Welcome, Ms. Lyons, to Love Romances and More and to our interview.  The readers and I, look forward to this talk about your books, and getting to know you on a more personal level. 

Let us start off by telling you a little about this exceptional paranormal erotic author, Larissa Lyons, with short blurb from her award-winning book TALES OF THE PRIDE: AWAKENING.

Flung halfway across the galaxy in his felid form, Jâden awakens trapped in a cage and finds himself up for auction. He easily sniffs out the intriguing scent of one of the bidders, a lovely female alien he wishes to claim for his own...if only he can convey his desire and convince her to bid on him before it's too late.

Exhausted after outrunning raiders on her way to the remote outpost, Lyra instantly revives when she hears a mystical pänthliõn is going on the auction block. She wasn't sure this breed of giant feline truly existed, but one glance at the gorgeous cat and her thoughts turn from restoring her ship to sinking her fingers into his lush coat. Now, she just needs to find a way to buy him...and figure out what one feeds a recently hibernating carnivore.

Ms. Lyons, if you would be so kind as to tell the readers a little about yourself, and what you do when you are not busy writing?

When I'm not busy writing, I'm thinking about writing!  It's become an obsession, but fortunately one that doesn't add pounds to the stomach or thighs like my previous obsessions with chocolate and sugar were likely to do.  :-) 

I like to laugh, pour ketchup on everything (homemade catsup, as my cat’s prefer I call it), and think about all the healthy habits I'd like to develop.  Somehow, I never quite seem to get the motivation, coupled with the action, to accomplish the many self-improvement areas I’d like to one day succeed in—yoga, self-awareness, financial independence...those types of little things.  :-) 

Ms. Lyons, who is your great inspiration?

My mother.  My husband.  My cats.

What can you tell us about your free ezine Wicked Escapes? 

Wicked Escapes is an online ezine, sponsored by myself and my critique partner, Alyssa Brooks.  We’ve joined forces with several great authors and release a new issue every other month.  Best of all, it's free!  There's no subscription or sign-in needed.  Every issue features an erotic short story, flash fiction, and interesting columns that run the gamut from talking about men, travel destinations, writing tips, and the future of epublishing.  The latest issue can always be found at www.wickedescapesezine.com.

Do you have a special formulation or technique when you write? 

I'm across the board!  A year ago, I hand wrote every story before dictating it into the computer.  I've discovered that my best writing occurs when I simply "talk out loud" to my computer (via dictation software), without the aid of prewritten notes.  Somehow, my writing is smoother, and even though this process often takes me longer, I find that I enjoy reading the final product much more. 

Ms. Lyons, what is the nicest thing another author has said about you?  

Hands down, this would be some of the wonderful feedback I've received from my critique partner, Alyssa Brooks.  In addition to giving me a swift kick in the pants (okay, several) whenever needed (which is more often than I should admit to), Alyssa has been very vocal about complimenting my writing and also thanking me for the assistance I've given her on stories. 

This is a tough business, even tougher when you're a little anxious about putting yourself and your work out there.  Alyssa has been a staunch supporter of my writing and career.   I wouldn't be where I am without her. 

They say everyone has a dream, what is yours?                                                         

Back in high school, I had three goals: to become published, to belly dance in public, and for the life of me, I cannot seem to remember the third one.  Nowadays, I've accomplished the first, still have aspirations toward the second, and have come to realize that my strongest dream right now is to live in such a way that I'm able to elevate my mind and spirit while contributing positively to our existence on this planet.  Easier said than done.  But as one of my favorite college professors said, It's better to aim for the stars and miss than to aim for the ground and hit.  (I paraphrased.  His original version isn't fit for print.  :-)     

Do you do a lot of background research for your books?  

A ton! Especially for my Regency-set erotic stories (pun not intended, but it works!  LOL).  I find the contemporary stories so much easier to write because I try to stick with topics and professions I know something about, or at least have a friend who can provide quick answers.  When it comes to futuristics and research, it's a mixed bag.  There's so much freedom allowed for both science fiction and paranormal writing, but because I want the concepts I write about to be within the realm of possibility, I constantly bombard my husband with science and astronomy/space questions (as well as consulting my own Star Trek Encyclopedia!) about what's possible and what isn't. 

Ms. Lyons, do you have any special interests or causes you would like to share with the readers? 

I have to pick just one?  There are several, really, but I'll focus on one and keep it short: MONEY.  Over the course of my married life, and taking care of our household finances, I've learned a lot about managing money that they don't teach in school (how I wish they did!).  My husband and I recently made a concentrated effort to read several books on finances and we've subsequently made a number of changes.  America is built on consumerism and I think a lot of people (ourselves included) too easily find themselves trapped on a treadmill of spending and owing.  The book I learned the most from, and found the easiest to read, is Mary Hunt's Debt-Proof Living.  I suggest that anyone who's ever wondered if they had enough until the next paycheck, worried how they'd pay for it if the car broke down, or has an expensive mall-habit they'd like to break :), check out this book.

Ms. Lyons, what are your views in regards to sex in the romance field today? 

I love the freedom.  I've been reading romances for over twenty years and I always find myself gravitating toward the spicier authors.  That said, I'm a true fan of the traditional Regency, and I love the emotion and depth-of-character that many authors can convey with nothing more explicit than a chaste kiss or hand-holding. 

From television to movies, magazines to billboards, sexuality in our society is more blatant than ever before.  Right or wrong, the romance industry has kept pace.  Sure, my first choice would have been to have lived a hundred years ago in simpler times (my mother says I'm crazy and reminds me of things such as running water and electricity).  I'd definitely consider exchanging modern conveniences for a quieter, more peaceful existence.  That tells me something, doesn't it?  Escaping from day-to-day life into my stories is one way to give my mind whatever existence it craves.  That applies to sex.  I'm a pretty old-fashioned girl myself, but when I write, Katie-bar-the-door!  I've got the freedom to allow my characters to have all sorts of freedoms that "Larissa" would never consider experiencing in real life. 

How did it feel when you found out you won Amber Quill’s writing contest with TALES OF THE PRIDE: AWAKENING? 

Fantastic.  It's such a compliment to have your writing recognized as meeting someone's standards and receiving recognition.  I was thrilled that this short story was elected as a winner.  Ironically, it was a last-minute entry I wrote faster than anything I'd done previously.  Good thing, too, because the longer story I’d worked on for over a month and also entered wasn't selected. 

Would you like to tell the readers what the future holds in your writing career, Ms. Lyons? 

I would if I knew!  I've recently reconsidered some of my writing goals, debating whether or not to stay with epublishing, or branch out and try to secure an agent and deals for longer-length books.  I still haven't made up my mind, but one thing is certain: I love writing; I love writing in multiple genres; and I want to get more of my work published and in the hands of readers! 

How can your fans reach you, Ms. Lyons?  

Always by e-mail, at Larissa_Lyons@yahoo.com and certainly by visiting my web site, www.larissalyons.com, where I post monthly updates and have a few articles about men, writing, fibromyalgia, and nutrition.  Larissa’s Lair is my monthly ramble, found at Wicked Escapes, and I include excerpts and recipes, as well as my latest writing news.  Oh, and pictures of my cats. >^..^<

Ms. Lyons, do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

Do your best to find a critique partner whose strengths and weaknesses complement your own.  Writing by yourself is much faster and easier (there's no one telling you to change anything!), but my experience has shown that my stories are always better in the end by having someone I trust provide feedback. 

Network—whether it's online or with local romance writers—and learn the difference between a solid, writing-enhancing critique, and one that nit-picks without improving your writing.  For over a year, I entered contest after contest, seeking feedback and trying to improve my writing.  Two individuals made a concentrated effort to point out areas of my writing that could be improved.  I'm extremely grateful to both of these judges as their comments helped me significantly, but I had to pay an awful lot of entry fees in order to receive it. 

I would like to thank you Ms. Lyons, for sharing your talent and time with the readers of Love Romances and More.  I truly enjoyed reading TALES OF THE PRIDE: AWAKENING and hope to read more from you soon! 

I thank you and Loves Romances and More for asking such thought-provoking questions and giving me a chance to share a little bit about myself with your readers.