Savannah Rayne
Erotic Romance Author
Savannah Rayne has invited Tonya and Brenda to her quaint cabin in the woods. Join us as we sit on the comfy couch and chairs by the fireplace, drinking coffee while Savannah spooks us with tidbits of her two new releases. She loves to scare her readers! LOL Once it becomes dark, we don't dare go outside...too many creatures of the night out and about.
Naughty Reader’s: Hi Savannah! We so excited to visit with you this week. *Tonya and Brenda each drop a suitcase and sleeping bags in a corner* (Brenda) Ummm...just in case we're too scared to leave, may we sleep over? LOL Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.
Naughty Reader’s: Hi Savannah! We so excited to visit with you this week. *Tonya and Brenda each drop a suitcase and sleeping bags in a corner* (Brenda) Ummm...just in case we're too scared to leave, may we sleep over? LOL Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.
Savannah: A sleepover will be fun and besides, it does get a bit spooking here in the woods after dark. During the week, I am a day care provider and have been in the field for twenty-nine years. Currently I care for two adorable children in their home, for a family I have had the pleasure of working with for nearly five years. I also work for a publishing company as an editor and copy editor. I have been blessed with an amazing man in my life and have two grown children who are wonderful. I’m also the grandmother of an adorable little boy. Some unknown facts are that I didn’t get my driver’s license until I was forty-one, and I didn’t start to write until I was forty-seven years old. I guess you could say I was a late bloomer!
Naughty Reader’s: (Brenda) *closing the curtains so the creatures can't peek in* Congrats on working as a copy editor. That has to help with your writing. What made you want to become a writer?
Savannah: *tossing another log on the fire* I didn’t enter the writing world in the “typical” way everyone else seems to, meaning with a strong desire to write, and knowing it was something that I dpeamed of doing. Although I have always been an avid reader, I never thought about writing a book until two years ago, when my best friend suggested that I ‘give it a try’, also adding in that she thought I had a natural talent for it. It turns out she was right, I even seem to be pretty good at it! I have since realized that I love writing as much as I do reading. Now the “desire” is there to keep writing!
Naughty Reader’s: Please share a bit about “Oh, Deer” and “When It Leaves” without giving away any spoilers.
Savannah: In “Oh, Deer”, Jacob Ellis and his wife Donna live in the north woods of Wisconsin. Like most young couples, they have hobbies they enjoy. Jacob likes the outdoors, choosing four-wheeling and hunting as his forms of relaxation. Donna loves cooking, but her true passion is working in her flower garden. That is until her labor of love becomes nothing more than a colorful, tasty treat for the white-tailed deer, who share their surroundings. One night the pair experience more than the typical four legged visitor to their yard. The evening sets the path for Jacob’s decision to go against nature. After hearing a legend passed down through generations of the Chippewa Indian’s, Jacob must now decide if it’s just a myth or a lesson in the balance of law and justice—between people and nature.
In “When It Leaves”, Steven and K.C. are young twins who are no different than any other kids and they love playing in the leaves each fall. One autumn evening the five year olds ask to go out and play until dinner is ready. What happens that night will haunt Steven for the next twenty years. Now with a daughter of his own, Steven is left to struggle with the painful, guilt ridden choice of keeping his daughter safe or help the brother he lost, long ago, the one person Steven always thought he would do anything, to have back.
Naughty Reader’s: (Tonya) *covering up with a blanket on the couch, secretly peering in the corners for shadows* Do you write under a pen name?
Savannah: Yes I do! Unfortunately I have a rather complicated spelling (and pronunciation) for my last name and no one would be able to spell it correctly to find any of my books if I used it. LOL So there was never a question about deciding whether or not to use a pen name,
Naughty Reader’s: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?
Naughty Reader’s: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?
Savannah: Oh that’s a tough one. I tend to root for the under-dog. Hoping they will find the strength needed to achieve their dreams or goals. I also like characters to be caring and loving, while being able to remain strong and independent. Most importantly, I love characters I can relate to.
Naughty Reader’s: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.
Savannah: Oh my, there is nothing typical about my days. LOL It’s a constant juggling act of day job, writing, editing, family, home life, friends and trying to have some “me” time. I haven’t found the perfect balance yet, (I’m working on it!). But for whatever reason, by some miracle it seems to work out okay. The one thing though...I always make time for my coffee : )
Naughty Reader’s: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?
Savannah: My first two published stories fall into the horror genre, although they are really more “creepy” in tone. I have taken some innocent elements from nature and gave the reader a totally new way of looking at them. Most readers of these stories have said they will never look at deer or leaves without thinking of my books…that’s a huge compliment if you ask me! As for my soon to be released book “Words of an Angel”, that is a paranormal-romance. These three stories are set in Wisconsin; other stories I have started are also horror or romance and have a different tone to them.
Naughty Reader’s: (Brenda) *flips on the porch light when something outside landed on the porch* How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?
Savannah: Brenda, come sit down. It's only pine cones landing on the porch. Oh, Deer and When It Leaves both came together rather quickly because they are short stories. Words of an Angel took quite a bit longer due to a few stumbling blocks I was having with the story line I wanted to achieve, as well as personal situations which contributed to writing delays. Now I have approximately fifteen stories to complete which includes a prequel and a sequel to When It Leaves. When time allows you’ll find me working on one of them.
Naughty Reader’s: Do you have to be alone to write?
Naughty Reader’s: Do you have to be alone to write?
Savannah: Yes I do. What works best for me is complete quiet and no distractions. I have set up our spare bedroom for doing my writing undisturbed. I have an incredible view of Lake Winnebago right outside the window, which helps me to relax and write. It’s my own little escape cave.
Savannah: Interesting question! In the book “When It Leaves” the main characters are twin boys. Their names are Steven and K.C. Steven is the name of my real life son and K.C. has been his best friend since kindergarten! So those names I chose. As for the rest, I would have to say that I don’t really name them. I usually come up with an idea, followed by the title. Sometimes it’s the other way around, where I come up with a great title and build the story around it. Once I sit down to write it, the characters names just seem to present themselves. I’ve never done a draft or outline for any of my stories. My characters seem to take on a life of their own, right down to choosing their names.
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?
Savannah: I don’t look for pictures of my characters. I feel that the reader will develop what the characters look like in their own mind, if I describe them well.
Naughty Reader’s: How do you pick locations for your stories?
Naughty Reader’s: How do you pick locations for your stories?
Savannah: I have to admit, so far I haven’t strayed from my home state of Wisconsin! The setting really depends on the story line, but I think it helps to be able to write about a place you’ve actually been to and have experiences in. that being said, I have several manuscripts that I’m working on that are set in other locations, so who knows, I may have some traveling in my future!
Naughty Reader’s: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?
Savannah: *passing out Irish coffee* This should help warm us up! I am very excited about my latest story Words of an Angel, a paranormal romance that has situations in it that we all go through in life…only with a twist! Coming soon through Hellfire Publishing.
Rayanne Bradley experiences some life changes. She will struggle with new choices that will affect both her personal and professional life. She will also find the man of her dreams. As the worlds of dreams and reality collide, the two will struggle with choosing to do what’s right, or choosing to follow what’s in their hearts. One will be faced with giving up everything they’ve ever known, a choice that if made, will result in never being able to go back. The other feels it’s too great a sacrifice to ask someone to make. So the question becomes how far is too far to go, when you love someone?
Naughty Reader’s: Where can readers find out more about you and your books?
Savannah: You can always find me at one of the following…
Twitter @SavannahRayne1
****CONTEST****
Giveway - To one lucky winner their choice of an eBook copy of either Oh, Deer or When It Leaves. Get all your entries in through the Rafflecopter below and good luck!
“Hey, you want anything?” Jacob asked as he passed her heading into the kitchen to get another beer from the fridge.
“Huh?” she muttered.
“I asked if you…” Jacob’s voice trailed off, as he got closer to the patio doors. He happened to glance out and was stunned by what he saw. “Holy shit,” he said, watching the deer in the yard. What got his attention was the number of them. There had to be a dozen or better.
“What’s the matter?”
“You should see all the deer out here,” Jacob responded. As he made the statement to his wife, the animals turned their attention to him. They must have heard him or maybe they caught sight of his movement. But Jacob had never seen a time where all the deer in a group turned their heads in perfect unison.
“Well, I have six of them right outside this window. A few minutes ago there were five or so outside the kitchen,” Donna explained to her husband. Unable to deal with the uneasy feeling of being watched she twirled the rod of the mini blind, shutting out the unwanted on-lookers. Something didn’t feel right to her. Living in the northern woods of Wisconsin all of her life, she was use to the critters who shared her surroundings. This however, gave her the creeps.
She sat down on the couch, grabbing the multi colored throw her grandmother had made for her a few years ago. She wasn’t sure if the sudden chill was caused from the falling temperature of the evening, or the freakiness of the situation.
Jacob moved to the window above the sink to peer out. Sure enough, the five doe’s were still there. And they were looking at him. What the hell was going on here? Jacob thought to himself. He quickly raised his arms and flailed them in front of the window. The deer didn’t move. Normally, any sudden movement would have sent the skittish animals running. But, not this time.
The darkness of night had now completely descended, making it harder to see the four legged visitors. The yard light over by the garage automatically came on and lit up the parking area quite well, but it did very little in the way of illuminating the area closer to the house. Deciding he’d seen enough, he turned heading to the refrigerator, when he noticed movement outdoors.
A large doe appeared from the shadows of the night, looking directly at Jacob. “Son of a bitch,” Jacob whispered so quietly that Donna didn’t hear him. The two qtared at each other. Jacob transfixed on the eyes of the doe. At first he thought the glow of its eyes, were like that of any normal animal when reflected light caught them at a certain angle. The seconds ticked by in the visual confrontation, when the eyes of the doe changed to a glowing florescent green. Jacob was having a hard time understanding what he was witnessing. He stood there cemented with a mixture of curiosity and fear, as the intensity of the glowing neon color grew. Jacob remained there spellbound, as the deer took a step forward, then rearing up onto its hind legs...
When It Leaves ~ Excerpt
Then he saw something that would give him nightmares for years to come. The leaves that had been covering K.C. were sucked up into the rapidly spinning leafy tornado, until the ground below was bare. Steven’s eyes were wide with terror. He opened his mouth and screamed but the buzzing was so loud, his voice seemed silent in the night. He stood there releasing scream after scream, watching the tornadic leaves spin faster and faster. His heart was racing, his head was spinning and he was starting to feel sick to his stomach. Yet Steven was oblivious to what his body was trying to tell him—to warn him. His focus was on one thing and one thing only, the ground below the twister was empty. K.C. was gone…vanished…disappeared.
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