Guest Romance Author Margie Church

Today's blog guest is romance author Margie Church- grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy Margie's writing and humor.

Before we get started talking about your books, tell us a little about yourself. What is your occupation outside of writing?

Hi Dawne, thank you for having me today. By day, I write advertising literature, communications plans, and direct social media for the company I work for. I also freelance magazine articles for B2B magazines, mostly in commercial construction, architecture, civil engineering, and business practices.

I'm a Facebook addict and I don't want treatment! I grew up in Minnesota and married my high school sweetheart almost three decades ago. We met in biology class— love at first sight— and married after I graduated from college. He's the only man on earth who could put up with me this long and still love me. We have two teenage sons who delight and annoy me at the most surprising moments. Yeah, I know you're doing the math on those kids…we practiced a long time and we got it right. Trust me.

What are your favorite books to read?
Police thrillers and contemporary romances.

Aside from your successes in the writing industry, what in your life has given you the greatest sense of accomplishment?
I've really enjoyed running our parish festival. It's the biggest fundraiser beside in-pew giving and we have the largest parish in the diocese. On festival Sunday, I've worked with over 300 volunteers. I've done it seven years and each time holds so many special memories of people coming together in fellowship for a really fun day.

At the end of my life, I hope I'll be remembered as a decent human being and a good mother.

You write in the erotica genre. How did you decide this was the best genre fit for you?
I think I live boldly. I share my opinions, challenge myself, dive into my passions, enjoy the bite of the winter wind, whiskey straight up. I like books that engage me fully and I want to write those. It's unsatisfying for me to learn everything wonderful about a story except the love scenes.

When you’re painting an erotic scene in your novels, how do you keep your ideas fresh and different from what everyone else writes?
The characters' personalities help me figure out what they might enjoy. In addition, I do regular research. I check out websites that sell what I affectionately call marital aids. LOL I took an online class on BDSM. I network with friends and authors who are gay to help me understand their needs and desires. I belong to a group who has agreed if a member author asks a question, no matter how personal, we answer. Everything is confidential and even though it can be embarrassing or silly, each of us knows the help we provide is invaluable to the WIP. While I'm writing, I make a concerted effort to mix things up. The lovers have to have their respective orgasms but other than that, the reader appreciates variety and I can't be lazy.

How many books have you written and how many of those are published? And any exciting publishing plans for the New Year?
These are published:
Awakening Allaire
Avenging Allaire
Love Bites
Love Bites II: Dangerous Love
Wet
Love Revisited-WET (released today 3/7!)
First Spring (nursery rhyme written under my pen name, Margaret Rose)

Written and polishing for submission:
Hard as Teak (m/m romance)

WIPs
The 18th Floor (het erotic romance)
Nopeming Shores (het paranormal – ghost story and this one will be sensual, not erotic)

If you have a new release coming out, tell us about it.

Love Revisited-WET was released 3/7! This is considered a Naughty Nibble in the Noble Romance family of books. Only 20 pages long, it gives readers a chance to revisit a couple they loved in a previous release.

This is the blurb: Noah and Reagan Landry lost their happily-ever-after once before and Noah's father is determined to keep them apart. This time, Reagan shows her intimidating ex-father-in-law exactly what she's made of.
After trying a case in England for weeks, Noah hopes for a happy reunion with his family. When he learns of Reagan's struggles, he rewards her by surrendering to her what he treasures most.

Content alert: bondage

How much character and plot detailing do you plan out before you begin writing a novel, or are you a “pantser”?
I'm definitely a plotter. I try to get a really clear understanding of the plot and the issues/obstacles I want to address before I start writing. The characters may have other ideas once I get started and frankly, sometimes I get a new or better idea, but those are not huge revelations, just interesting additions. Writing myself into a corner isn't fun to fix.

I look for pictures of people to model the characters after and will detail everything from their ancestry (if that's important) to their careers, likes/dislikes, physical characteristics, emotional issues, etc. The more I write, the more I'm learning about what readers really like. Planning out the books and the characters helps me ensure I cover those things – and have a higher rate of success at submission time.

How and when do you write? Do you keep yourself on a schedule or do you work while the muse is with you?
Authors will tell you that promotions take up a lot of time, but you still have to make time to write. I average 1,000 words a day. And I write every day in my home office.

If you could give one piece of advice to writers trying to get published, what would that advice be?
Learn as much as you can about the craft of fiction writing. It's so complex. Rejection and correction is waiting at every corner. Reduce the disappointments by submitting the best-written manuscript you possibly can.


Where can we read more about you and your work?

You can reach me at margie_church@yahoo.com
My website and blog: Romance with SASS www.RomanceWithSass.com
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