My girl Janice Maynard is celebrating her latest release,"By Appointment Only", and in the midst of all that partying, she was gracious enough to grant me a quick interview. For anyone who's never met her, she's a darling southern woman with a big heart and a naughty imagination, which is a great combo, let me tell ya. Here's what she had to say:
S ~ Your latest release, "By Appointment Only", centers around a couple who has found their HEA off the pages, and now are dealing with the next step in their relationship - marriage. Morgan is all about "forever" with Hannah, while Hannah is certain marriage is the kiss of death for a relationship, and sex. What made you decide to start your story at this point?
NAL wants me to write “erotic” books. That can be a challenge when you are trying to get lots of sex in a story. I can’t imagine a woman meeting a man and doing wild kinky stuff with him right off the bat. That kind of “fooling around” requires a level of trust, in my opinion. So I thought it would be fun to write a book about the road from engagement to wedding day, knowing that such relationships are not always smooth!
S ~ Hannah's response to Morgan's request to finally set a date once they become engaged is to go to "pre-marital sex" therapy, something she read about in a bride magazine. Is there actually such a thing, or did you improvise in order to drive the storyline? Did you do any research on marriage counseling to get an authentic feel for the sessions?
I honestly can’t remember where I got that idea – I wish I did! But my hubby has done his share of counseling over the years, and I am familiar with some of the “technique”, even though the individual sessions were private.
3. It tends to be true that our parents' relationships color our own perceptions of marriage and family, and it was interesting that you had Morgan, the hero, be more about marriage than Hannah because of the relationship his parents had. Why did you choose to make him the one who was so pro-marriage instead of Hannah?
It’s almost a cliché in our society that men are “marriage-shy” and all females want that ring on their finger. I thought it would be fun to see the familiar dynamic flip-flopped, and honestly, I enjoyed all of Morgan’s persuasive “powers”. (S ~ Um, yeah, me too *g*)
S ~ In addition to Morgan and Hannah, you also introduced secondary couples Timmy & Rachelle, who are in their early 20's and just starting out with a new baby, as well as Shaun and Danita, who've been married 20 years and are fairly new empty nesters. I liked the different stages of the relationships, and you brought up some issues that many people might not think of that can affect a married couple's sex life. How do you think these issues impacted Hannah's and Morgan's relationship?
I think it helped Hannah to see that no relationship is smooth sailing all the time. In some ways the younger couple made her ashamed of her own hesitation, because they were working so hard to make their tough situation work.
S ~ Despite the seriousness of Hannah's fears, you make the relationship between her and Morgan lighthearted and a bit naughty. Do you believe humor and a strong sense of fun intensify the level of trust in a relationship, or detract from it?
To me, humor is everything, especially when it comes to naughty sex. I love writing dialogue between a man and a woman who know each other well, but are willing to be surprised in the bedroom – or anywhere, for that matter!!
S ~ What would you say inspired you to write this story, and has it been with you a long time?
This is the question that always stumps me. I did go to Orlando for a wedding last August, so that’s probably what prompted the setting. And a friend of mine is a civil engineer… so he clued me in on aspects of his job. But as for the central idea – it probably jumped into my head one night when I was trying to go to sleep.
S ~ What message would you like your readers to gain from "By Appointment Only?"
That marriage is hard, but it’s definitely worth the effort. And that we don’t have to be bound by disappointments in our pasts. We can “write” the future that we want.
S ~ Finally, what's up next for the amazing Janice Maynard?
Amazing? Aw, shucks…
Seriously, I just sold a book that will be a meld of my “Janice” persona and my “Elizabeth” persona. The heroine has more than one man in her life (though not at the same time in her bed!), and a life-changing event forces her to choose which man will be her “hero”. There is suspense in the story and a bit of a darker tone. I’m excited about writing it! Plus – in January, my book "HOT MAIL" comes out. It’s a “best friends become lovers” story, and it turned out very, very romantic as well as super sexy.
Thanks, Stacy for inviting me to hang out with you on your blog. Love ya!
S ~ Right back atcha, Janice!
And here's a look at Janice's January '09 release...
One naughty Valentine at a time, she's going to fulfill her secret fantasy--and make him hers...
Jane has wanted Ethan for years, but never found a way to tell him. With Valentine's Day fast approaching, she decides to seduce him by sending anonymous erotic valentines every Friday until the big day. Then she'll finally reveal her true feelings--and wildest desires...
But when her stationery store in vandalized, it's Ethan who comes to her rescue--and the sparks start flying way ahead of schedule. Now Jane and her alter ego are competing for Ethan's affections--and the results couldn't be hotter...
Jane has wanted Ethan for years, but never found a way to tell him. With Valentine's Day fast approaching, she decides to seduce him by sending anonymous erotic valentines every Friday until the big day. Then she'll finally reveal her true feelings--and wildest desires...
But when her stationery store in vandalized, it's Ethan who comes to her rescue--and the sparks start flying way ahead of schedule. Now Jane and her alter ego are competing for Ethan's affections--and the results couldn't be hotter...
Labels: author interviews, Janice Maynard
posted by Stacy~ at 7/02/2008 05:17:00 AM
hEY Janice and Stacy. I loved my Appointment only. I liked the two other couples too. It added another layer to the story.
byLooking forward to the next book.
Hugs
Hot Mail's cover is so beautiful and eye catching!
byJanice, love the interview. You always get such great covers for your books. Hot Mail is on my TBR list. Can't wait.
byDianne
Great interview. i enjoy books that explore relationships after the HEA. I htink that i why I like series a lot when you can see the previous couples and how they are doing.
byThe cover for Hot Mail is very pretty.
Wow, Stacy and Janice, what a great interview! Very thoughtful and really got me interested in the book.
byHi, Everyone! I'm sneaking away from my company for a moment to say thanks again to Stacy for drawing attention to BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. I got my box of author copies yesterday, and that's always exciting... holding that book in my hand!
byI cooked a big dinner tonight... roast, fresh corn on the cob, squash casserole, green beans, and cornbread. Yum. But lots of mess to clean up. Thankfully, I have willing helpers.
We plan to play some games tonight, and then the next wave of company arrives tomorrow mid-afternoon.
Thanks for your kind comments... and thanks for buying and reading romance!
Janice M. :)
Very nice interview, Stacy :)
byGreat job, Stacy and Janice! Stacy, you do the absolute best interviews - I always enjoy your questions!
byJanice, I loved BAO too and can't wait for Hot Mail! The cover is gorgeous - just dreamy!!
Hugs to you both!
Great interview Stacy and Janice. It was really interesting. Love the new cover for Hot Mail.
bySounds like you are busy as always. Thanks for spending time with us.