Look in the dictionary under diverse and you just might find Sahara Kelly’s name. From regency romance, to science fiction, to BDSM, Sahara covers it all. And she does it very well. She actually is a wealth of information on a wide variety of topics and all are incorporated into her books. Which makes reading them so much fun and even educational. Now, I certainly don’t read erotic romances for their educational qualities, but darned if I don’t learn something occasionally. Erotic romance isn’t just about the sex. Though that is very important and Sahara does a great job with it she also writes very touching stories, witty and down right funny at times her books are moving and arousing. Even when the story is a little sad there is still an uplifting feel to it. Sahara graciously agreed to sit down with JERR and show us a little bit of the real Sahara Kelly.

Tell us a little bit about your background, where you were born, where you grew up and how you came to be in the United States.

I was born in Wales, raised in Southern England, and came over to America as a teenager when my parents emigrated. It was a HUGE culture shock, too. Took me ages to figure out the difference between chips and fries! But I was blessed with some great schoolteachers in England who gave me a life-long love of reading – anything and everything – and the experience of producing at least two or three essays a week. Kind of laid the foundation for my writing, I suspect.

At what age did you start writing? What was your first book? When did you decide on writing romantica?

I guess I was in my twenties…I’d read every Barbara Cartland and Georgette Heyer novel I could find (always was a Regency fan), and simply ran out of regencies! The idea settled in my head that I might as well write one of my own. (It was published by Zebra under another name. A real fluke.) That was years ago, and I sort of kept my hand in with regencies, but didn’t pursue anything too seriously until about eighteen months ago when I discovered romanticas and Ellora’s Cave. A chat with some friends led to the birth of a pair of genies…and the rest, as they say, is history! <g>

How does your family respond to your romantica writing? Do your kids and your parents know?

Well, at first, my husband and son viewed it all as mildly amusing. In fact I didn’t tell them I was submitting to EC until I got the word that it had been accepted. Then I got my first royalty check, and they realized that money was actually involved. That kind of changed their perspective. They’re both very supportive, although my son is not quite sure how to handle the odd collection of research books. At eighteen, he hasn’t decided if having a Mom who writes erotic romances is a good thing or a bad thing. My parents? They don’t know. They are comfortably retired in Florida, and definitely wouldn’t appreciate knowing about my subject matter. The word “Victorian” comes to mind. LOL Great parents, but from a different and very conservative generation.

Can you tell us a little bit about your process for writing a book? Do you research and make outlines or do you just sit down and type?

Oooh…tough question. I think I like to “see” a character. To create that person in my mind. To give them an adventure somewhere, sometime, and then create someone special for them. I tend not to make written outlines, but the plot sort of takes shape in my mind and then I sit down to write. It changes and fleshes out as the chapters grow. Research? Yes. Absolutely, positively. I research anything and everything. From masturbation techniques to life in ancient Sumer. God bless the Internet, because I doubt I could find it all from my local library – without giving the librarians a fit, anyway! LOL

I have noticed that you write many different genres within your romantica writing. What is your favorite among these and what dictates your choice to write a particular book? Is it reader influence or your desire to tell a particular story?

I guess I do flit around from genre to genre, don’t I? (Laughs) Probably have a short attention span. I like variety. I love the challenge of finding a time or a place that is new to me and getting inspired by my research. I don’t think I have any favorites, although the Regency holds a special place in my heart – I’m so ‘at home’ there. Readers certainly help with their feedback – asking about characters from books, are they going to get their own story, etc. etc. And often a character I’m writing will stand up and wave at me and ask for a story of their own…so I guess it’s both reader influence AND a desire to tell a story. Sorry – no clear answer on this one.

Does your personal life find its way into your books? What about this question of research?

Aah…yes. The ‘research’ question. <vbg> Well, as far as personal life goes, sure…some of it finds it’s way into my books. It has to, because I’m writing them. There are parts of me in just about every book I write - I don’t see how any writer can avoid it. But to set the record straight, I don’t research each and every sex scene I write. Firstly, I wouldn’t have time to write at all if I did, secondly, I doubt that either hubby or I would survive, and thirdly, we have a kid in the house! LOL I like to remind myself that Agatha Christie wrote great murder mysteries, but I doubt she actually killed anybody! LOL

Are there a Hari and Sami in your life? Did you model these absolutely fabulous characters after anyone or are they strictly from your imagination? Do you have a phone number for them?

Don’t I wish!!! <vbg> Sorry – no Magic Lamp at my house. I guess they’re sort of a mix of some of the men who’ve been in my life at one time or another. But mostly from my imagination. In fact, I have no idea where some of their antics came from. And even if I had it, their phone number would be a very closely-guarded secret. There are a couple of editors over at EC who’d kill me if I gave it to anyone but them! lol

I thought A Kink In Her Tails was a wonderful book. It was HOT, sexy, romantic and very touching. The linking of all the stories together at the end was brilliantly done and I don’t mind telling you I tried to finish it at work and couldn’t because I kept starting to cry. So, I had to wait until I got home to read the ending. Tell us a little about where the idea for that story evolved.

Wow. Thank you soooo much. That’s a wonderful compliment. (And I cried for an hour after writing the last story! Still do, every time I read it!) I had a lot of intense on-line discussions with a good friend of mine about the whole BDSM world long before I got the idea for Kink. He encouraged me to read, research, and keep an open mind, and I began to realize that there was more to this “lifestyle” than a couple of spankings and hot sex. I wanted to try and write about what I’d learned…that the depth of the love and trust between a Dom and a sub has to be quite extraordinary. That their feelings go beyond “romance”. To try and show the differences between a straightforward ‘vanilla’ relationship and the complexities involved in surrendering control to another in the bedroom. I hope I treated the lifestyle with respect – something I hadn’t found in a lot of commonly available bondage-themed stories. It’s a fascinating area, and one I hope to write about again some time. But those particular stories in Kink just wrote themselves – this was a book as much from the heart as the head, and I’m just thrilled and incredibly moved when anyone tells me things like you just did. (sniffle)

In writing novels, authors frequently find themselves attached to the characters in their books, especially the hero. Do you find this to be true of yourself and your characters and if so which characters have captivated you the most?

Oh, Lord. Another tough question. I guess, in all honesty, I’m attached to all my characters, both heroes and heroines. Especially when I’m in the middle of writing them. And, simply put, it’s because I write characters I like. People I’d like to meet, talk to, and possibly fool around with! <g> I have to confess that I do have a strong affection for the Guardian in “Alana’s Magic Lamp”. I SAW him, clear as day. When he walked into that scene and into the story for the first time, I saw the actor, Oded Fehr, striding down the pathway in black satin pants and a long open tunic with long hair flying around. I got chills, I swear. Well, hell. It doesn’t get much better than that. Took me half an hour to get over that mental image. lol And Alana turned to me and said, “screw those genies. I want HIM!” The book was supposed to end differently, but I just sighed and said OK.

This brings us to an interesting topic of one of your new projects Partners in Passion with Scott Carpenter. In this book Scott writes your hero. How does that change that dynamic between the author and her characters? Having a real person to associate your hero with.

This was absolutely the most WONDERFUL writing experience. Scott is an adorable mix of sweetheart and sex fiend. It was a totally new feeling – kind of like hanging over the edge of a precipice and not knowing if the bridge across was safe! I loved being inside my character (Eleanor)’s head and not knowing what the hero (Justin) was going to do or how he was going to react. It made it a challenge and a thrill to respond to each of Scott’s sections. It was a totally different writing experience, since all I had to do was concentrate on Eleanor. How she was feeling, what she was thinking, how she was reacting – I could get inside her completely since I didn’t have to worry about Justin. That was Scott’s job. I think - I HOPE - it made it even more real for readers. We both want them to see the differences in a man’s perspective on a relationship versus a woman’s thoughts. Plus, we want them to laugh. A lot. I think it’s a very funny book.

Partners in Passion is a very different type of book from what we are used to. Can you tell us how this idea was conceived?

Well, it’s hard to say, really. Scott and I had exchanged a few emails – I love his writing and his wild humor. That guy makes me laugh till I ache! He was nice enough to say he liked some of my stories too, and one thing kind of led to another. We both liked the idea of doing something different for EC, and stepping “outside the box” as writers. It was inspiring, exciting, and we’re looking forward to doing it again. And again. <g>

Can you give us an idea of the writing process behind a project like this? How does it affect your style or your process of writing?

That was something we both puzzled over – how to actually DO it. The concept was super, and the parties were willing, but the execution wasn’t easy. We’d chat about plot, conflict, little pointers, details, and then write something…waiting to see what was coming next was like incredible foreplay! lol We had a pretty good idea of the overall storyline…but the rest of it was very flexible and we went with the flow. I don’t think it affected our ‘styles’, just the mechanics of the way we wrote…no long hours of creating scene after scene, more like quick bursts of spontaneity. It was just fabulous. Everything Scott wrote challenged me to respond as Eleanor. It was more like ‘being’ Eleanor than ‘writing’ Eleanor. Sorry – it’s hard to explain!

Scott has openly called you a “walking nympho.” How do you respond to such allegations?

By invoking the Fifth Amendment! (waggles eyebrows) Of course, Scott does tend to bring out the inner slut in me…<beg>

When and why did you start doing covers for your books? Did you and Scott arm wrestle to see who would do the cover for PIP?

I’ve been so lucky with EC! They graciously allowed me to do some of my own covers early on, and I sort of got into the habit of it. I loved the “EC look” – the subtle sensuality of their covers. As a writer, it was a chance to visualize the characters, set a “feel” to my stories…I really enjoy the creative artistic process on many levels. But there was no question that Scott would do the PIP cover, not with the astounding graphic talents that man has. And ohhh boy, did he do a fine job. No ‘arm’ wrestling involved on that one at all. But I have to tell you that my thighs ached for ages after the photo shoot. lol

Tell us about your other upcoming projects. Is there a sequel planned for Madam Charlie?

Absolutely. Spencer and Elizabeth will be getting their own adventure – they’re just too insistent about it. But again, I have to create the right story for them. It has to be something special, which will fit their personalities. Aurora and Jonas (from Sizzle) are also on the drawing board (plotting board?).
A contemporary look at Cinderella is due out sometime in September, titled “The Glass Stripper”, and I’ve just completed my first contemporary suspense romantica, called “Peta and the Wolfe”. It’s another spin off of the “Guardians of Time” series, set in contemporary New England, and the hero, Max Wolfe, made his debut in “Hansell and Gretty”. He was another character who has haunted me for a while.

Right now, I’m working out ideas for an anthology story (St. Patrick’s Day themed), and dealing with six wild Regency Gypsies. They will each get a story and a woman (with the exception of two brothers, who may share <g>). I have two Aesop’s Fables submitted – they’re medieval historicals, and have an idea that I might like to find a new period in history for the next Guardians of Time novel. And…yeah…I might just take a crack at a paranormal, although I said I’d never do one since there are so many fabulous paranormals available at EC. Like James Bond, I’m learning that I should never say “never”. lol

What is your idea of a sexy treat from your husband?

Oh boy. Well, bearing in mind we’ve been married for twenty years, that’s a tough question to answer. I know I should say a candlelight dinner with wine and flowers and a room to ourselves at a deluxe hotel. But in all honesty I’d settle for a nice cup of tea and the remote control while he does the dishes! lol

What is your idea of a sexy treat for your husband?

Letting him have the remote. Although I’ve noticed he likes the lacy black nightie I splurged on with my first royalty check. <g>

What sound or noise do you love?

Laughter. It’s the most wonderful sound in the world, lifts the spirits, makes you want to smile too, and exercises huge numbers of muscles. It’s a great workout for the body and the soul.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Any animal in pain. I lost two wonderful dogs to cancer. They’ve left a hole in my heart I’ll never fill. Can’t stand to hear that cry.

What is your favorite cuss word?

Oh fuck. I was afraid you might ask that! Well, sad to say, I don’t watch my language as much as I should. There is nothing quite as satisfying as the classic “fuck” in all its variations. And it’s all-purpose too. I can use it as a noun, a verb, and an adjective. I make full use of it, since I’m all for multi-tasking!

If heaven exists what would God say to you when you arrive at the gate?

“Oh good, you’re here. There’s two genies who’ve been waiting for you.”

If you would like to find out more about Sahara Kelly drop by her website at www.saharakelly.com and get the latest scoop on her books. Sahara loves to hear from her readers she says “any and all opinions are always welcome.” Email Sahara at sahara@saharakelly.com. You can find all of Sahara’s books at www.ellorascave.com