Interview with Elizabeth SaFleur & More

Hello Erotic Contemporary Author Elizabeth SaFleur! Welcome to Coffee Time Romance and More! Thank you for coming by.

Thank you for having me. I love hanging out at Coffee Time Romance.

Tell us about your book Lovely, book one of your Elite Doms of Washington series. What will make readers fall in love with this book?

Lovely’s story first came to me in 1996 while sitting outside in a café in Washington Harbor. As I sipped my chardonnay, looking out over the water, I swore I saw a woman lashed to a sailboat mast. I asked myself, “Hhmm, does she like that?” Lovely’s Dominant Jonathan Brond answered with his own question: “Would you like to find out?” But, due to extreme day job commitments, getting married and moving, and numerous other life changes, I didn’t write the story down until many years later. I wish I had published it earlier. I love heroine Christiana Snow and hero Jonathan Brond.

College student Christiana grew up essentially ignored, which fueled her independence but also loneliness. When Congressman Jonathan (literally) runs into her at a fundraiser, he immediately recognizes her as special. As the story unfolds, his attention (not to mention his firm handling in the bedroom) helps Christiana grow her confidence. She basks in his adoration and desire, and finds strength when he pushes her limits.

As Lovely opens, Jonathan is well-intentioned and hard-working, but also rather selfish. He’s lived a privileged life (the opposite of Christiana’s life) and has taken many things, and people, for granted. Soon Christiana’s innocence and beautiful heart forces him to face his own faults.

They try to keep their budding romance secret from D.C. society (and his constituents). But scandal always looms. Add a few other twists and turns, which I can’t share without revealing spoilers, and they both have to face their worst fears.

What I love about their romance is how they help each other grow into better people, even when it’s hard.

The main characters don’t seem to be a compatible couple at first glance. What will their relationship be like?

By society standards, their relationship seems inappropriate. Yet they’re perfect for one another, helping each other overcome faults. They are better people when they are together.

They also have explosive chemistry. Jonathan brings out the strong woman in Christiana—and that includes in the bedroom (and other places). She tests Jonathan’s dominance as much as he tests her.

However, everything comes with a price. Their relationship is secretive and tumultuous, but (I hope) “cheer-worthy.” So many people want them apart. Sacrifices will be made, and they’ll have to learn to define their own lives and not just fit into other’s ideas of their lives.

Well, we sure can see what inspired the first book! What made you want to do a series? Please tell us what book is next in the series and when it is scheduled for release.

The Elite Doms series was inspired from working many years in Washington, D.C. I’ve encountered hundreds of “alpha” men and women in my 30-year public relations career. I have sat in countless board meetings and CEO’s offices, walked the halls of congressional buildings, and met some very big names. Sorry I can’t tell you who. They’d be shocked at what I write. Or, perhaps they’d believe they provided inspiration. I plead the latter. Every person I’ve met associated with Washington helped inspire parts of my books.

At least seven Elite Doms books will be published, each featuring a new dominant and their unique, stand-alone story. The other doms will make appearances throughout. But no one has to worry about reading the books out of order. Each book is meant to present a complete story.

The second Elite Doms book, Untouchable, features Dominant Carson Drake, a wealthy corporate attorney who had given up on love long ago. But then he meets public relations executive London Chantelle, who provokes and intrigues him. He’d like to bend her over his knees—among other things. An unexpected meeting at a local BDSM club suggests she is the ideal candidate for a weekend of sensual submissive pleasure. Mistrustful of men, yet fascinated, London agrees to his proposal of forty-eight hours with him. She believes he could finally satisfy her unwanted, darker longings. However, their weekend brings many surprises—romance, blackmail and the uncovering of long-buried secrets.

Untouchable is up for pre-order on Amazon and other retailers now at a discounted price and will be released July 3, 2015.

Also, while I was finishing up Lovely, I felt bad for one of the secondary characters, Yvette DeCord. So I wrote what happened to Yvette after Lovely. Her story is a novelette titled Holiday Ties (which is free on Amazon). Holiday Ties is also up for a Golden Flogger Award by the BDSM Writers Convention folks. Yes, I’m blushing.

Congratulations for the award nomination. We hope you win!

I noticed on your website you offer a behind-the-scenes look at your writing journey for your newsletter subscribers. That sounds exciting. Can you share a little with us now?

What a ride it’s been! I do write about my writing, such as things I learned at the BDSM Writers Conference. Oh, the things I learned there! Did you know the violet wand can melt stockings? Who knew?

I try not to inundate my subscribers with promotional material. Instead I tend to share more bonus materials, such as deleted scenes from my books and character interviews, which I try to present as mini scenes versus Q&A. It’s more interesting that way. I also include fun things like soundtracks to my books and inspirational pictures. Expect a lot of hot man pictures.

P.S. I conduct weekly giveaways from my site, as well. Stop by and enter. Oprah has it right: giving away stuff is fun.

What a good idea to save deleted scenes from your books. That sounds like fun! And we don’t mind hot man pictures, not at all!

So your books have dominance, seduction and love. That sounds like a very heated, romantic mixture! What other elements are important to you in an erotic romance?

In writing, authors learn that the last word in a sentence (and paragraph and chapter) is the most important word. That’s why “love” is last above. First and foremost, my stories have to include a lot of love. It is expressed in a myriad of ways. But my characters fall in love, are tested in love, and sometimes lose love (but they always get it back). My books will always have a HEA.

Secondly, I want to write about people seducing one another. In today’s world, an awful lot of wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am hook-ups happen, which leave me cold. I like the slow tease, the warm-up, and the flirting that comes with seduction. It’s a lost art. Erotic romance authors seem to be united in bringing that back—at least to the page.

Then, finally, dominance is important in my genre, which includes BDSM. The dance of dominance and submission (D/S) has always fascinated me. Also in today’s world, responsibility and accountability seem to have fallen by the wayside. In erotic romance with D/S elements, responsibility, accountability and control are active and integral parts of a relationship. People choose to either hold the power or grant it to someone else. (Pssst: To be a submissive means, you are powerful. You can’t give something away you didn’t have.)

My dominants take their responsibility, accountability and control to extreme levels. But there is comfort in knowing you’re going to be taken care of. And, they take very, very good care of their subs. Yet without the first two—love and seduction—there’s no romance. So, I want to write (and read) about all three.

What is a typical day like in your life?

Chaotic! I still have the day job, which I’m desperately trying to shed. But the bank expects me to continue to pay that mortgage. So, my typical day is: get up and get ready for the day, work my day job all morning, go for a walk with my dog during lunch, write for about four hours in the afternoon (unless the day job interrupts, as it often does), greet my husband when he gets home from work, make dinner, sit with my husband who watches TV while I read and play on social media, and then go to bed and read some more. Rinse and repeat.

Pretty boring, huh?

My weekends are more exciting since good friends insist I tear myself away from the computer. I live in Virginia wine country which means wine picnics, outdoor concerts and mountain hikes are all a part of my life.

Those weekends sound like fun!

What drew you to writing romances?

I love a happily-ever-after ending. My friends know never to recommend books, TV shows or movies to me that include two things: home invasions and downer endings. When I started writing seriously, the romance naturally evolved between my characters. So I guess my writing chose for me.

Are there any authors that inspired your writing?

So many authors inspire me. But my consistent “go to” authors are Joey W. Hill, J. Kenner, Emma Chase, Beth Kery, and Cherise Sinclair. These writers do deep point-of-view beautifully.

My fellow Troll River Publications’ authors also inspire me on a daily basis: Patricia A. Knight, Marilyn Lakewood, Rachel De Lune and Kris Michaels. They are all different, writing the gamut from contemporary to fantasy/sci-fi to paramilitary. But we all have one thing in common: deep characterizations and a HEA.

What is something fun you would like to share about yourself?

I wish I could settle on what my second tattoo might be. Any suggestions? I thought about a swan, because that’s my signature critter. Love them. But a white tattoo? I just don’t know. My first ink experience resulted in a little red heart on my hip. I know. How original, right? But at the time I was nursing a broken heart, so it helped mend it. TMI? Anyway, drop me a line with any suggestions. Perhaps something in one of my books will inspire an idea.

Hhmm…maybe a boat of some kind. It could remind you of seeing that girl on the sailboat mast and how that inspired your writing journey. 🙂 You’ll have to let us know what you decide.

Is there anything I didn’t ask that I should have?

I can’t think of anything right now. You’ve asked great questions. Oh, maybe this: I’m thinking about starting a second series, but in the urban fantasy erotic romance genre. Something along the lines of Insurgent meets Heroes meets the 4400 (if you remember that short-lived TV series). We’ll see. The Elite Doms will not be denied their time anymore. I made Jonathan wait 17 years before I wrote his story. The others are not as forgiving.

Do you have a message for your readers?

I want to thank each and every person who has ever read one of my books, commented, given me a review or stopped by my blog to say hi. Time is precious, so it means a lot that you spend a little bit of yours in my world. I love to hear from you, so please don’t ever be shy. ElizabethLoveStory@gmail.com or @ElizaLoveStory

Elizabeth, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview.