K.S. Hello and welcome to the blog. I am very excited to have you here. Why don’t we start off with a small introduction? Tell us a little about yourself.
First, thank you for having me, Katie! I’m thrilled to be on Written in Blood today. This is always one of the toughest questions to answer! I’ll start with my background. I have an undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA in business management. I’ve worked in the cutthroat industry of corporate finance for many years.
Even though my writing career started quite recently, I’ve been writing romantic fiction since high school. I’ve followed the publishing industry, specifically e-publishing, closely and decided it was time to jump in and publish my first novella.
K.S. Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?
I love to write while traveling. There’s just something about being away from your normal routine that gets the creative juices running. I like to write about the different locales I visit. My current release, Marooned in Miami takes place in one of the sexiest spots possible – South Beach! My next release is set in Martha’s Vineyard and New York City. I’m currently working on the Marooned sequel, Lusted in Las Vegas, where anything can happen…and does. During the holidays my husband and I spent a long weekend in Cozumel. You guessed it! I’m working on a novella set on the Mexican island about a sexy modern day pirate.
K.S. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? What sparked the desire to pen your first novel?
I think I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I developed a love of writing while taking creative writing classes in high school. Stories are usually triggered by everyday events and just unfold in my mind. I began saving bit and pieces of stories on my laptop until one day I decided to write a novel.
K.S. What genre do you write?
I write in the romance genre. My stories are erotic but also always sensual and romantic. There is a lust to love development in each book. I love to progress my sexy scenes from flat out infatuation to intimacy as the characters become more emotionally attached. It’s all about the connection.
K.S. What would you say has inspired you most in your writing career? Or, who is your favorite author and why?
I don’t have a favorite author but the one that comes to mind is Diana Gabaldon. I am currently on book 5 of her Outlander series. My favorite is still the first - it’s a time travel love story about modern day Claire and her 18th-Century Scottish lover, Jamie. Their love is hardly conventional, always controversial and forever sizzling. Reading this series is a commitment because each book is long and detailed. I do take a break from them once in a while and change it up with a hot, sexy short novella but I always look forward to the continuation of Claire and Jamie’s love story.
K.S. What does your family think of your writing?
This is an interesting question because of the genre I write. For the most part, everyone is very supportive but I do have a few friends and family members who are uncomfortable with the fact that I write ‘the sexy.’ My answer to the questioning looks is usually: “Do you think murder mystery authors are running around killing people?” I mean really people, grow up. But the sad fact is friends whom I’ve known in one area of my life cannot accept my new facet and that’s okay because it’s their issue, not mine. However, I am proud to say that my husband is my greatest supporter. I don’t think I would be able to write these types of stories without having a healthy relationship.
K.S. What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book/s?
I think the most surprising thing about creating my books is the time and energy that is necessary to get a book out into the marketplace. The writing is the easy part! Multiple edits, cover art, release promotion, review requests, interviews, reader correspondence, blogging and ongoing contests and promotion take a lot of time and hard work. I love to hear from my readers and answer every comment and question. I also have many blog hops and contests going on each month, including a fun weekly blog called ALL THINGS GIRL where I write about, well, all things girl! My last post was about shoes. Shoe posts are always a hit!
K.S. What inspires you?
People watching! I love to watch people interacting with one another. There is so much you can tell about a relationship just through their body language. I can glance at a couple having dinner together or two people meeting at a bar and a story plays out in my mind. I also get a lot of my story ideas from songs. My next release, Sara’s Smile, was inspired by a song about lost love.
K.S. Can you tell us a little about any of your novels?
Blurb:
Undeniable lust and a fierce Miami storm bring sexy strangers together at The Hotel Del Santos for a passion filled night.
Stephanie, still reeling from a failed marriage, needs a break from the past. She decides to take her friends’ advice and finds a perfect stranger for a night of no-strings-attached, smoking hot sex.
Jason, a wealthy Seattle builder has the worst luck with love. Swearing he would never allow another woman to get under his skin, Jason decides a life of casual sex is just fine with him. While watching Stephanie’s sexy stilettos click across the lobby floor he zeros in on his next conquest.
Cut off from the outside world, the lives of these two strangers collide and burn with desire when stranded in the perfect storm. Both are content with the idea of sharing a glorious one-night stand together, that is, until they go their separate ways.
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Startled by an angry crack of thunder, she saw a flash of lightning through the lobby’s floor to ceiling glass window. The chandeliers all flickered in unison as the elevator doors opened. She swore under her breath, looked down at her three-inch heels and considered walking up the six flights of stairs to her room.
“Hey, is it okay to take the elevator in this storm?” she called to the front desk clerk who nodded and gave her a small wave.
A night stuck in the elevator was not in her plan. She debated for a moment about walking up barefoot when she heard a low voice to her right.
“How about we chance it together?”
She spun around to see the source of those words that washed over her like a slow moving current. Stephanie’s breath caught when she turned toward the source of the silky voice. His eyebrows raised and waited for an answer to his question. His lips curled to showcase his straight white teeth. He appeared out of nowhere; surely she would have noticed him in the lobby. A day’s growth of dark stubble covered his chiseled cheekbones below dangerous blue eyes. Stephanie’s heart raced, while she imagined her fingers combing through his dark wavy hair. Stop it, she thought as she shook her head slightly and hoped the action would rid her mind of these visions. One side of her said kick off those heels and walk up all of those damn flights of stairs, but the other told her to take him up on the offer. It was as if an angel and a devil sat on her shoulders. The devil was winning. The front desk didn’t foresee an issue with the elevator so why should she?
Stephanie’s eyes narrowed, careful not to give him any indication of the attraction she felt, even though his dark hair and tanned complexion made her insides turn to mush. There was something about his presence that made her feel sexy. She couldn’t make sense of the feeling. Heat coursed through her veins and straight down to her core. How could a stranger have that effect on her? I’ve got to start dating. I’m turning into a horny mess. She stepped inside the elevator and pushed the button for the sixth floor. The man followed closely behind, slid his key into the PH slot at the top and pushed the button.
Reviews:
5 out of 5 stars "OH. MY. GOD! Strikingly Hottest Erotica Novella! An amazing short story was well-written and convincingly hot and sensual." - Best Erotica Books
"Marooned in Miami is an excellent short, steamy and very erotic tale." - Fallen Angel Reviews
"You're going to have to trust me on this one, and go pick it up, it's worth it." - The eBook Reviewers
“This will make you hot on a cold winter night!” – Reader Review
K.S. Where can we buy your novel?
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance ebooks
K.S. Do you have a website, fan site, or Blog that we can visit?
Readers can contact me through my website www.sandrabunino.com and on Amazon Author Central. I am also on Twitter @sandrabunino (following is sexy!) and Facebook.
K.S. Do you have any closing advice to aspiring writers?
Follow your dream, stay positive and don’t give up! Writing is about the journey not the destination. Enjoy the ride.