Interview with Devyn Quinn

Jen: Devyn Quinn has been conducting a virtual book tour all month long and we're excited to have her visit us. Welcome to Book Talk with J & J. We’re excited to learn more about you and your books. Can you give our readers a short bio?
Devyn: Thanks for having me, Jen. Hmm. A short bio would be: I was born, I grew up. Okay, bad joke. I know. Let me try again. How about I’m a small town girl who still lives in a small town where you can leave the doors unlocked and the keys in the car. Not the most exciting place to live, but very safe!

Jen: Please tell us about Flesh and the Devil and where it's available.
Devyn: Flesh and the Devil was my first Kensington Aphrodisia release in March 2007. The plot is pretty simple. A vice cop accidentally stumbles into a den of vampires—and becomes one himself.

Here’s a little synopsis:
Vice cop Brenden Wallace has walked on the dark side for too many years. Now, newly divorced, he’s smoking too much and sleeping too little, and the empty darkness in his soul is the blackest part of any night—until he’s assigned to investigate an escort service called Exotic Jewels and meets Líadán Niamh. Lushly beautiful, she is the embodiment of seduction and thrilling control. She arouses Brenden’s most feral desires—fierce, bone-deep needs they explore together, mouth to mouth and skin to skin. But Líadán’s hungry kiss is more dangerous than Brenden could have imagined. Women are turning up dead, and every clue leads Brenden back to Líadán—and a raw, brutal passion that could cost him his life…

It’s available online (Amazon, B&N, etc) as well as in most bookstores (at least I hope it is).

Jen: What 3 words would you use to describe your writing?
Devyn: Dark. Delicious. Deceptive.

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us about your call story...
Devyn: I discovered writing when I discovered reading, at about age 7. Once those things on a page (words) made sense in my little mind, I knew right then and there that I wanted to be a writer and tell terrific stories, too. I was so damn impressed with the art of writing. Always have been, always will be.

LOL, I didn’t actually get a call on my first NY sale. I got an email from an editor I’d been corresponding with at Kensington Books. I’d initially emailed her a query when the call for authors for the Aphrodisia imprint came out. She asked me to send in a couple of manuscripts, but initially rejected them on the grounds they were not erotic enough for the imprint. She did ask to see more of my work, though, and I subbed a short novella, Flesh and the Devil. The editor liked the novella and asked me if I would be willing to make some changes in the characters and do it as a full novel. I said, sure, why not, and she emailed the offer of a 2 book contract. Since that time I have had the pleasure of meeting Hilary Sares in person and she is awesome. It is a pleasure writing for en editor who lets you write what inspires. For me, that’s a lot of evil things that go bump in the night. Since my initial Nov 2005 sale, I have placed 7 novels and 4 novellas for anthologies with Kensington. I hope to write for Hilary and Kensington Books for many years to come.

Jen: Where do you draw your inspiration?
Devyn: Everywhere. From books, movies, real life, and my own fantasy life. I am always imagining dark and dreadful things happening around me, even if I’m just standing around in line at the grocery store. My mind is truly over active.

Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books?
Devyn: Oh, I love Frank McCourt and his book Angela's Ashes is genius. I would give my right arm to write like he does. His prose is poetry. I also love Norman Mailer, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Jeff Rice and Stephen King, his early work. I can truly say my favorite book is one that entertains me, be it history or biography. I don’t read much fiction because I write it, especially in the erotic genre. I do love Kate Douglas, Morgan Hawke, Jodi Lynn Copeland and Anya Howard. All these ladies rock when it comes to telling a great erotic story.

Jen: What’s been the highlight of your career to this point?
Devyn: The fact that I just started my 9th book, a sequel to Flesh and the Devil.

Jen: What's next for you?
Devyn: Writing, writing, more writing! In Nov 2008 I’ll have my 4th release of the year with Embracing Midnight, the first in my Niviane Idesha vampire series. 2009 will bring a Sexy Beast anthology with Kate Douglas, and an anthology with Anya Howard and Jodi Copeland, Dangerous Ties, a paranormal BDSM. I’ll also be releasing Man After Midnight, that aforementioned sequel to Flesh and the Devil, and another as yet untitled title in Sept 09, which begins a new demon themed series.

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Devyn: http://www.devynquinn.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/devynquinn

Jen: Do you have anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Devyn: What do you look for in dark erotic romance?

Jen: Devyn has graciously offered to give one commenter a copy of Flesh and the Devil. I'll draw a winner from the comments at 8:00 PDT today. Be sure to check back here to see if you're the winner.