Hoo boy, this is going to be an interesting one. I mean, Brenna Lyons!Who hasn’t heard of Brenna Lyons? If that’s you, with your hand up, please sit back, take the weight off, and enjoy the interview.
Brenna Lyons wears many hats, sometimes all on the same day: former president of EPIC, author of more than 80 published works, teacher, wife, mother…member of ERWA, MWW, IWOFA, MFRW, WPM, AWaY, and Broad Universe. In Brenna’s seven years published in novel-length, she’s won two of EPIC’s e-Book Awards and has finaled for 11. She’s finaled for 3 PEARLS (including one HM, second to Angela Knight), 2 CAPAs, and a Dream Realm Award. The NOBODY anthology of dark fiction she’s included in won Spinetingler’s (UK) Book of the year for 2007. She writes in 21 established worlds plus stand-alones, poetry, articles, and essays. She’s a bestseller in indie/e fantasy, horror, and erom. Brenna has been termed “one of the most deviant erotic minds in the publishing world…not for the weak.” (Rachelle for Fallen Angels Reviews) Milieu-heavy dark work is practically Brenna’s calling card, with or without the erotic content..
KS Augustin: Brenna, welcome to Fusion Despatches. Tell me, how do you choose your pen names (if you use any)?
Brenna Lyons: I use several pen names, depending on the genre I’m writing. Let me start at the beginning, so you can see how it all evolved. Back before my son was born, I was a member of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). My initial name (before I had names passed by the heralds) was Brenna of Lyonsbane. I was publishing under that name, Brenna ‘la poetessa’ dei Leoni, and Maille inghean Braihn Cadal in the SCA, depending on persona, form of poetry, and time period. But, all my SCA friends (which were essentially all of my friends, at the time) called me Brenna. I got used to answering to it back then.
Skip forward… I was working as a special interest reporter for a webzine called GoHamptonRoads. I was using my legal name as my byline, but I ended up writing a couple of political pieces and didn’t want the nutcases in the political arena tracking me down to hurt me or my kids, so I adopted Brenna Stuart as my byline for political pieces. Stuart was an old family name from my husband’s family, and Brenna had already established itself as me, in my mind.
Skip forward again… I was ready to submit my first novel…a two-book serial of a religious nature, which happened to be closely linked to my own life. There was one person I really wanted to have no bragging or complaining rights about what I was doing for a living, so I decided a pen name was in order. Knowing this person, she would have sent paperwork about a fake court case to my publisher just to cause me trouble. Don’t laugh. She impersonated a health department worker to file a fake complaint once. [I'm goggle-eyed here, in case nobody can see --ksa]
Back to the subject… I already had Brenna of Lyonsbane established and people that knew my writing under it. It wasn’t a huge jump to Brenna Lyons. I kept that name for all my non-fiction and fiction that was intended for adults and even down to teens.
But, then I threw the monkey wrench into the works. I wrote a children’s book for my youngest child, and there was no way I could put that under the Brenna Lyons brand. I’d long since outgrown Brenna Stuart, and that didn’t sound right for a children’s book, so I adopted Brenna Dawn Bane. Bane is an old family surname from my family and the other half of Lyonsbane, and Dawn is part of my legal name.
That’s how I ended up with three pen names.
KSA: Wow, that’s an entire genealogy in itself! How long does it take you to write a book?
BL: Since I have up to 80 WIP at one time and am working on up to 6 in any given week, that’s hard to answer. I can tell you my usual output and my fastest times.
I put out an average of 50,000 words of new work per month. My highest output in a single month was more than 90,000 words. To give an example of months with high outputs? FAIRY DREAMS (in its original length) was 165,000 words long and was written and edited (6 edit passes before submissions) in just under two months.
KSA: O. kay. Are there any genres you’d like to try but haven’t?
BL: I keep writing them. I’m working on my first novel-length straight genre science fantasy novel. That’s an interesting one.
KSA: Let’s turn that around. Are there any genres you’d never consider writing in?
BL: Inspirational is not really my cuppa. The closest I’ve come is PROPHECY, which has been called everything from urban fantasy to epic fantasy, from mystery to thriller, and from romance to neo-Pagan parable.
KSA: What’s the strangest thing you’ve had happen to you at a public appearance? The most disturbing or amusing?
BL: Which one to use today? I was in a chat one night, and we were discussing cross-genre romance. I’m a spec fic writer first and romance second, so my answers were often at odds with what the heavy romance authors that put in a smattering of world building were saying. At one point, one of them got frustrated with me saying there was a market for the other side of the balance beam, and she blurted out: “But you’re not a romance author, Brenna. You’re a fantasy author.” I thanked her. She considered that an insult. I consider it a fact. In fact, I am a romance author, as well, but since I write with the world and characters in mind first and the romance second, it made it difficult for the romance writers to understand my market.
KSA: Moving to tech, ‘cos I love me some tech, what would you like to own/have that would make your writing faster or smoother?
BL: I’ll go for the personal maid or personal assistant, Bob. Honestly, I could get so much more done, if I could hand some of the more mundane tasks off to other people.
KSA: And the strangest/worst job (outside of publishing) you’ve held?
BL: The single worst job I had was assistant manager of a convenience store in the DMZs (yes, that DOES mean demilitarized zone) of Pittsburgh. My DM (district manager) was a nightmare. My manager was too nice for her own good and got walked all over by the employees and the DM, and we got robbed so often, they started closing us at night, which meant I usually got stuck with closing shift. I once had the owner’s youngest son (this kid that was about the same age I was…about to graduate college) come in for an inspection and ask why I had one of the two doors locked, in violation of the handbook. I looked him dead in the face and said, “That way, WHEN we’re robbed next, we can lock up and get to shelter in thirty seconds instead of more than two minutes. I’ve timed it, but I’d be glad to give you a demonstration.” Needless to say, the door stayed locked.
KSA: And your favorite leisure activities? (Though where you find the time, I really don’t know.)
BL: I enjoy a lot of things people wouldn’t typically think I would. Cooking and baking makes sense, I suppose. But I really do enjoy camping, hiking, swimming, photography, and fingerloop braiding. Then again…since I’m somewhat hypergraphic, writing is enjoyable for me. The business of writing is work.
KSA: Getting back to books. Where do you get your inspiration for a book? How do you get your ideas?
BL: From just about everything.
I’m a people watcher, like most writers are. I may hear a comment that appeals to me or see an expression or facial tic or hand movement that gives me an idea. I may have a dream…or have someone tell me about a dream. Tamer once told me about a dream; I hated his premise, but I liked the kid and situation, so I built my own premise around them and created TYGERS. PROPHECY grew out of a dream that I thought would be a short story; it turned into a 214K serial novel in four months. I may play what-if with something of my own or someone else’s. NIGHT WARRIORS grew out of a game of what-if that surrounded the move BLADE and veered way off of the original concept. WRITTEN IN THE STARS started off with the concept of a fantasy VICTOR/VICTORIA.
Six degrees of separation. I have a great blog post on this. Noisy characters from old books and readers with questions… Another blog post…
KSA: When and where do you do the bulk of your writing?
BL: This wide chair in the living room with a lap desk that either holds my laptop or notebook. I have a set of shelves to my left that holds notebooks, binders, pens, etc. If I’m not working there, I’m back at the desk in my office, but that’s less often.
KSA: What advice would you give a new writer?
BL: Get a crit group. Get onto some of the better groups out there, including…
If you’re writing erotic, I highly suggest joining the mailing lists that ERWA maintains.
Once you’re published, you can remain a member of all of the above. There are a whole bunch more that you can join then, including:
Specialty industry groups I’d suggest include:
The advice I’d offer aspiring authors is long and pointed to various topics. The best thing to do is visit my site and go to the FOR AUTHORS portion. That’s a good place to start. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, ask me.
KSA: Whew! I hope all of you are taking notes, there’ll be an exam later! What book, if you have written several books, is your favourite and why?
BL: My favorites change from day to day, depending on my mood. Usually, the favorites will either be Kegin/Kielan/Wolkin (my three Council of Worlds series), Night Warriors, Renegades, or Xxan. Those worlds, out of the 21 I write, are the ones that stick with me most, which may be why I write so much in them. Of course, when I’m actively writing on something, it’s always my favorite that moment. Just the way the process works.
KSA: In that case, which of your own characters would you like to meet in real life, and what would you do?
BL: I’d love to meet one of my Night Warriors…maybe Kord Maher or Curtis Maher. I wouldn’t be doing now what I’d have been doing if I was a younger, single woman, that’s for sure. I might have signed on as a blade chaser then.
KSA: Tell us about releases you expect within the next year.
BL: I always have new things coming up. My next scheduled release is in May. It’s the first in a new series (Fire and Ice) titled MAGMON’S HUNGER, coming from Phaze. I have at least three more anticipated releases after that in 2010, which include the first of yet another new series (Angel-Wing Saga) from Phaze (SONS OF HEAVEN: BELDON), the next Night Warrior series book from Phaze (HUNTER’S MOON), and the next Kielan from Logical Lust (ANOTHER MAN’S MATE). Additionally, I’d like to get the next Xxan series story out with LooseId before the end of 2010 (MATING SEASON). All of the above is in addition to the nine releases I’ve had already this year. And yes…we’re still in April.
KSA:Tell us about the awards you’ve won.
BL: In the last seven years, I’ve…
- Finaled for EPIC’s e-Book Award 11 times and won it twice
- Finaled for PEARL three times and won Honorable Mention once
- Finaled for CAPA twice
- Finaled for Dream Realm Award once
- The NOBODY anthology won Spinetingers’ (UK) Book of the Year for 2007
KSA: Tell us about your current release… blurb…you know, the usual stuff!
BL: My newest two are re-releases of the first two books in my Star Mages series: WRITTEN IN THE STARS (fantasy sensual romance from Mundania) and THE MASTER’S LOVER (a M/M…my only M/M, at the moment…fantasy erom from the Phaze side of the company). The two released within a week of each other, which was a really interesting moment for me.
Written in The Stars. On the world of Terra Set, where the night is twice as long as the day and the moon more powerful than the sun, live the Star Mages. Essential to supporting the crops that feed the masses, they are protected men, revered, yet still mistrusted.An ancient myth tells of a female mage born at the Silver Minute. She holds a magic that, shared with a mate, will be unequaled. Riena is that mage. A ruthless king will stop at nothing to force Riena to take his son as mate. Her life and freedom depend on one challenge—hide as a man.
HEA-yes, VIOLENCE-moderate, LANGUAGE-moderate, SEX-sensual.
Purchase this book in print or e-book from Mundania!
The Master’s Lover. Mages’ Law states that a Star Mage must reproduce, if he is able. King’s Law allows a mage any sexual partners he wishes. The life of a male mage who prefers the company of other men on the sheets is far from easy, but what starts as a hard lesson in survival, ends up as a hard lesson of another sort. My first M/M story, it explores how a Star Mage survives breaking with Mages’ Law on the subject of sexuality.<
HEA-yes, VIOLENCE-extreme, LANGUAGE-moderate, SEX-erotic CONTENT NOTE: M/M.
Cover art by Debi Lewis.
KSA: How can readers reach you?
BL: I’m all over the place.
The best e-mail address to reach me at is brennalyons4168(at)gmail(dot)com, but be sure to put something like GENERAL QUESTIONS, BOOK QUESTIONS, or CHARACTER QUESTIONS in the subject line, or it may get lost in Yahoogroup mail. Since I average more than 1000 e-mail threads coming in a day, that has happened before, and I apologize profusely when it does.
Whew! Well, stalwart reader, I think we both deserve a rest after all that. Have a great weekend and, on Monday, I spend time with Pauline Baird Jones.
)if such a device is approached in the same manner. Not because it’s easy. Not because I’ve written x such books or movies and they’ve been hits so why not do it again? But to illuminate, not just the protag, but the setting itself, and to provoke some kind of reader response from it. (China Mieville did this in his recent novel, “The City & The City”, for example, although I don’t think he went far enough with it.)
I have both a cat and a rabbit. In fact, I’ve had three rabbits in my life; two have since passed away. I’ve noticed the rabbit trend among comics, however, and know of at least two top webcomic artists who have house rabbits… which I include as support for a project I haven’t done a LOT of talking about yet, but will when more is done on it. 
