Here’s an author interview from Anthony Beal.
Find out what he had to say…
- What erotica authors do you enjoy reading?
I’m addicted to the works of Anais Nin and Henry Miller. “Little Birds” and “Delta of Venus” are my favorites by Nin for the poetry that sings through her descriptions and phrasings. “Tropic of Cancer” and “Under the Roofs of Paris” are my favorites by Miller, for his ability to infuse some glimmer of beauty into even the rawest, most graphic depictions of sexual activity. I admire the way they allow me to immerse myself completely in the worlds they create, so much so that I’m always a bit sad whenever I finish a book by either.
- If you could bring one of your characters to life, which one would it be and why?
I’d breathe life into Esme, one of the female protagonists in my yet untitled erotic novel currently undergoing final edits. I’d want to sit down with her and ask her if she feels I’ve given her a good and rewarding life. Like each of us, she has her obstacles to overcome and her discoveries to make about others and herself, and I’d hope that throughout the course of the story I’ve told, she felt satisfied with the way events unfold for her. Most importantly, I’d want to hear about what she plans to do with herself from the point at which the novel ends, onward through the rest of her life; places she’s been or intends to go, things she’s seen or intends to see, other people she’s met and her impressions of them and of the world into which I’d written her.
- What’s the best writing tip you’ve ever been given?
“You’re never quite as good or as bad as you think you are.” I don’t recall who said it, but what I take away from it is that there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. I’m not as good at writing as I think I am, inasmuch as no writer should ever fall into the trap of believing his every rendering to be a masterpiece that is above being edited or improved upon (or of putting too much stock in hearing from others how wonderful his written works are). On the other hand, I’m not as bad at writing as I think either, since constantly second-guessing myself or allowing negative feedback to demolish my spirit is equally counterproductive to my growth as a writer.
- Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Mainly from strangers I pass on the street and past relationships that ended poorly. My characters tend to be unhappy people, or at least people who are missing something, or believe that they are. They, like most interesting people I’ve known, are usually chasing something, even if they haven’t yet figured out what it is. It’s fun sometimes when writing a story to see who will figure it out first: the character or the reader. Once that’s established, the fun is in deciding whether or not they get to find whatever it is they feel will make their lives compete.
- What’s your favorite genre within erotica and why?
Horror/paranormal erotica interests me a great deal. Lust and fear are the two states that more than any other, lead people to act without thinking, to make unwise long-term choices for relatively short-term benefit. These are the two most primal, survivalist instincts that mankind possesses, and are the two most difficult to overcome when they’ve really got hold of you, so whenever I can braid them for the sake of a story, I do enjoy seeing where they take my characters.
- If you get writer’s block when you’re writing, how do you get around it?
I typically step away from the piece for a while. This might be an hour, a day, or a week. Nine of ten times, whenever I do this, whenever the story has been put away for a while, I return the better for having done it. Generally, I return and re-read the chapter immediately preceding the point where I got stuck, and the solution will present itself.
- What are you working on at the moment?
I’m completing my final round of edits on a novel about an unnamed island that doesn’t appear on any map, where wealthy women go to indulge in sexual tourism with certain members of the island’s young male demographic. These young men earn their living that way, and as such, they know better than to fall for any of their rich clients. Esme, a statuesque forty-something redhead well-acquainted with casual encounters, will arrive there to learn that both her chosen paramour Reynaldo and the island beneath their feet are more than even her wildest dreams could have foretold.