In the Author Spotlight
CORA ZANE

CONTEST: Cora Zane is giving away a glitter heart magnet set, and a goodie pack with bookmarks and a cute pin back button, to one lucky reader. Make sure to leave a comment along with your email addy so Cora can contact you if you win. Good luck!

AL: Hi Cora! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

Cora: Thank you for having me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Cora: It’s pretty crazy here, but that’s nothing unusual. I’m on a very short deadline right now, and at the same time, I’m trying to rearrange my office for a new computer before my laptop goes belly up. My family is looking at a necessary trip to D.C. in the near future, and we’re trying to rearrange our schedules to fit that in. Also, author Keri Ford and I will be giving a workshop on e-publishing at Bossier Parish Community College in June. This is in conjunction with our local RWA chapter - www.nolastars.com – so I’m preparing for that.

AL: Would you like to tell us about a current or upcoming release?

Cora: I’m currently in the process of wrapping up Wicked Obsession, which is an erotic vampire novel, and the official sequel to the first vampire novella I ever wrote – Wicked Temptation. With any luck, it will be available through Cobblestone Press in the next few months.

AL: What other works are you deep into?

Cora: I’m in the process of repackaging a previously published story called At the Edge of Twilight. I intend to take that title, and add it in with six other erotic fairytales to create a full length erotic faerie tale collection. I’ll be putting the volume up for sale on both Smashwords and Amazon once I have everything put together and formatted, probably sometime around late September.

I’m also working on an erotic, horror-romance story, that I intend to submit to the new Shivers line at Ellora’s Cave.

AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then just 'fly by the seat of your pants'? :-)

Cora: I plot heavily and do a lot of pre-writing before I ever start writing a first draft. I don’t outline quite the way I used to. I find it saves me time, and I don’t end up having quite so much to rework later on, if I have the major mid-story crisis figured out before I write the first few scenes.

AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?

Cora: When I first started writing, I had that problem a lot. I’d have a general idea of what I wanted my story to be, and usually one or two scenes in mind, but I didn’t always know how to get my characters to go from point A to point B. I think that had a lot to do with not planning far enough ahead into a story before I started writing it. Now, I make sure I understand each character’s individual goal before I ever start writing, and make sure I have an overall story goal that unifies the characters in some way to keep them all on track. It’s much easier to figure out where your characters are going if you know where you need them to be by the end of the book.

AL: If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

Cora: I have several free reads on Smashwords, and I usually direct people over there first. My short story Heart Spell is a reader favorite. I often tell interested readers if they like the free stories I’ve posted, they’ll probably like my Werekind Series books, which are available at Cobblestone Press. Even though Dominant Territory is smack dab in the middle of the series, I tend to recommend it before the other books just because it’s my favorite.

AL: It’s time to get personal! What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?

Cora: Well, my husband and friends tease me about being an earthy girl because I let the small stuff slide. It doesn’t bother me much if someone gets my name wrong or makes an awkward faux pas. It doesn’t bother me all that much if someone has stinky feet, or if they munch carrots on the phone while talking to me. It has to be a pretty nasty situation for me to consider it a pet peeve. Spitefulness is a big turn off; the same goes for disrespecting others. I think mean people in general are my pet peeve. People who never seem to have anything good to say about anyone else – I’m usually looking for an exit when I get stuck with someone like that.

AL: What are you reading in your spare time?

Cora: Lately I’m reading a mix of craft books and fiction in my spare time. If I get even ten spare minutes, I’ll pick up a book and read a few paragraphs. I’m currently reading Zombie Tramp by Dan Mendoza, which is a graphic novel. And I just finished Long Slow Burn by Isobel Sharp a few days ago. Before that, I read Beastly by Alex Flinn, which is a really cool YA beauty and the beast type book. Next up on my TBR stack is Ghost Stalker by Jenna Kernan, which is a Harlequin Nocturne. Oh, and through all this, I’ve been spot reading a book about negotiating contracts, but I can’t think of the title or the author’s name right off hand.

AL: If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?

Cora: Someone famous… That’s hard to say. I think it would be fun to see what Anne Rice has on her Nook or Kindle. Too, I always thought it would be fun to go through Stan Lee’s attic if he has one. If he does have an attic, I bet he’s got some really cool stuff up there.

AL: You have to ask a fictional character out on a date—who would you ask and what would you do together?

Cora: Haha! That’s great… I’d probably want to go out on a date with Jack Sparrow just because he’s that wacky kind of character you could see yourself waking up next to in a jail cell the following day. It would be a hoot to go with him to Mardi Gras.

AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?

Cora: Well, I took most of last year off to hone my craft. I did a lot of studying and test writing. Now, I’m trying to tie up loose ends and be more productive, but it’s not always easy. I hope to have a new Werekind story finished by the end of the year if my schedule allows it. Next year, I’d like to have my plate cleared as far as any contractual obligations go, so I can work on something brand new. I’d really like to put out more single title work in the future.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Cora: “Plan your work, and work your plan.” That’s actually from a fortune cookie, so I don’t know the author. It’s practical advice, though. I think that’s why I like it so much. Just for the sake of saying so, I have that fortune cookie slip taped to the printer in my home office.

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Cora.

Cora: It’s been a pleasure. :o)

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Cora please visit:

Cora’s Website: www.corazane.com. You can also find her on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and her personal blog: http://corazane.blogspot.com.

FEATURED TITLE: CONNECTION

Blurb:

Gage is a cyber vamp, an AI being who feeds off energy, sexual and otherwise. Kiri loves that they can feel each other’s pleasure during sex…during those electric moments when Gage slips his fangs into her neck ports.

Kiri knew from the start Gage wanted a no-strings relationship. But she hadn’t realized his bite would grant him full access to her heart. Didn’t count on being so lost to pleasure that she lets loose her innermost desire. Now Gage knows her secret, and Kiri can’t bring herself to face him.

But Gage has a secret of his own. He’s found more than sexual satisfaction with Kiri. He’s discovered the ultimate connection—and he’ll prove it the second he’s back in her bed.

Excerpt:

“You’re more than welcome to join us,” Adam offered. Once again his gaze settled on her neck ports, and she shivered at the way his gaze caressed her like a physical touch. As androids, cyber vampires fed off sensual energy rather than blood. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind what this one wanted from her.


With his card tucked between his fingers and his arm resting on the back of the booth again, he created a space near the edge for her to sidle in next to him if that was her wish. “Interested?”

“Um, thanks, but…” Kiri just shook her head.

He’s not Gage. Fucking him won’t fix things.

She hated herself for having to rationalize it.

Ignoring the way her clit throbbed, she tucked the serving tray under her arm and left the suite in an effort to distance herself from the temptation. Once outside, she shut the door behind her and headed down the glass walkway that ran all the way around the cylinder-shaped club, connecting the circle of third-floor suites overlooking the main club area. A discreet stairwell tucked farther down the walkway spiraled behind the inner walls of the building, connecting the multiple levels.

As Kiri reached the stairwell, she stopped to look out over the glass riser edging the walkway, gazing down at the light show that pulsed and flickered over the dance floor. Instead of going straight down to check in at the bar, she stepped back into the shadows of the tiny third-floor landing and pressed her back against the wall on the other side of a waist-high vase of peacock orchids.

The music vibrated through her, the booming bass matching the desire throbbing through her body. Her inner thighs were slick with cream, her cunt aching for a man’s attention. She couldn’t get her mind off the scene in the suite. Kiri clamped her eyes shut tight, her conscience turning over the many reasons why she shouldn’t—why she wouldn’t—accept the blond man’s offer. There were many, but still her body nagged her for release. Craving a quick climax, she glanced off to the right, around the large plume of flowers, to see if anyone was coming up the stairs and saw no one. She was alone.

Heart galloping, her skin tingling with urgent need, she slipped her hand beneath her skirt, hesitating when her fingertips grazed the edge of her panties.

She wondered if she was far back enough from the glass riser to prevent anyone from looking up and seeing her. Were the shadows dark enough for true concealment?

To hell with it. Getting caught seemed a much lesser punishment than going unfulfilled.

REMEMBER: Cora Zane is giving away a glitter heart magnet set, and a goodie pack with bookmarks and a cute pin back button, to one lucky reader. Make sure to leave a comment along with your email addy so Cora can contact you if you win. Good luck!