Guest Author Day with B.K. Bilicki

Thanks for stopping by to talk a little about your writing! Let's jump right in. When did you begin writing and why? 

I started back in late 1994/early 1995. I had never really enjoyed writing. No, that’s not right. I *despised* writing. The turnaround came after I read a dreadful piece of bestiality/non-con on a BBS erotica messaging site. I thought that even *I* could write something better, so I gave it a shot.

Do you have a favorite genre? Is it the same genre you prefer to write? 

I tend to prefer fantasy and science fiction, both for reading and writing. I write things I’d like to read.

Do certain themes and ideas tend to capture your writer’s imagination and fascinate you? 

Based on my current catalog, I favor characters that are tossed into dire circumstances and have to use all of their wits to adapt and overcome.

How do you balance long-term thinking vs. being nimble in today's market? 

To be honest, I’ve really never given it a thought. I’ve been scribbling this stuff for a few decades without releasing it into the wild. Now that I’ve finally taken the leap, I suppose I should start considering it!

How do you find readers in today's market? 

So far, it’s mostly been through word of mouth. I’ve made announcements on Facebook and the Erotica Readers and Writers Association mailing list. I also went through a ton of old fan mail messages and sent word of my first solo print pub to all of those who had been howling at me to get published.

Do you come up with the hook first, or do you create characters first and then dig through until you find a hook? 

Most of the time, I come up with a character and a situation. I take them for a test drive and write a short story. If the premise has legs, the story keeps on going. All of my books so far have started out as a short story that the fans on ERWA enjoyed and demanded to see more chapters.

How do you create your characters? 

They usually come bundled as a character and a situation. Once they start doing whatever it is they do, they develop and/or reveal additional traits along the way.

What's on the top of your TBR pile right now? 

I have several that have piled up during my rewrites, including Demons by C.J. Hartnett and Reclamation: The Journey of a Lost Soul by Sandy Frediani. I’m also looking forward to the third installment of the Merely Players series by Ian D Smith.

Tell me a little about the characters in Stage One: Hear. 

Kana Morel grew up in the deep south, where she was shunned by almost everyone around her due to her undiagnosed learning difficulties. The only one who didn’t was a jock who abused her sexually under the pretense of a relationship. Her life turned around when she discovered she could perceive the underlying fabric of magic called the Voice. She is whisked away to the Sanctum, a league of magic users dedicated to bringing balance to the world of magic, where she becomes one of their greatest casters.

Jamyn Siska was born aware of the Voice. The informational overload shut down his mind, making him unresponsive for the first decade of his life. He snapped out of it when he inadvertently saved his grandmother from a demonic attacker. When he was twenty, he was brought to the Sanctum and made an acolyte of the same man who recruited Kana.

Kana and Jamyn team up on a mission and the spirit they’re pursuing accidentally feeds Jamyn’s deepest secret into Kana’s mind – his overwhelming passion for her.

Where’s the story set? How much influence did the setting have on the atmosphere/characters/development of the story? 

The story takes place mostly in the modern world, along with the Sanctum complex, which is an odd mix of ancient and modern buildings in an unknown, hidden location. There are also occasional jaunts off-planet and in different planes of existence. The settings didn’t influence the story much, as the Sanctum members have to be able to perform in a variety of locales on a regular basis.

If you had to write your memoir in five words, what would you write? 

When’s the next chapter coming? (At least, that’s what it would be if someone else wrote it. I likely would never write my own memoir, as the subject material doesn’t much interest me and I’m generally useless until the second draft anyway.)

How often does your muse distract you from day to day minutiae? 

She doesn’t distract me at all. The little brat thrives on minutiae. I’ve always got things spinning in the background of my mind and she picks up little bits and pieces throughout the day. Some of my best ideas have come around while I’m working down in my lab and listening to music. The Voices of the Sanctum series was kick-started by a single word I heard in a song. Once enough pieces are stuck to the initial concept, I can write it all down.

What do readers have to look forward to in the future from you? 

Volumes two and three of the Voices of the Sanctum series have been written. I’m thinking that after those are published (fingers crossed), I’ll do a comprehensive retooling on an earlier book called One of Those Nights, a post-apocalyptic SF piece that got an astonishing amount of response from my fans back when it was originally posted to ERWA (then ERA). Stay tuned, gentle readers.

Erotic Fantasy Romance

Voices Of the Sanctum

Fireborn Publishing (www.firebornpublishing.com) 

BLURB

Kana Morel is possibly the Sanctum's most powerful caster. Training Jamyn Siska as her new acolyte should be easy. When she accidentally discovers his hidden passion for her, how will she contain the ensuing firestorm?

EXCERPT

"All the things you said about my abilities were very flattering." Her nerves started to jostle. "Way over the top, but still—"

"You're easily the most powerful caster in the Sanctum," he said, his voice suddenly resolute.

His intensity startled her at first but she waved him off with a brief chuckle. "Nahh," she replied quietly. "I'm sure there are a couple around here who could give me a run for my money." Seeing the defiance rising in his eyes again, she held up a hand to him. "Regardless, your words were very much appreciated. Thank you."

"Any time." He replied with a small bow. Her hand on his cheek stopped it and he raised his head again to find her staring directly into his eyes.

"That covers the first part," she whispered. "Now about the second." His face flamed into a full blush. He started to turn away but she firmly cupped his chin, halting his retreat. "Hey!"

He stopped trying to move away and looked back at her. "What?"

"Did you mean all the things you said?"

His eyes started to water and he swallowed hard. "Every word."

"Hmm." She considered his reply, trying to keep her expression neutral while her heart charged up to her throat. "Then I thank you again for showing such intense loyalty to your master." She released his jaw and thought over her words. Deciding to throw caution aside, despite the warnings screaming in her head, she corrected herself with a coy smile. "Your mistress."

"You're welcome, Kana," he whispered in wonder.

She arched an eyebrow.

He swallowed hard and returned her smile. "You're welcome, Mistress Kana."

"I would prefer you only call me that when we're alone." Even as she quietly warned him, she wondered if she would end up regretting her abrupt decision.

"Of course."

She leaned forward and brought her face right up to his. She considered the soft glow in his amber eyes for a second before easing forward and kissing his lips.

She pulled back just enough to break contact and whispered, "You're sweet."

"And you are the most beautiful woman I've ever known," he whispered in reply.

Her eyes widened in alarm and she whimpered. "Damn. And you were doing so well too." Her choked words barely made it past her lips.

"Huh?"

She sat back, her cheeks burning. "Making me blush isn't usually a healthy idea." She turned away from him to hide the tears gathering in her eyes. "I think we're done here."

His hand on her cheek stopped her slow retreat. He turned her face back to his and smiled mischievously. "Mistress Kana should learn how to take a compliment," he whispered, staring directly into her eyes. He came forward and landed a brief kiss on her cheek. "Call if you need me." With this, he leaped to his feet and calmly walked out of the room.

She barely heard his words, having caught sight of the obvious bulge of his erection straining against his pants. Confusion, lust, and gratitude all warred within her trembling body and she struggled to get her thoughts in order. Taking several deep breaths, she got her nerves under control at long last and looked again at the door her acolyte had just slipped through.

"I need a drink and I need to hit something." Staggering to her feet, she headed straight to Evrok's.

BUY LINKS

E-books:
http://firebornpublishing.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_bookx_info&cPath=2_21&products_id=272

Print:
https://www.createspace.com/6764622

BIO

Having spent over two decades scribbling curious little stories, gathering fans on several continents, and failing to make any sense out of either, B.K. Bilicki has now embarked on Phase Three of his writing career - actually getting something published. When not spending his lunch hour writing, B.K. can usually be found performing various miracles with a soldering iron. Furor Scribendi can be chastised by fans new and old alike at BK_Bilicki@wi.rr.com. Grr-ya.

LINKS

www.facebook.com/bk.bilicki

BK_Bilicki@wi.rr.com