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Dahlia: Thank you or joining us today Selena! Could you give us a little background on you and how your writing career got started?
You wanna know about lil ole me? *wink* Hmm… well, I’m in my 30’s, I have a wonderful husband and four children and all of them are the loves of my life. I’m also a psychologist, a doula (someone who does professional labor support for birthing mothers—just so you don’t have to go look it up! *smile*) I enjoy reading, writing, photography, and bellydancing. I also homeschool the youngest two of the four kiddos, so I’m a rather busy woman! And in my spare time, I write. Ha.
Honestly, I've been writing since I can remember... which is pretty much since I could hold a crayon! I won writing awards throughout my high school and college writing career, but after I had kids, I stopped writing for a long time. Then a friend turned me on (ha, pun definitely intended!) to erotic fiction, and I began writing again... Over the past several years, I have written both erotic and non-erotic fiction and poetry and starting winning awards for my erotic stories under the name of SelenaKittyn.
Then I was published in the The Shadow Sacrament: a journal of sex and spirituality, and my story, Connections, was one of the runners-up for the 2006 Rauxa Prize, given annually to an erotic short story of “exceptional literary quality,” out of over 1,000 nominees, where awards are judged by a select jury and all entries are read “blind” (without author’s name available.) I was very excited about that—it was quite an honor just to be nominated. It was really just kind of like a snowball rolling downhill after that. I entered lots of competitions because, well… I have a very strong competitive streak—I love winning! *grin* So contests were a lot of fun, they provided a deadline and often a subject to write about, which sparked my imagination. That’s actually how I managed to land my first publishing contract, actually…
2: Dahlia: What was the first book you had published? How did you feel when it got released?
My first book was Christmas Stalking, a romantic suspense novella, and it was entered in the StarDust Christmas contest. I won a publishing contract and thus entered the world of ebooks. I had never read an ebook prior to mine being published, and didn’t know anything about that world—and it is a whole world in and of itself, isn’t it? I was excited and Christmas Stalking was very well received. During the month of its release, it was the StarDust number one holiday bestseller!
3: Dahlia: Is there any genre that you would like to write? What is it and why?
I love erotic horror, but there doesn’t currently seem to be much of a market for it. Stephen King is one of my big influences. I’d love to write an erotic horror one of these days!
4: Dahlia: What other releases do you have available for the readers. Could you give us a short blurb about it.
I have a story in the Coming Together: an erotic cocktail anthology called The Flintstone Experiment. This is a wonderful collection of stories from various authors, and the proceeds all go to charity. (i.e. we all “came together” for a good cause! Aside from the, uh, obvious other meaning of the title! *grin*) It’s a worthwhile investment, and the stories are hot and well-written.
Also, Blind Date was released in Feb 2007, and it’s a modern take on the ancient myth of the romance of Psyche and Eros (or Cupid.) It was a blast to write. I had a lot of fun with it! Annie’s (Psyche) transformation throughout the story is amazing, and the connection between she and Eric (Eros) sizzles on the page, if I do say so myself… but one of my favorite characters is Eric’s mother, Dita (Aphrodite—get it? *grin*) She’s the kind of character you love to hate but you just can’t quite make yourself—just as capricious as you’d imagine the goddess of love might be!
Here’s a short blurb:
In her attempt to escape her sisters’ Valentine matchmaking, Annie meets the enigmatic Eric, who she realizes could finally be the man of her dreams. In spite of, or maybe because of, Eric’s cryptic words and puzzling behavior, she finds herself immediately intrigued and drawn to him like no other man she’s ever met. One night in Annie’s sister’s kitchen seals their fate, as the two lovers discover and explore the instant spark of heat between them. Their evening comes to an abrupt end when the mysterious Eric disappears into the night, and Annie realizes she doesn’t know his last name! How is she to find him? After months of fruitless searching, Annie finally gets a dubious break when she meets Eric’s eccentric mother. Dita sends Annie on a journey deep into the unknown, through an ever-twisting labyrinth of frustrating dead-ends and seemingly strange, pointless missions. Annie’s life is turned upside down as she searches for the one man who can make her life feel complete. In this modern day adaptation of the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche, Annie takes on each of Psyche’s tasks in her quest for her lost love. Each task brings her closer to him and to realizations about herself. Will Annie find Eric and reveal to him the secret she’s been keeping, even from her sisters?
7: Dahlia: If there was one place in the world you could visit where would it be and why?
Alaska. I’d actually love to live there one day. I had a good friend who lived there (he was a wildlife photographer) and he loved it.
8: Dahlia: Would you or have you based a book on this place?
I’ve considered it. Alaska men are… yum! Plus, who could forget Chris from Northern Exposure? Oh my. It would be fun to write an Alaska romance. Love on the tundra!
9: Dahlia: Have you taken on being a writer as a full time job?
Well, being a mom is pretty much my committed full time job for the next while… lol But I have to admit, I’ve written more in the past year and a half than I have in the past ten, so the writing bug has definitely bitten me again! I don’t think I’m going to stop writing any time soon.
10: Dahlia: What are some of your favorite things in life? Foods, colors etc?
Chocolate. Isn’t that the standard feminine response? *grin* True to my feminine form, I love anything sensuous and sensual. Bubble bath, body butter, and silk are my idea of heaven! I also love chenille socks (we have hardwood floors and my tootsies get cold!) and sitting in front of the fire with a good book. I also have two dogs and two cats, who love to curl up around me in various configurations (along with the kids!) which just serves to keep me even more warm and cozy.
11: Dahlia: Selena do you have any works in progress you’d like to tell us about?
I actually have another myth coming from StarDust Press in the next few months. Unlike Blind Date, though, The Surrender of Persephone is set in ancient Greece, and is a re-telling of the Persephone/Hades myth. Here’s a blurb:
Sheltered Persephone, Goddess of Spring, never gets to do anything— thanks to the suffocating love of her mother, Demeter. Sephie is being carefully groomed to follow in the footsteps of the two “virgin” goddesses, Athena and Artemis, and while they sure do have a lot of fun together, she longs for something deeper. When Aidon, the God of the Underworld—generally known as Hades—appears in his dark chariot to claim Persephone for his bride, the young goddess gets more than she wished for.
Held captive in the Underworld, she suddenly longs to return to the safety and security of her mother’s protection, but the dark and commanding Aidon binds her to him, claiming her bit by glorious bit, as his own. Her coming of age is one of sexual awakening as she learns that being taken and consumed in the heat of passion by a man—a god—is what she was truly made for. Persephone can’t deny her own nature, or her growing feelings for Aidon, as she prepares to surrender as his wife and rule as his Queen.
As she finally admits her own feelings, Persephone faces the looming specter of her history, which threatens to shatter the newly formed bonds between the couple. She must now face not only her past, but her present, and her future—no longer only the Goddess of Spring, but wife of Aidon and Queen of the Underworld—and the choices she will be forced to make will change the world forever.
The following should be released shortly after Persephone:
The Song of Orpheus
Orpheus returns from war to discover Eurydice has been faithful to him, only to lose her again to tragedy. Determined to get her back, he ventures to the Underworld armed with nothing but his famous lyre…
The Heart of Hephaestus
Aphrodite and Hephaestus are the most mismatched couple in the Greek Pantheon. Ever fickle Aphrodite sets out to win the God of war right under her husband’s nose. With the help of the young Grace, Aglaia, Hephaestus’ eyes are finally opened, and his life is transformed...
The Real Mother Goose
All your favorite characters, Little Miss Muffet, Mary Quite Contrary, Little Boy Blue, The Queen of Hearts... and of course, "Mother Goose" herself. But you've never heard the nursery rhymes told like this before!
Also, my story, Rosie’s Promise, should be released by Samhain Publishing in 2008.
12: Dahlia: What hottie from the silver screen would play a character in your favorite book?
A favorite book of mine that I’ve read or written? Oh heck, who am I kidding? I’d put Matthew McConaughey in it, no matter what it was! *grin*
13: Dahlia: What gives you inspiration when you write?
I can’t ever force a story. That never words out well. Inspiration comes when it comes. There’s something to that idea of a “muse.” Mine is a tattooed, pierced hunk with a shaved head who comes to visit and brings ideas with him! Ha, just kidding. I wish! To a great extent, writing is a mystery to me, and so is inspiration. I know I need to write something when it stays with me. I don’t keep a “writer’s notebook” by my bed to write down ideas. I know that if I need to write it, it will keep coming back until I do!
14: Dahlia: : If you could have one hot guy for a day to do your bidding who would it be and what will they be doing
My husband—all the things on his “to do” list around the house! Now THAT would be hot! *grin*
15: Dahlia: Where can we find out more about you and your books Selena.
Thanks for having me, Dahlia! If anyone really wants to know more, they can check out the following:
Selena Kitt’s
Web Site: http://www.selenakittyn.com/
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selenakittyn/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/selenakitt
Blog: http://selenakittyn.com/Blog/
You can also keep track of me and the rest of the STARDUST ANGELS:
Web Site: http://www.stardustangels.com/
Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stardustangels/
MySpace: http://myspace.com/thestardustangels
And if you want to find out what ALL the StarDust Authors are up to:
StarDust Chat Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stardustpress-chat/join
StarDust Mailing List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stardustpress-mailinglist/join
StarDust MySpace: http://myspace.com/stardustpress
Well guy and dolls. That was Selena Kitt, a Star Dust Angel with many stories to tempt you into her world of writing. Her books will make you purr for more J
Till I see you all again!
Smooches
Dahlia Rose
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