Interview with Bob Bonitz

Welcome to Nights of Passion.  We are delighted to have you here to talk about your new release, "A Little Bit of Blackmail."  I have to tell you I'm intrigued by your title.

Please tell us a little bit about the story.    

After promising her dying Mom she'd take care of her kid sister, Diane's been hung up doing that for the last fifteen years.  When Jessie has a problem, Diane is determined to nail the bad guy.  Brian is equally determined to find out who she is and why she's after him. She thinks he's a villain. His opinion about her changes very quickly. 

What inspired you to write this particular novel?

A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL began as a short story I thought I'd write just for fun. Shorts serve to stir my juices when I hit a low point in the writing of a full novel.  The blackmail idea appealed to me and I thought I might end up with a neat little short. BLACKMAIL just kept growing until I had a novel.

Would you share with us a bit about your journey to publication?

I began writing many years ago with a story that was born in a dream.  In those days I wrote about two hours a week and really had no idea what I was doing.  Joining CTRWA about five years ago really set me on the path to professional writing.  At this point I've written about four novels, all of which I've learned from, and most of which shall never see the light of day.

How do you handle the doubt monster?

The Doubt Monster?  Hmm. I don't think I'm familiar with that guy.  I know about writing ten pages and being absolutely sure I just wrote junk. I mean sure, certain, definite, totally and completely guaranteed garbage.  But that never bothers me.  I learned long ago, when I dabbled in art, that trying for perfection in my first attempts was a recipe for failure.  I treat everything I write as an experiment.  Sometimes the words don't work, other times they do.  The bad ones I throw away.  The secret is to keep writing and be ruthless with your own work.  The more I write the more I know when something sparkles.

What advice would you give to an author who is seeking publication?   Any words of wisdom to a new writer?

Don't give up regarding publication.  There are so many new opportunities now with epublishers and indie publishing being in a new form.  When Harlequin turns you down find a publisher who likes your work.  Get your first book well sold and then go back to the traditional houses with a, "Look at me.  See what I can do."

The thing I say to new writers is learn to write before you write a full book, or two, or three, or four.  I wasted years doing just that.  Got a book idea?  Not much writing experience?  Get yourself a knowledgeable and demanding critique partner/mentor, enter contests right and left, and write thirty to fifty pages of that book, no more.  Take workshops, study and polish those pages.  When your crit partner and contest judges say "wow!"– then complete your novel.  You'll save yourself tons of wasted effort.

What's next for you Bob?

I have another book, A BLANKET FOR HER HEART, coming out in early February.  That one doesn't exactly follow the rules for romance novels. It is a love story but more- it's about a woman who finally gives wings to her life and soars despite some serious setbacks. I'm also writing a sequel to A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL and have a third book in mind for that series.  Not to mention that dreaded word 'promotion' , which is just beginning for me with the publication of BLACKMAIL.

Will you be having any book signings?  If so, please tell our readers

when and where you will be.

At this point none are scheduled. The print version of  A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL isn't out yet and I don't have a release date for it. I'll post a schedule on my blog when I get the release date.

Do you have a website and are you on Facebook?  How can readers find you?

I use a blog at the moment. Go to www.rcbonitz.com   I'm on FB as Robert Bonitz. The link to buy an e-version of BLACKMAIL from the publisher is on the blog.  You can also buy it for Kindle or Nook software, either for a reader or by downloading the free software to your computer/ iPad.

Thank you, Bob, for being with us today and we wish you much success on your new release and future works.

NOW … for the fun part.  Bob has agreed to give one lucky winner a copy of A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL.  To win … simply write "I want to be blackmailed" in your comment.  This contest will run until midnight on 11/12/11.  The winner will be notified by email.  Thanks for participating … and good luck.

Filed under: Interview with Bob Bonitz, romance