Q&A with Ann Mayburn and Her Cover Model John Quinlan!

Welcome Guest Author

Ann Mayburn

and Cover Model

John Quinlan!

I have a double treat today you guys are going to LOVE! I have awesome erotic romance author Ann Mayburn AND her hot, hot, hot cover model John Quinlan! So, go get a drink and find a comfortable chair, because you're going to want to get settled down to read this one!

So, ladies first! Welcome, Ann!  Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.

I’m a 36 yo mom of three boys under seven, a daydreamer and a huge fan of strong women who endure the worst life has to offer and still come through with their dignity and sense of humor intact.

I decided to start writing in June of '10 after the pre-mature birth of my third son. He was born at 31 weeks, nine weeks early, and it was a very rough delivery. I lost a great deal of blood and had some touch-and-go moments. While I was recovering from my c-section, without my baby, I had a lot of time to think. In my morphine-pump-induced state, I considered all the things that I'd done and what I still wanted to do.

I'd had A LOT of fun in my life, and marrying my husband and having my children was a joy that I can never fully explain. One thing I'd wanted to do was write a book. I've always been a heavy reader, my husband used to moan at my monthly bills from the bookstore, and I have an over-active imagination. The trouble was focusing my ADD 'Oh look a squirrel, oh look a penny' self to sit down and write.

Basically, I stopped making excuses about why I couldn't do it, and sat down and DID it. I found that once I started, I couldn't stop. My muse went into overdrive and I have more ideas than I have hours in the day. I’ve been so fortunate to find myself surrounded by supportive publishers and fantastically helpful authors. The romance community has to be one of the most loving, gracious communities out there.

What a wonderfully inspiring story, Ann! Good for you! So, tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.

Captive Fantasy is the second book in my Tales of the IWSS series. It is a short and steamy story about Mary and her husband, Sean, and what happens when Mary finally tells Sean her most secret sexual fantasy. The Institute for Women’s Sexual Satisfaction is doing the biggest research study on women’s sexual arousal in the history of psychology and they need healthy, sexually active volunteers to participate. They need to monitor a woman’s brainwaves as she is becoming aroused in order to develop the world’s first pill that will help women become sexually turned on. Kinda like a Viagra for women.

In order to get the best results, they need the research participants to be as sexually aroused as possible, hence the secret fantasy. The IWSS will do their best to create these fantasies for their participants, including building elaborate sets, having volunteers from the IWSS participate in said fantasies, and providing every prop, toy, and costume needed to fulfill that woman’s expectations. In this case, Mary wants Sean to pretend to be an escaped convict, tie her up, and force her to do all kinds of deliciously naughty things to her.

Oh, me, that sounds freaking delicious! What a premise! Please tell me there will be more in this series!

Yes! I plan on releasing a new story in my Tales of the IWSS series once a month-ish. The next book in the series, Eye Candy, takes a little different path than the previous two. Eye Candy is about an established gay couple agreeing to be the ‘eye candy’ for a woman’s who has always had the fantasy about watching two guys together.

OMG, I’m hooked! Seriously! What are you working on right now?

Well, I’m working on edits right now for the second book in my ‘For the Love of Evil’ series, Princess of Lust and the next book in my IWSS series and a super secret book and plotting out the next book in my The Kyrimian Cycle series and trying to spend some time with my family and keep my house from deteriorating into something that belongs on the ‘Hoarders’ show. Oh, and I’m getting ready to go to New Orleans in August for the Author’s After Dark conference.

LOL! That sounds about like me! *winks* What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

After much revisions, learning, and great critique partners it got published. ;) The first book I wrote was Blessed and I have to say that a year later I still love this story.

Good for you! What do you find easiest and hardest to write?

For me the easiest to write is action and the hardest is emotions.

I find I always have to go back in and layer in the emotions! Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?

Yes! I’m all about women taking charge of their sexuality without feeling guilty or embarrassed. While this theme is more predominant in some stories than others, I’m all about women being honest with themselves and finding their inner strength in order to achieve true happiness.

I love that! Which romance book or series (or other genre, if you don’t write romance) do you wish you had written?

Hmmm, I wish I had written ‘The Black Jewels Trilogy’ by Ann Bishop. Not really romancy, but man can that woman craft a story.

Cool! Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

That’s like asking me to pick my favorite kid.-lol- I love them all equally and for different reasons. ;) That said, I do enjoy writing my sassier heroines, it’s fun to be snarky.

                                     

Okay, now, just for fun:

                             

Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? Dark

Salty or sweet? Sweet

Bed or kitchen table? Bed

Beach or mountains? Beach, I live in the mountains. ;)

Give or receive? Give for sure.

Thanks Ann! Okay, John's turn now! John, how did you get into doing romance cover modeling?

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to interview me today, Laura. It is a pleasure to be here with you.

I have been doing modeling for years, when I was younger it was mostly fitness and gym shoots and then I gradually expanded into more fashion-related projects. Over the years people would tell me I had the look for romance cover modeling and I never really took it seriously.  It was only in recent time that I said to myself give it a shot and see what happens. If nothing else it would show my versatility as a model to work in a wide variety of genres and not just one.

That’s really cool! So, what's your reaction to seeing yourself on the cover of romance novels, knowing that readers will attach your face and body to the character inside?

I am honored to be on any romance cover. Not many people can say they graced the cover of books. I have so much respect for all the talented romance authors and writers out there like you that when I see myself on there I am truly humbled. There are countless numbers of male models out there that are trying to land your cover and you chose me, you believed in John Quinlan, and for that I will always be grateful. The character inside the book is just that, the character inside. I feel that as the reader gets into the story and sees me as the character in the book I have done my job completely as the writer got everything out of John Quinlan and I was able to ideally enhance the story. 

Aw, you are a total sweetie! What an awesome attitude! What was your background before doing cover model shots and how does it relate to this new pursuit?

I was involved with bodybuilding and some power lifting when I was younger and I really began during that time to live a healthy lifestyle. I started to refine my diet and over time develop my physique the way I wanted it to look. Throughout the years I have always done fitness modeling but once I really got serious with everything, that is when I knew this could be a career for me. I think it all was a nice foundation to making the transition into erotic romance cover modeling. Having all the knowledge of a good diet and exercise regimen makes it that much easier to keep in top physical condition for a demanding career in the modeling world.

I bet it really is demanding! So interesting! If you could tell romance readers one thing about being a romance cover novel, what would it be?

I would say when everything comes together it is an amazing piece of work, like a puzzle. All the work is worth it when I see a published book with me on the cover as it is an accomplishment few can ever say they did. It is an honor I will never take for granted.

It was a pleasure today being interviewed by you Laura; maybe I will have the honor of being on one of your covers in the future. God Bless You always.

That would be great! And…*swoon*…!

Find John on the web here:

Romance Novel Stock Cover Photo Gallery

Facebook | Twitter | Website 1 | Website 2 | Website 3 | Website 4

Find out more about Ann's Captive Fantasy here!

Excerpt:

Mary carefully placed the letter onto the small bronze and glass table in her foyer. Next, she put the Chinese takeout she’d stopped to get on the way home from work onto the table, almost spilling it onto the floor when she placed it too close to the edge. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. In a slow, unhurried manner, she removed her light fall jacket with shaking hands.

Despite her nonchalant actions, her gaze kept darting back to the piece of paper with the Institute for Women’s Sexual Satisfaction logo at the top. She carefully hung her jacket in the closet and then removed the sensible black heels she wore to teach science at the local high school. When her stocking clad feet hit the cool tile, she did what she’d wanted to do since the moment she’d opened the mail, jumping up and down while clapping with delight.

A quick glance at the old grandfather clock in the living room just off the foyer showed she had maybe ten minutes until her husband, Sean, came home from work. The joy swiftly gave way to a gut tightening apprehension. If she was going to do this, she would need his help and she wasn’t at all sure he’d be on board for what she had in mind.

She thought about changing into some lingerie and grabbing a beer to soften him up, but they’d no doubt fall into bed together. And if he accepted her wicked proposal, they couldn’t have sex until Thanksgiving break in two weeks. Well, they probably could, but she wanted him in the right frame of mind for her naughty sexual fantasy. The IWSS director had emphasized how important it was she indulge in her ultimate sexual fantasy in order to get the best readings. This particular fantasy was one she’d been having for about as long as she could remember. While her husband fit the physical description of her fantasy man to a tee, she didn’t know if he could ever do the things she craved to her.

Nerves had her peeking through the frosted glass of the front door, waiting for a glimpse of his truck pulling into the driveway in the late evening dusk. If fate was on her side, the traffic would be light coming from the university, and he’d be home soon. The longer it took him, the more worked up she would get. What if he said no? What if his feelings got hurt? What if he called her a pervert and then phoned her mom? Okay, that last part was probably an exaggeration, but she’d never shared this fantasy with any of her lovers, let alone her husband.

A bright wash of headlights swept over their lawn as Sean’s truck pulled into their drive. Her heartbeat faster, and a light sweat broke out on her palms. She stepped away from the door and moved into the living room, checking her makeup in the massive mirror over the fireplace and smoothing strands of her dark hair back with a shaking hand. Her reflection showed her a woman who looked like she might be on the verge of coming down with the flu, so she closed her eyes and blew out a deep breath.

She had nothing to worry about; this was Sean. Her Sean. The man who’d captured her heart back in college. The man she’d married on what had to be the best day of her life. He did everything he could to make her life a wonderful place. She needed to convince him that by indulging her fantasy, he wouldn’t be hurting her…much.

The front door opened with a small whoosh of air, and Sean entered the foyer. The battered leather jacket he loved hugged tight his broad shoulders and powerful arms. He removed the black knit hat covering his shaved head and tossed it onto the foyer table. It landed next to the Chinese on top of her letter. A bag full of football gear from practice still hung over his shoulder, but he looked for her before doing anything else. When he spotted her in the living room, his rough, handsome face lit up with a smile.

“Hey, baby, how was school?”

“Good.” Before she could have any second thoughts, she blurted out her request. “Hey, Sean, would you pretend to be a dangerous escaped prisoner, kidnap me, and force me to do wicked things to you?”

The mesh bag full of football helmets hit the floor with a thud as Sean stared at her with a look of disbelief. “What? You want me to what?”

So, I know you are going to have comments for this one! LOL So, ask Ann or John a question or tell us a favorite line from the excerpt! Come on now, don't be shy!


Thanks for reading!
Laura