In Service to the Senses
I love the Edwardian period and love exploring illicit relationships. The class system was at its most pronounced but also most fragile at this time. In Service to the Senses explores that. It has all the things I love and hope others do too – lust across the classes; elegant women in the hands of gorgeous, no-nonsense men; seeking meaning through sex; a fair bit of kink; and a meaningful love story. Think Downton with detailed description!
You have lived abroad for most of your life so where has been the best place to travel for you?
I’ve lived mostly in Northern Europe and Scandinavia – an amazing part of the world – but I love travelling to the States, where I have strong family connections, and to Italy and France. I love the vitality and freedom of the States but adore the history, heat and wine of Southern Europe!
You now live in England so what brought you back here?
I came to university here and at the same time my parents moved back and I came with them. I’m an English girl at heart, most certainly, but it took moving back here for me to realise it. When I return to England now after being abroad, I certainly feel as if I’m truly coming home. I love the self-deprecation and sense of irony of the Brits. They don’t half moan a lot, but it wouldn’t be the same if they didn’t. They have the strongest sense of identity and purpose you’ll find, even if they keep it well hidden.
Why do you find writing erotica so liberating?
I’ve always been very sexually imaginative, I suppose, from quite an early age, and I used to feel that I was alone in being like this. I couldn’t imagine my friends having the same intensity of thought or fantasy as I did. It took me until I’d grown into a confident adult to realise that, yes, most women also had these fantasies and liked to read about them just like me. This, combined with my love of words and story, made me try writing stories of my own. I’m not in a position to act out everything I write about, but I can certainly put it down on paper and give it a life through characters.
Why are you passionate about characters dynamic in dialogue?
I’ve always loved acting and play scripts. I imagine my stories visually, as if they are on a stage as I write, and I suppose that’s why dialogue is very important to me. I find it easy to imagine conversation and how a subtle word or phrase can influence attraction.
Where do your ideas for your books come from?
I start with what is familiar to me and what I love – I love history, that’s why I write a fair amount of historical fiction. But I often take my cue from someone charismatic I’ve met or read about, someone possibly in a position of authority or importance. I certainly wouldn’t write specifically about that specific person, but I may be inspired by their circumstances.
What is your favourite sub-genre to read and write in erotic romance and why?
Like I’ve said, I love historical fiction, probably because the social constraints and conventions are far more compelling than what you find these days. The tension and simmering attraction is there to play with. Having said that, I love a gritty contemporary situation too, and have written just as many.
How did your collaboration with Total E bound publishing come about?
I’d read and been aware of the quality and diversity of Total-E-Bound’s publications for a while. I saw the call for submissions to the At Your Service anthology and an idea quickly sprang to mind. I didn’t hesitate in writing something and was thrilled when it was accepted.
When you are not writing you are reading, acting, working, being wife and a mother, so how do you juggle it all?
Good question! I’m not entirely sure. I guess the writing is my way of coping with the rest of it. That’s my ‘me’ time. I shut myself away and it’s just me and my imagination. It fortifies me to face the tough stuff in between.
What is next for you?
I have several works in progress which are nearing completion and will be looking for homes, and I look forward to extending my writing with Total-E-Bound.
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