Interview with Karenna Colcroft

Please give a warm welcome to my guest Karenna Colcroft!


How did you start your writing career?

Back in 2006, I was dealing with some stuff from my past (and present). Among other issues, that stuff had left me with a very negative view of sex. A friend of mine challenged me to put my writing skills to use and write something that “showed sex in a positive light.” I wrote a short scene and was kind of impressed with it, and that started me writing erotic romance. That scene, in a slightly altered form, appears in my novel Eternal Love, which was released by Pink Petal Books in July 2010and will be one of their freebie specials in September.

Tell us about your favorite character from your books.

Right now, I would have to say it’s Kyle Slidell from my M/M novel Salad on the Side, which is available from MLR Press. He’s a wiseass and a very strong character, and I had a lot of fun writing him. Who doesn’t love a vegan werewolf? A close second would be Niko, from my MFM novel Shiny Objects, which will be out in a few days from Passion in Print Press. Niko is a very complex character and is based on a close friend of mine, so I really enjoyed writing him as well.

Tell us about your next release.

My next release will be Shiny Objects. Elena is happy in her relationship with her live-in boyfriend Corin, until her former lover Niko re-enters her life. Her feelings for Niko—and his for her—haven’t faded despite not seeing each other for a year and a half. When an innocent visit leads to a kiss, she believes she has to end the friendship, until she confesses to Corin and he gives her his okay to explore her feelings for Niko.
Of course, it doesn’t go as easily as all that. Elena, Niko, and Corin are all human, and they each have their own positive and negative reactions to the arrangement. There’s a lot of discussion and boundary-setting, and eventually they do work it all out. If you’re looking for a story where everything goes the way the heroine wants and they’re all thrilled to be in a threesome, this book might not be for you. But if you’re looking for one that presents a pretty realistic view of a polyamorous arrangement, complete with the bumps on the road and with a happy ending, you might want to check this one out. I’ve shared a short excerpt at the end of this interview.

Has someone helped or mentored you in your writing career?

There have been a number of people who have helped me, and I don’t want to forget mentioning anyone! But the three who stand out most are Lex Valentine, Tess MacKall, and Emmy Ellis. I owe each of those ladies a big thank you.
Amber - All great authors! :o)

When was your first sale?

My first sale was in January 2009, to Excessica Publishing. It was a short, titled “Ask and You Shall Receive”, which was released in March of that year. It’s unavailable now, as rights have reverted to me, but once I have a gap in my deadlines I plan to revise and expand it into a novella, and possibly self-publish.
When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

What does your family think of your writing career?

My family—at least those who know what I write—are pretty proud of me. My father drives a limo-van for a hotel and has been known to tell his passengers that his daughter’s an author. My husband calls himself my “research assistant” and brags about me at work (which gets a bit awkward at times, since he and I work at the same place!) My daughters have read my young adult fiction, which is written under a different name, and are proud of me for that; my older one is a bit irked that I won’t let her read my romances, though.
Amber - LOL My husband does the same thing!


Does your significant other read your stuff?

No, hubby refuses to read my books. He says he’s afraid he’ll hurt my feelings if he doesn’t like them. He prefers science fiction and high fantasy, anyway, and I don’t write anything like that.
Amber - Mine won't read my M/M, but loves reading the rest.

Who are your books published with?

As I mentioned, I was first published with Excessica, but the two titles I had with them are no longer available. I have a short with Noble Romance and a novella with Siren Publishing. The majority of my romances are with Pink Petal Books (I have five with them now and another under contract), and my third novella from Ellora’s Cave released a couple weeks ago, with another one under contract. I have a novel out with MLR Press, and my upcoming release from Passion in Print Press.
You can find out more about the books, including review links and buy links, on my website, http://www.karennacolcroft.com.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a published author and a teacher. I don’t teach anymore, but the published author thing seems to be working out pretty well.

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?

Take your time. You don’t have to be published tomorrow. Learn your craft and develop your skills. Find a trusted author—not a non-writing friend—to look over your work if you’re not sure about it. And take time also to research publishers when you reach that point. There are unfortunately scam artists out there, along with well-meaning but clueless people who think they can run a company but end up going bust within a few months.

Shiny Objects
releasing August 16 from Passion in Print Press http://www.passioninprint.com.
Blurb:

Elena is happy in her relationship with her live-in boyfriend Corin. But when she runs into her former lover Niko at a party, she realizes she still has feelings for him. Her attempt to form a friendship with Niko goes off-course when the two of them kiss.
When she confesses to Corin, he encourages her to not only remain friends with Niko, but to pursue a relationship with the other man. At first Niko has no objections, but the two men soon become rivals, and Elena isn't sure she can handle being shared.

Excerpt:

“I don’t like letting people in,” he repeated. “I don’t want to give anyone a chance to learn something they might use against me. And yeah, that’s probably paranoid as hell, but that’s been my experience.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had that happen.” She folded her legs in front of her. “Do you think I’d do that, though?”
“No, and that’s why you’ve managed what no one else has. And don’t think no one else has tried.” He took a ragged breath. “None of them managed it, and that led to the end of some so-called friendships. No skin off my nose. I won’t change what I am just because someone expects it of me. They can take me or leave me.”
“You’re a good person,” she said softly.
He stared at her for a moment. No one had ever said that to him before, and he knew she meant it completely. She truly saw him that way. “And that’s exactly what did it,” he said finally. “You really think that of me. Maybe I am a good person. Maybe not, or not as much as you think. You believe it of me, and that comes pretty close to making me believe it too. No one else has ever made me feel like that. You did it right from the start, and that’s why you made it in.”
“So is that good or bad?”
“It is what it is,” he said. “Do you even understand what I’m saying? Do you understand what you’ve done yet, or do I really have to spell it out? Some things don’t need to be said.”
“And some things do.” She hesitated. “You’re a good person, and a good friend.”
“So are you.” He chuckled bitterly. “I think you do understand, even if you don’t want to. That’s fine. You have your man, and I’m just something on the side for you.”
“I didn’t say that!” she exploded.
“You said I’m a good friend,” he replied. “Which implies there’s nothing else between us, sex or not.”
“I didn’t imply a fucking thing,” she spat. “You inferred it, and you’re wrong.”
“Really?” He leaned forward. “So maybe you’re lying to yourself when you think you’re in love with your man, is that it?” He was baiting her now, but he needed to hear her say something that indicated she had feelings for him. If she truly only considered him a friend, he would end this now. He had to hear her tell him differently.
“No.” She stood abruptly. “Look, I came over because I thought you actually needed to talk to me about something important. For someone who’s so hung up on honesty, you’re doing a lot of dancing around what you wanted to tell me. Which is fine. It’s your choice whether to talk to me or not. But don’t you dare sit there and act like a sarcastic jackass about Corin and me.”
He stared at her, open-mouthed, for a moment, chuckling again, more amused this time, and sat back. “Good for you,” he said sincerely. “I didn’t think you had it in you to stand up for yourself like that. Sit back down, and I promise to be good.”
She stayed on her feet, glaring at him. “I didn’t say I only thought of you as a friend. Or a fuck buddy.”
Not quite the words he’d hoped for, but for the moment they would do. He relaxed. “I said sit. Please.” A pleading note entered his voice.
She hesitated, before sitting down again. “Say what you mean,” she said firmly. “Or I will leave.”
“If you had any idea how hard this is for me to say, you wouldn’t be so pushy.” Now or never. Speak the truth, or forever let her go.
He took a deep breath. “I don’t love,” he said again. “I don’t let myself feel that deeply about anyone. And still you got in.”

Thanks for being here today Karenna! Do drop by again! :o)