Interview: Alegra Verde

"The Pub Owner's Daughter" is Alegra Verde's delicious story of a sexually empowered woman. It has the tone of an authentic fairy tale, which is what initially drew me to it in the first place, but a very contemporary message. In Alegra's fairy tale, the princess doesn't have to remain passive in the realization of her own pleasure, she makes it her mission to find what makes her happy. And that is what makes "The Pub Owner's Daughter" so perfect for Fairy Tale Lust.

Give the basic premise for your story. Is it a contemporary, historical, fantasy setting? What do you think makes your story a fairy tale? How does it fit in the fairy tale genre? Did you have a particular inspiration for your original fairy tale?

"Pub Owner’s Daughter" has a vaguely medieval setting. It centers on the idea of the quest, a common theme in fairy tales and myths. I wanted to empower Treasure, the protagonist, but I also wanted to convey that her quest for sexual fulfillment is healthy, good and pure. Therefore, the tale is not as sexually audacious as some. The idea is that she gets to choose rather than be chosen.

If you are new to erotica: What brought you to the erotica/erotic romance genre? What authors have inspired, influenced or mentored you?

I am relatively new to erotica. I’ve had a couple of stories published in Virgin Black Lace anthologies and I have a couple that are soon to be published by Harlequin Spice. My previously published work consists primarily of poetry and essays. In 2005, Swank Press published a book of my poetry. A few of years ago I began reading romance/erotica by Brenda Joyce, Susan Johnson, and Emma Holly. After discovering the intensity and the sensuality of their work, I became a voracious reader of the genre.

What is your writing routine like? Are you a full-time writer?  What is your “day job?”

I teach college comp and lit. It pays the bills. I read and write all the time. However, during the semester when I get bogged down with preparing lectures and reading student papers, I still try to read at least one book a week. My peak writing time is during the summer when I’m not teaching, May to August. I’m usually on the computer about five to ten hours a day, depending on how well a story is going. Contrary to all the best advice, I usually work on several projects at once. Currently, I’m working on two novels and when I get stuck on one of them, I’ll work on a short story. The short stories are the most fun to write because often the initial idea comes in a dream and frequently they propel themselves. Recently though, I’ve acquired an agent and I’ve found that my writing habits have changed. I’m forced to work on and complete a specific project and I must admit its not as much fun, but getting the work out there is a new kind of incentive.

(The fabulous necklace above is called Tip the Bartender. I love it!)