Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Welcome Tanith Davenport

You're going to love digging into this interview. Tanith is a girl after my own heart. She's a Freddie Prince fan and also writes for Total E-Bound. Want to know more? Well, read on and enjoy!

1.  What influenced you to get published? How long did it take? Can you tell us the name of your first published work?
While I had always wanted to be a writer, it was the approach of my thirtieth birthday that inspired me to get myself in gear and finish my novel. I had been working on “The Hand He Dealt” for three years at that point; I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association under the New Writers’ Scheme and sent it off for critique. After receiving their very encouraging response, I did a partial rewrite and started submitting it to epublishers. Three months later I was accepted by Total-e-Bound, and am still pinching myself in case I wake up!

2. What genre would you like to try that you haven’t yet?
I’d like to try contemporary women’s fiction. I have a few ideas I’ve been throwing around, but for now those are on the back burner while I concentrate on erotica.

3.  Most people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. What’s your take on this? Can you tell us something unglamorous you did within the last week or so?
Broke my front tooth on a french fry. I still haven’t quite worked out how I did that.

4. Plotter or pantzer?
A little of both! I like to have a number of plot hooks that I can work towards, but what happens in between can come as a complete surprise. “The Hand He Dealt” went through five story plans in its first draft alone, and then had an entire plot thread removed following the RNA’s critique.

5.  What do you do when you’re suffering writers block?
Write a few lines outlining what I want to happen in the rest of the chapter, then pick up my Kindle and see how other writers do it. I’m a great believer in learning from the masters.

6.  What would you like to share with new writers? Any suggestions or advice?
I’m such a new writer myself I’m not sure I’m qualified, but probably it would be to get as much guidance as you can and not to give up. The guidance I got from the RNA, the Writers’ Workshop and sites like BubbleCow were invaluable.

7. If you could be a character in any of your books who would it be and why?
Astra Scott of “The Hand He Dealt”. She gets to have fun with two gorgeous men and her cute best friend – what’s not to love there?

8. Looking over the past year, what has been the best moment for you in your writing career?
Having my first novel accepted! I received the email while on my way out to dinner with my husband and celebrated with rather a lot of champagne cocktails, something I also intend to do on my release date.

9. What do you enjoy doing with your spare time, your non-writing time? 
I’m a great lover of new experiences of any kind, be they a new restaurant (I’ve just discovered Russian cuisine) or a bungee jump. I could keep Red Letter Days in business single-handed. On my less adventurous days I’m a classically-trained singer and also love going to the cinema.

10. If you could invite any famous person, dead or alive, for dinner, who would it be and what would you eat?
The one person I would have loved to have met is Freddie Mercury; Queen will always be my favourite rock band. He always struck me as being open to new experiences, so I’d order in from a local Vietnamese restaurant and we could try the whole menu.

11.  If you could choose one vice, what would it be and why?
Coffee. I don’t like it, but I would love to be able to walk into Starbucks and be able to experience the wonders of gingerbread lattes and egg nog macchiato instead of being restricted to hot chocolate.

12.  What are you working on now? Can you tell us a little about it?
I’m currently working on two novels, both erotic romances.

The first, “Photograph”, is more mainstream than “The Hand He Dealt” and deals with a very tightly-wound heroine whose personal need for control has not only destroyed her relationship with her twin sister but has left her virtually unable to relate to men outside of sex; this is about to change as she is thrown together on a cruise ship with her sister and a deliciously arrogant American named Ryan. The second, “Hyperventilating”, is still in its early stages but is giving me a chance to go a little darker with my kink and also allows me to indulge my weakness for rock stars!

13. What kind of comfort food do you like best?
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so my weakness is takeaways. Present me with a special fried rice or a meat feast pizza and you’ll have a friend for life.

14.  What do you hope to achieve in life and when will you know that you have been a success?
I have constantly shifting targets in my life – as soon as I achieve one I have to look ahead to the next. Right now being published is my goal, but following that, mastering a second novel and maybe getting a book into print.

The Hand He Dealt
by Tanith Davenport
ISBN: 978-0-85715-570-2
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: Total-e-Bound
Release date June 13. 2011



Astra Scott likes to live life to the full. A sorority girl and Gaming Management student, she spends her days studying and practising guitar, and her nights partying or working at the Fountain Casino, where she has an internship as part of her final semester. The only blot on her landscape is Ash Drake, her best friend Sasha’s boyfriend. Arrogant, physical and blond, Ash has never forgiven Astra for her rejection months earlier and enjoys annoying her at every turn.

But when Astra’s boyfriend Harry reveals a shocking secret, Astra responds in the only way she can think of: by finding a way to take on a more attractive, masculine role in the relationship. Her experimentation with sex toys finds a surprising outlet in Sasha, but when Ash discovers their secret and wants to get involved, Astra finds herself torn between dislike and desire… and as their undercover relationship grows, Astra finds herself falling in love, a path she feels can only end in heartbreak. For Ash may be the only man whose own fantasies are a match for hers, but can she knowingly steal his affections from her best friend?


 EXCERPT:


Two hours later, and Astra stood in front of her bedroom mirror, holding in one hand the toy she had bought from Amy’s Delights.

Rubber underwear was laced through her fingers, a small plastic remote control dangling below on the end of a long cord. And attached to the front—

Well.

It was a strap-on.

It was a strap-on dildo.

And it was purple.

A purple length of shiny plastic. A perfect simulacrum of a veined, circumcised penis, five inches long and of a thickness Astra considered average, just the right width to wrap a hand around.

She stared at her reflection for a long time, contemplating the dildo, before slowly drawing it back towards her body, holding it against her stomach.

No.

One foot through the straps, two feet…rubber caught against denim-clad legs, but after a moment’s struggle the strap-on dildo was in place, and Astra’s image stood in front of her, the purple dick jutting out in front like the hilt of a sword.

Slowly she rotated her hips, watching the dildo glide from side to side, before stopping abruptly with a giggle.

Shit. It looks like a fucking light sabre.

Watching herself in the mirror, she closed one hand around its length, giving it a tentative stroke.

Nothing. Unsurprisingly.

She tried it again, this time holding the remote control and flicking the switch. A sudden buzzing, accompanied by a muted vibration through her jeans, made her jolt sharply.
Interesting.

Flipping the switch again, she rocked her hips slowly, her eyes glazing. In her mind formed a picture of Harry’s smooth back and bare buttocks, thighs parting to receive her, Harry’s voice gasping, begging for more, more, please, more…

Oh.

The switch snapped off.

Astra eyed herself coolly, squaring her shoulders, her legs automatically widening into a masculine stance.


Phew, was that hot or what? OMG

If you'd like to find out more about the amazing Tanith:



5 comments:

Jude Mason said...

Hi Tanith, it's a real pleasure to have you here. I'm also a big Freddie Prince fan, so you know I'll be joining you, right?

Have an amazing day!

Hugs

Maggie Nash said...

Hi Tanith! Congratulations on your first release :-) It's a special moment, so milk it for all the enjoyment you can!

BTW...the book looks HOT HOT HOT!

Maggie

Lisabet Sarai said...

Wow, Tanith,

A strap-on in your first excerpt...what are you going to do for an encore?

Seriously, huge congratulations! Looking forward to reading more of your work.

Warmly,
Lisabet

Nichelle Gregory said...

lol, Lisabet!

Hey Tanith! Very hot excerpt...congrats on your upcoming release!

I like how you celebrate success! Best wishes on all your future endeavors!

:-)

Tanith Davenport said...

Thanks everyone - it's been very exciting!

I have to admit I've been wondering how best to follow up the strap-on too :) Still, I think I've got a few ideas...