AUTHOR INTERVIEW - K.E. SAXON

1. What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

My name is K.E. Saxon and I was born in a military hospital in Mountain Home, Idaho. I currently live in Houston, Texas.

2. Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?

I self publish

3. What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I’ve actually just released another humorous and steamy contemporary romance (sorry, no fairy magic in this one!) entitled, LOVE IS THE DRUG. It’s about a man dealing with the trauma of learning that the father who raised him is not the father who made him: he’s actually the product of a violent rape. Because he feels that his DNA is tainted, he never wants to have children, but unfortunately for him, he falls for a woman who does. Hi-lites are a match-maker father and a drugged-drink Vegas wedding.

I also have a family saga medieval Highland romance trilogy that I’m still completing edits on. I hope to release those simultaneously sometime next year.

4. How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books? Who designed the Cover of your books?

For DIAMONDS AND TOADS, I found the photo at iStock Photos about a year ago when I was browsing for fairy pictures and fell in love with it. I thought it evoked the exact feel of my fun and steamy contemporary romance romp. However, I wanted somehow to include the diamonds and toads in the photo as well, and that was beyond me. I found Dara England’s name and reference through an online forum I’m a member of and quickly commissioned her services once I’d decided to self-publish the story.

5. What do you do to unwind and relax?

I love to trim plants! Actually, just communing with nature will relax me, even if it’s just sitting out on my back patio and watching the birds and squirrels while I drink a glass of wine.

6. Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?

Not just one, but several. I love the way both Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Julie Garwood combine humour with sentiment, and I have always striven to reach that mark in my own writing. The sexiness factor was influenced by authors like Lisa Kleypas, Linda Lael Miller, and Nicole Jordan.

7. What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?

Lady Gallant, by Suzanne Robinson, and, oh yes, I’ve read it many, many times!

8. Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is your favourite/worst  book to movie transfer?

My favorite book to movie transfer is…Stardust (book by Neil Gaiman). Actually, I thought the screenwriters nailed the romance story arc much better than in the book.

The worst book to movie transfer is…The Accidental Tourist (book by Ann Tyler). And here, I will say, that after a few years of distance from the book, I watched the movie again and think that it stands on its own merits as a good film—just not a great adaptation of the original work.

9. Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?

Ever? Maybe, but I don’t think any time in the near future—and really, maybe not at all. I personally hope not. I like paper books as well as digital. I do think that eventually print books will become very expensive (the days of the mass market paperback may be waning, just because of the fact that the places to purchase them are decreasing in number). Even now, the first-time published and midlist authors are struggling to sell their titles because places like Wal-Mart, Target, your local grocery store, are mostly only selling NY Times best sellers. So, if you want a paper version of a newbie’s or midlist author’s book, you can either have instant gratification and get a digital copy, or you can wait for it to come in the mail from Amazon, BN.com, etc.

Here’s something that I haven’t heard (read) anyone say before: I live in a hurricane zone so the electricity can be out for days after an event (ours was out for 11 days after the last one!). After several days, the main branch of the library and a few cafés had electricity, so people could “plug in” and get back on the internet and charge their cell phones (or, in this case, plug their e-reading device in to charge it). Now, with paper books, all you would need is candle light and a good book…

10. Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?

I will never, ever, ever read War and Peace. Sorry. I don’t even have an urge to watch the 4 hour long movie.

11. What do you think about book trailers?

You know, for the most part, I haven’t really “gotten” them. The ones I’ve seen, at least, never seem to evoke the right feeling in me to make me want to purchase the book. That is, until I saw Patti Roberts’ book trailer for Paradox: The Angels Are Here. This is the most amazing piece of video—and I think it truly makes people want to buy her book. Here’s the link to it on YouTube, if you’re curious: http://bit.ly/tau1Tv. After seeing it, I revised my thinking on them.

12. What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?

Read and re-read and earmark and follow instructions in the following books:

Scene and Structure by Jack M. Bickham

Self-Editing for the Fiction Writer by Renni Browne and Dave King

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

Goal, Motivation, & Conflict by Debra Dixon

The Story Within Writing Series*, by Alicia Rasley

*This set of 6 booklets are only available online, but are worth much more than

 she’s asking for them ($22): http://www.sff.net/people/alicia/booklet.htm

Where can readers follow you?

Your blog details? http://kesaxon.com/blog.html
Your web site ? http://kesaxon.com
Your facebook page? http://www.facebook.com/kesaxonauthorpage
Your Goodreads author page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5238835.K_E_Saxon
Your Twitter details? @KESaxonAuthor

Thanks so much for having me here today, Jeanz!

Thankyou for taking the time from your writing schedule to take part in this Interview!