Author Interview with Kathleen Tudor of Storm Moon Press *Giveaway*

 Welcome, Kathleen! Let's start with the basics. Please tell us a little about yourself!

Hi! Well, let's see... I've been writing professionally since early 2005, first for the web, and then for magazines. I was getting frustrated with constant phone interviews and other aspects of magazine writing when my husband pointed out that I'd sold both of the erotic shorts I had penned and submitted to burn off steam. Maybe I should give fiction a fair shot? I haven't really looked back since. That was in April, 2012, and I sold 35 more stories that year.

I'm also an editor. I have one anthology out from Circlet press, and two more in the works with them, as well as other things behind the scenes, and with private clients.

What's this? Husband? I thought your bio said you were gay! Yup, I'm a lesbian, and I'm (happily) married to a man. He's my best friend and partner, and while the sex did rather die when I figured certain things out, the intimacy hasn't. It's weird. We're happy. It works.

What kind of fiction do you prefer to write? Do you have a specific genre you're drawn to?

I write erotica or erotic romance, but from there, I cover everything from sci-fi to contemporary, and every orientation you could think of. I've written and sold bi, gay, lesbian, straight, and even trans* fiction, as well as some ménage.

I saw that you also write under the pseudonym D.K. Jernigan. Why two pen-names?

I write m/m erotica under the D.K. pen name so as not to confuse readers; there are a lot out there who ONLY want het or who ONLY want m/m, so anything that has a female sexual interest is under Kathleen Tudor.

Do you prefer to plot your books out, or do you write by the seat of your pants, and then worry about filling in the gaps later through editing?

Plot? Outline? What are these strange concepts? I start with a very short blurb, or sometimes as little as what you would call an "elevator pitch" – a single sentence description of the main concept. From there, I generally just let the characters do their thing, although sometimes they get stuck and I have to sit down in a quiet place and help them decide what to do next.

Is there a part of writing that you find particularly difficult? How about what comes most naturally?

The hardest part, for me, can be just forcing myself to do it. Most of my other work – like book reviews and editing – have deadlines, and writing does not. If I'm not careful to stick to goals, I can sometimes fall off the writing wagon. My current goal is 1400 new words of fiction every week day.

 Your recent lesbian novella release through Storm Moon Press is Hearts of the Hunted. What is the story about?

Hearts of the Hunted is about two rather different women who find themselves thrown together by a mutual desire to stop a serial rapist, and the relationship that arises between them as a result. It was an interesting story to write because I normally very much jump into the sex, but with one of the characters being a rape victim, there were a lot of emotions and hang-ups to work around.

Is it true Hearts of the Hunted is a continuation of a short story you wrote as D.K. Jernigan? What ties the two pieces together? As a novella, does Hearts of the Hunted take a deeper look at the urban fantasy world you created for your other short story?

It's true! "War and Peace and Brotherhood" was written for the Fraternal Devotion anthology, and took place in an urban fantasy world where a sexually transmitted virus causes people to Transform, giving them a variety of X-Men-like mutations or abilities. The world was much more rich and complex in my head than I was able (or needed) to show in the limited scope of the story, but I was intrigued both with the setting and with a secondary character, Camille, who showed up in the first story. I started writing a novella about her, taking place a couple of years later, and when my editor told me she was curious about Camille, I knew just where to send the novella!

You've also recently released a short story through Storm Moon Press' Milk & Cookies & Handcuffs anthology. Holiday fun and BDSM sounds like a great combination! Tell us about your short story and what sets it apart from the other stories in the anthology.

"The Gift of Self" is about a sub named Jeff, who risks his relationship with his beloved Mistress Athena when he asks to be recognized as a woman, Jessie. It is the only trans* story in the anthology, and it was really tricky to write. Not all trans* people feel the need to go through surgery to correct their dysmorphia, and Jessie is one of those, however I had to show her desire to keep her penis in a way that was true to the character (who is a masochist, and enjoys having a cock on several levels for that reason) without offending or demeaning trans* women in any way. Respect is really key when tackling sensitive subjects.

As readers can undoubtedly see from all the fiction above, you take a really eclectic approach and aren't afraid to tackle lesbian, gay, or trans* characters. Do you have a preference when it comes to which area of the QUILTBAG you write about?

You'd think lesbian fiction, since I am, in fact, a lesbian, but there is something about two men getting it on that is just fun for me. Honestly, though, I think I get something different out of every orientation, just as I enjoy writing about both kinky and vanilla sex for different reasons. Eclectic... what a nice way to put it!

Are there any common themes in your fiction? If so, which themes do you think are most prominent? Do you have a message you try to get across to readers?

I try to write characters I would like to know, which means I don't fall back on the romance trope of a huge barrier to togetherness that could actually be resolved with five minutes of conversation. My other big theme? Lesbian first experiences. I wrote them all the time before I figured out I was gay (long story!), and didn't even realize what my subconscious was trying to tell me. DUH! Now, I write them consciously, as a little inside joke with myself. And because, well, they're hot!

Since you're here as part of Storm Moon Press' 3rd Anniversary, would you like to share your favorite experience or favorite aspect of working with that publisher?

Storm Moon is a relatively new press, but they've been amazing to work with. The editors are fantastic, the owners are highly involved, and I'm proud to be a Storm Moon author. I think my favorite moment was submitting Hearts of the Hunted. I am mostly a short story writer, and it was the longest piece I had finished. I was so thrilled when it sold!

What do you currently have in the works? Can we expect more Kathleen Tudor books or more D.K. Jernigan books in the near future?

I have an obscene number of anthologies coming out over the next year, and I hope to continue to flood the market with both of my pen names. Currently, I am working on a lesbian novella, and I just finished an insanely hot m/m short as an anthology sub. I'm keeping busy!

Thank you so much for stopping by and answering a few questions! I'd love for you to finish up by telling everyone where you can be found. Please share your blog, website, or social media info so readers can find you!

Thanks so much! My website is KathleenTudor.com, and contains all the info (and links!) for new releases, sneak peeks at upcoming stories, spicy tidbits, and more. I've got details for both pen names in one handy place, as well as a little... personal info. I also love fan mail! Send it to PolyKathleen@gmail.com (which is also, incidentally, how you can find me on Facebook or Twitter).

Giveaway Opportunity!

This guest post is part of Storm Moon Press' 3rd Anniversary Blog Tour! Comment on this post or any other post on the blog tour with your e-mail address, and you'll be entered for a chance to win the Grand Prize of receiving 1 FREE e-book each month of 2013 from that month's new releases for a total of 12 free e-books! Runners up will receive a $25 gift certificate to their choice of Amazon or All Romance eBooks.

For more details and to find out about our 3rd Anniversary, head over to Storm Moon Press' Official Blog. Thanks for joining us!