Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well I was born in Bangladesh and was raised in Bangalore, India and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Toronto, Canada. As a result I speak fluent Hindi, Bengali and Urdu. People are always surprised that a woman from such a traditional background writes erotic romances, but I embrace that unique aspect of personality. I’ve also modeled for Maxim and appeared in the somewhat racy HBO series LINGERIE… so I’m not exactly bashful about sexuality.
SEDUCE ME SANTA!! Is my third book release, but I have two more- A BEAUTY FOR THE BEASTS and RED HOT HOUSE FLIPPER completed and being released very soon. Excerpts from those books are included in SEDUCE ME SANTA.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is SEDUCED BY SANTA!! Several things inspired me. First was the holiday season, which I love. I’m kind of a Christmas junkie and always wanted to write something just for the holiday.
To do that I went back to my old pal Sweet Prudence, who was the main character in my earlier book SEDUCED BY THE SAUCERMEN, as well as being the main character in the movie SWEET PRUDENCE AND THE EROTIC ADVENTURE OF BIGFOOT, in which I played Prudence’s sidekick Veruca. Veruca was kind of the Ethel to Prudence’s Lucy. I thought it would be fun to take those characters and throw them into an old fashioned Christmas story. To get in the mood I binge watched all those great old television Christmas shows like RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER and SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN. SEDUCED BY SANTA is like one of those specials – except on Pheromones and Ecstasy. There’s a lot of satirical humor in the book, along with all the steamy scenes.
Writing a Prudence book is kind of like spending time with old friends. Isn’t that what everyone loves to do during the holidays?
The final reason was that I wanted to give a gift to my regular readers and to new ones. In keeping with that we’ve only priced the book at $1.00 and we’re doing a five-day free giveaway December 5th and December 8th-11th on Amazon.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think every writer has different habits and eccentricities. I tend to do a lot of research to both learn about the subject and get in the mood. On SEDUCE ME SANTA that research amounted to binge watching old Christmas specials on DVD. Hours and hours of watching Rudolph, but it’s research, so I don’t feel guilty about it at all.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
In terms of humor Christopher Moore was a huge influence. If you’ve never read him you’re really missing something great. Robert Crais is another author I love. His blend of humor and drama is amazing. It’s a tightrope walk that only a few authors can accomplish and he is the master.
What are you working on now?
At the moment I’m in a scramble to get my two other books A BEAUTY FOR THE BEASTS and RED HOT HOUSE FLIPPER ready for release. I spend a lot of time pouring over stock images to find the right elements for the covers and creating strong marketing tools. I think it’s important to give those elements a strong personal touch. But very shortly I will jump back into RED HOT REALTOR, which is an erotic romance set against the backdrop of a television real estate show. I love real estate and home renovation shows – so it’s a natural fit.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think it’s dangerous to decide on one best method to promote your work. You need a broad game plan. Websites like this are a great tool, but have to be combined with Facebook, YouTube and other social media. As an indie author you start at the bottom of a very deep ocean of available books. It’s hard work to rise up enough to be noticed.
The other critical thing is to keep writing and keep releasing. A huge part of becoming visible to readers is being prolific.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try to add some fun to your writing process by having a pet project in the background you can switch over to. It’s a great cure for writer’s block. Don’t be concerned about what genre your pet project is in. Raymond Chandler used to write very personal poetry when he wasn’t creating hardboiled detective fiction. It just opens your mind up and helps you find your own voice.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice is, and always will be, “why aren’t you writing?” It’s the only way to develop your creative muscles.
What are you reading now?
SWAMPLANDIA by Karen Russell, it’s such a fascinating story set against a unique backdrop. The idea of being a twelve-year-old girl raised in an alligator wrestling theme park sounds absurd, but Russell makes it so beautiful.
What’s next for you as a writer?
At the moment I’m in a scramble to get my two other books A BEAUTY FOR THE BEASTS and RED HOT HOUSE FLIPPER ready for release. I spend a lot of time pouring over stock images to find the right elements for the covers and creating strong marketing tools. I think it’s important to give those elements a strong personal touch. But very shortly I will jump back into RED HOT REALTOR, which is an erotic romance set against the backdrop of a television real estate show. I love real estate and home renovation shows – so it’s a natural fit.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Two of my choices would be my own works in progress, because then I could tweak and rewrite until a rescue ship arrived and not feel guilty about it. How’s that for self-absorbed?
Others would be FAREWELL MY LOVELY, by Raymond Chandler because it’s so beautifully written. A paragraph of Chandler has more nuances than volumes of other author’s work.
THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE because it would inspire me creatively and it’s more compelling than any work of fiction.
Can I bring ROBINSON CRUSOE? A brilliant book that might also help me figure out how to get off the island when I was finally out of books to read.
Author Websites and Profiles
Albina Nahar Website
Albina Nahar Amazon Profile
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