Interview with Lisa Darling

Today we sit down with romance/erotic author Lisa Darling, and ask her a few questions.

Ya know...a little of this, a little of that...

Darkfallen: Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have
always wanted to do? Sorta like a calling?

Lisa: It's something I've always done, ever since early on in elementary school, I showed
an aptitude for writing and knew it was what I was going to do.

Darkfallen: What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story? The conflict, the suspense, the sexy num time? lolz

Lisa: Conflict creates Drama, for me those two are always first. The Romance isn't 'second', I wouldn't like to say that, but the romance doesn't bubble and come to fruition if it's never tested. It just sort of lays flat on the page.

Darkfallen: Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been
your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

Lisa: I'm one of those lucky writers who lives her life with a Muse (day in and day out).We have a mutually beneficial partnership. He throws out orders, I tear them apart, we bounce ideas off each other, constantly try to one-up each other, and in the middle of all of that chaos the 'magick' happens.
Ares is the character I have lived and worked with the longest—16 years now—so he's my favorite and the most challenging because of his nature. I tend to be the peace lover and he's the butt-kicker. Together we balance each other out although it's quite maddening at times.

Greta: You give me a piece of HAWT god man meat...and I'll take "maddening at times." RAWR!

Darkfallen: Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did
you do to change that?

Lisa: When we first meet Ares he's a pretty unlikeable guy, he's very grumpy, he's arrogant, he's a bit spoiled. Then again, he's a god so…what do you expect? LOL He grows and evolves throughout the story, he learns about himself as he learns about his love-interest, Alena and realizes that being a god is awesome but it's good to have a heart too.

Greta: HA! You say unlikeable...I say bad boy that needs to be punished. *winks*

Darkfallen: If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the
first thing you do?

Lisa: Again, I'm one of those lucky people, I wouldn't change a thing or do anything
differently.

Greta: *sings some guys have all the luck*

Darkfallen: Sorry about her Lisa. Just ignore her;) Anyways, can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

Lisa: This series will continue with the second novel "Child of War" on December 31,2011. Ares and Alena will bring their son, Raven, into the world and he's going to upset the status quo on Olympus.

Greta: QUE LIGHTNING BOLTS!

Darkfallen: Lightning bolts? Really? No One said anything about Zeus here! Now where were we? Oh, right! Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

Lisa: I've always wanted to write a vampire story but I think I'll stick with the Olympians
for now.

Greta: Bring on more man meat...I mean Olympian God meat!

Darkfallen: Urgs...again sorry. Here maybe if we let Greta ask a few questions she'll settle down a bit. Lolz

Greta: Yes, YES pick me pick me! Ummm what to ask? Let's see...If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

Lisa: Stephen King, John Lennon, Kevin T. Smith, Janis Joplin, and Jacqueline Susann. I
want to talk writing with Stephen and Jacqueline, philosophy with John and Janis,
and Kevin…well, he gets to stay until long after the party's over. ;-)

Darkfallen: OOOooo Janis Joplin would be amazing!

Greta: Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves
a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

Lisa: Music is a huge influence on my life, I'm always listening to my iTunes…or Pandora, I really like Pandora. I also have the strange habit of listening to my local radio station while I write. I think the songs help on many levels, and yes, often they provide much needed inspiration. I just chalk those times up to the Muse making his opinion known.

Greta: What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them
difficult to write? Darkfallen usually just turns all beat read when she tries to. LOLz

Darkfallen: I DO NOT!!!! *starts blushing*

Lisa: They're the best! I often find myself chomping at the bit to get one when I know it's coming up. Love scenes are the scenes where the Muse and I are freest to do anything and everything we want. We often get quite lost in them.

Greta: Wait does that mean what I think it means? Nothing like a little bedroom research!

Darkfallen: Annnnddd we are back to ignoring her! lolz What are some of your favorite things or hobbies to do?

Lisa: I like to cook, nothing fancy, just good old American Yankee cooking. I try togarden, I love to grow things, we have a lot of deer and other critters which makesit difficult. I also take photographs of the sea and old abandoned buildings.

Darkfallen:Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what
books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?

Lisa: I have a 5 shelf glass and wood book case that holds nothing but Stephen King, just about every single hard cover he's ever written and some rare paperbacks. A few of them are even signed.

Darkfallen: If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?

Lisa: This is going to sound so horribly cliché and romantic but….'Vivian' in "Pretty Woman".

Darkfallen & Greta: Thanks so much for stopiing by and hanging out with us! And for putting up with Greta *winks*

Wanna catch up with Lisa on the web? We know you do!

FaceBook http://facebook.com/lisabeth1
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com
Website: http://www.moonsmusings.com/lbdarling

Pick up your copy today on Amazon!

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:
Inside the heart of every warrior breathes the soul of a hero--even within The Heart of War.
Meet Ares God of War is the greatest Warrior the world has ever known, he's also moody, grumpy, dominant, ravenously sexual,and above all, built like a Greek God.
Suspected of killing his Daughter in-Law, Psyche, and long in exile from Olympus, the solitude of Ares' island is interrupted when Magdalena MacLeod a brash and sometimes manipulative Fey washes up on Ares' island after believing she's been shipwrecked. There is no wreck and her memory of events is sketchy at best. Branded with a golden chastity belt bearing the mark of Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death, Alena has been on the run from the Great Horned God for 200 years. As Ares and Alena grow closer discord erupts on the island as his head woman, Kat, plots to get rid of Alena and the Olympians plot to use her in their endeavor to discover who killed Artemis. Ares will have to choose between his Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena before dueling to the death with the God of the Forest.
Come along for an epic adventure of erotica, steamy romance, and drama in this Modern Day Greek Tragedy. Battle Ancient Gods and Fall in Love along side Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod. Theirs is a love that will rock the world from the heights of Olympus to the Celtic moors.(

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:
Do you know 'Damien'? Raven makes that kid look like an angel.
The "Of War"-series picks up in part I of this II-part sequel when Ares and Alena try to settle down on Olympus and await the birth of their son, Raven.
Haunted by prophetic visions along with a body and mind that are starting to betray her, Alena struggles to enjoy what should be a happy and blessed occasion. The relentless hostility from the other Olympians make her yearn to be back on their cozy island home, far away from all the bickering and backstabbing that makes up Life on mighty Mount Olympus.
Knowing of Zeus' unabashed hatred for Alena and the Celts, Ares becomes convinced Zeus is causing these visions and the breakdown of Alena's mind. To appease his Father, the God of Gods, Ares enters into a wicked blood pact ensuring the safety of his wife and unborn son. A pact that could cost the God of War everything he holds dear.
However, once the boy arrives, it quickly becomes clear Raven may be the most powerful and cunning Olympian ever born. Outwardly despised by Zeus for his Fey blood and his filthy Celtic mother the seeds of rage and doubt are planted in the Raven's mind by a very willing Apollo.
As Zeus, Apollo, and Aphrodite plot against the new family, bit by bit the true pasts of the Olympians and Celts comes to light, the battle begins for Raven’s mind and soul and for the ultimate control of Olympus.

Until next time...