Review Fix chats with author who discusses her “Business of Pleasure†series as well as her inspirations, family, childhood and how it all affected her writ in career.
Not so ironically for those who have read her work, a career in writing was sparked as a child while watching an episode of “General Hospital†with her mother.
Review Fix: What was it about writing that attracted you?
Monica Kaye: Like most writers, I started out as an avid reader. I picked up my first romance novel when I was 12 and I was hooked from then on out. I think writing is an outlet for my imagination. I start with “What If” and go from there. Plus, there are people living in my head who constantly nag me to tell their stories, so I do.
Review Fix: You’ve stated that you used to re-write and add your own to the plot of my mom’s soap operas. What was your favorite story-line to create?
Kaye: I liked imagining love stories with lots of adventure. I really hated getting invested in these characters, only to have them break up, so I would devise ways to get them back together. I think making relationships work was more fun than creating break up scenarios and having these characters that you in whom you’d invested so much time fall apart. I hated that. I really did. Still do. I also liked quirky characters. My favorite storylines to rewrite, hands down, involved my two all-time favorite characters Lucy and Kevin from General Hospital. When they broke up, I stopped watching the show for a couple years.
Review Fix: Did you share these stories with your family?
Kaye: No, but my mom takes great delight in telling everyone she meets that I’m a published author and if I’m around will make me give them the website address.
Review Fix: Do you think moving around a lot when you were young played a part in you wanting to write?
Kaye: It definitely contributed to living in my head. People who meet me now would never believe me, but I was a weird, shy, awkward kid. It was hard for me to make friends so moving around so much and being socially awkward made for a lot of time spent in my head.
Review Fix: What about Sandra Kitt’s ‘The Color of Love’ attracted you to this genre?
Kaye: I love Sandra Kitt’s interracial romances. Especially ‘The Color of Love’. Mostly because I think it portrayed interracial romances in an honest manner. A black woman in NYC in the 90’s dating a white cop?!?!? That was certainly controversial. And I think her books dealt with race in a very real way. I’m a product of an interracial relationship and I’ve dated across the spectrum, and I remember thinking I just wanted to read stories that reflected that.
Review Fix: Can you describe how you felt when you first attempted to write your first book? How did you deal with any naysayers? Did you have the support of family and friends?
Kaye: Writing anything is terrifying. I still suffer bouts of crippling anxiety. Rejection is a part of the business and I have to say, it doesn’t get any easier. At least not for me. What finally gave me that final push was joining with my fellow romance authors. Seeing others who were struggling like I was. Getting lots of support, that was the most important thing. My family has always been super supportive. In fact, it was my dad who kept nagging me to write. They’re very proud.
Review Fix: I see your last entry blog was July 2011, have you given up blogging?
Kaye: For now. It’s hard to have a blog. To come up with new ideas and execute them. It’s like another job. think we find our own social media niche, and I think mine is twitter. I love the medium.  It fits my ADHD tendencies.
Review Fix: The scenes between Chloe and Sean were blush worthy. How did you find your inspiration?
Kaye: I have no idea. When I go back and read some of my scenes, I’m always like “Oh my God” and fan my face. I credit a good imagination.
Review Fix: What was your favorite scene to write?
Kaye: I think the scene where Chloe finds out Sean is her boss. I like to write embarrassing scenes. And comic ones. That one was both.
Review Fix: Was difficult to write the scenes?
Kaye: Sex scenes are always hardest for me. It’s sex. Insert Tab A into Slot B. The key is to make it new and fresh and emotional. That can be a tall order.
Review Fix: Have your family/friends read of the scenes?
Kaye: Well, since most of my friends are romance writers, yes. My family, some of them. Not my mom. Or my dad. Or my brother. They’re all very supportive, but as graphic as my scenes can be, I really don’t want to know if they are reading them.
Review Fix: Will there be a third book in the Business series?
Kaye: I plan to write a story with Kaylie and Brian, the contractor from The Business of Pleasure.
Review Fix: Do you think you will do a black man/women or white man/women book?
Kaye: I don’t foresee writing anything other than interracial. That may not always be BM/WW or WM/BW. I might throw some Asians and Latinos in there. It’s what I like to read. What I’d love to read more of. I just hope we can get to the point where race won’t really matter.
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