Heart of Romance

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR Sascha Illyvich


Today I’m interviewing Sascha Illyvich. His book, Surrender to Love is BDSM erotica and was released on February 7th, 2012.



Please tell my readers a little bit about your book. 

Sure! In order to cure the dreaded creative rut she’s in, Livia ends up in Las Vegas by suggestion from her therapist. Oh and there’s a catch. Livia ‘s been set up to have a one night stand with a very handsome man who promises her freedom through submission. Can she surrender to more than just passion?


I wrote this book for a loved one, because she needed a reminder that I do love her.



Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?  
Erotic BDSM is a huge genre on its own that encompasses many sub genres. Erotica itself has a loyal niche following comprised of folks who like a little mild sex to those who like it rough and raw and dirty ;) No, I've written in and prefer to stay in erotic romance, where I can work through deeper issues for my characters other than just who is getting in bed with whom.




When did you start writing toward publication? 

13 years ago.



Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?
Nope, I pretty much sold off the bat. I was lucky to be pretty skilled at the time, but the markets I targeted weren't big enough and I knew I'd need to grow as a writer if I wanted more money.




What’s it like to be a man writing romance in a genre dominated by women?    
It's a LOT of fun ;) I think the best part about it is the flirting LOL!




What is your writing routine like? 

Brutal - I wake up around 9:30 and am in the office around 10, checking email and such while eating breakfast and drinking a few cups of tea while managing social media. Around noon I determine if I'm writing or editing. If I'm writing a new project I go for a word count, usually around 2,500 words a day at LEAST. If editing, I try to edit (my work) around 10,000 words a day. Then there are my duties as an editor at Sizzler Editions, managing the Intoxication (Erotic Romance) line. Around 4 or 5 PM, I go outside with a cigar or my pipe and veg for two hours, while answering email on my phone. If it's a long day I don't stop until 9 or later. I'm not physically supposed to have too many of those due to a bad heart but books don't (sadly) edit themselves. Weekends, pretty much the same routine, though I try to alternate doing blog posts and website updates on Sundays to break up the monotony.




What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?    
Facebook, twitter, I speak at conventions, I teach, I have a radio show (currently on hiatus) on Radio Dentata where I talk industry smack along with promoting my books. I had an assistant but since the economy took a turn for the worse, she had to get a second job in addition to what she did for a living. My two agents and publicist will retweet things and share stuff as needed.




Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?
Nope. But I teach often to RWA and I believe the local chapters are probably the best thing out for authors, because this is a VERY lonely job.



What’s next for you? 
One last round of edits on my paranormal romance "Stalker" for agent Marisa Corvisiero. I need to up the romance, remove some of the more edgy material for a larger market appeal. That's 100k, 20k of which I need to redo. I have one chapter of a story I need to finish for the fine folks at Sizzler Editions, a paranormal ménage, and I am starting a vampire erotic romance for them sometime this year. Plus Decadent Publishing has one more story of mine that's currently in edits. After that, I'll start the follow up to Stalker, and the follow up to Burning for Derrick, called Saint in Sinner's Eyes (also a paranormal romance)



BOOK BLURB

In order to cure the dreaded creative rut she’s in, Livia ends up in Las Vegas by suggestion from her therapist. Oh and there’s a catch. Livia’s been set up to have a one night stand with a very handsome man who promises her freedom through submission. Can she surrender to more than just passion?


A little bit about the author
Proclaimed by the Publishing industry as the Bad Boy of Romance, I started writing thirteen years ago. My erotic romances have been listed under the Night Owl Romance and Road to Romance’s Recommended read list, as well nominated for a CAPA by The Romance Studio.

I host the Unnamed Romance Show on Radio Dentata and continue to write for Sizzler Editions and Total E-bound. Readers can find my work, plus free reads at http://saschaillyvichauthor.com

I edit for Sizzler Editions Intoxication Erotic Romance line and I’m also part of the WriteSex Panel, a blog group defining erotica for writers in any genre! Find us at http://www.writesex.net



Excerpt
“How do you fare with change, Livia?”


She shuddered visibly. Who was Dr. Gena kidding? Livia looked down at the beige carpet and blinked, speaking softly. “I don’t like it.”


“Because you can’t control things.”


“Yes.” Livia nodded and looked at her therapist. A cream-colored top stretched over the doctor’s figure while a pair of gray suit pants hugged motherly hips. Her hair was held up by pins, exposing a slender neckline. A little makeup helped take off years and the cool stare Dr. Gena gave her showed more wisdom than the average person. “Because I have no control.”



Dr. Gena looked up from her notes and twirled the pen around her fingers. “Have you considered the idea that maybe you can ride the change, letting it take you to new experiences, while you control how you behave, how you respond to it?”



Was her therapist insane? Livia wrung her hands together. “No.”



“Then maybe it’s time you look into the idea of moving beyond what and who you think you are. If the dead no longer help you, then they only serve to weigh you down.”



It became harder to breath suddenly. Her past wasn’t anything special, it just was. A life of fear of going outside, of being around other people, and not being understood.



Dr. Gena rose and set a hand on Livia’s chin. With a little pressure, she tipped Livia’s eyes to meet hers. “You truly are a strong woman. You’ve survived a lot in your lifetime. I have some friends in Las Vegas I can recommend you to. It will be a shock to your system, but I think you’ll adjust pretty quickly, given what we’ve discussed in your sessions over the last few years.”



She gasped, exhaling the breath she didn’t realize she’d held. The idea was ludicrous! Her? Move out of her sleepy, one-horse town and into a den of iniquity? She began chewing her lower lip. “You’re asking me to uproot my entire life?




How can my readers buy your book? 

Readers can go to the publisher’s home page at http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=137&products_id=463&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414



You can find more information about Sascha and his book, Surrender to Love by

visiting his website, http://saschaillyvichauthor.com or

his blog at http://www.writesex.net