July 21, 2004
Today is the day to ask a lot of idiotic questions.
Next week, Zulkey.com will again be a stop on the Virtual Book Tour, which you may remember I was with author Danyel Smith. This time around, I will be hosting a writer named M.J. Rose. I was speaking with her and I wanted to do something fun with her other than interview her, because, let's be honest, Zulkette sometimes wearies of the interviews, but one thing I am NOT sick of yet is advice columns. So, I turn over the site today to Ms. Rose, who will get you prepared for her special day on Monday. She will even give you a prize. Read on.
MJ Rose Is An Author Who Rocks You First, Takes Questions Later
I'm really excited to be here at Zulkey because I love the
graphics and the graphic honesty of Claire's writing and the way she cuts to
the chase and also makes me laugh.
So. I'm a writer. I write novels
And my novels have a lot to do with human sexuality. Everyone asks me why my
novels seem to have sex a theme running through them.
William Faulkner said the only things worth writing about are the problems of
the human heart in conflict with itself. And more than one critic has said
that is what I write about. I'm flattered. And I also agree.
And when the heart your subject matter, if you are true to your characters,
you find your self dealing with people's psychology and therefore their
sexuality. And so as sex is part of life it is part of my novels.
Sexuality and sensuality are also better suited to being explored in as
opposed to other media. You can write about people touching each other and
have the reader feel as if she o in a more intimate way without an actor's
reality interfering.
(Plus, it's really fun to write about.)
I have written five novels and two non-fiction books about marketing for
writers. My novels are hard to categorize. Not chick lit. Not women's fiction.
Not erotica. Not romance. And until recently not even clearly suspense. But
the
novel I'm here to hawk is a dark psychological suspense story called The
Halo Effect, about a New York City sex therapist. It's the first in a
series that is grittier than I thought it was going to be when I sat down to
write it. And readers are liking it more than I ever thought they would. I
have one to give away here to the person who asks me the best question - about
anything. Advice on writing, getting published, finding great books, sex, sex
therapy, New York City, raising Maltese puppies. Anything.
But first, let me answer the really obvious ones: Yes, I have been to a sex
therapist. And yes, I wanted to be a sex therapist. But no, I'm not one. I
just write about one.
For more info about me - links to lots of articles I've written - excerpts
from my books and some cute pictures of my dog, this
is my website.
[To send M.J. questions to answer on Zulkey.com on
Monday, please send them to this address,
with the subject line reading DEAR SEXY AUTHOR LADY, so she knows this
question is for Zulkey.com, and not her personal use.]