The Interview:
GRACIE: I’m excited to have you here at The G-Spot, Raina! Please tell us a little about yourself and how and when you got into writing?
RAINA: Gracie, thanks so much for having me. My love of writing is a spinoff of my love of the written word in general. Being a practical sort, the only real career I saw for myself was journalism. My final push into the world of fiction came about almost eight years ago, when I joined an online writers group. Networking with other writers, talking craft, getting and giving critiques – all those things really helped me grow as a writer and gain the confidence I needed to carve out time to write.
GRACIE: Is there any one thing or person in your life that inspired your writing? Any one thing or person that influenced the genre you write in?
RAINA: Author Kelley Armstrong has been a wonderful mentor to me. She is extremely generous with her time and advice, always willing to give of both to fledgling writers. Her whole attitude is, "Go for it." So, I did.
As for the genres I write in, I write about what I love and read myself. My published books are contemporary romance and futuristic, although I also write high fantasy, urban fantasy and light science fiction.
GRACIE: What do you know now about writing and the publishing industry that you wish you’d known before you started?
RAINA: How hard it is to actually sit down and write! Not just finding the time, but the actual mechanics of writing a story knowing that you're not the only one who will be reading it, so it better be darn good. Also, at this stage of the game, just how much time is involved in simply building an audience, promoting your books and, in particular, promoting yourself as an author – not an easy task for a shy, unassuming Canadian gal.
GRACIE: Please give us a little story behind the story and what was your inspiration behind THREE FOR ALL?
RAINA: When I decided I wanted to try to write my own ménage, I tried to imagine how in the world I could create a scenario where two heterosexual, dominant, equally appealing, but different, men would team up to share the woman they love. Considering the unconventional nature of the relationship they hoped to build, the men would need relative privacy to carry out their seduction of Shelby, hence the remote mountain retreat. How do they know each other? Oh, the men were teenaged rivals for young Shelby's affections, but scared her off by coming on too strong. Why would she come back? Her uncle, their mentor and a very non-judgmental man, knew they all had strong feelings for each other and willed his property to them in hopes of playing matchmaker from beyond the grave. I actually came up with a couple of the love scenes before I fleshed out the characters, but I think it all works to show their distinctive character traits. Gabe has a dark side and Justin is definitely the more easygoing of the two, but between them, they are exactly what the strong-willed Shelby needs.
GRACIE: You’ve come a long way from your first Siren title SERENA’S SONG featuring a “traditional” m/f coupling between Finn and Serena to the multiple f/m/m/m/m partnering of your recent futuristic THE FAMILY JEWEL. Do you find it difficult to maintain a level of emotional attachment between all the parties involved in a multiple-partner story like THE FAMILY JEWEL? Overall, how do you overcome the obstacles, if any, of maintaining believable intimacy in your ménage amour titles?
RAINA: I am a firm believer that that there's a difference between making love and having sex. Without the emotional tie, it's just a physical interaction, whether you're talking two people or five. In Serena's Song, Riff and Serena love each other deeply, and one of the ways they express that is their incredible physical love that is so much more than procreation. The same goes for Shantay, Jerran, Loran, Mikah and Kai, my heroine and heroes in The Family Jewel. Shantay knows her men respect and treasure her, has been raised to believe that of COURSE her mates will love her. The men have also been raised in a culture that respects women as the centre of everything that really matters. They know that each man will be valued for himself, that all are equally important to the family. That's not so very different from a male-female couple. Also, since Shantay behaves slightly differently for each man, she is showing that she cares for their feelings enough to know what they really desire – and to give it to them. As long as lovers are secure in the love and respect of their partners, know that they are stronger together than apart, it doesn't really matter how many people we're talking about.
GRACIE: Of all the stories you’ve written (and you have quite a few tasty morsels ..), which is your favorite and why?
RAINA: My favorite story is actually Sinful, which has yet to catch on with readers. I absolutely love the fact that Khariss gets to be the experienced partner in her love affair with Dylan. In a conventional romance, Dylan would be a total alpha male, the perfect hero. He's gorgeous, fun, intelligent, has a good job and, up until now, has been a bit skittish about a permanent relationship. Enter Khariss, with her ties to a naughty sex club and approachable sensuality that grabs Dylan by the tie and yanks him in with a grin. Dylan thought he was a man of the world. And then he got a look at Khariss's world. And he liked it. And he wanted to explore all the naughty, down and dirty things he would never have even thought of before clicking with Khariss. And, wow, O'Grady, the owner of the sex club. Yowza. That man is prime-cut A on the hoof. I'm seriously thinking about writing him his own story because he's just so downright sexy.
GRACIE: I know this is like asking a mother which is her favorite child, but which of your characters is your favorite and why?
RAINA: Finn "Riff" Logan, from Serena's Song, is still my favorite boy. I can picture him in my head – beautiful, talented, confident and a bad boy at heart. But while it seems like he has everything, he'd give it all up to go back and get what really matters – Serena. Even when he was being a jerk, I still rooted for him. And hey, he's a rock star in love with his sweetie. That clinches it for me.
GRACIE: What about your characters makes them unique and why?
RAINA: I try very hard to make my characters as down-to-earth as possible, but also strong people who stand on their own two feet, yet are willing to accept help when they need it. No superheroes here. Rock star Riff is the notable exception, but all the others are people I think you'd stand in line with at the grocery store or sit beside at the coffee shop: Serena owns a small business; so does Khariss, who teaches dance; Dylan works in a bank; Shelby is a chef, but not experienced enough to open her own restaurant; Justin is in construction and Gabe is a business consultant. While The Family Jewel is a futuristic set on another planet, the characters aren't exceptional for where they are, save for Jerran, but that's hardly his fault and he certainly doesn't flaunt it. It's so much easier for a reader to imagine herself as that woman, or with that man, if they can relate to the players.
GRACIE: What is your favorite aspect of the writing process? Your least favorite?
RAINA: My favorite aspect of the writing process is that, hey, I get to write! I can do it when I want, where I want, for how long I want, and make all these puppets – that would be my characters – dance on the end of my string in a world of my making. My least favorite aspect is that it really is hard. It's impossible to predict whether it will be a good writing day or a bad one. I never imagined I could be such a stone carver! Some days, those words flow like water down a spring-swollen stream. Other days, I need an icebreaker to get rid of the jam, only to find out the streambed's drying up.
GRACIE: Are you a pantser or do you outline?
RAINA: I am a total pantser. Sometimes I think my life would be so much easier if I outlined, but I just can't do it. I also have this weird process, in that I do a lot – and I mean A LOT – of thinking before I even start to write. I'm talking weeks. Sometimes longer. Often, I have the bulk of my story written in my head (gee, does that count as plotting?). Then, by the time I approach the keyboard, I usually pound it out fairly quickly, save for a few loose ends that generally become clear by the time I get there.
GRACIE: If you weren’t a writer, what other profession would you have chosen to pursue?
RAINA: Astronaut. But, see, there's this complication – I'd need to be much, much smarter to be accepted to the space program. :lol And have a couple of doctorates under my belt. Oh, but if I could go into space … I'd love it.
GRACIE: Guess that’s where futuristics like THE FAMILY JEWEL come in, LOL. Living vicariously through your characters ...
Who are some of your favorite authors and why? Name some of your favorite books. What are some of your favorite genres and why?
RAINA: I have so many favorite authors, it's ridiculous. Well, not really ridiculous, in that I always have something to read, but if I'm reading, that means I'm not writing. It's a conundrum. I adore Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series, Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld, Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, Jayne Ann Krentz's contemporaries and her historical as Amanda Quick. I also love Jane Feather, in particular Vice and Valentine, Nora Roberts (especially The Reef, Honest Illusions and her Sign of Seven trilogy), Emma Holly, Virginia Henley's A Year and a Day, Stephanie Laurens' Mastered by Love (Dalziel's story, wrapping The Bastion Club series), Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden and Codex Alera books, David Eddings' Belgariad, and let's not forget J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter … Eclectic, I know. So, my favorite genres are contemporary romance, historical romance (particularly Regency England), urban fantasy and high fantasy. I love being taken away to other worlds and other times, and I appreciate sly humor. I despise hopeless or sad situations, so although I may respect an author's writing and appreciate it intellectually, if it's depressing, I won't read it, even if there is a glimmer of happiness.
GRACIE: What are you working on now? What should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?
RAINA: I'm actually doing something new for me – research for a historical romance, and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm learning so much! I also am tentatively working out in my mind a young adult werewolf trilogy I hope to start on immediately after the historical is done. I've got a very basic story arc in mind. Now, to flesh it out. …
I also have a futuristic western, Marshals' Most Wanted, in an upcoming Tasty Treats anthology from Siren's Menage Amour. In that book, my heroes are hot on the trail of a galactic bandit when they meet the human woman destined to be their shared mate. They are ecstatic, but afraid for her safety. She is less than thrilled, and sure she doesn't need any man – or men – to hide behind. Since I'm a huge Firefly fan, MMW was a lot of fun to write, let me tell you.
GRACIE: Do you have a website and/or how can readers contact you?
RAINA: You can find me on the web at http://www.RainaJames.com on Twitter @RainaJames and on Facebook as Raina James, so you can friend me there.
GRACIE: Where and how can readers purchase and/or read samples of your work?
RAINA: Through my website http://www.RainaJames.com, my publisher http://www.Bookstrand.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and a slew of ebook sellers.
GRACIE: What advice do you have for beginning writers?
RAINA: Get involved with a good critique group, one whose members will tell you the truth about your writing, and not go ballistic when you do the same about theirs (nicely, and in a constructive way, of course). There is nothing more inspiring than being able to talk craft with fellow writers, to gripe together, share triumphs, brainstorm and get the kick in the pants you need to get writing. If nothing else, even a glimmer of a competitive nature will make you produce at least something to share.
GRACIE: Anything else about yourself or your writing you’d like to share?
RAINA: Some of the best friends I've made are writers. I am constantly amazed by how helpful and gracious my fellow writers are. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a best-selling author or a newbie just starting out, almost everyone I have met has been incredibly generous with time, advice, you name it. I only hope that I will always be able to follow the inspiring examples I've seen throughout the publishing world.
GRACIE: Thanks so much for taking time from your busy schedule Raina, to share yourself and your work with us at The G-Spot and giving us a little insight into your writing and the writing process! We’ll let you get back to writing those wonderful books you write! All the best!
RAINA: Gracie, thank YOU for hosting me here on the G-Spot (here's where I usually giggle like a Catholic schoolgirl sneaking a peak at Playgirl). You've got me thinking about my methods and my characters, which is a wonderful thing. Usually I just do, instead of analyzing. It was fun to really consider why my characters are the way they are.