Gianna Day writes erotica and erotic comedies. She lives in the pacific northwest where she enjoys running, flying kites, exploring museums, and eating late-night desserts in all-night diners. She believes that with a healthy sense of humor, everything will be just fine. She's the author of the Hot Secrets Collection, which includes five erotic, lesbian short stories, and The Sylvie Series, a collection of hetero-novellas full of both comedy and naughty bits (sometimes at the same time). Sylvie & the Spark and Sylvie Says Yes are available now on Amazon. Sylvie on Strike is soon to follow. Visit her at www.GiannaDay.blogspot.com.
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Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a bit of a health nut, generally happy, and for most the part, drama free. I think life is too short to waste on all that’s negative in this world, unless you are actively and earnestly trying to change it. Happiness begets happiness.
I count any day when I can read, write, and move as a good day. I have a pretty eclectic reading list. In addition to humor and erotica, I’ve been known to write some really abominable poetry. As far as movement, I love running and yoga.
When did you begin writing?
When I was very young. I wish I had dated some of my early stories, so I knew for sure. By the handwriting, I guess I was about 8 or 9, but I still have them and keep them in a binder. They are short stories that show a bit of an obsession with the macabre, which I must have eventually grown out of because there’s nothing dark about the adult me or my writing.
I continued writing through adolescence and into adulthood. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was really trying out different genres and styles to find where I fit. That’s a question many young writers face and I think trial-and-error is the best way to go about finding the answer. When you experiment with different content and form, eventually you find your place.
Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?
I used to try to train myself to be able to write anywhere at any time. Waiting rooms, parking lots, and other places where you sometimes find yourself stuck with a few minutes to spare. Eventually I surrendered to the fact that without a chunk of time, I’m pretty much useless. Two to four hours is ideal. I find that getting up early in the morning (earlier than my body wants to) works well for this.
What is this book about?
Sylvie realizes that while her relationship with her boyfriend might be momentarily satisfying in the bedroom, she is neither excited about it nor in love with him outside of the bedroom. What follows are a series of relationship misfires in the quest for Mister Right. The novella is equal parts erotica and comedy; chapter one combines both of those elements and readers usually know right away if the book is for them. Much of the comedy comes from the characters in Sylvie’s life, her quirky mother, humping dog, and the grossly inappropriate but entertaining and gorgeous twins with whom she works at a diner.
What inspired you to write it?
I self-published a collection of erotic short stories. A publisher read them and approached me about doing a series that incorporated comedy. I’d written humor before, but never put the two together. As soon as he presented me with the idea, I knew that I could pull it off and that it would be a lot of fun.
Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?
I don’t have an agent, but I’m fairly content at the moment without one. I know how to produce work on my own and I’m also happy with the arrangement I have with my publisher. If my work gains a much greater following, I may give more thought to looking for an agent, but I’m not quite there yet.
Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?
Because of the publishing industry today, I think the road to publication is extremely smooth, but that doesn’t guarantee success. In the case of Sylvie and the Spark, a publisher read some of my self-published work and approached me about writing this series. I hadn’t worked with a publisher before but I’m game for just about anything. So far, so good.
If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?
No, which doesn’t mean I’ve done everything right, but I’m constantly looking forward and moving forward. Every time you put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, or engage in an aspect related to writing, you learn more about the process. Writing is constant improvement. Publishing and marketing involve continual education. I wouldn’t change a thing about the past and I think it helps improve the future.
Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?
The series is currently available only on Amazon. Sylvie and the Spark and Sylvie Says Yes are up now. The third novella, Sylvie on Strike has been written for some time and the publisher assures me it will be up soon.
What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?
Hiring someone to help put together a blog tour. I used Pump Up Your Book and definitely will again. Depending on how technically savvy you are, you may or may not need to hire someone to help you set up your presence online. Beyond that, one investment many writers are surprised about is how much time they will need to devote to getting the word out.
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?
You can talk about writing, you can buy books on writing, and you can fret about writing. Or you can sit down and write.
What is up next for you?
I’m not sure. Like I said, I’m game for just about anything. The twins in the Sylvie books were such a blast to write, I’ve considered a series focused on them. Outlining a book can be so much fun but also very revealing. Sometimes you think you have the general flow of a book in your head, but when you start to put it in print, it takes an entirely different direction.
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