Just Erotic Romance Reviews

M & M Presents - Michelle Pillow and Mandy Roth - two delectable authors in the erotic romance genre

Part 3

Mandy, where did you get the idea to write Peace Offerings, Vampyre Productions and the Gwyneth Stevens series? The men are simply HOT, the women are strong and likeable and there is never a dull moment!

Michelle: *jumping in* MORE DOD! MORE PO! Please, please, please *smack* Ouch. Why's it getting dark in here?

Mandy: Can I delete her off this? LOL.

The idea for Peace Offerings came to me while I was writing Daughter of Darkness. Kerrigan puts his hand up and creates a large orb that holds images of Gwen's mother in it. I like that idea so much that it spawned Mackenzie who had the same ability. I find now that I tend to keep my magic rules and world rules close in all my books. I like feeling as though I'm peeking into various points around the world and seeing what that section of the paranormals/dark fantasy creatures are up to. (Yep, I'm nuts.)

Daughter of Darkness started with me thinking it would be funny to put a heroine in a crappy car my husband and I once owned. I know that's odd but it was the first scene I wrote. I blew the car up. I hated it so bad. LOL. The next bit of inspiration was from a local amusement park. It goes all out around Halloween time to change the park into a spooky good time. I met my husband while working there eleven years ago so I sort of associate it with that sort of 'romantic' feel. Seeing the park employees dressed as creatures of the night and walking in and out of the midway, I thought about how cool it would be to create a park that was permanently themed for the supernatural and run by them as well. What better way to hide than out in the open?

Vampyre Productions was created because I originally had planned to have Pallo from DOD own and operate a productions studio. Since I went with the theme park, I created the fictitious production company to use as a series title that would then have sub series within it. Valkyrie is the first one. I'm obsessed with mythology so I HAD to write something about these kick ass chicks.

As far as the women go, I can stretch and create worlds that are as far from reality as you can get but I have a very hard time creating women who aren't strong willed. I have a wicked temper, a sharp mouth, a sardonic sense of humor and the ability to fall to pieces for no reason one moment and be fine the next.

From your description of your heroines I understand that some of them have your personality traits. Is there a little bit of you in all of your heroines?

Mandy: Mandy: Sadly enough, yes. There's a bit of me in everyone I write. I'm renaming myself Sybil later or Eve. I have so many sides, just like everyone, and it's very therapeutic to let them escape and play for a while.

Mandy, you have a number of series. Is there one in particular that calls to your heart?

Mandy: Daughter of Darkness because it was my first and is my baby. Immortal Ops because I really love the military aspect of it.

How long did it take to write these books? Did some of these stories come more easily to pen?

Mandy: Daughter took me about four to six weeks. I'm capable of doing a full length in a few days depending on my muse. She took a few month hiatus and drank herself into a stupor under a coconut tree but she's back now.

LOL. Yes, paranormal/dark fantasy first person books flow so fast for me that I'm sad to be at the end so soon. That's why I make them series. It lets me keep visiting them.

What type of creative process do you follow when writing your stories?

Mandy: I don't have a set pattern. More often than not, it will be opening a document and just starting, taking notes as I go. Sometimes, it's me having an idea, writing out notes and then having at it.

I'd like to know what inspired the M & M Presents stories. How did the concept of these stories come to be and most particularly your names for the series?

Michelle & Mandy: Well, we're kind of known together as the M&M's because of all our joint work and appearances. Our first collaboration was Happy Hour with the M&Ms at the Raven-Free ongoing, online story: http://www.ravenhappyhour.com/raven_reviews1.htm. The name caught and we ran with it. LOL.

You've branched out with Pleasure Cruise about to be published at Ellora's Cave. Are you able to tell our readers when this book will be released? Or even a hint of the story outline? A small hint?

Michelle: We were able to smuggle a document out... *breathing hard*

The Powers that Be, Interoffice Memo
Re: Pleasure Cruise, Cruise Line Corporation, Pilot Program
TOP SECRET

Due to the dwindling population of certain supernatural factions, and the reluctance of the supernatural kind to take mates for all eternity-especially from within their own population, due in most part from old grudges held still from the Middle Ages-we will be establishing a comprehensive program to repopulate the various supernatural species.

In an unprecedented move, we will now be allowing humans on the Pleasure Cruise, Cruise Line to take part in the preordained mating process. If this goes well, we will be slowly introducing humans into our other lines as well-Pleasure Air, Pleasure Island, etc.

It is our hope that by introducing humans into their bloodlines, the supernatural will be less reluctant to take a mate. All humans who mate themselves to a supernatural will be blessed with the gift to procreate and eternal life.

Mandy: Pleasure Cruise should be out with Ellora's Cave any time now.

*Editors Note: Pleasure Cruise is now available at Ellora's Cave.

Is Pleasure Cruise a standalone book or part of a series?

Michelle: There's been talk of more books, but so far just the one has been finished and contracted. We judge a lot off of reader input and sales, so we'll see. LOL.

Mandy: ROLAMO. She keeps answering perfectly.

Do you have any plans right now to branch out with other projects together?

Michelle: We have Red Light Specialist in the works and I have a notebook full of ideas we've come up with. Most depends on reader response and time.

Mandy: The newest one we're talking about has me in stitches every time it comes up. All I'll say is he's little and he's green.

Do you have other projects lined up that you can tell us about? A smidgeon of a hint would appease us - or maybe not, as we would want to buy these books immediately!

Michelle: Want to give them a RLS tease? LOL. I have a hot historical in the works with EC.

Mandy: LOL. Nah, let's make 'em wait. Immortal Ops 2 should be done soon. It'll take readers into the world of Roi, the quintessential bad boy of the lycan team.

I've read Immortal Ops and thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful story. In fact I was impressed with this short story and can't wait for more books to be released in the same setting. When can we expect stories for Roi, Lance, Jon, Green and Wilson to be published? Are you working on these now...please say yes!

Mandy: YES. LOL. Immortal Ops 2 - Critical Intelligence would have been out months ago if it had not been for a rather horrific defective hard drive incident. I had to basically start over. I now back up religiously.

One of the characters in Immortal Ops comes to a serious demise, don't want to spoil it for the readers who haven't yet picked up this wonderful book. You've mention that you plan to tell all their stories. Is this still your target?

Mandy: Yep, I'm still going to tell their stories. I'm also toying with introducing a new op (s).

Immortal Ops has been recognized for some awards. I found Lukian to be a very sexy, romantic and strong character. How does it feel to receive awards, both from a personal perspective and as a writer?

Mandy: *licks JERR Silver Star for Immortal Ops again* Uhh, it's nice. YEAH RIGHT! It's amazing and very surreal. I keep wondering if they read my book or confused it with someone else's. And thanks about Lukian. I think my hubby got laid (I can say this stuff here right?) more during the creation of that book then he did during the horniest months of my pregnancies. LOL.

Daughter Of Darkness and Immortal Ops both were #1 Best Sellers at fictionwise.com. How do you feel about this fantastic achievement?

Mandy: As outgoing as I am, I still find it odd to talk about things such as fictionwise and awards/reviews. I'm overwhelmed by it all and keep thinking it's a computer glitch. LOL. On days that I want to toss the towel in, my husband just reminds me of all of this. I throw my mouse-pad at him but in the end he gets his point across. It's all worth it.

How did you come up with such a gorgeous man? Did anyone inspire you? And if so is he single and available.

Mandy: ROFLMAO! The men in my stories come from a variety of places. Caleb from DOD has my husband's personality traits and was inspired from my love of big hair bands when I was in high school.

Misfit in Middle America has Adam in it. His looks are completely based off my husband. He has my mentality though. LOL.

There's a gym down just a bit from my house that plays host to some of the sexiest men I've ever seen. It's the type of place that you want to bring a bowl of popcorn, not care if your ass spreads to the size of a tire, while you sit and watch the Greek gods strutting their stuff before you. It's a rare thing to see a man that isn't a work of art there. I think there may be something in the water here but most of the men that hang out there make you think sex, feral, sex, abs, tight ass, sex (hey, I'm married not dead). LOL.

As far as the rest go, I'm clearly a horny woman. It doesn't take much for me to rattle off the traits and characteristics of a man I find sexy. I do think it's funny that I can find a tall, toned man with long hair as sexy as a beefy Adonis with a short cut. Men are amazing creatures in my book. Oooo, I want to start a male museum... NO, a petting zoo. (Waiting for politically correct people to begin emailing me. Please know that I will answer the men wanting to participate in petting zoo before the people ticked I thought of doing that to them. LOL.)

Cyber Sex was a fun and sexy short story. Do you have plans to release the next book in the series soon?

Mandy: Oh, yes! I set it up to be endless. They are so much fun to write.

Can you tell us whose story in the Cyber Sex series you're working on now?

Mandy: I have two going at the same time right now. Jonas and Dirk's.

I loved your story Misfit In Middle America. Is there any possibility of Justin's story being written? Or can we see a continuation of Adam and Beth's story?

Mandy: LOL, thanks. But I think Michelle paid you to ask me this. ROFLMAO. Misfit was originally written as a thank you present for one of my closest friends who spend an amazing amount of time helping me get DOD ready to ship off. She's not a huge dark fantasy fan so I wrote an urban paranormal for her. I never thought people would respond to it so well. I might do something with it. I still haven't decided.

You've written for a variety of publishers, both electronically and traditional publishers. Have you found any similarities or differences between these two mediums?

Michelle: People often think that less work goes into e-books. It's an unfounded assumption and just not true. E-books tend to come out faster, but that's about it. LOL. It takes just as much time and effort to write a book, no matter where it is published. I've enjoyed both experiences. The editors have been great. But, as far as the work, there really is no difference between the two.

Mandy: I like the freedom to blend any genre, make my heroine as mouthy and as kick ass as I want and to let her have more than one hero if she wants. Anybody willing to let me do it is okay by me. LOL.

Michelle's right though. At times more work is put into the ebook than a print title. It just depends. It's very close.

Mandy, you mention that you have a book in traditional print being published. What print title is coming out and who is the publisher? Can you give us a brief outline of the book?

Mandy: The first is Sex on Holiday, with Virgin Publishing (Black Lace). It's due out in May 2005. It's an anthology that I added a little fantasy of mine to. I'll have some more exciting news for you all soon. The minute I do, I'll pass it on.

There are restrictions in print publishing not found in e-publishing, though the standard of writing is maintained; there are no set parameters and you can let your imagination run wild with paranormal, fantasy, werewolf and vampire stories. Is this what attracted you to e-publishing?

Michelle: I do love that about e-books. You can cross genres, make up new ones, push limits, really challenge yourself as to your imagination. But, since we do love to write in a variety of genres, some of it does fit into traditional houses. So I have to say, I like being able to do both. Also the traditionally houses are starting to branch out more.

Mandy: That's exactly what attracted me to e-books. I'm a firm believer that 'genres' are like the lines in a coloring book-merely suggestions. LOL.

Would you encourage new writers to try both avenues or would you recommend them testing the publishing waters some other way?

Michelle: Find a house first and go with it. Do it because you love it. And defiantly spread yourself out, keep putting stuff out there... *looking at Mandy in a panic* How am I doin' here?

Mandy: *winks* sounds good to me. Do you think they're buying the line that we have a clue? I sure hope so. In all honesty, I'm very excited by both avenues. When I added the print avenue the first thing I thought was "kewl, I have another title coming out this year." They are the same to me.

Michelle, I've noticed that you have a book, Fierce Competition, being published by Virgin Publishing later this year. How did this exciting event come about and can you tell us a bit about the book?

Michelle: This is another genre hop for me. Before my first book was contracted, I sent a short story in for the Wicked Words Collection (Sex in the Office, Feb-March 2005, Virgin). From that short story I got the offer to do a book for the Cheek imprint. Cheek is basically an erotic chick lit. Fierce Competition was born and I've also just signed the second full length book contract for Virgin, Opposites Attract, coming out 2005-2006.

You also have a historical book, Maiden and the Monster, coming out through Ellora's Cave. This is a departure from your usual style of books. Is it something that you've wanted to do for a while?

Michelle: Actually, this is the original style of my books. It was the fifth book I'd ever written, way before trying to get published. I started doing nothing but straight historicals. My first published, The Mists of Midnight (NCP, 2004) was the ninth book I'd ever written and by the time I sent it in I had over 11 books done. However, most of what has come out has been new stuff since then. Most haven't even been submitted to anyone but are written. I still have those first ones sitting in cyberspace, collecting cyberdust.

Do either of you have any other books in the pipe works? Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to tell us about? Maybe briefly outline a little about them?

Michelle: I'm working on a few new series. One is another spin off of the futuristic series, with several other ideas for series lined up. All my futuristics are connected in some way. I think that makes it fun for my loyal readers to find the connections.

I also just stared work on a new underwater series as well as putting the finishing touches on the third Tribes of the Vampire book.

Mandy: I have a series of first person paranormals that follow a group of protectors around. I've also got a rockin' vamp series well into the works.

If you were stranded on an island what three things would you take with you?

Michelle: A boat, a plane, and tons of sun-block. It we're in the tropics I'm screwed.

Mandy: Adrian Paul, Hugh Jackman, Stewart Townsend. Yep, that would do it.

Do you have a favorite sex toy?

Michelle: My Husband ;-)

Mandy: LOL. She didn't say favorite sex slave. I can't pick just one. If I own it, it's a favorite.

What is your favorite curse word?

Michelle: MANDY!!!! Wait, is that a curse word. I seem to scream it a lot in irritation into the phone. Yes, Mandy, that's irritation. Not something else you perv!

Mandy: GoddamnMotherFuckingBitch. *hangs head in shame* I have a horrible mouth when left unchecked.

I would like to thank both Michelle Pillow and Mandy Roth for taking the time from their busy schedules to answer my questions, and for not being intimidated when I first approached them and told them I was interested in conducting an i nterview. This was before I sent them my initial list of no more than a 100 questions! They took my curiosity in good stride and we managed to negotiate, and tone down my curiosity, with the results being the two part interview we've all been lucky to read. These two ladies have impressed me with their professionalism and fun personalities. It was one of the most enjoyable interviews I've had the pleasure to conduct and we hope it has been just as good an experience for our readers.

The Coordinators and Reviewers at Just Erotic Romance Reviews wish to congratulate Mandy and Michelle on their achievements, and most recent awards, which are so well-deserved of their skills as authors and storytellers. They have the gift and ability to take us to another time and place for those hours spent reading their books. We wish them both the very best and much future success in their writing endeavors.

See below for other points of interest from Michelle and Mandy.

Websites:
Michelle Pillow: http://www.michellepillow.com/
Mandy Roth: http://www.mandyroth.com/
Raven Happy Hour Free Story: http://www.ravenhappyhour.com/raven_reviews1.htm

Groups:
Michelle Pillow's Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michellempillow/join
Mandy Roth's Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/Mandy_M_Roth
The Raven Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Raven_Vampire_Nightclub/join

Publishers:
New Concepts Publishing (NCP): http://www.newconceptspublishing.com
Ellora's Cave Publishing: http://www.ellorascave.com
Virgin Publishing: http://www.virginbooks.com/

Click here to read part 1 of the interview

Click here to read part 2 of the interview

Back to Interviews 2005