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Writing for Red Sage: an interview with Amber Green By Jacki Bentley
WFTH: Amber, tell us about your book, the title, the release date?
AG: “Hawkmoor” appears in Secrets, Volume 13, which has a July 30 release date but ships from Amazon now. “Hawkmoor” takes place in a reality where shape-shifters aren’t supposed to exist, and where anyone caught without a job-holder’s or land-owner’s ID can be forcibly inducted into the military or warehoused in a labor camp. Mary Alison Hawkmoor doesn’t believe in shape-shifters. She thinks she has hormonally triggered epilepsy with hallucinations, and sedates herself into a stupor at the full moon. Darien, her bondmate, is quite aware of the shape-shifter society—he runs it—but after 19 years is not entirely sure Mary Alison still exists. When they meet, each recognizes the other and an overwhelming mating urge strikes. Circumstances, however, do not facilitate an uncomplicated union. Darien’s authority slides into Mary Alison’s hands even though she has no memory of the shape-shifters and no understanding of the precarious balance of power Darien has maintained. Raids and riots break out as the various shifter Families vie for power and position, and as humans join the orgy of destruction. With people dying and the moon swelling toward full, Darien must bring Lady Hawkmoor under control, or he must sacrifice her to rebuild the peace. WFTH: What is the premise? AG: Giri vs. the worth of the individual. Think of the moment in Excalibur where Guinevere realizes that Arthur sees himself as “King first, and not husband?” That’s Arthur choosing giri over his personal feelings, and Guinevere paying for it. As “Hawkmoor” opens, Darien’s obligations to his society fill his waking life and all but his most private dreams. Mary Alison, a most self-reliant young woman, feels no such obligation. When a contact with the authorities puts her name on the public record, large chunks of Hell break loose—and one of Darien’s first thoughts is that the Mayor will never forgive him. WFTH: How did you come to write it? AG: Several factors came together. I became frustrated with my long-term project, a Regency-era historical. I had one of those dreams that torques you tight and won’t let go. I started playing with the concept of internal power (such as the ability to sing on-key or morph one’s shape) as opposed to external or socially based power (such as wealth or status). And I wanted to finally write about a tragedy that has always haunted me. AG: May I wax pedantic? WFTH; Sure, be our guest. Go for it. AG: Eight hundred years ago, a small child named Margaret inherited the throne of Scotland but mysteriously “died” on her way there. Civil war wracked the country. After twenty years of violence, a woman stepped forward to claim the crown. She was promptly executed. Her rights could not outweigh the people’s need for stability. I always wondered how I could rework her story to give her a HEA [happily ever after]. The answer more and more seemed to come down to one factor—a strong man to hold things together in her absence. She needed Darien. WFTH: What can you tell us about the other stories in the anthology? AG: Well, this is my unauthorized take only. This book contains what I believe to be the normal Secrets mix of one paranormal/futuristic/fantasy story, one historical, and two contemporaries, one of which will be either a mystery or a suspense. “In The Heat of the Night,” the mystery for this volume, involves a woman who knows what she wants but maybe doesn’t dare hold on to it, a man who wants both the answers and the woman, and plenty of physical danger. “Out of Control” addresses expectations, honesty, and voluntary exchanges of power in a contemporary milieu. “Lessons in Pleasure,” the historical, is a redemption story wrapped in a reconciliation story wrapped in an exchange of power that interestingly complements “Out of Control”. WFTH: Have you met the other authors of the anthology? AG: I’ve corresponded with them. You can find them at www.rachellechase.com, www.calistafox.com, and www.charlottefeatherstone.com. Rachelle and Calista have run online contests to give away advance copies of the book. WFTH: Tell us about Red Sage. I understand they are an RWAâ-approved publisher? Are they a small press, an e-pub? AG: Small press, not e-pub. Red Sage Publishing markets through major bookstore chains, book clubs, Amazon, and on its own Web site at www.redsagepub.com. RWA acknowledges the company, although most Red Sage stories are not long enough to meet the RWA minimum for PANâ [Published Author Network] membership. In other words, the fact that Red Sage is an approved publisher does not circumvent the RWA rule that a story must be at least 40k words to make the author eligible for membership in the PAN. WFTH: What do you think they mean at their Web site when they say submissions do not necessarily need to be politically correct? AG: My first reaction would involve spanking, handcuffs, and alpha males. I can think of several stories involving the female protagonist being handcuffed, held down, or spanked, while I can’t think offhand of any where the male was treated in that manner. Oh! Now I can—but the male in question resented hell out of it and got handsome revenge. WFTH: How has it been so far to work with Red Sage? AG: Lovely! I deal with real people. People who actually read their mail before responding to it! WFTH: What is it like to have a book in print? AG: The situation wasn’t real to me until I got the galleys, laid out like a book. Then I burst out crying. Got past that. Then I saw the book on Amazon. Wanted to throw up. (You really wanted to hear that, right?) All my anxieties hit at once: People are going to pay good money for this and they’re going to hate it, and they’re going to tell other people how much it sucks, and all the people I know will pretend they don’t see me! And my *aunts* will read this!!! AUGH!!! That wore off too. Sort of—Mostly. You think there’s any way I could bar distribution in the state of Mississippi? Or would it just get snuck over the border, like Coors in the seventies? Sigh. I’d look ridiculous for asking, wouldn’t I? My first print copy arrived unheralded, but with a Red Sage postmark that made my hubby way too eager to open the package. He put a two-inch slice through the front cover! (Yet, curiously, I am still married.) In continuing news, my boss has started referring to me by my writing name at staff meetings and one of my co-workers has stopped telling the ladies at her church that I’m having a children’s book published. WFTH: What have you learned in the past month about promoting your book? AG: That I need a Web site. WFTH: What will you do to celebrate your first book in the bookstores? AG: <Evil grin> WFTH: Who are some of your favorite romance authors, ones who have perhaps influenced your work? And can you provide examples of how they have influenced your work? AG: Positively or negatively, everything I read influences my work. And I read a lot. One shelf starts with James Lee Burke, intermixes Karen Marie Moning, Robin D. Owens, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Anne Stuart, Rebecca York, and Lauren Royal, and ends with Robin Neillands, Jay Luvaas and Sun Tzu. Hmmm…Has Linda Howard ever published anything I haven’t read? Yes, because two of them are right here in my TBR [To Be Read] stack. (Talk about alphas! Whoo!—not overtly paranormal, but you know a hero would need supernatural mojo for those repeat performances.) Charlaine Harris has written more than the Southern Vampire novels; any fan of Linda Howard who isn’t reading Charlaine Harris is missing a real treat. You can’t find richer or more subtle characterization. WFTH: Could you recommend a writing craft book that was beneficial to you? AG: I’ve thrown away over a dozen craft books, but find three books invaluable: The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman, Scene And Structure from Writer’s Digest, and Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America, edited by Sue Grafton et al. I’ve bought multiple copies of each of these because I keep wearing them out or giving them away. My recent discovery of Morgan Hawke’s astonishingly informative blog at http://darkerotica.blogspot.com/ left me wanting to reach through the monitor, grab the woman, and demand to know where she was four-five years ago. Of course, if I did, she would probably hurt me. And then I’d have the CIA after my bruised butt, demanding to know how I did it… What the reviewers say about Red Sage Secrets and “Hawkmoor”: “No secret anymore, this anthology provides readers with some of the hottest, well-written romances around. Fans will appreciate this collection as each tale is hot with fabulous protagonists though they run the gamut of sub-genres.” —Harriet Klausner “A hearty mix of high sensuality and exceptional world building, ‘Hawkmoor’ delivers on its paranormal promise.” —Cricket Starr “A wonderful new voice in paranormal romance.” —Robin D. Owens, 2002 RITA winner, Paranormal Romance “‘Hawkmoor’ is “Jam-packed with action and hot sex.” 5 Angels! —Fallen Angel Reviews “‘Hawkmoor’ is an incredible story that mixes vampires and shape shifting into one fantastic tale. … The love scenes will keep readers in a constant state of heat and running for a cold shower.” 4.5 Blue Ribbons! —Romance Junkies “[S]izzling love scenes—some of them are kind of kinky—are coupled with emotional epiphanies, making Secrets Volume 13 a red-hot, seat-squirming, summertime sizzler.” —Heartstrings “In Secrets Volume 13, the temperature gets turned up a few notches with a mistaken personal ad, shape-shifters destined to love, a hot Regency lord and his lady, as well as a bodyguard protecting his woman. Emotions and flames blaze high in Red Sage’s latest foray into the sensual and delightful art of love. A fantastic keeper.” 4.5 Stars! —Romantic Times Bookclub “…so hot the pages nearly ignite!” —Romance Reviews WFTH thanks Marcia Anderson and Patricia Sargeant-Matthews for invaluable editorial assistance with the preceding article, “Writing for Red Sage”.
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