I’ve invited a really good erotica writer to join us this week for an interview. Imogen Keeper, better known as Immy. Her favorite things are maternity pants, family, friends, orchids, tough critiques, and blueberries. She isn’t sure who she likes more Steve Harvey or Khai but both are her favorite people in the universe, or so she says. Not only does Immy write steamy romance, she also puts pen to paper in Urban Fantasy.
Hey, Immy. Thanks for stopping by!
Did you come across any specific challenges in writing your first erotica novel? What would you do differently the next time?
Immy: My first novel, The Bonding, was a serious labor of learning. I had no idea what I was doing when I sat down and started writing it. I pounded out what turned out to be the first Act – though I didn’t know that at the time – and then had no idea what to do. I had to learn plot structure. Then I had to learn character arcs. And there was the constant doubt in the back of my mind that I was doing it wrong, but was just too biased to know if it was any good.
That was the single hardest hurdle. Making a decision, believing people when they said it was good, deciding to go for it. It’s hard to know… of course I think it’s good, I wrote it. But believing that anyone else could like it… that was harder.
I’m glad you got over the hurtle of believing people when they say your stories are good. I’m one of them. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Immy: I wouldn’t pretend to have anything meaningful in terms of advice. Everyone is so different that what we need when we start is different. Some people need encouragement, others need tough love, others collaboration. Find other writers maybe. That helped me. And write! But again, what helped me may not help someone else.
Is being a romance writer a gift or a curse?
Immy: To me? It’s a gift. An absolute joy and a pleasure. Writing is my escape. It’s how I unwind, entertain myself, maintain my sanity. It’s even how I drift to sleep at night. I love writing.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing as far as content?
Immy: Sometimes I hit a scene that requires some research. I had a fight scene on a space base that required breaking a glass wall. On one side was air and people, on the other was space. So I had to do some research on what exactly would happen medically to someone exposed to a vacuum. It’s not pretty.
And then there are the scenes that are tough to write just because they’re so emotional. Writing about anyone losing someone they love with get me crying almost immediately. So sometimes I save those scenes for late at night when I’m all alone.
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
Immy: Oh, jeeze… this is such a hard question because my answer would probably change with the wind. Right now, in this exact moment, I’d love to sit down and have a glass of wine with Nora Roberts. I’d like to find out how she writes so fast, and what her editing process looks like. If she has a plot cheat sheet she uses. But on another day, the answer could definitely be George Martin or Diana Gabaldon… It just depends on my mood and what I’m struggling with in my writing at any given moment.
I’d also like to know how Nora Roberts cranks out stories so fast. This was fun, and I’m so glad you stopped by to give us a peek into your world. Thanks!
Bio
Immy lives on the East Coast with her husband and child. It was a long road to writing. College brought a passion for literary analysis and art history. So many papers written in those four years. An MFA in design, and a brief career in Interior Design, followed by the hard decision to be a stay-at-home mom resulted in a lady who didn’t enjoy sitting idle, a long-napping baby, and a lot of time on her hands. The result was a series of experiments with a variety of hobbies – cooking, baking, painting, gardening, DIY, knitting, filmography, obsessive reading, yoga, you name it until finally, one day she just sat down at her computer – and voilà her fantasies were finally put down on the blank page!
You can also find Immy on Twitter, Facebook, and her author website.
Click on book cover for a link:
Very Sherry Terry 
Hey Lidy! Thanks so much for commenting! Always nice to meet a fellow Steve Harvey fan. He always makes me feel better about the world. No matter what!
It’s been a long time since I had time to read like I used to. I was a gobble-up 2-3 books a week kind of girl in my single days. Lately, after having a baby, I’m lucky to read a book a month. But one of my favorites is Karen Marie Moning – Romance and Urban Fiction. Susan Elizabeth Phillips for laughs – the woman can make anything funny. I love Gabaldon and George Martin. I try to avoid reading books that are in my specific genre just because it scares me that I might be accidentally influenced.
And I try to pay attention to how they introduce characters and lay out scenes, but the trouble is, if the author is really good – I always forget that I’m supposed to be learning and just sink into the story. It makes it darned hard to learn!
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I also like Steve Harvey and wonder how Nora Roberts write so fast.
I’m working on my first romance, something I’d never thought I do. My writing inclinations lean more to young adult fantasy. But I’m enjoying myself writing it. Also reading lots of romances, they’re a great escape. And a learning experience too. So far, I love the works by Ava Claire, Cora Seton, Maureen Child, Jennifer Probst, Denise Grover Swank, J.S. Scott, etc.
As an erotica/romance writer, which author’s do you like reading both for pleasure and education purposes?
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