Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Changeling Press - Candy Hearts and Valentines Day Suprises.

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Willa Okati

So Willa, who is Willa Okati?

Should I start quoting Meredith Brooks lyrics? *wink* Willa Okati is… a writer, someone who's fascinated with words and how you can mix them up with characters to make interesting stories. I'm a daydreamer, always thinking up new ways to bring those characters together. I'm a chatter, who loves to talk to readers and writers alike. I'm a crazy cat lady, I'm a slave to coffee beans, and I'm a collector of various "nifty things" that litter my apartment. I'm quiet in person until you get to know me, and then I unfurl. Right now, I'm in one of the best places I've been in years, doing what I love to do for Changeling Press

How did you become an author? When did you start writing?

If by author you mean "published", then I first got my chops into it with journalism. I wrote an account of a lay midwife in Indiana, where it's a class-D felony to operate without a license, and it was published in "The Birthkit". No pay, but a nice freebie copy. I wish I knew where it was. If you mean erotica specifically, I knew of Katriena Knights from some other circles, and learned about e-publishing through her, following naturally to Changeling Press. Since short stories were my forte, I wrote Pat Haley asking if Changeling would be interested in an anthology. She said "yes", I wrote "Black Leather Night and Other Tales", and it's all gone from there. Now, as to when I first began writing, I suppose you could say that happened before I was even old enough to hold a pen. I'd dictate little flights of fancy to my mother, who wrote them down for me. I don't think she'd be interested in being my transcriber now!

Can you talk to me a little about your characters?

Robhain, Kyreion, Ronan… Will and Mabbey… Ryan and Thom. These are all my dream guys. Not just because they're beautiful and they get it on with each other or assorted pretty men, but because they're expressions of my favorite aspects of male sexuality combined with the fascination of the paranormal genre. Vampires and assorted fantastical creatures and scenarios captivate my imagination like nothing else. They pop into my mind, full-grown, and demand that their story be told. Mabbey, for example, started hanging out in my psyche, dressed in pink lace and sipping on a swirly-straw margarita, asking why I wasn't talking about him yet. Thom and Ryan, ordinary guys with some extraordinary circumstances, wrestled their way in and teased me into telling their tale. Robhain and the other vampires from "Black Leather Night and Other Tales" haunted me until I wrote them down. They're powerful figures, who know what they want, and take it any way they can. All my men learn to go after their dreams, seize them, and win the day.

Why write about m/m erotica? Are you surprised by how much readers like these stories, how successful they've been?

I write about M/M erotica because, frankly, it pushes my hot buttons. In the past, before I knew that sensual stories were my very favorite, I wrote M/F novels that now languish underneath my bed. There'd always be something picking at me, some wrong chord. Then I discovered fanfic and M/M erotica, otherwise known as slash, and it's like a whole new world opened up to me. Beautiful men, getting it on! Two for the price of one! Also, I write about M/M erotica because I relate better to men. I'm such a total "guy" myself -- my husband often refers to himself as the "wife" in our marriage. I'm a little bit, but pleasantly, surprised as to how much readers have liked these stories. I'm delighted that they have. However, from reading and writing in the slash community for so long, I knew the market was out there -- I just hoped the readers would come to it!

What have you recently published?

Most recently, I've published "Black Leather Night and Other Tales", a vampire anthology of short stories, and "The Drag Queen of Faerie", the tale of Mabbey, Queen Mab's bastard cousin and a doll in drag. I had the most fun writing Mabbey's story. He just zings with life!

What are your future projects for Changeling Press?

Future projects for Changeling Press include the Candy Heart "Valentine Vow", the tale of two bed buddies who are determined not to admit that they're in love. They even swear off Valentine's Day. Unknown to them, however, St. Valentine himself takes offense at that, and swears he'll get them to admit their feelings for one another… also, coming in March, I have "Blood Red", a vampire version of Beauty and the Beast, with a vampire Beast, Sebastien. He faces the challenge of his long, lonely life when a peddler, Ros, enters his crumbling castle and breaks down all the rules he'd lived by. Is Ros his salvation, or his downfall? Following that will be "Freedom Rising", another vampire story, of a courtesan who falls down on his luck but discovers that he's favored by one of the Nightwalkers, Nanashi. Nanashi has the power to raise him back to his high rank, and the skill to make his body come alive in bed, but can he win his heart? Other projects include "The New Drag Queen of Faerie", a sequel, and a four-book series entitled "The Elementals".

Has anyone influenced your writing?

I like to think I have my own unique style. I've never been one to follow the rules as most people go by them -- hence, the M/M erotica. One big influence on my writing has been a hypnotist, who taught me how to go into first-stage hypnosis in order to write. You focus, breathe, and let the words flow into your head and out on the screen. It really does work.

Who do you like to read?

In genre fiction, I love Mercedes Lackey (the Bardic series! Ooh!), Terry Pratchett, Laurell K. Hamilton, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Read the book before you see the movie, that's all I've got to say. I am Shakespeare's slave, too, in case you wanted to know. E-erotica authors -- Shelby Morgan. M/M e-erotic authors would be Elizabeth Jewell and Sean Michael. Print M/M erotica authors include Ben Tyler, Dave Benbow, and Mel Keegan. I also love the "Date With Destiny: Escape from Fire Island" M/M Choose Your Own Adventure -- it's my dream to write something like that one day.

What are your hobbies?

I'm a collector. What I collect depends on my obsession at the time. Right now I'm in a big "Buffy" phase, so I'm picking up figurines and mini-busts and DVD's off eBay. Other times, I've collected candles, brooches, and earrings. Just whatever catches my attention and makes me go: "Oooh, shiny!" I also do needlepoint as a way of centering myself. There's just something meditative about that which calms me. I don't watch much TV, but when I do, look out -- the show in question is likely to become an obsession.

So how can readers reach you and where is your website?

Readers can reach me at willshenillshe@gmail.com. My website is http://www.willsheornillshe.com, but it's under construction right now -- I've hired a designer to overhaul the whole thing, so it's not entirely up to date. Please, do e-mail me -- I'd love to hear from you!

Click here to read Stephanie Burke's interview

Click here to read Blayne Edwards interview

I would like to thank Stephanie Burke, Blayne Edwards and Willa Okati for taking the time to visit with us here at Just Erotic Romance Reviews. I appreciate that these lovely ladies took the time from their busy schedules to contribute to our newsletter. I would also like to sincerely thank MamaZ for her contribution to the articles. She most graciously took the time from her other commitments to interview and pen these articles for our February 13 Newsletter.

The Coordinators and Reviewers at Just Erotic Romance Reviews wish to congratulate Stephanie, Blayne, and Willa on their achievements. We wish them all the best and future success in their writing endeavors.

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