Interview with Brenda Knight – Cleis Press & Viva Editions
Name: Brenda KnightQ. What was your childhood ambition?
To be a writer!
Q. What ambitions do you still have?
To edit and publish books that are truly helpful to readers.
Q. What was your first job?
I worked at a department store.
Q. What is your role at Cleis Press & Viva Editions?
I’m an Associate Publisher.
Q. How did you end up working at Cleis Press & Viva Editions?
It was a miracle of networking and the timing was perfect as I had been a Vice President of another publishing house but the 80 hour weeks and dysfunctional politics were wearing me down.
Q. Are you also a writer yourself?
Yes, my bestselling book (so far) is Women of the Beat Generation; it won an American Book Award, also. Loved those great women poets; truly a labor of love.
Q. Do erotic authors have a limited lifespan, or can they happily write in the erotic genre for many years?
I see no limit as long as the erotic writer remains inspired and explores different themes and has a boundless imagination.
Q. What are the most important components that go into making a good erotic fiction?
Great writing, sizzling scenes. and creating characters you care about and want to go on the journey with them.
Q. As a publisher, do you have any fears about eBook readers such as Kindle (authors bypassing the publisher, for instance) or do the benefits (direct to consumer, no physical stock to store or distribute) outweigh any such reservations?
Kindle has been very good to us so we are cautiously optimistic about the emergence of ebooks.
Q. If you could have any celebrity pictured carrying one of your books, who would you choose and why?
Dita von Teese would look marvelous carrying one of our Cleis Press erotica books. Rachel Kramer Bussel’s “Fast Girls” would match one of her elegant outfits!
Q. What does your working day typically consist of?
Triple latte, return 200 emails, make calls, communicate with authors and make a deal or two, reading manuscripts, meetings, late lunch, more coffee, more email. reports, an evening out!
Q. And what aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
Working with creative people, our authors! and my brilliant coworkers!
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