Ramblings From This Chick: Guest Post with Author Susan DiPlacido and Giveaway

Friday, January 11, 2013

Guest Post with Author Susan DiPlacido and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Susan DiPlacido to RFTC. Susan is currently on tour for her book Shuffle Up and Deal and has stopped by to chat. Please give Susan a warm welcome.

Susan DiPlacido is the author of 24/7, Trattoria, Mutual Holdings, House Money, Lady Luck, Shuffle Up and Deal, and American Cool. Trattoria was nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Small Press Romance 2005, and her short story, "I, Candy," won the Spirit Award at the 2005 Moondance International Film Festival. American Cool won the bronze medal in the 2008 IPPY awards and was a finalist in the 2008 Indie Book Awards. Shuffle Up and Deal was nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Small Press Erotic Fiction 2010. Her fiction has appeared in Susie Bright's Best American Erotica 2007, Maxim Jakubowski's Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica vol. 6 and 7, Zane's Caramel Flava, and Rebellion: New Voices of Fiction.

Places to find Susan:

Write What You Like

Almost invariably when I tell people that I’m a writer, I get one of three responses. The first, and least common, is, Oh, that’s cool. What do you write, do I know anything you’ve written, ect. That’s always a refreshing response and I try to follow up and answer without slipping into a sales mode. That’s not hard for me, because I have a devil of a time trying to promote myself or my work. But I will immediately admit what genre I write (erotica) and it’s a good litmus test to see if we can further our interest in each other. I don’t mind one bit if people get a little put off, because I understand that it’s not everyone’s style or taste.

The second most popular response I get when I tell someone I’m a writer is Have I got a story for you! I like this response. Sometimes, it leads to some great entertainment listening to them tell an anecdote, and even if it’s not so interesting or entertaining, it keeps the focus on them. Well, on them until they finish and ask, So, are you going to use that in your next book. These days, most people think their lives are on the level of The Hangover. They’re not. That’s why we have movies like The Hangover. But it’s all good and I just coyly tell them that they can buy my next book and see if their story is in there. Then they threaten to sue me if it is. It’s still a better conclusion to the conversation than when someone gets immediately frosty because I write porn.

The third, and far most popular response I get when I tell someone that I’m a writer is this one. “Oh yeah. I could write. I always wanted to. I know I could. I should.” Go ahead. Imagine it. Now imagine the things that would run through your head if someone would say that. It probably all goes through mine, too. But the bottom line, and the one I always settle upon, is to encourage them. Again, it keeps focus off of me. I’m not big on advice in general, and since I don’t consider myself expert enough to dole out literary wisdom, I just offer two pieces of encouragement/advice. The first one is, “If you really want to, you should do it. Just make time and do it.” And the second one is, “Write what you like.”

It’s a common saying that you should write what you know. But I’ve always just written what I like. I like either grisly, dark suspense, or I like light, frothy, romantic comedy. I’ve always wanted to see the two mashed together. And, of course, I like it to be smoking hot sexy. So that’s why I write what I do. I know it’s not everyone’s taste. But it’s mine, and I just hope that my tastes align with some readers’ tastes as well. But I just can’t imagine spending the amount of time it takes to write a book and not enjoy doing it. So that’s the only advice I can give. “Sit down and do it. And write what you like.”

And if that fails, just go out and tell people that you’re a writer and then wait for them to tell you all their stories and write one of those. At least they’ll have to buy your book to see how you’ve ripped them off.

When Izzy and Nick meet in embarrassing fashion at a Las Vegas poker tournament, Izzy's secret dreams turn into a public nightmare. But despite her humiliation, she may have finally sparked Nick's interest in something other than cards. Before long, Nick takes a gamble on Izzy and raises the stakes when he offers to help her sharpen her game. But Izzy's convinced that Nick is bluffing and will fold his hand after he's had her on the flop. But a string of outrageous proposition bets and steamy trips on the poker tour, from Los Angeles to Miami, make these two fierce competitors realize that it may be time to put all their chips on the table. Will Izzy and Nick pair up? Or will they lose it all if they go all-in for each other? Sit down, ante up, and hang on, as Nick and Izzy get ready to Shuffle Up and Deal.

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