Here on the blog…or here in my career? Well, both, I guess.
This is a question I think many writers hear. Some variation on the questions “How did you get here?” or “How did you start out?” or “What’s your story?”
Well, I figure since this is my first blog on Passionate Reads, why not start at the beginning?
I’ve been a voracious reader since I can remember. When I was pregnant with our daughter, my husband was deployed and I couldn’t work. Ergo: Lots of free time. I read. I read everything. I read so much that the library staff knew me by name. They knew I was there when they saw my car pull up. I flew home for a week visit at one point, and when I stopped back by after I got home, the worker told me “I thought you’d gone into preterm labor! We were so worried!” Note: I was gone a week.
Skip ahead. Daughter is now four months old. And I’ve wiped the library clean out of romance novels. Literally. I had them check with me. I am rereading a few favorites, but overall I’m bored. So I just sat down one day with my iPod while she was taking a nap, put on some soothing music, and fell into some alternate space. I wasn’t asleep, I wasn’t dreaming. But I was living through characters that met during some event where the song that I was listening to at that moment was playing. I decided “you know what? I’m out of reading material, why not give the other end of the stick a try?
And here I am.
Okay, okay, not quite. I had a lot (oh, a lot) to learn. My first attempt at a novel ended up being a category length novel aimed at Harlequin. And its title might as well have been Clichés Ahoy! It was awful. But I think we all kind of have to cut our teeth on something, so I’m glad I got that out of my system. I had joined a writing group by then, was learning a lot through example and unofficial mentorship, I saw my mistakes and worked hard.
Then for Nano 2009, I had a plot bunny push his rude little way into my mind. I had plans on a full length contemporary romance, and this erotic romance (which I did NOT write) said “Write me, or else.” It hijacked my brain, literally. So I wrote it. And wasn’t sure what to do with it. So I wrote something else for awhile. Because, I didn’t do erotic romance. It was just an exercise to shut up the bunny. Then on the encouragement of friends and fellow Ellora’s Cave authors, I subbed to EC. Even though (say it with me now) I didn’t write erotic romance.
Bull.Crap.
I got “the email” and, whadyaknow… I write erotic romance. 
I think I simply didn’t trust myself in the genre, didn’t see my own writing as hot enough, sexy enough. I let doubts tell me what I didn’t write instead of doing my best to push past the fears and accept that hey…I’m a writer. An erotic romance writer. That’s right, my stuff is sexy.
And so now here I am. Awaiting the first release with Ellora’s Cave. On the anniversary of when I wrote it. One year later. Pretty amusing. And that’s how I got from A to B.
Or A to E…llora’s Cave. (Lame, right?)
Want more? I blog often on my own website, so head on over and check it out!
KJ
Great post, KJ. I love reading how authors get there start. Do you always use music to inspire you when you’re writing? I love reading about how other authors create too.
Wow, great story KJ. I love hearing how writers took that first step.
Hey, KJ. Love hearing how different people started writing and that’s too funny about the library.
Pet the bunny… Love the bunny…
I’m certainly glad you decided (or embraced the fact may be a better way to say it) that you are an erotic romance author. I’m happy I get to help usher your stories out into the world
The bunnies usually win. Thanks for telling your story.
Oooohhh, the doubts. If only there were a maverick bunny to machine gun them down. Glad you got past them and are here with us!
Enjoyed your blog. I’m looking forward to reading your first book.
KJ, that’s a great story. It’s fascinating to hear about how such diverse people can end up in essentially the same place. I can’t wait to read your first book!