Author Interview ~ Christina Phillips

Today, on the couch, we at The Menagerie are pleased to welcome our friend, Christina Phillips. Let’s all make her feel welcome.

Welcome, Christina, thanks for joining us today. It’s so great to have you here with us. Let’s get started: First, where are you from?

Originally I’m from the UK, but my family and I emigrated to Australia ten and a half years ago and now live just a couple of minutes from a gorgeous beach!

Oooohhh, the beach! I think I’d like to live near a beach… but it would be futile, I don’t like to swim. Why don't you tell us your latest news, I can see you practically jumping up and down in your seat, so it must be good.

My exciting news is that I recently signed with Emanuelle Alspaugh of Judith Ehrlich Literary Management!

OH, Wow! Huge, congrats, hon! How exciting! I can see why you were squirming to tell us. When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve always loved writing stories, poems, plays, whatever. If there was a pen and paper handy, then I couldn’t resist writing something down. And in fact I haven’t changed in that respect, give me pen and paper and I have the overwhelming urge to doodle! Although I can’t write freehand anymore, I’ve got far too used to a keyboard!

LOL, I know how you feel. I get frustrated that my hand writing freehand isn’t as fast and my fingers typing. How did you come up with your titles?

I have a hard time coming up with titles, made worse by the fact I find it difficult to settle into writing until I do have the title in place. Foretaste of Forever came to me without any trouble but Touch of the Demon was a longer process. I spent ages jotting down random words and stringing them together in various combinations, and then sent the list off to my trusty CPs who unanimously decided on Touch of the Demon! Happily, my editor didn’t suggest changing either of them!

Again, I can so relate. Very rarely does a title come to me easily. What are your current projects?

Touch of the Demon

Dark angel Rafe travels back in time to destroy the woman who is fated to bring untold chaos to the cosmos. Instead, he finds Celeste, a child of the Earth Goddess, who is sworn to protect the one Rafe seeks. He mistakes her for his quarry but an irresistible attraction prevents him from taking her soul. And although Celeste holds the one weapon capable of banishing Rafe from Earth forever, she's unable to deny the overwhelming desire to possess this creature from hell. They come together in a frenzy of passion, each believing they are changing destiny by their actions. But when the Earth Goddess appears they discover her plans are more far reaching than either had imagined.

Foretaste of Forever

Elyesha, last surviving descendant of a line of powerful witches, finally finds the only man she's ever loved, the man who deserted her countless years before. But Ben is torn between desire and despair when Elyesha, his only love, eventually penetrates his protective retreat. He knows what she wants, but the price of their love is too high. At midnight, on the beach, a battle of wills and erotic seduction ensues as each confronts the other's darkest fears.

These were great! Speaking as someone who’s read them. :-D So, do you see writing as a career?

I do see writing as my career, but I really need to knuckle down and become more prolific. I have a terrible habit of procrastinating and staring into space when I get stuck and unfortunately that isn’t the best way to write a book!!

LOL, I know, I actually stare off into space when my characters are going nuts in my head. I eventually have to remind them that they need to pipe down or their story will never get written. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in writing. I’ve always written stories and poems, and absolutely loved English homework when we had creative writing. I’d think nothing of knocking off 14 pages, handwritten mind you! Now my fingers drop off if I write more than two lines without the aid of a computer!

Sounds familiar, all around. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

For a long time I couldn’t get to grips with setting. I’d see it all in my mind and think that somehow the reader would also see it (umm, osmosis, anyone?!) I always had to go back and layer in the details and it was a painful process. Now, because I’m so conscious of that aspect, I tend to work at invoking the location and atmosphere in my first draft, to really give a sense of time and place.

That sounds like a good idea, then you have less to edit when the time comes… well, technically you have MORE to edit, but you know what I mean. Who designed your covers?

The covers for my two short erotic romances published by The Wild Rose Press were designed by the amazing Angela Anderson. Angela was also my editor for both Foretaste of Forever and Touch of the Demon, so although I filled in the art sheets to the best of my ability it was just fabulous to have Angela’s added insights as editor. And I’d just like to add that her final designs were far more gorgeous than my proposed ideas!!!

It’s got to be just so fantastic when it works that way. Now for the “absolutely nothing to do with writing” questions: What is your favorite animal?

Cats. Domestic and wild. I’m a Leo, what can I say?

Hey, you like what you like. :-D Have you ever cried during a movie? If yes, which one and why?

Oh yeah, I’m a shocking cry baby. In fact I now avoid movies if I know they’ll make me cry since I hate crying over movies! The last one I watched which made me howl was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It completely ticked me off, as the more I tried not to cry the worse I felt. In the end my kids were staring at me, alternating between gaping and laughing because I was sniffling so badly!!!

I won’t be watching that one again!!

Well, I haven’t watched that one yet. Do you like thunderstorms?

I do like thunderstorms but only if I’m safely inside and can watch the magnificent display of lightning without fear of being struck. I also love thunder, but again only if I’m in no danger and I think part of the reason I love it all is because it’s so unearthly and potentially deadly and reminds me that when it comes to elemental power there’s nothing humans can do against the might of Mother Nature.

Very true, and I’m sure many others agree with you. Do you sleep with the light on? Why or why not?

Since we had the children we’ve always kept the hall light on so they can find their way to the bathroom without falling down the stairs. However, in our old house we had street lights which always cast a pale glow into the house so I’m not used to pitch blackness. That’s one of the reasons I get a little freaked when we stay in the heart of the country – once you turn out the light it’s like you’re in a bottomless pit!!

Ugh, yet another reason to add to my “Why I don’t like camping” list. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?

I’m a Chardonnay girl, LOL!!!

ROTFL, well, then that settles that question. Thank you so much for hanging out with us on the couch today, Christina. It was so much fun getting to know you better. Don’t be a stranger.

Born in the UK, Christina met her very own hero when she was just fifteen, was married at twenty and has three children and one insane Cairn terrier/Maltese cross.

After moving to Australia ten years ago she decided to get serious about her writing and joined the eHarlequin community, where she hooked up with her three fabulous CPs. She is a member of the RWAustralia and RWNZ. After nine years, during which she wrote books targeted towards category romance, chic lit and paranormal romance, Christina sold her debut short story, a paranormal erotic romance, Foretaste of Forever, to The Wild Rose Press in June 2008.

You can keep up with Christina on the web at her website and blog.

Touch Of The Demon by Christina Phillips

Dark angel Rafe travels back in time to destroy the woman who is fated to bring untold chaos to the cosmos. Instead, he finds Celeste, a child of the Earth Goddess, who is sworn to protect the one Rafe seeks. He mistakes her for his quarry, but an irresistible attraction prevents him from taking her soul. And although Celeste holds the one weapon capable of banishing Rafe from Earth forever, she's unable to deny the overwhelming desire to possess this creature from hell. They come together in a frenzy of passion, each believing they are changing destiny by their actions. But when the Earth Goddess appears, they discover her plans are more far reaching than either had imagined.