Today I'd like to welcome C.R. Moss, a fellow Evernight Publishing author.
Welcome, C.R! So, what is the main book you'll be talking about today?
Hi! Thanks for having me here today. :) Today I’m here to tout my latest C.R. Moss release, Lovers and the Fiend. This is a story in Evernight Publishing’s Naughty Fairy Tale line. The characters, Jack and Kristina, appeared in my short story – Chasing Miss Kringle – that’s in an Evernight Publishing anthology – Stockings and Suspenders. This is the first of a handful of stories I have planned for the NFT line that revolve around the world started in CMK and Lovers. You don’t have to read the anthology story to read Lovers, but it’d be nice if you did. ;)
What genre is the book?
Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Erotic Romance with ménage a trios, M/M, bondage, anal sex, sex toys, public exhibition aspects
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Chris, and I write under the names C.R. Moss for erotic and mainstream romance and Casey Moss for mainstream dark fiction (horror, suspense, urban fantasy). My professional bio for C.R.: “An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers Worlds of Possibilities when it comes to love.” Basically I write stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly with varying degrees of sexual heat. The bio for my other persona: Casey Moss delves into the darker aspects of life in her writing, sometimes basing the stories on reality, sometimes on myth. No matter the path, her stories will take you on a journey from the light-hearted paranormal to dark things unspeakable. What waits around the corner? Come explore…
When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book? How and why did you start writing?
For a very brief period of time, I had ideas of becoming a teacher or an astronaut. Both occurred before the age of ten. But for the most part, I knew I wanted to write at a young age, as early as I learned to read. I was always cooking up stories to entertain myself in the rural area I lived in. Had to since there were no other kids around to play with. My defining moment came when I received an A in English in grade school. I was just shy of being a teenager when I had my ‘calling.’ Ever since then, most of my choices in life have revolved around my goal of becoming a full-time fiction writer and being published. Upon my ‘calling.’ I had written a story for a magazine. It’d been rejected, but that was my start. After that, I began studying the craft of writing. It started with working on the school newspaper in middle school to creative writing classes and Teens Art Festivals in high school. I received a BA in Communications, Information and Library Studies from Rutgers College with a strong concentration in English Lit/Writing and Interpersonal Communications/PR. Studying under the mentorship of Terri Valentine (author of ‘Sands of Time,’ a Zebra Historical Romance), I honed my novel writing skills. In the mid to late 2000s, I finally put my foot down, got over my nerves and took the plunge into submitting stories to publishers. I’ve been published since 2008, and as for the craft, I’m still learning things by taking the occasional online class, attending industry conferences, and devouring all the writing how-to books I can get my hands on. Writing is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. It’s like breathing and eating. It’s intrinsic, a must do or I’ll go crazy type thing.
What is your writing routine? Do you work with an outline, or just write?
First thing I normally do is check email, then I’ll do Triberr and check facebook. Next I’ll get to my writing projects. When I’m working on a story, I’ll reread and do editing on the parts I haven’t edited yet to catch myself up. I’ll make the font a color other than black to keep track of what I’ve already gone through. Then I’ll write the new material. If I’m starting a new project, I do an information dump and outline as much of the story that’s in my head first thing. Then I work off the outline, fleshing out all the ideas and stuff as per above. But then, when I'm really focused on a project, I tend to just plow through it and focus only on getting it done...staying up late writing, getting up early and getting back to the story, eating when I think I can get away from my desk without ruining the flow... The house and social life suffers, but I’m a slave to my art. :) A combination of the two. I do an information dump and outline as much of the story that’s in my head first thing. Then I work off the outline, fleshing out all the ideas and stuff. If I over plan, then sometimes I feel like the story’s already been written, and I end up not wanting to work on it for quite some time. I’d say I’m a combination of the two. When I have an idea for a story and my muse is chomping at the bit for me to write it, I’ll do what’s called an information dump where I’ll outline the story through brief descriptions of scenes or dialogue or a combination of them. It’s like a pre-first draft. Then I’ll work off that draft while keeping my mind open and being flexible to any changes that might crop up. To say that’s plotting just seems too rigid to me.
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published author? Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Learn the craft, from grammar to story building and everything in between. Adhere to the rules for a while. Once you do that, then you’ll understand how and when to break the rules and really let your creativity thrive. After learning the craft, start promoting yourself before the first story is picked up/published. And if you’re going the e-book route through e-book publishers, get two or three places under your belt right away. If you’re doing the independent route (or e-publisher even), perhaps finishing two or three books first before you send book one out to the world would be a good idea. This way you don’t have to rush in starting to build a back list and can space out the publications of the ones you already have done while you work on more. But on top of knowing about writing mechanics, learning about marketing and promotion and getting that going is just as important.
Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
I’ll be revisiting the characters from this story in other NFT books that I have planned. :)
Where do you find the most inspiration to write?
I get ideas from everywhere…conversations, news headlines, television, songs. On occasion I’ve been known to pull from my old careers and the people I’ve known, drawing out tidbits of personalities for characters, places for settings and information to assist with subject matter—for example, using the basis and background knowledge of energy work that I learned in the massage field for paranormal stories I’ve worked on. I love using the places I’ve lived in and visited as the settings. There was one story I wrote (it’s not available at the moment) where I used a situation I’d been in one night on a beach. Granted, I elaborated on the situation and made it much more intense than it had been, but the foundation was there.
Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?
Not that I can remember, but I’m sure I have at least once and dealt with it.
Do you prefer fuzzy or tube socks?
Neither really. I don’t like wearing socks, but when it’s cold out and I absolutely have to, then it depends upon the footwear I need or don’t need to put on. If I’m going to wear my boots or sneakers or other shoes, tube socks or thin dress socks will do. If I’m staying home, then thick, fuzzy socks are okay.
Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
Nope. Don’t see much point to it. It’s only me and my hubby at home and no one else goes to the back of our house where our master bedroom is.
Blurb for Lovers and the Fiend:
Ex-cop turned private investigator, Jack Vorst, learns his elf girlfriend Kristina has been missing for a few days after being invited to an underground vampire club. He, too, is summoned to visit club Hexenringe and is taken captive. Jack finds Kristina bound and gagged in a human sized bird cage. They’re both thrust into a kinky world at the hands of Kol, the club owner. Kol, a vampiric beast, shifts into human form to be with Jack and Kristina and needs them to remember their pasts and to love him so he can return to what he used to be. Can Kol make the pair fall in love with him despite his current situation and the fact he’s keeping them captive or will they leave, making it too late for him to change all their fates? Warning: ménage a trios, M/M, bondage, anal sex, sex toys, public exhibition
Excerpt:
When the machine stopped, Jack’s gaze fell upon Kristina. She sat in a human sized bronze birdcage. Metal rods that fed through the bars poked into her porcelain skin. Her red hair swept up into a bun gave her a mock facelift. Around her head was a black harness, and a bit rested between her teeth. Kristina’s arms were pulled above her head, and her wrists were clamped within cuffs molded to the top of the cage. Thin chains and leather straps wrapped around her torso. The silver and black only rested above and below her breasts, leaving her chest exposed.
Anger boiled through him seeing her imprisoned in such a way. He wanted to break free from his own bonds and pummel Kol’s head in.
Kristina lifted her face and her gaze caught Jack’s. She winked. Any fears he had in regard to her predicament and comfort, and his ire over her situation, deflated. He studied her again, and this time his cock reacted to the erotic picture she portrayed.
I gather you’re okay? he stretched his thoughts out toward her. Sometimes they were able to communicate telepathically with each other. He hoped this was one of those times, then tried not to snort his disdain. Telepathic thoughts. She was an elf. When he’d first met her, they’d shared a couple of magical, other worldly interactions. And yet, he still didn’t believe in the paranormal. What is wrong with me?
Kristina tittered. Nothing’s wrong with you, darling, and I’m fine now that you’re here. I see you’ve become acquainted with the beast.
Her gaze flickered with caution or perhaps worry. Beast? Jack breathed hard through the hole in the gag. Something about all this didn’t seem right. Why’d she call such a handsome fellow a horrible name like that?
Footsteps fell behind him on the wooden floor. Seconds later Kol’s breath warmed his neck. The dancer’s finger stroked the cleft of his ass, teased the puckered hole. Jack jerked away from his touch and received a stinging slap on his ass.
Hey!
Kol came around him, keeping his hand on Jack’s waist as he did so. The stroking of Kol’s palm on his skin sent a flood of desire through him. Jack did his best to will away the arousal this time.
After trailing a hand down Jack’s thigh, Kol then cupped his balls. “Why are you trying to repress your natural urges?” His fingers toyed with his sac then slid up and rimmed his tight sphincter once more. “Didn’t I tell you to look within? Realize what is true?”
Natural? True? Jack closed his eyes, pondering the dancer’s words. Had his past curiosities been more than what he’d thought them to be?
“And as for the beast comment, this is why.”
Purchase links for Lovers and the Fiend:
Evernight Publishing: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/lovers-and-the-fiend-by-c-r-moss/
Thanks so much for joining me today!
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