Meet Bianca Swan

Please, welcome Bianca Swan. Bianca lives in Texas with her baby grand piano and is very fond of her snazzy little convertible. She has two sons, one of whom lives in England, the other in Texas. She still believes in the power of love—and the power of lust—and enjoys delving into the soul of both the L-Words, bringing to life hot men and the hot women who love them. As a thanks for stopping by, Bianca will give away a download of her spicy vampire novel, Black Swan, and as a second random gift a pen, fridge magnet, and an autographed cover flat that can be used as a book mark. Be sure to leave a comment so she knows you were here. 

Hi Bianca, it’s great to have you with us today. Since this is Meet the Author Monday, why don’t you start by telling us how you came to be a writer.

Thanks, Rebecca, for inviting me to visit your lovely blog. I started writing when I was a teenager, very dark poetry filled with angst (think Twilight here). I wrote a couple of short stories and showed my offerings to an editor at the local newspaper. He trashed my work, and I put my pen down for 20 years. When I read The Vampire Lestat, I said hey I could write something in this genre, and I wrote 700 pages of a vampire novel that is now 300 pages and entitled Sinners Opera. Like most everyone, at first I wrote for myself, then began the quest for publication.

Is there anything about your journey to publication or the profession itself that has surprised you? The length and rocky road of the journey. I won several contests and thought I was on my way. In fact, when I won the GRW Maggie award, Berkley called and said they didn’t publish vampires and asked if I had anything else. Being a complete novice (and fool), I said no! That was in 1992.

Hot Spanish Nights is available now from The Wild Rose Press – Scarlet line. I write for them myself and often get questions about why I write erotic romance. Would you tell readers why you chose this sub-genre over the sweeter stuff? It’s nice in the Wilder garden, isn’t it Rebecca? I like it. You must tell us about your books. Thanks, Bianca. See the side bar.

 As to the question, I don’t think I could write sweet romance. I don’t read sweet romance. There is a flicker of darkness in me, I guess. My other persona writes dark fantasy, urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I wrote my first erotic novella for the Destination Desire line but the word count jumped beyond the limit. I enjoy being able to name body parts (though at first it embarrassed me) because it gives you much more leeway in building a love/sex scene. Needless to say, erotic romance gives the writer the ability to delve deeper into the couple’s sexual relationship. I like to write about obsession and the eroticism of lust. Hot Spanish Nights was my first erotic romance. I have since contracted another erotic novella with The Wild Rose Press.

Art by Miki

When asked, most authors will say that they try to stick to what they know. Are you familiar with the Spanish culture in general or did writing Hot Spanish Nights require a great deal of research? I am very familiar with the Spanish horse having bred them for many years, but I knew nothing of bullfighting, have never visited Spain (top of my to visit list), so I had to do a lot of research. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about bullfighting.

What about your hero? I sometimes find that the heroes I write about and love because they are perfect for my heroines are not men I would by nature be attracted to. Would a man like Damián make the perfect hero in your own world or is he fabulous because of what he does for Erica? Damian would be a perfect hero in my world. He is handsome, charming and sexy as well as courageous and kind. He is a master horseman and I would want to study riding with him. Lucky Erica!

I so agree. There is just something about a man who can handle a horse. So, if you could pick any actors to play Damián and Erica in a theatrical version of Hot Spanish Nights who would they be? (Of course on stage not film – can’t water down the pull of Spanish horses, hot dances, and sexy dark-haired men. On stage it would be spectacular!) Antonio Banderas would be Damian. Gwynneth Paltrow for Erica, I think.

The music for the Hot Spanish Nights Trailer is fabulous. It sucked me into the moment and the spirit of the tale. Can you tell us a bit about who created the trailer and where readers can find it so they can have the same experience as I did? Thank you, Rebecca! I created my trailer (my first effort) and miraculously it worked. The music is Espana Cani (The Gypsy Dance). A spectacular dance, the Paso Doble, is often performed to this song. The music is also associated with bullfights. In fact, the dance portrays a bullfight. My trailer is available on my blog. There is also a free erotic story on the blog. Please drop by and read The Gatekeepers Cottage and let me know what you think! Bianca’s Blog

How about a blurb and excerpt? Please? My pleasure!

Blurb: Southern vixen Erica DeLongpre journeys to Spain to find the horse of her dreams, never expecting to find a man capable of stirring her sexual awareness. Damián Xeres, a renowned bullfighter is deliciously skilled on a horse–and in bed. But a woman from Damian’s past rattles Erica’s confidence and threatens the very essence of her trip. With Lucia waiting for the slightest chink in her armor, Erica can’t help wonder what lies ahead in those Hot Spanish Nights.

Excerpt:
Damián slid to the ground, offered her his right hand, the reins looped through the fingers of his left. In a voice that should be reserved for the bedroom, he invited, "Señorita."

The hunk isn’t wearing underwear.

He didn’t try to hide the enticing shape of his balls and the chiseled head of his cock, exhibited to perfection by his riding breeches. When he saw where she was looking, amusement flashed in his dark eyes. The handsome devil knew she lusted after him. But probably every woman who came within ten feet of the electric charge that was Damián Xérès fell in lust.

He tossed the reins to a stable boy and motioned her ahead of him into the barn’s cool, shadowed hall. Red flowers in aged, wooden sherry barrels lined the brick expanse. Bay, black and gray stallions peered through the brass bars over the half-doors of their stalls. The barn smelled of straw, horses and clean leather.

If Damián were merely an instructor at the famous school, not the eldest son and heir to the sherry empire in Jerez de la Frontera, she might entertain the idea of trying to snag his heart. The Xérès family was famous for fine sherry, award-winning wines and exceptional Andalusian horses. Damián excelled as a rejoneador, fighting the fierce Iberian bulls on horseback. One false move from horse or rider ended the challenge, the bull the victor. The man quite simply had everything—courage, looks, money, talent and to-die-for charm.

And he knew how to use his attributes.

Her gaze traveled from the polished boots hugging muscled calves up the tan riding breeches that fit like a second skin, lingered for a heartbeat at his zipper then continued up his chest. When their eyes met, there was no amusement in the depths of his dark eyes, only heat. She felt as if she would spontaneously combust in the Spanish sun.

Nice. Anything else you would like to share? The title of my upcoming Scarlet Rose release is Celestial Sin. I’m very excited about this story (aren’t we always excited about each of our children) because angels seem to be the new wave as vampires have been. Celestial Sin is the story of an angel, injured in the Second War in Heaven, who plummets to Earth, falls in love and wants to stay there. Here a blurb.

Essie McBane set her standards high. She had hoped that one day she’d find her dream man, but didn’t expect him to be a warrior angel with chestnut curls and a heavenly body. Cam-ael, an angel of the Order of the Powers, had never considered mortal sin until he was wounded in the Second War in Heaven and plummeted into Essie’s arms. The most difficult task of his long existence will be to convince her that he is willing to fall from grace to win her love.


Hot Spanish Nights is available from The Wild Rose Press. Please visit Bianca at http://www.biancaswan.com.