Interview with Author Heloise West

Today I have author Heloise West here to share about herself and her new short story release, River Gods, in the Dreamspinner anthology “Juicy Bits.”

Hi, Heloise! Thanks for stopping by with this tasty cover. 🙂

What first inspired you to write MM?

I was writing a medieval mystery and the main character is an Italian doctor—I’d spent 5 years in his odd and difficult perspective. When I wrote the sex/love scene where he and the local midwife get together, I wasn’t happy with it and started looking around at what was out there in both non-fiction writing romance and new romance fiction, and as a result, stumbled onto Erastes “Muffled Drum.” I’d read Mary Renault, but “Muffled Drum” was the one that introduced the genre to me, and the more I read, the more I wanted to write.

In the upcoming story collection Juicy Bits, you have a tale called “River Gods.” I’m so intrigued by that title. Can you tell us what a River God is and give us a blurb?

Everyone who goes to Florence visits the Piazza della Signoria, the heart of social and political life in the Renaissance. In the piazza are many statues—Michelangelo’s David used to stand there until it was moved inside to preserve it. According to Mary McCarthy’s “The Stones of Florence,” the people believed spirits inhabited their city’s statuary and that their river, the Arno, had a god. The sculptor, Ammannati, created the statue of Neptune that stands in the piazza today. In a fantastic juxtaposition of ideas, the story goes that this statue of Neptune was inhabited by the Arno river god who had been turned into a statue because “like Michelangelo” he spurned the love of women. Michelangelo, by the by, hated the statue of Neptune and thought the sculptor had ruined the marble.  Beltramino, the sculptor in my story, identifies with the lonely statue condemned to walk the streets in search of his lover when the light of the full moon touches him.

Blurb for Juicy Bits: 

What’s your favorite part of a romance? If you like the juicy bits—the moments when two or more sexy men can’t wait any longer to satisfy their cravings—then this anthology is for you. These stories of strangers, casual lovers, established couples, and friends who can no longer deny the passion between them push the limits and set the pages on fire. In a scorching collection of erotic scenes ranging from funny and sweet to hardcore kinky, the guys get right to the meat of the story. Whether they’re in the shower, in the locker room, at the office, on a moving train, or just connecting over the phone, they keep things steamy, sticky, and most of all, juicy. 

What’s next for you?

I’m wrapping up a contemporary romantic suspense novella, and I hope to be submitting more to Dreamspinner’s short story anthologies.

Do you have any writing rituals or tips you swear by?

I have to write in the morning when the doors and windows to my subconscious are still open. And lots of coffee.

What are your favorite genres/subgenres to write? What about to read?

For both history and mystery/suspense come first—I used to be much more of a romance/sci-fi/fantasy reader when I was younger. I don’t read sci-fi anymore, and hardly any fantasy, though I love Game of Thrones. I’m becoming more interested in Gaslamp Romantic Fantasy, though, so that’s new.

Rapid Fire Questions:

Your lucky number: 13, my Sicilian grandmother gave it to me. She liked to gamble.

When you grow up you want to be: An author with a huge and diverse back list.

Your favorite animal: Dogs.

Food you couldn’t be paid enough to eat: Tripe. Ewww.

Favorite sex position to write for your characters: Face to Face.

If you had a super power it would be: Oh, flying, most definitely. Or to make an eggplant parm with the power to solve all the world’s ills….

Your favorite comedian of all time: A young and manic Robin Williams.

Juicy Bits is available at Dreamspinner Press, and all the usual places.

Stories Included:

What I’ve Been Missing by John Amory

Never Kiss by Rick Bettencourt

Not Water Resistant by J.J. Cassidy

Heat Wave by Olivia Duncan Craig

Hot Coffee by Kim Dias

For What It’s Worth by Rhidian Brenig Jones

Sandman and the Cookie by Dawn Kimberly Johnson

Dial It Up by Mina Kelly

Voyeur-something by Briana Lawrence

Strangers on the Northeast Regional by Pearl Love

2 Weeks 6 Days 2 Long by S K Manganelli

Sparks by A. Morell

Swim Meet by Johnny Murdoc

An Invitation by Jay Northcote

Lucky XIII by J. I. Radke

Farmer in the Dell by Rob Rosen

River Gods by Heloise West

Hunting by Nikki West

Play with Me by Lucy Whedon

In Good Hands by Logan Zachary

Follow Heloise’s blog at: http://velvetpanic2.wordpress.com/

And find her on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heloise.west.1?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/velvetpanic

Tumbler: http://heloisewest.tumblr.com/