Welcome Erotic author, Harris Channing, to Love Romances & More. We are excited to have the opportunity to speak with you and learn more about your work. 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

First and foremost, I'm a mom.  I love being there for my kids and watching them grow.  To tell you it's bittersweet is an understatement.  It seems like yesterday I brought my baby home from the hospital.  I turned around and she's blowing out nine candles on her birthday cake. My youngest started kindergarten this year…where does the time go? 

I'm also married to one of the nicest guys in the world.  My husband dotes on me and spoils me every chance he gets. I like that…I like that a lot! 

I see you have traveled extensively as an Army Brat. Where was your favorite place to live? 

Each of the places I've lived has had its good points and bad.  The most exciting place I've lived would have to be Germany.  So close to so much history.  The differences in cultures, the architecture, the food!  Just an amazing learning experience.  But my favorite place would have to be where most of my life changing events have taken place.  And that would be Tennessee.  This is the place where I met the love of my life, learned most major life lessons, had my children, and put down my roots. 

How long have you been writing; was it something you have always wanted to do? 

I've been writing on and off since I was in the sixth grade.  My teacher entered a fictional story of mine in a contest and to my surprise, I won!  She was the first person to take notice of my writing and I'm very thankful to her.  She was a wonderful person and I wish I knew where she was so I could tell her how much her kindness means to me. 

I see that In June of 2007 you had your first e-book, TORRID TEASERS VOLUME 30, published from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.   What influenced you to get published? How long did it take you to get this book published? 

THE BODY DOUBLE, one of the stories in the volume, was my first attempt at erotica.  I wrote it just to see if I could.  When I subbed it to Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, I didn't expect to get an acceptance.  When I did, I immediately set out to write a sister story for it.  So, I wrote THE GROUPIE and to my delight, the editor at WCP/T put them together.  At this point, all my stories with WCP/T have a White Springs, Tennessee connection. 

Often a writer’s first book is the toughest to write. Was this true for you? If so, what helped you get through it? If it wasn’t the first, which one was the most difficult to write? The easiest? 

At nineteen, some personal issues cropped up and I used my writing as an escape.  I'd say my first book was the easiest to write because I just poured myself into to.  I didn't worry about the mechanics, sentence structure, etc.  I just wrote.  Of course, it's in the attic never to be seen by anyone's eyes but mine.  But it was the easiest.  My most difficult to date is the one I'm working on right now.  It's a paranormal romance and one scene I wrote actually made me stop and get up and walk around.  I scared myself!  I don't know how authors like Stephen King sleep at night! 

February 2008 your short story CURSES and KISSES was released in the MY FUNNY VALENTINE ANTHOLOGY at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. Congratulations! Can you tell us a little bit about CURSES and KISSES? 

CURSES AND KISSES was a lot of fun to write.  Maryanne, poor girl, is totally put through the wringer as year after years she tries to deny that her Valentine's days are indeed cursed. 

This book sounds very intriguing! How did you come up with the storyline of Maryanne Mills Valentine’s days being cursed? 

Usually, the biggest problem single people have on Valentine's Day is being alone.  I sat down and thought, what would be worse than being lonely?  I know, have HORRIBLE dates.  So, that's how it started and Madame Xavier came into play and gave it a bit of a mythical feel.  But it makes you wonder are her Valentine's days really cursed or does Maryanne just think they're cursed and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy? 

Do you usually outline your stories before you write, or do you "go with the flow"? 

I usually go with the flow.  But the paranormal I'm writing right now needs an outline and despite my desire to 'just write', I think that's what I have to do next.  To answer your question, it depends on what I'm working on.  Sometimes I do outline, sometimes I don't. 

Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing? 

I'm old school romance when it comes to reading.  Catherine Cookson was such a storyteller that often after reading her books, I felt like I'd been to a movie.  When I was younger, I wrote her a letter asking her advice on writing.  Despite the fact that her eyes and health were failing, she had her secretary share some of her writing tips to me.  She was a true lady and the world is worse off for her passing. 

I also love a good mystery.  Sue Grafton's ABC murders are great reads. 

Stephen King and Dean Koontz are wonderful.   

Also, I have some great crit partners that have helped me out. Do their unpublished works count?  They've probably influenced me as much as many of the published authors I've read.

If you could go anywhere, money being no object, to write your next book where would it be and why? 

There's a log cabin not far from my parent's home.  I would love to buy that, fix it up, and make it into my writing studio.  I'd be surrounded by nature, history, and family.  As hokey as it seems, that's where I'd LOVE to write my next book. 

If you could write and be guaranteed publication of any genre of book, what would it be? 

Straight historical romance.  Historicals are where my love lies.  However, I do think my contemporary voice is stronger and a hell of a lot more sarcastic! 

Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example? 

To some extent, sure I feel like they live with me.  I think about them a lot, I read their dialogue aloud, I try to know them well enough to be able to express their inner most feelings.   

Yes, at certain times a character does seem to take over. For example, when I was writing THE GROUPIE, I had the chauffeur as Mandy's love interest.  Unfortunately, he just seemed creepy no matter how I wrote him.  When I decided to make Thad the leading man, the story flew out of my fingertips where with the chauffeur, it seemed to lag.  Thad was just too good to ignore. 

Do you find it difficult at times to write love/sex scenes? 

When I first wrote erotica, the language was a little startling for me.  Otherwise, it wasn't too difficult.  NOW, it's harder.  I try to stay spicy and still loving and I can be looking at a segment of writing and say, "Hmmmmm, this is familiar".  It's difficult now, where it wasn't before. 

Are you working on anything right now? Can you tell us a teaser about these projects? 

I've got several irons in the fire but nothing finished or ready to be submitted anywhere.  As I mentioned earlier, I’m working on a paranormal romance called, Witchy Woman.  It's the story of Stella Campbell.  She's returned to her hometown after fleeing thirteen years prior when her Aunt Lou sacrificed her virginity to a demon… 

I'm also working on a couple contemporary romances and have another erotica novel that needs revision before submission. 

Any final advice to aspiring authors? 

Read, write, crit.  It's wonderful to have a book published but it is a lot of work.  It costs time away from your family and rejection is a constant companion.  That's the reality of writing.  It's not easy but once you get to see your name on the cover of a book, it's worth the tears.   

Thank you so much for spending time with us at Love Romances and More. We wish you the greatest success in all of your future endeavors. 

Thank you.  I enjoyed visiting with you.