Author Lori Cook Shares Their Story

Lori Cook is a pen name, although you probably guessed that! I believe that erotica is a healthy, inspiring and stimulating form of fiction. Unfortunately not everybody agrees. I work for public institutions, and because of this I’ve decided not to use my real name here.
With the CARDINAL series I’ve taken my first steps into the world of erotic writing. They definitely won’t be my last.

I’ve written all sorts of stuff over the years, and I’ve had a number of things published. But this has been the most fun I’ve ever had with a pen! I dunno why, but it felt great from the very start. Perhaps I just found my ideal genre… My only hope is that you enjoy reading it half as much as I loved writing it.

You really want to know stuff about me? OK, I’m forty-one years old. My career has been mainly in education. I studied languages at college, and taught for years in various educational institutions, mainly adults. These days I do consultancy work on a freelance basis, which allows me to dedicate some time to writing.

Apart from work, I like dancing (any style) and walking, especially in the National Parks or any kind of wilderness. I have traveled pretty widely, in South America and Europe. I speak French and Spanish reasonably well, plus five words of German. I love visiting art galleries, modern art particularly, and I enjoy live music, jazz and classical on the whole, although I have on occasion been dragged to heavy metal gigs (where I cower at the back, glancing at my watch).

Lastly, I love reading. I’ll read absolutely anything, from the classics to modern mysteries and women’s erotica. I own a Kindle Fire and believe that ebooks have liberated writing and writers in ways that we are only just beginning to understand. Look at me: suddenly I’m in my forties writing full-on erotica. That wasn’t part of the life plan, I can assure you…

About the Author
Lori Cook is a pen name, although you probably guessed that! I believe that erotica is a healthy, inspiring and stimulating form of fiction. Unfortunately not everybody agrees. I work for public institutions, and because of this I’ve decided not to use my real name here.
With the CARDINAL series I’ve taken my first steps into the world of erotic writing. They definitely won’t be my last.

I’ve written all sorts of stuff over the years, and I’ve had a number of things published. But this has been the most fun I’ve ever had with a pen! I dunno why, but it felt great from the very start. Perhaps I just found my ideal genre… My only hope is that you enjoy reading it half as much as I loved writing it.

You really want to know stuff about me? OK, I’m forty-one years old. My career has been mainly in education. I studied languages at college, and taught for years in various educational institutions, mainly adults. These days I do consultancy work on a freelance basis, which allows me to dedicate some time to writing.

Apart from work, I like dancing (any style) and walking, especially in the National Parks or any kind of wilderness. I have traveled pretty widely, in South America and Europe. I speak French and Spanish reasonably well, plus five words of German. I love visiting art galleries, modern art particularly, and I enjoy live music, jazz and classical on the whole, although I have on occasion been dragged to heavy metal gigs (where I cower at the back, glancing at my watch).

Lastly, I love reading. I’ll read absolutely anything, from the classics to modern mysteries and women’s erotica. I own a Kindle Fire and believe that ebooks have liberated writing and writers in ways that we are only just beginning to understand. Look at me: suddenly I’m in my forties writing full-on erotica. That wasn’t part of the life plan, I can assure you…

What inspires you to write romance books?
Well, first off, let me admit that I’m not new to writing. But I AM new to erotica. I tried a short story, partly after seeing Fifty Shades do so well, partly just to see if I could. But after the second story, I realized I had a novel there, so I just went for it. The result is pretty much a story about revenge and lust, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be writing more about Carol.

Tell us about how you write:
I can write anywhere. Coffee shops are my favorite. Once I’m writing, I block out everything else. I tend to draft each chapter, then I work on it for just as long as it takes, perhaps weeks, then move on, constantly going over the previous chapters.

I outline mostly, but find when I’m really in a scene that things occur, perhaps little themes from earlier in the book, or the idea that something unexpected happens. This is true of my previous work: have a point you want to get to, but let the narrative lead YOU there, and if there is definitely a sense that it’s taking you somewhere unplanned, go with it (at least to see where it leads!).

Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
No, but I know a lot about them, and I sometimes find myself looking at he world through their eyes.

What advice would you give other writers?
Write what you would enjoy reading. Enjoy writing it. Be ridiculously critical of your work, all the time… until it’s done, then tell everybody it’s fabulous!

How did you decide how to publish your books?
I published my previous (literary) writing in magazines, and eventually with publishers in book form. For my erotica I am self-publishing, since readers seem to have embraced self-pubbed erotica more than anything, and I wanted in!

What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Perhaps trad publishers will come to represent the elite, but there will be plenty of room for everyone. Trads just can’t sell novels for 99cts (my novel CAROL is at 99cts/77p for the next two weeks!), so there’s a little foothold for indies.

What genres do you write?
Erotica (quite full-on, but NOT kinky)

What formats are your books in?
eBook

Website(s)
Link To Author Page On Amazon

Your Social Media Links
https://twitter.com/LoriCookErotica

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