Author Interview with Glenda Horsfall
Our fans love hearing about why and how exactly you got into writing your books. Accidental author? It was always your calling?
- When and why did you begin writing?
I have written since my teens, but mainly for pleasure and myself. I have always loved to read and have dreamt of writing my own book for years. It was something I always envisaged getting around to when I retired, as I didn’t think I would ever have the time while working and bringing up a family. Last year my son was seriously ill and I found that I wasn’t sleeping too well. I was up in the middle of the night and at a loose end, and there’s only so much you can do without waking up the rest of the house, so I found myself playing on the computer. I started to write as a distraction, anything to take my mind off my sons’ illness and an upcoming major operation, which we were awaiting. As the story developed, I became more and more involved and was able to lose myself in the tale. It proved a good distraction from life and I found that I enjoyed those quiet hours to myself where I could just let my imagination have free reign.
- When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I suppose the moment I was offered a publishing contract. I was totally taken by surprise. Having started to write, I decided to sign up for some online classes to learn the craft properly. It was pure chance that I signed up with an acquisitions editor from a small press. At the end of one class there was a pitch session – I took part because it was part of the class and for no other reason. I really didn’t consider myself a writer. I was totally amazed that when the ‘mark up’ came back I was asked if I would be willing to submit my book for consideration. At first I thought someone was having a joke at my expense, but I duly sent off my manuscript. When they came back to me a few days later and offered me a contract, I was astounded. In fact, even now when the book is released I have to keep pinching myself! I’m still doing the happy dance.
- Do you have a specific writing style?
I am definitely, what is known as a ‘pantster’ – in other words I don’t sit down and plot out my story before I write it. Once I get an idea for a story line, I ponder it over for a while. I tend to play out little scenarios in my head for a few weeks before I actually sit down and start to write. When I eventually get to the writing stage, I have a good idea already where the story is going to go and how things are going to end up. I just sit and type a rough draft to get the outline down on paper, and then I will print it out and go over it, putting into practice all the writing classes I have taken. I try to polish it before I hand it over to my editor in order that I don’t have too many revisions to do. Sometimes it works, at others; well let’s just say the editors’ revisions have me burning the midnight oil. LOL
- Are your characters experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I wish! {giggle} Have you read my book? The sex scenes are sizzling.
- What are your current projects?
I’m currently in the middle of editing the second book in the Playing series. All the books can be read as stand-alones but they all have the Marquis Club and its members as central characters. Book 2 will feature Xander and Chloe’s story. Xander is a wealthy Greek executive, who is also an owner/partner of the Marquis Club. His sexual activities have recently come under intense media speculation, and he has taken himself off to his remote island home to escape the paparazzi. Chloe is desperate to relocate and escape an abusive boyfriend and replies to his advert for staff. Always the Alpha male, the Dom in Xander cannot resist the challenge Chloe represents. The position he offers is far removed from the position she applied for. I love the way this story has come together, the sexual tension between the two simmers on the page. This book Playing by His Rules will hopefully be released at the end of November 2014.
- Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I would be happy to! Here’s a little excerpt from Playing by His Rules (unedited) to set the scene – Xander has taken Chloe for her first visit to a BDSM club.
She held onto his hand tightly, as if afraid to let go of him. Reaching the booth, he ushered her into it before sliding in to sit beside her.
“You can open your eyes now,” he teased. He couldn’t keep the humor from his voice. He would bet his last dollar that she had kept her eyes glued to the floor as they had crossed the room.
Her head snapped up and she eyed him warily, “I have not got my eyes shut!” Nevertheless, she looked nowhere other than directly at him, as she nibbled on her bottom lip.
“Not now, maybe,” he teased, leaning in quickly to nip her bottom lip gently, “but I still reckon you took nothing in when we crossed the room.”
She swiped the tip of her tongue across her now swollen lip, “Well, it’s fairly dark in here, so that’s not surprising.”
“Well now you can just sit back, relax and have a look around. Let your eyes adjust while I go to the bar and get us a drink.”
“I thought there was a no alcohol rule?”
“There is an alcohol limit rule, two and no more if you’re taking part in a scene.” He added wickedly, “But, as you won’t indulge me I…”
“No way, Buster!” She sat up straighter as she glowered at him.
He loved it when she got feisty. He would love it even more if she could be persuaded to turn that passion in another direction altogether.
“Well then, I’ll go and get the drinks. You stay there. Be good until I get back.”
Huh, good until he got back. What the hell did he think she was going to get up to? Chloe sat back, trying to relax, as she watched Xander cross the room to the bar. Occasionally he stopped to chat to others, men that he obviously knew if the grins and handshakes were any indication. He stood out like a beacon in the room, and not just, because he appeared to be the only one dressed in a suit. People seemed to gravitate towards him and his progress to the bar was slow.
There sure were some good-looking men around, most of which were wearing leather pants. Tight leather pants that left very little to the imagination. A few also sported leather waistcoats, over their bare chests. No more than a couple wore shirts with their pants. All exuded an air of confidence that was apparent in the way they held themselves. The air was full of so much testosterone she could almost taste it. Shit, she had never seen so many alpha males together in her life!
Losing sight of Xander in the crowd, she turned her attention to the dance floor were several couples were gyrating to the music. Tina Turners’ ‘Private Dancer’ was belting out of the sound system. She was shocked at how scantily clad some of the girls were. They wore no more than lace underwear or very diaphanous baby doll dresses with nothing more than a thong underneath. She remembered Xander telling her that tonight was ‘leather and lace’ night at the club. Christ, did the girls have no shame! Most nights, she wore more to go to bed.
One couple in particular caught her attention and she watched, mesmerized by their blatant display. The girl wore a white, sheer and very short negligee with a minute thong. Her long dark hair hung down her back in a braid. She undulated up against her partner, turning her back on him, and bending forward as she pushed her bottom against his crotch suggestively. Catching her braid, which he wrapped around his hand, her partner pulled her up against him. Chloe caught her breath at the blatantly sexual power play, unable to tear her gaze away she wondered what would come next.
She watched in fascination as the Dom pulled his partner, from the dance floor to an adjacent seating area by her braid. As he sat down, he ordered her to her knees between his outstretched legs before unbuttoning his leather pants, letting his erect penis bob out. “Suck me.” Chloe lip-read his instructions across the room. No! Surely, she wouldn’t.
Unable to tear her gaze away, she watched in horrified fascination. The girl bent forward to place her lips around his erection. As the girl’s head bobbed up and down the length of him, Chloe watched him fight to control his release. Surely, they could not get away with putting on such a display. She scanned the room quickly, looking for security personnel. Was nobody going to do anything? Christ, anywhere else they would be charged with public indecency.
Turning back to look at the couple, she was just in time to see him withdraw from the subs mouth before he spurted his cum across her now naked breasts. Her breath hitched in shock. As if he had heard her gasp, he looked directly at her and winked. She felt the blush suffuse her face and quickly looked away, only to come face to face with Xander who stood to the side of the booth watching her. It was plain from the grin on his face that he had witnessed her fascination. She felt like a voyeur caught in the act. The heat of her embarrassment coursed through her and she felt her face flush. It wasn’t the only part of her body flushing, and she wriggled in her seat as she tried to soothe the ache between her legs. The blatant display had turned her on and she fought to hide her reaction from him. There was no way she wanted him to know that the scene had aroused her, she didn’t want him getting ideas of his own. She was definitely, no exhibitionist.
- Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
As the book has a light BDSM theme, I had to do a fair bit of research, as it wasn’t a topic with which I was familiar. Like many people who are not involved in the scene, I mistakenly thought that many of the practices were abusive. The research opened my eyes to the true nature of a D/s relationship, and, to how much love and trust there must be between partners who participate. I feel like I have a far better understanding of the complex types of relationships which can be formed, and have nothing but admiration for people who can give their all, to a partner. The level of trust and intimacy are, I think, far higher than those of many so-called ‘normal or vanilla’ relationships.
- Other than writing do you have any hobbies ?
I love to bake. I bake cakes and pastries, make bread and cookies for my granddaughters. I work full-time in Accounts and I like to do something with my hands, rather than my brain, in my downtime.
I also enjoy curling up with a good book. I would far rather read than watch television in the evening, though I must admit that since I started writing I have a lot less spare time to read. I used to read regularly, now it is a treat.
- What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
I don’t watch a lot of TV mainly because I don’t have time, but if I do get the chance to sit down and chill, I like to watch something with a good storyline. I enjoy NCIS and Sherlock Holmes type dramas. As for films, some of my favorites are Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts, Roadhouse with Patrick Swayze, and The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston. I’m obviously a romantic at heart! I don’t enjoy horrors – I think my imagination is just too vivid and they give me the creeps that can last for hours – so I avoid them!
- Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it?
I do – thanks for asking. They are both new, as I’m just coming to terms with social media… lol don’t I sound ancient. Nevertheless, they are up and running so if you want to check them out see the links below.
Website: www.GlendaHorsfall.com
Blog: http://ghorsfallblog.wordpress.com