Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Christina Phillips

Welcome to a (rainy) Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm chatting with Wild Rose Press author Christina Phillips. Enjoy!

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Allie. I'm thrilled to be here!

And I'm glad to have you! Can you tell us a little about your background?

I moved to sunny Australia from the UK ten years ago with my very own hero and our three adorable children. Over the last few years as I’ve actively sought publication for the romances I love writing, I’ve tried my hand at category romance, chic lit, paranormal and now dark erotic romance for the Scarlet Line at The Wild Rose Press.

When did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?

I've always loved writing. When I was a child I used to write plays, then as a teenager I wrote long angsty poems and tragic space operas. It wasn't until we moved to Australia that I finally decided to get serious about my writing, and aim for publication.

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

My current release is Touch of the Demon, a Scarlet Rosette from The Wild Rose Press. Here's the blurb:

Dark angel Rafe travels back in time to destroy the woman who is fated to bring untold chaos to the cosmos. Instead, he finds Celeste, a child of the Earth Goddess, who is sworn to protect the one Rafe seeks. He mistakes her for his quarry but an irresistible attraction prevents him from taking her soul. And although Celeste holds the one weapon capable of banishing Rafe from Earth forever, she's unable to deny the overwhelming desire to possess this creature from hell. They come together in a frenzy of passion, each believing they are changing destiny by their actions. But when the Earth Goddess appears they discover her plans are more far reaching than either had imagined.

Excerpt:

“I’ll beg you for nothing.” It was a lie. If Celeste thought begging could get her anywhere, then she would already be on her knees before him. She kept that knowledge locked deep in her heart.

Rafe took a step toward her and her heart hammered in her breast. He was taller than any human she had known over the years. But then, he wasn’t human. Beneath the long leather coat he wore against the night’s chill air, his broad shoulders all but blotted out the rest of the world.

She sucked in a suddenly panicked breath, and his evocative scent of other worldly essences, meshed with hot, heavy male enveloped her. Against every principle she stood for, her nipples strained against the fabric of her bodice, peaking with desire and disgust and pure, animal heat.

A mocking smile twisted his full sensual lips. “I could make you beg, human.” His finger traced the outline of her face and she shuddered, hating the way she reacted and yet unable to help herself. “I might even listen to your pleas.” His smoky whisper shimmered along her senses, searing with words unsaid.

Great excerpt!! Now, what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

I have a couple of mantras - the first is a quote from Galaxy Quest: "Never give up! Never surrender!" It took me over nine years before I sold, and I was close to chucking it in on several occasions. Only the fact I become bad tempered and totally witchy to live with when I don't write kept me going back to the keyboard. Well, and the fact my wonderful CPs would never allow me to throw in the towel!

The second thing I'd like to share is this - Never Say Never! A couple of years ago it hadn't even occurred to me that I could write erotic romance, never mind sell in that genre. But when I sat down with the specific intention of writing erotic romance, something just clicked and I discovered I absolutely adored it. The weird thing is, up until I wrote Foretaste of Forever, my writing leaned towards romantic comedy.

Sometimes it really can pay to try something completely different, even something you've always maintained you'd never want or be able to tackle, just to see if you can do it!

When you write, do you use the computer or compose by hand, oral dictation, or some other method?

I use the computer to write. Always. I have tried writing longhand when I've got stuck, but it doesn't work for me. However, having said that, I find it easier to hammer out a blurb using pen and paper, rather than struggling for hours at the computer! Very weird, but true!

Christina, thanks so much for being here today. Readers, you can find out more about this author and her work in any of these places on the web. And have a great day!

Christina's Website
Christina's Blog
To buy Touch of the Demon from The Wild Rose Press, click Here

Trailer for Touch of the Demon