Wednesday, July 30, 2014

An Interview With Author, Charity Parkerson **18+ EXCERPT for MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY**

Meet Award-Winning Author, Charity Parkerson!


Where are you from?
A tiny town south of Nashville.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I had a reoccurring dream that wouldn’t leave me alone until I wrote it down. Once it was on paper, the story grew into an entire world of black-ops and paranormal.

Do you write full-time or part-time? How do you balance your writing life with your family/work life?
I’m blessed to be able to write full-time, and I have a supportive husband I couldn’t function without. If I have a deadline or a story I have to get out of my head, he takes on everything for me.

How did you come up with the title?
I wanted something that would describe the entire book. Even though I’m sure readers won’t see it until it’s over, but truly, the characters are Intact. 

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

This book has a strong message—one I hope makes people think. It does have a heavy romance theme, but it also deals a lot in prejudice. Honestly, I didn’t mean for it to become such a deep topic. The longer I wrote the more I realized it was headed places I didn’t expect. It caused me to question which side I would choose. I hope readers walk away with the same impression.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I’m not sure anyone can write a book and not put a bit of themselves into the characters. Otherwise, no. 

What books have most influenced your life most?

I’ve read thousands upon thousands of books so it’s hard to narrow it down. The books that stand out for me are “The Duchess” by Jude Deveraux and “Dark Lover” by J.R. Ward. The Duchess was the first romance book I ever read. It started me down the path of my love for all things romance. Dark Lover is what hooked me on paranormal. 

What book are you reading now?

I’m terrible about having more than one thing going at a time. Right now they are, “The King” by J.R. Ward and “A Sinner Born” by Avril Ashton. 

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I love Kylie Scott

What are your current projects?

Book 6 in my “No Rival” series is under way and I have a new horror erotic started that I’m really excited about. I’m about to unleash some sexy punkage on the world. :-D 

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

To keep my editor from stroking out, I’ll share a bit of my latest release. If I show you something unedited, I might finally be the death her. She’s already the most put-upon editor around. :-D Here we go:

Unequaled
Book 3, No Rival—Copyright: © 2014 Charity Parkerson
***WARNING: 18+ excerpt****
The moment he spotted Rhys, Asher straightened away from the vehicle. “I wasn’t ignoring you.” His eyes weren’t cool any longer. Rhys struck without thought, crowding him against the door of his truck. He didn’t give a shit who was watching as he flattened his palms against the sun-warmed steel on either side of Asher.
“I know you’re not.”
The wave of raw lust rolling off Asher’s body punched him in the gut. “I didn’t wish to embarrass you by openly acknowledging you. Now, I see you’re not bothered.”
“Really?” Rhys could hear the sarcastic note in his voice, but his temper wouldn’t allow him to stop. He ran his gaze over Asher’s expensive clothing. “I got the impression you were merely slumming it with me. Perhaps you’re the one who is embarrassed.”
Asher’s entire demeanor changed in an instant at the accusation. “Ah. I see.” He stepped out his hold, leaving Rhys no choice except to let him go, or physically restrain him. Rhys watched him walking away. The confidence in Asher’s stride held Rhys’ attention much longer than it should.
Before Asher could get too far away to fix things, Rhys spoke up, stopping him. “I’m sorry.”
In a flash, Asher managed to reverse their roles. The solid door came against Rhys’ back as the pissed off man went nose to nose with him. “Do you know what your problem is?” Without waiting for an answer, Asher added. “You’re obviously used to dealing with people who are weak, and I am anything but. I happen to know my worth. If you ever figure out yours then you know where to find me.”
Pushing away from the truck, he left Rhys alone and speechless. Not to mention, his dick was now hard as a rock. Holy hell. The smell of Asher’s cologne hung in the air. The accent, damn, he’d forgotten what the sound of it did to him. With a curse, he pushed away from the truck. There wasn’t any sense in staying here any longer. The moment the door closed behind him, he froze. How had Asher known which vehicle belonged to him? It was one question he might not ever get an answer to, since it seemed he’d fucked everything up.




Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

There aren’t enough hours in the day. Sometimes my brain doesn’t like to quit spitting ideas, but I’m a slow typer.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I’m not sure I could choose. That’s almost like asking me to pick which of my children is my favorite, LOL! I have several I love in certain genres. If I’m going for a historical romance, I grab Julia Quinn first. 

Who designed the covers?

I designed the cover for Intact. Feeding my artist addiction is hard work. All of my Ellora’s Cave titles are designed by the publishing company. Tasting Temptation was designed by Aeternum Designs. They’re awesome. 

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

I was so scared people would be confused. When it went to editing, I just knew they were going to tell me that I needed to start over because they had no idea what was going on. With Science Fiction, you have that extra control where it’s your world and if you say it goes then it goes. On the other hand, you don’t want to go so far out into left field people are shaking their heads and rolling their eyes. 

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

For me, that’s one of the best parts of writing. When something snags my attention, I’m hooked and want to learn everything I can about it. Unfortunately, with this book I’m sure my research on Bio bombs, nanotechnology and hot cyborg pics landed me on some sort of anti-terror pervvy list. 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep writing. Write every day and stay true to yourself. Get to know other writers. Let them guide you and learn from their mistakes. 

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you. I can’t say it enough times. Creating worlds where people can escape means everything to me. In my life, reading has saved my sanity so many times. To be able to do that for other people, it’s such a blessing. Without readers, I couldn’t keep doing this and my characters would never have someone else love them as much I do.


Do you have an agent or publisher? How did you go about finding one?
I do have a publisher. Currently, I work for Ellora’s Cave Publishing. They actually found me. An acquisitions editor from their company reached out to me on Twitter. I’ve also worked for other publishers. Before Ellora’s, I went about it through submissions and waiting for responses. I love my publisher, but I also love publishing independently. While a lot of people fall to one side or the other, I don’t think there is a right way or wrong way to publish as long as you’re doing so professionally by hiring an editor, etc.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

My family is here in Tennessee so I’d hate to leave them, but I have a few wonderful friends who live in Australia. I miss them dearly and would love to live there. We talk every night online, but it’s not the same as getting to hug them. 


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