Good evening, I'm Morgan Hawke and I write Dark Erotica, a new genre of adult fiction that is very close to Erotic Horror. It has all the elements of a good horror, but guarantees a happy and satisfying, ending. I have just published a Dark Erotica novella called DEMONESS, that is available for download with Extasy Books - http://www.extasybooks.com - with my collection of 12 short Dark Erotica tales, Phantasmagoria due for release sometime in August. (Crossing my fingers for luck.) Questions and Answers Are you a member of any writing groups? I am a member of a few active writing groups, such as the Paranormal Writers group and TRS-Blue (The Romance Studio - Blue) even though their focus is primarily on Romance. Their writing advice is very sound and there are several professional editors also on that list more than willing to offer their help with formatting and plot. I would love to be part of a Horror writing group, but my tales are very adult and most groups have younger members where my stories would be inappropriate. Who or what has been a major influence on your writing and why? Tanith Lee of the Death's Master fantasy series and C.J. Cherryh of the Invaders Science Fiction series are my two greatest influences. When it comes to plot-twists there is no one more devious than C.J. Cherryh and Tanith Lee is a master at sensual yet dark writing. For tight writing and powerful descriptions, Laurell K. Hamilton is unmatched. I feel as though I'm watching a movie as I read her books. Is writing your full time occupation, if not what is? Yes and no! I actually write for a living, but not fiction, though I hope to! What writer wouldn't love to write their fiction full time and just forget the pesky bill-paying half of the world? I am a press or news writer for a large adult entertainment Internet company. My non-fiction under another name, is almost as well known as my fiction! What are you currently working on? I am currently working on two novels. One is an odd blend of Horror and Adventure dealing with the romantic problems between a more traditional vampire and a white witch. In the course of their adventures, They run across a rather crusty, very traditional vampire from Russia and then a few other Russian monsters in an adventure that take them to a castle on the Russian borders. I am also working on a Vampire / SF epic with two-thirds of it is complete. Vampires rule a very high tech, nano-technology based, post-apocalyptic world that is well on its way to becoming a full-blown ice-age. The few humans not directly under their thumb live in the last bastion of warmth left, a narrow greenbelt that borders on a broad and endless desert. Cyborgs are commonplace, even ordinary while nano technology is considered magic and the simplest of machines, such as a pocket watch, is rife with nano-tech and micro circuitry with many more uses than merely telling the time on its holographic display. Throw into this world a psionically-engineered, semi-telepathic human dug out of a biological stasis chamber then lost in a wilderness of cyborg chimera that scavenge limbs from other cyborgs populated with superstitious small-town, genetically altered humans -- and she doesn't even speak the language. My secret? I have a Microbiologist as a proof-reader so my science is very accurate. As a reader do you prefer Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror? I like them all. This is why I tend to mix genres in my writing. The trick is to keep each element clean and distinct yet integrate them so tightly, that you can't pull one thread out without shattering the story. I follow Science-Fiction Writing Law: "If you can pull the science-fiction from a story and still have a viable story in another genre - then you did it wrong!" (I think it originally came from Isaac Asimov.) So, in order to write Dark Erotica - a cross between horror and Erotica, Sex cannot be in the story without a reason any more than the Horror element and/or the fantasy element. The difficult part comes in when you realize that the climax of the story is both literal and figurative. Both the Horror theme and the erotic have to conclude at the same time - in the climax. In Erotica, the climax is literal in the story. In Horror, the most frightening moment in the story occurs at the climax (Oh, my God! We're all going to die!) In Erotic Horror, you see a lot of: "Yeah, I'm going to die - but what a way to go!" In Dark Erotica you see: "Wow - that was a close call, but God that was good!" What was your first professional sale? How did it feel when you received the acceptance? My first professional sale was at Midnight, only hours before the story was officially released for sale on the Internet. Boy was I surprised! I hadn't had a chance to do any advertisements announcing the book - so I guess someone was waiting for it! My acceptance came as a complete surprise. I sent in the first four chapters with a query letter through their e-mail submissions at the end of the workday. By the time I drove home from the office, I had a contract waiting for me in my email box at home. I was expecting to have to wait a few weeks to hear back from them. If you could give one piece of advice to a would-be author, what would it be? KEEP WRITING. It's not the craft of writing (spelling and grammar) that makes you a writer - it's STORY. While good craft is a distinct advantage There are plenty of editors whose job it is to correct spelling and punctuation and. However, a good story will shine through lousy spelling and bad grammar. A good story will carry into other languages where good craft won't. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? My mother says that I've been telling stories since before I knew my alphabet. Apparently I was drawing them out on every scrap of paper I could find. I knew writing was what I wanted when I entered a writing contest at 16 - and took the grand prize on my first try. It was a horror story - of course. When did you first feel that you were an author? I felt like a true author, the first time I saw my little contest-winning short story in print. It was a tiny magazine, nothing much really, but I felt like someone had just handed me the answer to the meaning of my life. Are you for or against e-books? I've been published by an eBook publishing house, therefore I have to say that I am FOR. Are you a music fan? If so, what? I use horror movie soundtracks and instrumental Goth music as a background to write. Right now, PsiVamp, Leather strip - Serenade for the Dead, and Midnight Syndicate's 'Vampyre' are my background music of choice. Do you have a favourite place to write? My desk, which is in my living room. (This tells you what My priorities are!) Why do you like SF/F/H? Truth is stranger than fiction - and makes far less sense. There's enough uncontrollable horror in my reality; I want a fantasy horror that can be understood and possibly vanquished. What is the scariest story you have read? Pet Semetery by Stephen King. I practice witchcraft - I KNOW this story is possible. What gives you nightmares? Driving through a 'round-about' in England. I'm convinced that I'm going to get slammed into another car. (shudder) Have you ever used real life horrors for inspiration? You will never see my parents in anything I write. Given the high quality of horror fiction available, why do you think there are so few great horror movies? Because the Director's vision gets in the way of the author's great story. I am convinced, just by looking at the movies produced, that the director has no idea what he's supposed to be seeing, never mind portraying, and it's always the director who has final say over Everything. If you want to get the correct mix of visual and visceral the AUTHOR needs to direct, as it is His concept in the first place. Is there anything more that can be done with vampires, demons and zombies? You can never have enough Vampires, demons and Zombies - though I would Really like to see more movies done with werewolves that look - and act - like wolves. Why is it that the costumer always forgets the werewolf's tail? Short story, single novel or novel series... Of these, which do you think is the best medium for horror? If done well, any medium can be used for horror. Each has its own unique qualities that a good write can take blatant advantage of. Do you know the Story's Ending When You Begin Writing? Normally yes. No ask me if I know how I'm going to get there and you have a different question entirely! Plug away - what do you have coming out? Coming at the End of Summer '03 PHANTASMAGORIA: http://www.extasybooks.com/     1. (noun) a constantly changing medley or real or imagined images (as in a dream).     2. (noun) 12 tales of Dark Erotica by Morgan Hawke Coming in Nov '03: The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica 2003 Featuring my story: Alchemical Ink: Shattered Angel - http://www.suspectthoughts.com/ink.html Many Thanks, Morgan Relevant Links Morgan Hawke Main Bibliography Dark Erotica - Morgan Hawke's Website