Monday, July 28, 2008

Interview with Savanna Kougar

Author Pen Name: Savanna Kougar

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

SK: I write anything and everything labeled paranormal romance. Just ‘cause that’s what I also love reading. Since age thirteen I’ve had an ongoing fascination with the paranormal, and constantly study different facets, from time travel to following Linda Godfrey’s werebeast investigations. Currently, I have an aristocratic fantasy erotic romance with Siren Publishing, All Shades of Blue Paradise. And, I also have a spicy sci fi lioness shifter novella with Liquid Silver Books, Red Lioness Tamed. The two books represent my split personality, and I think someone UP THERE is definitely amused the true me is being exposed.

I also enjoy the challenge of writing futuristics, one of which is coming out with BookStrand, about the end of the Mayan calendar, December 21, 2012.

Oops, I almost forgot, my current novels would be considered in the erotic romance genre or sizzle romance genre. So be warned.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SK: I’m not certain I ever ‘realized’ it. Writing became one of several artistic passions I wanted to continue pursuing after college. Of course, in the meantime, life interruptus started hurling those nasty curve balls, and I was doing a lot of ducking for a very long time, before I was able to get a real career going. However, when I could no longer find the romance novels I wanted to read, before the rise of ‘paranormals’, I simply began writing what I wanted to read. Like so many authors that’s when I truly became a ‘serious’ writer.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

SK: Being a voracious reader, especially in my childhood, I value how a story can simply transport a reader to an entirely different world, or a realm only accessed by the imagination. So, of course, I absolutely love writing the heroine and hero’s love story set in those OtherWorlds, the worlds I visit in my lucid dreams and in my movie-screen imagination. It’s a big thrill for me when a reader enjoys one of the fantastical stories I’ve created, because I know what it means to me to go on those incredible reading journeys.

CA: When writers block attacks, what do you do to get back on track?

SK: The mundane of life usually works quite well for me. You know, actual cleaning, washing my clothes, paying the bills, grocery shopping...oh! and playing with my doggies.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

SK: My writing schedule is everyday, usually. Since becoming e-published, I’ve lost writing time because of the business end of being an author. So, I fit writing in however and whenever I can. Not always easy, I can tell you.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

SK: Trepidation.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

SK: See above – taking care of and playing with my doggies. I also thoroughly enjoy observing all the nature around me, since I now live on a country acreage. I also adore drawing and painting. If you look closely at the cover art for All Shades of Blue Paradise you’ll see a horse’s head, which I drew.

CA: What is something shocking or weird about you that your readers don’t know about?

SK: Hmmm...shocking or weird....thinking...okay, this is from my ancient memory banks, but it’s one of the highlights of my young life. As a teenager I had a half Welsh, half Shetland pony named Bucky, who could be one tough son-of-a-gun. One of the neighborhood boys, who acted like a bully sometimes, was throwing firecrackers at us. I whirled Bucky around and we charged this teenage kid. Bucky ran right over his foot. Ouch! And talk about poetic justice! Ha.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SK: Okay, let’s see I have two published. And I have three contracted, two of them coming soon. As far as completed manuscripts, I would guess, about twelve.
Favorite is always the book I’m working on, and truly every book I write. I don’t write it unless I want to read it over and over again. It’s a strict rule I have.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

SK: Great question. I’ve determined my characters are mutts extraordinaire, meaning they are a combination of real everyday people, the celebs, the characters from movies, tv and also from other books. Or, they originate straight from my imagination. Lady Sheridan, the heroine in All Shades of Blue Paradise, introduced herself in a beautiful semi-lucid dream I had.

CA: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

SK: Boy! You got me there. I wish I did have some concrete valuable advice. But as I’ve mentioned before, my own path was full of strange twists and turns, none of which made any logical sense toward the end goal of being published. Certainly perseverance is always a lynchpin ~ unless you’re one of the lucky few who gets ‘discovered’ quickly. You know, that fairy godmother tap on the shoulder.

However, if you’re not, I would say, use your intuition about what works for you personally, and the path you should follow. And be persistent.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

SK: Right now, the easiest way to contact me is leave a comment at ~ savannakougar.com ~ and I will answer. Or, you can find me on the Siren-BookStrand readers loop and on the Liquid Silver forum ~ liquidsilverbooks.com/forum.
For purchase here’s the list of my novels and publishers, the ones e-published and on the way:

Red Lioness Tamed ~ spicy sci fi available from Liquid Silver Books, Molten Silver ~ liquidsilverbooks.com ~ Untamed lioness lost in space

All Shades of Blue Paradise [World of the Blue Pearl Moon, Book I] ~ aristocratic fantasy available from Siren Publishing ~ sirenpublishing.com ~ Which seductive shade of blue are you?

Tangerine Carnal Dreams ~ stallion shifter adventure coming soon from Aspen Mountain Press

When a Good Angel Falls ~ 2012 angelic fantasy coming from Siren-BookStrand summer 2008

Pleasures of Blue Lotus Oil [World of the Blue Pearl Moon, Book II] ~ aristocratic fantasy coming from Siren Publishing

Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis ~ futuristic coming from Siren-BookStrand

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

SK: Hmmm, always a tricky question for me. I usually have no clue what to add. Okay, I just finished the final edits on Tangerine Carnal Dreams for Aspen Mountain Press, so I am absolutely excited about that. And, I followed that with the major edit of When a Good Angel Falls for Siren-BookStrand. My coming soon personal page on the new BookStrand.com site is tingly-beautiful! I just took a nice long look.
And, I’m about to work on Black Cat Beauty, a purr-seductive shifter novella, which I’m hoping will be published for Halloween.

CA: Thanks Savanna for this interview, I loved that you made Bucky charge that kid LOL!!



10 comments:

Savanna Kougar said...

Hi Crystal, looks beeautiful! Yep, Bucky was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of guy. I loved and appreciated him, but didn't realize just how truly special he was.

Savanna Kougar said...

Oh, I just got a release date for When A Good Angel Falls. August 13 at ~ bookstrand.com ~

Caffey said...

Hi Savanna!! I always dreamed as a child that I wanted a horse. But when I finally tried one as an adult, I couldn't move for days, LOL.

I have ALL SHADES OF BLUE PARADISE and so can't wait to read! I shall be reading soon since I just put in RED LIONESS TAMED into my reader and started it and can't wait to go back to reading it. ANGEL is on my wishlist to get and now adding the others! Congrats on getting the release date! Not too far away!

Savanna, are there other genres you like to write or themes?

Savanna Kougar said...

Hi Caffey, lol, yep, if you're not used to riding a horse, it's like a new exercise routine.
I am so thrilled you're reading Red Lioness.
All things paranormal seem to be my specialty and my love.
I submitted Black Cat Beauty, which is probably Urban Fantasy, since it's about this coming Halloween night. However, my heroine is a black cat shifter and my hero...well, let's just say he may be a movie star, but he's oh-so much more.

Zulmara said...

GREAT interview...loved the story of the horse...paranormal romance...I will need to check out this genre...have not been able to get into it, but so many are so passionate about it...

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

Savanna Kougar said...

Hi Zulmara, thank you!
The paranormal romance genre is multi-faceted. Anywhere from Psychic heroines who assist that sexy detective hero solve a case to demons with a good side.

If you have any questions or a particular interest about the different subgenres I'll be glad to answer, or send you to another author/publisher's link that would answer your question.

Have you read any of Roscoe James' novels from Liquid Silver Books ~ liquidsilverbooks.com. He currently resides in Mexico City, and is quite the internationalist.

Happily Ever After Authors said...

Hi Savanna,

Terrific interview.

'mutt' - like that description. Is that anything like a Heinz 57?

I'm going to have go back and look at the cover. I never noticed the horse -- I'm slipping.

Bekki

Savanna Kougar said...

Hi Bekki, yep, just like a Heinz 57.
The horse is just an outline at the lower left.
Sometime in the future, when I get a few breaths, I'll post my drawing on the Siren-BookStrand blog when I write a short scene with Sheridan remembering her first dance with the Baron.

Happily Ever After Authors said...

I'll look forward to it.


And you know I can't wait for Black Cat Beauty - I'll be the first. How's it coming?

Bekki

Savanna Kougar said...

Bekki, you must be so psychic! No kidding!
Black Cat Beauty is finished and submitted.
However, there are complications that just occurred this very evening.
If you want the tricky details contact me ~ rebel romance @ earthlink.net ~ no spaces, of course.