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J.J. Massa and Silvia Violet

Interview: Dec 21, 2007

Wildfire would like to welcome authors J.J. Massa and Silvia Violet, two busy authors who both enjoy baking but approach their writing atmosphere completely differently. Find out which writer likes to write in silence and why, while the other enjoys writing in a busy coffee shop with the dull roar of conversation in the background.

J.J. Massa

Julie: When a new book comes out, are you nervous about how readers will react to it?

J.J.: Oh absolutely. Every single book is brand new. It never gets old and I never get used to it.

Julie: What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

J.J.: I do a bit of both. Some stories just flow�once in awhile I need to stop and make sure that the characters and I are going in the same general direction. I've taken the time to outline a story before only to do something completely different than I'd expected. It's important to remember that notes can be just as effective when telling you what you don't want as they are helpful in planning ahead. If I AM going to take notes on a story, it's usually after I've written at least a third of it.

Julie: When you write, is atmosphere important? For example, do you use mood music or candles? Do you need complete quiet to concentrate?

J.J.: I don't like writing with other people around. In fact, I don't write much when anyone besides Cosmo is in the apartment. I don't want to be in the middle of a scene and have somebody start talking. I keep my phone turned down so that the answering machine picks up. I'll check on it when I'm taking a break. If I'm stuck, I take Cosmo for a walk or I go clean the kitchen�sometimes both. Making a cake helps, too. Music can inspire a scene sometimes, but I don't listen while I write. Since I use a screen reader to tell me what's happening on screen, other voices can be terribly distracting.

Julie: The editing process is so critical. In your opinion, what are the most important aspects of the editor/author relationship?

J.J.: A good editor/author relationship is symbiotic. We both have to recognize the other's outlook and trust that we're in this for the same thing. A good editor/author team works together to produce the best book possible�we want to be proud of what we're doing and please our reader so they'll trust us. I don't want to work with an editor who's fighting me for control but I do want someone who is not afraid to suggest improvements or tell me if something doesn't make sense. It's a partnership. I know I don't have to make every change my editor suggests, but if she doesn't "get" something in the story, the reader won't either. I trust my editor to give me good advice to improve our book and she trusts me to take it. Hopefully, we both end up looking good�and giving our readers something special for it.

Julie: What's next for you?

J.J.: Look for the book Epoch coming next. It's the second in The International Worlds Museum series. In that book, you'll see some of the characters from Metamorphose, but some of them are going to get quite a shock. I'm trying to get a few other books done so I can dedicate all my attention to this book, but sometimes the stories just won't wait. This series is like that. I'm all but fighting these characters to wait just one more week before I tell their story.

Julie: Do you work with an agent?

J.J.: No, no agent for me. I think I'm just lazy�no, more like I would rather dedicate my time to writing when I can than worry about printing things up and mailing them off and waiting to hear from someone. I guess that makes me both lazy and unwilling to deal with a middleman in case of rejection. *grin* Truly, agents do a lot of good and those friends of mine who work with agents seem to be very pleased. I simply haven't taken the time nor have I done the work to find an agent. Good luck to those aspiring writers who are on the hunt�I know a good agent can be very helpful.

Julie: Most people envision an author's life as being really glamorous. What's the most unglamorous thing that you've done in the past week?

J.J.: Scooping the kitty litter�hands down the most unglamorous thing this week. Changing it isn't as bad as scooping. If you're looking for other levels of not glamorous, throwing my sweats on over my jammies to take the dog out would likely apply. Or maybe trudging down to the single washer laundry room at the end of my apartment building�

Julie: Do you ever experience writer's block? If you do, how do you cope with it?

J.J.: I prefer to think of it as "having trouble focusing". How sad is that? But yes, I've had problems writing from time to time. When you consider that this is mostly what I do, it's terrifying for me when I can't write. But my cure-alls begin with whining about it to one or two hapless listeners�usually other writers. We tell each other why we think we're having trouble, give each other a day off, and then start over. Sometimes, I find something really crappy to read�I have a backlog of exceptionally poorly written stuff some of my non-writer friends send me for the fun of it. After that, I read old favorites that I do like. Lots of times, that sparks the bug for me. Another thing I do is get with a friend�usually Sasha White, and we race. That often helps get me over whatever hump I'm stuck behind and helps me go on.

Julie: Describe the space where you write.

J.J.: The only place I write is at the end of my couch. It's taupe colored, long and cushy with rolled arms and huge throw pillows for the back�very comfortable with plenty of room for Cosmo on the end. I have a table next to it that my daughter painted and decorated with cut words and pictures from magazines and papers. There's a little rolling desk/table for my laptop which can be adjusted depending on how I sit. That's my little world.

Julie: What do you do when you aren't writing? Any hobbies or special interests that you can tell us about?

J.J.: Of course I walk the dog. We go up the hill and either straight across the road and up a straight path, or I turn right and follow the curb as far as I want until I get tired. There's a tree line there so he can sniff and I don't get lost.

Julie: Out of all of the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?

J.J.: You've heard it a million times, but every one of them is my favorite. It's like parenting, they're each your favorite every time you look at one of them. If I named one of them, I'd have to start talking about all of them. I just love to explore personalities, you know? And when I get started, each one is so absorbing. Well, if I go on, I'll be gushing. *grin*

Julie: Are there any absolutely-must-have characteristics for your heroes or heroines?

J.J.: No, there really isn't. I never know what's going to come out when I get started There are so many things that make people fascinating. When a character I'm writing begins to feel like a whole person, it's amazing.

Julie: Dealing with writing deadlines can be a challenge. What do you do to cope with the stress?

J.J.: It really depends. I like to cook sometimes, and a walk when the weather's nice can be refreshing. Most often, I take a break and read something�anything, or start thinking about another book. All that and a glass of wine is pretty helpful.

Julie: Do you remember the first romance novel that you read?

J.J.: No, not really, but I'm pretty sure it was a Harlequin LOL, I used to buy them twenty or more at a time when I was younger. Now, there just isn't enough time to read.

J. J. Massa lives on the Jersey shore with her daughter, her guide dog, and two cats. She loves to write about love, mystery, and magic because it's fun and you can make ANYTHING happen that way. She believes that every day can be an adventure and every person has something to offer. Although she's traveled to many places in her life, these days she does most of her globetrotting from her laptop.

Some of what she writes is true, some isn't� you'll just have to wonder which is which.

Backlist
Acting Like Family � Book 1, The Montgomery Family, loveyoudevine
Family Harmony � Book 2, The Montgomery Family, loveyoudevine
A Family Portrait! � Book 3, The Montgomery Family, loveyoudevine
Managing A Family � Book 4, The Montgomery Family, loveyoudevine
Family Doctor, Book 5: The Montgomery Family, loveyoudevine
A Fragile Family, Book 1: The Montgomery Family Legacies, loveyoudevine
Counting Midnight, loveyoudevine
The Agency: Engel And Gustavo, loveyoudevine
The Agency: Zeki And Aaron, loveyoudevine
The Agency: Marek And Tyrone, loveyoudevine
The Agency: Vanya And Lance, loveyoudevine
Bar Back, loveyoudevine
Life's Mysteries, loveyoudevine
Petals of Passion 1: Dinner For One, loveyoudevine
Petals of Passion 2: Teacher Teacher, loveyoudevine
Signet And Silk 1 and Signet And Silk 2, loveyoudevine
Get Lucky, loveyoudevine
Fair Game, loveyoudevine
Get Lucky, loveyoudevine
Daddy's Girl, loveyoudevine
Love Like Blood, loveyoudevine
Angel's Forcast, loveyoudevine
Knights & Cookies, loveyoudevine
Electric Rayne, Book 1: The Weather Series, loveyoudevine
Ashes In The Wind, Book 2: The Weather Series, loveyoudevine
A Hunted Heart, Linden Bay Romance
Melange, Midnight Showcase
Yaiome, Midnight Showcase
Sweet Treats, New Concepts Publishing
Metamorphose: Book 1 The International Worlds Museum Series, Linden Bay Romance
Secret Thoughts�Erotique (anthology), Samhain Publishing
Secret Thoughts�Lustful (anthology), Samhain Publishing

Coming soon
Everyone Has A Weak Spot, New Concepts Publishing
Everybody Has A Pet Peeve, New Concepts Publishing

Websites:
J.J. Massa
MySpace
JJ at Amazon

Silvia Violet

Julie: What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants, or a combination of both?

Silvia: A combination. I do a very basic outline of scenes. I write down the scenes I think should be in the book on note cards and put them in order. I often reorganize, and add or subtract scenes as I go. I've always wished I could plot the whole book before I got started but try as I might that just doesn't work for me.

Julie: When you write, is atmosphere important? For example, do you use mood music or candles? Do you need complete quiet to concentrate?

Silvia: I can't let myself be too picky since I have two small children and writing time is very limited. I work best in a coffee shop with the background noise of people talking but I can't work if I'm trying to listen to something like music or a conversation. When I'm home I tend to turn on classical music with the volume low while I work.

Julie: The editing process is so critical. In your opinion, what are the most important aspects of the editor/author relationship?

Silvia: I think it's critical to have an editor that who really enjoys reading your work and one whom you feel comfortable questioning when you aren't sure about his or her comments. I've been very fortunate to have fabulous editors so far.

Julie: What's next for you?

Silvia: I'm finishing edits on A Persistent Attraction which is a sequel to A Carnal Agreement. It will be released in February by Samhain Publishing. After the first of the year, I plan to start on another book in this series of erotic Regencies.

Julie: Any advice for aspiring authors?

Silvia: Block out time in your schedule for writing at least five days a week and don't let anything keep you from it. Start with a small goal so you will stick with it. I started with 15 minutes a day.

Julie: Most people envision an author's life as being really glamorous. What's the most unglamorous thing that you've done in the past week?

Silvia: Changing diapers J

Julie: Do you ever experience writer's block? If you do, how do you cope with it?

Silvia: When I have writer's block, I sit down and do stream of consciousness writing about the story and what might or might not happen to my characters. Sometimes I pretend I'm one of the characters and I'm writing a letter about the story or a diary entry.

Julie: What do you do when you aren't writing? Any hobbies or special interests that you can tell us about?

Silvia: I love to read and to bake. I also enjoy doing crafts and cooking projects with my kids.

Julie: Out of all of the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?

Silvia: Marc from my Shifter's Station series is my favorite character of those who I have written because I could hear his voice more clearly than other any hero I've written and I believe that helped me capture his emotions very clearly.

Julie: What books are currently on your nightstand?

Silvia: My False Heart by Liz Carlyle, Her Secret Fantasy by Gaelen Foley, All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann, Christmas Revels by Mary Jo Putney, and 1,2,3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12

Silvia Violet can often be found haunting coffee shops looking for the darkest, strongest cup of coffee she can find. Once equipped with the needed fuel, she can happily sit for hours pounding away at her laptop. Silvia typically leaves home disguised as a suburban stay-at-home-mom, and other coffee shop patrons tend to ask her hilarious questions like "Do you write children's books?". She loves watching the looks on their faces when they learn what she's actually up to. When not writing, Silvia enjoys baking sinful chocolate treats, exploring new styles of cooking, and reading children's books to her wickedly smart offspring.

Silvia writes erotic romance and erotica in a variety of genres. She won Angela Knight's Golden Stiletto contest with a hot excerpt from her Shifter's Station series.

Backlist
Shifter's Station 1: Pilot's Bargain, Changeling Press
Shifter's Station 2: Pilot's Heart, Changeling Press
Shifter's Station 3: Loving Your Enemy, Changeling Press
Shifter's Station 4: Eye of the Tigress, Changeling Press
Station Leave, Changeling Press
Magic in the Blood, Samhain Publishing
Wolf Caller 3: Yearning, Changeling Press
Wolf Caller 2: Power, Changeling Press
Wolf Caller 1: Control, Changeling Press
Lupercalian Feast, Changeling Press
Stallion's Gambit, Changeling Press
Solstice Craving, Changeling Press
Surrender in the Dark, Loose Id
Submission on the Run, Loose Id
Shadows in the Forest, Loose Id
Faery Treasures 1: Cup of Revelation, Loose Id
Faery Treasures 2: Sword of Longing, Loose Id
A Carnal Agreement, Samhain Publishing
A Day at the Office, Changeling Press

Coming soon
A Persistent Attraction, Samhain Publishing
Snowbound: Saved by a Vampire, Changeling Press

Websites:
Silvia Violet
Blog
Newsletter Group

If you would like to request an interview, please send a query to
info@allromanceebooks.com

Until next time!

Julie Cummings
Wildfire Interview Coordinator
All Romance eBooks

Dinner, Dancing and Devastation by Melissa Glisan
This �out-take� from the upcoming release Blood and Honey is rated 1 flame. Love scenes are not consummated.

Wet and bedraggled from the rain, I slumped into a wicker chair on my front porch. Right now the weeping clouds suited my mood and it eased something tight inside my chest, watching nature cry. It was the damned scrapbook�s fault. I�d harbored hope of finding my friend living large in another place far from her Jerry Springer family until Marlene�s mom drug out that beribboned, hodge-podge of memories. Her dad was a true knuckle-dragging, oxygen-thief but Mar would never have abandoned her mom.

�Penny for your thoughts.� Lost in thought, I hadn�t noticed Cal Simmons walking up the sidewalk. That alone should tell me how depressed I was, to miss the sight of sleek wet male parading about in my own private wet T-shirt contest. Topping off his perfection of form, his voice had a low dreamy undertone promising all sorts of hidden pleasures. In a fair world, such a voice would have come from a scrawny accountant with a huge Adam�s apple. But since life was rarely fair, it was merely the cherry on the beefcake-cop leaning against my front gate. Watching the water drip off the curling ends of his sun-streaked hair I wondered if he�d turn the rain sweet.

�How about a nickel for your kiss?� Clapping both hands to my face, I wanted the chair to eat me. His words popped the popular oldies song into my head and my mouth went on auto-pilot, again. Low laughter rolled over my head and I peeked around my fingers in trepidation. Cal made himself comfortable out of the rain by propping himself against the front door. Damn, he took my escape route should the clutch between brain and mouth continue to slip.

�I can see you aren�t as angry with me today as you were at the station a few nights ago. You know, when you never returned my call.� He paused to give me a lopsided little-boy-lost smile that made me grateful to be sitting down. �I figured you were still mad.�

Mad�was there a reason I was supposed to be mad? He had acted weird and pissed me off but, I grudgingly admitted, I had stalked him at his day job. Job was the trigger word, he called and left me a confusing message. Well hell, I had forgotten to call him back. �I�m sorry, I forgot.� Adding insult to injury my dratted stomach picked that moment to let out a Herculean rumble protesting my having missed lunch.

�I stopped by to talk but if you�re in danger of passing out from hunger, what do you say to pizza at Nino�s?� My toe itched to kick his shin but I settled for giving him the evil eye before disappearing inside to clean up. The notion of gooey cheesy pizza had me salivating like one of Pavlov�s dogs. Five minutes ago I was drooling over the man, now it was over his offer of food; I was hopeless.

Hope springs eternal. I know, I know but a dry sweater and an order of garlic bread later�I was positively glowing. Mostly because of the way the sexy officer kept sneaking heated looks at me when he thought I wasn�t looking. When I snagged the form fitting pullover I�d been thinking about warming myself up, not redirecting his tawny gaze to my bounty of bosom. From the time they emerged I had cursed and buried my breasts, the novelty of male attention had worn thin before my menses straightened out. As a result, I tended to dress conservatively. Nothing was more annoying than having men speak to your tits like a pair of microphones.

But Cal wasn�t staring at my chest, he was watching me eat. Flushing, I remembered being hypnotized by the sight of a pair of well chiseled lips on a straw. He couldn�t be fascinated by my lips, could he? Watching him from under my lashes, I tore a piece of bread free and dipped it in marinara sauce, catching a droplet on my tongue before nibbling at the tangy, buttery crust.

Hunching over the table he pulled the basket and dipping bowl away from me. The table was so tiny our knees touched but gamely I played along, pouting. �Hogging it all to yourself Simmons?�

�Cal, call me Cal.� Oh yeah, he was watching. Between the banked heat in his tawny eyes and the rough edge to his voice, the delectable detective was totally paying attention. �And no, I want to feed you.� The rough edge turned into a purr that had me sliding forward, pushing my knees between his.

For the first time I was with a guy and drunk on his presence and not a fizzy alcoholic drink. Quickly, he reduced the crusty bread into bite-sized chunks then dusted off his fingers. A man�s hands said a lot about him; his were strong, capable, with a small scar at the base of his thumb. My heart turned over as he lifted a flake of bread dipped in sauce to my lips. As he leaned forward, the long sun-kissed chestnut waves shadowed his expression. I opened my mouth but he pulled the morsel back. Grinning, I opened my mouth again but delicately flicked my tongue to catch the bite before he could withdraw.

Smiling, he caught my chin with his free hand. �Got some sauce on your lips.� My pulse raced under his firm grip as he lazily leaned forward and licked a spot on my mouth. I nearly forgot to breathe let alone chew when he lifted another offering. Swallowing roughly, I opened my mouth again, this time he popped the bite in. When I made to close my lips he slid in the tip of his finger. My eyes drifted half-closed as I watched his reaction as I swallowed the bread and suckled his finger, nipping the digit with my teeth before letting go.

�Still hungry?� His smile was slow and satisfied and I didn�t care. The hand under my chin moved to cup the side of my face, making me feel fragile.

�Ravenous,� Go team! An answer that made sense. He waved the waitress over and changed our order to go. He stood slowly letting me see his arousal pressed against his jeans. A blush stained my cheeks but I couldn�t seem to look my fill or fore my gaze away. My hands itched to trace the bulge and skim higher to discover just what textures were hidden under his sweatshirt.

Walking home was a waltz of puddles, rain, and a precariously balanced pizza box. Every time I stopped he stood flush against me, and flush I did at the full feel of him pressed against my back, hotter than the sun in mid-July. Grinning, he�d step to my side, passing the pizza box around the other side from hand to hand as I stood there dumbstruck clutching the umbrella. It wasn�t like he needed to seduce me down the street with cheese and oregano, but he acted as if that was what drew me. The feel of his upper arm �accidentally� brushing my breast had my pulse screaming the Tarantella in my ears.

It was almost too good to be true. Maybe it was. On the sidewalk leading into my home I remembered the only other time I was with a guy and things felt this perfect�the night the creepy Thibou and I danced in the bar. I�d had no savior in the form of my ghostly best friend then either. Should I look for Marlene? Covert glances from under my lashes showed that no one was out walking in the rain as night fell. We were alone. Maybe it was just my nerves but the desire spiking through my veins faltered, just a smidgeon.

Putting the key in the door I turned and collapsed my umbrella and met Cal�s frankly approving gaze. �What was it you wanted when you called me a few days ago?� The feminine part of my brain did a frustrated stomp and pout, while the logical part finally woke up and kicked in.

�Can�t I have wanted to ask you out?� Down hormones, down! It was almost impossible to control the urge to throw myself at the sexy beast when his lips lied so perfectly. But he hadn�t called to ask me out for dinner, he had demanded something I �stole� and an apology, which made no sense, seeing how he gave me Marlene�s personal effects.

�Yes, you could have wanted that.� I couldn�t help the rough purr of arousal in my voice but I could try not to act like an utter wanton. �But you accused me of stealing and asked for an apology.� With a click my wrist spun the lock, the door opened and I stepped inside lifting the pizza from his hands, shutting the door in his shocked face.
Humming in satisfaction, I set the pizza box on my hall table and looked in the mirror to assess the rain damage to my frizzy hair only to freeze in shock. Marlene stood behind my left elbow with sad eyes, shaking her head. Jerkily, I spun but of course no one was there. What had I done?

Racing for the door, I bolted outside in time to see the blank look on Cal Simmon�s face as he drove past in his slightly battered undercover vehicle. My heart slumped painfully in my chest. He really had stopped by just to see me.

Melissa Glisan always wanted to write, so she became an engineer. Seriously. She�s living proof that sometimes a little brain damage helps. When she isn�t pecking at the keyboard she enjoys maintaining the family graveyard, swamp hikes, and lurking in the hills of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Backlist:
The Ballet, Red Rose Publishing
Ware Wishes, Aspen Mountain Press
Fool's Gold, Aspen Mountain Press
Night Lights, Aspen Mountain Press
Babes in Toyland I, Aspen Mountain Press (anthology of 8 writers, my story is Festival of Lights)
Holly's Happy Day, Lulu.com

Coming Soon:
Blood and Honey, Red Rose Publishing
Sheikh'd Dow, Red Rose Publishing
Memory and Dream, Aspen Mountain Press
Dog Wild, Aspen Mountain Press
Forget Me Knot, Aspen Mountain Press
Lessons in Love, Aspen Mountain Press

Links:
Melissa Glisan
Blog
MySpace

Submissions to The Weekly Sizzle should be sent to Sizzle@allromanceebooks.com. We are looking for original short stories, 1-5 flames, 200-2000 words.

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Sent: Dec 21, 2007