INTERVIEW/ GIVEAWAY: CJ Ellission

C.J. Ellisson, author of contemporary fantasy and erotica, lives near DC with her husband, two children aged eleven and nine, two Staffordshire Bull Terriers and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze.

After spending most of her working life dealing with real estate - either as a sales manager in wholesale mortgage banking, a corporate trainer, a Realtor, or as a property manager - she's now writing full-time and happy for the first time in years.

Writing has become her passion and to find people want to read her stories feels like a dream come true.

To find out more about C.J. please visit her online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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Hi CJ! Thanks so much for visiting the Riverina Romantics today!

Thanks for having me!

Now, I’d love to talk to you about your erotic fantasy series, The VV Inn, but first I’d like to ask you some personal questions. Are you game for that?

You betcha! Fire away.

Where are you originally from? Where did you spend your childhood? Where do you currently live?

I spent the first nine years in Falls Church, Virginia. We moved for my dad’s job to Morristown, New Jersey, where we lived for three years, then moved to Kinnelon, NJ, where I finished high school and went to college. My folks moved back to VA in ’92, while I was still in college, so I was on my own for a while trying desperately to make a living.

I met my husband back in high school, but we didn’t stick together until reconnecting in ’95. A few years after we got married in ’98, he grew weary of NJ and really enjoyed visiting my family down in VA. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when he suggested moving here in 2003. We moved to northern VA in the summer of 2004 and have been thrilled with the decision. It’s a great place to live.

Do you have a family? Pets?

Yes, I’m happily married with two children, aged eleven and nine, two dogs, two bearded dragons, and a cat.

Do you have a degree? If so in what?

Nope. I didn’t finish my chemistry degree, or my minor in business. While I love science, I realized in my third year that I was not cut out to teach or be in a lab eight hours a day. Luckily, I was working at a mortgage company in the evening to pay my rent. Turned out I had a knack for sales and I quickly plunged into a mortgage banking career, rising to the top faster than I would have thought possible.

Do you have a job other than your writing?

No, not anymore. My mortgage job eventually morphed into a regional sales manager position, then settled into underwriting when I got married (less hours). From that I moved into corporate training and then real estate when my kids were in pre-school. I started my own small company and worked as a Realtor and property manager for two years.

Unfortunately, I had some severe health problems that forced me to stay at home, prompting me to end my time as a property manager, too. I started writing out of boredom and the desire to stay sane.

Can you tell us what a day in the life of CJ Ellisson is like?

Oh God, I wish it was something exciting, but it’s not. Right now with school out, my kids are underfoot a lot more than I’d like. I begin each day by trying to go through email and get a handle on what I missed on Facebook over night.

Then I’ll eat and see what my kids want to do for the day, meaning are they having friends over, going to the pool, or want to go out somewhere. They’ve been sitting around not doing much this summer, by choice, and I’m going a little stir crazy with all their interruptions.

Lately, I’ve been writing every day. I’ve got a story that’s been on my mind for weeks and I’m trying to get it out right now (so the kids being bored gets old real fast!). After writing for a while I may go back and edit and tweak things, or I may take a break and check out contests I’ve got running, stop by blogs, or do some household chores.

None of it is an exact science. Some days are more chores than I’d like and others I’m granted more solitude to write.

How long have you been an author, and what is your genre of choice?

I started writing in February 2009. When you look at it in real time, it hasn’t been that long. Working fifty hours a week or more to hone my craft, learn the industry, and teach myself the ins and outs as best I can makes it seem like a lot longer than just three years.

I decided to write what I enjoy reading the most, which is urban fantasy.

What made you want to start writing?

Initially, I had an idea of what I wanted to see in the genre. Less bad relationship choices from the strong heroines was a must. Too many series make it a standard that their heroine has to be unhappy in her love life, or that the sub-plot to the main story is the one including her recent crush. Real life means real relationships, and those begin after the infatuation of the first blush of lust wears off.

Creating characters who were already married and still had issues once in a while called to me more. So that’s what I set out to write.

What literary obstacles did you need to overcome (if any) to get published, and how do you stay focused?

I followed all the rules when I started writing. Join a writing guild, join critique groups, join online sites to help you improve your craft and get eyes on your work, take online workshops, enter in contests, submit query letters, go to writing conventions…. I did it all and didn’t feel it was working for me.

The industry was changing in 2010, but a lot of writers were sticking to what they knew had worked in the past. Because I had business experience I decided I’d check out self-publishing and do it right, by starting my own company. I still sent out queries, but didn’t feel like if I didn’t get picked up it was the end of the world.

I landed an agent in March 2010, but still didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket. I told her she had six months to sell the work. She loved it and really thought it would sell quickly. We got some nibbles, but no concrete offers, so I did it myself.

My self-publishing idea changed in a matter of weeks to publishing eleven other writers I worked with on a blog. The small concept became bigger than I wanted and gradually took more and more of my time.

I capped the small company at fifteen authors and opted to never take on more writers. I never entered this business with the notion to be a publisher; I wanted to be an author first and foremost. My experiences in the past two years have helped me to succeed where other Indie authors struggle.

It’s a lot of work. Way more than I’d ever intended. I think if I was offered a big dream contract I’d probably take it. I know how to do all the other stuff on my own now – marketing, advertising, cover design, formatting, reaching readers… you name it. Having someone take care of the details, after you calculate how much time it takes you to do on your own, sounds very appealing.

Now let’s talk about the V V Inn series. Can you tell us a little about it?

I love this series. I think no matter what I write in the future this series will always be special to me. Basically, we’ve got a ruthless ancient vampire who lives with her husband on a seasonal resort in Alaska. They entertain vampires and other supernatural critters, fulfilling the guests innermost desires during their stay. In the first book, a murder takes place and our innkeepers try to solve the crime will not disturbing their guests’ sexcapades.

Was there anything that prompted you to write this series?

I wrote what I wanted to read—a sexy couple madly in love with each other who battle side by side to save the day.

I know from reading the first book in the series, Vampire Vacation, that you “stole” some of your character names from real life people. Why did you choose to do this? Are the people’s personalities reflected in your character’s personalities?

I don’t know about you, but personally, I don’t like names in stories I can’t pronounce. Drives me crazy trying to “say” it in my mind. If a reader stumbles or trips on a name, haven’t you essentially taken them out of the moment and spoiled the mood?

What better way to draw people in then to pick real names? Names they grew up hearing in real life will make the characters more relatable, I think. Also, I found picking names hard. I never wanted the names picked to have a deeper complex meaning I had to justify in my writing. Aside from the whole “V-V-inn” and “Vivian” play on words, I really wasn’t attached to any names.

When I was creating Vampire Vacation, I received a lot of support from people on Facebook. People I had no other connection with except our love of the same types of books and their willingness to give my work a try. They supported me through thick and thin and I felt naming a character after them was a nice way to give back and show my thanks.

As far as personalities… well, I do steal traits from people all around me. But I can’t say the characters I’m naming match traits with their real life counter parts.

What was your favorite thing about writing this series?

Weaving my nephews’ names, and parts of the young men, into the stories.

Who is your favorite character in the V V Inn series?

Vivian!! She is so much fun to write. She gets to do and say all the things I dream about.

Why did you choose to have the Inn in Alaska?

It made perfect sense that a creature who needs the dark to stay active would travel to take advantage of extended winter hours.

Quickie Question round:

Favorite animal? Dogs

Favorite color? Red

Favorite Book? Hmm… can’t pick just one.

Favorite beverage? Hard Cider (not the sweet kind, but the dry kind)

Favorite food? Chocolate

Favorite vampire either in movies or literature? Jean Claude or Blade… can’t decide…

If you could have any power what would it be? Speed healing.

Thanks so much for visiting with us CJ! If my readers want to learn more about you where can they find you?

Thanks for the great questions! I’m on facebook the most. I’d suggest there, on my author page, or stopping by my website.

CJ Ellisson has been generous enough to offer up a digital copy of Vampire Vacation for one lucky follower to win! Just fill out the form to enter this INTERNATIONAL giveaway.

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