SAPPHIRE PHELAN

I've attended the VA Festival of the Book for the last two years. The two-day affair is full of seminars and booths manned by organizations and writers. One of the booths is the VA Romance Writers. Each year an outgoing person with a winning smile--once she learns that I also write--has invited me to join VA Romance Writers. This engaging person is Pamela Kinney, who also writes as Sapphire Phelan. She is my guest blogger today.

Sapphire Phelan is an author of erotic and sweet paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction romance, along with a couple of erotic horror stories. She also writes as Pamela K. Kinney, for horror, fantasy, science fiction, and nonfiction ghost books.

She lives in Virginia with her husband and two cats, Ripley and Bast.
She admits she can always be found at her desk and on her computer, writing. And yes, the house and husband sometimes suffer for it!

For more information, check out her website: http://www.sapphirephelan.com/.

1.) -Please tell us about your latest book.

That would be two. Dark Leopard Magic and Just Another Paranormal Halloween anthology. Just Another Paranormal Halloween came out last month, just in time for Halloween. It is published by Mojocastle Press and is an eBook at this time.

Here is the blurb for my story, “His Girl,” a paranormal romance with vampires:

My Girl was more than just a song for Evan McPhail and Aimee Saunders; it was the music of their love and passion for each other. For nothing could tear them apart, not even death.

Then Aimee vanished.

She returns to Evan thirty years later, no longer human. To the tempo of their passion, they prove that doesn't matter.

You can read the blurbs of the other seven stories, plus buy it at http://www.mojocastle.com/ParaHalloween.html

Dark Leopard Magic is an erotic Male/Male interracial paranormal romance novella where both heroes are wereleopards. It is the second book in the Beast Magic trilogy, the first one being Beast Magic (which is Male/Female). It is an eBook available at http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Dark+Leopard+Magic/exact_match=exact

Here is the blurb and you can read an excerpt at my website: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1263832592

Dev Tollen is a man with a dark past and an even darker soul. More than that, he's a gay wereleopard. He has never had the Dreaming and never met his true mate. But one night the Dreaming does come and reveals his lover, an African man named Montsho, also an alpha black wereleopard. Montsho will fight their love and their destiny. Dev will do all he can to win his beloved's heart and keep him by his side always.

Then the ghost of a human begs Dev to solve his wereleopard lover's murder. Both men will find that their new-found love tested and their lives in danger. Their idyllic time in paradise is about to be torn asunder when they discover who the murderer is.

2.) -What can we expect from you in the future?

I am working on Wolf Magic, the third book in the Beast Magic series. This will return to a male hero and a female heroine. Both are werewolves.

3.) -How do we find out about you and your books?

http://www.sapphirephelan.com/

4.) -How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?
Paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy, and science fiction romance, plus erotic horror (besides Unwitting Sacrifice, I had a horror erotica short story, “Jack” published in a horror magazine about three years ago).

5.) What motivated you to start writing?
I've read books since I was really young and at age 8, I wanted to be a writer. I got published in 1972 at age 17 with poetry, in a poetry magazine.

6.) -What kind of research do you do?
Depending if I need to understand lions or leopards for Beast Magic and Dark Leopard Magic, or learn demon names for Being Familiar With a Witch, I look up things or get books on subjects I need to read up. Same goes for myths and legends that I can use for a story. I've also learned to ask questions of an expert in an area of something I need to know.

7.) -Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
Generally I like to write during the week, during the daytime the best, but I have done writing on weekends and at nights, if needs be.

8.) -Where do your ideas come from?
From my own imagination. I just think of what hadn’t been done before for a storyline, or what if? Then the story comes to me.

9.) -Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?
Ray Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, Barbara Cartland, Victoria Holt, Madeleine L’Engle, Anne McCaffrey, Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, plus many more.

10.) -What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
Hearing from readers that have to tell you they enjoyed your books. After all, in the long run, it is they that you write for, besides yourself. Plus I get to see my characters and their worlds come alive.

11.) Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?
It’s like asking a mother who is her favorite child. I can’t just say this one or that one.

12.) -Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
I like to make and wear costumes (historical, TV/movie related and original) to conventions, crafts, read, write, act (have done film and stage as Pamela K. Kinney), bake, Mexican and Oriental--esp. Sushi, watch movies or DVDs with my husband, horseback ride (though I haven’t done that in quite a while), go to scifi conventions, been to college twice in my life and my two cats, Bast and Ripley.

13.) -Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Just keep writing and submitting. Join a writer’s group or find a great critique partner, and learn all about the craft of writing, plus the business side, too.

14.) Where else may readers find you? Other sites, since you gave out your website earlier?
http://sapphirephelanspassioncorner.blogspot.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SapphirePhelansParanormalNewsletter

http://twitter.com/SapphirePhelan

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sapphire-Phelan/324399690647

15.) Now for something fun:
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate!

Erotic or inspirational? I like both. I just like to read.

Favorite color? Purple.

Favorite paranormal being? Werewolf, plus all shapeshifters.

Favorite mythological being? Dragons.

Do you like science fiction, fantasy or horror? Enjoy all three genres.

All time favorite book? The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury are two of so many favorites.

Favorite TV show? Supernatural.

Favorite Movie? Avatar, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Haunting (1963), and LOTR: Return of the King.

If you could go anywhere in the universe where would that be? Another planet. I think that would so cool.

Thank you for visiting Vintage Vonnie, Pam/Sapphire. Much success to you!
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*** Now, a footnote to last week's guest blog by Rhiannon Ellis.
Since her time here with us she has signed her first book contract. We wish Rhiannon much success and great sales!