Interview With Stephanie Burke

Tell us a little about yourself

There is not much to tell, really. I am a dyslexic wife to a real life Viking descendent, which would explain his love of pillaging and claiming everything in the house as his own...like the TV and remote! LOL I have two Viking spawnlings, who worship their father like a deity and give me respect as the producer of food and punishments. LOL I have been writing for a number of years now and have written for several publishers, both successful and active as well for one or two who are now defunct. Whimper. I home school my eldest son, kids got an IQ of about 1 at twelve, and when I am not trying to cram for his next school day, I host a lot of writers panels at conferences and lecture when they flash enough money in my direction. *g* I am co-founder of the charity Write for Hope, started an anime convention, which I then lost to a bunch of upstart college students in Southern California, ARGH AND WHIMPER, and I mentor a few writers as well as paint my walls when I am feeling down. Got a lovely Japanese screen painting going up on my wall now... Hmm, this may mean that I am in the beginning stages of bi-polar syndrome...or need a vacation! LOL I am also, you guessed it, an avid anime fan and zombie enthusiasts.... Okay, I do charity zombie walks in full make up to raise awareness... okay, its just fun to put on the costume and take over the occasional town. I costume as well, and have won several awards and masquerades for my creations. I guess it’s safe to say that my family and I are not mundane. LOL


What do you write?

I try to write anything that peaks my interest. So far, I have crossed so many genre’s that even I get confused. Currently I have written erotica, romantica, romance, horror, sci-fi, paranormal, alternate histories, homoerotic, and fantasy stories published. In the works, however, I have several mysteries, steam punk, and a few cyber punk pieces in the works. I have an imagination that runs away from me at times.

Why do you write?

I write to make those damn voices in my head shut up! LOL No actually, I write because it is a release for me. Writing allows me to escape the real world where everything is out of my control and doesn’t have a happy ending, to create and explore a place where no matter what happens, love does help defeat the bad thing, even the enemies you can’t see are defeated, and where goodness wins...sometimes. Its great fun and it allows my mind to wonder and travel to places that only few can conceive of, then come back and share the tales. I think I am a natural story teller, and I love to share my stories with anyone who is willing to listen.

What are you writing now?

The question should be what am I not? LOL So far, I am writing two series for Red Rose publishing, continuing several series form other publishers, trying to get a post apocalyptic story to a totally sci-fi publisher, fighting off hordes of invading aliens with the help of a kitten in another universe, invading the minds of warped and insane vampires, creating super heroes, and playing with gargoyles. LOL But if we must get specific, I am now finishing or working on...here we go...

Dragon’s Weir- Red Rose Publishing
Dragon’s Clutch- Red Rose Publishing
Green-Changeling Press
Gray- Changeling Press
Space Opera 2, the second movement- Changeling Press
Green World- Loose-Id Press
The Coven- Loose-ID press
The Slayer 2-Blood Redemption- Ellora’s Cave
Lucavarian- Ellroa’s Cave
Harder – Final Sword Productions

There are more, but they are all in the works.

What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

Woo Hoo! I am a clothes horse! LOL I love Goth wear and Asian influenced clothing. Harajuku is a common word around here! LOL! And then there is my love of leather, which I can’t afford, so a lot of my characters get to indulge instead! LOL But best of all....shoes! I have dozens of pairs of shoes! Boots, and heels, clogs and platforms, I love most of them all! *g*
But most of the time, I am in sweats and t-shirts. Whimper! But who can teach science in the kitchen in a pair of five inch heels? So when the husband says, +let’s go shopping, I am pressed and primped within five minuets! So what if we are only going grocery shopping, I think the black velvet gown is perfect for squeezing melons! ROTFLMAO


Are you in love? Have you ever been?

Oh I am in love with the Viking. It prevents me from giving him an early Viking Burial on the sofa! LOL Seriously, I have been in love for a lot of years, and because of that, I know that I can rely on my Dennis to pep me up when I am felling down, to cheer me up when I want to cy, to make fun of me when I’ve had a bad day until it doesn’t seem all that important, and to just complete me. Everyone should try love. It feels really good.


Do you have a dream lover – and what does he look like?

Oh I have a dream lover. He’s rich and dark and....Okay, that was the chocolate fantasy! LOL Dram lover, I don’t think I have one. My desires and wants change so often that any dream lover I have would have to be a shape shifter! LOL So instead, I simply crate a host of men, some likable, some detestable, that I exploit for fun and profit! LOL My dreams seem to translate really well to my heroes that I create. And I dream of chocolates and decadent deserts! *g*

What kind of comfort food do you like best?

Lasagne and chocolate! What else is there? *g* Oh, that and some really good Oktoberfest beer! *G* I do have some German in my blood! *g*

What makes you laugh? Cry?

Hmm, laugh? I laugh a lot! Better to laugh tan to cry. But funny movies, anime, children’s laughter, puppies and ponies, pratfalls, and a really good dirty jokes...people who are overly PC... myself at times.... Its good to find the humour in any situation. Laugher extend you life, you know! *G*
As for crying, tragedy, heart ache, being unable to help the people I love and care about, fear for my children. Sigh, that is so depressing I must go and find a good dirty joke! LOL

What do you do to amuse yourself when not working?

Not Working? What is that? LOL I guess in the few moments I can spare, that I am not in the bathroom; I watch anime and read manga. *g* Or if I get a few hours, I will soak in the tub and read romances like I am a descendant princess. I think I was a princess in a past life! It would explain my longing for half naked harem boys serving my every whim! Oh! That would make a great book! LOL

What is it in a man or woman that turns you on? The clean version please!

Drats! Have to be clean! Hmm... well in that case.... I love long luxurious hair on a man! Long pretty hair that I can play in and run all over my naked.... Clean, she said! LOL I love hair, expressive eyes, and deep voices. I also love tall huge hunks of men that make me feel small and feminine...and safe. *g* Gee, I guess the romantic bug has got a good bite of my heart! *G* So tall, beautiful eyes, long hair, wonderful personality, and the ability to cook a seven course mean and clean up after himself! Hey, what do you know! I have a fantasy man after all! LOL

What do you hate about life?

Hmm, hard one. I guess I hate prejudice and injustice. I hate to see closed minded people persecuting others for their beliefs or lifestyles. I have seen far too much of that in my years. I unfortunately have to live with the facet that my children will have to see and live through this as well. And I guess I really hare humankinds ability to fear and hate anything that is different or something that they don’t understand. We need to learn from our experiences, not from tired old tales of people who knew no better back in their day. Another thing I hate to see the stronger hurting the weaker, the children who will endure abuse, the bullies that help lead up to a situation like Columbine, to see the voiceless get trampled and exploited by the louder and overbearing, no matter what their excuses are. It’s sad, wrong and a serious problem.

What do you hope to achieve in life and when will you know that you have been a success?

I hope to leave this world a little better than I found it! *g* I hope I can make my parents, my children, my husband and family proud of me. I hope to be able to continue to make a living doing what I love to do, and I hope that I can teach my children to see laughter and love where there is only hate and pain.
As for success, I guess I will never be satisfied with what I consider my successes. There is still so much out there to achieve and to explore! *G* I don’t; consider myself a success yet. Maybe one day when I put down my pen and declare that I have nothing more to say or share, and I can look back on my life and have no regrets or the dreaded “what if’s” then I can consider myself a success. But that day is a long way off and a long time in coming.

What are you going to write next?

What will I write next? Who knows! More fairies, vampires, aliens, interracial madness, good man on man love, bug people from Saturn, zombie love tales.... Who knows?! Maybe I’ll dream that answer and then I’ll get back with you. *g*

Stephanie Burke
AKA Flash
Theflashcat.net
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myspace.com/the_flash_cat