Giveway & Author Interview With TK Turner

Yes, the rumours are true . . . I have been wooed, seduced, and liberated of my book blogging virginity - and not just once, but twice in one night! What the heck am I talking about? Well, I am hugely excited this morning to be hosting my first Giveaway AND my first Author Interview, both courtesy of the lovely TK Turner.

TK Turner has just published her first single-title publication, Her Temptress, and has been kind enough to offer up a free electronic copy to one (1) lucky reader of the Bibrary. We'll get to more on the giveaway below, but for now let's get right into the interview. I think you'll agree, she's a fun, fantastic woman, and you won't be able to resist reading more about her!

1. For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't checked out your blog, please tell us a little about yourself.

“Eccentric” and “free-spirited” are adjectives folks have used to describe me ever since I was a little girl. For instance, when I was in elementary school, I was convinced I could talk to trees. Because I had many imaginary friends, my mother referred to me as her “peculiar child,” haha! But I don’t mind being a little weird. I’ve always danced to my own drum. The way I see it, life is too short to obsess over the small stuff.

I am a college student (just a semester away from my bachelor’s degree, huzzah!) and a total space case on most occasions. Sometimes my daydreaming is productive and can lead to future story ideas—but my imagination is always at work.

2. The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

I was stoked when I got my first publication. I was twenty years old (I just turned twenty-two this December) and that was a humbling experience for me. I mean, to many of my colleagues and writer friends, I’m still a “novice,” you know? I’ve only been publishing my work for a little over a year, so I got so much more to learn. I’d hardly call myself “accomplished,” but I hope by the time I’m thirty I’ll get the hang of it. For right now, I’m having fun figuring out how it all works. Writing has always been my passion and I enjoy sharing that with other people.

3. Do you have a soundtrack to your writing? Is there a particular band or style of music you like to listen to while writing?

That’s a funny question because I’m kind of obsessive about the music I listen to when I’m working. Depending on the scene I’m writing, I’ll listen to different music. If I’m writing a fight scene, I’ll listen to “epic” music (think Star Wars “Duel of the Fates” kinda stuff or E.S. Posthumus) where there’s a choir shrieking something in Latin in the background and everything, haha! I have to create the right “mood.” My boyfriend laughs at me—he’ll walk through the door, hear my music blasting, and ask, “So…which character is getting beat up today?” or something. There are times that I’m so into the music and the scene I’m writing, that I will begin to “act out” the scene as if in a play. Silly, I know. But like I said before, I’m kinda weird!

4. When you're not writing, What are some of the hobbies and passions that keep you happy?

I like reading comic books (nerdy, I know) and video games (even nerdier!) as well as watching documentaries and other stuff like that. I’m also passionate about social issues dealing with feminism, GLBTQI issues and multiculturalism. I’ve worked in rape and crisis shelters in the past, and I plan to go on to social work. I am adamant about bringing positive change to the world—it is what drives me.

5. We all have them, even if we don't like to admit it, but what are some of your bad habits?

Some of my bad habits? I would say my dirty mind, for sure. I think it is what makes me such a good erotic author. I don’t know if I should be proud of that or not, but I guess time will tell, haha! I never thought I’d write erotica, but for some reason, it comes naturally to me. My favorite genres are horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, though.  

6. Just for fun, who is your number one celebrity crush, and what would you like most to do with them?

Currently, my biggest crush is on Mariska Hargitay’s character, Olivia Benson, on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. I’ve actually had SEXUAL DREAMS about this woman, haha! Yeah, she’s old enough to be my mom, but I don’t give a damn! The woman is smoking hot! She kicks the bad guy’s ass, saves and protects women, and is totally fearless and devoted to her mission. I wish I had Olivia Benson’s noble convictions. She’s the absolute best…I love her. But the hottest celebrity I can think of is Salma Hayek. Salma Hayek is…beyond words. She’s been touched by the gods or something…she’s that hot. I truly fell in love with her after she kissed Ashley Judd in that scene in the movie, “Frida.” Made me so hopeful, haha! But she’s straight, I think.

7. What can we look forward to from you in the future? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

I fly by the seat of my pants when I’m writing a story. So I really don’t know. I wish I was super organized where I can plan projects in advance and such…but I’m just not that diligent, haha! I have a couple of story ideas tossing around, mostly speculative fiction novellas and lesbian romances, but I have yet to find the time to write them down. Whatever I end up doing, it will be wacky and strange (as I tend to like bizarre-o fiction). At the moment, I’m working on a love story between a suicidal bridesmaid and a circus acrobat. I’ll be amazed if it actually gets published, haha! So we’ll see. I have a hard time placing my stories in the market because I write fiction that is hard to categorize.

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Hooked yet? If not, check out the promo blurb from Her Temptress:

After enduring fourteen years of thankless, mind-numbing, backbreaking work, disgruntled employee, Meredith Hartman, is about to be fired...and knows it.

Her young, sexy boss has no qualms about letting her go, but Meredith hopes to change her mind. It'll take a nasty category two hurricane, a Saturday at the office, and one mean panther to pull this off. Meredith just might be able to save her job, but how far is she willing to go to accomplish that goal?

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Now, have we got your attention? Great, because we have one (1) electronic copy of Her Temptress to give away. Please note, this is hot a sexy read, so you must be 18+ to participate. To enter:

• Leave a comment below and include your email address (1 point)
• Become a new follower of my blog or TK's blog and let us know in your comment (2 points each)
• Share this interview/giveaway on your blog or via twitter and include a link in your comment (3 points each)
• Become a new follower of my reviews on Goodreads let me know in your comment (1 point)

The giveway will remain open until midnight on Sunday (February 6th). I will add up the points and draw a winner using http://www.random.org/, then post the winner here Monday morning (February 7th).

Thanks to all for participating, and HUGE thank you to the lovely TK Turner for making this all possible.
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