Jillian Clemmons

Hello Louisa,

Thanks for the interview. I loved “The Wait!” Your quirky punk hero was intriguing and I liked the twist at the end. It’s sexy stuff. What’s new with you?

So I gotta dish some inside information. I came to the “Rekindled Fire” anthology a bit late. I saw the call-out for submissions through the erotica group Passionate Ink (http://www.passionateink.org/) when there was two weeks left until the deadline. I had a story, “The Wait,” that fit the theme of reunited lovers perfectly.

I’ve cradled “The Wait,” like much of my writing, but have never submitted it. Maybe because I imagine it being a full-length story. Once I was satisfied that it was ready – enough – to go, I checked out the submission guidelines once again. My heart dropped. Elle Amery (http://elleamery.blogspot.com/), the anthology’s editor, had changed it to read that she had received too many related-themed stories already. Should I submit? I told my husband, and he said, “Send it anyway.”

Within a week, I had heard from Elle. “The Wait” was over. And, I have to give major kudos to Elle. She’s a fabulous and intuitive editor.

That’s great! So as a published author, what advice would you give to aspiring authors about learning the craft? And what books, mentors, or classes have helped you the most?

Focus on your work, but also nurture your craft through classes and friendships. That term “networking” is so non-personal. If you join writer’s groups and take classes, you’ll be bound to forge rich friendships with some like-minded people who understand you.

When I was on bed rest with my second child, Jenny Gardiner (http://www.jennygardiner.net/) sent me daily e-mails that kept me going and made me laugh. I only know Jen through the Chick Lit Writers Group; we’ve never met in person. She’s the perfect example of a good friend who can be met through these groups.

More than 15 years ago, I took a class with the women’s fiction author Jo-Ann Mapson (http://www.joannmapson.com/), and we’re still friends. If anyone’s been an inspirational mentor, it’s her.

It doesn’t matter that I have two master’s degrees in English and journalism; I believe in education. I continue to take classes through online workshops such as those offered through many RWA chapters and places such as UCLA extension.  Right now, I’m taking an online class with Sascha Illyvich on BDSM, and damn does he dish! (It’s also great to see into a man’s head …)

Even if you (think) you know it all, being out with others can help fuel creativity. Last year, I took a one-day workshop at UCLA on “How to Write a Sex Scene” with Jessica Barksdale Inclan (http://www.redroom.com/author/jessica-barksdale-inclan). I hadn’t read her books, and now I have. She’s a fantastic and creative writer, with quite a bit of passion. After that class, I had the confidence to submit an erotica story, which was already written, and it sold.

That’s inspiring! As a journalism professor, what did you have to learn, or unlearn, to write fiction?

Within journalism, you’re trained to write short. Space matters. In fiction, I need to remember to draw out the descriptions more, add more feelings and emotions. I also constantly fight to turn off my “internal editor,” and get the words on the page.

There’s always a quandary between journalism and fiction writing. Do you work full-time writing all day long for a living, while practicing your creativity, and then try to write at home at night? Or, take another job and save your creative juices. I’ve done both, and there’s pluses and minuses for both. For me, sometimes my hands would physically hurt after a full day and the last thing I would want to do is sit in front of a computer. Instead, I’d write short stories by hand. There’s something inspiring about doing mundane Excel sheets all day, and then having the freedom to write at night.

As a reporter, I never miss deadlines. As a writer, working without a deadline, is hard. I’ll keep re-writing. The last three fiction stories I’ve submitted have been accepted for publication. It really makes me feel like I should have let them go long ago.

Interesting. How would you advise aspiring authors seeking to get published in erotic fiction?

Be honest. Read stories in the genre. Erotica e-books are hot right now. Readers can download them quick and easy. Explore publishers such as Ravenous Romance. If you want to be published by Harlequin in their “Spice Briefs,” then you better buy and read a few. Then decide: what do you like to read? What turns you on? Are you willing to delve into some of those more private places, and share? I may not hit the bondage clubs, but recently I did buy a pair of black leather anklets, just to get the feel for them. And, you know they’ll be featured in an upcoming tale. (In fact, I bought two … one might just be for a giveaway.)

I’m not afraid to pick up Penthouse Variations to see what’s out there, and I subscribe to Playboy.

Craft-wise, try to go beyond the cliché. Sure, the most natural description of a climax may be a crashing wave, but how else can it be described?

As a reader, I relish the escape from reality that fiction offers. Personally, I’ve always found sexuality and erotica to be a very natural offshoot of humanity and writing. Hopefully, the passion within my stories touches others.

It definitely touched me! Okay, describe your introduction to the publishing world.

Fortunately, I’ve always known what I wanted to do: write. I’ve been writing since I was a child. Although then my subject-matter was poems about the feisty cat Garfield. In junior high and high school, I served on the yearbook staff, and then moved to newspaper in college and graduate school.

I started working full time as a copy editor for a magazine publishing company after college. These days, I freelance write non-fiction, as well as work on my fiction.

What’s a typical day like? Who are your influences and what’s your inspiration?

Typical day? Truthful or embellished? I have a family: I’m married with two small children. I work. Fortunately, I’ve built up my professional career where I no longer work an 8-5 job. That doesn’t mean that I don’t work. Currently, I’m teaching at three universities and I have combined 150 students. Some classes are on campus, and others are online. That’s just the tip of work.

I need to make time for my writing. Most of my fiction writing happens at night, when everyone’s asleep and the house is quiet. Often, I’ll have a glass of wine, unwind and then let the creativity flow; this technique also helps with shutting down that noisy internal editor. When I have to polish or edit my tales, I need to carve out more alert time during the day. I’m working on a few longer pieces, but right now, with time constraints, short stories are working for me.

For early influences, I fell in love with books by Stephen King and Anne Rice. Within the past few years, I’ve been reading Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Annette Blair and recently I poured through the Demonica trilogy by Larissa Ione; Ione writes a wicked and erotic paranormal tale.

Inspiration comes from everywhere. Inspiration comes from life. I soak in life around me, and try to enjoy the blessings and passion within it. Then those elements get infused within the writing (without all the distractions of the everyday mundane).

I agree. This interview has inspired me! Thank you so much, Louisa.

Thank you, Jillian!

Purchase: Rekindled Fire: An Anthology of Reunited Lovers

Louisa Bacio started reading A. N. Roquelaure’s Sleeping Beauty series at an impressionable age, and has been hooked on erotica ever since. She believes that everyone should have a little love—and a lot of pleasure—in their lives. Louisa lives in Long Beach, California, with her adoring husband, two wonderful and challenging daughters, and a houseful of pets. In addition to writing, she teaches college classes in English and journalism. You can catch up with Louisa at http://louisabacio.blogspot.com/