Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve published one book, and am about to publish my second within the next week. I also have two more in progress, and I’m planning the sequel to “Her Arcadian Lovers” within the next three months. Outside of writing, I’m a single mom of an eleven year old boy,with a regular job and a normal life. I just happen to have a million ideas that I love sharing with the world.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first book, “Her Arcadian Lovers”, was inspired by Wikipedia and my insatiable curiosity. I was reading Greek mythology, because that’s my idea of fun, and I began reading about Lycaon, the first werewolf, who was cursed by Zeus because of his proclivity for eating children. I just couldn’t stop wondering, where would those characters be if they lived in the modern world? As for the menage part, I wanted to explore a different kind of romance-not just a kinky story, but an actual love story between three people who grow to love each other deeply. I chose the supernatural aspect because it was the only way I could think of to invent two men who had enough combined life experience to be almost perfect. Sam and Jason have had three lifetimes to get it right, and now Andrea gets to reap the benefits. Now, they’ll all become warriors for good against an ancient evil, and their bond makes them an unstoppable team.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I play the ukulele in between paragraphs. I’m an unapologetic dork who needs to be doing two things at the same time. Strumming chords helps me process ideas. I also absolutely love bouncing my ideas around with my Twitter friends, playing hashtag games and so forth. For me, it’s a great way to get into writing mode.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
This list goes on forever, but I guess my top five would be Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Alice Walker, Harlan Ellison, Anne Rice, every single romance erotica writer, or independent writer of any genre who busts their behind for the books they love with very little return…Did I say five? Impossible.
What are you working on now?
The next novel that I’m about to publish is “Buried Down Deep” is an M/M fantasy erotica romance. My character, Ben, gets lost deep in the woods of Alabama and finds a god who’s been placed under a death curse. No one was supposed to ever find him, and as soon as his curse is broken, evil from another dimension is invoked to wreak chaos on an unsuspecting Earth. It’s the first of a series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly? I have no idea, yet. I’m only beginning this process, and I rely heavily on the experience of more accomplished writers to get me through the learning curve. So far, my most valuable resource has been my friend, Michelle Hughes, a Kindle Scout author and her website: http://www.rockmybook.com/ . Fellow writers who are willing to give another writer a hand up are really the best resource you can have.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be brave. That first step of submitting your work to the criticism of others is hard, no doubt. I have so many writer friends who I know,without a shadow of a doubt, have a book in them that’s a hundred times better than anything I could ever come up with, and they’re stuck in “some day, maybe”. Just do the thing, and expect the worst, which is having your work completely ignored. Once you start, you’ll only get better, and eventually, you’ll find your audience, if you stand strong and keep at it. Remember, it’s about the love of the story. Anything else is just extra.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be willing to spend money and LOTS of time in producing and promoting your book. Even if you go the traditional route, and get a publisher, no one is going to love your baby the way that you will, and your return will rely heavily on how invested you are in being the best writer you can be, and how much time and money you’re willing or able to spend in order to get the word out.
What are you reading now?
I’m actually going through my Twitter friends’ list and downloading Kindle books. I just finished “The Boys Next Door” by Miranda Silver, which is HOOTTTTT! I’m currently reading “Crane Wife, A Cyberpunk Tale” by John Cordial, which is a really great dystopian novel about a widow out for revenge.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing, promoting, writing, more promoting, more writing. I’ll try to get some sleep in there somewhere.
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?
Definitely a good survival guide and some trashy romance novels. Maybe a couple of horror novels,too. Hopefully, my phone would survive the crash and I’d have over a hundred downloads to choose from.
Author Websites and Profiles
Renee Lee Website
Renee Lee Amazon Profile
Renee Lee’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account