Playing 20 Questions with Taryn Kincaid

EM: Welcome to My World, Taryn. Thank you so much for stopping by to play twenty questions with me. :-)

Before we begin, could you tell us a little about yourself?

TK: Maybe. But then I’d have to kill you.

I was born in a cross-fire hurricane and I howled at my ma in the driving rain.

Um, no, wait. Those are the lyrics to “Jumping Jack Flash.”

Okay, so, I’m a multi-published author of sensual, steamy romances and I live in the scenic and historical Hudson Valley in the great Empire State of New York. My Regency romance, HEALING HEARTS, was published by Carina Press; my erotic paranormal and the first book set in mystical Sleepy Hollow, SLEEPY HOLLOW Dreams, was published by The Wild Rose Press. I’m currently writing for Decadent Publishing, which released LIGHTNING and THUNDER, my first two 1Night Stand books last fall. My current release is FROST, another 1Night Stand for Decadent. It’s a Valentine’s story and another HOT time in old Sleepy Hollow.

EM: Are you ready to play 20 questions? *rubs hands together*

TK: Sure. Fire away!

Which do you find harder to write?

1. First person POV or Third?

For me first person is the hardest to write. I’ve only written one ms in first person, and it’s currently collecting dust. It was also in present tense, which a lot of readers seem to find off-putting. Unless they’re reading Hunger Games. LOL! If you really want to get deeply into a character’s head, first person is the way to go. As a reader…I generally prefer third person in a romance.

2. As a male or female?

Hmm. This is a tough one. My heroes tend to go through the whole book hard! And I love writing them that way! Especially if they’re dark, bruised or damaged.

3. Beginning, middle or end of the story?

Middle. No contest. I’m strictly a pantser flying by night. So usually the first thing that comes to me is an opening line, a beginning scene. With my most recent submission, a short for Decadent Publishing, the first thing that came to me was the last line, which is unusual for me. But it framed the rest of the story. I knew where I had to begin and where I had to end up. And I didn’t have a lot of space to play around with in the middle!

4. Fight scenes or smex scenes?

I cannot write a fight scene to save my heroine’s life. Or my hero’s, for that matter. Poor things. They’re lovers not warriors. Although they may be vets of some battle or other, real or internal.

5. Synopsis or blurb?

Synopsis! Blergh. One of the things I love about Decadent…no synopsis required. I kinda like writing blurbs, though. If I can’t write the blurb, it’s usually because something’s wrong with the story.

As a writer, do you prefer:

6. Writing in the morning, afternoon or evening?

Saturday mornings.

I can edit at any time, though. Aside for the hours in which I’ve sold my soul to the evil day job.

7. Writing with music, or in peace?

No music. Too distracting for me. Can’t sing along and type at the same time. If the TV’s droning in the background in the next room, that’s okay.

8. Planning, or Improvising?

Can’t plan ANYTHING. Including when to schedule a vacation! Got my start years ago as a newspaper reporter, so I guess the deadline, crisis-mode mentality has been hard-wired into me. Unless it’s on fire, it’ll have to be manana.

9. Juggling a few projects, or concentrating on one at a time?

See #8, above

10. Sticking to one genre, or exploring many?

Lately, I’ve been writing mostly erotic paranormals. I began reading and writing Regencies and thought that’s where my true voice lay, that I couldn’t write a contemporary if I tried. (And I didn’t want to try.) To me, inhabiting new worlds, building new worlds is so much more fun than modern day. But my paranormals are set in present day, so it wasn’t much of a segue.  I recently submitted a short story that is straight contemporary, no paranormal elements. Generally, though, I prefer making things up!

As a reader, do you prefer:

11. Story being told from female view or male?

Depends on the writer and the story. And why can’t we have both?

12. Good guys or bad boys?

Love the bad boys! (With hearts of gold.)

13. Feisty females or fragile damsels?

Feisty. But not Too Stupid To Live. “Hey, I know we’ve been warned that hideous death waits, but  let’s go down this dark alley anyway and see what demon ass we can kick.”

14. Stand alone stories or series?

Both. But in a series, you’d better finish the book with an HEA before you move on with the external conflicts of your world and its population because if you give me a cliff-hanger, I will NOT be happy.

15. Quick reads or long stories?

Both. Sometimes I want to sink into many pages and wallow. Often, I don’t have enough time and a quickie serves to scratch the reading itch!

16. Romance as a side dish or the main course? 

Banquet!

  

17. Erotica or soft romance or something in-between?

Something in between, I’d say. Something like erotic romance!

18. More action or humor?

Both! But if it’s a question of non-stop battles with the aliens or forces of evil…I’d have to pass. I want that tingly zing when the hero and heroine meet each other, touch each other, are with each other for the first time!

Just for fun:

     19. Vampires or Angels?

            Love J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. A different kind of vampire. Also love Nalini Singh’s     Archangel series.

      20. Werewolves or Demons?

Demons!

Oh. Wait. I do love Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series, too!

What are you currently working on?

BLIZZARD

Do you have any current release? 

FROST

BLURB:

Dagney Night, a sought-after succubus, is no stranger to blazing hot sex. But as Valentine’s Day approaches, she longs for something more. When oddly erotic paintings arrive for display at her art gallery, arousing everyone who views them, she wonders about the mysterious artist who created the works.

Maxwell Raines, a fire-sex demon, lives a life of solitude and seclusion behind the walls of his compound at Sleepy Hollow, channeling his lustful impulses into his art—until his muse deserts him and his temperature rises past the danger point. He needs sex. Now.

When Madame Evangeline arranges a torrid Valentine’s 1Night Stand for them, will the flames of their encounter be too hot to handle?

BUY: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Decadent | ARe| Smashwords | BookStrand | CoffeeTime

~ * ~

Excerpt:

Dagney followed her sister’s glance, and her heart flipped like a gymnast unable to nail a vault. Darkness swathed the gallery with the exception of the lights above or below each of the paintings. The large man emerging from the shadows held her rapt. Waves of pure, unadulterated lust smacked her with such force she didn’t even see Lily and Campbell leave. The blast of raw desire crumpled her to the floor. Her gaze remained riveted on the tall hunk of ferocious male stalking toward her, radiating undiluted carnality. He set something carefully on the floor and grasped her by the elbows, his touch surprisingly gentle when he lifted her to her feet.

“I’m Maxwell Raines.”

Yeah. No kidding. Who else could a guy so hot, so studly, possibly be?

She told herself not to swoon. Ordered herself not to swoon. But, Goddess, that rumbling voice. More potent than a train barreling over the tracks. And he smelled so good. Sinfully masculine. A bit of musk, a bite of pine, an essence of dark, smoky nights. Sexy scents. Reminiscent of tangled satin sheets that had been given a good work-out.

Her legs turned to rubber, and she doubted they’d support her on their own. She’d be mortified if he’d have to scrape her puddled body up again. But he hadn’t yet relaxed his grip. Could she bullshit her way through the meeting without collapsing? “You’re late,” she said.

“I’m never late.”

“Well, the party’s over, Mr. Raines.” She waved a hand around the empty room.

“Depends on your perspective.”

“You’re big on perspective, are you?”

“I’m a painter.” A brief shrug accompanied his blunt words. “Obvious connection.”

“Right. But as you can see, everyone’s left.”

“You haven’t.” He gazed down at her, a black brow flaring. “And you’re what I’m here for.”

Where can readers find you on the internet?

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

EM: Thank you so much for joining me! :-)

TK: Thanks for having me! It’s been my pleasure!

~ * ~

  

Competition Time!

Interested in winning some Valentines Day Swag? All you have to do is leave Taryn a comment and you could win. Yes, it is that simple. Leave a comment and then in 24 hours Taryn will pick a winner at random. Good Luck!