Hello! Today's post is about the interview with Anastasia Rabiyah, who kindly accepted. Anastasia Rabiyah writes erotic romance, paranormal erotic romance, and dark fantasy. She often crosses genres in order to follow her muses into the darkness where they seek out destiny in all its forms. She believes in fairies, demons, angels, magic, passion, chocolate, supportive friends, e-books, and writing critique groups. Her deepest desire is to pursue her creative dreams and realize them. Every spare moment she devotes to writing for her haunting muses. She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and three sons. Visit her on the web at: www.RabiyahBooks.com
> What is your favorite subject?

 My favorie writing subject is always dark fantasy. I like a good tale with an anti-hero that I love to hate and love but long to see redeemed. It's a recurring theme in many of the stories I write and often in stories I like to read. Fantasy has always been my genre of first choice. I grew up reading, watching, and playing fantasy through movies, books, and good old Dungeons and Dragons. I've always had an overactive imagination and was prone to doodling dragons and unicorns in my school notebooks. I like the feeling of being taken away to a place where anything is possible and where creatures of myth roam free. Since breaking in to the erotic romance genre in 2007, I've been unable to stop weaving elements of romance into my stories.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who draws during class and have dragons and fantasy as my ultimate subject!

 > How are your novels coming along?

 In the past two years I've gotten really bad about not finishing works and about starting many more than I can get done. My New Year's resolution this year is to clean out my works in progress file. With well over 20 manuscripts in various stages of completion, that's a huge challenge, but one that I need to accomplish. This year I have succeeded in finishing Wolf Next Door (contracted with Amira Press), Lost and Found Again (contracted with Sugar and Spice Press), and Althyn and the Othian Dagger (to go to Purple Sword). In March I'd like to get 2-3 more works done, at least 1 or 2 novellas, but hopefully one large work as well.
You can do it! All it takes is some time. :) Congrats with the contracts!Althyn I started over a year ago and was only able to write her when I was in a foul mood. She's an anti-heroine that does not want redemption. This is her first novel. If she has success, I may write a sequel because truly, this one felt like the backstory to her evil reign to come.
Sounds interesting. *big grin*I have two full length fantasy novels that need going through. One is Rook and the other is Jamillah. Both need tweaking. I wrote Rook a very long time ago and all in first person, which is no longer my style. As well I want more romance in that one. Jamillah needs some plot flaws worked out.

 > If your plane is about to crash in a lake and carries all of your favorite books, which books will you try to save (Keep in mind you only have time to save five books)?

 In all seriousness, I'd be worried more about surviving and saving anyone else I could! I generally read a book once. I have favorites that I hold onto like good memories or photo albums that I always think I'll want to go through again. My favorites are Stephen King's The Stand because it scared the hell out of me, Patterson's When the Wind Blows, and every single one of Anne Rice's novels that I can get my hands on, top faves are Servant of the Bones, Blood and Gold, and Interview With the Vampire.
Anne Rice's vampire books are great.

 > Do you have any writing rituals or writing routines?

 My daily goal is 2,000 words a day. I try to meet that, but with all the demands of life, it's not always possible. Today I've done a little over 4,000.
You accomplish much more than what I accomplish! HeheI tend to need my daily cup of iced coffee to get my brain going. My writing time is ruled by demands from my husband and children. We have two restaurants and I have three young boys that need a lot of attention. So, I must write in the mornings when they're all out at work or school, or very late at night when the kids have gone to bed.

 > What has inspired you to write?

 Sometimes inspiration is an odd thing. A setting, a beautiful place that catches my attention and makes my imagination churn up all kinds of scenarios. The weirdest kind of inspiration is when I actually hear snippets of sentences in my head. The eeriest one was the first line in the novella Demon in the Basement which I had orginally started writing as a magazine submission. "Emme found the demon in the basement, curled in on himself under a pile of crumpled newspapers." Very strange beginning to a haunting and unusually erotic tale.
I've written settings from my favorite places: Oklahoma, Tucson, and Greece. Sometimes just being away from home on vacation is a great way for the brain to get cracking on new characters and plots. Unfortuantely, I don't get many vacations!
Odd yet great inspirations too!

 > How many books have you published?

 At present I have 35 titles available. Most are novellas, not full length novels. Many are in e-book formats but I do have works in print as well.
E-book or print, it's quite an accomplishment to be able to have over 30 books published. =)

 > Purple Sword e-book publishing company looks awsome- so well organized and beautiful. Are your specialized genres, romance and speculative fiction, also the genres you write in the most?

 Absoultely. Romantic speculative fiction is something I love to read, write, edit, and design cover art for. When a press I was published iwth, Forbidden Publications, closed its doors unexpectedly in March of 2009, I wanted a new home for all the works I had there, a home that really summed up the kind of stories I love to write.
And I think Purple Swords is a great accomplishment for being able to continue a lovable career you have.

 > Gotta love NaNoWriMo: If you were to enter NaNo what type of book do you think it will end up?

 I entered NaNo last year because I needed a good kick in the behind to get a novella done for Sugar and Spice Press. I succeeded and penned The Stolen Warrior, which is available now http://sugarnspicepress.com as a part of a themed series set in a city called Bisura. If I enter this year, I'd like it to be something new, something dark and erotic, but I can only do that if I get more of my works in progress done and in submission land.

 > What is the craziest scenerio could you come up with?

 In a story? Gee, I've written some weird ones. Hiram's Secret is about a young man who leaves his village to find a bride and ends up falling in love with a beautiful young woman who is half human and half gremlin.
Demon in the Basement is about a quirky woman who falls in love with a ruined demon.
Goodness knows what else I'll come up with...
Crazy and yet awsome! :)


> What kind of feelings do you love to have whenever you read your specialized genres?

 I want to be taken away from the mundane. I want to fall in love with the hero, hate the villain and maybe even sympathize with the villain. I want a plot that has unusual twists that I didn't see coming. I want the romance, the pasison, the adventure and sometimes I like to be scared a little!
Those make up great stories. I love surprises and adventures.

 > Want to add any comments or advice for anyone- about anything?

 I think for readers, buy as close to the original publisher as you can if you believe in supporting the authors you love. Especially with small presses, the authors get more royalty when you buy directly from the source as opposed to 3rd party retailers and book stores. I know that's a lot to ask.
For authors, the best advice I can offer is to really know what you're getting yourself into. I have some tips for authors on my blog at http://rabiyahbooks.blogspot.com and also at http://rabiyahbooks.com that may offer some help.
And for anyone out there with a dream, follow it.
Excellent advice! Hmm Hopefully once I move out from my parents I can start doing that.

I had lots of fun with this interview! Thanks for letting me interview with you Anastasia. (And you welcome for glad to be picked.) I am looking forward to doing more interviews similiar to this- beware of random questions- to any author I enjoy. 8D