I am delighted to be speaking with author CJ Black today. Thanks for chatting with us today CJ and welcome to FAR!


To start, can you tell the FAR readers a little bit about yourself?

I'm an author of fantasy and erotic fiction, usually male/male. I've been previously published in the fantasy genre, but for the past three years, I found a new love in erotic fiction. I've been a weekly winner in the BetterSex Erotic fiction contest and am in two of their anthologies, as well as having several shorts in various online venues. Illusion of Night, my fantasy erotic novel is available through Liquid Silver Books. You can find links to my other works at my site http://cjblack.net/ or my blog Black Satin at http://cjblacksatin.blogspot.com/ My blog is best place to find the most recent news and updates. I'm also a gamer, gardener and an amateur chef.

Illusion of Night was released in June. Can you tell us a little about it?

Dane Tanderes was a mortal man, unjustly sentenced to death. For him the afterlife was a dark world where he was forced to spend eternity as a fiend. A magical war tears a rift between his world and the living. Dane and others like him wage their own war against the mortals. Vanlyn Sarn is the second son of the High Lord who commands the human armies. When his father sends him off on what amounts to a suicide mission, Vanlyn is taken hostage by Dane. Dane hopes to use Vanlyn to further his cause but finds himself falling for Vanlyn instead. Now Dane has to choose between his love and his people.

Here's the actual blurb:

A spectral war has torn the veils that separate life and death in pieces. Beings of the darkness slip through these rifts as armies of man wage a losing battle against the corporeal invaders. Dane Tanderes was once a mortal man condemned to an unjust death, cursed to live as a fiend until the gods decreed he was deemed worthy for forgiveness. Now that he has escaped back to the world of the living he is determined to never again live in darkness. Dane is instrumental in the war against those he once called brethren, fighting to give his people a chance return to the light.

Vanlyn Sarn is the second son of a cruel lord. His life is one of misery and degradation, despised by his brother and father for reasons known only to them. He is tasked by his father to journey deep into enemy territory and escort troops to aid in the fighting. However, Vanlyn knows the true nature of this mission. He is not expected to return.

When Dane takes Vanlyn prisoner, he plans to use the young prince as a pawn to seduce Vanlyn into betraying his kingdom and his people. But passion ignites red hot and Dane is torn between his burgeoning feelings for the young prince and doing what his honor demands. Which decision will lead him to what he desires most?

Is it hard for you to balance your life as a writer? How do you manage it?

Very hard at this point. I used to have a set schedule where I would come home from work and write from six to ten pm, and in the mornings an hour before work. Right now, I have too many things going on, including a second job, which makes it difficult to keep that schedule. Now, what I do is use any downtime I can grab to write. At times, I'll jot down things on paper at a slow period and type it up when I get a chance. I'm hoping to drop the second job soon and get back to my set schedule. I also want to buy a laptop so I can write while I'm in situations where I'm waiting. I want to start using whatever available time I have from now on.

Where would you say that you get your most creative ideas?

That's a tough one. It can be from anywhere. But to answer the question, everyday life provides the best ideas. It may be something I see or hear while I'm out, like a conversation, or perhaps something that I don't see every day. Music invokes ideas as well. One of things I like doing when I write is listen to music as it helps me set the stage for whatever I happen to be working on. Usually I do New Age or Jazz. David Arkenstone, Enigma, Art of Noise and Ray Lynch are some of my favorites.

What was the hardest part of writing Illusion of Night for you?

Believe it or not, the editing! I think it's that way for most authors. Every work an author produces is a masterpiece just as it is -- at least to us! But a conscientious writer knows that's not the case at all. Then you have to go back and perform major surgery on your baby, all the while deciding, should I keep this? Should this go? Then you know, someone else is going to be looking at it and you hope they see your vision at the same time knowing, there's more you have to do. More cutting and changes. One piece of advice, keep whatever you cut as an aside. It will make for interesting reading if you want to place it on your site or blog. Somewhat like deleted scenes in a DVD.

When did you start writing and how long did it take you to get published?

I actually started writing when I was five. Terrible stuff to say the least but well, I was five. I developed a love for books and reading at that tender age. When I got older, I used to write stories for my friends, making them the protagonist, which they loved. My 7th grade English teacher was also very supportive of my work and allowed me to write a story as part of my spelling assignments. Then a friend gave me a newspaper clipping for a publisher and I thought, why not? I penned my first novel at fourteen. Unfortunately, the clipping was for a vanity publisher. Back then, there was no internet, Google or organizations like Writer Beware to help you out so I had a lot of run-ins with the wrong kind of publishers. I didn't see publication (and that was online) until late in the game and it didn't turn out well. I refer to it as my writing defeat which made me quit in frustration for awhile but if you're truly an author, it won't work. I learned that soon enough. I was off the net for quite some and all the while people encouraged me to try again. I had my first erotic story accepted by an online contest and I'm working to completely get back in the game.

What is the wackiest job you can think of that you would like to do?

Well, it's not exactly wacky - but if I could chose to do any job it would be a video game designer. I'm a devout gamer and have been for as long as I've been writing. Space Invaders, anyone? I'd love to create an RPG out of one of my story ideas. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Illusion of Night as one of those erotic video games, or an OVA for that matter.

If you were a dessert, which one would best describe you?

Chocolate cake or any chocolate dessert. Chocolate is a comfort food and I like to believe people can be comfortable around me and how they'll always have a sympathetic ear.

What things do you find yourself doing that you said you'd "never" do?

Writing-wise? Writing erotica! Especially contemporary. But of course I discovered how much I enjoy it, which shows an author should always be willing to expand her horizons.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I haven't been doing much reading lately because I've been trying to really push myself to finish my own WIP's but the most recent additions to my TBR list are: Lelani Black, Mary Calmes, Brita Addams and Missy Welsh.

Do your fans' comments or emails influence you in any way?

Absolutely! Where would any author be without their readers? They are one of the reasons why we do what we do. A well-thought out comment or suggestion can assist any author in improving their craft. When I say well thought out, let us know specifically what you did or didn't like about a plot, characters, description or whatever catches your eyes. On the other hand I will ignore people who give comments like, "your writing sucks." Or make it personal.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us today?

Yes, thank you so much for the interview! I enjoyed answering your questions and I'm a big fan of FAR. Keep up the good work.

Thank you for taking time to speak with me today CJ! Readers can visit and learn more about CJ's works here: http://cjblack.net/

Interviewed by: Tammy