Interview with Mimi Strong from Orly Press

I did an interview with Mimi Strong who is part of Orly Press.

Here are a list of her books:

Borrowed Billionaire (#1-5)

Her Teddy Bear (#1-3)

Why not tonight (#1-2)

The ice cream shop boy (only one but more to come!)

Two hot people had sex and they liked it

I have read most of them and I have to say I love Mimi's style of writing -It's funny and hot she is definitely on the top 10 of Authors I love!

What inspires you to write Lady Porn?

I'm inspired to write because it's like practicing magic. I get to create a new reality using just words, and it can be exhilarating at times. (Not the first ten minutes of a writing session, though, because getting started is torture, of course.) As for why I write erotica … it's so intimate. These are character-driven stories, and you really see what the characters are like when you strip away their clothes and make them vulnerable to each other. I've always loved character-driven stories, and if a little more spice is on order, that's fine by me!

What is your favorite naughty word?

Right now, I'm fixated on these not-very-naughty words that I can't use in my stories because they'd give everyone giggles in the wrong scenes.

For example, I saw someone call another person a “b-hole.” I'm like a little kid when it comes to dirty words, so naturally this became my absolute favorite word to use in everyday conversation. You know. Husband: “Where's the remote control?” Me: “Did you check your b-hole?”

What naughty word do you stay away from when writing?

B-hole.

I don't have many off-limit words. I know some people get squeamish about the word “moist,” but I'll use it if it's the right word. I'll even use the more clinical terms for body parts. Sometimes “vagina” seems silly, but is “ladycave” really that much more dignified? I try to keep it fun, so if I like a word or phrase, I'll go for it.

Do you have the whole story planned out even though you give it to us in short stories?

If I'm starting a planned series, I usually have some ideas, but they're loose.

Some of my series start out as single shorts. For example, “Her Teddy Bear” was just a stand-alone story with a Happy-For-Now ending. Then people asked for more, and I had to act as a “psychic couple's counselor” to figure out the underlying issues in Trevor and Naomi's relationship, then have them work those out over a few more books. It was only after I finished a draft of the second story that I felt confident in saying it would be a three-part series.

Why not wait until you have the whole story before releasing the book? 

I will release a short story with series potential instead of novels because digital publishing makes it possible. Before e-books, serials were done in newspapers or magazines. This serial release system is a fantastic opportunity for both readers and writers.

For readers, they can read the openings of many stories and it's their choice to continue. The author is “singing for their supper” with every episode, because if it's not enjoyable, the author won't sell copies of the following story. I think serials are the remedy for the dreaded “sagging middle” that happens in some novels.

For authors, we can come up with a wacky idea and write a stand-alone short story in far less time than a whole novel. We can take more risks, and if it doesn't find an audience, we will know sooner, before investing months or years in a big novel. This means we get to be creative and take chances, which artists love!

Some readers won't love serials, either because of the waiting, or not knowing how many episodes it'll be, or concerns the story won't end well. Those readers still have the option of waiting until the whole thing is finished and then reading it all at once. Serials don't remove that choice at all.

I try to be as transparent as possible with my publishing, to be fair to readers. Once I have a good idea of how many parts will be in a story, I'll add to the description how many stories are planned. I also include the word and page count in descriptions. I write for the readers, and I want to make them happy. This is my career, and building up a reader base who enjoy my work is a long-term commitment for me.