Vivacious Vixens of Romance Blog

Since this is my very first blog post here I thought I better introduce myself. So here goes the line that always makes me sound like I’m a member of a support group…My name is Stephani Hecht and I’m an erotica writer

I’ve been writing for about as long as I can remember, but I didn’t make my first real attempt until fifteen years ago. I sat down at my table with a thermos full of coffee, my Brother word processor (remember those things?) and got to work. I was full of vigor and verve and was so certain that I was penning the next great American novel.

What I was really pounding out was the worst historical in well…history. If there were ever a contest for a book with the most romance clichés in it, my book would take first place. Titled, A Moore’s Bride, it had an arranged marriage, the hero resenting his new wife, warring families and betrayal at every turn. When I finally did reveal the villain at the end, I thought I had been so clever about it. Looking back now I see it was so obvious that I may have well put a neon sign on her forehead saying, “Evilness here.”

Of course I didn’t realize all this when I was writing it because, remember, I thought I was going to be the best thing that ever happened to romance because my books was so good. I packaged up my MS in three ring binders! I can just hear the gasps out there because we all know that’s a big no-no. Then I mailed it off to agents.

Imagine my shock when I got a whole buncha rejections back.

Looking back now, I can laugh about this, but then I was so shocked. I had been bitch slapped with reality and now I realized that maybe, just maybe I was going to have to work at this. Me! With the bestest book ever!

Boy was I stupid.

I took several years to learn the craft and research every intricate detail of the industry.  It wasn’t until four years ago that I was ready to try again. By then I had the sense to realize that historical were not my cuppa so I turned to what I loved to read the most, paranormal.

My end result was a book about angels. However, my angels couldn’t be more un-angelic if they tried. They swear, fight, watch B-movies and one even hooks up with a succubus. In short, when people ask me about them, the answer is the same. I write about angels who hump and cuss.

I was worried that I would never be able to find a home for my unconventional story, but to my surprise I was. The ninth book in The Archangel Series was just published last month over at eXtasy Books. Not only that, but I have my Drone Vampire Chronicles there and a couple of books with my co-author A.J. Llewellyn.

So if I have any advice out there for new authors it’s this, keep trying and don’t be afraid to take a chance.

-Stephani Hecht