Q&A with R.Phoenix
About the book
Gifts: A Status Quo Story (One) [M/M/F]Expected Release Date: 2 December 2016.
Condemned to a life of slavery for his bloodline alone, Imriel Conti has spent the past decade sheltered from the harsh realities of the world around him. He knows the world outside shows no mercy to humans or those deemed traitor by the supernaturals dictating the terms of the new status quo, but he’s never had to experience their ruthlessness up close. When his secret is discovered and protection is stripped away from him, he’s given to Vampire Elder Callia Odessa by her witch lover Draven Foss. He knows their true interest is in the accursed gift he bears, but nothing is as he expected -- and he learns the lines of loyalty are not as clear as he might have hoped.
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: When I introduced the three main characters of Gifts in Refraction (RISQ 6), I knew I wanted to do more with them. I was nervous about writing an M/M/F book, especially since the main series is M/M, but the story refused to get out of my head and I finally gave in and wrote it. Callia is confident and ruthless, and she’s quick to take advantage of the rumors that she slept her way to the top – especially since those who assume she’s the weak link usually regret it. Draven is a witch, and usually witches’ loyalty follows their bloodline. But he’s thrown in with Callia, and they have an understanding that benefits them both. He gives her Imriel, who’s been sheltered from the world for years, because of Imri’s gift. Writing his gift in particular is a challenge, but that’s all I’m saying.
Q: How long did it take you to write the book?
A: I suspect that these characters somehow managed to take over my brain and write themselves, because this is one of the easiest books I’ve ever written. It only took me about two weeks on the heel of Refraction, which is when I’m usually so burned out that I can only whine about not being able to write. I had a lot of fun with it.
Q: Did you find the erotic scenes hard to write? If so, why?
A: Once upon a time, females were easy for me to write. But I stopped writing them for a long time, and going back to writing a woman in an erotic situation wasn’t as easy as I remembered it being! The tone of the story didn’t really work well with some of the more vulgar words – cunt, snatch, etc. – and that was a challenge because, really, the words for female anatomy really suck. Once I got going, though, it all smoothed out. (Though my editor friend enjoyed the hell out of herself mocking me for using ‘slammed.’ Apparently I needed to learn other words.)
Q: Do you have a favourite scene in the book? If so, which?
A: I very much enjoyed writing the threesome scene, and I’m pleased with how it came out. Imri’s innocence offset by Callia’s seduction and Draven’s experience was a lot of fun to explore.
About the book Bought: A Ripples in the Status Quo Story (One) [M/M]Warning: dubious consent. Available at Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, etc. When he agreed to take the fall for his pack leader's failed attempts to help the Rebellion, Jace knew he wouldn't live long enough to regret it. However, instead of the noble end he envisioned for himself, the werewolf finds himself at the mercy of a witch and his depraved games. Though he clings to his conviction that he can withstand anything his new master can dish out, it isn't long before he realizes pride has no place in his life as the pet of the controlling Elias Ivers.
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: I wrote what I wanted to read! There are a lot of elements and themes at play here that I enjoy, even if I just flirt with some of them. Elias and Jace’s story was actually meant to be a one-shot in the world, a standalone just to play in the world, but I ended up liking them too much to abandon them. Elias was the perfect antagonist, and Jace… Ah, poor Jace. Now they feature very predominantly in the overall story, and the next stage of their story will be the focus of the next book in the RISQ series.
Q: Did you find the erotic scenes hard to write? If so, why?
A: I had to do research. It was horrible. Really. Terrible. I suffered through every minute of it.
Q: Do you have a favourite scene in the book? If so, which?
A: The first time Elias and Jace really interact is hands-down my favorite. Jace has just sacrificed himself to protect his lover, and as a traitor, he expects a quick death. Instead, he’s sold to Elias Ivers, an arrogant, powerful witch who has his own plans for Jace. Jace is defiant and confident that he won’t give in, but Elias isn’t exactly new to this sort of game. “What the fuck did you do to me?” One of his fists unfurled, and Jace fought not to touch himself. He couldn’t fail this challenge, which he knew was exactly what this was: a challenge, a test, a fight. His fingers curled around his cock all the same. “Would you prefer that list categorically or alphabetically?” Jace wanted to rip his smug throat out.
About you
Q: Where do you get your book ideas from?
A: Random places. I’ll get a character idea in my head whose story I want to tell, or I’ll get a quote or a line that I want to follow so I can find out where it goes. I’ll hear a song or see something when I’m driving, or a theme will interest me and I’ll want to see what I can do with it. A lot of times, I just write without knowing what I’m doing or where I’m going until I’m part of the way there.
Q: How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?
A: Currently, I have 6 books out in the Ripples in the Status Quo series and a standalone set in that world. I’m expecting to release Gifts, the first in the spinoff Status Quo series, on 2 December 2016. My favorite thing about writing these books is that they’re all different. The books range from dark erotica to romance and back again as the story progresses, and I enjoy getting to explore the full range. The first three books introduce the characters independent of one another, and they start coming together in the fourth book. The fourth book in the series, Owned, is my favorite. This is where the characters start to come together, and I feel like this is really where I hit my stride with the series. I wish it was the first in the series, to be honest! But it really benefits from having read Bought (One) and it would have major spoilers for Recoil (Three). Alas.
Q: Are you going to write more books? If so, will you continue to do so under the erotic genre?
A: Right now, I’m working on a dark erotica book with the talented Katze Snow. (Please don’t tell her I’m doing this instead of writing for her. She’ll hurt me. I’m delicate.) I’m excited for it, because the two of us are depraved, and we only encourage one another. I plan on returning to the RISQ/SQ world soon, but I’m taking a short break from it to write my first ever contemporary romance. It’s so far out of my comfort zone that it may as well be in another world, but it’s a challenge and a breather.
Your Views
Q: What do you think makes a good story?
A: Strong characters. At the end of the day, you can’t have a good story without compelling characters. Their development is plot in and of itself at times, and it can truly drive the story at points when it might otherwise get hung up or suffer. Creating characters is probably my favorite part of writing.
Q: Do you think people are becoming more accepting of erotica?
A: Yes. I think there are enough prominent erotica authors out there who know how to tell one hell of a story to where it’s hard to condemn them as simple smut. I’ll be honest: until I started reading Tiffany Reisz, I was skeptical of the erotica genre. The Siren made me realize that my opinions and beliefs on erotica were flat-out wrong; the genre has so much more range than people give it credit for.
Q: Have you self-published? If so, what have been the negatives and positives?
A: I started out with eXcessica, a publishing cooperative, and I learned quite a bit from them. I made the switch to self-publishing in late March of this year, though, and I haven’t looked back. All of mine are self-published, and I have no plans to go the traditional route. It’s stressful. You’re responsible for everything: book cover, editing, publishing, tracking. Sometimes it seems like it’d be helpful to have guidance from a publishing company, especially when you’re flailing around trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t through trial and error. At the same time, though, I like being responsible for everything. (Okay, maybe I’m a tiny bit of a control freak. Tiny bit.) I like getting to pick my own cover and figure out my own editing, to include the content I want, and to make my own mistakes along the way. It lets me experiment and fix things as I go.
Q: In your opinion, what elements make a good erotic scene in a book?
A: First and foremost, I want to experience what the characters are experiencing. I want to be a part of their thoughts, their wants, their desires; I want to know what they’re going through – good or bad – as it happens. I like introspection and emotions, things that draw me into the scene. The actual act itself can get repetitive or predictable; let’s just be honest: there are only so many ways you can fit slot A into slot B. What really makes a scene compelling is what sets it apart from others. In other words, I want to know why I should care about this scene.
Just for Fun
Q: If you could be a character from one of your books, who would you be and why?
A: Most of mine are currently in really terrible predicaments, so I hope you’ll forgive me for picking someone who’s doing much better. ;-) So I’ll pick Callia Odessa, from my upcoming erotic novella Gifts. She’s a strong, ruthless woman who plays on the expectations of others to get ahead in the world, and she’s utterly unashamed of who and what she is.
Q: What’s your favourite board game?
A: Cards Against Humanity. Because I’m a terrible person.
Q: Who is your favourite author?
A: I’m going to pretend this question says ‘who are your favorite authors’ because I’m utterly incapable of deciding. I mentioned Tiffany Reisz, who changed the way I looked at the entire genre, and I respect and admire her greatly. Her Original Sinners books are just spectacular. Brandon Sanderson, who writes epic fantasy, taught me a great deal about how to introduce and develop plot angles while twisting them into a larger story. He’s spot on with his plotting, world development, and characters, and his Stormlight Archive books are probably at the top of my list. And Jim Butcher is one of my heroes. The Dresden Files are amazing books that get better with each one, and his character development is extraordinary. There’s a lot of sarcastic humor, which I approve of greatly.
Q: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A cat, for at least a few years. I mean, really, think about it. They sleep and play all day, we feed them, pet them, and clean up after them. And even when their little tiny claws dig into us (I’m looking at you, Little Bit), we still coo over them. Right. Beyond that, I wanted to be a writer until I let everyone around me tell me that it wasn’t feasible and it was a waste of time. So I proceeded to actually waste almost a decade of my life in a job I hated, because apparently that’s what’s expected. I’m working towards my Master’s in Cybersecurit
R.Phoenix's Social Links:
