Joining me today in The Loft is fellow Extasy author Deja Black. Deja writes M/M romance in subgenres that include erotic and paranormal romance, fantasy, shifters, and urban and magical beings. With the support of her husband and some intense time management, she is learning to balance her family of two energetic children, the many students she counsels at school, and write romance. Deja lives in Louisville, KY.
S: Good morning, Deja. Thanks for joining me today!
Why write romance?
D: I’m a romance writer because I like stories with a happy ending where two–and sometimes more–people find a way to overcome obstacles on the path toward love. I feel like we need more stories where people can see that happiness is possible. Is it fiction? Yes. But it is still reflective of real life and hope. We need hope, too.
S: As a writer, did the pandemic and the subsequent isolation work to your benefit or detriment?
D: The pandemic was frightening and paralyzing at first. So many unknowns and fears and general ugliness. My writing suffered for a moment because I was not in a good place in the beginning to mentally handle it. I also had my family home 24/7, all of us, and the kids were suffering from the isolation and the absence of their friends and the life they knew. My focus at that time was making sure they were okay, that we did our best to keep them safe in a new normal. There were ups and downs and losses. We lost family members and even now, I still haven’t heard from some of my friends on Facebook. I worry they’re okay. Writing? There was none for me at that time. It took me a second to get back in the rhythm of things. Rejoining the world almost. Determining where my writing fit. I also had a few friends tell me they needed me to write again. That the world needed happy endings and people needed me. So, here I am again. And this time, I’m not going anywhere.
S: It wasn’t until the pandemic that I realized how horrible people could be. It was a whole new reality and I am finding some of that is finding its way into my stories.
What would you like people to know about you?
D: I’d like people to know that I have a family, two frogs, and I’m a school counselor. My own life experiences contribute to my writing. I’d like them to know I’m open to change. I’m adaptive which means what I write and how I write will change. No person should be trapped in a bubble. No writer should be, either.
S: I grew in a neighborhood where we had access to a swamp. We were quite adept at raising tadpoles until they became frogs. There was always a frog around to terrorize my mom.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
D: Writing is a need for me. Even when I was on COVID hiatus, I still thought about my guys and the stories they needed told. I would still choose to write. It’s a part of me. Now, if I could take what I’ve learned so far back with me, it would just be that much better.
S: Complete this sentence: “When one of my books is released, I….”
D: Am so nervous. What will they think? Who will read it? How should I promote it? So many questions run through my mind along with fear. Am I a good writer? Maybe I’ve been lying to myself this whole time. How do I compare to other writers? But then, I’m excited that another book is out there, another story told. And I can usually count on my very own support team to carry me through the crazy. So I breathe, promote, and get that baby to as many people as I can. Then I go on to the next story.
S: What inspired “Flirty and Red?”
D: I love mystical beings, those we don’t often hear about. Griffins were on my mind, so that’s where it began. Add to that, my sister-in-law is a nurse, and I took a gun license class. Oh, and then add two guys from two different walks of life. And there we have it. “Flirty and Red.”
S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about “Flirty and Red?”
D: Well, it’s the first book in a new series I’m writing. This is not as dark as my usual reads. Hm. I really like the dialogue between the main characters. They have a chemistry that works for me, but then I wrote it. Let’s hear what you think.
Here’s the blurb:
A traveling nurse who doesn’t mind a little fun. A griffin who’s not playing around.
Gentry Red Redmond gave up on finding a mate. It turns out the one he needed just didn’t come in the package he was used to hunting.
Sebastian Del Marco, a traveling nurse, wants to be loved, but he’s afraid to trust. Instead of relationships, he’s been willing to accept just having fun.
Once Red realizes Sebastian is just the mate he needs, can he convince Sebastian to take a chance on love?
S: That sounds like a fun story! Where can readers buy “Flirty and Red?”
D: Right now, it’s available from my publisher, eXtasy Books, at https://www.extasybooks.com/Flirty-and-Red. It will be available soon from all major booksellers.
S: Deja, thanks so much for joining me today. If you’d like to learn more about Deja Black and her books, please visit–
Website: https://www.dejablack.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deja.black.69
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dejablack69
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dejablack69/?hl=en
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Deja-Black/e/B013MQ5A3U