and merely make ME think they’re joking) about my tendency to push word count limits, but even at that age, I was writing novels, not short stories, though I did pen a few of those for contests. And before you ask, those novels are long gone. On one hand I regret that, but on the other, thinking of what a little melodrama queen I was, not so much (lol). But I was writing romance from the beginning. One of my best friends and I were devouring a handful of Harlequins a week at that point, and I found them hugely inspiring.
Of course, I have to add that there may have been some foreshadowing on the whole writing thing even before that. When I was in third grade and had my tonsils out, my class all sent me get well cards, written on the newsprint lined practice paper. Remember that? Do they do that anymore? Anyhow, my mother found me in the hospital bed, editing the mistakes and intending to give them back to the teacher. Fortunately, Mom let me know that would be extremely insensitive and rude.
T: Although I’ve only read the Knights of the Board Room series… so far… I’m mightily intrigued by your other books too. They seem to span the gauntlet, from contemporary erotica to BDSM, from cops to vampires, from business executives to mermaids. What is your favorite genre to write?
J: Whenever the muse points me toward a story, it’s always the story I have to write. The characters pull me in and win my heart, and become my favorites during the duration of their story. Like children, I love them forever, even as the next project comes forward. However, in terms of craft, what’s easiest for me is contemporary erotic romance. In fact, I try to write a contemporary book between each pair of paranormals, because it loosens up the creative muscles and gives me a break, because the paranormals are definitely harder for me. I’m a character/relationship driven author – for me it’s all about the love story, and of course paranormals pretty much require some world-building and fantasy plotting that has to interrupt that (er, I mean has to be well-integrated with that). I’m not done with a book until I’m happy with it, but I always have a sigh of relief after the paranormals, because they are a much tougher workout. Of course the overall answer to the question is romance. I love writing love stories!
T: I’m sure you’ve been asked this a million times before, but where do you get the ideas for your stories?
J: Chuckle – there is one interviewer (and I think she’s the only one who’s ever asked me this question) who asked what is my LEAST favorite question to be asked, the one I wish I could banish forever. My answer was – you guessed it – where do my ideas come from?
No, don’t cringe. It’s a very justifiable question to ask an author, but the reason I always wish to duck it is because my answer is so lame. I. Don’t. Know. “Something” will trigger a character, or a scene, or a piece of dialogue, and then it sort of builds and opens up from there. Natural Law, one of my fan favorites, was spawned by a handsome contractor I saw sitting at the ferry landing. Never spoke to him, but by the time I was on that boat, Mac Nighthorse, a homicide detective who was as alpha as a testosterone-laden male can get – but who nevertheless was a sexual submissive in the bedroom – had been created. By the time I was on the other side of the river, I had his heroine, a Mistress who gets involved with him romantically and on a murder investigation, and the first chapter was already rolling.
When a writer first starts writing, often we take classes where we learn all sorts of exercises to help us think up ideas. Like putting a list of potential heroines in one column, heroes in the opposite column, and then drawing lines between unlikely matches to see how that inspires the muse. It’s a way to train the brain to go to that creative pool and open itself to the possibilities. I think as you start writing books on a regular basis, you just start knowing how to do it, like any other skill.
T: I’ve heard some writers say their characters compel their story to be written, springing almost full-blown from the writer’s mind. Others have to wait for the characters to reveal themselves at the story is written. Which is it for you?
J: Depends on the character. In the case of Mac and Violet, noted above, they basically wrote themselves, always a delightful gift to the working author. When I wrote A Mermaid’s Ransom , Alexis, my merangel heroine, let me in immediately, to her dreams, motivations, desires, etc. Her hero, Dante, a Dark Spawn from a hellish world where it was all about survival of the fittest, was as closed off to me as he was to everyone else. It took pretty much halfway through the first full edit before he started opening up, but what’s interesting was that it was through Alexis that he opened up to me. The scenarios he had with her started opening up his soul, and when that happened, I was able to get in and flesh him out more.
And if that sounds a little weird and schizophrenic, well, there you are. Authors are a particular brand of crazy (lol). Except the people and voices we hear are real. And don’t tell me they’re not, or you’ll disrupt my happy little world. I might have one of those psychotic breaks you see on national news, where I take out my craziness on people who talk/text in movies, don’t put away their grocery carts or throw cigarette butts on the ground (of course, they actually deserve an ass kicking, so maybe the occasional psychotic break isn’t a bad thing?).
T: So I just have to ask, are your characters based on real people, or are they completely fictitious? Because if they’re based on real people, you KNOW I’m gonna be angling for an introduction to the Knights and their wives! *WEG*
J: Oh heavens, I wish. Despite my example of the contractor above, while I might get a story idea based on a physical feature, or conversation, or someone’s characteristics, the characters evolve into unique individuals, a compilation of the familiar and imagination. Which I actually think is what makes them so memorable – I like integrating the fantasy of what we wish a couple or hero/heroine could be, with the very real emotions and motivations that help us empathize with them, get in their corner and root for them.
T: Your characters have such depth to them, and as a reader, I couldn’t help but relate to several of them. Which of your characters do you most relate to on a personal level, and why?
J: Thank you! And that dovetailed nicely from that last question (grin). Just expounding on that a bit before I answer the question, I think that’s why I get really irritated when high-brows denigrate romance. The romances we love best earned that regard because there’s something about the characters that made us relate to them, want them to find that happily-ever-after. While we know that’s often not the way it goes in real life, there’s something about that particular story or character that made us feel like “damn it, these two deserve it, the way so many of us do, and at least in this story, they’re going to get the happily-ever-after that so many of us yearn to have.”
Now, as far as which characters I relate to the most…I’ve been writing for publication for almost fifteen years now, and of course that has taken me from my late twenties to my mid-forties. As a result, the characters to whom I relate best have shifted with my own life experiences. Meg, the heroine of my first erotic romance, Make Her Dreams Come True, touched me personally because some of her emotional struggles were echoes of things that were happening for me at that point, which of course helped me write/expand her character, the same way drawing on life experiences can help an actor flesh out a character who is going through something far more dramatic, but which may be based in familiar emotional terrain. Today, I might have given her a couple brisk slaps and said “Okay, snap out of it. In fifteen years, this will all seem like total melodrama!” Probably not, though. I’m still very fond of her (smile)
On that note, in the past couple years, I wrote Afterlife, Book IV of the Knights of the Board Room series. Rachel is a forty-three year old submissive who has never been able to explore that part of herself, and she falls for Jon, a thirty-year old Master who takes her on that journey, bringing them both to love and a happily-ever-after. The issues Rachel explored, self-esteem, trust, the confidence to grasp something for herself she never has before – it’s easy for a mid-forty-something to relate and tap into that!
Overall, however, the character with whom I’ve always had a connection is Marguerite of the two part story Ice Queen and Mirror of My Soul. Though I’ve thankfully never had to face the extreme trauma Marguerite faced as a child, I had to delve deeper into her mind than any other character I’ve had to find her, find what would bring her to love with her unforgettable hero, Tyler. (What you were saying earlier about whether these characters are based on real people? If he was, I’d have him locked up somewhere with a big MINE painted on the doorway – laughter). Anyhow, that journey made me feel connected to her in a very special way – I can understand the way she sees the world, and why.
T: Your books have definitely become one of my guilty pleasures. What’s your guilty pleasure?
J: Favorite movies and TV series on DVD – I love movies. After writing over thirty titles, it’s actually hard for me to get into pleasure reading, because I can’t turn off the internal editor. Which I hate, because, like most writers, I used to dearly love reading. However, what I’ve found is a well told story in the movie or TV medium can bring me to that same escapist state, where you’re pulled into the world with the characters and everything else stops existing for awhile. So I have an extensive DVD collection of favorite movies and TV series I watch while doing my daily exercise regimen. I am the addict that haunts the $5 DVD rack at Walmart (grin).
T: Okay, now for some fun, easy stuff:
Dogs or cats? I have a plethora of both – I’ll be in trouble if I choose. They KNOW these things.
Coffee or tea? Tea – celestial seasonings is technically herbal infusion, not tea, but most people don’t know that, so I’m going to say tea. Love my Black Cherry Berry and Tension Tamer blends!
Favorite chocolate? Dove Dark, hands down. (With their caramel a very close second)
Favorite movie(s)? Armageddon, pretty much tied with Serenity
Favorite author(s)? I’m such a picky bitch; I have favorite books instead of favorite authors, though I will say I worship the craft demonstrated by Laura Kinsale, Diana Gabaldon, Jodi Picoult and Audrey Niffenegger in my favorites by them – For My Lady’s Heart, the first three Outlander books, My Sister’s Keeper and Time Traveler’s Wife, respectively. Favorite all time book – Once in a Blue Moon, by Penelope Williamson. Nora Roberts was a HUGE early influence on my work.
What’s on your to-do list right now? Do you really want to post an interview that’s the length of War and Peace? Lol…oh, you meant writing-wise, right? Okay, that takes it down to a Victor Hugo size. Let me see if I can “sum up”, in the words of Inigo of Princess Bride.
I’m currently working on the next Vampire Queen series book, to be turned in September 30. I’m not sure of the release date yet, but hopefully sometime in the first quarter of 2013. It involves the vampire-servant pairing of Evan and Niall from Beloved Vampire, and Alanna from Vampire Trinity. These three were secondary characters in those books. Alanna is what they call an Inherited Servant, which means she was raised from birth with the intent of being assigned to a vampire. Her master in VT was a pretty awful vampire, and we were left with the impression she might be killed by him. He escaped Council’s wrath before accomplishing that (sort of), so now she’s an abandoned servant with a Master who is still linked to her mind. The Council has to figure out what to do with her, because no vampire would normally want a servant in that situation. That’s where our two heroes enter the picture.
Evan agrees to shelter her in his home. He and Niall have been together for some time (I may get to delve into a little bit of Brit/Scots history on this one, which should be fun). Though Master and servant, they aren’t as intimate as they could be with a woman in the mix. Alanna is emotionally shut down due to her master’s betrayal and her training as an Inherited Servant. They have to help her become a person again, and in doing that it opens all three of them to possibilities. Anyhow, here’s the unofficial blurb on it –
Groomed from birth to be an Inherited Servant, those who serve the most powerful vampire masters, Alanna never resented her destiny—she embraced it. Then she did the unthinkable; she betrayed her Master to the Vampire Council.
Certain death is her future, but until her Master is captured, she must be protected. The Vampire Council assigns her to Evan, a vampire who travels the world, painting whatever his muse dictates. His wandering lifestyle makes him the perfect hiding place…
Her training was for a vampire of power and ambition, one who requires her skills in politics, culture, sophistication. Evan lives in shacks on mountainsides, in caves in the Middle East, in a tent in the middle of a redwood forest. His servant, Niall, is a rough-mannered Scot who has been with him nearly three centuries. But these two men will teach her something her rigorous training never did. How to feel, to desire…perhaps even to love.
The knowledge is bittersweet. When the Council captures her Master, Alanna must accept her fate. But Evan and Niall are no strangers to defying fate. If she’s the prize, nothing will stop these two from fighting destiny to make her theirs forever.
I also have a contemporary brewing and another vampire book after that, but before I get too long winded, I have a Future Projects section on my website, where you can go at anytime to see where my muse is taking me next.
T: Joey, thank you again for sharing your time with us today! Where can readers learn more about you?
J: It was a pleasure! Thanks for inviting me.
Website: www.storywitch.com - Free excerpts, blurbs and cover art for all my work
Fan Forum: www.jwhconnection.com - You can find free vignettes revisiting the characters, great eye candy graphics, character interviews, all sorts of stuff here!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoeyWHillAuthor
Twitter: @JoeyWHill
Joey W. Hill writes about vampires, mermaids, boardroom executives, cops, witches, angels, simple housemaids… If there’s an erotic love story to be told, she’ll take the plunge. As a result, she’s proud and humbled to have four series and almost thirty award-winning and highly acclaimed titles, as well as the support and enthusiasm of a wonderful and widely diverse readership. In 2009, she was nominated for a Career Achievement award in Erotica by Romantic Times.
According to her personal memo book, seen only by her eyes–probably because it would reveal that she loves the Partridge Family and the movie Pure Country–the top three ways to ensure her readers continue to come looking for her books are #1 Write a great story, #2 KEEP writing great stories and #3 “For the love of God, don’t let them get to know the author – that will scare them away.” (Particularly if they find out about the Partridge Family.)
She has become known for writing the type of erotic romance that not only wins her fans of that genre, but readers who would “never” read BDSM romance. That’s because first and foremost, she thinks what attracts a reader is strong characters.
Leave a comment or question with your email address and a random winner will be picked to win a book-of-their-choice from Joey’s available titles, print or digital formats. Winner will be announced in these comments.
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50 comments
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Bianca Sarble
May 30, 2012 at 8:56 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
What a great interview!! I can’t believe it’s taken so long to find her, but Joey W Hill is next on my TBR pile
. Love the cover by the way….
Moira
May 30, 2012 at 9:15 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview!! So Joey, you haunt the $5 DVD bin at Walmart also, so do I, got some great old movies in there.
Dotty
May 30, 2012 at 9:33 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Love Joey’s books!Partial to the Mermaids and Angels, however, Pretty much LOVE everything she writes!
Maria D.
May 30, 2012 at 9:41 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Fun interview! I loved the story about Joey being in the hospital to have her tonsils out and getting the cards from her classmates and her wanting to edit the cards and give them to her teacher – I’m always tempted to edit things people give me…lol..I too love to get older movies too.
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 9:44 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Bianca, I hope you’ll like my work. Let me know if I don’t meet expectations – I always welcome reader feedback. And thanks for the compliment on the Hostile Takeover cover. Syneca, Will and their folks over at the Ellora’s Cave art department do an awesome job with these photos.
Moira, I have a list I take with me to be sure I don’t get duplicates (wink). Latest find was Bill Cosby, Himself – had some of his greatest comedy sketches. Never know what I’ll find in there. A couple weeks ago it was that timeless classic – Beastmaster, with Marc Singer! Yes, I’m a child of the 80s. Can’t help it.
Hey Dotty! Thank you, girl. I hope one of these days I can give you more of those mermaids and angels. Of course, they made a small appearance in In the Company of Witches, so hopefully they’ll find their way into other books as well, until they can have their own books again!
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 9:48 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Maria D, I remember that so clearly – which is funny, since there are things that happened last week I don’t have a clue about (lol). I had a best friend throughout high school and college that was a bad speller, and I was always correcting her notes and letters for her – it was a source of humor between us.
As for the older movies, you probably just saw my embarassing Beastmaster confession. Actually, there’s another really lovely Marc Singer movie I haven’t put my hands on – If You Could See What I Hear, where he plays a blind man, that was very funny and touching – at least it was when I saw it, though it might be very dated now. As far as much older movies, my very favorites in the pre-80s categories would be Ben-Hur and Friendly Persuasion. OMG Gary Cooper with his rugged masculinity, and Charlton Heston with those intense blue eyes and sculpted jawbone…sigh…
DIane
May 30, 2012 at 10:08 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I have been reading Joey’s books forever! I started with Holding the Cards, and went on to read everything she wrote. Natural Law has to be my favorite book, but I LOVE the Vampire Queen series. Didn’t know about Guilty Pleasures, and now I am happy to be a follower!
DiDi
May 30, 2012 at 10:58 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Love the interview!!! Thank you so much Joey and Taylor!!
Mostly...
May 30, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thank you again Joey! It was such fun talking with you.
I’m another compulsive editor. My BFF will show me a letter he’s written to his latest woman friend… and I can’t help it… I break out the red pen. I’m working on one of his short stories right now, and told him I’d return it, dripping blood red, by the weekend. Hehehe!
And I was delighted to find someone else who loves Armageddon as much as I do! My husband and daughter cringe everytime it comes on TV, because it’s almost like a sing-a-long, since I can quote half of the movie. And I still cry at the end. Every. Damn. Time.
All the Best to You,
Taylor
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 11:53 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Diane, that’s always the win-win when an author appears on a delightful blog site like this one. My readers get to discover a new place to find great stories, and GPs current subscribers get to find out more about me, to see if I’m their cup of tea (wink). Thank you for your continued enthusiasm for my work. Love hearing from people who have been with me from the beginning, and keep coming back for more!
Didi, you’re very welcome, but I second that thanks to Taylor – she did a great job with the questions and coordination!
Taylor, who can NOT cry at that ending? When she calls him Daddy and puts her hand on the screen, it breaks me up, every time. Yeah, I’m getting teary right now, just thinking of it. When next we meet at a con, we’ll play a drinking game of Armageddon quotes and see who gives out first. Lol…
Sounds like we’re right there together on the editing as well. I could re-read any one of my books today and still come up with 2-3 tweaks per page (chuckle). It’s never good enough. I thought about being an editor once or twice, but my husband pointed out I probably would traumatize some poor writer with all the blood I’d put on their manuscript!
Anyhow, on a more serious note, thanks for the opportunity, and for the wonderful presentation of the interview. :> It’s a pleasure talking to you.
Tiss
May 30, 2012 at 12:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
The only books of Joey’s that I’ve read are the BDSM books. Liked them all except 1. I’d be intersted in winning a print book, as they would mean more to me. That was a great interview. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Joanne
May 30, 2012 at 12:07 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great informative interview. Joey is a new author for me. I also love older movies, especially the black & white ones.
Leagh Christensen
May 30, 2012 at 12:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview.If you haven’t read her yet IF WISHES WERE HORSES is where to start =)
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 1:12 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Tiss, I’m glad you enjoyed the interview, but of course you know you’ve piqued my curiosity. Which book didn’t you like and why? I’m just being nosy, so you’re not obligated to answer, but I always like to have a feel for why someone didn’t enjoy a particular storyline, in case it’s something I can improve upon going forward. ;>
Joanne, I’m trying to remember the movie where the heroine said “Kiss me in black and white.” She was watching a film in black and white and was talking about how much more powerful it was to see a kiss done like that, then she turns to the hero and says “Kiss me in black and white…” Heavens, I googled it and it didn’t come up. Now it’s going to drive me crazy.
Leagh, thank you girl! I love Justin and Sarah’s story. Of course the dynamic of a sexy Wiccan priest who runs an erotic shop, and the new female town sheriff who’s totally suspicious of him, was just a wonderful storyline to write.
Anne
May 30, 2012 at 1:29 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Serenity is one of my favs too. I like the man candy, humor, action and the PG rated sexy bits. Sometimes longing looks are hotter than explicit sex.
I read so much, in many genres, but I remember first learning about sounds (I think that’s the term, it’s been a while, for those metal things that go into the end of a penis) in one of your vampire books. Gotta say my first reaction was “OMG, ouch!”, but I always appreciate learning about something new to me.
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 1:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Anne – lol – that was my hsuband’s reaction when he first saw it on the website. Followed by “you are NEVER to buy one of those and bring it into this house”. Chuckle.
I agree with the longing looks vs explicit sex. Some of the sexiest scenes I’ve written in my most explicit books had nothing more than a strategic touch, word, certain body language, etc. The trick to me is creating a mix that builds the sexual tension and longing to the point that the explicit scenes are the satisfying result, the icing on the cake, whereas the cake is the emotion/intensity that led to it.
I was very happy with her line at the end “I don’t know” and his response “Good answer” – if Joss wouldn’t give us a kiss, that hopeful note was the next best thing. Of course I love the scene when he says “You spin me about”…it was the closest to a fierce declaration of love, and fit Mal’s character perfectly.
Yes, I can do the drinking game with this movie as well!
Natasha
May 30, 2012 at 2:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview! Thanks for the chance to win!
Susan W.
May 30, 2012 at 3:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Ok, I haven’t read any of Joey’s books yet not because I don’t have any but they are in my TBR list. It’s the Knights of the Boardroom series and I need to be pulling them to the top of the list!
My husband reacts the same way when Armageddons’s on TV and I want to watch it!
Sophia Rose
May 30, 2012 at 3:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I just read the first of the Vampire Queen series recently and really like Joey’s writing.
The interview was a fun read.
Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway opportunity.
elaing8
May 30, 2012 at 3:25 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview.Enjoyed reading it.
I love Joey’s books.Can’t wait to read more.
redjuliet
May 30, 2012 at 3:28 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview! I love learning about a writer’s process. I am an avid reader but I agree a good TV show or movie can provide a needed escape and great entertainment. Looking forward to Joey’s next book!
Cathy M
May 30, 2012 at 4:08 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
As usual, Joey, a fabulous interview. I never knew that I could love such complicated characters until I started reading your books. Now it’s that special emotional response that I look forward to when ever I pick up one of your stories.
Thanks for keeping us all so entertained.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 4:27 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Natasha, you’re very welcome. Good luck! Susan W, you know I fully support you putting the Knights at the top of your TBR list (laughter). Hope you enjoy their stories. If you do, be sure and visit the fan forum afterward, because there’s a free prequel vignette about Ben (Hostile Takeover), several character interviews with the guys, and we’ll soon have a short story about a threesome featuring two of the guys and one of their chosen women (wink). Oh, and did I mention the awesome eye candy graphics the series has inspired from the forum members? lol (www.jwhconnection.com).
Sophia Rose, loved that you came by, and of course I continue to be delighted that you discovered my vampires. Glad you enjoyed the interview.
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 4:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Elaine, thanks for that, and for dropping in. :>
Redjuliet, I agree. I tend to think of movies/TVs like I do the bards and players of old, who’d come to the villages to act out or tell stories orally – like the issue ebooks vs paperbacks vs hardbacks vs audiobooks, to me a great story is a great story, no matter the medium in which it’s told; and as a writer, I can always benefit from experiencing a great story!
Cathy M, what a wonderful compliment – thank you for that!
Kimber
May 30, 2012 at 4:55 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Joey-I really enjoyed your interview. I read the first book in your Boardroom series last week. I CANNOT wait to get to the rest of them. I loved your writing style and VERY yummy characters. I’m definitely a new fan who will make their way through your back lists.
I’ll be in Gatlinburg in a few weeks and I’m hoping I get the opportunity to meet you!!
Great job TAYLOR!
MaryC
May 30, 2012 at 4:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview!
Joey, I’d like to know if a secondary character has ever demanded his/her own story.
flchen1
May 30, 2012 at 5:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Fantastic interview, Joey and Guilty Pleasures! Joey, I loved that your interesting in writing and editing came up when you were so young
And LOL at how your mom had to intervene with a little grace to keep you from marking up your cards ;p Thanks for taking the time to chat!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
StacieD
May 30, 2012 at 5:55 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I loved the interview. I’m working my way through the Vampire Queen books. I can’t wait to start the contemporary BDSM series.
geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com
erin
May 30, 2012 at 6:52 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks for a great interview! I loved, loved, loved her witches books!I desperately want to read her other other books and they are top of my splurge list
KcLu
May 30, 2012 at 7:44 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh goodness!! I must read these!! I can’t wait to get my hands on them. Great interview!!
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 9:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Kimber, I’ll look forward to seeing you at Romfest! That will be lovely. Delighted to hear you’ve taken the plunge with the Knights of the Board Room. See my earlier comment to Natasha about the prequel vignette about Ben on the fan forum (smile), which will be there and waiting when you’re done with the series. I hope all the rest are as enjoyable to you as the first. Let me know if not!
MaryC, I think practically every book in my series came from a secondary character demanding their own story (laughter). For instance, in Nature of Desire, Marcus appears in the first book, Holding the Cards, and gets his own book in Rough Canvas. Second book, Natural Law, Marguerite and Tyler make an appearance, and sure enough, Books 3 & 4 of the series was their story. It’s a lovely way for the stories to flow into one another and let the characters build relationships from book to book.
Flchen, I always love hanging out and talking to you guys! Thanks for coming by.
StacieD, thanks for working your way through my backlist. I’ll mention the same as what I mentioned before about Knights of the Board Room – there are free downloadable vignettes featuring characters from pretty much all my series out on the fan forum, so you can get free stories related to the vampire queen series, as well as the contemporary, as well as the previously mentioned KOBR series (which of course is also contemporary). There’s lots of other good stuff out there as well, thanks to the wonderful ladies who run it.
Erin, I’m so happy to hear that! I continue to keep my radar tuned for reaction to the new series, since it’s a little different tone/style than my other books. :>
Kclu, thank you – hope you enjoy them when you take that plunge! You can read free excerpts from all my work on my website to see what strikes your fancy.
Joey W Hill
May 30, 2012 at 9:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh, and Didi, I forgot to also thank YOU for having me here at GP with Taylor. I appreciate both of you coordinating this wonderful day!
I’m headed to bed now, but I’ll check in the morning for any other comments/questions, no worries. Have a delightful night, everyone! Thanks for spending time with me today.
Braine @ Talk Supe
May 30, 2012 at 9:23 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I want to win this for my buddy, Cimmaron, who is currently having a BDSM phase.
Talk Supe
Pyper541
May 30, 2012 at 10:23 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Excellent interview! I’m definitely a fan of Joey W. Hill and I’m so looking forward to meeting you in NOLA!!! I was recently asked to pick 3 favorite characters and books, can we say tough! I did pick 3 but I kept erasing and adding and just plain wanting to give up because I’ve enjoyed all of her works including the new Arcane Shot Series.
I’ll be checking the forum and storywitch site for the vignette of the two knights and one lady oh HELL YEAH!!! Can I put in my vote for Lucas since I picked him as one of my 3 favorite characters lol!
Joey my question is, how do you deal with writers block(or do you even have that problem)?
p.s. if you have Tyler locked up will you bring him to NOLA? You only said that you would have him but I’ll take any of your characters just don’t tell my fiance. What happens in NOLA stays in NOLA right?
Timitra
May 30, 2012 at 10:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview ladies!
taccb_1981@yahoo.com
Julianne
May 30, 2012 at 11:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love to read Joey interviews. I didn’t know she had cats and dogs. You learn something new every day. Thanks Joey. Love the cover of Hostile Takeover.
luvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com
Filia Oktarina
May 31, 2012 at 6:05 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview!! Joey is a new author for me, so i haven’t read her book yet. This a good time to learn about her book.
Joey W Hill
May 31, 2012 at 6:33 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Braine, it’s a great phase to go through – much better than hot flashes (laughter). Good luck!
Pyper, Lucas is an awesome choice for a threesome. He won’t be in this one, but don’t worry, we’ll try to compensate for that (grin). In one of the later books, Dana (who’s Peter’s chosen lady), mentions a special “gift” he gave her, a threesome where he and Ben shared her. I know you remember that, right? lol… I had so many requests to make that scene more than just a “mention”, I decided to offer it to the forum as a short story. A short story that’s currently about 15k in its draft form, but hey, that’s short for me! We’ll have to give you something with Lucas down the road (wink).
LOL – I’m not sure if anyone can lock up Tyler – that whole special government training and all, but he’s such a Southern gentleman, I’m sure he’d send his regrets for not being able to come with a basket of chocolates and roses, etc (smile). Though I could see him and Marguerite having a wonderful time in NOLA… can’t wait to see you!
With my deadlines and to-do list, there’s never any time for writer’s block (lol) – if things aren’t flowing smoothly, I write through it. I’ll make myself write a few thousand words of total drek if necessary to work out the kinks, and go back and edit later to clean it up and smooth it out. Over the years I’ve found that even when I think I’m writing total crap, when I go back the next day, I can find enough good stuff in among the debris to make it worth the effort, and the exercise of making the brain struggle toward the muse means I’m that much closer to tapping into the flow again, if that makes sense.
Thanks for that, Timitra! Julianne, I think even if I didn’t reveal it in interview, you’d eventually discover I have dogs/cats – I can’t keep myself from talking about them for long, and even if I manage that, all of my clothes come with the accessory of a fine layer of pet hair! :>)
Filia, thank you – glad you enjoyed the interview. :>
Pyper541
May 31, 2012 at 5:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh yeah, I remember that and I can’t wait! 15k of Peter, Dana, and Ben that is going to be amazing! I’m still waiting to see if Lucas and Marcie get their mutual fantasy of both Cassie and Marcie pleasuring Lucas. Then of course Ben would be in the mix somewhere also.
Ann Mayburn
May 31, 2012 at 6:54 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
It involves the vampire-servant pairing of Evan and Niall from Beloved Vampire, and Alanna from Vampire Trinity.
YEAH! I was so hoping Alanna didn’t die. Good choice on the menfolk to take care of her, should lead for some hot…I mean intellectually interesting times.
Can’t wait to read it!
Your #1 Stalker
Ann
Gardnsun
May 31, 2012 at 10:16 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hey Joey, Great interview as always! As far as the comment about Tyler, he would have you tied to his bed for his viewing pleasure!! Can’t wait for Hostile Takeover it hard cover!!
Stella Ex Libris
May 31, 2012 at 3:34 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thank you for the interesting and fun interview Ladies!
Joey, since you mention Victor Hugo I wanted to ask you if you like his novels and which one do you like the best? Or any other favourite French novelist? I ahve to say I am partial to Balzac’s Father Goriot and Alexander Dumas’ novels, my favourite being The Dame of the Camellias.
Thank you!
SacredmOOn
May 31, 2012 at 3:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Wonderful interview!! I just love Joey Hill! I have her Vampire Queen series. I’m currently on book #4 as we speak. I can’t wait to dive into her other series soon. Thank you for the chance to win!!
DeAnna Schultz
Jen B.
May 31, 2012 at 4:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I always love getting insight into the mind of an author. I find it so intriguing that you saw a man just sitting and it exploded a story in your mind. I think that is a sort of amazing brilliance. Thanks for sharing! jepebATverizonDOTnet
Vanessa N.
May 31, 2012 at 7:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
You’re a new author for me. Great interview. Definitely adding your books to my wishlist.
mythic021@gmail.com
Joey W Hill
May 31, 2012 at 8:27 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Ann, so good to see my #1 stalker here! Though I think Sidney may argue with you on that one. And Joy and Natalie want to have my baby, and…and…(lol)
Yes, Evan and Niall are just the pair to give Alanna a much better vampire-servant experience. I already have them in my head as sort of a sexy Adrien Brody artistic type (Evan, the vampire) and a rugged hunter Chris Hemsworth (Niall). WInk. Definitely intellectually stimulating!
Gardnsun, you’re right about that. Tyler is pure Dom, all the way. Oh and I received the good news today. Hostile Takeover is now available in PRINT on Amazon and B&N!
Stella, Les Mis is my absolute favorite of his, but I also loved the Hunchback of Notre Dame (though I admit I skimmed the extensive description of Notre Dame – laughter). I’ve not read the other authors you mentioned, though I’ve always had Dumas on my TBR list, because I loved the romantic stories that have inspired so many great movies. I’m not too much of a classics author; the ones that make my keeper shelf usually have tragic, romantic moving characterization I just can’t shake from my head – Les Miserables, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, etc. I’ll have to try the Dame of the Camellias. Thanks for the recommend!
Joey W Hill
May 31, 2012 at 8:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
DeAnna, I’m so happy you’re enjoying Mason and Jessica’s story. I was just re-reading that recently to update my series bible, and it was great to revisit them again. Be sure and get their free novella from the forum when you’re done “Taking the Gloves Off”. I loved them so much, I had to revisit them (wink).
Jen B, thank you! Others have called it a lack of focus, schizophrenia, living in a dream world, etc (laughter). That’s okay – I’m happy there, and I have lots of company with readers who love to live there with me!
Pyper, that would be an intriguing vignette to me. A challenge to write for sure!
Vanessa, thank you! Hope you enjoy my work when you get a chance to read it, and I’m glad you stopped by. :>
Kanya
June 1, 2012 at 9:29 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hi Joey! Great interview! Read your Nature of Desire series and loved it! I didn’t know you wrote books about mermaids. Love those!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Kanya
kanyachhetATyahooDOTca
Joey W Hill
June 1, 2012 at 1:07 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Kanya, yes, I have three books in the Daughters of Arianne series. If you go by my website, http://www.storywitch.com, just choose that link from the menu on the left and you can read excerpts and blurbs on all of them. Hope you like what you find! :>
Joey W Hill
June 1, 2012 at 1:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Susan W, you are the winner of the book giveaway for this blog post – congratulations!!! I’ve asked Didi or Taylor to send me your email address so I can coordinate your choice directly with you, but if you see this note first, you can email me at storywitch@storywitch.com.
Thank you all for spending time with me – I’ve had a lovely few days with you all, and thank you Taylor, Didi and GP for letting me be here!