Today’s interview is with Nerine Dorman, author of Khepera Rising and its sequel, Khepera Redeemed. She reveals how to make a reader root for the “bad” guy, the importance of learning from other authors, editors and agents and her new alter ego, erotica-penning Therése von Willegen.

LUX ZAKARI: What can you tell readers about the Khepera series? How did the idea come to you?

NERINE DORMAN: Those who enjoy dark, Gaimanesque fantasy with an unusual setting will most likely get their jollies from the Khepera series. The story blends elements of an occult crime thriller with dashes of splatterpunk in an urban fantasy environment. But one of the biggest draw cards I feel is that the tale is set in contemporary South Africa, offering non-South African readers a slice of life that’s refreshingly different from the standard US or European settings.

Some of the reader feedback I’ve had so far is that the South African references to setting and manner of speaking went over quite well, which is what I wanted to achieve. It’s always been my belief that an author should write what they know and, since I’ve lived in Cape Town my entire life, I can offer readers a taste of the exotic with enough familiar touches for those who’ve never traveled to Africa. Cape Town is very much a place where Africa meets the West, a true melting pot of cultures with a rich heritage that draws from Dutch, British, Continental, Malay, Indian and African history. It is possible to walk down Long Street (one of the main thoroughfares) and hear French, German, English and Arabic spoken. It’s an exciting city to live in and I wanted to share a little of my world.

The idea for the Khepera series came to me when a little old lady approached me in an almost identical manner as she does Jamie in book one. Not to give any spoilers, the incident had me thinking along the lines of “what if I really was the very thing she’d fear at the heart of suburbia?” and the story grew from there.

Also a few years ago, I was privileged to become friends with a gentleman who held interest in matters pertaining to the occult. I spent much time in his company, many hours of discussion and some practice, and his outlook very much inspired how Jamie approaches his magical workings. My friend has passed on since then, and I miss him terribly, so he’ll never know how much of an influence he had on my writing. I do know one thing, that his wife used to read passages of Khepera Rising to him while he was in ICU, so wherever you are, Shaen, thank you for what I could learn from you.

LZ: The protagonist, Jamie, often acts egocentrically and self-destructively and is not what one might normally call a “hero,” but the reader roots for him anyway. Why do you think this is, and how do you keep Jamie likable?

ND: Jamie’s a bit of an odd fish. He likes to present a hardcore image to the world around him but at heart he’s a very soft person. His parents split up when he was fairly young and, since he’s always been a sensitive who’s able to perceive the hidden world at the edges of our reality, he was picked on while growing up. His image is his defense mechanism. He has many bad traits: vanity, overindulgence, narcissism… Think of the seven deadly sins and Jamie would possess most of those traits. But these are tempered by the fact that he doesn’t mean anyone ill unless they go out of their way to create obstacles for him.

When writing a character like Jamie, one has to balance out the bad traits with some good lest the character is totally irredeemable. I think within all of us we have a desire to just cut loose and be absolutely wicked. Jamie represents these tendencies but he still holds onto his essential human nature. Yes, he’s very carnal and self-destructive but part of the journey in book one of the Khepera series is about how Jamie masters these urges. They never leave him but he assimilates and accepts his nature.

I’ve always admired people who possess a devil-may-care attitude, and when I conceptualized Jamie, I tried to combine all these traits that are socially unacceptable in someone who, although he can be malicious at times, never loses that sense of childlike irreverence. Jamie is a child in many ways. Because he never fits into mainstream society, he elects to live within his own carefully constructed fantasy world. How many of us wish we could do that? I think he appeals to readers (and so many admit that they were cheering him on despite his foibles) that I’d best compare him to Puck in Shakespeare’s play. I don’t believe people are wholly good or evil, it’s just when their ideologies don’t mix that conflict arises. By subverting readers’ perceptions, I’ve essentially got them cheering for the “bad guy.” To succeed in that with my readers has given me plenty of warm fuzzies.

LZ: What is your most favorite thing you ever wrote, published or unpublished?

ND: Here I’d be tempted to say it’s always my current work-in-progress. While I write that all-important first draft, I’m constantly in my characters’ heads, wondering about their motivations. Once a first draft is done, I try to cut myself off from it and then it’s “ooh, bright-shiny” when I start playing with my next idea. So, it’s very difficult for me to say whether I have any one particular favorite. I’m so involved with each project and get so totally into it when I outline and write that it pretty much consumes me. My stories become step-children once I’ve revised them and start submitting them to publishers and agents. Then I don’t want to look at them until the actual revision process starts once I’ve been assigned an editor.

LZ: How do you challenge yourself and grow as a writer?

ND: I read widely, and outside my chosen genres, and analyze how authors construct their words. I try to see what I like or don’t like about their writing. Beyond that, I have a dedicated critique group of authors I work with, a closed group, so we are constantly giving each other honest assessments of each other’s work. The nice thing is that most of us are published, so we’re pretty much on a par, which is a good thing.

But also important is to stay aware of industry trends. I subscribe to many agents’, editors’ and authors’ blogs. One learns a lot by taking to heart what industry professionals say. I’ve learnt more from these blogs about very basic aspects of writing to other skills, such as how to write query letters or market one’s writing. Yes, writing is a solitary occupation but nowadays it’s a far more competitive marketplace and authors need to know how to use the tools at their disposal, be it designing a website, perfecting a manuscript or getting word out.

Most importantly, I listen to and consider what my editor suggests. Sure, she can only make suggestions but I try to absorb what she’s pointed out so I don’t make the same mistakes twice. It breaks my heart when I edit for other authors and they don’t push themselves and I can clearly see where they need just that little bit of oomph with a scene then don’t even try. I almost have the perception that their attitude is “Oh, I’ve got the contract now, my novel’s good enough.” This sucks. There is always room for improvement and, when someone comes in with a fresh pair of eyes, authors should value that advice. It’s a balance between developing your own “voice” and finding ways to polish one’s writing.

LZ: You’ve developed an alter ego and are now writing erotica. What prompted this change of genre and can you tell readers about your erotic works? Have you found the transition into writing erotica challenging?

ND:I’ve been chatting to other authors for a while, and a number of them write different kinds of fiction under other names, brands, if you will. I will always write my “heart” fiction, which may not sell to a huge readership but because I am hoping to make a shift from working at the newspapers to full-time writing and editing, I also know that I need to put out writing that has broader appeal. Hence the erotica written as Therése von Willegen. What I didn’t expect was to enjoy cutting loose with erotic romance and have such a blast while coming up with stories.

My first release, Tainted Love, was prompted after conversations with a number of my friends who’d started their careers as strippers. Many of them have now gone on to solid “real world” careers but this world fascinated me and I wanted to write a kind of reverse-Cinderella story that portrayed the world of the dancers with some sensitivity. I spent many hours in discussion with former dancers so I hope I’ve been able to write this modern-day fairy tale with a degree of authenticity.

Another work, Hell’s Music, is currently under consideration with a publisher, and is a take on “good girl falls for the wrong guy.” It was immensely fun to write and I had a good time creating the characters and setting them loose.

I do find, however, that the two writing styles are blending, my “serious” novels that I write under my own name now becoming a bit more erotically charged than before, which isn’t a bad thing when I look up at two of my favorite authors, namely Jacqueline Carey and Storm Constantine.

I wouldn’t say this transition has been challenging, but it’s been a good departure, and I intend to write many more tales. It is my fondest wish that readers will enjoy my erotic romance and perhaps give my more “literary” attempts at urban and dark fantasy a taste.

LZ: What advice do you have for authors struggling to get their work accepted for publication?

ND: Be aware of market trends. Are you writing something that will only appeal to a limited readership? If so, then consider writing a little more mainstream so you can establish your market and gradually lead your dedicated readers down the path you want them to follow. I cannot underscore enough that a dedicated crit partner is invaluable. See about finding online writers’ groups and build a network of authors you relate to and who understand where you’re coming from.

Don’t take criticism personally. Try to step away from the manuscript and look at it objectively when you revise. Don’t be precious over your words. A short, punchy novel is better than one that takes a quarter of the story to take off. This I learnt with my debut novel, which takes a bit to get into the swing of things. And to think I had several thousand words lopped off the start before I even started submitting!

Most importantly, is your writing up to scratch? I recommend some excellent resources such as Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel, Stephen King’s On Writing but also online resources such as the Absolute Write Forum. These are excellent starting blocks and making time to work through them will already teach you much. I didn’t know about these resources when I first started and knowing these simple facts would have helped me a lot.

LZ: Do you have any writing resolutions/goals for 2011?

ND: To be consistent. I’m aiming for two or three releases a year but on top of that I’d also like to see some of the authors I work with achieve fantastic results. It’s not always easy balancing wearing the author hat with the editor hat but, ironically, I’ve found that because my time I have available to write is far less than it used to be, I put more effort into the words I craft.
My goal for next year is to improve on my marketing for my existing titles, but also getting South Africans to start reading my books. Now that my Khepera series is available through one of the largest and trusted retail chains (Exclusive Books) I have a definite advantage, so it’s a case of getting the readership motivated. Up until now South Africans have been reluctant ordering from overseas (postage issues) but since the vendor is a South African company, I’m hoping it’s going to be easier.

It’s not all about writing, but also about how an author markets her product. I don’t have a problem with output, I can write a book in four months, but it’s about taking care of the stories as products that need to be placed, which needs more work. It’s not about churning out vast quantities of titles. Coming from an advertising/marketing background, I do believe I have enough good ideas to help me get word out.

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To purchase Khepera Rising, visit http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_52&products_id=193.

To purchase Khepera Redeemed, visit http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=236.

For more info on Nerine Dorman, visit nerinedorman.blogspot.com and join her Facebook group at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49386633567.

Meet Nerine’s alter ego, erotica and romance author Therése von Willegen, at www.sirenpublishing.com/theresevonwillegen.