Tell us about your favorite character from
your books.
My
favorite character from my books is Lily Sinclair, the lead character in my
current release. Perhaps readers may be confused as to why she is my favorite
since Lily is an extremely cold person who treats people badly, uses people and
pretty much does as she pleases, but she was a lot of fun to write! She is so
different than me; almost polar opposite in a lot of ways and it was a
challenge to write someone like that. A lot of my characters have tiny aspects
of me in them, but Lily doesn't. Ok...maybe a little. Some of the things she
actually says to people, I may think, but never say!
Tell us about your current release.
My
current release is called Baby, You're Cold Inside. It was
released from Breathless Press back in December. Like my second release with BP,
The
Fifth Story, back in September, 2012, it's a paranormal erotic tale.
However, this one is a holiday tale inspired by the classic "A Christmas
Carol". Lily is the Scrooge character and she is taken back in time by an
ice creature who wants to melt her icy nature and release the warm soul he
believes lurks inside. It's nice that he tries...
Has someone been instrumental in
inspiring you as a writer?
My
daughter (who is in middle school and no, she hasn't read my books!) was and
continues to be an inspiration to me. She's been a gifted writer since she
started writing in kindergarten. She just picks up a pencil and writes. There's
not a lot of humming and hawing...she just gets down to business. I do take a
while to get started, but once I do, I write like she does: quickly and with
passion.
Has someone helped or mentored you in
your writing career?
I
have been very lucky in that I have many people in my life that I can turn to
and talk about writing. My husband is one of them. He is always encouraging and
helpful. My friend "J" loves to talk shop and has introduced me to
other local writers. And over the last year I have met other writers through
blogging who have been extremely inspiring and helpful with my writing and
other things that have nothing to do with writing.
What do you think makes a good story?
Personally, what I look for in any story are
characters that have depth. I love a book that has characters that are so
believable that you can imagine a life for them beyond the page or you can figure
out a back story for them even if the author doesn't tell you what that is.
However, I may be that way because I have a theatre background and we had to
figure out our characters back story whenever we picked up a script.
How do you develop your plots and your
characters? Do you use any set formula?
This
too could have something to do with my theatre background, but I honestly let
me characters dictate the main plot. I usually have certain plot points figured
out, but not always how to get from plot point to plot point. When I'm writing
and I've gotten to know my characters a bit, I think to myself "What would
(character) do in the situation?" and go from there. I have no formula at
all.
What is your favorite meal?
I
have two: full breakfast (bacon, eggs, pan fries and more!) and a dinner of
rare steak, salad and a baked potato smothered in butter and sour cream!
What do you do to unwind and relax?
I
love to read and I intend on doing a lot more this year than I did last year. I
also love to dance around the house with my daughter and watch TV shows on DVD
with my husband.
Morning Person? Or Night Person?
I
think I'm a late morning, early evening person. My energy gains momentum around
10 or 11am and then peaks again around 7pm.
Do you have anything specific that you
want to say to your readers?
I'd
like to thank all those people out there who have picked up my books over the
last year. I know my voice and my story telling is a little off kilter from other
books in the romance genre and I appreciate those who have taken a chance on a
new writer. I have had some interesting feedback; some of it positive and some
of it not. I'm fine with either and although sometimes the negative is hard to
swallow, stirring someone to express their opinion is wonderful. Writing is an
art form and if anyone is moved by your work, negatively or positively, you've
done your job as artist.
Blurb for
Baby, You're Cold Inside, By Ivy Batmean
Lily Sinclair isn't in the
Christmas spirit.
Successful, sexy and headstrong;
being nice is too overrated when being naughty is so much more fun. However,
there are those who believe that her cool interior stands in her way of true
happiness. On the night when something a little bit colder than Lily takes her
on a journey to her past, she goes along for the ride, but...
Will her guide show her just what
it will take to melt her icy soul?
Excerpt from Baby, You're Cold Inside By Ivy Bateman
"Oh
yes, my dear, just a little bit further...come on honey...just bend over a little
further. Come on now—just a little bit lower, that's it." I bite my lip to
keep from screaming. "That's right keep it up, keep it up...I'm so close,
yes, baby keep it up—no, no, no! Not now!"
I
lean over my desk and punch the intercom. "Phillip! Get your ass in here
now!"
He
doesn't respond to my holler. Maybe he has the volume turned down. He's done
that before, the bad boy, trying to ignore me. What kind of assistant does that
to his boss? One that doesn't last that long, that's who.
I
punch the intercom button again, harder even though it won't make a difference,
but I'm desperate and my buzz is quickly fading away.
"Phillip!
Don't ignore me! I need to see you in my office now!"
Again,
he isn't doing anything! Okay that's not true. He's still doing something. He
is still filing and bending over, which is a marvel to behold, but his moves
are being wasted! I open my desk drawer and pull out a squishy ball. I chuck it
at the mirrored glass that stands approximately twenty feet from the front of
my desk. Phillip jumps and screams like a girl. He glances at the mirrored
glass looking slightly shamefaced. He can't see me, but he knows I can see him. Wow, he's a good looking guy...who isn't
moving!
My
morning good time feeling is being quickly defeated by the anger that is
starting to build up in my system. I throw a second ball against the glass.
Another girlish scream erupts from Phillip, but this time he springs into
action. He hot foots it to my door and opens it at top speed. He's breathless
and nervous which is perfect; it's the way I like my men.
"Yes,
Ms. Sinclair? Is there something I can help you with?" He runs a hand
through his shiny brown hair and steps into my office.
"No,
Phillip, I just like to throw things at my wall to hear you squeal. Thank you
for being so obliging." I am sarcastic to the point of it being farcical,
but my lovely yet sometimes a little dim assistant doesn't pick up on it even a
little.
"Oh,
that's fine, Ms. Sinclair. I-I-I like to squeal for you." He blushes and
looks at his large, polished shoes. "I'll go back to my desk and listen
for another ball. Thank you for making me aware that you like my noises."
He backs toward the door, his face now the shade of a ripe tomato. It's
adorable, but I don't have time for adorable.
Book trailers
on You Tube:
Write Ivy at
ivybmisbehavin@gmail.com.
