Hi, MJ! A two-part question for you: 1) What was the most difficult aspect of writing The Remembered Self for you? 2) You're now writing a novel. How does this experience compare with writing your earlier book?

M.J. Payne Hi Michael! The most difficult aspects of writing "The Remembered Self" were dealing with the graphic subject matter, and pushing myself everyday past what was any kind of comfortable amount of writing to get the book written within the time frame I had. Since the book is a horror memoir and it happened to me I was also re-experiencing taboo subject matter as well. It is written in first person present so there was no squirming around to avoid it. I was working seven days a week on it so it was basically write all day and drop into bed after dinner and drinks. The novel I'm writing now, "Fulcrum of Desire" deals only with adults and has a romance component that is hot and loving, and also adult erotic content that is just that, for adults. It is also an intense book dealing with serious topics but there is some bling and ritzy fun stuff in the plot. It is easier on me in that I have more time at the moment and the plot is less complex technically because I am not using children as characters. I would call it a psychological erotic romance with powerful men and beautiful, troubled women. It's haunting and has a heroic Doberman in it that I am having a lot of fun with along with my fantasy characters!

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