Tell us about the latest release. Is it part of a series? Stand Alone title? What inspired it?

Hot Chocolate Kiss was released by Eternal Press on January 7. Since it’s the story of a couple who meets up during some extreme winter weather, I expect there will be three seasonal adventures for Rick and Keela.

Hot Chocolate Kiss began when I was caught in a nasty storm at the summit of a ski mountain and remember thinking “I have to write a story about this!” It took three years before the idea formed into a plot, and then I wrote the story in about a week.

What do you love about writing? Hate about it?

I love being able to indulge my wildest fantasies, to put my dreams into words. I hate editing. But it’s all worth it if even one reader says, “Wow, what a great story.”

Do you have a guilty indulgence? Something you do just for you. Want to share?

I’m so boring. I love a long, hot bath. I treasure a day I can sneak in a nap. I also long for enough free time to take a full afternoon of ballet-both a traditional and pointe class back to back. Then I don’t feel so guilty about a huge frozen yogurt cone, a soak in a hot tub, and a nap.

If you could spend a secluded weekend somewhere, where would you go and why?

Since it’s midwinter, and a cold one at that, I’d pick a secluded beach in the tropics. The seashore is one of my favorite places, with the mountains being a close second. I can watch the ocean for hours and hours, and wander through the woods for days and feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Of course, I’d want my husband to go with me–without the kids.

Is there any character from one of your books who you would change places with?

Honestly, no. All my characters face difficult trials and challenges. I’m thankful to be boring me.

What authors do you enjoy reading? Who is on your bookcase/e-reader?

I walk around with The New Yorker, which I love for “Shouts and Murmurs” and the fiction. Their articles are great, too. One of my most favorite recent short stories was “The Shoot” by Andrew Richardson. It was an Eternal Press release in December and a wonderful contemporary women’s fiction piece (F/F).

On my list now are Sharp Points of a Triangle by Rachel Brimble, a romantic comedy, and Killing Havana by David Pereda, a thriller. I also am trying to get to Angel of Windword by Maggie Dove. All three were recent Eternal Press releases.

Cecilia Tan of Circlet Press edited an awesome anthology a couple years back: Best Fantastic Erotica. I’d love to see another one. She is a very bold writer, as well as a superb editor. Great person, too.

I hate e-reading, by the way. There is just something about holding a book in my hands.

Do you ever get up at 3 am just to write?

All the time. That is my “witching hour.” My husband thinks I’m crazy but I dream up plot and dialogue. If I don’t write it down, it’s gone.

If the world was going to end within the next 5 days, what 3 things
would you HAVE to do before everyone perished?

Well, besides spending time with my family, I’d publish all my stories remotely near being finished on my blogs so they could be read. I’d try to get a few special places–to visit my grandparents’ graves, to my absolute favorite beach in the world, and to walk in the woods one last time.

How important is reader/reviewer feedback to you?

Reviewer feedback helps strengthen my writing. They can sometimes point out flaws, and I won’t make the same mistake again. Reader feedback is very important. No one likes everything, but if at least one person “gets it” I’m happy. All my books have deep underlying themes which are important to me.

What is your writing schedule like? Do you have a strict daily schedule or do you write when the mood strikes?

I write whenever I can. I get up at 5:30 most days to figure out what has to be done and structure a schedule. Early morning is for social networking and marketing. Assignments and things due come first. Then revision and submission. Then critiques and feedback for other authors.

Unfortunately, I don’t have time for new writing unless there is a deadline to meet. So I scribble outlines or type up scenes and save them in a file for the future use. I use every minute of down time I get. I try and read published fiction or nonfiction every night, even if only fifteen minutes. I have to be up on the trends

What character do you identify with the most? Who could be said to be a bit like you?

Everyone thinks I’m Keela from “Hot Chocolate Kiss.” That’s because I’m an avid skier and hiker. But I’m not out looking for amorous adventures in the wild. Just a little peace and quiet—and sleep.

Milena, my heroine in The Journey, is one of my strongest characters. I’d like to have her resolute determination in the face of the impossible

Which book, character was the most difficult to write? Who was the biggest challenge?

I wrote a horror story a few years back about a psychopathic, serial killer bent on revenge. The motivation was there, and people identified with her. But getting into the mindset of a villainess is very hard, especially when you’re a very passive, peaceable person like me. That story is pending publication, if the anthology doesn’t die an economic death.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Lots of places, depending on their preferences.

My Website:

http://giannabruno.com

My Blog:

http://giannabruno.blogspot.com

My Social Networks:

http://twitter.com/Gianna_Bruno
gianna_bruno@yahoogroups.com

Eternal Press Reader’s Group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EternalPressReaders/

Rick and Keela’s character blogs:

http://www.giannabruno.com/forums

What is coming in 2010 from you?

I’m marketing The Journey, which I just finished. It’s a historical, paranormal erotic novella featuring a witch in Salem, circa 1850. This required a lot of research and was slow to write, but I love the way it turned out.

Rick and Keela from “Hot Chocolate Kiss” will have a spring skiing adventure. Keela wants to try surfing, and they’ll likely get lost in the woods around Samhain. There, that rounds out the sexy, seasonal adventures.

“At Home With Peter and Sandra” is right now a collection of humorous, erotic shorts about a couple in the suburbs seeking to “reinvent” their relationship. I’m working on that, not sure about length or structure.

Then, last night, I dreamed up (I’m not kidding) the plot for a ménage story involving a M/M couple and a woman they meet for a business deal which turns into a very tender love story.

Excerpt:

His arrogant stare looked her up and down, but didn’t focus on the designer clothes. She could tell he was wondering how good she was après ski.
Keela met it with her own version of his tilted head leer and savored the adult male attention. She hadn’t gotten laid for nearly a year.
“You’re paying to go out there today? With the wind chill, it could go below -60°. He gestured to the thermometer that read -10° at the base- without the wind.
“I’ve skied worse. Tuckerman’s.” That was usually sufficient to shut up an amateur. You couldn’t claim to be a real backcountry skier in the Northeast unless you’d been there, done that.
“Must be pretty good then.” He rolled a wad of gum around with his tongue.
“Yeah.” She cocked her head and pursed her lips.
“Later.” He pushed the door open with the tip of his boot and exited.
The blast of cold air reminded Keela she was there to ski, not hook up. She hobbled back up to the ticket booth.
The blonde perched on a stool wore boots that looked like she’d strapped a husky dog to each leg. Keela doubted she had ever skied in her life. That sleek blonde ponytail wouldn’t fit under a helmet, and she’d freeze her perky tits and tight ass off wearing that pink fleece jacket and black spandex pants.
She prattled out the usual disclaimers while processing the credit card transaction. “No refunds for conditions. The gondolas are closed due to high winds. Only the open chairs are going to the summit, and we might have to close them as well. The ski patrol has put up an extreme weather alert: no exposed skin, take frequent re-warming breaks.”
Keela tried not to sound bitchy. This wasn’t one of Ken’s girlfriends. The kid was just doing her job. “Thanks for the tips.”
After securing the $75.00 ticket on her parka and putting on every piece of protective equipment in her pack., she waddled out the door like a stuffed pig, sweating like one, too.
She knocked the ice off the bottom of her boots with her poles and clicked into the bindings. No matter who I’m with, it’s always me against the mountain—alone. Keela skated over to the lift where the same guy she’d met outside the can was working. “It’s the Tuckerman lady.” He winked and guided the chair under her butt.
She couldn’t see the rest of his face but imagined him licking his lips.
The lift swept her up, and he called out, “Seriously, be careful. I’ll buy you a Hot Chocolate Kiss when you come down from the summit, sister.”
I don’t think so, dude. No more being treated like a buddy who happened to have a receptacle instead of a plug. No more schlepping boots and ski equipment, plus a backpack full of camping gear to the summit of Mount Washington , dodging rockslides and avalanches, to ski Tuckerman Ravine. No more romantic nights crammed into a lean-to, surrounded by a unisex cadre of other idiots, with a sleeping bag, thermals, and Gore-Tex to light her fire.

Thank You so much Raine, for having me for your guest today. Good morning everyone. I’m delighted to be here.

Did you always want to become a writer?

Yes. Since I was fifteen, when I discovered the magic of writing my own story.

What is the most and the least interesting fact about writing?

Editing. I’d rather be writing. (Laughs)

How did you celebrate your first release?

Mainly by laughing and calling everyone I knew. What was it like to see your book in a bookstore/internet? Oh, it’s was simply wonderful. I still pinch myself to make certain it’s real. Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release? Not really, just a sigh of relief that one more book is finished and I can start the next.

Do you prefer stand-alone books or series?

Series. I write series and prefer to read them.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

Nyra from Witch’s Touch, still to be released. I’d love to meet her hero, Dym. Dym is a special character. He’s Death and his life is very complicated. A paradox I know.

If you could go back to any time period, which one would it be and why?

Pre-Civil War. Those days just seem so glorious when men were such gentlemen, plus who can resist those gowns the ladies wore?

You got to meet a mythical creature/person, who would you choose to meet and why?

Zeus. King of the Gods. All that power at his fingertips. Yeah. Zeus.

Where can readers find you on the web?

http://www.tabithashay.com

What is coming in 2010 that you want to tease the readers on?

Gosh, there’s so much. A new publisher, Moongypsy Press. A new agent who’s working for a book deal for me with Mira. And of course, for now, the continuation of my Winslow witches of Salem series. Book Six, Witch’s Touch should be released later in 2010.

Sneak Peek into Witch’s Fire, coming February 2010:

EXCERPT FROM WITCH’S FIRE by Tabitha Shay. Scheduled for release mid-Feb. from Moongypsy Press.
Slowly, he slid his arms around her hips and squeezed her buttocks. “Well, hel-lo.”

Kirrah widened her eyes. Oh, crap, that’s all she needed, a concussed Romeo with a sexy voice hot enough to curl her toes and set her thighs on fire, a voice that both compelled and could easily lead a woman astray.

The man looked at her as if he’d never seen her before and had just discovered his favorite eye-candy. “Aren’t you just a sweet little beauty?” he purred, sounding for all the world like a hungry cat whose appetite had just been satisfied. A big, dopey, contented cat.

Sweet little beauty? She blinked. Oh, yeah, the man was definitely off his meds. Obviously he was no stranger to seduction 101, either, if the way he massaged her butt was anything to go by.

And damn, did he have to have such dreamy bedroom eyes? Tiny gold specks sparkled like angel dust in the warm amber depths. Thick gold tipped lashes completed the allure of his heavy lidded gaze. He had the kind of gold-flecked irises that attracted a woman and sucked her right in.He might as well wear a sign around his neck that read: Come and get it, sinful indulgence right here!

And boy was she ready to go get it.

Her brows knitted together in a deep scowl. What was wrong with her? All of a sudden her hormones were out of control? She wondered if her face was as red as it felt. Since she had red hair, her complexion was the fair one typical of redhead’s. She blushed as easily as she sunburned.

His gaze wondered from her hair to her lips. Oh, my. Those tiger-colored eyes fixed on her mouth. He licked his lips as though he’d just discovered a delicious snack he contemplated nibbling on.

Startled, Kirrah gasped as he suddenly tugged her closer.

Her hands splayed across his wide chest. “Uh-Mr. Wa-Wa, I think you might be getting a tad bit carried away here. Unhand me.”

“No.” One hand slid up her back and his fingers curled around her nape holding her in place. “I don’t think I should do that at all. You’re belong to me,” he whispered, and took her mouth.

That was the only word for it. Took. He ravaged her mouth with a slow steamy gut-wrenching kiss. Warm and wet. Hot and melting. Yum. He might be half-dead, but he had a mouth to die for and he knew how to use it.

Tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it? Is it part of a series?
The Gingerbread Tryst is second installment of my Erotic Enchantments series. This sweet tale is based loosely . . . very loosely on the classic children’s story The Gingerbread Man. This erotic verison will make you laugh and incredibly horny! I’ve always been fascinated with fairytales and this particular fairytale about a cookie coming to life was too delicious to pass up as an author.

Tell us five random things about yourself.
I love to bake sweets.
I’m shy.
I’m constantly plotting new stories for the characters in my head.
I’m sensitive.
I over anaylze everything . . . like these questions in this interview.

What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?
Uh . . . a little of both. Many of my stories are based on fantasies that turn me on. Some experiences have helped to shape story ideas.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?
Hmmm….A little over two months.

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?
Definitely a night owl. I do my best work between 10-1 a.m.

What book are you reading now? Anything good to shout about?
The Sweet Spot by Kimberly Kay Terry!

Have you ever woken in the night with the need to write? If so, how do you deal with this urge?

Dreams have helped me a great deal with story ideas. I try to keep a notepad close to the bed so I can quickly pen ideas down.

Where do you find ideas for stories?

Music, dreams, daydreams, folklore, fantasies, and food!

Where can we find you on the internet?

http://www.simplysexystories.blogspot.com

http://www.nichellegregory.com

I’m on twitter and Facebook too!

If you could meet one character for the day, who would it be, what would you do and why?

Ayre, my hero from The Enchanted Flute! He’s sexy, musical and an extremely capable lover!

Adult Excerpt of The Gingerbread Tryst:

Marisa wondered what harm could come from wishing the cookie was a man . . . a real flesh and blood insatiable man. He would be just like the mischievous cookie in the classic fairytale from her childhood except he’d chase after her and . . . .

Pound my pussy until I can’t take it anymore. Marisa laughed out loud at her dirty thoughts.

She stared at the fragrant brown dough in front of her again, taking in a deep breath. What was she waiting for? The spell couldn’t possibly work. Exhaling, she quickly spoke the words of the wish spell before she could change her mind.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Marisa was just about to turn away when she noticed a twitch. The little gingerbread man had moved!

Screaming, she backed away from the island until her bottom hit the wood cabinets behind her. She watched the cookie dough flutter and shake as it rolled back into a ball, then it traveled to the edge of the island and fell onto the floor.

Breathing heavily, Marie stared in shock as a figure began to rise from behind the marble island. Her gingerbread man continued growing in height and thickness as she gripped the counter behind her, transfixed by the magical sight. She couldn’t take her eyes off the flesh and blood man now standing before her. He had sexy brown skin the color of molasses, soft black curls on the crown of his head, warm brown eyes and a full mouth turned up into the teasing smile she had designed. His muscles looked huge beneath the thin cotton blue shirt she had piped on just moments ago.

She watched him walk toward her with slow, unsteady steps. He came from around the island, moving more rapidly as he gained his balance. A gasped escaped from her lips as her gaze traveled down over his flat, muscular stomach to the enormous erect cock bobbing in front him. The taut flesh was so big and long that despite her disbelief and fear, Marisa’s pussy began to tingle.

“No, no, no! This isn’t happening!” She cried, moving away from her delectable fantasy turned flesh.

“Run, run, run as fast as you can, I’m going to catch you . . . I’m your gingerbread man!” He called after her as she raced around the island.

Her heart was pounding so hard she didn’t hear how fast he came up behind her. She let out a yelp when he caught her, lifting her up easily into his strong arms. With her head pressed against his smooth chest she could smell his fragrant skin, the tempting scents of cinnamon and ginger teasing her senses.

He placed her on top of the marble countertop, and Marisa shivered as her lace-clad bottom connected with the smooth cold surface. She stared up into his dark brown eyes, marveling at what was happening, somehow accepting the present situation as real.

Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=87