3 Questions and a Contest - P.J. Mellor

And the WINNER of Island Nights and a surprise romance package is TESS!  Thanks to everyone for participating!

My dear readers, I know you have been patiently waiting for the return of THREE QUESTIONS AND A CONTEST. And it’s BACK!

I’m super-excited to present my first guest for 2011. She is one of the first people I met when I joined the Northwest Houston Chapter of RWA, and the first person I dared to show my work. The epitome of a gracious southern belle, she didn’t laugh too loud at my horrendous efforts. Her latest is the just released Island Nights. Please welcome author, P.J. Mellor!


When we first met, you hadn’t gotten the “Call” yet, then bam! Less than a year later, you’re selected to launch Kensington’s Aphrodisia line. What went through your mind when you heard Pleasure Beach would be the first book?

Actually, technically, PLEASURE BEACH was not the “first book” of the line. You are considered a launch author is your book is released in the first three months of the beginning of the line. PLEASURE BEACH was released in Aphrodisia’s second month, February 2006. When I first heard I’d sold to Kensington, I thought it was for their Brava line. Then it was explained my book would be in their new erotic romance line, as yet unnamed. I think shocked would best describe my thought when I heard I’d sold PLEASURE BEACH. It was just so much fun to write, I never imagined it would actually sell—it was just something I did “in case”. And the press it received was fabulous—can’t buy the kind of publicity it received!  (Editor's Note:  PLEASURE BEACH was featured on Geraldo At Large during a segment on erotic books.)


And, speaking of publicity, ISLAND NIGHTS is going to be excerpted in the May issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine—yet another priceless bit of publicity.


You have the amazing talent to combine humorous and erotic elements. How have you kept that balance going for throughout six full-length novels and five (soon to be six) anthologies?

Thanks! I’ve been told I have a wicked sense of humor, so it was a natural progression for it to find its way into erotic romance. Besides, sex is fun!


And for the wacky portion of our interview, what’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you since you were first published?

Wow. I’ve had many things…I think the one that stands out the most is the 102 year old retired English teacher who loved PLEASURE BEACH so much she took a cab to one of my signings to tell me how impressed she was that it was grammatically correct. In fact, several of the residents of her senior citizen complex came to that signing, making a line of gray haired people. Ah, yes, I’m obviously the geriatric erotica writer!


Contest:

P.J.’s books are available today through most book retailers. For more info on P.J. and her books, check out her website.

Today, we are giving away a copy of Island Nights to one lucky blog reader.  Plus I'll throw a little surprise romance package for the winner.

To enter the drawing, please leave a comment stating your fantasy guy or girl. Keep it clean, folks! And please, PLEASE, if you comment anonymously, leave a contact e-mail!

Per usual, comments will be closed on Thursday, February 24, at 11AM CDT, and GK will draw a name from his Capt. Rex helmet. The winner will be posted at noon.


Legal $#!@:

The contest is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada due to U.S. postal regulations. To the FTC, P.J. has pointed out my numerous problems with POV, which officially makes ours a quid pro quo relationship.