Larissa Ione is one of my favorite people. She’s someone readers and fellow authors love. She is supportive, dedicated and extremely talented. And her story of loss and perseverance is just plain inspiring.
Me: Let’s talk a little about your background. When and how did you start writing?
Larissa: Once upon a time…what? You asked. Okay, really, I was a little kid. Every time I read “Once upon a time,” I wanted to finish the story my own way. So eventually, I did. I started writing stories about animals – because my favorite books were about animals. Then, as I got older, I started reading Stephen King…and suddenly, the animals I was writing about were more like Cujo.
It pretty much all went downhill (or uphill, depending on how you’re looking at it) from there. 
Me: Everyone loves a story about The Call. What’s yours?
Larissa: Well, I pretty much have three Call stories, but I’ll try to distill them into one.
See, I had been trying to get published for years. Rejections piled up. Then hurricane Katrina hit and with all that mess to deal with (we lost everything, including our house, and I had to move to Washington to live with my mom for a year – then there was FEMA and my husband still in Mississippi and insurance nightmares – so in the midst of all that, I quit writing.
To make a long story short, the encouragement I received after that from the writing community was AMAZING. My friends and critique partners kicked my butt into gear – and your editor, Kate Duffy, even called me to give me all kinds of encouragement! [Me: That's one of the many reasons we love Kate.]
So I got back up on that horse and sent a novella to Red Sage, and Stephanie and I worked together on an erotic paranormal project, which we sent to our agent.
One day, after I’d just had a horrible fight with the insurance company, the phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, and I was a bit…snappish, when I answered the phone. The conversation went like this:
Larissa: WHAT?
Red Sage Editor: Um…may I speak to Larissa?
Larissa: Why?
Red Sage Editor: Um…I’m an editor with Red Sage—
Larissa: OMG, I’m so sorry! Let me get Larissa for you. This is her sister.
Okay, I’m exaggerating a little, but it really was bad. *g*
So anyway, she said she wanted to buy Flesh To Fantasy for SECRETS VOLUME 18!!!!!
I jumped around, called Stephanie Tyler, and screamed a bit.
That same week, Stephanie got The Call from Harlequin Blaze.
Two weeks later, we got The Call from Bantam Dell – we’d sold three erotic paranormal Single Titles, and would be using the shared pen name of Sydney Croft.
A few months later, I sold my first single titles under my own name to (then) Warner Books. The first book, PLEASURE UNBOUND, is releasing this month, and I dedicated it to everyone who got me and my family back on our feet after the hurricane.
So there you have it. I finally did it!
Me: It’s clear you and your family lost a great deal as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Any other ways it impacted your writing?
Larissa: Well, like I mentioned, Katrina pretty much ended my writing. I’d fully prepared to quit. I was spiraling into depression and hopelessness, and to top everything off, just days after Katrina, I received a devastating rejection on a manuscript that had not only gone through two rounds of editorial revisions, but line edits. I mean, it was almost a sure thing. And then, bam!
So I’d given up. If not for the writing community and my CPs, who knows where I’d be?
One thing Katrina did for me, though, was make me stronger. I started writing again – and writing from a different frame of mind – because I had nothing left to lose. I stopped revising/polishing my work to death and started sending material out just a little bit raw. I didn’t sugarcoat anything. I let my voice hang out for the world to see.
Amazingly, that’s when I sold. Editors liked my voice.
I don’t think I would have been brave enough to do that without Katrina. In a way, it was that damned hurricane that got me published, so it all worked out.
Me: Does having a Coast Guard hero for a husband make writing romance heroes any easier?
Larissa: Well, is it TMI to say I make him dress up in BDUs and combat gear sometimes, and then…oh, hey, probably TMI. *g*
Me: Raise your hand if you want to see a photo of that…
Larissa: Okay, to answer your question…I don’t know that it helps write heroes, but it definitely helps write military heroes. Mainly because he knows all kinds of great stuff!
Me: Tell us a little more about Sydney Croft and how she came about.
Larissa: Sydney Croft came about – because of Katrina. See, when I was evacuating from the storm, Stephanie was at home, feeling helpless. So she started a story about a hero who attracts hurricanes and was running from one that was following him.
Problem was, she couldn’t get past that first scene. We’d often talked about collaborating, but it just never happened. So after I got settled with my mom and was all in the dumps, she sent this scene to me and said, “finish it.”
Um…okay. She left the scene off with the hero discovering some strange woman in the shower. But I managed to write the next scene. She wrote the next one, and so on, until we had a finished novella.
We sent that to our agent with a proposal for two more novellas, and when Bantam bought it, they wanted single titles instead of an anthology. They also wanted a single pseudonym.
Stephanie and I brainstormed, but in the end came up with a cross between Sydney Bristow of Alias, and Lara Croft of Tomb Raider fame. Since we are writing paranormal action-adventure, the name just seemed perfect!
Me: What exactly is the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives?
Larissa: It’s a supersecret paranormal paramilitary agency – sort of like the CIA. The people who work for ACRO have special abilities – super strength, super speed, the ability to shock people at will, telekinesis, etc. There are normal humans employed there, as well – they are simply the best in their fields. The heroine of RIDING THE STORM, for example, is perfectly normal. But as a parameteorologist, she has unique knowledge and skills that are an asset to the organization.
Me: How do you and Stephanie (the other half of Sydney Croft) write these books…without killing each other?
Larissa: We like to say that we share a brain. We really do write very easily together. About once every book we find ourselves maybe wanting to do something the other is opposed to, but we just talk it out and do what’s best for the characters and the book. Sometimes I need to be convinced, sometimes she does. But we really do get along great!
Me: So, you write books under your name and as Sydney Croft. How are the books different?
Larissa: The Croft books are very erotic. They also have a very contemporary setting and feel. And they’re really more science-fiction than paranormal. The characters are all human, though they have special abilities that are superhuman.
My Demonica books are steamy but not erotic to the level of the Croft books. They are also darker and very paranormal, with fantastical creatures like vampires, werewolves, and demons.
Me: Tell us about your latest Sydney Croft release, HOT NIGHTS, DARK DESIRES.
Larissa: This book is a themed erotic anthology with novellas by Eden Bradley, Sydney Croft, and Stephanie Tyler. All of the stories are set in New Orleans (or close to it).
The anthology came about when our agent approached our editor (we all share the same Bantam editor) about putting together an anthology featuring all of our stories. Our editor went for it, and then we had to decide on a way to tie our very different styles together. We did that with both the setting and the inclusion of art.
Eden’s story is a beautiful, lush tale about a woman with a tattoo fetish. Stephanie’s contribution is a sexy, fast-paced story with a hunky ex-military hero, with a heroine who is an artist in need of help for her recently acquired bar. The Sydney Croft tale is lightly paranormal and loosely tied in with the ACRO single-titles. The hero can communicate with spirits through his photography, and the heroine, whose photos (she’s a model) are all ruined by a vengeful ghost, needs his help.
We’re getting some fantastic feedback on this book, so we’re really excited about it!
Me: You write novellas and single titles. Any preference for one over the other?
Larissa: Hands-down, single titles! Sure, it takes longer to write one, but novellas are a tricky animal. You have so little room for character development and to build a relationship. They are really hard work, especially for someone like me, who tends to be wordy. I’m always having to cut word count even in my single titles, so novellas can be hell on me.
I truly admire people who can write them well. Like you.
Me [blushing and thanking you]: Any burning desire to write in another genre or in another romance subgenre?
Larissa: I’ve got a fantasy novel half-finished, but right now I don’t have the time to complete it. And I’m DYING to write a Star Trek novel. Dying. I’ve got ideas for all of the series, so eventually I’ll see if I can put something together!
Me: Any tips for unpublished writers?
Larissa: This is for advanced writers, ones who are in that *thisclose* club, who already know their craft: Don’t revise your work to death. I sold the moment I stopped doing that. Yes, you want to polish to make sure you’ve dotted your I’s and crossed your T’s. You want to make sure every scene is strong. You want to make sure your basics are all in place. But when you start reading your story for the 100th time, to make the 100th pass to make changes your 100th critique partner says you need, it’s time to just toss the manuscript to the wolves, er, editors.
For more beginning writers: learn the craft. That doesn’t mean you need to follow step-by-step instructions in how-to books. Write a book on your own, and then read a couple of how-to’s to see if you can make your writing stronger. I HIGHLY recommend SCENE AND STRUCTURE by Jack Bickham, and MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS, by Christopher Vogler.
Me: What’s next for you and what do you have coming out?
Larissa: Stephanie and I have a Croft story coming out in July — SEDUCED BY THE STORM, which is the third book in the ACRO series. This book will tie up all the subplots started in the first two Storm books, but will start some new ones to continue in TAMING THE FIRE, which is scheduled for a May 09 release. For more on Seduced, you can visit the Sydney Croft website or my Sydney page on my website.
I also have my first paranormal single title under my own name coming out this month – PLEASURE UNBOUND, which is set in and around an underworld hospital staffed by demons, vampires, and werewolves. It’s sort of, Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets ER. It’s VERY dark, very gritty, and very sexy. You can read more about it here.
What’s next? Well, I’ve just finished up the third Demonica novel (which will release back to back with the second one, in March and April 09,) so now I’m a bit free! Stephanie and I still have two more Sydney books to write (for a total of 6 ACRO books.)
My Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books,) wants a proposal, so I’ll be working on that as soon as RWA in San Francisco is over. I’d like to write at least one more book in the Demonica series, as well as start a new one, so that’s where I’m going to concentrate for now.
Thank you so much for this opportunity, HelenKay! You are one of the most generous people I know. (Readers, HelenKay was one of the many people who came to my rescue after Katrina, and I can never thank her enough for the care packages and encouragement she sent.)
Thank you again, HelenKay!!!
Me: Thank you!
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And now, dear readers, here’s your chance to win a free copy of HOT NIGHTS, DARK DESIRES. All you have to do is comment here about Larissa, her books or anything relevant and you’ll be entered to win. If you win, I ask that you read the book and post some comments/a review about it on your blog, or here if you do not have a blog of your own, within the next few weeks. You don’t have to love the book. Just be honest and respectful. One entry per person. I’ll pick a winner by posting it here on Wednesday.
UPDATE: We have a winner… Congrats to Christine!!!! Email me and I’ll get a copy of HOT NIGHTS, DARK DESIRES out to you.
I met mystery/YA/nonfiction author Darlene Ryan online about a year ago (I think that’s about right…). She won a book in one of my contests. She and her hubby, Mr. Wonderful, did a joint review of the book. It was fabulous. Since then, they’ve done a few other joint reviews. In fact, I just packed up a bunch of books and sent them to Darlene in the hope that I can get the two of them to write another joint review {hint, hint}. 
“I…uh…suppose,” I said. (I told you the conversation was weird.)
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