Writer with Sizzle: M.L. Guida!

Please welcome paranormal romance author M.L. Guida!! M.L. would like to give an e-copy of her upcoming release to one commenter, so be sure to leave your email address so she can get ahold of you!

Lia: Great to have you here, M.L.!! Please tell us about your upcoming release (available 11/15/2011).

ML: Finding Ms. Wright is anthology about three men, each on a crucial mission to save their way of life, seek their true mates – woman who unknowingly hold the key to their very survival. My story is Cassandra. Prince Eric Wyvern of the Dragon Demons kidnaps Cassandra and brings her to the Underworld. They must mate and then Cassandra must touch the Golden Tree to keep Eric’s people from going completely feral. If Cassandra refuses, then once the demons turn feral, they’ll enter our world and conquer us.

Lia: Exciting premise! What is your favorite thing about being a romance writer?

ML: I love creating my characters. When I write, I see a movie in my head and try to get it down on paper as fast as I can.

Lia: What physical aspect does your heroine love most about your hero? Details, please!

ML: His mouth and what he does with his mouth. Cassandra likes the feel of Eric’s mouth on her naked skin and all the wicked antics he can do with his mouth.

Lia: What does your heroine love most about your hero? Least?

ML: His arrogance. Eric does not like taking no for an answer – demon, prince. What a combination!

Lia: Sounds like the ultimate sexy alpha male. :-) Have you ever cried or laughed out loud while writing a scene?

ML: Yes, I have. Cassandra can be funny when she is poking fun at Eric. Sometimes she regrets it, because he does get even with her – usually in the bedroom. The torture scenes bring tears to my eyes. What happens to Eric’s nephew, Toby, is sad. I try to bring out how I would feel during those times and capture it on paper.

Lia: How would you describe your heroine?

ML: Cassandra is a champion. She wants to protect people because she knows what is like to be bullied all your life. As a child, she stuttered and could see ghosts, specifically the Wraith. She made the mistake of telling her classmates and they made fun of her. Calling her C-C-C-razy C-C-C-Cassandra. Unfortunately, Eric uses this to manipulate Cassandra into mating with him.

Lia: I’m cheering for her already. How would you describe the world you’ve built?

ML: Dark. My world is filled with dungeons, torture devices and demons. The Underworld can be a beautiful, but scary people. A feral demon is a dangerous one. However, my characters are able to overcome these obstacles. Their determination is what allows them to win. My tagline is “In a world of darkness, true love survives.”

Lia: Great tagline! What makes you want to write about things that go bump in the night?

ML: I have thought about this and came up with two conclusions: being a social worker and being Catholic. As a social worker, I have seen the worst kind of abuse and this is my outlet to release this. Catholicism is filled with mysticism and things that go bump in the night. I love supernatural shows. In fact, one of my favorite shows is Supernatural. Eric Klipke produced the show. I love the storylines, but more the relationship between the two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester.

Lia: Love your answer. Do you have a common theme in the books you write?

ML: Yes. I believe the most common theme is healing. Once again this reverts back to social work, but my characters need to learn to heal from their past and some of them need to learn to forgive before they can move forward.

Lia: What is your theme for Cassandra?

ML: Cassandra’s theme is self-sacrifice. Both Cassandra and Eric have to sacrifice themselves in order to reach their goals of saving their worlds and each other.

Lia: Intriguing theme! Does your hero have any scars or tattoos? Where are they? Is there a story behind them?

ML: Cassandra does not have any scars or tattoos, but when she gets nervous or scared, she reverts back to stuttering, which drives her crazy. Eric has a tiny tattooed black heart above his right breast. To be honest, the tattoo does not mean anything.

Lia: Which scene in your book do you think will leave the reading squirming in their seat?

ML: The first time he convinces her to sleep with her. Cassandra is a virgin and thinks sleeping with a demon would be aligned to rape rather than a rapturous experience. She learns she is dead wrong. Come on – a sexy demon.

Lia: LOL! What’s your secret to writing a steamy scene?

ML: My favorite authors who write sex scenes are Christine Feehan and Marsha Canham, but it’s not insert slot A into slot B. What makes a great love scene is the emotional reaction to the physical touch. I try to capture my character’s emotional response and thoughts. I want the reader to identify with what they are experiencing.

Lia: Definitely. Those are my favorite sex scenes, as well. Do you have a favorite writer you’ve read over and over?

ML: Marsha Canham. She writes historical, especially the ones during the Jacobite War in Scotland.

Lia: What was your hero’s (or heroine’s) lowest moment? His (or her) best moment?

ML: Eric’s worst moment is when his father arrests him and hands him over to Gryffin Drake the Torturer. His best moment is when he sacrifices himself for Cassandra and his nephew, Toby – I don’t want to give away what he does.

Lia: Have you ever lived out any of your scenes?

ML: I have lived out the ski scenes. Cassandra skis like I do. She’s an intermediate skier. I also have skied Copper Mountain many times and I stayed at the Galena Mountain Street Inn. I love to ski and I like the feeling of flying down a mountain with the wind running around you, snow flying in the air. It’s exhilarating. Unfortunately, I tore my ACL and MCL and was out of commission for one year. I hope to go back this year. I miss it.

Lia: Very cool that our local chapter, Colorado Romance Writers, had its fall retreat at that inn. I hope you feel good enough to ski again soon! Where do you get your inspiration?

ML: About a year ago on the internet, there was a huge sink hole in South America and I thought what if it went to hell or in this case, the Underworld. I picture something crawling out or flying out of the sinkhole. I let my imagination go and saw Eric flying out of the sink hole, but in South America, but in Frisco, Colorado. Frisco is my second home. My grandparents own a cabin there and have been going up there during the summers since I was a kid.

Lia: Do you have any advice for the budding romance writer?

ML: Write, write, write. I encourage you to take writing classes. One of the best classes I ever took is with Lori Wilde through Savvy Authors. Lori propelled my writing. I landed a contract with Featherweight Press as a young adult writer under the pen name J.L. Bowen. I also received a contract with an independent press, 5 Prince Publishing, which will publish Cassandra and the sequel, Ravaged Soul which focuses on Eric’s nephew, Toby.

Lia: Great advice! Thanks so much for being a Writer with Sizzle, ML! I'm looking forward to reading Finding Ms. Wright, and especially your story Cassandra. Where can readers find your book?

ML: My books can be obtained through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or All Romance E books.

To find out more about M.L. Guida, visit her website: http://www.mlguida.com/