Howdy all!!!
Talk about being slow getting to the dance. I now have three Aprodisia titles out with, I think, four more in the pipeline so it's about time I jumped onboard the blog here. Hmm. Let's see, if I was reading about some broad named Vonna Harper, what would I want to know about her? Not the personal stuff 'cause that's pretty boring and doesn't sell books. Okay, how about the stuff she writes followed by the question of why anyone would want to read what I write? Okay I can go with that 'cause I'm having a ball!!!
First a little name dropping and blame credited--both of which go to our own Kate Douglas. Ya see, several years ago a gal pal and I attended a conference where Kate was enthusiatically explaining the then new erotica concept. She was writing for an epublisher, something I'd never considered but since I was eager to try something new, I sat up and paid attention. Hmm. Can I write about sex, real sex, not the flowery stuff I'd been doing for Harlequin and Silhouette? Not sure until Kate emailed me one of her stories. OMG, talk about real!!! Talk about a turn-on!!! Yeah, I can do this. I just can't tell my mother or sons.
It was definitely a matter of being in the right place at the right time because nearly everything I submitted to that epublisher was accepted. And, surprise, surprise, my stories started coming out mere months after I'd written them instead of years as had been the case with Big Apple publishers. I had a personal e-friendship with my editors and felt as if we were all in this grand new adventure together.
Down the road a couple of years with a growing number of stories under my belt, I was again in the right place at the right time when Kensington started looking for books for the new and edgy and fun-as-hell Aphrodisia line. With my soon to be ex agent's (long story) encouragement, I submitted something to an editor there and had an acceptance less than a week later. Hammered out the details while standing by the mountain lake where the family cabin is, barely remembering to swat mosquitos I was so excited.
Probably because what I'd initially sent them was a bondage/BDSM theme, that's what they want from me and since I always try (okay, sometimes) to do what I'm told and paid for, that's been my speciality. I keep wondering if I'm going to run out of ideas with that theme but not so far.
I truly dig the covers Aphrodisia come out and am really excited about the one for my Dec book Night Fire which shows a naked woman's rear torso with her hands cuffed behind her. Sexy! The earlier covers (Surrender, The Cowboy, and Roped Heat) are also winners but were a little harder to make out the details--well, except for the hunky cowboy.
A question before I fade into the woodwork: how important is cover accuracy to readers? Night Fire's model has artificial nails and the cuffs are fur lined whereas much of the story takes place in ancient Aztec times where neither of those things existed.
Waving good-bye--until next month.
Vonna Harper
