Author in the spotlight

Hi Zrinka! Thank you for having me today. I'm looking forward to chatting with you and your readers.

Please tell us about your writing. Can you explain the title without giving too much away?

-I write erotic romance in the contemporary genre. I love to write complex characters who find redemption in the journey they progress through. My work is primarily character driven so the stories are heavily laced with broken heroes and heroines who need each other to find the peace and acceptance they covet. My new release, Gilded Lily, is threaded with these themes. Gilded Lily's title was derived from the Shakespearean concept of "Gilding the Lilly". The phrase means to unnecessarily adorn something already beautiful. Lily is a woman who initially is unable to see her worth. Through Tony's training as a Dominant and Adam's willingness to explore his sexuality she's able to find the courage to journey into her sexual nature as a submissive. Adam and Tony have gilded Lily with love and passion, hence the name of the book. They know Lily's beauty and sensual desires have always been a part of her spirit, but it's going to take time for Lily to accept what Adam and Tony already know.     

What was your journey as a writer?

-It started when I was nine years old. Seriously! I still have the newspaper I proudly circulated among my family members. The binding is put together with yarn and told exciting tales about my cats and happenings at school. I can still recall my dad smiling and telling me I'm going to be a great writer one day. I'm not sure about the "great" part, but I can't remember any part of my life hasn't involved writing. I started journaling when I was a freshman in high school and never stopped. I started with poetry because I was obsessed with the images the words created for me. I found my love for Edgar Allan Poe at that time. The journey continued through college where I ended up with a nursing degree and a concentration in religious studies. I was a member of the creative writing journal team for the school and continued to write short stories and poetry. Then the break came. I didn't mean to write romance, it just happened. Seven years ago I wrote a historical novella. I mean I "wrote" the darn thing! Notebooks full of handwritten lines are still piled in my closet. Five years ago I wrote Gilded Lily which began as Surrendering Lily. That book led to a paranormal romance which led to a desert romance. I'm currently writing my memoirs and I have a sci-fi, two contemporaries, and two sequels in the works. When the muse hits it hits hard.

I am inspired by authors like Arturo Perez Reverte, Jack Vance, Dan Simmons, Beatrice Small, J.R.R Tolkien, C. S. Lewis. What writers inspire you?

-Edgar Allan Poe sparked my dark and romantic interest in the manipulation of words (Ulalume, The Oblong Box, City by the Sea). Andrew Marvell (To His Coy Mistress), Megan Hart (Deeper, Precious and Fragile Things), Charlotte Featherstone (Sinful), Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter), Anne Rice (Belinda, The Beauty Series, Exit to Eden), and Pauline Reage (Story of O).

What are your future writing goals?

-My future writing goals are to publish two books per year and complete my memoirs.
Whom do you see as your ideal reader?
-I see the waitress in the diner, the mom taking the kids to school, the woman sitting behind a desk, and most importantly the woman who is seeking an escape. I want my words to touch the woman who lacks confidence. I want her to know she deserves love and romance, passion and acceptance. My sub genre is Rubenesque. I'm a full figured gal and enjoy writing for the woman who has trouble hiding her muffin top and shops for eight hours trying to find a swimsuit that fits. Every size, every shape deserves to feel beautiful and I write for the women who need a delicate nudge in that direction. 

When you have time, what would we find you reading?

-Right now I'm into memoirs on mental health. I also enjoy finding new authors who are passionate about writing for full-figured gals.

What do you learn from your writing?

-I learn from every book I write. Writing provides an outlet for my dark side and a vehicle for my humor. I use my writing for processing strong emotions. Through my writing I've learned to cope with difficult issues and somehow find my light and acceptance.

Who has been your biggest supporter?

-My dad has always been an influential entity in my life. He's supported me from my days writing poetry to reading my erotic romance novels. He accepts my writing style and always challenges me to dig deeper and spark my creative spirit.

How are you promoting your work?

-I'm an avid guest blogger and participate in blog hops. I love to meet new readers and connect with other writers. I'm a huge fan of Goodreads. That particular platform is the best way to reach readers and get my books rotating through the public. Of course I pimp myself out on Facebook and Twitter. I'm throwing around the idea of starting a street team. That seems to be pretty popular among writers these days. I've attended the Romance Writers Convention. I'm excited for New Orleans next year. The Crescent City is my second home. Those are my main avenues of promo.

What advice can you give to aspiring writers?

-Write! Write! Write! Many writers fantasize the story in their head, but never get the words on paper. I highly recommend reading Stephen Kings book "On Writing". Its value is profound. Always have a new project waiting in the wings. Publishers want the next book ASAP. Listen to your critique partners and respect the rejection letter. They hold great feedback into how to improve your writing. Word conservation! Devise your sentences with the words that have the biggest impact. Last, but not least, find your voice. That's really what you're selling. Grammar can be fixed. Sentence structure can be edited. Your voice is unique to you and cannot be replicated or learned. Those are my keys to being successful as a writer. 

Where can our readers find a copy of your work?

-www.looseid.com, www.amazon.com, www.bn.com, www.allromanceebooks.com, and www.goodreads.com

And finally, as an author, do you have any quirks or habits that help you write better?

-Oh goodness yes! Music! I have a soundtrack for every book I write. I love down tempo beats and R and B for sex scenes. Singer/songwriter music helps me work through difficult emotional scenarios. My quirk is definitely that I get into my zone and no one is allowed to enter my world until the book is done.
Thank you for being my guest today. I wish you the best of luck with your writing.
-I really appreciate everyone spending time with me today. This was a great experience! 

BLURB: 

Adam's ferocious sexual appetite for submission has left him frustrated and alone.  He turns to the photo in his wallet. The woman's full lips smile with laughter. The yellow sundress hugs her soft curves. The beautiful muse. His elusive flower.

Lily has a dark secret. A submissive without a Dominant, her life had derailed with grief, solitude, and rejection. Until a mysterious stranger's erotic education led to unfathomable pleasure.

Tony knew Lily's training would be his last attempt to escape the void in his life. An experienced Dom with the very nature of his control shaken, he has to run. There's one last responsibility to take care of before he can leave.

Lily, his once timid sub, is testing her boundaries and craves more. A love he can never give.

Tragedy leads Adam to Lily's plantation in Louisiana. While packing his brother's belongings, Tony offers the one precious thing Adam could never deny. The submission of his elusive flower.      

The clock is ticking. Tony wants freedom. Adam demands total submission. Lily must choose. Does she cling to the safety of Tony's commands or risk the rejection of Adam's love?

Either way, a submissive's trust is a fragile thing. Once broken...it's lost forever.

EXCERPT: 

LILY TRIED TO lift her head, but the strength in Adam’s legs kept her from moving. The sensation of being confined made her feel an ultimate release. There was no anxiety. No deadlines for work. No hectic schedule. The clarity was pure peace. This was what she craved.

Between whips, the relaxation unfurling her muscles was made that much sweeter. The way her welts blazed like fire over her skin, the coolness in the air soothed the tormented flesh. The sweltering pleasure made the darkness that much more intense. There was a content silence going inward, finding that hidden place within herself that no one knew about. Not Tony. Not Adam. Not Nicholas. The secret place was hers to cherish. It was her friend; the gentle lull of what she knew was true.

She was a submissive, her need for the pleasure-pain threshold was an unspoken bond that kept her always wanting more. More sensation, more understanding, more control. There was passion in knowing she could withstand anything in life. The strength she owned in pain brought her the power to seek her desires. And this time—this sacred time—Adam and Tony were allowing her to release what hindered her and to explore the darkness with truth and a realization that she was a woman who deserved to experience joy of the body and mind in any way she wished. This was her dream. Adam finding his the courage to trust her gave her the strength to discover the courage within herself.

She heard Adam give Tony the command. She wanted this so badly she could only pray he wouldn’t be disappointed in the way she tried to lift up onto her knees. Her desire to give him better access to her pussy was a plea to relieve the throbbing inside her channel and to be filled so deeply. Her breath caught with the feeling of a warm hand pushing on her lower back.

“Down, poppet,” Tony’s raspy voice called out to her in the misty dream of her thoughts.

Instinctively she tried to raise her hips again. Seeking to find the end to the torment coursing through the tight coil gripping her muscles, she pulled back on her head. Adam’s knees dug in deeper into the mattress, locking her head in place. The stinging sensation of her hair pulling made her want to submit, to let her body fly, and trust that these two men would bring her the most delicious pleasure she’d ever experienced.

She relaxed her head, finding a comfortable position as she rested her hips back onto the bed.

Tony’s voice floated from behind her. “That’s it. Let your body accept this. Relax,” he said as he caressed the side of her waist. “Let the distractions go. Let me give you what you need. Trust me, poppet.”

Lily eased her trembling body deep onto the mattress and did as Tony had taught her to do. She released the pain and took in the darkness where only pleasure dwelled.

AUTHOR'S BIO:

Pauline Allan is a woman on a mission. Curvy girls of the world unite! She writes erotic romance for the ordinary woman who fantasizes about extraordinary possibilities. Pauline strives to make every reader feel sexy and desired by the time she turns to the last page. The Midwest is home, but her heart stays tethered to New Orleans where she travels three times a year to recharge her creative muse. She is amazed that she gets to wake up every morning next to her hero and go to bed each night listening to her two little boys argue over who gets to put the hamster to bed. When not writing, Pauline enjoys listening to music and watching Mad Men. She has a writing room that she considers a sacred space. A place draped with velvet tapestries and colorful masquerade masks. A place where forbidden fantasies come to play.

You can purchase "Guided Lily" here:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-gildedlily-1220170-147.html
http://www.loose-id.com/gilded-lily.html