Author Interview: Katrina Strauss

Author Name: Katrina Strauss

Year started writing for LI: Late 2007

Titles: Blue Ruin 1: Some Kind of Stranger, Blue Ruin 2: Close to Me

Web Page: http://www.katrinastrauss.com/

http://katrina-strauss.blogspot.com/

What genre do you write in, and why? : Dark, erotic, edgy romance, or what one of my first readers dubbed Romance for the Black Coffee Crowd. The darker and sexier, the better, and I don't see why romance can't encompass both. I originally wrote paranormal and historical het but now focus on m/m and yaoi contemporary. The majority of my work, both het and m/m, encompasses BDSM themes. Real life experiments aside, I find BDSM works well on the written page in exploring not just the physical but the psychological dynamics at work in romantic relationships.

How much time do you spend writing every week? : In a good week? Around 8 hours a day, up to 12 if I'm meeting a deadline. Other weeks, I may not get anything written at all!

What was the first story you ever wrote about? (not nec. first published story) : The Adventures of the Cute Little Pig, complete with illustrations. Hey, I was only six. And yes, it was a romance, though I dare say my style has, erm, matured since then.

How do you judge the effectiveness of the sensual scenes in your stories? : If I get so hot and bothered that I have to step away from the computer and go outside to cool down? Then I trust my readers will enjoy the scene as well!

Favourite candy while writing? : Chocolate, of course! The Muse demands it!

Where did your most unusual plot idea come from? : A marathon viewing of D.Gray-man which led to naughty yaoi fantasies, followed by re-watching Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, paired with research on Victorian-era train travel, psychiatry, and spiritualism. Lo and behold, a story emerged from all that.

What inspires you to write? : I've always had a need to create and have dabbled in various artistic mediums since childhood. Before I started writing full-time, I tried photography and enjoyed a few publications. I'm also a self-taught seamstress and made Renaissance-inspired clothing and Pagan lifestyle accessories for a few years.

What music inspires your writing? : My writing mix used to consist of older bands like The Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, or Depeche Mode, but with the Blue Ruin series I've updated with more current acts like The Killers, Linkin Park, and Shiny Toy Guns, along with various J-rock bands. (Though the Blue Ruin books are each named after an 80's song, so go figure…)

Plotter or a Pantser? : Pantser, though with the last few books I've created a kinda/sorta outline after winging it through the first few chapters and getting a better handle on where the story is going.

Does your cat insist on sitting on your keyboard like mine does? : I don't have cats anymore, but when one of my two dogs wants attention, he nudges the sliding keyboard tray under the desk with his nose and then props his head in my lap.

When you get stuck, how do you find your way back to the writing? : If my input isn't balanced with my output, my work suffers. I turn off the computer and read a new book or manga, watch a movie, or *gasp* go outside. I hate to admit it but zoning out during housework with the I-Pod helps, and I often work out plot elements while I'm sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. I also find a nice long drive helps me think more clearly on whatever I'm writing.

The Personal stuff:

Any outrageous liaisons in your past? A few. I was pretty scandalous in my younger days. Don't tell my teenagers this.

Where's the most unusual place you ever managed to have sex? : A golf course. At night. Yes, the sprinklers came on. Fore!

What kind of books do you read for fun? : I enjoy manga and am currently reading the D.Gray-man, Loveless, and Godchild series. I also can't get enough of JD Robb's In Death series and devour each release like candy. (JD Robb is actually Nora Roberts, but the In Death series is darker and grittier than La Nora's usual fare.)

If you were to make a bumper sticker for your car that had to relate to erotic romance, what would it say? : Got yaoi?

Soulmates? Do you believe? : Yes, I do, though I also believe soulmates can be star-crossed, thus making for challenge.

Sex with anyone famous? : Not that I can recall…

Cake or Pie? Coke or Pepsi? Tea or Coffee? : Cheesecake (which is a little of both cake and pie??), Coke, and white chocolate mocha latte with a shot of raspberry liqueur. Yes, I confess – I write Romance for the Black Coffee Crowd but I prefer some flavor to my brew.