Interview with Tory Richards

Hello, this is Lainey coming to you from Coffee Time Romance and More. I have a very exciting visitor with me today, author Tory Richards. I will be introducing her and her newest release, WICKED DESIRE currently out by Whiskey Creek Press.

Hi Tory, how are you and I hope you had a great holiday and had a chance to relax a bit.

 You bet I got some lazy time in! I was lucky to get a few days off from my day job. You know, the one that pays the bills? Anyway, I got to spend some quality time with my daughter and her family, which includes the light of my life. My little granddaughter Alivia!

My first question is about WICKED DESIRE your latest release. Can you please tell us what inspired this book for you and if it was taken from real life at all?

Well, I guess you could say I kind of related to Maggie’s life. Not that I had an abusive ex-husband or anything. But, starting over, moving on, that kind of thing we find in common after a divorce. The small town? I love small towns and for as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to move back home. Maggie got to:)

I loved WICKED DESIRE and enjoyed it very much although I was wondering if you had a sort of play on names with Maggie Myers and Matt Dillon, our hero in the story, the town sheriff? Or did you just have fun with that?

Why, thank you, I’m glad to hear that you liked it. No, no play on names. Although, every time I wrote Matt Dillon down I thought of Gunsmoke:)

I wondered on the locale Tory and it sounds like a wonderful place. Did the theme of the story just come to you or was there relevance in there as well as going from the big city to the small little town to start a new life?

I wish! LOL I wouldn’t mind having a hunk like Matt in my bed…I mean life:) There’s just something about a law enforcement officer, ya know? Now, what was your question? Oh, ya, something about real life. Yes, the location of my book takes place where I’m from. I spent some fond memories around China Lake. A lot of my family live there.

Now I noticed that this book is from the Whiskey Creek Press  Torrid line, so tell me do you prefer to write on that line or the regular one as well?

I’m chuckling as I say this because I never thought I’d cross over. In order to write erotic romance you have to use the words. Readers won’t let you get away without anything less. Do you know how hard it was for me to write the male C-word and make it stick? I’m a 53-year-old grandma for goodness sake. But, I’m not dead and after a while I got over it. I wouldn’t say I like writing torrid better than the regular line, but let’s face it, explicit sex sells.

I loved Maggie’s dog Dammit. Can you tell us how that character came about and her name and temper? She does make the story a fun one.

I had an uncle Ted who had a little dog named Dammit. That’s where I got the idea from. According to some of the stories he told us Dammit earned her name. Most of my stories have an animal in it. I agree with you. They make the story fun.

Do you have a preference for tall, dark and handsome heroes, which in this book is truly the case? And men in uniform maybe as well?

You noticed, huh? I do favor tall, dark heroes. Although, in my last erotic romance, “IT’S ALL IN THE JEANS” Logan had sun streaked hair, more on the blond side. I fell for him, too. There’s something sexy about authoritative figures, to me anyway. And a hard male body poured into a uniform, oh my, I’m getting hot just thinking about it.
 
I would like to ask you some general questions, since we will be posting your links here and you are known under another name besides this. Would you like to tell us what it is like having a pen name and Tory Richards the pen name versus your other name Debbie Wallace?

Yes, Tory Richards is my pen name. It’s difficult because I keep forgetting I’m supposed to be two people! LOL I have to promote both names and sometimes I just say the heck with it and combine them.

Now for something fun – you told us that you were going to be going to The Romantic Times Booklovers Convention this April in Orlando, Florida. Can you tell us a bit more about it since this is your first time I believe? I was lucky enough to go to this last RT convention in Pittsburgh, PA and I really enjoyed it. I hope you do too.

I’m so thankful it’s close enough for me to attend. It’s going to be held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, 8001 International, Drive Orlando, FL. It’s a week long convention for book lovers and I’ll be attending several workshops, social events, meeting editors, publishers, other authors and readers. And let’s not forget the Mr. Romance Competition:)

Do you want to let our readers know what you have going on coming up in this New Year for you? Anything else exciting, maybe a new release this year? We do have your RT Convention book signing, April 22, 2009 in Orlando, FL scheduled. We can remind people that it is open to the public I believe so they can come by and meet and greet you. And bring your camera to the Mr. Romance Competition.

Yes 2009 is shaping up to be a busy year for me. The author autographing event is from 4:30-6:30 PM, I’m very excited about that! I also have a chat scheduled on Thursday Jan 15 from 7:00-10:00 PM with Coffee Time Romance & More at your erotic group. I’m giving away autographed copies of my books so come on by. And my third erotic romance, “THE COWBOY WAY” will be out in April. I’m also finishing up a manuscript titled “THE PROMISE”, which I hope to submit soon.

I would like to conclude our session and say is there anything I have not covered here today that you would like to let your readers know about? This is your time to shine so let us all know anything you want them to know about you and your works.

Well, I only shine after I scrub my face clean of makeup but since you asked, I will brag some. Writing is my passion and has been since I was a kid, but the biggest joy in my life is being a grandmother. And this year my daughter is going to try for number two. I never thought having a grandchild would affect me so much. Nothing equals the pleasure of those little butterfly kisses, tight hugs and hearing that little voice on the phone say grandma.

Sure, it’s a high being offered a new book contract and seeing my characters come to life on every new book cover, I won’t deny that. I write contemporary but I would like to branch out and try my hand at a vampire romance. I’m hoping the RT Convention workshops will help me there.

I am wishing you all the best of luck at RT and cannot wait to see your new works also. I want to conclude and say that I am glad to have had you with me here today and I hope you have a wonderful time in Orlando. May you make many new friends and experience something very fun and exciting there especially for your first time.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity, Lainey. I truly have had a great time here today.

Thank you again and may this New Year bring only good things for you Tory.