As a writer I am frequently asked where the ideas for my stories originate, sporadically from genuinely interested parties but more often than not by those who consider themselves to be amateur psychologists and envision yours truly as a suitable test subject for their foray into the world of psychoanalysis. Usually at some point during the conversation I can see them mentally sizing me up for the crazy couch as they whip out the obligatory notebook and pen as every sentence is now analyzed. However, I am about to disappoint all these would be Freud's, as no terrible tragedy has befallen me; I have suffered no more losses or domestic disasters in my life than the next person. And while (like every parent) my children may drive me to distraction I am a long way off from crazy-town just yet! The simple truth of the matter is that I write erotica and horror fiction because I love the genres and find them both to be fascinating for different reasons of course, and on many different levels. Something no doubt that can be traced back to my impressionable formative years and laid at the door of the then Saturday afternoon matinee double bill. I had the pleasure of being introduced to fine actors such as Bela Lugosi, Vincent Price and Christopher Lee (who still remains one of my favourites today; for me he will always be the Count!) and invited into their atmospheric world of monsters and mayhem. Where else could one suspend disbelief for a few hours and revel in the company of werewolves, vampires and man-made monsters as reluctant damsels in distress were rescued, but not before being up close and personal with whichever monstrous creature was flavour of the day! And have you ever noticed how horror and erotica seem to be perfect partners. Can you remember the last time you saw a horror movie without an attractive and invariably scantily clad female playing the victim? Or sex being the catalyst for some atrocious event to befall? But more than that, I consider horror to be an art form, whether it is a novel, a short story, a comic or even a movie. Interestingly the writer's; and the movie director's; objectives are the same here; to find what scares you, and play your nerves like a virtuoso as you tag along for the ride! For me a good horror tale will stay with you long after you have read it, biding its time and waiting for the right moment to leap out at you from the dark recesses of your memory when least expected, the innocent creak of a stair when there is no one there or the heavy footfalls of some thing behind you as you walk home alone on a dark night becoming the catalyst for rising feelings of panic. And why horror, you ask. Well, why not? Who among us does not relish a damn good scare from time to time? From the little child quivering beneath the covers hiding from the Boogeyman lurking below his bed, to the adult who refuses to sleep alone or with the lights off after seeing a horror movie. Also horror dares to seek a way into that secret place inside ourselves that we are foolish enough to believe that no one else knows exists. Stephen King called it a phobic pressure point; and I can think of no better name for it. Can you honestly deny that once immersed in a good horror tale or movie that on occasion you haven't longed to be the stereotypically beautiful damsel in distress, all control relinquished to your (usually) evil captor before the handsome hero steps into save the day? But more tellingly just how many of us would like to try on the face of the monster in private? Lastly, I believe writers have the ability to perceive everyday events differently from others around them and incorporate them into their literary endeavours. A recent example of this for me was a trucker sounding his horn as I stood waiting at the bus stop after taking my daughter to school. Nothing out of the ordinary there you may think. The shrill blast of the horn got my attention alright but not for the reason the trucker intended. It was the beautifully crafted leather and beaded dreamcatcher hanging from inside his windshield that caught my imagination. Just what atrocities had befallen this big burly trucker to merit such a superstitious talisman decorating the inside of the inside of his cab? To my mind the possibilities were endless. Now regarding the erotic genre I find I like to push the boundaries and stretch my readers; imagination as much as my own, after all sexuality is a huge part of human nature. I can still remember my first "erogenous moment" reading a Mills and Boon novel. Sadly, I can't remember the title or author, but there was a moment where the hero stroked the heroine's neck and cleavage, while holding her against her will and telling her something about herself. Reading that caused me to experience inexplicable, indescribable delectable feelings that I had no name for at that time! It also unlocked something else in me: my awareness of senses in both the reader and the writer. I want my words to stimulate the senses through the imagination. I want my readers to turn the pages through a combination of compelling story and arousing content. When I write erotica or sexually explicit fiction, it's about adventure, the thrill of the ride, the danger of the unknown, the heady pleasure of decadent sex - all those things that call to the wilder side of our souls. And if my readers enjoy the ride along with me, so to speak, well so much the better! And there you have it, this is why I write in the genres I do!