As a writer and editor, G.G. Royale is multi-published. A native of California, she lives in the deep south.You are both a writer and editor of erotic romances. Did the editing start you writing or was it the other way around?
It was the other way around. I had started writing erotica seriously in about 1998, while I was on a semester abroad in England, still working on my bachelor’s in English. I fancied myself a reincarnation of Anaïs Nin as I backpacked around Europe when school got out. I’ve sat on most of those early short stories, because they’re just not good. At the time, I wanted to be more of a poet than anything else and wasn’t working as hard on the erotica.
I didn’t start editing professionally until about 2004, after I’d quit a miserable job and decided to try to write full time. The editing made sure there was a little extra money in the coffers. I started seriously submitting then, too, though it was under a different pen name. I got into a few anthologies and magazines, and I like the feeling. That’s how I ended up at this point.
How long have you been writing? Do you have any daily word/page counts or other hard-and-fast routines?
I remember writing my first play in second grade. I did it to entertain myself and to try to make friends. I thought they’d all want to perform in it. I was wrong about the friends, but I kept writing. In fact, my characters became my friends for a long time. It was a sort of coping mechanism for being an only child with two working parents and no cable television growing up.
As far as routines go, I do always outline the entire book before I start writing, including some character development. If I’m really in the zone, I can write ten to fifteen pages on Saturday and the same on Sunday, and some nights, after my day job, I can write two to three pages. I try to write something every day. One of my best habits is carrying a composition book. I can crank out a few hundred words at a bar if I’m bored.
My authors at Loose Id come first right now, so if I have one of their manuscripts, I won’t work on my own writing until I’ve finished with theirs, so that can affect how much I get done too.
This is so basic, but I turn away so many manuscripts because the author didn’t send it to the correct market. Loose Id publishes erotic romance, but I’ll get straight-up erotica, or romance with no sex. Market research is key, and these days it is so easy thanks to sites like Duotrope. I am the biggest Duotrope fan ever. Most of my sales have come because of the listings on their site. Writers need to learn to use Duotrope or similar sites if they want to get published. Knowing you have the right manuscript for the right publisher can save a lot of heartache later.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
This is a really tough one… In the past, it was those dry spells I would get, when I wouldn’t write for sixth months or a year because I was so wrapped up in my day job or school. I haven’t had one of those in a long time, though, since I finished my master of fine arts in creative writing last year. I had to write a lot to complete that program, and the momentum has sort of stayed with me.
What is the title of your most recently published book? Briefly tell us what it's about and let us know where we can buy it.
The Lovely Kittengirls of Mew Orleans releases/ released February 16 with Loose Id (www.loose-id.com); this is my first novella to be published. It’s a contemporary BDSM romance about Margot, who is completely dissatisfied with the Doms she’s had. One night, she decides to plan a sort of burlesque “cat” show as an entrée into kitten-play, and through that, she meets the hero, Maxwell.
What are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
I’ve contracted The Flapper and the Fellow, a historic romance with a little spanking, with Loose Id (www.loose-id.com), and I hope to see that release in early summer. Girl Crush, an anthology of lesbian erotica from Cleis Press, contains one of my stories, and that will be out in May. I’ve also contracted Lilith’s Daughter with Carnal Desires (http://www.carnaldesirespublishing.com/index.php), and that’s slated to release in late summer. Lilith’s Daughter is a paranormal contemporary about a succubus torn between serving her goddess and her love for a man. You can see I’m all over the place when it comes to subgenre.
My work in progress is a follow-up to Kittengirls, and will feature Haley as she tries to deal with two Doms wanting her at the same time.
From the perspective of a writer, what is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Everyone’s probably heard this, but separate your ego from your work. Just because a book is rejected doesn’t mean you as a person are being rejected, and getting into a funk after a rejection will only hurt your writing. Whenever I send something out, I sort of cut the emotional umbilical cord. If it gets accepted, that’s super. But if it’s rejected, I file it away until I get a chance to work on it again and make whatever changes are needed. Sometimes I’ve distanced myself from the work that I just keep sending it out until somebody takes it. I don’t think I’ve cried over a rejection since college. I feel that if I keep my expectations low, it’s harder to be disappointed, and then the acceptances feel so much better.
Are you a member of any writer’s organizations? Why? Why not?
I’m a member of EPIC, the electronic publishing organization. I mostly publish in e-book format, so it made a lot of sense to join. That’s about it. I don’t belong to any of the bigger associations, like RWA, yet.
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances? If so, give us all the details.
I will be at the EPIC conference in New Orleans in March. Details can be found at http://www.epic-conference.com/index.html. I will take pitches from authors interested in publishing with Loose Id on that Friday. I think I might also be presenting at the awards ceremony Saturday night.
FUN QUESTION: Classical or hard rock, and why?
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