Interview with the Eclectic Writer: Kayla Perrin

This month, your latest novel, THE SWEET SPOT is due out! Describe it in 50 words or less.THE SWEET SPOT is a story of how opposites can clash--and spark a fierce attraction! Kahari Brown is a star running back for the Oakland Raiders, a man at the top of his game. Until he meets Zoe Andrews, an aspiring sports reporter. She is willing to do anything to get her big break...even if that means digging up a little dirt on Kahari. Sparks fly!


What's your favorite thing about this novel?

When I had to re-read it during the page proof stage, I really fell in love with Kahari all over again. But I think what I like best is how vulnerable and honest Zoe is. She's far from perfect, has her share of mishaps and bad luck. While she's desperate to get her big break, she has a heart of gold--and has to question how far she's willing to go to realize her dream. So, I guess I really love Zoe's character.


What CDs are currently in rotation in your personal CD player?

Right now, I'm listening to a mix of some old school hip hop, as well as some old school love jams. I'm in the mood for old school right now.


You recently kicked off Harlequin's new line SPICE with your novel, GETTING EVEN. Do you plan to write more novels within the romance-erotica genre?
Yes. In fact, I signed a 3-book contract with Harlequin. The follow up to GETTING EVEN is called GETTING SOME, and it comes out next March!


You are, in essence, an eclectic writer, having written romance, romantic suspense, mainstream, now romance-erotica. What contributes to your ability to tell stories in a myriad of genres?

All my life, I've been the kind of person who has been interested in a variety of things. I could have been a lawyer, a teacher, a filmmaker... I guess I don't want to feel tied down to any one thing, even when it comes to writing, and I'm happy to explore new territory while keeping one foot planted on familiar ground. I also find that writing different types of stories allows me to feel excited about going back to something old. Like writing traditional romance. I haven't done that in a while, but was just offered a contract to do a romance title, and I was excited about that. Writing different kinds of stories helps me not to get bored.


What are your three guilty pleasures?

Hmmm... Chocolate, wine and movies.


What can fans expect to see from you next?

Next, I have a novella called "Mama Knows Best" in the chick lit lit anthology, THIS IS CHICK LIT. It comes out in September. After that, an older title of mine, HOLIDAY OF LOVE, is being re-released by Harlequin's Kimani Press in November. In January, my newest for St. Martin's will finally be released, a suspenseful story called WE'LL NEVER TELL. I think I have 5 new releases scheduled for next year. Actually, 5 novels and 1 novella.


What's the best thing about being a published author?

I get to work in my pajamas! Seriously, I love working from home. It allows me a lot of time to be with my daughter, though she distracts me from writing--a lot! It also allows me to travel as much as I want.


What's the worst thing?

The worst thing is that when you work from home, there's no one standing over you expecting you to produce. As a result, I can procrastinate a lot...which leaves me frazzled and sleep-deprived close to my deadlines.


What are the three best pieces of advice you've received from people within the industry?

Write what you know, be willing to take constructive criticism, and never give up.


Dream-on: You've been given greenlighted to do any creative project you want. What project would that be?

Right now, that project would be a feature film. Since I have worked in the film business, this has always been a dream of mine. I've put it on the back burner, but now the flame is starting to grow again. I think I'd do a romantic comedy!

Learn more about Kayla and her bevy of work at her website!

Happy Belated Anniversary to Me et Other Stuff

Wow. Usually I'm good with dates, but not this go round. I totally forgot my one-year anniversary of creating this blog! *shaking head*

It was a year ago in April that I decided to plant more roots on the grassy knoll of cyberspace! I used to be a big fan of keeping diaries and journals, but my tendonitis has gotten to the point where it hurts to hold a pen for too long. However, typing doesn't hurt as bad, so I thought I would create this blog as a way to tell my publishing woes and spotlight women authors who I admire. A year later, I'm still here, and believe me, that's a big thing. Usually when life piles up the insanity, I let things go, but not this. I think it's a big testament to those of you who read the blog and comment on here or via e-mail. Shows me that someone is listening and perhaps caring...just a bit. :-)

With that out of the way, I'm currently in the middle of PURE INSANITY. I started teaching two, six-week research writing classes at the uni, and grading starts next week. I apologize in advance for anything I might write starting then. In addition to that, I am also co-editor for an academic textbook that has to be put together and shipped to the publisher like three years ago (lol-it feels like), and I'm co-speaker for four events this month at area libraries for a teen reading/writing summer program. My partner (really mentor--she's co-editor of the textbook) and I will be talking about mystery writing and having the kids write their own stories for possible rewards. Submissions are out on two of my books, so I'm waiting to hear SOMETHING on them. I'm currently working on a new project about an overweight chick that has to deal with her food obsession and get on with her life, and I have another project on the periphery of my mind that I'm taking notes on.

On top of these things, I'm still everywoman--editing projects, doing bi-weekly reads/critiques with a writing partner, preparing to put together the two magazines (one with a new, major component), praying for my best friend and her well being (I love you, sis!), making sure the family gets itself to-freaking-gether, compiling more activities for my vita for future might-be gigs, considering a PhD, etc.

All in a day's work, I say, *smirk*

Til later.

Why is there "African American" fiction?

That question probably raised a few eyebrows--if so, it did what it was intended to do. This is a short blog here. I happened to be on a publisher's website, and I was browsing through the categories, and overall, there were about 16 categories on the side, and there was one: AFRICAN AMERICAN. In general, most AA books fell under the AA category. Many of these books fall into the other categories, but because of the author's color or because of the main characters' colors, or a combination of both, or a combination of both and other factors, the books are separate and not equal.

This is definitely not to point a finger at this one publishing house because all houses do it and most bookstores do it, too. As a black writer who is trying to market her work to the masses, it's disheartening to see that we need this label because ultimately, whether people will say it or not, by placing these books within one category, we are saying that they only fit THIS category and that, overall, only these people, in this case African Americans, will read the works. There are, of course, exceptions. Other races do read AA fiction; however, this pigeonholing into a section seems to hurt writers and their sales more than help them.

If you have a thought...leave it. I'll pick it up and return it to you. :-)

Miami University Press Novella Contest

2006 Novella Contest
About the Miami University Novella Contest
http://www.orgs.muohio.edu/mupress/novella.html

The novella form has had a long and distinguished place in American literature, and has triumphed in the hands of Herman Melville, Henry James, Katherine Anne Porter, Stanley Elkin, Cynthia Ozick, Jane Smiley, Toni Morrison, Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, William Gass, John Gardner, Andrea Barrett and Tobias Wolff, to name just a few.

As commercial publishers are driven more and more by marketplace concerns, novellas, by nature of their length, often fall between the cracks of short story collections and novels and wind up being published-if at all-not as individual volumes but as part of a collection of stories. Because the form is such a pleasure for readers and writers alike-short enough to be read at a single sustained sitting, but long enough to allow the writer greater freedom in
character and plot development than does the short story-we are happy to present what we believe to be the nation's only prize series dedicated to publishing individual novellas as stand-alone volume.

Manuscripts submitted for the award will be read and evaluated by our creative writing faculty, all of whom are active publishing writers. The manuscripts will be read "blind;" in other words, all identifiers will be stripped from the pages before the manuscripts are read, and the author's history of previous publication will not be available to readers. Each year a different member of our faculty will serve as the final judge and will decide from among the list of finalists submitted by the other readers. This year's final judge is fiction writer Margaret Luongo.

Students, former students, faculty, former faculty, or anyone connected to Miami University will not be considered for the award. Though we believe strongly in the talent of those we have worked with and taught, we will do everything we can to assure that this prize is administered impartially, fairly, and without regard to association.

Miami University Press is a non-profit organization. Though we are requiring an entrance fee, we wish to make it clear that this money will be used to pay for the administrative costs of the contest, to help with the costs of publishing a book of high quality, and to allow each entrant to receive a copy of the winning volume. We want that book to be a pleasure to hold in the hands and to read. The winning volume will be distributed nationwide.



Submission Rules and Guidelines:

Winning entry receives $1000 and book publication.
Postmark by October 15, 2006.
Reading fee $25, payable to MU Press.
All entrants receive copy of winning book.

Submit manuscripts, 40,000 words or less, two title pages, one with author's name, address and phone number, one without. Author's name must not appear elsewhere.

The minimum word count is 60 pages times 300 words or 18,000 words.



Mail to:
MU Press Novella Prize
English Department
356 Bachelor Hall
Miami University,
Oxford, OH 45056

Presentation + Author Tips

Hey y'all.

Today, I gave a presentation to a local writers group; it went great. I loved meeting the people, talking about writing, and --though I don't admit this often -- having my ego stroked a bit. It's rare that it happens, but when it does, it feels like this extra jolt of expresso that I need to finish a task (read: write).

At the presentation, I mentioned a great list of author tips I accumulated, and I sent them the url. I thought I would send the url here, too, for anyone interested. I want to thank ALL authors who took some time out of their schedules to answer my questions; I learned a great deal from their journeys to publication and their tips. I hope you do the same!

The link is: http://www.chicklitgurrl.com/authortips.pdf.

More interviews from great female writers coming soon, and more about me and my goings on. I start summer teaching Monday, and I'm a bit frazzled. Spent a week organizing course material to teach one remedial writing course, just to find out I'm teaching two research writing courses, so I have today and tomorrow to redesign course material. Can we sarcastically say, happy happy, joy joy?

TTFN