Author Interview & Giveaway: Amelia James Discusses Her Twisted Pleasures

by Letitia on Monday, September 03, 2012

AMAZON | KINDLE

Today we are very pleased to have Miz Amelia James with us. We’re going to bombard her with dirty questions and try to find out who the woman behind the friction fiction is! We are also giving away a paperback copy of two of her novels: Her Twisted Pleasures and Tell Me You Want Me.

Let’s begin, shall we?

Who is Amelia James? Give us the skinny on the woman behind the words.

Amelia: Amelia James is a slut: Sexually Liberated Uninhibited Temptress. She's my evil twin, the woman I'd like to be. The real me is actually pretty normal. I'm a tired mom, a happy wife, a terrible housekeeper, and a lazy cook. Amelia is a lot more fun.

What made you decide to write erotica?

Amelia: I didn't choose this genre. It chose me. I grew up in a very conservative and fundamental family and community. Sex was a big dirty secret so I read romance novels to educate myself. After I got married, I wrote a few short stories, got a couple published, and I've been writing romance and erotica ever since.

What is the most unusual resource you have ever used while writing?

Amelia: I can't divulge that without getting some people in trouble. ;) (Including me.)

Erotica and erotic romance, especially if it has some kink, have become more mainstream as of late. Why do you think that is? And how do you feel about the label 'mommy porn' that's been given to them?

Amelia: I think it's become more mainstream because it fulfills a need, appealing to the natural human desire to explore the forbidden, and creating a hunger for more. The general public has finally figured out what I've known for a long time: reading erotica is good for you!

/begin rant 'Mommy porn' is insulting. Romance novels and erotica are not porn. Really. Porn is entertainment. Erotica is entertainment that's empowering to women, to men, to the readers, and to the characters. Why is it surprising that moms like sex? How do they think we got to be moms? Why are young, single women encouraged to enjoy their sexuality, but moms are expected to be entirely focused on their children? Motherhood is just one part of my life. It's a big one, but it isn't everything. Romance novels tell compelling stories with strong characters and gripping conflicts, but people who label it mommy porn (especially the media) can't get past the sex scenes to base their criticism on the story. Erotic romance is the same as any other genre... with a little extra sex. /end rant

Her Twisted Pleasures is your most recent release. Tell us a little about it.

Amelia: It's a mosaic novel, a series of related stories about the messed-up relationships between Talia, her boyfriend, Will, and his best friend, Alex. It's an erotic novel—not a romance—definitely not for everyone.

Her Twisted Pleasures embraces the kink. There is pseudo-cheating, some light bondage, erotic asphyxiation, and even a brief ménage. What was your inspiration for this sexy story? And what made you include those elements in it?

Amelia: I like variety. ;) I was daydreaming about one guy, but I wanted another guy too, so I decided to have them both. I played 'what if?' with the characters and one thing led to another.... Writing erotica allows me to explore fantasies that might otherwise be unacceptable.

Why do you believe readers would enjoy a romantic book affair with Alex Sheridan? (I'm picking him because he's my fav-o-rite! Yum!)

Amelia: Alex fits my definition of a bad boy: A bad boy is not marriage material. He’s not even relationship material. He is raw sex. He’s dangerous. You don’t know what kind of trouble he’s going to start, but you can bet it’s gonna be a thrill ride. You can’t control him. He doesn’t ask you what you like in bed. He tells you. Sometimes he doesn’t even tell you. Talk is overrated. He doesn’t make love or have sex with you. He fucks you. He fucks you well. He’s not afraid to get a little rough. A broken bed frame and a bruise or two means you had a good night. He can do romance if that's what you want, but Alex is more suited to an affair... for now.

What can you share with us about the sequel to Her Twisted Pleasures? Any other delightfully sinful works coming soon?

Amelia: It'll be released next year. I'm going to give Alex, Talia, and Will their happy endings, but I'm still deciding how to do that. I suspect it'll take a lot of drama and conflict (and sex) so it should be a pretty good book (or two).

In the meantime, my next erotic romance novel, Secret Storm, releases October 2, 2012; and my couples' erotica story collection, The Devil Made Me Do It, releases in November.

What are some of your favorite books or authors that you’ve read? Naughty or nice. Although, if I'm being honest, I'm hoping for naughty!

Amelia: Scottish historical romances are my favorite. Men in kilts! I love Kinley MacGregor, Karen Marie Moning, and Teresa Medeiros. Some of the new authors I love are Lori Whitwam, Kendall Grey and Eden Baylee. They all write naughty steamy stuff.

Describe your own most twisted pleasure or fantasy in ten words or less.

Amelia: Being spoiled by a half-naked hottie with food and drinks.

Amelia James I got hooked on trashy romance novels in junior high, but my mom took them away from me, But she couldn’t stop me from daydreaming. After I got married, I wrote some of my naughtier daydreams down and sent them to Playgirl magazine. Two of them got published. I kept daydreaming and writing stories until my dirty stories turned into trashy books. I live in Colorado, but I’ll always be a loyal Wisconsin Cheesehead. When I’m not lusting after my next bad boy hero, I’m looking for inspiration in sci-fi and action movies, football players, bloodsucking lawyers, muscle cars, and kick-butt chicks. You can find me on Facebook, and on Twitter I’m known as Trashy Writer. I call myself a trashy writer because I want my readers to know that I enjoy mindless escapism as much as they do. I’m not out to win a Pulitzer Prize. I just want to help someone relax and get away from it all for a little while. I write romance, erotica and trash for fun and pleasure. I hope you had a good time. I did.

Amelia is giving away a paperback copy of both of her novels, Her Twisted Pleasures and Tell Me You Want Me to one lucky Romantic Book Affairs reader! Contest is open until September 10th at 12:01am. I’ll announce the winner same day. Good luck!

Winner announced here!

LABELS: Amelia James, author interview, contest, Erotica, giveaway, kinky, Sizzling

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