Happy Hump Day!

Monday Author Interview with Ella Jade!

Today I’d like to welcome author, Ella Jade onto the couch. She’s hard at work on many projects, so it’s our good luck to have her here today! Welcome Ella!! Let’s start this interview! Where are you from?

I'm from a town in South Jersey about 25 minutes outside of Philadelphia.


East coast girl! When and why did you begin writing?

Writing was just something I always had to do. I've been jotting down plot lines and creating characters for years. The stories and the dialogue play out in my head and I go with it.



You can’t not do it when they start chattering. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

It's not so much a message but because the book is m/m, I didn't necessarily want the focus to be so much on the fact that the two main characters are both men, but more on the emotional connection they share. For me it was about creating a relationship between the two and showing how unconditionally they love one another.

How much of the book is realistic?

I hope the whole thing reads realistically. I may have gotten a bit sappy from time to time because it is a romance novel, but I always try to create realistic dialogue and characters a reader will remember long after the last page is read.

A little sap is never bad. What are your current projects?

I'm working on a new m/m. This one is more of a suspense but it has a strong romantic undertone. I'm also toying with a story that has been playing out in my head for a few months. I'm waiting for that moment when I realize I have to stop everything and tell this one. Right now the characters haven't given me that BIG scene yet, but I'm not worried, I know its coming!

Grin. Do you see writing as a career?

Yes! Now that I've gotten a taste of what it's like to see my work published, I can't stop. I don’t know how successful I'll be, but right now I'm having fun trying, so I'll keep going and see where it takes me.

It is an addiction. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you! Without you guys I couldn't do this. Of course I write for me, but it’s the thrill of getting to share my stories with all of you that really motivates me. I've met some really great writers and readers along this journey.

How long does it take you to write a book? Usually about a month, sometimes longer if another plot bunny pops up in the middle. My kids are in school full-time so I can dedicate lots of hours a week to getting the job done.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

So far I have four published and two more under consideration. I'm constantly creating and have tons of stories in my head. I love them all, but if I had to pick one, it would be Embracing the Unexpected. I simply adore the two main characters.

I love most of my characters, too. What do you think makes a good story?

Strong characters and dialogue I can identify with. I want to get lost in the storyline and feel a strong connection to the people I'm investing my time in. If the book can make me lose myself for an hour or two at a time, then it is a good story.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be a writer. I'm not kidding! I always had a notebook and pen in my hand. I'm a storyteller, but I never thought I could actually do it. That all changed when I discovered the eBooks industry.

What were you doing at midnight last night?

Sleeping! I have two boys to get up and out in the morning and then I put in a full day of writing, so I need to be asleep by ten.

What’s a saying you use a lot? Where did it originate from?

I've always told my kids if we fall, we get back up. When we went to see The Karate Kid movie, Mr. Han says, "Life will knock us down but we can choose to get back up." I was like, "See, that's what I'm talking about!" Now, I say it all the time.

What do you want to know about the future?

I want to know that my children will be happy and healthy.

Have you ever cried during a movie? If yes, which one and why?

This is silly, but every time I watch the Wizard of Oz, I cry when Dorothy says to the Scarecrow, "I think I'll miss you most of all."

It struck a chord with me when I was young and it stuck with me.

I can’t watch the episode of M*A*S*H when Col. Blake passes without breaking into tears. I get it. Are you a morning person or a night person?

Well, I want to be a night person. I've always been, but after having kids, my bedtime seemed to get earlier and earlier. Now if I'm up for the eleven o'clock news that's pretty late. In the summer, I do tend to stay up later so I can write because with the kids home from school, my days are busy with them.

Kids take a lot out of you. Do you like thunderstorms?

Yes, there's something sexy about them when I'm using them in a steamy scene. Actually, I love a rainy day when we have nothing to do but stay in our PJ's and veg. Those are some of my favorite times.

Unless there’s about 8 rainy days in a row. Trust me. I live for the sunshine then.Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?

Yes, I've always been a Coke girl. I've been known to not eat at restaurants that only serve Pepsi. Strange but true.

That’s intense. Here’s the blurb for Embracing the Unexpected:

Sometimes love can be found where we least expect it.
When Parker Phillips, a successful attorney, has a confrontation with his friend Ava's abusive boyfriend, he finds himself facing assault and battery charges, and he's ordered to attend an anger management course. Parker, who has never been attracted to a man, is drawn to Dr. Jace Cross, the psychiatrist leading the class. But how can that be, since Parker is straight?

Jace accepted the fact that he was gay many years ago, and he's comfortable in his sexuality, but he's been single for some time now. He throws himself into his work to fill the lonely void.

Although sparks fly whenever they're together, Parker's reluctant to embrace these feelings he has for another man.

Can the sexy doctor help him discover who he truly is?

Find Ella at:

Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the eBooks industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.

Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy writing, attending PTO meetings, kickboxing and scrapbooking. She hope's you'll get lost in her words.
http://beachwalkpress.com/embracing-the-unexpected/
http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com

Sunday Book Video ~ Their Boss's Pet: Their Submissive Switch by Tonya Kinzer

Nick continues to teach Sondra more about the lifestyle they share and the things a submissive needs to know...how to follow rules being one of the most important. Sondra strives to make Nick proud of her as she learns all he shares with her but...is he aware she's learning more than he ever imagined? How will he react if and when Sondra decides to take what SHE wants for a change?

Available here!
And here's Tonya Kinzer's links:
http://www.tonyakinzer.com/


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Want to see your book commercial here? Email us at menagerieauthors@gmail.com to find out how!

The Best of 2011 Satuday Hottie - VOTING TIME!!

Okay folks. It's time to vote for your favorite hottie for the year. The guy crowned The 2011 Saturday Hottie of the Year. Here's the list and what a list it is...

The Best of January/February
~ Alexander Skarsgard ~


The Best of March/April
~ Adam Rodriguez ~


The Best of May/June
~ Jonathan Rhys Meyers ~


The Best of July/August
~ Channing Tatum~


And
~ Paul Rudd ~


And
~ Torrance Coombs ~


The Best of September/October
~Josh Holloway ~


And
~ Stephen Bamber ~


The Best of November/December
~ Zachary Quinto ~


Remember to vote early and often. These are your hotties! Vote!

My brain hurts today...

I've got too MANy irons in the fire and thought I'd have a week to chill out. Thought some MANcandy would be perfect. Doesn't hurt the brain to look up hot guys.

I know it's not the most intelligent or thought-provoking post, but hey, they can't all be cerebral. Enjoy! I'm off to find some tylenol.

Happy Hump Day!

Oh yeah, now that's a scene I could be a part of. Yum!

Monday Author Interview with Morticia Knight!

I want to thank author Morticia Knight for coming by. It’s always wild here at the Menagerie, but she gives us a dramatic flair. Welcome, Morticia! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about you? Where are you from?
I'm originally from Los Angeles, and I grew up around the entertainment scene. I spent a lot of time as a rock singer on the famed Sunset Strip, and also performed in a couple of theatre groups for awhile. My flair for the dramatic has been amazingly helpful in coming up with different scenarios when I write. Plus – I met a lot characters in Hollywood!


I bet that was a lot of fun! When and why did you begin writing?
Both my parents worked long hours, and I didn't have siblings to play with. I was watched by old ladies who watched soap operas all day, so I had no choice but to entertain myself. I would draw picture stories that went on for pages, and I would add the little cartoon balloons above their heads to tell the story. There were usually magic genies and ghosts or princes involved in my stories. Oddly enough, my current WIP is inspired by one of those kid stories. Except it's spiced up considerably since I was 8!

Hey, you never know when you can use those ideas. Grin. When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I was contracted by a rock 'n' roll journalist to ghostwrite his story. He was paying me large chunks of cash every week to make sense of his crazed 1960's adventures, and I had to work really hard to have it come across readable. He would blather stream of consciousness recollections into a mini recorder, and I had to interpret it. I did this for a year, and at the end of it, there was a complete book that publishers were interested in. I was amazed.

Now that sounds like a fun but strange trip. Very cool. If you had to choose, what writer would you consider a mentor?
Stephen King. I read him early on as a pre-teen, and have read dozens of his books. He has a certain way of taking something ordinary , and putting that certain twist on it. Those gears in his brain must be turning all the time. He was also one of the first popular writers I read where the characters seemed very real and like my buddies. They would say quirky things and have these great sarcastic observations that I could absolutely relate to.

There is at least one or two King books that felt doggoned real to me. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Several, actually – it would be way too many to list. Some maybe aren't all that new on the scene, but they're new to me. A few come to mind becasue I just read something by them: Lisabet Sarai writes some excellent and smart BDSM, GLBT and more. In paranormal romance, Dani Harper is just now releasing the third installment of her Changling series. In other contemporary erotica, Megan Hart is a very talented writer; I recently read one of her menage stories.

Lisabet is a dear friend of the Menagerie. So, dish about your latest news.
I'm currently finishing up Part 4 of the Bound by Pleasure Series. This one will be called Dirty Discoveries, and continues the theme of some pretty hardcore BDSM. I'm planning a total of six in the series. I also have a menage story coming out in May through Total-E-bound Publishing for their Anthology, All Together Now.


Cool! What animal makes the best pet and why?
Snakes. They only eat once in awhile, and their poop is easy to clean up. They also don't bark.

Shiver. I’m not a snake person. I like things that bark. You can have the snake I was meant to have. Are you a morning person, or a night person?
How could anyone with the name "Morticia" possibly be a morning person?

This is true. Do you like thunderstorms?
I LOVE them. Especially with an incredible lightning show. Windstorms are great too. The more drama, the better!

Yes! Now that I can relate to. Grin. What stereotype would you label yourself as?
A Valley Girl. Totally.

Hee hee. Gotta be something. Do you sleep with the light on? Why or why not?
Absolutely not. The darker the better baby!

Yeah, I’m on board with that, too. How many fingers am I holding up?
Just that one in the middle.

Now why does everyone think I have my middle finger up? I was raising my little finger and drinking tea. Giggle. But seriously, here's a little bit more about Morticia and where you can keep up with her:
http://morticiaknight.blogspot.com

Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys a good saucy tale. Whether it is contemporary, historical, menage, M/M or BDSM - she loves it all! One of her passions is bringing people's fantasies to life on the page, because life is too short for even one boring moment. Her stories are volcanic in heat, deep in emotion, and sprinkled with doses of humor. She is currently working on her first erotic paranormal romance about an evil Djinn.

Thanks Morticia! So glad you could be here! Check her out!