Saige's Stage - Interview with Angelika Devlyn

Saige: I would like to welcome, Angelika Devlyn, author of Black Ice and many more! I just have a few questions for you today.

What was your inspiration to start writing?

Angelika: I'm not entirely sure. I do remember writing my first "novel" about my pet black cat wandering from one end of England to the other, fighting lions and tigers and bears (oh, my! ) and many other beasts not native to the British Isles-- on her quest to come back home -- to her beloved owner. *Grin* Obviously that was never published. I was only five. And my research ability sucked. Not in a good way, either.

I also proudly remember having to read aloud "My Witchy Story" in front of the whole infant school assembly, because the teacher loved it so much. It's about a paragraph long with the inevitable witch and frog characters and very bad. But it does have a beginning, middle and an end. One day, I might even be brave enough to share it with my readers. I still have this story, and it cheers me up reading it, if nothing else!

Seriously, I guess like many people in the back of my mind I've always wanted to write, but never really sat down to do it. Not properly! I do remember one particular bad holiday, which was awful and I could quite possibly cite it as the catalyst to my writing career. To cut a long story short, despite the awful holiday, the weather was fantastic and I got the urge to write. In anger at first, but then something happened, and I couldn't stop. By the end of the week I'd got a whole story not only planned out in full, but the first draft three-quarters written, with a tanned body to boot. From then on the writing bug never left me. I'm a true believer that something good can always be found in something bad, however dire it feels at the time. The good will always be there, even if it is hard to find at first. Keep searching!

S: Do you prefer to read books with a female or male main character?

A: It depends what the genre is. I don't mind either in some ways, but if I had to choose, hot, sexy, erotic stories just seem that much better from the women's point of view. But you've got me there - I've also read some brilliant and very erotic male/male books, obviously with a male lead! But in other genres, like horror for example, I enjoy the voice of a sturdy, protective, male narrator. Especially an unreliable and quite scary one, of whom you don't know whether to trust, or not.

S: I don't have a preference myself.

Do I prefer to read a book in third or first person?

A: Oh dear. You're probably going to wish you hadn't asked me this question. I hope I don't get too many backs up. :)

I really don't like first person at all. Strangely, it was never in fashion few years ago. Everyone told aspiring authors to stay away from first person, with sayings like 'It will ruin your career', and 'It's not the professional way to write'. Now there seems to be a spate of them, especially urban fantasy romance, which is really popular and coming out in droves, series after series like a pack of zombies. Relentless. Unforgiving. And they don't know when to stop. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of many of these authors, but I do groan inwardly when I'm excited to start a new urban fantasy series and the first word of the story begins with "I...".

I get over it pretty quickly, but it does nag me slightly all the way through -- like a mild toothache which will not go away, or the slow spreading of the undead infection creeping through my veins just before I "turn" and get the urge for raw flesh. At least that's how I imagine it to be.

S: *laugh* I'm the total opposite. I prefer a book in first person because I feel like I can become that character. I don't really react any way when starting a book, so I guess I don't truly care.

Do you ever get writers block and how do I overcome it?

A: Yes, two specific ways spring to mind.

1. I have rollicking sex to get my mojo back!
2. Write a list!

Thinking up lots of different sexual scenes can be exhausting work.

S: What advice do I give to aspiring writers?

A: Well, if you can think up a story you can write a book. The only thing stopping you is, well, you. All you have to do is write it until it's finished. So plug on, keep going, and finish what you start. Action - is the key word here. No excuses, is another good one, too! :)

S: Thank you for stopping by this week! It's been great having you and I hope to see you again soon!

A: Thank you so much for having me, Saige. You really got me thinking with these great questions.

In her own words:

I'm an author of erotica who slips over into the darkside to write dark fantasy mixed with eroticism. I'm also a world-building, list-making freak, who definitely doesn't suffer from Triskaidekaphobia - a fear of the number 13, since it's my favourite number!

In the words of one reviewer:

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is intense—sometimes violent—and hot as hell. I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything like it before. Ms. Devlyn took me on a wild ride and I’m not sure I’m off of it yet. One second, I squirmed in my seat not believing the bloodshed (especially in the beginning, reader beware!) and the next second I’m reading well done erotica that pulls at the heartstrings. [Find more on Goodreads]

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Blurb

After a serious car accident Ronnie awakens to find herself restrained, at the mercy of a stranger calling himself her ‘Protector’. Theo, a Destaurian Guard, is part of an Order dedicated to the protection of the Magic Box of Destiny, a time portal once controlled by an ancient family of witches called the Pandoras.

Ronnie is drawn into Theo’s world, now a Child of Destiny, central to the Destaurians’ plans to thwart mankind’s destruction through the release of the perils of the Box into the world. Theo convinces her she must retrieve the Box before the witches’ power increases.

But the Child of Destiny must also fulfil the Council’s dictate to join with Theo as one, and breed to guarantee the safety of the Goddess within her – Theo’s first love. For years unaware of the protection afforded to her, Ronnie must now help save the world from chaos, and seemingly has no choice, but to obey…

Excerpt

Her heart raced, but knowing he was angry she didn’t complain. Nor did she struggle or cry out for him to stop. The book of Protocol and Etiquette said punishments were easier to bear if they were not fought against. Time to test out that theory.
   Her belly pressed against his leather-clad thighs and her firm breasts hung, pointing to the floor where her fingertips splayed out in an effort to support herself.
   Fingers grasped her panties, yanked them down to her knees and left them there. Cool air wafted around her exposed bottom, now thrust high and vulnerable. Her face reddened at the thought of him inspecting her. So closely. With one hand between her shoulder-blades he held her down. A broad palm rested across both cheeks. His touch made her jump.
   ‘Hold still,’ he admonished, taking his warm hand away and raising it high above his head. She gritted her teeth and waited for the first spank.

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