Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a storyteller since I was a preschooler, making up stories to go with the illustrations in my picture books. I love fairy tales, and a book isn’t worth reading for me unless it’s got a love story with a happy ending. But I like my romance to have a bit of an edge to it, so I gravitate toward characters who break social mores to be together.
I’m getting ready to publish the third book in my Second Chances series, which will eventually be eight books. They’re all erotic romance, some BDSM, some M/M, some multicultural. I’ve also got a couple of stories in anthologies from Torquere Press: “What a Man Needs” in FAMILY TIME, and “What a Man Wants” in the upcoming FIRST TIMERS. Both are multicultural M/M romance.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novella is TEMPTING JORDAN. It’s gay erotic romance, an out-for-you book about two friends who hook up at their five-year high school reunion. One is gay, the other a closeted bisexual. I suppose it was inspired by reconnecting with high school friends on Facebook in advance of my own reunion. I thought it would be fun to write a series about characters who get another chance with that high school crush who got away. Something we can all relate to, right?
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve always got a story playing in my head, so I can basically write any time, anywhere. If I’m not at my computer, I’m happy to scribble on whatever scrap of paper I can find. The ideas never stop coming, and I lifetime isn’t long enough to write all the books in my head. The challenge is trying to decide which story to write next!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a Jane Austen girl, and I also love BET ME by Jennifer Crusie. Roni Loren is the one who got me hooked on erotic romance (her books are AMAZING). Some of my favorite gay romance authors are Heidi Cullinan & Marie Sexton, Racheline Maltese & Erin McRae, and Daisy Harris (her Men of Holsum College series is cracktastic).
What are you working on now?
I’ve got two more books in the Second Chances series coming out in the next few months. The first is BDSM with a twist: a female Domme and a billionaire submissive. The other is M/M romance, the third in Rick and Jordan’s story, when they’ll finally get their happily-ever-after.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a social media addict. I love Twitter, and I have to limit my Facebook time or I’d spend all day there!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Trust yourself. You’re going to hear lots of opinions from other people, whether beta readers or Goodreads reviewers, so it’s important to protect your own truth instead of letting other people sway you to theirs. Reading is a conversation between the author and the audience, and the reader’s imagination is as much a part of their reading experience as the words on the page. If someone hates your book, it may be because your main character has the same name as the bully who tormented them in third grade. There’s nothing you can do about that. Be true to your story and yourself. Develop rhino hide. That doesn’t mean you should ignore constructive criticism, just understand that most advice you get will be subjective. Listen to the advice that helps you, and ignore what doesn’t.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I love this quote from Madonna: “A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.” You have to put yourself out there if you want to achieve your dreams. Fortunately, it’s human nature to help each other. You’d be surprised at how much people are willing to do for you if you just ask. People do favors for each other as a sort of currency, and also because it genuinely feels good and gives us the chance to show off our skills and expertise. Humans are social creatures. We’re engaged by a sense of community. It makes us feel connected to something important. So speak up! Other people want to help, they really do.
What are you reading now?
I just finished THE BEST MAN by L.A. Witt, and now I’m reading TAP OUT by Cat Grant, the third book in her Bannon’s Gym series.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m planning an m/m retro romance series set in the 1980s, at the height of the AIDS outbreak.
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?
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the Complete Works of Shakespeare, the Bible, and COLLEGE BOYS by Daisy Harris.
Author Websites and Profiles
Andrea Dalling Website
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