Interview: C.J. Ellisson

C.J. welcome to The Book Nympho today!

Thanks for having me! I’m looking forward to your questions.

I’m loving your VV Inn series. So far there are three books; Vampire Vacation, The Hunt and the next release Big Game. And in your own words how would you describe the series to someone that has not read them yet?


Thank you! It’s always great to hear someone say nice things about the series; I don’t think I could be given a nicer gift.

Now, how to describe the books…. I think reviewer Laurie Jenkins, said it best: An erotic, paranormal mystery set in the Arctic. I thought that line was great when I read it—fit the bill perfectly! I know the books don’t technically qualify as romance, and yet romance readers seem to be the only ones really prepared for explicit sex in a book. I’ve found the non-romance readers tend to shock pretty easy. ;-)


You've done vampires and werewolves, I mean you've written about them. If you had to pick a different supernatural creature to write about what would it be? And why?

REVIEW

A magic user—whether a witch, wizard, or something similar—I haven’t really decided yet. But I’d like to pen a tale full of magic. I think the freeing aspects of today’s paranormal and fantasy genres are just plan fun to read and write. If I want to escape into the pages of a book, I really want it to take me away.

You have your fingers into a lot of pies; Everything Erotic, Red Hot Publishing and now Red Hot Readers. How do you find balance between all these projects, writing and a family?

I’m finding it very hard actually. My writing is suffering right now and my husband is very unhappy about it! He worries if I don’t get back to it I’ll lose the readers I’ve gained, but I know producing a good book that reels someone in is more important than churning out a bunch of words just to sell a book.

I’ve got a big deadline coming up and I’m not sure if things are going to stay even keeled for me. Certain projects, like the recent Red Hot Reader Page, take time initially to set up, but after that they require less attention. Everything Erotic pretty much runs itself now, we’ve had that up and running for over a year now and the writers are well seasoned with how things work.

It’s similar to a lesser degree with Red Hot Publishing. The company is set up like a co-op where we’re all responsible for our own projects start to finish. The company takes a small overhead to handle corporate accounts, book keeping, promo, and some other small things, but 90% goes directly back to the authors involved.

And speaking of family, I have a 5 year old son and it's hard to read the "smutty" books when he is around. He seems to know the right time to ask 101 questions right when mommy is getting to the really good parts. How do you get into the mind set to write the really good parts? Do you wait until you are alone in the house?

I write while my kids are in school. My husband and I both work from home, so I’m not truly alone in the house, but it’s close enough. Very rarely will I try to pen a sexy part when the kids around, it kills my mojo pretty quick.

I know you are going to be one of the guest speakers at Vamps at Sea cruise, do you have any other appearances planned that you would like to share with us?


I’m hoping to go to DragonCon in Atlanta next fall with the artists who are doing the graphic comic work for the re-release of the V V Inn series. I’m planning to de-sex the books and publish them under new titles and cover art to appeal to the younger (and prudish) set who are put off by the explicit scenes. I love the heat, but others… they don’t. Go figure. ;-)

Other than those two, I don’t have anything on the schedule yet. Could change in a few weeks, we’ll see!

What are you reading right now?


I’m at the tail end of Boone Brux’s Shield of Fire and absolutely love the world she has created. The fantasy elements are rich and complex and the romance plot does not overwhelm the story. She really did a great job balancing it.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Book Nympho to answer a few questions for my readers. Keep up the great writing.

Thanks so much for having me! I really liked that some of your questions were out of the box, thanks for the effort!

You can find out more about C.J. 
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Keep reading for more info on the books...

Vampire Vacation 
(The V V Inn #1)
by C.J. Ellisson 

Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.

Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests.

Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn't easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?

Warning: This story contains some explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18.

The Hunt 
(The V V Inn #2)
by C.J. Ellisson 

Vivian thinks she can control every aspect of a deadly game with her usual manipulations… but what if she can’t? Journey along, in this next installment of The V V Inn series, for a wild ride as the tale is told through the eyes of all her new seethe members.

Seven vampires and seven werewolves pay to hunt a supernatural criminal across the cold, vast grounds of an Alaskan resort. The one to catch her, and live through the encounter, will increase their power by feasting on hers.

The tiny vampire they track is more than she appears, however. To escape a fate of ten years in silver chains, she'll do anything to survive the weeklong excursion. This time, the darkness holds more than just the stinging bite of the Arctic—it holds death.