Her bio:
Elizabeth Raines makes her home in Indiana. A fan of all genres of fiction, she enjoys blending her love of science fiction with romance in the books she writes exclusively for Siren Publishing. Her favorite movies are Pride and Prejudice and Love, Actually, and she spends far too much time watching shows like The Tudors and Mad Men. Elizabeth has been happily married for almost thirty years and tries to express that kind of enduring love in all her stories, hoping to help all her heroes and heroines have their own happily ever afters.
1. Tell us about your latest ménage release: what’s it all about? Where did you find the inspiration?
I write with a group of friends called The Sextet. We have two new anthologies coming out from Siren. Entanglements (Vol. 4) will premiere on November 21st . Mistletoe & Ménage (Vol. 5) will be out just in time for Christmas on December 19th.
2. Why did you choose to write ménage? What intrigues you about this particular genre?
Reading ménage is a guilty pleasure, but I’d never considered writing it until The Sextet formed. We all decided to step outside our comfort zones since none of us had written ménage before. Such fun to imagine a three people falling in love! I really enjoy writing those books now.
3. Who is your favorite ménage character(s) and why?
In my books? Hmm…I think I like Lyrianna Seebré from Sold (Wicked Missions 4). She’s such a strong personality, and she finds herself in such dire straits. I love how she rises above everything and always stays true to herself.
In a ménage story that I’ve read, I have to say I love Cheryl Brooks’s hero, Aidan, in her Entanglements story—A Delicate Procedure. The poor guy has an unusual problem that leads him to ask a nurse he knows to tie him up. I’ll let the readers discover for themselves what that problem is.
4. In your opinion, what makes a good ménage novel?
You have to feel the connection between the characters, otherwise the story is just sex and not romance. There has to be a good reason for love and desire to bind those three (or more!) people together in a way that makes the reader believe they all belong together and deserve their happily ever after.
5. What do you think of ménage romance in general? Do you think numbers are important in ménage stories? The more the better or maybe not?
I like ménage a trois best. I can see how three people could find themselves in that kind of situation and feel enough love for one another to share that love with two people rather than one. As the numbers rise, I find the stories less and less believable.
6. What sparks your ménage imagination to the point of writing one? Is there a particular source of inspiration for your ménage stories?
I treat ménage stories just like any hero/heroine story, it’s just that I find situations that make three people falling in love not only plausible but probable. It has to work on the story level, or the sex isn’t exciting.
7. What is your favorite gender combination in ménage? More men than women? No women all men? Why?
I like MMF best, where the men and the woman are all equally involved, because it gives me so many angles to explore, both in the story and sexually.
8. Do you prefer to use straight, gay or bisexual male characters? Why? What influences your choice?
I like the heroes being bisexual and the heroine being straight. For some reason, that combination is the easiest for me to understand in the context of ménage. I have written a few stories that are straight guys with a straight girl, but the emotional intimacy always feels off if the guys aren’t sharing their bodies with each other.
My heroines always prefer men, and perhaps I write them straight because I am. Funny, but it’s easier for me to imagine two men loving each other than two women. Probably because women are such emotional creatures. Put two together, and they’d drive each other crazy.
9. In your opinion, do ménage stories work better with straight, gay or bisexual characters?
I think the stories work best when everyone involved in the ménage has the potential to be physically and emotionally involved with each other. Those stories offer so much more intimacy and opportunity for emotional growth in the relationship.
10. In your opinion, can a true ménage work in real life? Why or why not?
I don’t see why not! It would take a lot of commitment on the part of the people sharing their lives, but if they’re willing to compromise for the people they love, I could see it working. There might be quite a bit of awkwardness in social situations such as office parties, but in this day and age, anything goes!
11. Do you think there is a difference between ménage sex and ménage relationship? Are the two one and the same? Or can one be without the other?
Definitely a difference! I’m sure there are people out there who have participated in ménage sex before but would never dream of being in a committed relationship with more than one person. Sex is sex and love is love, regardless of the number.
12. What do you think of reviews on ménage books? Do you find they capture the essence of your work? If yes, why? If no, why not? (feel free to include my review in your considerations)
I think reviewers who truly love ménage stories give them fair reviews. I’ve been blessed (so far) with good reviews, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I never run into a reviewer who thinks all ménage stories are implausible.
13. Tell us about your future projects. Do you have a new ménage romance coming out soon?
I have a new paranormal series planned, I’m just having a hard time finding time to write as much as I’d like. At least The Sextet is actively releasing new stories until I can start churning out the new books.
14. Where can the fans find you and find your books?
All my books are available at Siren-BookStrand. My page is http://www.bookstrand.com/elizabeth-raines All my books are also available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites.
15. Please tell us where readers and fans can find you on the net.
I have a website http://www.elizabethraines.com and The Sextet does as well http://www.thesextet.com I’m also on Facebook. Look for elizabethrainesauthor
16. Is there anything you wish to share with the readers?
Please feel free to contact me at Elizabeth@elizabethraines.com I love to hear from readers!
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Thank you very much Mrs Raines for this great invertiew. I am sure that a lot of readers do indulge the same guilty pleasure and you should see me in the front seat for sure! Now I am sure that all your fans are waiting for more releases!
Mary
Mary's Ménages Reviews & Promos 