Hey everyone! I’m honored to introduce to you Guest Author LEAH BRAEMEL today.
Leah is a wonderful lady I met a couple of years ago at the RWA conference in Dallas. She’s not only a wonderful person, but she’s also an extremely imaginative writer who brings us the delectable books we love to read. She’s an icon with Samhain Publishing and has an upcoming release with Carina Press, and I’m thrilled to have her visiting with us today.
Leah, thank you so much for stopping by. To start off, tell us about these yummy-licious books you have available at Samhain Publishing.
Wow, thanks! I had no idea I was an icon. Of course, if I am, that’s because a really lovely author named Red Garnier gave me lots of advice and encouragement. The first of my yummy-licious books is Private Property. It’s a contemporary erotic novella that was inspired during that trip to Dallas where I met you. Kick-ass security specialist Jodi Tyler’s boyfriend (and boss) Mark Rodriguez has arranged a birthday surprise for her – the fulfillment of some of her sexual fantasies, including a ménage with his best friend Sam. But the evening’s games take a twist when Sam turns the tables on Mark in order to force him to see what he’s got with Jodi. It was a lot of fun making Mark squirm before he’d say those three important little words.
Sam *fans self* is one of those characters who just walked into the room and took over. Naturally such a larger-than-life character needed more than a novella to tell his story so he ended up with his own book—a full length contemporary, Personal Protection.
Personal Protection takes place three months after Private Property. Sam, who owns an elite protection agency, has been receiving threats. To his disgust, his second-in-command assigns him his own bodyguard team. But it’s not so bad when the head of the team turns out to be the sassy and sexy Rosie Ramos who is a tiny but extremely competent spitfire who can keep Sam in line. (Yes, I was thinking of Red when I wrote Rosie.) Things heat up for them when Rosie discovers Sam’s kept a few facets of his personality very private, including his membership in a sex club that she must investigate in order to keep him safe. I had a lot of fun playing with this couple—there were so many dynamics I could explore with them. While Private Property is (at the moment) only available as an ebook, Personal Protection is available both in e-format and as a print book.
- And they’re both super hot and sexy, guys! I’m sure you’ll enjoy! Leah, I also see that you have a release coming out with Carina press, and it looks like a scorcher. Can you tell me a little bit more about Texas Tangle?
I do! Like Private Property, Texas Tangle is a contemporary erotic romance involving a ménage. In this case, both the heroes—Dillon and Brett—are in love with the heroine, horse breeder Nikki. They’ve both had a thing for her since high school—in fact it nearly destroyed their friendship but when the dust settled neither of them ended up with the girl. Now ten years later, Nikki’s available, so Dillon makes his move while Brett decides that to preserve his friendship he’ll stand back and let his best friend walk off with the woman he’s loved for years. But it just about kills him to watch Nikki with Dillon. And worse-listen to the two of them making love in the bedroom next door. Eventually it all comes out so Dillon suggests she date the both of them so Nikki can decide between them.
- Wow, that sounds hot! Everyone, I hear this book releases today from Carina Press so snatch it up if you’re as intrigued as I!! How did the idea for this book come about, Leah?
Again, I got the idea during that trip to Texas back in 2007. One of my critique partners Sue breeds horses and took me to her farm where she introduced me to all things Texas: I went riding and she taught me to shoot, I got up close and personal with prickly pears and even saw a road runner. And the delicious Texas twangs everyone used. How can you not be in Texas and not be inspired to write a western?
I’ll confess, Texas Tangle was originally supposed to be a novella, a fun weekend romp just between Nikki and Dillon, but like Sam from Personal Protection, when Brett walked into a scene and started telling his story, I couldn’t resist adding the dark, troubled hero as a foil to Dillon’s easy-going, happy personality.
- I love troubled heroes! And speaking about trouble versus happiness . . .please tell us about your writing career. Did you always want to be a writer? When did you start and how long did it take you to get published?
I’ve always written, but never showed anyone my writing until around 2004. That’s when I met the woman who is now my critique partner (yes, the one who owns the horse farm) on a non-writing forum. Over a couple of months, she finally got me to share some of my writing with her. She poked and prodded and kept bugging me until I decided to get serious and submit something for publication. (That took her about two and a half years of emailing me and whacking me up the back of the head, LOL) Thanks to Sue, I wrote my first story—a paranormal about a merman—and pitched it an editor at the conference in July 2007. What do you know, she wanted to see it, so when I got home I submitted it and began the waiting game. While I was waiting to hear back on it, I wrote a couple more stories, including Private Property. After Sue’s continued prodding, I submitted it to Samhain. Fast forward to the middle of July 2008, and the day after I heard that my original submission with the other publisher had been lost because the editor had quit and destroyed all her submissions. I opened up my email to find a note from Angela James who was the executive editor at Samhain saying she was offering a contract for Private Property. The final line of her email said “I hope there’s a sequel with Sam’s story in the works!” I was so thrilled to reply and say, “As a matter of fact, there is!”
- Any books you’re working on now?
I’m almost afraid to say—I feel like it would jinx them because it can depend on whether the editors are as excited about the projects as I am. But I will mention a few stories I’m working on. The one at the top of the pile is the next in the Hauberk series for Samhain. It’s a reunited love story following Sam’s second-in-command Chad who is put in charge of protecting his ex-wife not realizing she’s protecting him. Lots of sparks, lots of chances for tender moments as well as heated debates. Chad and his heroine have not been making thing easy—they have not been co-operating with me in telling their story.
The other project I’m crossing my fingers about is a proposal for a prequel to Texas Tangle—it’ll be a historical that takes place back in 1850s Texas. There’s a scene in Texas Tangle where Dillon’s grandmother tells them about her great-grandparents. The outline I’ve got tells their story. The plan is for it to be a novella, and yes, it will involve a ménage. (I can hear you saying “Gee, what a shock!”)
- Being a writer like you, I know that good things don’t come easy, and sometimes we have to work harder than we ever imagined we had to to reach our goals. What has been the hardest part of being a writer for you?
The hardest part for me has been balancing the ‘business of writing’ (I had no idea edits and all the promo authors have to do behind the scenes would take SO much time) and family life. I’m a member of the ‘sandwich’ generation where I have to look after my two sons and help them as they find their way out into the world, and my parents who live an hour away and have required a lot of attention that has taken me away from both my kids and my writing. It’s been extremely tough to juggle some days.
- What about the good parts? What is it about writing that keeps you glued to the chair when even the muse doesn’t stop by to work a certain day?
One of the best things about writing is the friendship I’ve found. I’ve met so many supportive people in the writing world, both published and unpublished authors who are willing to listen to me vent or whine and then deliver the needed kick in the pants to get me back on path. It’s nice to connect with other people who can share the ups-and-downs of writing because writing is generally a solitary endeavor between an author and her computer (or her pad of paper.) And I have to admit, those royalty checks sure help keep my butt in the chair too 
- Ok, let’s talk about guilty pleasures! I know that my guilty pleasures include: chocolate, a glass of Bailey’s, and internet shopping. Care to share some guilty pleasures with us?
Hmm, this is tougher than I thought it should be because lately I’ve tried not to indulge in chocolate or anything containing sugar (which formerly were my guilty pleasures.) *drops voice to a whisper* I indulge in far too many games of Mahjong on my computer when I should be working. Does that count?
- What’s your typical writing day like? Do you work on schedule? Are you a plotter or a pantster?
My typical writing day has changed since I got published naturally. I’m generally up by 7 and on my computer by 7:30 checking out my email. Some days it’ll be a couple hours before I open a document on Word, but I always try to get some forward writing done in the mornings when I’m freshest. I edit or work on blog posts or other type of writing in the afternoons, and doing all the bazillion other fiddly jobs that I have to do in the evenings.
Plotter or pantser. *gulp* Sort of a combination? It’s an on-going organic process. I’ve always had to know where I’m going—the beginning, the high points in the middle and the ending, and all the questions have to be answered. That’s how I wrote Private Property. Unfortunately part of my brain forgot that I needed to know all that stuff with Personal Protection and I ended up writing and deleting and writing and deleting. I figure I wrote about 130,000 words and ended up keeping about 75,000. But for Texas Tangle, I declared my first draft done at 22,000. Then went through it and made notes to add or expand scenes, the second draft was 44,000, and the final version is just over 72,000. I like working that way much better. So for Chad’s story and the Texas Tangle prequel, what I’m doing is writing out what scenes I need, and from whose viewpoint and what that scene needs to show, so I guess I’ve firmly crossed over into plotter territory.
- For all those writers out there, do you have any wisdom to impart?
For newbie writers, the best advice I can give is “write!” I’ve met a lot of people who have introduced themselves very enthusiastically saying “I’m a writer too.” But when I start talking to them I find out they’ve never actually finished writing a manuscript. If your dream is to be published, that’s never going to happen with an unfinished manuscript. So what are you waiting for? Put your butt in the chair, put your hands on the keyboard (or your pen to paper, or turn on your voice recorder—whatever works for you) and write.
For those writers who have finished something, find a really good critique partner or partners and learn to take criticism—learn what to listen to, and what not to listen to. (They’re equally important.) Then edit your manuscript until it shines. Once it’s all polished up, send it out and start writing your next book. Lather, rinse, repeat.
- Leah, I absolutely love your website design. Please tell us where we can visit you often, find news about you and your new releases, etc.
I love my website design too—isn’t it dramatic? You can sign up for a newsletter on the site—I don’t share the information with anyone else, and I don’t spam you. I only send out a newsletter if I have a release or a big contest going on, so you’ll generally only get about three newsletters a year from me. You’ll get more information following my meanderings either on my blog or on Twitter. Oh, and I’m on Facebook as well, both with my personal page and a fan page.
Leah, it’s been such a pleasure to have you. Thank you so much for your valuable time and for gifting us with this fabulous interview!! I can’t wait to snuggle up with Texas Tangle. And for everyone who’s looking for a hot read, I’m offering a free copy of Personal Protection to a lucky random commenter today so don’t be shy and say hi to Leah Braemel! 
