Interview with Author Angel Payne
When or what made you decide to become an author? The desire to read great stories has always been like breathing to me. When I was a kid, it was Nancy Drew and the Babysitter’s Club. My tween years were filled with Danielle Steel (yeah, I matured fast) and Judy Blume. But the moment I absolutely KNEW I wanted to write was when I finished the 4th book in Jude Deveraux’s Velvet series. I was so floored by the experience of following all those characters…and so bummed it was over! I remember distinctly saying to myself, “I want to make people feel like this!”
How do you get an idea for your novel? I try to let the stories stem from the characters themselves but it’s hard because I really love big plots and dramatic ideas. But in general, I ask one big question and that is, “What is going to push these people to their limits? What experience is going to be their crucible?” For instance, when I started writing Ethan Archer’s story, I knew that he was a guy who didn’t like a lot of flash or drama, or people that only valued him for his pretty face. Where in the world would he be most uncomfortable? Hollywood was really a perfect answer.
What is the inspiration you use? I get inspiration from so many places. Conversations with friends, great movies or TV shows I see, songs that move me…ultimately, it’s about feeding my creative beast, and that comes from a billion sources.
What is your writing style? Do you just sit down and write or do you create character sketches, outlines, or notes? I ALWAYS start with the characters. I sit down and find a physical model for them, then have them start to talk to me about what their past was like, how their life experiences have shaped them, and what kind of a person they are now. From there, I develop a “skeleton” of the plot but beyond that, I “pants it” on the rest. I’ve tried plotting every single twist and turn in the book, but I found it never worked because inevitably, the characters speak up and change the plan, anyhow. THEY’RE the ones in charge of ultimately knowing where the story is going to be its best.
Who is the "Writing Muse" in your life? I.E. who gets your juices flowing when you are blocked? I either exercise or do housework to “unclog the pipes.” I’m rarely blocked about plot or characters, though sometimes execution on the ideas is harder for me to put into place. Being active with my body in some way works to clear the cobwebs out.
Walk me though the way you create a novel from conception to completion. I usually have the characters first. Once I start to think of them, I think about the themes behind their life stories, and how all that is going to fit into a romance story. There are particular romance “classics” I like to go to, and character types that attract me more than others, so I also try to think about how I’m going to switch it and be fresh with this particular book. After general ideas, themes, and major plot turns are settled, I dive in and try to get the first 5 – 7 chapters done, to see where the book is going and how the dynamic between the characters is flowing. If all looks good, then I send it off to my beta readers, who give me more feedback. Unless there’s something hugely wrong with the plot, I have a tendency to do minor edits ONLY here, and just plunge on to get through the middle third of the book, which is always the toughest for me. At about the two-thirds mark, I go back and re-read the manuscript, making edits and tightening prose as I go. (I really have a tendency to overwrite!) Once the first draft is totally done, it’s off to my beta readers again, as well as my paid editors for their “fine-toothed combs” and any major feedback on how to improve the plot or characters. By this point, I’ve personally been through the manuscript to tighten the prose, fix grammatical errors and spelling snafus. If my editors have given major revision notes, I do those at this time. Then it’s on to one last, intensive drive through the book. I’m freakish about making the manuscript as “right and tight” as I can.
What is the type of voice you use and why? It’s a bit edgy, I guess. I’m a huge pop culture fan so some references do sink in. And I guess, in writing guys who deal with dangerous situations on a regular basis, I tend to think that would lend them to using humor as an antidote. Most of my W.I.L.D. Boys are pretty sarcastic.
How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on? Wow! Good question! Ummm, okay, so 6 books that will NEVER see the light of day (because they suck major ass…seriously), 5 historicals from the mid-1990’s, and then 8 books in erotic romance, which are comprised of the 3 Kinky Truth series stories, 3 W.I.L.D. Boys books that have been published, and the 2 I have on deck now.
Who is your "writing idol"? I.E. Who do you like and what is it about their writing that captures your soul? J.R. Ward and Shayla Black. With Ward, it’s simply the INCREDIBLE talent she has of making you laugh and cry in the same scenes. Her men are so noble and yet SO sexy, over-the-top male worthiness. And her ability to weave perfect dialogue rhythms blows me away. But most significantly, she weaves universal truths into romances, and blows you away with her spiritual insights. Shayla writes incredible characters on both sides of the coin, male and female. She takes the themes of her books to such wonderful places, and literally has you DYING to know what’s going to happen in the next book. She an inspiration to me, personally and professionally.
What is your favorite plot line type? Something that provides a good mix of external and internal conflict. I love big ideas and big settings—but it has to have that emotional, gut-wrenching twist, as well. A great example I can think of is the big battle scene from the last Twilight movie. Anyone who’s seen that would agree. I didn’t expect it at all, and it just wrenched me. I love that feeling, and hope I get to write moments like that in my own work.
What is your current work in progress and how did get the idea for the Work? I’m madly tapping away on a December release called “A W.I.L.D.er Wonderland: Sexy Stories for the Season.” It’s a compilation of 4 short stories that update the readers of the series about where the WILD guys and their women are now. I thought of the idea after receiving so much mail about people asking follow-up questions about the characters. I promise there’s going to be LOTS of steamy parts!! And possibly a few other “developments.” *Grins.*
Describe the major conflict between the hero and heroine in your novel? The newest book in my W.I.L.D. Boys series is about Ethan Archer and Ava Chestain. They shared a pretty hot kiss in the final act of the previous book in the series, Handcuffed By Her Hero. Well, Ethan hasn’t been able to forget that kiss, and he’s journeyed to Los Angeles to find Ava, to ask her directly why she’s ignored him in the months since then. Just when they seem to be reconnecting again, a terrorist plot to decimate the west coast intervenes. Oh yeah…THAT. LOL!
Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write? Write every day, without fail. It can be a little or a lot but you MUST stretch that muscle. Give birth to your “baby” but then let it get beat up. Critiques are your avenue to getting better. And above all, never give up. Never give up. NEVER GIVE UP.
Where are the bodies buried? IE Is there any old work in progresses you threw aside and decided not to complete and why? Oh dear lord, of COURSE! I have a completed urban fantasy called “Storm” that’s a mash-up of The Avengers and Twilight, but it’s just a mess in terms of form and execution. I also have a really cool project, sort of a book of my soul, called “Inside Me.” It’s a VERY sexy biothriller/romance about a pheromones project gone really wrong. I casted Channing and Jenna Tatum as the “physical inspirations” for the leads, and was loving writing it, but a lot of people said it was a bit too weird for the market. That’s the one book I’d LOVE to get out there. That story haunts me…
What is a good villain? To put it succinctly: a well-motivated one. You need to know your bad guy as well as your good guy. They have to believe passionately in what they’re doing, be it a holy cause, or greed, or revenge, or even love. One of the coolest characters I’ve ever written is a woman named Luna Lawrence. She began as being in league with the bad guys, but her motivation, at least in her mind, was for love. Her character’s arc has taken her on a journey to realize what love really is, and I so love how she has grown, especially in Surrendering To Her Sergeant.
Are there any last comments you may want to include? Just a huge THANK YOU to Taige for having me here, and to everyone who has supported the W.I.L.D. Boys so far. It’s beyond incredible to connect with so many readers, and I am grateful every day for the opportunity to channel stories of nobility, courage, love and passion to the pages. Truly, I feel blessed!
Surrendering to Her Sergeant
Corporal Ethan Archer has just earned his sergeant's stripes, and a trip to the fun and sun of LA is just the celebration that the guys on his Special Forces team have deemed the perfect celebration. Ethan has ulterior motives for agreeing so readily to the vacation. He can't forget a magical hour in a North Cascades forest last winter, shared with an indigo-eyed goddess named Ava Chestain, who now calls LA her home.
Ava is a makeup artist for Bella Lanza, star of the wildly-successful nighttime drama Dress Blues. When Ethan and his buddies finagle a visit to the set, his reunion with Ava melts the months away—but their time is cut short by Bella, who’s determined to rekindle her own naughty past with Ethan. His efforts to push Bella off are thwarted when the unit is called to secretly cut their vacation short in the name of assisting the CIA on a harrowing plot to destroy the West Coast. Part of the plan? Someone has to get closer to Bella--and Ethan's the logical choice.
Though Ethan risks his career by telling Ava about the plot, her trust is an impossible gift to earn. Her passion is a different story. As his willing submissive, Ava gives him the fire his body craves...and the surrender his soul needs. She's a dream come true--until the cuffs come off and the sun comes up.
As Ava gives Ethan more nights with her body, it becomes harder to keep hiding her heart from his touch, too. Every time she drops at his feet, she finds herself tumbling for him in deeper, more disconcerting ways. Bella's interference intensifies her struggle against past demons, and the man who stirs them so.
When a terrifying turn of events escalates the terrorists’ plan into full reality, Ethan must make decisions that will either kill or save them all--and his plan includes the necessity of Ava's trust. Can surrender to him with everything she is--including what could be her last breath?
BUY: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Smashwords
Here’s a little sampling from my newest book, Surrendering To Her Sergeant. Hope you enjoy!
“Oh, yeah! Hollyweird, here we come!”
Zeke chuckled, accepting Rhett’s happy offer to knock bottle necks. Franzen and Garrett joined the toast. When the four of them swung expectant stares at Ethan, he somehow got his muscles to function at returning the chink. The action validated his new belief in miracles. How he functioned at all, considering how every blood cell in his body hit a red light at the same time, had to be divine intervention at work.
“Shit, Runway,” Garrett drawled. “don’t let all the excitement eat you up at once, okay?”
Zeke released a knowing snort. “Oh, he’s excited.”
Garrett seconded the laugh. “Figured your mention of a certain cousin might do it.”
Rhett grinned. “You mean the one he tackled into a pile of poof before Hawk’s wedding, thinking she was Hezbollah in heels? Or the one who did a personal GPS trek in lipstick across his face? Oh, wait. That was the same cousin, wasn’t it?”
“Goddamnit,” Franz snapped. “I missed all the good shit, didn’t I?”
“Not all of it.” Garrett scowled. “We finally got the vows in but Sage isn’t settling for the courthouse thing. Soon as the baby’s born, she swears she’s slimming down for the big dress and the Hollywood wedding production again. She wants to go ‘Nouveau Renaissance’ this time.”
“Oh, hell.” Zeke laughed his way around another swig. “Are goldenrod napkins involved again?”
“Not sure. But I told her if I’m wearing pants that button at my knee, I’d better damn well get a sword, too.”
The banter was background buzz in Ethan’s mind. For the chance to see Ava again, he’d hop on a plane to goddamn Antarctica. Okay, Rhett was right; they’d first met because he’d let paranoia into the party and body-slammed her into a mound of wedding fabric—but even that had been perfect. No stupid pretenses. No feigned interest behind a social handshake. Just their gazes, meshed with honesty, awareness…connection. Every breath tangled. Every touch a tiny fire. Every second a new beginning. It was the core of what he craved from being a Dominant—hell, what he was searching for in life—yet seemed his personal Atlantis, a lost nirvana never to be realized.
Until Ava.
Fuck.
He took a long gulp of his beer, medicating his frustration. Summoning the memories back only reconfirmed that everything he’d felt seven months ago was so damn real. And damn it, those kinds of sensations weren’t possible without return ammo. Like the way she’d lingered near him even after he’d pulled her upright from his tackle. The way her eyes danced like the rarest, darkest sapphires when she’d invited him into the forest for those flowers. The way she’d followed him through the trees then begged him to grip her harder when he pinned her against one of them…
None of it added up to the way her radio had gone dark on him since. After Garrett and Sage’s wedding had gone down in a blaze of disaster, including Zeke being zapped with a neurotoxin and Rayna getting carried off by a psychopath with a huge ax to grind, Ava stayed long enough to be sure that Ray was officially out of harm’s way then headed straight for the airport, telling everyone she’d been summoned back to Hollywood by her whack-a-diva of a boss. He hadn’t bought the line for a second. Said diva had only been in the third week of recovery from an extensive nose and lip job. He doubted Bella Lanza was conscious enough to dial the phone let alone capable of a text or email. Ava had fled Seattle for another reason. In the following weeks, the crickets that greeted his calls and texts were ample proof of that reason.
Would seeing her again explain anything? Prove anything?
At first, the hollow walls of his beer bottle were the only response he got. But suddenly, something replaced that fucking uselessness—something besides the anger, the exasperation, the loss. Resolve. It started in the core of his chest but spread out fast, making his extremities flex and his spine straighten. Once it got to his mind, it met up with a new friend: the Dom deep inside who now issued a surprising update. He hadn’t given up on the goddess in the forest. He hadn’t white-flagged it on a second of the desire in her eyes, the need in her kiss, the urgency in her voice when she’d begged him to pin her down harder. He hadn’t let go of the hope that she wanted more from him…had more to give him in return.
And he wasn’t giving up unless she told him to. With her own lips. Standing face-to-face with him.
He grinned. Somehow he found that harder to envision than their Hummer turning into a Lamborghini.
And once he had Ava in front of him again, he’d get to the truth—even the naked version, if she forced his hand—of why she’d decided to go AWOL on him after what they’d shared in that Washington forest.
BUY LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
Angel Payne is a book lover, hopeless romantic, pop culture geek, shoe addict, coffee-aholic, and occasional vinophile, too. She's been hooked on books since childhood but it got even worse in her twenties, when she discovered romances—the hotter, the better. Her path toward erotic romance novelist took a few detours via a concert-reviewing gig for her college newspaper, artist interviews for a Beverly Hills dance music mag, and a very, very bad try at a Young Adult novel. These days, she lives in California on a street that looks like Brigadoon, with her amazing husband, beautiful daughter and a terribly crazy dog. She has the best life ever, and never forgets to thank the Big Guy Upstairs for it.
How to contact Angel:
Webbie Thingie: www.angelpayne.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelpaynewrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelPayneWrtr
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/angelwrites/
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