If romantic erotica your thing, you’re going to enjoy Godiva Glenn. I don’t personally know her, unlike many of the authors I host. I stumbled onto Godiva through a friend. I was very excited when she agreed to let me interview her. She is very nice and gracious.
Go read the first chapter of Wedding Antics FREE.
Be sure to check out the reviews on Wedding Antics! Feel free to leave a comment or a review of your own in the comments section – here.
Pleas allow me to introduce, Godiva Glenn.
Hello, Godiva. First I want to thank you for being here, it’s an honor. I have so many questions, I’d love to just jump right in. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in erotic romance writing as far as content?
Godiva: In this field it’s particularly important to know your audience, and yet when it comes down to sexual kinks, they aren’t exactly going to advertise what they want. Some consider ménage to be cheating. Some think anal is disgusting. Some don’t want to talk about condoms because it breaks the fantasy. It’s hard to write and revise when everything can hinge on these details. I can write the hottest couple, destined to make love for all of eternity, and then lose a reader because they don’t like oral sex. It’s insanely stressful, yet it keeps me on my toes.
What do you think makes a good erotic romance story?
Godiva: A strong connection outside of the raw physical chemistry. And relatability. I like to see a bit of myself in the main character or love interest. It’s important that even if this is a world we dive into for an escape, there is a hint of reality. Not everyone has to be perfect, and their relationship shouldn’t be inexplicable—it should be fiery yet logical. I may root for insta-lust, but I am a fan of working for love.
I agree. Who doesn’t love to be in love? What are you currently working on and what is it about?
Godiva: Currently, I’m juggling several projects. I am always working on my short stories, and though they don’t take long to write, they receive substantial attention before they make it to the publishing stage.
My largest project is a novel trilogy based around Hades and a fallen angel, Saphrielle. It’s a dark romance that takes place in the ruins of the underworld. The tale plays heavily on duality and contrasts. Bleak versus sparkling, despair versus pleasure. Very little is what the reader would assume. Though everything is plotted out, I’m not done writing all three books yet.
How do you go about world-building for your stories?
Godiva: For the Naughty Night-Reading series, everything is modern and loosely based on locations that I’ve been to. So far I’ve avoided naming cities outside of Vegas, but I’ve turned my back against that “rule” and I’ll be less vague with locations in the future. Paranormal Playground takes place in the same world as the NNR series, but I have no plans of overlapping them.
The Divine Darkness series which holds Saphrielle’s Fall is modern but draws from a mythic past. Greek legends are reexamined and reborn. I love the outrageousness of the old stories, and I let them inspire the deities as I write them. This required time spent researching. I’ve tried to pull most of my inspiration from a single source, and it’s not the stories everyone will be most familiar with. Most readers who have been introduced to this world of legend were led by Homer. I chose to base my work off Hesiod.
When I build a world, I think of the cultural norms and taboos. I think of societal rankings. I think of how they see the human world and where they agree or disagree with the way we do things. And for this particular world, I think of the magic. Just like anything else, magic has rules, and it’s my job to think of every loophole, plot-hole, and other error I could make by introducing it.
How are you publishing your writing and why?
Godiva: I self-publish because of the freedom allowed. There are smaller publishers that have caught my eye, but I would rather eat my manuscript than give up my rights to my titles and covers. That’s not to say it’s easy. I’m not saying my covers are perfect. But I take responsibility for my creations, start to finish.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Godiva: At this time, I only have good reviews, and I certainly won’t complain about that. In the behind-the-scenes process, however, I’ve certainly gotten some scathing reviews on my writing. If they had ever made it to Amazon or Goodreads, oh well. I’m an artist. I can’t learn what I’m doing wrong unless someone steps forward and tells me. I can’t win everyone over, but I can do my best to produce quality content.
If all you’ve gotten is good reviews, you must be doing something right. What do your fans mean to you?
Godiva: If I had any fans, I’d probably hug them all. I’m saving my enthusiasm up. One day, when I’ve got followers who love my writing and want to share it with friends, I’ll have all of this gratitude and appreciation saved up for them. And knowing me, I’ll probably write fan fic for them!
Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have tons of fans. I’m a big one. Do you respond to reviews, good or bad?
Godiva: Nope. I’d advise everyone to stop at “thank you” and never look back. Responding to a review removes the wall between you and your reviewers—and they may have enjoyed your book but they may not be a fan. Fans love attention. Reviewers prefer to step forward, say their piece, and step back. Even if you mean well, it’s like big brother stepping in. And if you’re responding to a negative review, you’re just asking for trouble.
Great advice. I’d like to get a little personal, if you don’t mind. What is your favorite quote?
Godiva: “Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” – Arnold H. Glasow.
I love that! I’m making it my new mantra. One more question. What is your guilty pleasure?
Godiva: Even though I believe they lead to unhealthy expectations and encourage nonsense and unnecessary drama… I love to watch certain romcoms. Bridget Jones is a huge guilty pleasure to me.
Nothing wrong with that. Thank you so much for dropping in for a chat. I had a blast!
Author Bio:
Godiva Glenn started out by writing steamy romance novels, but soon discovered a penchant for creating delightful erotic encounters. She holds a B.A. in Literature, which more or less means she has spent more hours reading and writing than she would ever care to admit to.
Most of her writing is produced in the form of sizzling short stories, which tie into a single universe of men and women just looking for some fun… and the occasional happily ever after–the Naughty Night-Reading universe.
She resides in the U.S. with dreams of traveling abroad to research locations.
Also, she does not bite and is relatively pleasant to socialize with. Contact away.
You can always reach her on Facebook, follower her on Twitter, stop by and take a look at her X rated tumblr, The Night Sparkles. Find all of her new releases at Author Central. Her website is amazing, be sure to sign up for her newsletter.
Click on covers for more info:
Very Sherry Terry 
Reblogged this on Ra Winter Writer and commented:
Gotta love Godiva Glenn.
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