Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
An avid reader of thrillers, science-fiction, horror and romance, I have been writing for nearly 25 years, fiction and non-fiction alike, in English and in French. Lila Mina is one of my pen names and my upcoming trilogy TEMPER is the first I will publish under that name.
I am a firm believer in cross-genre literature. Life is too complex, too rich and surprising to limit stories to one genre only. I love blending genres to create powerful characters, emotional plots and exciting stories that hopefully will stay a long time with my readers.
I live in Japan. The rich and beautiful traditions, the amazing nature and the long history of this country are a constant source of creative inspiration.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is the TEMPER saga, an erotic paranormal romance I’ve worked on for nearly three years now, my very special ‘baby’. TEMPER spans three books (Deference, Dread, Deliverance) that make a single story arc. Deference comes out on March 9, and the two others will follow in April and May.
I live in Japan and for years, my goal was to write a story that would bring together real life experience in this country, its incredibly rich traditions, culture and lore… with a heavy dose of steamy passion. It was important for me to explore several themes that really matter to me, such as the lifelong impact of trauma and resilience, healing and the limits of forgiveness; but above all I wanted to explore the meaning of ‘love’ in its many aspects, shapes and tastes.
With TEMPER, I decided to challenge myself and my readers with a story that my reviewers have called ‘unique’, ‘mind-blowing’, ‘phenomenal’ and that goes beyond traditional genre boundaries. It’s not for the faint of hearts, and there is no ‘fade-to-black’ scenes, quite the opposite. I took the time and space to make my characters go through heartbreaking ordeals to force them to confront themselves, the demons eating them from within, and become aware of the extraordinary bounds they share. And at the end, it is indeed a romance, a powerful love story – with a HEA.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t like writing in a solitary, silent environment. I like being surrounded by other people so I write best in a coffee shop with some inspiring music in my ears.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always enjoyed stories that have a more or less strong dash of paranormal – from downright fantasy to magical realism à la Haruki Murakami. J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert van Gulik, Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, Haruki Murakami have all had a significant impact but so have Bram Stoker or Edgar Alan Poe. In French, classic authors like Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas or Emile Zola have always left me in awe with their love for details, multi-layered storytelling and complex characters.
What are you working on now?
I’m finalizing the editing and formatting of books 2 and 3 of TEMPER, drafting its sequel called VINDICTA, thinking about publishing two unrelated stories called PLATINUM NIGHTS ( contemporary romance) and THE MAN WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (erotic suspense).
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still new at book marketing so I have yet to see which method and website will work best for me. I understand that the audience of each genre reacts differently. Please ask me again six months from now!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find a great editor and beta-reader who will not be afraid to offer detailed constructive criticism.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Trust yourself and the reason why you wrote a specific story. Write it for yourself, not for the market!
What are you reading now?
I have a huge backlog of amazing books I want to finish and start… don’t where to begin though!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to reach out to the strong community of indie author, continue improving my writing skills, expand into new directions and try new genres.
Author Websites and Profiles
Lila Mina Website
Lila Mina Amazon Profile
Lila Mina Author Profile on Smashwords
Lila Mina’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account