Sharkbait Writes

Welcome to Season 2: Episode 2 of Chumming with Sharky™ where viewers from every corner of the deep blue sea are treated to a small taste of talented authors from a myriad of genres. Today, it is my pleasure to welcome one of my favorite women on the planet, Eden Baylee (author of the very hot and well-written Fall into Winter and Spring into Summer) to chat it up talk show style. This episode is rated “M” for “Mature” and not appropriate for those tadpoles, minnows, and fishies under 18. Okay, now that I have the silly disclaimer out of the way, let’s get on with the show…

 eden baylee

Sharky: I see the sharks have been replaced again. Now there are a bunch of sperm whales and kissing gouramis swimming around in there. One of these days we’ll actually have sharks in the shark tank!

Producer: It’s all about building a theme, Sharky. At least we still have Anchor the Hammerhead sticking around to mix the drinks for you and your guest.

Sharky: That is if we can get him peeled away from that copy of Fall Into Winter that Eden gave him backstage. While Anchor’s finishing up that steamy scene in “The Austrian and the Asian” go ahead and cue the intro video so I can announce this month’s guest.

Book launch of Fall into Winter at Ben McNally Books, Feb. 10, 2011, Toronto, Canada.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my utmost pleasure to welcome the beautiful and talented author of Fall Into Winter and Spring Into Summer, hailing from Toronto, the lovely Eden Baylee.

[Applause from studio audience]

Sharky, you’re priceless! I’m honored to be here with you, and thanks for inviting me. As a Pisces, I’m quite comfortable being surrounded by marine life, sharks included ;)!.

Well, then, you’ll fit right in! It is a great pleasure to have you on Chumming with Sharky™ this month. We’ve had some good times in the past, particularly with the Indies Unite for Joshua campaign, which I believe is where we really began to build our friendship. But before we go a little bit into that lets have Anchor mix us up some drinks. I think I’ll have a Sex on the Beach. What’s your poison, Eden?
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Any single malt scotch will do. I’m not one for Sex on the Beach, not the drink anyway.

.[Ariel the waitress delivers our drinks, smiles and winks.]

Thank you, dear. You’ve been reading Fall Into Winter haven’t you? You seem a bit, um . . . perky today.
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Ariel, we’ll talk later, honey. [wink].

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So, Eden, last year you contacted me about the Indies Unite for Joshua campaign, which turned out to be a great success and had amazing support. Tell us a little bit about why you decided to start the campaign and how it affected you after the campaign was over.

Ahh, Indies Unite for Joshua was a true labor of love, and it’s quite simple why I started it—because I can.

I saw the opportunity to use the power of social media and contacts I’d built up in the indie community for something good. For the benefit of readers unfamiliar with the campaign, it was a four-month Indiegogo fundraiser that ran from Feb-May 2012 to help Joshua Moore, the 21-year-old son of indie author and friend, Maxwell Cynn. He’d been diagnosed with leukemia just months prior to graduating college with a 4.0 GPA.

$10,000 was the goal to help allay the costs of Joshua’s medical treatments. As you know, Sharky, along with your help and that of many others, we surpassed the goal just days before the end of the fundraiser.

So many great things came out of being part of something bigger than each of us. Authors, filmmakers, and artists donated goods and services to encourage donations, and we had worldwide support from all networks, particularly Twitter, where our hashtag #IndiesUnite4Joshua was tweeted around the clock.

The most amazing thing was just knowing Joshua would be helped, and re-affirming my belief in the kindness of people.

I think what I liked most about the Indies Unite for Joshua campaign was how so many people from around the world and all walks of life came together for someone they didn’t even know. I also developed some wonderful friendships because of it.

As did I, Sharky. I believe friendships built during difficult times are ones that last. Cliché as it sounds, you find out who your true friends are when you need help the most.

That is so true. Back in December 2010 you published an anthology in the erotica genre called Fall Into Winter and also followed that up with another anthology in 2012 called Spring Into Summer. I had my top aides dig up this trailer to spot light your debut anthology. Let’s take a look . . .

Book Trailer for Fall Into Winter by Eden Baylee

I read the “The Austrian and the Asian” one of the four short stories in your Fall Into Winter anthology earlier this month and to be honest I wasn’t certain what to expect, since it didn’t fall within my normal genre of reading. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it really wasn’t about sex at all. To me, it was much more than that. It was a story about culture and romance than anything. Now it did have a little bit of steamy sex in it, which would make a pacemaker skip a beat or two… or short-circuit. Ahem… where was I going with this? Oh, yes. The sex. I mean the lack of sex… No wait… Is it getting hot in here?

.[Ariel splashes water in Sharky’s face.]

I know I personally had preconceptions of what erotica was, but after stepping out of my comfort zone and reading “The Austrian and the Asian” I was reminded how speculative opinions of genres can keep us from broadening our horizons with new experiences in literature that we otherwise never would be able to enjoy. What do you feel is the most common misconception about erotica?

Oh Sharky, I do believe you’re blushing 😉

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my book. It means the world to me that you did.

I understand how preconceptions can lead to misconceptions, and some people just prefer to stay ignorant and hold on to their beliefs. The truth is most people I’ve encountered who make negative remarks about erotica and its authors have never read an erotic novel. They make assumptions about the writers based on a genre they don’t understand, and they make sweeping statements about erotica based on what they’ve heard.

Good erotica has never been about lengthy passages of fornication, just like good horror is not page after page of bloodshed, and a good thriller is not only filled with senseless violence. Writers of erotica no more live their characters’ lives than writers of any other genre.

I don’t care if someone tells me they don’t like erotica, or they don’t like my writing, or even if they think I’m deviant because I write erotica. I just care that someone has an informed opinion based on some intelligent thought. People who make remarks with no basis whatsoever are the ones who anger me, but I don’t have enough energy to quash all the ignorance. At the end of the day, I just want to tell them to read the f****g book, and then we can talk 😉

Ha! Ignorant judgmental comments can really get the blood boiling, but I’m glad you have that under control. :-) As a writer, where do you draw your inspiration from? What turns on your creative energy?

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Ultimately, to have energy to write, I need to do things other than write. Travel, reading, listening to music, and good conversation always inspire me.

Doing mundane tasks also spark great ideas. I’ve gotten some good ones while vacuuming. Too bad I hate to vacuum!

You and me both! There’s a rumor around the deep blue sea that you’re working on a full-length novel right now. Can you confirm those claims and tell us a little bit about what your current work in progress is about? Or is this a top secret project and therefore I’ll have to send my tiger sharks after the guppies that were leaking the information?

I have no secrets from you, Sharky! I’m an open book and the rumors are true.

Though I’ve always loved short stories, one of the reasons I wrote them was to hone my skills for lengthier pieces. In addition to the two you’ve mentioned, I also have a collection of flash fiction and poetry called Hot Flash. Writing short stories has given me the confidence to challenge myself to write a full-length novel.

I’ll be genre-bending and the best way to describe the book would be a psychological thriller. It combines the styles of John Fowles/Charles Bukowski/Haruki Murakami and a dash of Pauline Réage.

As you may know, Pauline Réage wrote the erotic novel Story of O, which I read when I was eleven. She influenced me profoundly, so my new book will have erotic elements but it will not be erotica.

Well, I definitely look forward to the day you publish your first full length novel, which will of course be self-published. What is it about self-publishing as an indie author that appeals to you the most? Did you ever consider the traditional publishing route?.

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I’m self-published after being rejected by traditional publishers. In erotica, you can sell individual short stories/novellas to publishers (primarily e-book only). When I didn’t get a traditional contract, I decided to do it on my own and packaged my novellas to be sold as anthologies. The primary reason was because I wanted a print version of my books as well, so it made sense to have enough content to do so.

The biggest pro of being an indie writer is the control over every aspect of the book. At the end of the day, I have no one to blame but myself if I fail. Conversely, there is great satisfaction when I succeed because I did it on my own terms.

Another great thing about being indie is I’ve connected with excellent writers, who are also indie. This would not have happened, or at least not in the same way, if I were traditionally published. Indie writers are some of the most supportive people I’ve ever met, and I’ve formed true friendships with many of them.

I won’t close the door on traditional publishing though. Sometimes “doing it all” can be exhausting, and it takes away time from the actual writing.

Tell me about it! So, when you’re not busy writing and spending time on social media, what do you like to do for fun?.

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My idea of a fun time is going to sound very boring. I’m a news junkie, a foodie, and I love stimulating conversation. Given that, having dinner with close friends and sharing wild ideas would probably rank as my top choice.

The only way to make it better would be if we were in some hot, exotic place – Thailand, Indonesia, maybe even Texas. 😉

Yes, you definitely have to put Texas on the itinerary. If you could get away and pick any place in the world to write your novel, where would it be and why?.

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Ha! Funny you should ask this, as I just came back from Jamaica and stayed next to Golden Eye, the villa built by Ian Fleming and where he created his James Bond character. I’d happily return, as I got a lot of inspiration there for my current work in progress.

That post you wrote about your trip to Jamaica was awesome! It’s now on my list of travel destinations. Before we leave I like to end each interview with a little hypothetical situation for my guests to ponder just for fun. Here is yours:

You’re traveling down a long stretch of Texas highway during the heat of the summer. You are with some friends on your way to San Antonio where you’ll be catching a flight back to Canada. You see three people staggering on the side of the road. There’s a pregnant woman, a big scruffy guy with long hair and full of tattoos, and a kid trailing behind with his hand on his chest. They all look exhausted. You look at the clock on the dash and decide to stop, cutting your time to make the flight very close. As soon as you stop the lady starts screaming that she’s in labor. The boy collapses and starts having an asthma attack. The big guy with the tattoos complains of chest pains and looks very pale. They’re all in need of medical attention, but you only have room for one more person in your car and you are fifty miles away from the city. Oh, and your cell phones aren’t working either (and you can’t squeeze everybody in the car; that would be cheating). What do you do?

Hmm, Sharky, this is quite the dilemma, however I know the Texas sun can be brutal, so as a woman who is always prepared for any emergency, I naturally have plenty of bottled water and juice in the car.

With the First Aid training I received as a teenager, I determine Mr. Tattoo Man and the little boy are simply dehydrated. I give the big guy some juice and he’s able to spring back to life and help out the little boy.

Once they’ve both had their fill of liquid, the big guy is able to carry the boy on his back and walk toward the city. Come on, he’s a tough man with tattoos, and he wants to set a good example and be a hero for the kid! That’s his overriding motivation, and I have no doubt he can do it. Of course, I pack him with more water for the journey, so I know they will be just fine.

As for the pregnant woman, it’s a false alarm. The heat made her delirious and she thought she was going into labor, but she just had gas. I give her a ride to the nearest hospital, but we make sure to roll down the windows, of course. 😉

Ha ha ha! Excellent response! I knew I couldn’t trip you up. One of these days, I’ll be able to write my guest into a corner. So far, you are all too witty for me. :-) I had a great time having you on Chumming with Sharky™, Eden!

Thanks so much for letting me chum with you, Sharky. I had a wonderful time, just as I knew I would.

Now I’d love a refill and a swim. Care to join me?

I’m there! I love swimming in shark infested waters with beautiful women! [Cue the Jaws theme music]

Thank you all for joining us for this month’s episode of Chumming with Sharky™. I hope you enjoyed my interview with Eden Baylee. Below you’ll find more information about Eden Baylee and how you can connect with her online and buy her books!

Author bio:

Eden Baylee left a twenty-year banking career to write full time. Incorporating some of her favorite things such as travel, culture, and a deep curiosity for what turns people on, her brand of writing is sensual, sexual, and literary. If you only want sex, please look elsewhere.

Connect with her via her website | blog | twitter @edenbaylee | facebook

All of Eden’s books can be purchased via Amazon:

US | UK | Canada | Germany | France | Japan | Italy | Spain

Robert “Sharky” Pruneda is a native Texan, video game “enthusiast” [addict], and fan of all things horror. He left a career in the newspaper industry in 2011 to pursue the life of a nocturnal author, brainstorming new and creative ways to creep out his readers. He doesn’t only write horror though. He also pens the occasional family-oriented tale just to keep from going completely nuts with all those creatures of the night whispering in his ears. When he’s not pulling ideas out of his twisted brain, you’ll likely find him on social media or fighting alongside his fellow gaming buddies where they all get shot up into Swiss cheese (or turned into little bite-sized chunks because of “Sharky’s” obsession with explosives). Medic!

Pursue your dreams . . . and never look back.

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