AccessRomance interviews author Sasha White.

AR: You have an extremely diverse back list. You've written in many different sub-genres of romance and erotica, for several different publishers. To AR readers unfamiliar with your work, can you tell us a bit about what you write and for what publishers?

Sasha: I have a short attention span, so I tend to dabble in several sub-genres. Mostly it's my short stories that delve into genres other than contemporary because I'm just testing my way with them. Seeing just how much I like them. My short stories are published with Amber Quill Press, Black Lace, and LoveYouDivine.

Black Lace stories are all contemporary erotica. Straight up.
LoveYouDivine is my Muses playground. The stories there are super short and complete erotica. Fun, hot, and to the point.

Amber Quill Press is where I've a couple of short stories that are sci-fi, a paranormal one, and several contempporaries ranging from light and sassy to deeply emotional.

Getting into longer works, I have a category length contemporary erotic romance with Samhain (Gypsy Heart). I'm working on a sequel for it, and so far, plan to keep my books with them in that genre (and probably that series, too).

Getting into the NY print books, I write for Berkley Heat and Kensington Aphrodisia. My Berkley books are contemporary, very real every day type thing, but the theme seems to be "relationships of all kinds." By that I mean, there is more to them than the romance or that relationship. There are secondary characters like friends and family and boss's, and those relationships affect the characters. There's always an underlying sub plot, sort of a semi mystery or something.

With Aphrodisia I find myself inching my way into the suspense sub-genre. I'm not there...but I can feel it pulling at me. However, there are already exceptions to that, too.

I wish I could say I write sci-fi for so and so and contemps for so and so...but really, I just follow the characters. I can promise you that all of my stories have an erotic edge to them...and all contain more than sex. I love to write characters that are multi-faceted and who readers can identify with. Who I identify with.

AR: Do your stories have anything in common? Any recurring themes you find yourself drawn to?

Sasha: I think Fantasies. Some sexual, some emotional ...but when I really think about it almost every story I've written has the character either going after a fantasy/dream, or living one.

AR: We understand you love to travel and have visited many exotic locations. Has traveling influenced the stories you tell in any way?

Sasha: Definitely. Traveling has influenced everything I do. It's made me find ways to look at things that are not always the standard. I think that helps me create real characters. Also, I've met so many different types of people and seen some amazing things that tend to inspire me.

AR: Your newest book BOUND is out this month, your first book from Berkley. What can you tell us about this book?

Sasha: It's the longest book I've ever written. There were times when I thought I was completely nuts for doing it in first person, but Katie was so strong in my mind, and the book is completely her story. Joe, the hero, is a fantastic character. You learn about him as she does, and I think readers will fall for him as she does. I know I did.

I think one day I might have to do another story with Him as the main character, but for right now, BOUND is the first in a series of stories for Berkley with loosely connected characters. You will see these characters again for sure. In fact one of the secondary characters is in TROUBLE, my current WIP.

The STORY in Bound is Katie Long's story. Katie is a twenty something good-girl living in small town. A town where everyone knows everything about you including what type of groceries you usually buy. She works as a supervisor in the cash office at Black's Casino, the only casino in town, and has discovered that poker isn't a bad way to make some money. She desperately wants to leave town, to move to the big city where she can be anonymous and live a little on the wild side. Joe Carson is the head security guard at Black's, and has been the center of her fantasies since the day he walked into town. One day she has enough of fantasies, and decides to go after the real man..and gets him.

However, as her affair with Joe heats up, Katie also has to deal with a nosy neighbor, a nagging and dependent Mother, and what she sees as her best friends betrayal. There's some hot sex, gambling, and a few surprises as Katie learns about herself and what she really wants out of life.

AR: You also have a novella release in the PURE SEX anthology from Kensington Aphrodisia out this month. Please tell us a bit about this story as well.

Sasha: THE CRIB is the title of that one. It's my first story to lead me into the mystery/suspense area. It's not heavy in the book, but it was enough of a taste to tell me I want to delve into that genre a bit more. Plus Lexy, the heroine, is just so strong and dynamic. She was in my head 100%. I'd have to say THE CRIB was probably the easiest time I've ever had with a story. It just flew from my fingertips.

Lexy is a Private investigator who left home when she was young. Now, a family member is in trouble, accused of murder, and she heads back to her home town to try and prove his innocence and catch the killer. She's not your average heroine, she's a bit calculating, but I know when readers get into the story they'll like her.

Devon, the main man is a mystery. He never lies to her, but she knows he's hiding something, and she thinks she knows what it is.

When I wrote THE CRIB, I never planned a sequel, but Lexy and Devon are in my head...and there will be one even though I have several other projects in line ahead of it. These are two characters I don't think I'll ever be done with. I love them both.

AR: And finally, what's up next?

Sasha: I have several more releases, short stories and novellas, over the next 6 months, with both Berkley and Kensington. And right now I'm writing my second single title for Berkley, TROUBLE. It'll feature a few characters that readers will meet in BOUND as well as WATCH ME (my story in the KINK, released in Feb/07).

And now for some questions posed by our readers of the AR All-A-Blog.

AR Reader: Who is your hero real or fictional? And why?

Sasha: I don't have one. Is that weird?

I'm blessed to have met/known many inspirational and motivational people, but no ONE that stands out.

AR Reader: If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?

Sasha: IT'S MY LIFE by Bon Jovi sums up the way I feel, and try to live. But we all feel lost at times...and I'd be lying if I didn't mention MARGARITAVILLE by Jimmy Buffet as another one that sums up parts of my life.

AR Reader: Who are some of your favorite authors?

Sasha: Janet Evanovich, Susan E Philips, Kelley Armstrong, Kim Harrison, JJ Massa, and Beth Williamson.

AR Reader: How often do you have a surprising (to you) ending to the story that you are writing? In other words, does the ending sometimes change as the story unfolds for you?

Sasha: The endings almost always change. LOL I'm not very good at plotting. Sometimes the middle changes but the end remains as Iplanned, but I've learned to only have a very loose idea of how my stories will end. That way I don't get frustrated trying to make my characters do something that doesn't fit.

AR: Thank you for answering these questions, and welcome to AccessRomance!

Sasha: You're Welcome. I'm thrilled to be part of the community!

Interviews Index > Sasha White (July 06)