So do erotic fiction writers lie around in black lacy underwear having their toes sucked? Do romance writers spend their spare time tripping through fields of daisies in ankle length chiffon dresses? Are the genres in opposition or are they two sides of the same coin?
Sandra Mackness took a moment to tell us about her alter ego Toni Sands and her love affair with erotic fiction and romance writing.
When did you first realise that writing did not just have to be a hobby and you could actually write professionally?
BBC Wiltshire Sound invited submissions of short stories so I wrote one, based on the spooky experience of a guest staying in our converted Victorian school. He insisted there was a golden-haired girl playing with Lego alongside my small son. I saw nothing but the image demanded to be put into words. I was invited to record this story for broadcasting and must’ve managed not to sound like Darth Vader because I later recorded another one.
What drew you to the romance and erotic romance genres?
In my teens I discovered my mother’s Mills and Boon collection. Some of these novels were quite raunchy. I used to ‘borrow’ one while my parents watched TV. This helped develop fast reading skills because if my dad caught me, he’d confiscate the book. Mum also took me to the cinema to watch romantic comedies starring Alpha males chasing cuddly blondes so I suppose I absorbed her tastes. And I read Austen and Bronte. Jane Eyre is still my Number One.
Years later, on joining a writers’ circle, one of its leaders noted a sensuous quality within my writing. I successfully submitted two stories to a women’s erotic magazine before meeting a well-known author who advised me to contact Virgin Books about their Black Lace imprint. I began reading Anais Nin and was hooked.
Two of my stories are available in Black Lace anthologies and another is published by Accent Press. I love the challenge of writing erotica, using velvety words and fine-tuning sexual tension. I’m about to pitch another story to a US website recommended to me by an editor who knows my work.
Which of your stories do you have a particular soft spot for (either published or upublished)?
My first national magazine success when My Weekly accepted a story called The Garden Party. The artist’s interpretation was so stunning that I requested a copy, now framed and hanging in my den. This was also a story with a spooky theme and I revisit this genre occasionally. I’m currently short-listed in a competition and my submission spans two aircraft in different time zones
What has been the highlight of your writing life?
The merits of MA creative writing courses are often debated. Completing one gave me the chance to co-edit and contribute to a collection of new writing and to read at Hay on Wye Literary Festival 2006. Just being in the Green Room alongside Sandi Toksvig and other celebs gave us all a buzz. Also, having my novel, Suddenly You Know, accepted for publishing by YouWriteOn was a landmark.
Where is your favourite place to write?
Like most writers, I carry a pen and notebook ready to capture gems overheard on the train or in a coffee shop. Often I’m listening to my characters while walking in the countryside. But I’m most at ease in my writing room, surrounded by books, bits of nostalgia and post-it notes sprouting from my pc to remind me of threads as I hang out with the characters in my current novel.
So when we first began to chat you surprized me by saying that you were in the middle of baking a rhubarb pie! Do people often make interesting assumptions about you because you write in the erotic fiction genre?
Yes. Both sexes are generally fascinated to learn I write erotica. There’s definitely a ‘Wow, who’d have thought it?’ look on their faces. Jaws drop even further when I say I also enjoy writing for The Lady magazine. But it’s all about words, isn’t it? And certain themes transfer well to erotica. Food is hugely important in my writing. It’s a great leveller with significant erotic potential. Remember those chocolate flake ads?
You run writing workshops. Do you have any advice for anyone else wanting to take the brave step of co-ordinating a workshop?
Show your passion for writing and your students will react. If you’re working with different levels of writers, aim for simple tasks and see what results. A good ice-breaker is ten minutes’ free writing, using postcards or magazine cuttings for inspiration. Encourage the group to let the words flow, regardless of sense. Join in this exercise rather than sit counting the minutes. For a one-off session, you could introduce a theme like clothing or something abstract like perceptions into your exercises. Plan ahead and ensure you’ve plenty in hand to keep people engaged. That way you’ll be relaxed. It’s important to cite the positives first when critiquing a piece of writing. Be prepared to be asked questions. If you don’t know the answer, promise to find out and keep your word. Students will remember you as pro-active and supportive.
So can we have some insider gossip - what project are you working on at the moment?
I’m writing another romantic comedy loosely based on my story published in 2007 by The Lady. There’s an agent kind enough to want me to tell her when I’ve completed my first draft. Also a publisher has invited me to submit a collection of stories in which the writing has a darker, more edgy quality. Another challenge! And I continue to be a member of a wonderful group called ‘Hookers’ Pen’ which consists of feisty, funny, talented, warm-hearted women writers. We critique and encourage one another towards publication. I am so lucky.
To find out more about Toni and her writing or to fid out where to purchase her work visit the official Toni Sands website
Dulcinea Norton-Smith - Dulcinea is a writer, an avid reader, a loving wife, a terrible housewife, a mother of two, a Civil Servant and of course a freelance ...
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