AccessRomance interviews author Sylvia Day.

AR: Your newest release, BAD BOYS AHOY!, is a novella anthology from Brava. Can you tell us a bit about these three stories--what they have in common, how they're different?

Sylvia: BAD BOYS AHOY! is a collection of three intertwined stories. The idea for the anthology came from my editor, Kate Duffy. She read my novella "Stolen Pleasures," which was the Readers' Choice Winner of the 2004 Lori Foster/Brava Novella Contest, and loved it. She asked if I could write two more novellas to make up the first ever historical BAD BOYS anthology.

"Stolen Pleasures" - Sebastian’s story was thought up on a whim when I heard about the Novella Contest. I knew I wanted to write a historical, and I had 750 words with which to snag the judges’ and, hopefully, the editor’s attention. I’d always wanted to write a proxy marriage story, so that was the leaping off point. Then I added in a pirate, and the rest just fell into place. Sebastian wanted no one but needed love. His sweetheart, Olivia, wanted to be swept off her feet by a swashbuckling hero.

"Lucien's Gamble" - For Lucien’s story, I wanted a really bad boy who wasn’t a nobleman. He appears in all three stories, and his gentleman’s club is frequented by many of my characters. He wanted a vixen but needed a lady. His love, Julienne, wanted a bad boy who was hers to keep.

"Her Mad Grace" - Hugh’s story came to mind because of the resurgence of gothics. I wanted to take the standard gothic and spoof it. Some elements are must-haves, like the creepy mansion, so I kept that. But instead of a tortured or scarred hero, it’s a mad duchess with a household of misfit servants. Hugh wanted to be responsible, and he needed someone to let him be. His love, Charlotte, is fiercely independent but wanted a strong shoulder to lean on when the day is over.

AR: This book was your first sale. What can you tell us about your path to publication? Why did you decide to write romance?

Sylvia: From the moment I finished reading my first romance novel, I knew I wanted to be a romance author. I just loved how wonderful a great romance can make the reader feel. College, the military, and raising a family happened first. Then, once I'd settled down into being a homemaker, I had the time I needed to dedicate myself to writing and getting published. I sat down at the keyboard in Nov. 2003 and sold BAD BOYS AHOY! in Dec. 2004. In the following year, I sold five single titles, three novellas, and five short stories for five different publishers.

AR: You're a very prolific writer and have started what looks to become an impressive back list. Is it a conscious career decision on your part to write so much, or do you simply have a lot of stories to tell?

Sylvia: It was definitely a combination of both a very creative phase and wanting to 'break out' quickly. I was also offered opportunities to write for collections (like BAD BOYS AHOY! and other anthologies I'm a part of) that spurred story ideas. I truly believe a lot of it was luck--being in the right place, at the right time, with the right kind of story.

AR: How would you compare writing novellas to single titles? Do you prefer one over the other--as a reader as well as a writer? Which do you think you'll continue to write more of in the future?

Sylvia: I really enjoy writing novellas. They're heavily character-driven and swiftly-paced, which is how I write all my stories. I can definitely write novellas faster and therefore produce more of them. I also gravitate more toward them as a reader because it's very difficult to fit a full-length novel into my writing schedule. But my writing production ratio of single titles to novellas will lean heavily toward single titles. In publishing, it's just not possible to build a career writing novellas.

AR: You have a pretty far-reaching online presence. Was this a goal of yours when you first started out, or is it something that has sort of just happened?

Sylvia: I'm glad to hear that! It was definitely a goal of mine. Literally hundreds of romances are released a month. What makes a reader choose one book out of the hundreds? Subject matter, title, cover, and author recognition. Often the latter can be the deciding factor. So I've consistently worked on introducing myself to readers through the online romance community.

AR: You write for several publishers, including Brava, Ellora's Cave, Black Lace, Amber Quill Press, and now Avon. What are the differences in the stories you write for these houses?

Sylvia: Brava is the sole home of my historicals. Ellora's Cave has my futuristics. Black Lace is contemporary. Amber Quill Press has my only Sci-Fi (and I've written exclusively short stories for them). Avon is my newest publisher, and I write erotic romance for them in any subgenre but historical. My first Avon release is a contemporary/paranormal.

AR: And the similarities? Is there an overall "theme" to your writing, subjects you find yourself drawn to more than others?

Sylvia: Second chances and learning to trust in those in those chances.

AR: Do you have a set work schedule? Do you find time to relax and recharge now and then, and how do you prefer to do that?

Sylvia: I work most hours of every day. I relax by reading, watching big dumb blow 'em up action movies, or hanging out with friends and family.

AR: Thanks for chatting with us!

Sylvia: Thank you! I invite readers to continue chatting with me on my website www.SylviaDay.com, where I hold monthly contests, share excerpts, and hang out on my blog, chat loop, and message board.

Interviews Index > Sylvia Day (February 06)