An Interview with Gabrielle Bisset

THK: Tell me about yourself. Anything you would like readers know about you?

GB: My name is Gabrielle Bisset and I write erotic romance in the paranormal and historical subgenres. By day, I teach college students history, hoping to convince them that history is more than boring facts and dates (which it is). I live in Pennsylvania with my teenage son and a herd of pets (I can't say no to strays).

THK: Tell me about your current and upcoming releases. Please include a blurb and a link to where the book can be purchased.

GB: My current release is Blood Avenged, the first book in my new Sons of Navarus series.

Here's the blurb:

I am everything you desire. I am vampire.
Powerful and manipulative, Vasilije does as he pleases. A vampire beholden to no one, he takes what he desires, drinking deeply the pleasures this life has to offer.When one of his own is staked, Vasilije must travel to New Orleans to exact his revenge. There he meets Sasa, a beautiful woman who arouses him like no other has for centuries. Vasilije’s need for vengeance is equaled only by his passion for her, but what he finds in his revenge is just the beginning...

Blood Avenged is available now. For buy links and a steamy excerpt, readers can visit my blog at http://gbisset.blogspot.com/p/blood-avenged.html

And coming this May, the next book in the series, Blood Betrayed, will be released. Here's the blurb:

I am everything forbidden. I am vampire.

Haunted by betrayal, Saint hides in the human world, giving his heart to no one and finding the only solace from his past in the arms of human women. Now as the Archons begin their takeover of the vampire world, this Son of Navarus has been marked for death.

Summoned to defeat the Archons by the world that shunned him, Saint must face his past and Solenne, the woman he loved and lost a century ago, for only in accepting her will his body and soul finally find salvation.


THK: What genre do you write in? What drew you to write in that genre?

GB: I primarily write in the paranormal romance genre. I've always loved anything supernatural, so it's natural that the paranormal genre is a favorite of mine. Vampires and my own creation, Aeveren, fascinate me, and the paranormal genre lets me take my imagination wherever it wants to go.

THK: How many books have you written? How many have been published?

GB: I've written many books, some of which are still sitting quietly in a drawer. However, six of my books are published. Blood Avenged, Stolen Destiny, Destiny Redeemed, Vampire Dreams, Love's Master, and Masquerade. The first three are novel length books, but the last three are novellas. They can be found in a one volume book entitled The Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy.

THK: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

GB: I hand write everything, including the novels, before I type them. This means I tend to write no more than a couple thousand words in a sitting. It also means I edit as I write. Most people find this quirky.

THK: What is the hardest part of writing?

GB: The hardest part of writing for me is finding the time. I work full time and home school my son, so I don't have a lot of time. When I finally get the time to sit down and write, I've got ideas pouring out of my pen!

THK: What do you read for fun when you’re not writing?

GB: I love romance, but mysteries are also huge favorites of mine. And anything historical always piques my interest, especially ancient and medieval history.

THK: Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

GB: Learn all you can and remember that you can tell your story best. Use what you learn to make your book the best it can be.

Links:Website: Gabrielle Bisset

Blog: Gabrielle Bisset: A Writer's Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

Email: gabriellebisset@gmail.com

Great interview! Thank you so much for being my guest today. :) LOVE THE COVERS TOO!

Is this stuff contagious?

Something awful is spreading around the internet. It's not a zombie virus, but it also seems to attack the brain. I'm talking about the way authors are treated.

It seems that people are supposed to be able to say anything they like and never have an author respond. Reviewers are getting nastier by the second. And I'm not just talking about how they treat me. This is an epidemic.

Everywhere you go (where books are reviewed) someone is getting flamed. Whatever happened to professionalism? Or even just courtesy for someone else's feelings?

I am sick to death of people saying that an author should have a thick skin. Don't give me that crap! People behave horribly and I'm supposed to just ignore it?

Sure, if someone doesn't like an element of the book, I can brush that off. One random person will always feel differently than the majority. That is normal.

I don't know what's up with people attacking authors these days. I wrote to a reviewer (for the first time EVER in my life) to say that I found her words hurtful. I was polite and professional. I pointed out why I felt that way and I did this PRIVATELY not on her blog. I felt I had the right to express my opinion.

I got back the most horrible flaming email. Apparently, having an opinion these days is interpreted as starting a fight.

It's enough to make me want to get out of the business. This is sickening. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Some reviewers feel slighted if the author doesn't respond to their review. Others are upset to know the author read it, even if the review was great.

No matter who you are or what you write, someone will always hate it. To make matters worse, anyone with internet access can say and do any damn thing they want. There is also an entire generation out there that manners do not apply to, or so it seems. I don't even think they've heard the word.

It's very discouraging to someone who tries to take the feelings of others into consideration.

Sure, this is my dream ... but I wonder more and more if this overly drama queen inhabited industry is one I want to stay in.

I'm a writer, so I write. It's who I am. What the hell am I supposed to do? I sometimes want to quit, but I don't know how.

How much should we hold back on social media?

I've read more than one article lately on authors and how they present themselves to the public. Naturally, this is a subject I often consider while online. I don't want to look like a total jerk, but I want to be honest. I would never point someone out by name and insult them, but I feel I have the right to respond publicly if such is done publicly to me. I just always keep in mind that someone WILL read my words.

Many seem to be of the opinion that authors shouldn't say anything on Facebook, Twitter, etc., if it isn't positive. While I'm generally a very happy person, I find that unrealistic. In my opinion saying you're having a difficult or stressful day only makes you look human. That's not a bad thing. Who the heck is always happy? Now don't get me wrong, if someone posts nothing but negative comments, that's a big turn off.

I steer clear of politics and religion. Period. I don't think people need to know that much about me. Ha. Ha. However, I read a comment on one of these articles that said authors shouldn't even post their opinions about current news events. Really? The example they gave was the changes within the publishing industry. Um, that's kind of important to what we do here. Why not voice an opinion?

I also have shared much of my experiences here about publishing, both self-and traditional. I believe I've done so in a professional manner. However, according to the articles I read, I could have alienated my readers. That was never my intention.

Oh, and one post said you shouldn't even voice your opinion on popular TV shows! Now, I've done that a few times. Typically, it's only if I love it or hate it and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. To me, if we have the same interests that's another way to connect with my audience. I also like to read Batman comics. Will that hurt my sales too?

What do you think? If it's done politely, is it okay for an author to blog/post about how they feel? Can they be honest without turning off their readers? I like to think so.

I almost forgot

I keep forgetting to share the news. Red, book one in my Werewolf Hunter Series has just been re-released. Since it's original release nearly five years ago, Red has been warmly received by many readers.

For the re-release I've revised, re-edited and even slightly expanded the already long (100,000+ word) novel.

This time around, I'm hoping my marketing efforts will help me reach a larger portion of my target audience. Who is my target audience? Everyone who enjoys urban fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, and doesn't mind some sex and violence.

I've put Red under the category of horror/paranormal fantasy rather than romance. While the story has romance in it, and someday the series WILL have a happy ending, Red is more of a horror/fantasy with romantic overtones.

Book description:

Dr. Alfred Moody saved her life, but the werewolf, Marco may hold the key to her heart. She’s torn between the man who saved her humanity and the one who makes her want to embrace the beast. ******************************************************************************************
NOTE: This series gets hotter as it goes. However, Book One is NOT erotic. Someday Lilith will have a happy ending, but this is only the beginning.WARNING: This book contains graphic language and graphic violence.

Purchase Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Mercury-Werewolf-Hunter-ebook/dp/B007KNB1S0/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_12

Exercise your mind and your body

This post isn't just for writers, it's for anyone who does the majority of their work sitting down. Did you know that sitting all the time could be deadly?

Not only that, I was just reading an article published in Cell Physiology. The article suggests that sitting and the pressure this puts on your buttocks and hips could cause more fat to accumulate in those areas. According to this article, sitting on your ass could make it %50 fatter! How disturbing is that?

I know we all in some ways suffer for our art. But I'm not willing to expand my ass for my craft. Ha. Ha. Ha.

As writers, we spend a great deal of time chained to our keyboards. Our minds are no doubt in great shape, but can we say the same for our bodies? Have you ever wondered what a certain writer looked like and when you finally saw them thought, "Wow. They are so overweight?"

That's putting it nicely. While I'm not trying to insult any of my fellow writers, I know other people who are not so kind. This is a sentiment I've heard echoed often by people I know when they see pictures or interviews with famous writers.

I try to explain to them that writing as much as these people do, they spend a lot of time sitting around. Sure, they're working hard, but their bodies are not.

This post isn't just about vanity. I'm sure there are lots of people who will scoff at it. Or say that I'm full of shit for caring what other people think. Whether we admit it or not, we all want others to approve of our appearance.

But like I said, this isn't about that. It's about being in good health. For me, it's about approving of my own appearance. I haven't liked what I've seen in the mirror for quite some time. I'm working to change that. While I'm not monstrously overweight, I am only 5' 4". Every ounce shows on my little body.

If I gain 2 lbs., it looks like 10. In the past year I've lost 27 lbs. However, no one can seem to tell. At least, no one has said anything. But I feel better. Yes, that's a lot of work for little reward, but I want to live a long, healthy life. I also want to live that life wearing smaller jeans. Ha. Ha.

To take no action at all could eventually be deadly. If someone has a poor diet AND sits for long periods of time, they are looking at an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Here are a few simple things that I do during the day. When you don't have the time to exercise or don't feel like it, these are easy to manage.

1. Get up every 20 minutes, even if it's just to go pour more coffee, get off your ass. If you feel like it, do some light stretches while you're up.

2. If you have a dog, walk him. A 2o minute walk will do you both good.

3. If you work at home, like lots of writers do, work on your laundry between pages.

4. Take a 30 minute break to clean the house. By the time you finish the next chapter you'll have less to do later AND you'll have gotten some work done.

5. Go outside for a few minutes. Even if you love vampires, sunlight is not your enemy. It helps your body absorb vitamin D and prevents depression. (Another condition many writers suffer from.)

I hope some of these tips have helped and will be received in the spirit they are offered. I'm not trying to point a finger at big asses. Mine is not perfect. I'm trying to point out that if we want to keep working at this dream job we call writing, we need to take care of ourselves.

We are not competing with each other

Most of us have seen or experienced first-hand this type of attitude, "I'm not going to have HER on my blog, she writes the same type of things I do." Or, "Why would I friend her on Facebook, she writes romance too." Something along those lines, anyway.

The nastiest display of this type are those who feel the necessity to use fake accounts for the sole purpose of leaving scathing 1 star reviews on sites like Amazon. They seem to think that if they can bring their fellow author down or make them look bad that this is a good thing. Is it?

I've never heard of one author's sales going up because another's went down. Even if someone leaves a terrible review and makes a few people change their minds, who's to say they will go after the book of the one writing the review? Especially if no one even knows who they are because they're using a name like "unknown" to bash people.

Here's the way I see it. First of all, the publishing industry is a very small world. Be polite and be professional to everyone you encounter. Someone you are snarky to today might be very famous tomorrow. Maybe you could have been a guest on their blog or been referred to their agent, or some other thing that might have helped you, if only you hadn't been a total jerk.

Everyone has an off day sometimes. There is a difference in having an off day and being a downright bitch. A big difference.

If all your contact with other industry professionals is online, be careful how you word things. Also, don't be afraid to use smilies when appropriate. They go a long way in changing the tone of otherwise flat or harsh words.

Here's something that may shock a lot of people. I do not believe that other authors who write paranormal romance are my competition. I'm not saying we should all hold hands and sing, but we are in this together to a certain extent. There's no reason to be nasty.

The reason I say that is, I've never in my life known a reader who only reads ONE author. Generally, if someone likes a genre, they read widely within that genre. Personally, I love horror and I read lots of authors who write horror. Sure, I have a favorite. However, that won't stop me from reading someone else's work. I also love fantasy, including YA.

For years I didn't read any other paranormal romance. I didn't want it to influence my work. I didn't want anyone to have a reason to compare me to anyone else. While I still don't want to be compared to others, I have started to read within my chosen genre again.

At first I got questions from some like, "Checking out the competition?"

"No," I said. "I'm going to read something I enjoy."

If you don't make the time to read, then you shouldn't take the time to write. Reading the works of others is what makes us better writers. You might be surprised what you learn just from reading someone else's book. I sincerely believe that every time I read Dean Koontz my ability to describe things improves. That man can paint a picture with only a sentence. Now THAT is a neat trick. Reading his work is not only entertaining, it makes me a better writer, even though we aren't in the same genre.

There are also those who try to narrow the field by discouraging as many new authors as possible. This could range from an outright attack or simply trying to make them feel bad about themselves and their work. That is outrageous. Please, don't let anyone do this to you if you're a new writer. Hell, if you're not a new writer, don't let anyone do this to you.

For some reason, people like this think that if there are less books out there, theirs will suddenly sell more copies. While this might happen accidentally if the market is sparce, there is no way to know for certain. Besides being cruel, this behavior is flat out stupid. Your work should stand out because of the quality of entertainment you provide, not because it was the only thing available.

My point is, we aren't in competition with one another. Regardless of the genre you write, all writers have a lot of things in common. No matter how much you may like to share with your friends and family, there is only so much they understand. Or care to hear for that matter. Ha. Ha. No one knows the industry like someone else working in it.

Does anyone remember the line from Lord of The Rings, "To be a ring bearer is to be alone?"

Well, for the most part, to be a writer is to be alone. We spend countless hours at a keyboard, making entire worlds come to life while our own may be neglected. We live out dreams in our heads and put them onto paper for the world to see. We put emotions into words.

Why alienate each other? We're really not so different.

If you could censor the things you don't like, would you?

As most of you have heard by now, credit card companies think they have the right to dictate to Paypal what types of accounts they can handle. Paypal in turn thinks they have the right to tell publishers and companies like Amazon and Smashwords (among others) what types of books they can sell based on "objectionable" content. I'm still talking about it because it needs to be talked about. If we remain silent we have no room to complain.

The major areas they are cracking down on are rape, incest, and bestiality. Besides not having the right to do this, they are also only targeting erotic works. That is wrong on many levels, but I'll try to stick to the point. The definitions set by these companies are so broad, there are thousands of books that will fall into one of those categories.

Let me give you a few examples. If someone in a novel starts dating their step-brother by marriage, BOOM it's incest. Even though the characters are not related by blood, it doesn't matter.

The most upsetting to me is the subject of bestiality. The definition commonly meant to have sex with natural animals. Well, no one in my books humps cows or anything, so we're good, right? Wrong. This definition as set by the credit card companies (and in turn Paypal) has been expanded to include were-creatures of various kinds. According to them, werewolves (or any other kind of shifter) must be in their human forms when they have sex. In my books, they always are. I find the thought of having sex with a full-blown (no pun intended) werewolf is sick. But what if they think that their eyes turning color during sex is transformation? What then? That happens in HUNDREDS of paranormal books.

As for rape, the definition has also been expanded. Typically if anyone is forced to perform any type of sexual act against their will, that is rape. Someone in charge has gotten it into their head that BDSM books are all about rape. That's just not true. Many BDSM titles depict acts between consenting adults.

Don't even get me started on the fact that all of this is fiction and no one has the right to say what you can and cannot write about. It's not as if these acts are actually being committed.

While I'm at it, I'd like to clarify something. Many people have come to the incorrect assumption that I am fighting for the right to write about rape. Um, no. Rape is one of the most offensive things I can think of finding in a book. I'm not even going to get into the fact of how horrifying the thought of the act truly is. If I read a book that has rape in it or watch it in a movie, I'm offended. Big time.

Years ago I actually started a petition to have movies rated for rape. Why? Because I don't want to look at it. I go to the movies to be entertained and watching someone tortured sexually is not entertaining to me. However, people have the right to make a movie about it if they want to. As long as no one is actually hurt. All I wanted was to know up front before I made the mistake of going into the theatre.

The worst book I ever read was a BDSM title. I'm not against the genre by any means, but this was awful. It was written by a very well-known author (whom I won't name) and came highly recommended. I was expecting something sexy. What I got was 30 pages (because that's all I could stomach) of the rape and torture of an innocent young woman. No thank you. It's the only book I've ever returned in my life. I felt like my mind needed to be washed with holy water.

However, I didn't try to have it pulled from the shelves. I didn't start a petition of any kind. I simply never bought anything else by that author. Lots of people liked it. I'm not their judge. I also didn't feel the need to write a scathing review. I was ashamed for anyone to know I'd read it.

Would you have things removed that you didn't like if you had the power? If you suddenly found yourself in the position of the credit card companies would you lobby against "filth?" Or perhaps there is something else you'd have removed if you could? I wonder what other people think about this.

Another thing that I've seen crop up more and more is the mistaken impression that all small presses or independent authors publish "naughty" books. Every time I read something like that I roll my eyes and think, "Grow up." Now all romance is "naughty." And who uses that word besides Santa anyway? I know of very few people who write nothing but a "book full of sex."

In fact publishers of erotic fiction won't even consider a manuscript if it doesn't have a sound plot. You can't just dash off a wad of filth and hand it in and get a contract. It doesn't work that way.

My point is (I swear I had a point) people at credit card companies have no right sticking their nose into this. And whether or not I like a subject is irrelevant. I am defending people's right to read and publish whatever the hell they feel like.

You may think this doesn't affect you. Maybe you write in a different genre or maybe you don't write at all. You are wrong. This affects everyone. If they are allowed to get away with this, they may go after something close to you next. What if they decide that all horror involving zombies must be pulled from the shelf because the degeneration of human flesh offends them? Sure, that's stupid as hell ... so are their complaints about erotica. Stupidity hasn't slowed them down yet.

In case you want to sign a petition against censorship.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/7/stop-internet-censorship/