Wednesday, August 11, 2010

In the Author Spotlight: Rebecca Leigh

Cate: Please welcome Rebecca Leigh. Rebecca, will you please share a short bio with us?
Rebecca: During the day, I’m a mild mannered attorney. I practice in the areas of litigation and appeals. I’m also a wife and mother of two beautiful daughters, ages 11 and 4. We live in paradise (aka an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean known as Oahu).
At night, I let my imagination run wild . . . and boy does it go wild!

Cate: Ahh. Can I come visit? :) Tell us about your latest release and where it's available.
Rebecca: My latest release is what I like to call a short M/M space odyssey called “One Way Trip” available through Silver Publishing.
“One Way Trip” is available for purchase here: http://silverpublishing.info/index.php?main_page=product_book_info&cPath=82_53_60&products_id=42&zenid=5d8d4e84e07a24ccb436a368629f5b96

Cate: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Rebecca: Sure, but hold on to your rockets!
Captain Jay Marcos is on a mission to Mars as part of an international endeavor to find a planet suitable for terraforming. With governmental support waning, however, Captain Marcos's trip becomes one way. Once he lands on Mars, Jay doesn't find a new home for humans. But he finds one for himself.
On Mars, Jay meets Raem, leader of the indigenous Rahitians. Raem welcomes Jay to his world and into his bed. Together, they share a cosmic sexual encounter like none ever experienced between a human and an alien. More than just hot, steamy sex -- Jay and Raem find love.

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Rebecca: I’ve always been in love with outer space! Yes, I know it might be cheesy, but I was a huge Star Trek fan my whole life. Babylon 5 was a closer runner up. And who can resist Firefly. Mal was too yummy!

Cate: How do you develop your plots and characters?
Rebecca: To be honest, I usually think of a premise and just start writing. The characters speak to me as I go and kinda develop themselves! What they do, what they want . . . who they want – they tell me and I write it down. For my novels, once I get into a few chapters, I usually do some outlining of the rest of the book. For the shorter works, like “One Way Trip” it all comes out in the first draft.

Cate: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Rebecca: They definitely haunt my dreams! Especially the sexy ones like Captain Jay Marcos in “One Way Trip.” I get my best ideas when I’m lying in bed after the kids are asleep and it is completely quiet. That’s when the characters usually start yelling!

Cate: What's next for you?
Rebecca: Zombies! I recently finished my latest novel called “No Brainer” about a government employed zombie killer Grace who falls in love with a zombie named Ethan. They have sex and defeat the zombie mafia and its red brain project.
I know what you’re thinking . . . an erotic romance with zombies? But I assure you that Ethan is nothing but sexy!!

Cate: Such a great title! Any other published works?
Author: Yes :)
My debut novel “Have Stake, Will Travel” is available through Noble Romance Publishing.
I am also a contributing author to two anthologies currently available at Ravenous Romance. Tight Ends, An Erotic Gay Football Anthology and Once Upon A Threesome, An Erotic Anthology of Historical Menage A Trois.

Cate: More great titles! Love them. Describe your writing in three words.
Rebecca: Steamy. Sexy. Romance.

Cate: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Rebecca: The most challenging thing for me is usually editing. As long as I am inspired to write, I’m pretty good at sitting my butt in the chair and writing. I’m pretty good at writing on a short deadline too. But editing . . . whether self imposed or at the behest of an editor . . . is more difficult. I can be bad at procrastinating when it comes to this.
The most rewarding thing is being published. I’ve been writing erotic romance for almost two years and I never thought in a million years I’d be published!
Also, when someone likes what I write :) There is no feeling like reading that someone else out there in world enjoys my stories as much as I do!

Cate: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Rebecca: Someone who was beta reading something I was writing told me I was a painter rather than a plotter. I’d never heard those descriptions before . . . but it is so true (for the most part)!

Cate: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Rebecca: My favorite authors are Anya Bast, Charlaine Harris, Kilt Kilpatric, Inara LaVey, Ryan Field, and Garland. I hate to name just a few, because I love many, many more. But to list them all would take up all your blog space!!
Right now, I have several books that I am reading. Book 5 of Sookie Stackhouse, Lust in London by Stephanie Danielson, a YA zombie book, and a zombie action being written by a friend.

Cate: Where can readers find you on the web?
Rebecca: I can be found at my website; my blog, facebook, and twitter @rleighromance

Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Rebecca: Would you read an erotic zombie romance (caveat: the zombie hero is not the brain sucking, falling apart Romero type zombie – though those do exist in my zombie world)?

Cate: Can't wait to see the responses! Thanks again for being my guest, Rebecca! Best of luck with all your projects.