Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome RM Sotera to the blog today.
1. Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Sure. By day I’m a high school English teacher. I have a husband and son that keep me busy, and at night, when the house is quiet I barricade myself in my office to spin my stories. If I could have one wish – it would be to have a clone of myself so I could be everywhere I need to be! J
2. Have you always wanted to be an author?
No, I haven’t. I’ve always been a storyteller, and I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, but my desire to write my stories down came later in life.
3. Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
I am very eclectic when it comes to favorite writers. I love the classic writers, Poe, Plath, and Austen. I also love writers like Anne Rice, Stephen King, and John Grisham. And then of course, there is Jeannine Frost and Kenyon.
As for influence, they all did in their own way.
4. How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
I write in three different genres, contemporary, cowboy and urban fantasy.
5. What are some of your writing rituals?
My rituals are always the same depending on the scene I’m working on. Music is always involved; however, the type depends on the seriousness of the scene. Chocolate is another must have. During erotic scenes…I have to have my wine!
6. Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Sure. My latest book, Cassadaga Moon, has quite the history.
How did this book come about: I go through many different processes when I sit down to write, however, with Cassadaga Moon, I literally stepped into the world of ‘real vampires’, aka, sang and psy. I began to research the lifestyle or as some say subculture seven years ago. I was preparing to write my first romance novel, and wanted something different. I needed a great hook. I’d always heard about people, who’d believed they were vampiric, however, I thought it was a hoax that is until I started doing my research. I read every book I could get my hands on, specifically those written by Arlene Russo and Katherine Ramsland. Then I started sniffing around online. The vampire community, specifically the Atlanta Vampire Alliance, helped me in understanding the subculture through several different interviews. And then I was lucky enough to meet-up with a few sang vampires in the Las Vegas
So, I took what I knew about the subculture and decided that I wanted to push the envelope further by bringing the fetish of bloodplay into my story. I learned through my research that there is a fine line between the two, and that many people confuse vampirism with bloodplay. They are not the same. However, many people who are vampires delve into that fetish on occasion.
However, for my story, I wanted my hero to like bloodplay too. I wanted to up the ante as much as possible. So with a storyline that encompassed a good Catholic girl and a real vampire with a much darker side, I wrote the book. After several re-writes I felt it was finished and I was ready to find an agent. Not so easy.
Stop the press. I mean I knew that the subject matter of this book was dark, however, I didn’t realize how dark until the rejection letters began to pile up in my office. And most of them said the same thing, that the material was to dark; to the point I would most likely scare readers. But, I kept pushing because the story wasn’t about the vampirism (that just happened to be a really kick-ass conflict) it was about the love between a jaded and broken man with a different belief system and a Catholic girl.
So, 350 rejection letters later, Siren Publishing picked up Cassadaga Moon. They felt the story was intriguing and very unique, and thus they took a chance on the book and my story came to fruition. Here’s a funny…I’m still getting rejection letters on this book and it’s been published already. Go figure.
In closing I would like to say: If you have a story that you truly believe in, don’t stop until it finds a home. How many well-known authors have been rejected on stories that have turned out to be best-selling books? Do the research, you will find out that there are a ton of authors out there who just kept believing in their stories and pushing forward.
7. How did you come with the idea for this story?
Fascination with a taboo world within our own society.
8. Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Yes, I can. I’m currently working on the second book in the Stiletto Sanction series, Vegas Moon. I also have two other works in progress, one is a young adult and the other is another vampire series.
9. What would you be if you were not an author?
I’m one of the lucky ones that have the dream job I’d want if I were not an author. Teaching means the world to me, and I’ll never give it up!
10. What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’m currently reading The Hunger Games, since I’m teaching it to my juniors. And I’m reading The Client, the book I’m teaching to my seniors. As for my own pleasure…I’m waiting patiently for the next Jeannine Frost book.
11. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes. I would like to say thanks for this wonderful opportunity to chat. I appreciate it. Reading
All the best.
RM Sotera
Website: www.rmsotera.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rmsotera
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/R.M.-Sotera/e/B004QSY9AO
Siren Bookstrand Author Page: http://www.bookstrand.com/r-m-sotera
Vice President – Las Vegas
Double D Ranch Tales Blogspot: http://doubledranchtales.blogspot.com/
RomCon Author 2012 –http://romconinc.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27&Itemid=90
Want a chance to win an E-copy of Cassadaga Moon? Please fill out the Rafflecopter from below
The Hunger Games books are great- My 12 year old son is finishing up the series now –he loves it
I'm glad you kept going despite the rejection letters. The story really does sound good and I will definitely be reading it:)
yadkny@hotmail.com
It's great that you write three different genres and I like that, when you write an erotic scene that you have to have your wine. I've had this book on my wishlist since I heard about it on another website. I think I'll have to check it out further. Can't wait to read it.
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
Thanks for a great interview and giveaway! This is a new to me author and her book sounds fantastic! Definitely adding to my wishlist 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to read this book. It sounds very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
WOW…. look interesting, story sounds good and cover book was…sexy ^,^
I will add in my wishlist 🙂
Thank you for the interview, that was for sure interesting. But I am not entering the contest, as I really fear this is too dark for me. But good luck with all your books!
Great interview. I am not looking forward to the rejection letter process at all. But I love writing and won't stop.
Wonderful interview! You book sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
Love the cover and it was a great interview. Thanks for giveaway.
mythic021@gmail.com
Very nice interview. The book sounds good.
Great interview. The book will be wonderful.
GREAT interview! This book look to be VERY interesting bearing all the research you did…*scary* FAB cover, btw! Thx for the AWESOME giveaway op! 🙂
barbbattaglia @ yahoo.com