Today’s interview is with Bianca Swan, author of the newly released Celestial Sin. She shares with us an excerpt from the story, whom she could see playing the protagonists in a movie and three quirky facts about herself.
LUX ZAKARI: For those who may not know, will you tell us a bit about yourself?
BIANCA SWAN: I began writing just after the invention of the wheel—seriously in about 1992 and started on a long journey to publication. One Christmas, I stripped the tree of its decorations (a silk tree) and left it up all year, decorating it instead with rejection letters. In what seems another lifetime and in my real persona, I bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses. My farm was called Camelot Act II and my stallion Bonito was twice National Champion at Halter.
Now, I live in Texas, don’t have horses and have a piano I can’t play (more on this in another question). I’m very into sports cars and love my little Sterling Gray Z3 convertible, though this summer has been too hot to drop the top.
LZ: Will you tell us about your newest release and provide an excerpt?
BS: My latest release is Celestial Sin about an angel, wounded in battle, who falls into a woman’s arms–and falls in love. Cam-ael, the hero, is of the Order of the Powers, those warrior angels who patrol the border between Heaven and Hell. Essie, the heroine, is a down-to-earth girl living on a small farm near Asheville, North Carolina. She never expects her dream man to plummet from the sky into her chicken yard—or that he’d have majestic wings.
Here’s an excerpt:
Whoa, Essie, he’s an angel and a lot younger than you.
His feathers rustled as he unbuckled the fastenings under his arms and bent to place the armor on the floor. What did his ass, hidden by sleek white wings, look like? My, my, he was just too much for a girl to resist. She gave in to temptation, stroked the shiny, soft feathers. He backed into the caress, and a long sigh escaped him.
“That feels incredible.” His voice came husky, and butterflies hatched in her stomach.
It had been a long time since she’d felt belly tugs or the fire of passion licking through her, but when she touched him, the world as she’d known it ceased to exist. He untied the leather tunic and stepped out of it. His wings drooped. He swayed on his feet. She felt guilty as hell, lusting after an angel too weak to stand.
Shakily, he turned to face her. Ginger hair spattered his chest, drew a thin line down his stomach, disappearing in the V-neck of the robe he wore beneath his armor. The loose shirt was thigh-length. The fabric appeared to be linen but with a subtle sheen.
“I’m afraid I can’t remove this.” He lifted a fold of the toga, giving her a tempting glimpse of his upper thigh, very near his cock. “I’m wearing nothing beneath.”
LZ: If your book was turned into a movie, who would you want to play your protagonists?
BS: Johnny Depp could play Cam-ael, and maybe Cameron Diaz (with dark hair) could be Essie.
LZ: Will tell you tell us a little about your other release, Hot Spanish Nights? Where did you get the inspiration for that story?
BS: Hot Spanish Nights is just that—hot! The story is contemporary, set in Andalusia, Spain. The hero is a master horseman and breeder of Andalusian horses, and that’s where the inspiration was born. For years, I bred, trained and showed Andalusians. They are remarkable horses, not to mention breathtakingly beautiful, and I can’t sing their praises loud enough. The cover has an Andalusian horse and a gorgeous naked man! The heroine, a Virginia socialite, goes to Spain to study with the hero. On a ride to the mountains, they fall into each other’s arms and into what they think is lust. An ex-lover of his tries to break them up and engineers a riding accident for Erica. Damian manages to avert disaster, but they start to rethink their relationship. Can lust actually be the other L-word?
LZ: What are three quirky facts about you that no one would know or assume otherwise?
BS:
- In 2008, I jumped into Z3PO (my roadster) and drove 1600 miles in a caravan of Z3’s and Z4’s to Greenville, South Carolina for the last Homecoming, an event welcoming the sports cars manufactured in Greenville back to the plant, with many parties, I might add. My aunt flew from Greenville to drive back with me.
- I own a baby grand piano I can’t play. My mom gave me piano lessons but I wanted a horse so I learned to play by the finger numbers. The piano was sold, and I got my first horse. Now I wish I could play! But at least it has a PianoDisc player.
- I love licorice and Pellegrino. I drink bottles of the stuff while I’m writing. I also eat licorice while I write. Not at the same time as the Pellegrino.
LZ: If you could play the piano, what song would you most want to play?
BS: If I could play piano—which I desperately wish I could—I’d like to play Liszt’s Liebestram, a beautiful, romantic piece. Setting the bar high here. He was the greatest pianist of his age. They say he could also make love while he played. Now that’s my kind of man. And a Chopin Nocturne. I’m fascinated with his love affair with the author George Sand (pseudonym for a French noblewoman for those who do not share my obsession).
LZ: What wisdom about writing do you wish you could share with fledgling writers?
BS: Don’t try to write for the market. Write each book for yourself—as if it were the book of your heart. Love your characters. Accept advice from professionals but don’t lose your voice.
LZ: What do you have in store for readers next?
BS: I don’t have anything scheduled for release but I have a demon story out with an editor.
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To purchase Hot Spanish Nights, visit http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=792. To view the trailer, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFG4FYAVJ5c.
To purchase Celestial Sin, visit http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=826. To view the trailer, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAlimgCq0_M&NR=1.
