Krystal Shannan Interviews - Virginia Nelson - Hypnotist

Please help me welcome Virginia Nelson to the blog today!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a single mother of three wonderful children living on the icy banks of Lake Erie.  Addicted to coffee, I chug mass quantities of it to ward off the chill and fuel my muse.

Did you always want to be an author?

No, I wanted to be an astronaut. Failing that, I wanted to be the president.  So far, neither of those have worked out even though some of my lesser aspirations have.  The cool thing about being an author is that I get to be everything all the time.  Plus, I don’t have to worry about oxygen or wearing a suit.

What is your favorite part of being a writer/author?

The magic.  Just by typing a few words on the page, I can make a reader have a physical response. I might make them cry, laugh, get a little excited…but it’s a real reaction to me stringing sentences together.  If that’s not magic, I’m not sure what is.

Tell us a little about your book.

Who knew quitting could be so hot?

Carnie Sabatina wants to break her bad habits, but is a hypnotist really the answer? Enter Doctor McSexy and a trip down the rabbit hole that not only makes her a believer, but sets her passion on fire.

Is it tempting fate to take control?

Mike Schommer’s love life crashed and burned when his ex dumped him for his best friend, but can playing with fire really save his heart? Enter Patient McHottie whose bad habits open a pandora’s box of secret cravings for hypnotist and patient...

Burning Up

One hypnotic suggestion sends them up in flames, but will temptation and passion be enough to turn their parlor tricks into happily ever after?

Excerpt:

As her eyelids fluttered open, a refreshed sense of peace and energy washed over her, as if she hadn’t stayed up past three a.m. then got back up at six that morning to meet a deadline.

No, not just refreshed and energized.

Impassioned.

Flicking a glance at the man next to her, so calm and cool, she knew what she wanted.

I want him to burn like I do.

Never having experienced that kind of immediate need for someone before, she was at a loss. She normally followed her impulses but….

I dare.

He smiled at her and it was weighted with exhaustion. He came across like a nice guy. A really nice guy.

She wanted to see him be a naughty guy.

Practicing powers of seduction she didn’t even know she had, she adjusted herself on the couch, intentionally allowing her skirt to ride up.

“Look, I am sorry that the hypnotism didn’t work on me. I mean, you gave it a shot.” She tossed her hair back, wondering for a moment how it came down.

His lips curled up slowly. “Thanks for that.”

“Mmm. I could reward you for giving it a shot, anyway.”

His brows dropped. “Huh?”

One of her hands dropped to his thigh, resting on the couch next to her, and she slowly caressed the tight denim. “I mean, you tried. The least I could do is give you a kiss….”

When did you start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I started writing as soon as I could spell.  I finished my first book when I was nine years old but it’s not one you’ll ever see on shelves. 

Where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere.  From sitting in a drive-thru to words overheard at a doctor’s office, everything is fuel for storytelling.

Do you plot and outline or do you just write?  Plotter or Pantser?

 Both and neither.  I write the blurb and figure out some major details about my main characters.  Then I just sit down and write.  I’ve found the further into the book I can go without resorting to an outline to figure out how I’m going to get where I’m headed, the easier it is for me to write.

Can you tell us a little about the process of getting your first book published?

 I sent out my first book to twenty seven different publishers once a week for a year.  After a while, it became sort of rote.  Ah, it’s Monday.  Fire off query letters.  Look, three requests for partials, one full and five rejections.  Moving on.  When I finally got my acceptance letter, I read it four times without really comprehending what it was.  My son looked at it and asked, “Doesn’t this mean you sold your book?”  Then I screamed, danced, cried, the works.  My mom, though, always good for keeping me grounded, didn’t seem shocked at all.  “Well, of course you got a contract. Wasn’t that why you’ve been writing books?”

What book have you most recently released?

My most recent release would be Hypnotist, part of the Edge Series with Decadent.  All told, for 2012, I have eight releases.  I have two on the schedule so far for 2013, two out on submissions and another four waiting in the wings. I’ve come a long way from that first book!

What was your favorite part of the book?

The idea of having no restrictions—being able to explore your desires and having no inhibitions to hold you back.

Rate your story in terms steaminess?

On a scale of one to five, I would give it a five.  

Do you have another book in the works?

A few. I have a paranormal BDSM I'm writing that incorporates bounty hunters and reapers.

What advice would you give new authors?  What have you learned about the business?

Never give up.  This business is set up in a way to chew you up and spit you out if you don’t want it bad enough and no matter how big you get, there’s four other people nipping at your heels and dying to take your place.  If you want it, grab it.  Also, the race is never against anyone but yourself.  Other authors can be your biggest cheerleaders because they’re the only ones who will ever really understand what you’re doing but if you try to compare yourself to any of them, you’ll never be really happy with what you’re doing.

Boxers or Briefs?

Commando.

Pizza or hamburger?

Sushi.  Sorry, I’m not doing well at this section at ALL.

ROFL! It's awesome, keep it up.

Beer, Wine, or mixed drink?

Wine or mixed drink.  Both, if we’re hanging out a while.

If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would it be?  Would you write or read there, or do something else?

Ireland and I would be just listening.  The accent makes my heart flutter…

(Character Questions)

What were your first impressions of each other?

Carnie:  I dropped my phone, so the first thing I saw was his shoes.  Then these legs, wrapped in denim.  I might have paused and considered—

Mike: Ogled.

Carnie:  I didn’t ogle you!

Mike: She did.  I liked it.

What’s your favorite characteristic of each other?

Mike: I got this one.

Carnie:  No, you don’t!

Mike: She’s worried I’m going to name body parts.

Carnie: Were you going to?

Mike:  Nope.  I was going to say I liked the fact you go after what you want.

Carnie: *snorts* That’s only because what I wanted was you.

Mike:  I’m not saying it didn’t work out for me.  I’m just saying I liked it.

What are your plans for the near future? 

Mine or the characters?  Mike and Carnie are living happily ever after.  Probably together as much as can be managed because they’re both pretty insatiable… My plans for the future are writing more books and attending some conferences early next year.  I’m really looking forward to the Naughty Sleepover in San Antonio!

Oooh, that does sound like fun! Thanks for being here today Virginia! Readers, please be sure to visit her@

Virginia Nelson@

http://www.virg-nelson.com/

http://virginianelson.blogspot.com/ 

https://twitter.com/virg_nelson 

https://www.facebook.com/virg.nelson?ref=tn_tnmn