Let's Welcome A New Author... Melody Monroe

 Ladies and Gentlemen of the Hussy Lair

I want you to put together a warm welcome for a new author.

Please welcome....

Ms. Melody Monroe

I allowed her free range of the Lair today and here is what she has to say... Enjoy!

Thank you so much, Cecile, for inviting me to blog. It’s the first one I’ve ever done and am a little nervous about getting it right. She said I could write about anything, and I thought I’d talk about my wonderfully exciting, whirlwind experience with Siren publishing in the last three months.

I retired in June from teaching, and since May, Siren Publishing has accepted 6 of my books, and I just sent in a 7th! All but the first are Menage Everlasting books. (To become an Everlasting Author, I had to agree to a 5-yr contract in which I would only write for Siren. Easy decision, as there is no other place I’d rather be.) I had the first story I sold completed beforehand, as it was a romantic suspense that I turned into a M/F Classic, but the rest I wrote from scratch. Talk about writing non-stop.

I had always imagined getting published by a print house. I knew there were erotic e-publishers, but I didn’t write erotica.  I was a plot-oriented writer who tended to shy away from emotional stories. (Boy, have I changed since then). I’ve been a member of RWA and two Florida chapters for 11 years, learning the craft, learning the business and making contacts. Once the e-book explosion occurred, several of my New York Times best selling authors regaled with what I called, “horror stories.” Print runs were being cut and books bought were going down.

A dear friend, Lara Santiago, also a Siren author with 29 books, told me to try writing for Siren. She said the process was wonderful. So, I spiced up my book and sent it in. Voila. I got a contract. I knew VERDICT wasn’t as hot as they would have liked, so I decided to dip my toe in the sexy waters and try Polyamour (two or more men with one woman, but not ménage material). I wrote three and sent them all in, thinking that if they got three in one email, that they would know I could write a series. Within two weeks, they accepted those. No sooner was I celebrating, when I got a call from the CEO herself, saying I could make twice as much if I wrote ménage. Would I be interested in revamping those three books? I said sure.

Next, I had to do some quick research on ménage. Yikes. They were a lot more sensual. But I put on my big girl panties and wrote like a fiend. I changed those three stories and added two more. Those became THE FANTASY RESORT series, in which a woman goes to a resort and her fantasies come true. There are lots of naked men, too!

After speaking with the CEO, I also learned that readers are quick to forget you. I’m thinking, they don’t even know me yet. The first of the Fantasy Series, THREE HIRED LOVERS doesn’t come out until Sept 24th. Anyway, she said to aim for one book a month, or maybe two. (Was she crazy?) She said 35,000 words is a good length, as a book of that length was long enough to address the romance as well as the sex. She seemed very focused on the love story.

Oh, yeah, and she urged me not to write in more than one genre as the readers might not cross over. So, starting Sept 24th, I should have a book come out every two weeks for 3 months. Let’s hope I’m found!

If you want to see more details about the Fantasy Resort series, visit me at www.melodymonroe.com. My next series is called PLEASURE, MONTANA. I’m hoping to write a 12-book series!

I hope you enjoyed her visit because Tuesday,

I will be reviewing her

Fantasy Series - Three Hired Lovers Tuesday.

  And remember... Keep it Dirty, Smutty & Hussy!