Our very own ASK
CERISE aka award-winning romance author Cerise DeLand has dropped by Saucy
& sinful to chat about her latest ROPE ME IN. So, let's this show on the road and get to the good stuff. =)
Cersie, For people not
familiar with you would you mind sharing a bit about yourself?
Writing has been my life. From age eight,
I knew I wanted to write and tried my hand at everything! The result? A career that spans fiction, non,
journalism, corporate communications and political lobbying! That means that my
kids got a private high school education and college from my earnings, mostly
as an author of romance novels, then later mystery and mainstream. Now? I write
as Cerise AND do a few books a year still on the print side of biz.
What was it like
to see your book in print?
My first one was a dream. I carried it
around with me for a day or two then put it on the kitchen table for the family
to admire. That became a practice that, frankly after 18 novels, became an “oh,
another one?” event for my kids. Now, they just know I keep those books coming!
What was the very
first thing you did when you heard your book was going to be published?
Danced! In my office. Yes, by myself!
Rewarding myself for the dedication, I partied…and then got back to work!
When you received
your first email or snail mail from a fan what did you think?
Loved every word. Kept them all for many
years, recorded everyone’s address and used them as promo when a new book
debuted. Then when we moved in the nineties, I had to give them all up. TOO
HEAVY!
Do you believe
that social network is a productive way of meeting potential readers? Are there
pros and cons to networking with a social media?
Promo for me is always a choice…a daily
choice of how to spend my time. I try to do a little each day, but the hardest
part is telling myself to NOT fell guilty if I don’t get to it for a day or
two. I travel often for research and for fun and I make it a practice to not do
email then. I also close my office doors at 5 each day and make a FABULOUS
dinner each night. No lie. It is my time with hubbie and he is a wonderful
sommelier!
What was some of
the best advice you were given on your road to becoming a published author?
A member of Washington
Romance Writers from its inception, I had the marvelous benefit of hearing and
learning from some of the most famous and accomplished authors in fiction
today. They taught me how to be disciplined, how to plot, what characterization
was. I would not be here and earning what I do were it not for their generous
advice.
What advice would
you give to a struggling writer in this day and age of self-publishing?
Many come to me, including extended family
for help. My first piece of advice? Learn how to write every day. Make it a
habit. Same time, same place. Start with 20 minutes and write anything. I warn
them: it won’t be beautiful. But do not judge yourself. Keep going for one
month. The next month, ramp it up to 30 minutes. By the time you are “lost” in
time and the work, you ARE a writer.
If you could
write any other genre than your present one, which would it be and why?
Oh, trick question! I write in all genres,
except horror and fantasy! My favorite genre at any one time? The one I am
writing at the moment.
Do you remember
where you were when you first thought up Knights In Black Leather series?
Yes. At my desk, I sat and figured how to
incorporate what I knew really well (Texas Hill Country towns and ranching),
what I loved to write (cowboys, ranchers and ménage) and how I could create a
series that literally never ended. Here we are! I just finished a historical
prequel to the series about an Anglo woman who was abducted by a Comanche
chief, based on a set of true stories. Next up? The historian who researches that
story. Everything, you see, is connected.
I know that you
put your own blood, sweat and tears into ever page. So, I’m curious to know if your characters
have any of your own traits. Is there
one character you think is more like you than any other?
Each of my characters is me. In some
minute way or a larger facet, each one portrays a piece of me. Even the
villains. Why? Because every villain is the hero of his or her own story and
they have motivation and background and tendencies that are relatable.
When you began
the Knights In Black Leather series did you have the MacRae Brothers and Cara
Ford’s arc figured out? Did you know
that before you began ROPE ME IN that they would end up the way they did?
The MacRae brothers were a complex puzzle
to put together. I wanted them each to be unique, and therefore lovable for
themselves. I find that ménage or a quatre is more intriguing if you give the
heroine the opportunity to see each man as himself and then part of a group
that is cohesive and inter-dependent.
Cara had an inner conflict wishing to
remain independent after her divorce. The fact that the MacRaes came on strong
to her was the challenge that I had to solve. Ensuring that each man was
admirable and luscious helped her solve that issue.
The Knights In
Black Leather is a erotic contemporary with four main protagonist. ROPE ME IN
is set against the small town of Bravado, Texas where these three sexy wildcatten
ranchers a bound and determined to find the one woman and get that good lovin’
they so richly deserve. What is it about
writing erotica that charges your creative juices?
Writing romances for New
York houses always presented a challenge to me
because invariably my editors wanted me to tone down the bedroom scenes. You
get to a point as an author where you want to write what the story demands and
how the characters react to each other. I get that some folks like to close the
bedroom door on the scenes, and others like to open it to vanilla intimacy, but
my characters often were MAD for each other. Now, they can be and revel in it!
And, just how
difficult was it to write four characters intimate and emotional story all the
while keeping your story moving at a steady pace?
I had to plan carefully to show Cara with
each MacRae brother in a new light, a new situation that revealed his lovable
nature. That was, quite frankly, great yummy fun!
Is it easier or
more difficult writing for a couple or a character with multiple partners? Why?
A ménage is a feast for everyone. Getting
all the body parts in the right place at the right time is only half the
challenge. The other to find a rhythm and a rising crescendo of emotion that
gives each person in the ménage or a quatre the satisfaction they deserve.
Takes time and care to write one of these scenes and you need a good supply of
cold water to throw on your body!
Cerise, would you
share with us a bit more about the MacRae Brothers and Cara Ford’s story in
ROPE ME IN?
Cara has returned to Bravado, Texas
after many years abroad and after a disastrous marriage to a controlling man.
When she meets the three brothers whom she admired as a teenager, she tells
herself not to get involved. Jed, Will and Harry have other ideas!
What was your
premise for writing this story?
I really want to show three brothers who
got along as siblings, as business men and as lovers of one woman. Not a normal
occurrence!
I would like to
take a moment and thank the MacRae Brothers and Cara Ford for dropping by with
Cerise. Hi Guys, (waving above the
crowd) I am so excited that you were able to drop by today. I hope you do not mind, but I would love to
ask you some need to know questions that readers are desperate to know.
I am one of those
readers that love to find out what people think the moment they meet the love
of their lives. Cara, I will start with
you. What was the very first thing you
thought when you laid eyes on the MacRae Brothers?
I drooled over these boys as a kid, and
when I saw them once more, I told myself I was not going down that road! I
wanted a sense of independence before I took up with another man, let alone
three!
MacRaes’, you are up. =) What was your first
impression of Cara?
(Jed) We knew we wanted one woman to share
our lives with and when Cara came marcheing back into town, we knew we had to
have the hot charming lady we had loved when she was a kid.
Yep. Will here. She was a beauty as a teen
and she is stil. The fact that she didn’t quite buy us as a team at first was a
damn good challenge and we were determined to take her on!
I know your path
to your happily ever after was more than slightly rocky.(Pulling the besotted
quartet into a secluded corner) Jed, Harry and Will, what in the world
possessed you to offer Cara such a scandalous invitation of rope her into their
daily lives, sweet-talk her into sharing torrid nights, and set out to convince
Cara that you three hard-lovin' men in her bed is better than one?
Hi, Harry here. I can tell you that we’ve
have some success with women, separately and all together. But no one woman
caught our mutual attention until Cara. Nothing like the right woman to turn
you into a determined man, I’ll say.
Cara, would you
please share with readers the moment you knew these sweet-talking sexy ranchers
had your heart?
It took me a while to see that they were perfect
for me. In fact, I enjoyed myself often with each of them before I let them
sweet talk me into a bed with all three of them. After that, the way they
treated me like a queen, I knew they were my lovers. For always.
Same question for
you, Jed, Harry and will. When did you
realize that your life didn’t make a lick of sense if Cara wasn’t in it?
What is one thing
you, Jed, Harry, Will and Cara, would like readers to walk away with after
reading your love story?
(Jed answers for himself and his brothers.)
We hope everyone gets it that men can share and not be wild animals about
having one sweet woman in their lives. We are not all Neanderthals!
Now back to
Cerise
Thank you, Cerise
for bringing along Jed, Harry, Will and Cara you today to chat about their love
story. I truly appreciate you letting me
take a few moments to ask them some need-to-know questions. =)
When that fleeting
free time comes your way what do you like to do? Are there any authors you would recommend to
readers until we have the next book in your Knight In Black Leather series in
our hands?
I am always recommending my best friend,
Desiree Holt, to everyone. She and I do an erotic thriller series together and
the fourth in the UNTIL series (NEMESIS) comes out soon. I love Nicole Austin
and Regina
Carlysle, Samantha Cayto and Allie Standifer. Bev Zech too!
Where can we
connect with you on the great wide web?
One more thing
before I let you skedaddle. The holiday
season is upon us and I was wondering if you had a special recipe that you make
every holiday season that you would like to share with RCJR eZine readers?
OH OH OH!
MY FAMOUS CHOCOLATE SAUCE!
For ice cream or just licking off the
spoon…and easy to make too!
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
For
Ice Cream, brownies and decadence!
A great gift, too!
By Cerise DeLand
Prep
time: 10 minutes to unwrap the caramels!
Other?
15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips (try the dark
chocolate, too! Yummy!)
1 12 oz. bag of caramels
1 sticks butter (1/2 cup)
1 can evaporated milk
Mix in a bowl suitable for microwaving
Heat on high at 2 minutes or less per time*. For a total of 10-12 minutes.
(Do not heat all at once, it will boil over.)
*Stir at each interval to mix the chips and
caramel.
Remove from micro and stir to ensure all caramels
are melted and butter is thoroughly integrated.
Cool.
Refrigerate in mason jar or other ceramic. (If
sauce is still hot when you transfer to a jar, be certain to put a long metal
spoon in the jar so it does not crack from the heat!)
A great gift everyone loves!
I would like to
thank you one more time, Cerise for bringing readers into the sexy fun loving
world of the MacRae Brothers. Jed,
Harry, Will and Cara’s love story in ROPE ME IN ( book 1 in the Knights In
Black Leather series) will bring your legions of fans and new fans rushing to
know more about this incomparable loving couple.
Thank you for having me over!!!!!
Happy Holiday
to all!
ROPE ME IN
Knights in Black
Leather, Book 1
Ellora's Cave • May
18, 2012
ISBN-13:
9781419967375 • ISBN-10: 1419967371
Available November
15, 2012
in Print (Trade
Paperback)!
In Bravado, Texas, the men are good and plenty…and lonely.
Not inclined to
remain horny bachelors, the three MacRae brothers devise a plan to find one
fine woman and get the good lovin’ they deserve. One gander at the new gal in
town, charming Cara Ford, and the cowboys decide to do some old-fashioned
courting. Then they’ll offer her a thoroughly modern deal—three-for-one. Three
of them for luscious, lovely her.
Cara has returned
to Bravado to rebuild her life after cutting the cord to her self-centered
husband. One man was a pain. Why would she want to tie herself up in knots with
three sexy ranchers known for their wildcattin’?
Undeterred, Jed,
Harry and Will rope her into their daily lives, sweet-talk her into sharing
their torrid nights, and set out to convince her that three hard-lovin’ men in
bed with her is better than one.
Note: Contains three
hunky sex-in-the-saddle ranchers who lasso one stubborn lady into their arms
with menage a quatre, spanking and toys she can’t resist.
MEET CERISE
What’s an East
Coast gal to do to if she lives deep in the heart of Texas, travels often
everywhere, and adores Paris, Florence, London, Tokyo and all points east and
west?
Ah.
She becomes an
author who can write about those romantic places. With a passion for cowboys,
spies, rakes, knights in shining armor and their gutsy women, Cerise DeLand is
an author who adores an alpha male with a tender heart and a need for a
smoldering erotic love affair with the right woman!
Cerise is a Top
20 Best Selling author on Amazon with more than three dozen works published in
erotic romance, and she is the award-winning author of mystery, mainstream and
romance with St.
Martin’s Press,
Pocket Books and Kensington. Her books are on numerous book clubs, including
Featured Selections of The Mystery Guild, Doubleday and Rhapsody. And when she
isn’t dreaming up fiction or traveling? Cerise is a fabulous cook and an avid
history buff.
Busy lady. Happy
writer.
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