Fridays with Friends Featured Guest is Paranormal & Erotic Romance Author Zenobia Renquist/D. Renee Bagby!
Today, I'm honored to have multi-published author, Zenobia Renquist as my featured guest! We first met during the MSN group days, and in case you didn't see my brief post about Zenobia on yesterday at my Word Press site, http://www.darkparanormalromanceseries.com, you can also find her at Color of Love, where she's one of my sister administrative authors.
It is such a pleasure to have you here today, Zenobia! You write such a delicious variety of romance, I wanted to at least place a few tidbits around your interview for readers to get a taste. Readers, you can also find some of Zenobia's great stories under the name D. Renee Bagby. Following the interview, you'll find a special site to read first chapters of Zenobia's books.
Interview Questions
1. What do you want readers to know
about you as a person? 3 things.
a. I tend to make things more convoluted
than they need to be. As a result, it takes me a while to finish my novels. My
novellas, on the other hand, go pretty quick because they have to be short.
b. I love dragons with a capital L. Most
anything with a dragon on it gets my attention. I have tons of dragons
surrounding me in my office.
c. I’m a home body. I prefer staying at
home. I don’t mind traveling but my preference is to stay cooped up in my
office.
2. What are some of the most valuable
lessons you’ve learned during your career as a writer/author?
a. The most valuable lesson I have
learned is that there will always be more to learn. This career is learning
from start to finish. There’s always something new to learn—be it for writing
craft or promotion or how to tell a story.
3. That is so true. You’re a very busy lady. How do you
spend your time when you’re not writing?

4. Tell us about your books – genre,
titles. Any favorite characters?
a. My newest release is an Erotic
Fiction title from Razor’s Edge Press called PRE-GAME SHOW. It’s a
contemporary, voyeurism/exhibitionism short story about a wife who likes to
entertain her husband’s poker buddies before they play cards.
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1858
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1858

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1833
c. In August is ETERNAL LOVERS thefinale for my CAVEAT EMPTOR SERIES (Erotic Paranormal Romance from Changeling
Press). This series has followed three couples as they struggle to make love
work during the vampire-mage war. Until now, all of the books have been from
the heroines’ points of view. The finale gives the heroes a chance to shine.
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1875
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1875
d. I would have to say my favorite
character is always the one I’m working on now. I have to love my characters in
order to write them. Of my published titles my current favorite is Starling
Moddel from PET’S PLEASURE (Mainstream SciFi Romance from Ellora’s Cave Blush).
I had a ball writing her and reading aloud her arguments with Bekion. I loved
the way those two bounced off of each other.
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9948-pets-pleasure.aspx
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9948-pets-pleasure.aspx
5. Is there a common thread in your
books? If so, what do they have in common? What do you want readers to take
from your creations?
a. My common thread is Beauty and the
Beast. It’s my all time favorite fairytale and my favorite Disney film. I love
the idea of love breaking through a gruff exterior. My books tend to follow the
same theme. I don’t know if readers can take anything from that other than I
like my heroes to be a little annoying until the heroine gets to know them
better.
6. What can we look forward to from you
in the near future? Works in progress? Projects?
a. I have so many irons in the fire that
I’m planning to go into seclusion in July. I’ll poke my head on the internet
every now and again but I mostly plan to write and get stuff finished. I have four
more books in the GUARDIAN’S TALES series to write as well as a spin-off from
the CAVEAT EMPTOR series and then there’s a series that I haven’t even started
yet. That’s not to mention the five SciFi Romances I have planned for Ellora’s
Cave.
7. What are some of your favorite
writers’ resources? Online sites? Resource books?
a. I recently discovered SIN AND SYNTAX
by Constance Hale thanks to Angela Knight. It’s a resource book about “how to
craft wickedly effective prose.” As I already said, this career is one of
perpetual learning. I also subscribed to the CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE website
since most publishers use that as their style guide. Beyond books, I’ve found
RWA and its chapters to be full of authors willing to share their knowledge.
8. What, in your opinion, are some key
elements necessary in finding the love of your life? (I know. This one’s deep
;-)
a. Number One – Similar interests. The
love of your life should also be your friend. You’re going to be with this
person for the rest of your life (ideally) and you can’t have sex all the time
(though some try at first). You have to have something you can do and talk
about together in between bedroom romps.
b. Number Two – Different interests. You
can’t be with each other 24/7. Eventually one will get on the other’s nerves.
Sometimes people need time to themselves or with others who share an interest
their spouse might not have.
c. Number Three – Realize that life
isn’t like a book or the movies. It’s great to get wrapped up in fiction, but
real life doesn’t happen like that. Love takes work and diligence. As quickly
as some people fall IN love, they can fall OUT of love if they aren’t careful.
9. What do you look for in a good book?
a. Characters I can love and a plot that
grabs me. I want to laugh and cry and yell with the characters. I need to feel
what they feel. And the plot has to have me reading as fast I can to find out
what happens next. My favorite books are the ones that make me skip meals and
ignore the real world until I finish them.
For more information about Zenobia, you can find her in these places around the web:
Blog - http://dreneebagby.blogspot.com/
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ZenobiaRenquist
Newsletter - http://ymlp.com/xgeusujygmgj
Readers can preview the first chapter of all of my books on my First Chapters blog:
http://www.drb1stchp.com/search/label/Zenobia%20Renquist
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ZenobiaRenquist
Newsletter - http://ymlp.com/xgeusujygmgj
Readers can preview the first chapter of all of my books on my First Chapters blog:
http://www.drb1stchp.com/search/label/Zenobia%20Renquist
Comments
so you'll know everything:-)
~ Zenobia