Terrific Tuesday with Honoria Ravena

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.
I'm Honoria Ravena. I'm a paranormal romance author. My latest release is Biohazard. Here's the little short blurb:

The last thing Jayden, a shapeshifter, expects is to be saved by a human woman...one whom needs saving of her own.

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?
Well, I've had stories that feel like they'll be difficult for me to write. Lol, for example anything outside my nice, safe, paranormal world. I have ideas for historical romances, fantasy romances, and even a few pure horror ideas. The fantasy romance feels particularly intimidating because I just feel like it needs to be in third person and I ALWAYS write in first. But I'm testing my third person skills on a short contemporary romance to see if I can actually do it. The idea of taking on a full-length novel in third person still sounds pretty scary.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?
No, not really. The only thing that ends up in my books from my actual life tends to be jokes.

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?
Since I write paranormal romance I don't really have to do a lot of research. I do research the animals I write about when I do wereanimals and shapeshifters. I usually research as I go. I put whatever questions I have on the top of the Word Document and look it up when I can't stand not knowing anymore. If I ever write that historical romance I've been plotting in my head for a while I'd have to do major research before and during.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?
Well, I have a lot of anti-genocide messages in my books, but is there anyone out there who's pro-genocide? And if they are, I don't think my books would convince them not to be. They're going to hate who they're going to hate.

And of course anti-racist messages go hand in hand with that. Things aren't always what they seem, and even if you were raised to hate some one you should think for yourself instead of relying on that dogma.

But mainly my books are for fun. I want to entertain myself, and I want to entertain my readers. I like lots of action, in bed and out and I like my sarcastic characters.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?
Panster mainly. I do write down everything I know about a story when I get the idea for it. The more experienced I’ve gotten the more the stories seem to come out fully formed. I used to just get a tiny stray idea. Now I get that idea, and I start writing it down, and it turns into a fairly detailed outline. Though some parts are more vague than others, and not every story does that. But I don’t deliberately sit down and plot my stories. The ideas just come as they are.

And yes, I get stories that take on lives of their own. They go in completely different directions than I thought they would. Which is why I don’t plot, because I know if I plot I’ll want to stick to it, and the characters will turn to stone when I try to get them to do what I want.

How long did it take for you to be published?
I started writing when I was twelve, but didn't really pursue the publishing part until I was eighteen. I got the contract for Fear of Darkness in January of '09 when I was 19, and it was published in December '09. I was actually really surprised that I managed it that fast. I expected to wait years, and write several more books before I got one published. I got lucky.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?
I would have told myself to find a critique group earlier. And maybe to polish Fear of Darkness more before I started sending it out. Maybe enter some contests instead of jumping into the publishing industry. But I tend to be over eager, so I skip steps. Lol, most of the time I’m still telling myself to slow down.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?
Laptop. If I'm home I always write on a laptop. I think its mainly because I type faster than I write, so if I'm having a real good writing streak I can get things down quickly. I don't really have must haves. I can write anywhere if I'm in the mood, but at home I right with my stuffed sheep, creatively called Sheepy. I got him from Bath & Body Works with a $25 purchase. I would write with the cat in my lap instead, but he's too big and I can't reach the keyboard.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?
Some of my favorite authors are Laurell K. Hamilton, J.R. Ward, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. Right now I’m really into Johanna Lindsey’s historical romances from the 90’s. My friend has a bunch of her books so we’re having an exchange of reading material.

As for who influenced me most I’d have to say Laurell K. Hamilton. Especially at the beginning when writing was just a hobby. She’s affected my heroines, I tend to want to make them ball busting. Sometimes I have to stop myself, because not all of my heroines are supposed to be that way.

But J.R. Ward’s heroes are great. There’s something about them that is really sexy. If they were real people, I’d totally move in with them and enjoy my testosterone poisoned heaven. I’m hoping some of that extra sexiness rubs off on my heroes.
What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
It took me a long time to think of something I haven't revealed, but I think I've found one. I'm not morally opposed to strippers. If I had the body for it I'd be a stripper. Also I'm incredibly shy, so I'd probably never be able to take my clothes off in front of strangers.

For Fun:
What is your Prom story?
I went with a friend who had transferred to a different school. He wanted to go to our prom to hang out with old friends from our school.

If you have children, does the end of school signal loss of writing time for you?
I don't have children. But I'm in college, and I know my school work detracts from my writing. Lol, not the question you asked, but school related none the less.
Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.
You can find all the information on my books on my website.


Fear of Darkness Buy Link: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=382

Biohazard Buy Link: http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/paranormal/biohazard.html



Blurb:

Hunted by his people, the shapeshifter, Jayden, sheds his human skin after escaping his execution. 200 years later he’s still on the run. When he’s attacked in the remote woods in Wyoming, the last thing he expects is to be saved by a human woman.
When Maura finds a rough looking group of men hunting a tiger in her forest, she doesn’t hesitate to pull a gun on them and release the animal. What she doesn’t expect is for that frightening cat to change into a gorgeous, surly man with a tortured past.
But when his people threaten her life, will he save her, or leave her to the wolves?

Excerpt:

I jerked awake as a warm cloth slid across my open wounds. I snapped my teeth and snarled at the female cleaning the injury. She jumped, and her wide, frightened eyes shot to mine. I moved to shove her away and found my hands tied to the headboard.

I pulled at my bonds, shaking the bed and ignored the small bubble of panic that rose in my chest at the thought of being trapped. “What have you done, human?”

She stepped back from the bed and pointed a handgun at me. “It’s just a little insurance. I don’t know who, or what you are, and until you convince me that you won’t hurt me you’re staying tied to that bed.”

I sneered at her. “Your ropes can’t hold me.”

I tried to change, and found that I couldn’t. I roared and yanked at the ropes. Dizziness swamped me, and I had to lay my head back down. Whoa.

“You have a fever.”

“No shit, female.” Spec-fuckin’-tacular. I couldn’t change with a fever this severe. Thankfully I wasn’t human. One of their kind would be dead. Eventually my body would fight off the poison, but for now I was helpless.

“Untie me.”

She didn’t move, just stood there with the gun in her hand. “My name is Maura.”

“How is that a response to ‘untie me’?”

She bit her lip. “What’s your name?”

I growled. “I’m called Jayden. Now…Maura untie me”

She shook her head, her golden curls cascading around her shoulders. She pointed the gun at the floor. “No,” she said as she backed toward the door. “You haven’t been very friendly. I don’t trust you yet.”

I took a deep breath and tried not the shout at her. “I’m not going to hurt you. Just let me go, and I’ll leave your home.”

“No.” Her eyes locked on mine and she hesitated a moment. “Besides, you’re hurt. You should at least stay here until you heal.” She turned and fled.

“Female, get back here!”

My command fell flat in the empty room. I sighed and lay back on the bed. I couldn’t afford to be tied up if my ‘buddies’ decided to bust in and kill us.

I started working the knots. Fortunately, she wasn’t good at tying them. Within seconds, the restraints fell away. Rubbing my wrists, I sat up. I’d have to take the woman by surprise or she would shoot me. Any damage she could inflict would heal, but I really didn’t want a gunshot wound. Besides, there was always a chance she would hit the head or the heart and then I’d be worm food.

I followed her scent, and the smell of chicken soup, as I limped down the hallway. My ankle had more than likely been fractured in a few places, but it was already partially healed.

The most pleasant sound filled my sensitive ears. I peered around the corner. The female bustled around the kitchen, singing quietly to herself. She had the voice of an angel.
No, she had the voice of a goddess.

And the looks of one, too. Her blonde curls spilled to her waist. Her body was lusciously curved. The women of my culture were all bone. There was nothing for a man’s hands to grasp. No lush cushion or warmth.

I sucked in a deep breath. Lord, and she smelled incredible. Most women wore too much perfume. She wore none. Hers was the aroma of soap and her unique feminine scent.

My dick started to harden. Great, just what I needed to convince her I meant her no harm. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something I could stop, and given my heightened libido because of the disease I carried, I was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

Her taunting frame beckoned as she leaned forward and avocado, tomato, cheese and lettuce out of the fridge. She slapped the cheese into a frying pan and then moved to the cutting board on the counter.

I darted into the kitchen and pushed her against the counter top. She screamed and made a wild grab for the knives in the wood block. Before she could reach a weapon, I had her by the wrists. Bringing them around behind her, I clasped them in one of my hands, then I pulled them up, forcing her upper body onto the counter.