TBM: How do you imagine the ideal
reader of your book?
LVL: I imagine the ideal reader
of my book as someone who champions ethnically diverse stories without
judgment. My perfect reader would not be intimidated by a main character or
supporting character who doesn’t look like her/him and would in fact embrace
the story because they are ready for something different.
TBM: How was the writer inside of
you born?
LVL: The writer inside me was
born when I was a teenager. For years I’d been happily immersing myself into
the worlds created by books. Early in my life I found that reading was the balm
I needed to escape the harsh realities of life. When I was sixteen, I wrote a
short romance which was accepted by a now defunct publication. That was the
event that convinced me I had the wherewithal to write the types of books I loved.
TBM: What genres do you work with
and why are you attracted to these forms of writing?
LVL: I wrote my first
contemporary erotic romance on a dare, because of the EL James phenomenon,
let’s be real! Now that I’ve experienced this genre, I may eventually write
more, but my interest is now leaning more toward women’s fiction, mainstream
literary and historical paranormal romance.
TBM: As a reader, what elements
of a story do you love, or do you hate?
LVL: I love surprising stories
that don’t always conform to formula, especially those that push the envelope.
If the stories take the same form in a series time after time and the only
thing that changes are the main characters and the setting, I will soon grow
bored and stop reading them. This has happened to me with some very prominent
authors.
TBM: What inspired you to write Redeeming
The Amazon and what do you hope your readers will take away from this book?
LVL: Primarily, Redeeming The
Amazon was written as part of a series by three other authors and myself. We
became acquainted as Indie Authors and began corresponding with one another on
almost a daily basis. One night we decided that perhaps we should begin a
series that was set in one place whose characters were linked in some unique
way, thus was born the Den of Sin series set in New Orleans. When I began to
brainstorm my particular story for this series I chose to write about these
main characters who were both maimed physically in some way, yet were pursuing
intimacy with a significant other despite their bodies not being as pristine as
they once were. I made Karen a breast cancer survivor because I have many
friends and acquaintances who have fought breast cancer and won, so I wanted Karen
to be their champion although going in she wasn’t quite as confident in her
sexuality post-surgery. Then Paul, a former Marine who’d lost his leg in
Afghanistan, I felt was a great character to help Karen deal with her body
image issues. I hope readers will take away that romance heroes and heroines
don’t always have to be perfect specimens physically, but they can be perfect
for each other emotionally and romantically.
TBM: How long did it take you to
write this book and what did you do the day that you finished it?
LVL: I don’t remember exactly how
much time it took, but I remember us discussing the concept in late summer and
the books were published in December. I think I spent approximately 6 weeks in
actual writing time. When I was finished, there was so much to be done with
getting all the other facets of the book publishing process done, I really
didn’t have a lot of time to celebrate completion.
TBM: What would you like to say
to your readers?
LVL: I just want to say to my
readers that I cherish each and every one of you, especially those who have
remained loyal despite my decision to change genres. It was a difficult
decision which was partially based on my family situation and partially on my
desire to write something which can reach a wider audience. The contemporary
erotic romance audience is vast, so this is no slight against them, I just had
to move in the direction which my muse was going.
TBM: If you had it to do all over
again, would you change anything in Redeeming The Amazon?
LVL: Yes, if I had it to do all
over again, I would make the novella a full-on novel, because it was really a
story that contained a scope that could have been widened considerably.
TBM: Lastly, a direct message to
the readers, about why they should read Redeeming The Amazon.
LVL: Readers should read
Redeeming The Amazon if they like unique, sexy stories with unconventional
characters in them. Karen and Paul are an ethnically diverse couple who just
happen to both have body parts that were physically removed. This is a story
for people who have had the same experience, or people who are interested in
temporarily entering the worlds of two people who have had this experience.
This is an opportunity for the reader to root for these characters to overcome
body image issues and emotional issues, and perhaps find love.