Author Interview - Hazel St James, Erotic Romance

Hazel St. James

Erotic Romance

      This week we're at a riverfront coffee house, a picturesque country town in the Midwest.  Green rolling hills in the background.  Fresh dew on the green grass in the shade. It is a beautiful summer day, and the sun is shining brightly overhead. We've already ordered an iced mocha cappuccino, and are waiting for Hazel on the Spanish gazebo that borders the small restaurant to the east.

     Hazel arrives wearing a black wrap dress with flutter sleeves and a deep plunging neckline. Around her neck is a sterling silver trinity knot Celtic necklace with a large moonstone pendant that dangles from the center of the intricate knots.  Her red peeped, toed heels are the only color she offers on her monochromatic ensemble.  Her shoes beat a tattoo on the cobble stoned enclosure as she makes her way to our table, smiling as a barista hustles over to take her order.

Naughty Reader’s: Hi Hazel - over here! Thank you for inviting us to chat with you this week. It's beautiful here! Come have a seat and tell us a bit about yourself.

Hazel: Oh…Where to start!  I am a down-home girl from the Midwest that grew up out in the country.  I have been married to “my hubs” for 13 years now, and we have two beautiful, young children. I am proud that we are in a Dominant/submissive relationship. For the first part of our marriage, we were not and almost lost each other. After our “awakening,” we have had a rock-solid relationship.

Naughty Reader’s: We love that you call it an 'awakening' because for so many, it truly is. What made you want to become a writer?

Hazel: There are always fictional characters meandering about in my brain, begging to get out and play!  It is a great way to release pent up emotions, and I can say that I feel lighter after a good long writing session!

Naughty Reader’s: Please share a bit about your new release “Let Me Fly” without giving away any spoilers.

Hazel: “Let Me Fly” is about Bryn, sister to Sara Lonneman from “Just One Night”. Bryn is trying to overcome a traumatic event from her past that doesn’t want to let go of its dark hold over her. Bryn desperately wants to take control of her life, and that includes becoming an avid motorcycle rider. A freak accident sends Bryn to the hospital, where she meets Dr. Charlie Glynn, a no-nonsense doctor that quickly becomes enamored with the feisty biker brat. The two of them start a steamy romance that takes Bryn down a path she is not sure she can follow. 

Excerpt:

        “This place looks really expensive, Charlie.  I don’t think I could…”  Bryn couldn’t finish her thought; Charlie made her squeak when he grabbed her arms, muffling her words with a passionate kiss.  He didn’t let up until he felt the fight leave her arms, relaxing into his embrace.  He let go of her mouth, but not her arms. 

“I want to take my girl out for the weekend and spoil her.  Just shut up and say yes.”  He kissed her again, moving from her lips to brush lightly across her jaw, down her neck.  He was gently biting her pulse point, then running his tongue up to her earlobe.  Bryn could hardly contain her excitement as a moan escaped her lips. 

“Is that a yes?” Charlie whispered in her ear, causing goose bumps to erupt across her flesh.  Bryn had lost all control of her voice and could just barely nod her answer.

“Good, because my only other persuasion technique would not have been much fun for you,” Charlie said as he bent down, placing his shoulder against her mid-section, lifting her up.  “But it would have been so much fun for me.”  Bryn couldn’t help but squirm and giggle as he carried her to the bedroom.  Charlie slapped her ass as he playful growled, “Be still, wench.” 

“I thought you were going to behave?” Bryn pouted as he threw her down on the bed, “I have laundry to do, remember?”

Charlie started undoing her boots, sliding the zippers down, tugging them off her feet.  “I’ll throw your clothes in the wash after I make you scream my name a couple times.”  He moved on to undo her jeans, hurriedly yanking the denim down over her leg.  The material caught on her ankle, making her wince. 

“Shit, I’m sorry, Bryn.”

He gently pulled on the cuff until the material unbunched, her legs slipping free.  His voice turned accusatory when he saw her burned ankle, “Bryn your burn doesn’t have cream or a bandage on it.”

Bryn growled at his change in temperament, “I put them both on when I got dressed earlier, but the bandage must have slid off and gotten stuck in my jeans, Dr. Glynn,” she said slowly, as if irritated.  “Now bring back Charlie, I like him much better.  Dr. Glynn is too damn serious.”

Scoffing at her, “You’ll be sorry when you have a scar marring your beautiful skin.”

Bryn rolled her eyes as Charlie reached out to take his hands.  Lifting her up, he tried pulling her tank top off her body.  Bryn quickly swatted his hands away.  “Uh uh, Charlie.  Eye for an eye tonight.  You have to lose an article of clothing for each one of mine.  You have had plenty of time to study the human body; I haven’t had such a fine specimen to look at.  Ever.”

Charlie dramatically rolled his eyes now, as he backed away from the bed.  “Fine, kitten.”  He walked over to his nightstand, turning on the lamp, as he continued, “But just so you know, my exposure to the naked female body is limited.  Very limited.” 

Bryn tried to contain her elation from his admission.  She wanted to bask in the knowledge that he had very few lovers, but he quickly took her breath away as he reached behind his head with one hand, pulling up on his t-shirt in between his shoulder blades.  The material slowly started to rise in the front, exposing his midriff.  Licking her lips, Charlie smirked as he finished pulling the material forward over his head.  His eyes never left hers as he balled the shirt up, throwing it in the corner.  Stalking back over to her, he lifted her up again, this time pulling her shirt over her head.  She lay back down on the bed, barely propping herself up on her arms as she watched him undo his belt and then his jeans.  He pulled them off, dropping them right there on the floor. 

Avoiding her ankles, Charlie reached out to grab her calves, pulling her to the edge of the bed.  Grasping her thong in his hands, he yanked the material in opposite directions until the material shredded.  Bryn could see the lust clouding his eyes in the soft light of the room as he stepped out of his boxers, his glorious cock springing free from its confines.  Bryn swallowed tightly as she lifted her head to marvel at his perfectly muscular body, all the way from his thighs, taut stomach, bulging arms and tight shoulders.  She took a staggering breath as he unhooked her bra, peeling back the material from her breasts.  He ran his hands down her body, caressing her skin.  Falling to his knees, he pushed her legs open, hooking them over his shoulders. 

It didn’t take long for his warm breath to flutter across her mound, teasing as he used his fingers to open her slippery folds.  Her patience was waning as she waited for him to attack her sensitive flesh.  She looked down to see what he was waiting for, seeing his blue-green eyes staring back at her. 

Naughty Reader’s:  Whew!! Okay, yep, we loved it. This book is steaming, hon! *Brenda squirms in her chair* Hazel, do you write under a pen name?

Hazel: Yes, I do. Most of my hometown is aware of my budding writing career, but I still feel safer having the anonymity of a pen name for right now.  

Naughty Reader’s: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Hazel: Alpha males are my ultimate heroes!  I love a good, strong, decisive, muscular, opinionated man that takes the lead and saves the day.  I would say that I prefer the more intellectual heroine, however.  I think that a street smart, book smart, passionate woman can bring most men to their knees! ;)

Naughty Reader’s: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Hazel: At current, I have a day job in what I call my “non-imaginary” world! So my writing day usually begins at 7 pm at night, with me answering emails, blog comments, Facebooking, Tweeting and all that good social media stuff.  Then I usually update my story board that hangs next to my desk, and then I write for as long as I have words flowing from my fingers.  I usually unwind for a half an hour or so with a story on my kindle, before crashing for 3 or 4 hours.  Then I get up, and do it all again!

Naughty Reader’s: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Hazel: The series that all my current books belong to is titled, “Learning to Let Go.”  The characters are somewhat interwoven from book to book, but yet there are different themes to each book.  “Just One Night” was a sensual submission/light BDSM novella, “Let Me Fly” is an erotic romance novel that included a journey of self-discovery, and “I Need You” will be the culmination of both genres.  I have plans in the works for a hardcore BDSM novella as well as a ménage MMF story.

Naughty Reader’s: *Tonya's furiously adding to her TBR list* How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Hazel: I am sticking to the time schedule of releasing a novel every two to three months.  However, that is pretty fast-paced and I would like to slow that down a bit.   I would say that ideally for me, it is about a three to four month process from start to finish.  I have the most amazing team of beta readers, line readers, editors and formatters that know I always finish on time, but it’s usually right under the wire!  They are always willing to forego sleep and sometimes even eating to get things done. 

Naughty Reader’s: Do you have to be alone to write?

Hazel: Yes…alone in the sense that I have to have my cordless headset on and the music loud enough to drown out the background noise.  My family knows that when mom has her headphones on, you don’t go into the office!  Usually, I write after everyone is in bed anyways.

Naughty Reader’s: How do you go about naming characters?

Hazel: Sometimes the characters come out of my brain with a name attached to them.  I do ask for feedback from my family on some names, as well as I carry a notebook in my purse that I write down names that draw my attention in the “non-imaginary” world.

Naughty Reader’s: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Hazel:  I spend a lot of time on Pinterest before I write a story.  In fact, all of my characters are laid out on a board right now.  I have a faint idea in my head of the main features of a character, and then I search through different pins until I find someone that “speaks” to me.

Naughty Reader’s: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Hazel:  I usually pick locales that I have been to so that I have a general idea of the layout before I go into details.  The town in Wisconsin most of my stories are based out of, is a fictitious town that I named Amulet. The inspiration for that town is a beautiful town in the Midwest that I frequently visit with my family.

Naughty Reader’s: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

Hazel: Well, my upcoming book, “I Need You” will be released on Valentine’s Day!  I also have a special guest interview on my blog the 1st of February from an uber hot fitness model ((drool!)) and I will be releasing a BDSM novella in April of 2013. 

Naughty Reader’s: *Tonya and Brenda both jot down notes and dates* Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Hazel: Readers can find me and my books on the following sites:

Blog

Facebook

Amazon Author Page

Twitter

Just One Night on Amazon

Let Me Fly on Amazon

About the Author:

     Hazel St. James is an erotic romance author that is from the Midwest. Her stories involve mostly BDSM relationship, but are more sensual than hardcore. She is a bratty submissive herself and has been in a collared relationship for 13 years. 

 Contest:  A free copy of “Let Me Fly” and “I Need You” when it is released in Feb 2013.

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