Dawne: How did you get started writing and what inspires you the most?
SammyJo: I began writing stories in my teens when I wrote my first romance at the age of 15. Though I do write research papers for my grad school courses, creatively I much prefer to “pen” a good romance and adventure story. For personal enjoyment, I’ve been writing for the past 2 years in the m/m romance genre and reading and writing some fan fiction. I love both. I adore a good story with a happily-ever-after ending, and true love and happy endings where deep, loving relationships occur for two people are a great inspiration for me. We all want to believe in true love.
Dawne: What inspired you to write your story in the Claw Marks Anthology?
SammyJo: Author Cassandre Dayne came up with the concept for this project and she asked a number of us fellow writers if we’d like to participate. Since I was introduced to Rebel Ink Press by her, it seemed an intriguing idea. Also, my usual characters are younger in age, so to write a romance about a man in his mid-forties was quite a bit different for me. This anthology is about cougars, but with my story, since its male/male erotica, my main character Clint is more of a ‘silver fox.’ It ended up being a fun, competitive story to write, with my two main characters being men.
Dawne: What’s the biggest misconception about being a writer and what difficulties have you faced with your writing?
SammyJo: There are several things which occur to me in this regard. I’d have to say that while being a writer can pay well, for most of us, getting by financially is a struggle. For the sheer amount of effort and work which goes into writing, editing, and doing promotional work to get your name and stories out to the public, the rewards are somewhat limited. One must write because it’s what makes your heart happy, not because you want to get rich doing it.
As for difficulties, just finding the time to get everything done is more often a challenge than not. One has to adhere to a tight schedule and keep a calendar to meet all the obligations that are required in this line of work.
Dawne: What are you currently working on and what’s coming up for you?
SammyJo: Right now, it’s crunch time to finish writing my novel collaboration with Derek Johnson. It’s due to our publisher Rebel Ink on Sunday this week. Murder, Most Likely is a 65k word murder mystery written entirely around a short story Derek wrote a decade ago. I read some of his stories back in the spring and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks. The more I thought about it, the more the ideas flowed. I approached him and asked if he’d like to write this book using his story as the basic premise and the answer was a definite yes. The rest is history and it’s been a magical process working together.
The resulting novel is going to be sizzling hot, erotic, kinky, and contains m/f erotica and some m/m/f ménage sequences. It’s very dark, gritty, and of course suspenseful, and promises to have a vibe along the lines of the old classic, Fatal Attraction. I’ve included the blurb below to give you a taste of what it’s all about. The final product is going to be amazing! I hope you’ll check it out upon release on Dec. 3rd.
I recently released another anthology co-written with Sue Brown, GA Hauser, and other great writers. Chasing the Dream is a m/m compilation of erotic stories and is available in eBook and paperback (coming soon). You can find this book on Silver Publishing’s site or Amazon.com.
And then of course there’s my two anthologies with Rebel Ink Press. My short story Checkmate! is released in our Claw Marks anthology, and also I have a story entitled A Test of Honor coming out in Rebel’s Once Upon A Twisted Tale collection of stories, also debuting in October. I also have another novel coming out in October and another short story due out in November. So, there are a number of other projects are on the horizon which are nearing completion.
Dawne: What do you like most about writing?
SammyJo: I love the free license to be creative, and to bring to life with words the visions and stories which unfold in my head. I love communicating that world to my readers, where those who read my stories can escape somewhere else for a little while.
Dawne: How hot do you think cougars are and why?
SammyJo: I think cougars are very hot, because they’re sexy and mature. Experience, sexually and emotionally, is very alluring and appealing. I’m also at that age myself, having just turned 44 yesterday. Something about knowing what you want, and being relatively clear about who you are is a turn-on to me, feeling and asserting that individual strength and self-worth that comes with age.
Dawne: If you had an opportunity to have a young lover – do you have one in mind and would you fess up?
SammyJo: Yes, I would be willing to go there, provided that man wasn’t more than a decade or so younger than me. I do have standards, LOL! But unless it ever got to be serious, and lasted longer than for just a short fling, I likely wouldn’t fess up. A girl’s gotta have her secrets. *winks*
Dawne: What’s something you can’t live without for writing?SammyJo: Coffee. I must have lots and lots of coffee with French Vanilla creamer.
Dawne: Favorite color and does it suit your personality and why?SammyJo: My favorite color is forest or sage green. My eyes are a deep forest green, and my hair though brunette, is generally kept at some shade of auburn or red because it suits me well. So the sage green is something I have a lot of, color-wise, in my wardrobe. Those two colors complement each other well.
Dawne: What’s your favorite seduction song?
SammyJo: It’s entitled “Forever Dreamin’” by Paul Hardcastle. He’s a British jazz artist and I absolutely adore the heated, sexy pulsing beat of that instrumental piece. It always puts me in the mood to write sexy scenes for my stories.
Dawne: Where is your favorite place to write?
SammyJo: For me, it’s in my office downstairs. I have a large, comfortable cherrywood desk with a recently upgraded desktop with all the bells and whistles on it. I have a large flatscreen monitor and my iTunes, and all the appurtenances I could ever want. I’m very comfortable there in my comfy, high-backed swivel chair. I sort of live there with writing and grad school to keep me occupied 24/7.
Dawne: How much do you like chocolate?
SammyJo: Well…I might as you, “How much do you like breathing or sleeping?” That would be a small indication of how much I like chocolate. I confess, it’s one of my guilty pleasures in life.
Thank you for having me here Kiki. And thank you Dawne for doing such a great interview with me. You’re a delightful lady and a great writer in your own right. I’m looking forward to sharing in the release of Claw Marks with you. Best wishes for all of our future successes, individually and together.
AUTHOR BIO:
SammyJo Hunt was born and raised in Southern California , is single, no children, and lived the past 22 years in the Midwest . She grew up an avid reader and romance novel enthusiast, loving to write and create. Ms. Hunt has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social work and is a 3rd year graduate student pursuing a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. It’s her goal to counsel families, struggling children and teens.
When not helping others, writing sensual romantic stories is a challenge she enjoys. Giving erotica a try, her first book, A Wicked Encounter, was released in April 2011 via Silver Publishing, followed by Chasing the Dream anthology in Sept. Checkmate! in the Claw Marks anthology is SammyJo’s third published release, which will be followed by Haunted by Obsession coming later in October, and Murder, Most Likely on Dec. 3rd. SammyJo has written a number of books, short stories, and anthologies. Be watching for additional new releases coming soon.
To purchase publications by SammyJo Hunt, click here:
You can find SammyJo Hunt at the following websites:
Personal Website and Blog: http://sammyjohunt.livejournal.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SammyJo_Hunt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SammyJoHunt
Claw Marks Anthology Coming Oct 3rd from Rebel Ink:
Have you ever considered engaging in an exciting relationship with a stunning hunk of a man who’s much younger? Does your heart beat rapidly as you savor his carved body from across the crowded room? Every cougar can tell you the answer. Entering into new relationships isn’t easy and for some, sharing joy means letting go of a difficult past. Join a talented group of writers from Rebel Ink Press who bring you stories of love and passion transcending age and sometimes tragedy.
Have you ever considered engaging in an exciting relationship with a stunning hunk of a man who’s much younger? Does your heart beat rapidly as you savor his carved body from across the crowded room? Every cougar can tell you the answer. Entering into new relationships isn’t easy and for some, sharing joy means letting go of a difficult past. Join a talented group of writers from Rebel Ink Press who bring you stories of love and passion transcending age and sometimes tragedy.
Checkmate by SammyJo Hunt – For anchor Clint Watson, keeping a low profile about his sexuality is a must but on one beautiful afternoon over a game of chess, he finds pleasure in the arms of a younger man. Player Conference by Liz Crowe – Jess can’t get past the loss of her husband until her daughter’s soccer coach gives her every reason to try again. The Diver’s Club by Genevre Pierceau – Jilted by her cheating boyfriend, Jill finds solace over drinks with her girlfriends who convince her to turn the tables and engage in a moment of passion with a sexy contractor. Spicy White Chocolate by Cassandre Dayne – During a regular meeting of an erotic book club, the girls enter into a wicked pact to seduce a younger man and the first to do so wins a hefty prize, only Shawna Dupres didn’t count on falling in love. Insatiable Kate by Dawne Prochilo – Kate Winston was angry at being thwarted by the man of her dreams and she was ready to give him a piece of her mind. What she didn’t know was Rome
Believe by K.T. Bishop – Gabi continues to suffer from the loss of her husband until she finds passion in the arms of a young athlete bent on making a better life for himself. But can his dream succeed against his family’s wishes? Tempting Research bySam Crescent Texas
Believe by K.T. Bishop – Gabi continues to suffer from the loss of her husband until she finds passion in the arms of a young athlete bent on making a better life for himself. But can his dream succeed against his family’s wishes? Tempting Research by
Giveaway
Comment on any post this week, Monday Seot 26th through Sat Oct. 1st, to be entered to win an ebook copy of Claw Marks. Please leave your email in the comment so we can contact you if you win!
Good luck with the collaboration with Derek- sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteAnxious to have the anthology out- only two more days
Dawne
Thank you Dawne for interviewing me and for hosting us authors here this week Kiki!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to all!
SammyJo Hunt
Great interview and it sounds like a fantastic anthology! Can't wait for it to come out :)
ReplyDelete