Suleikha Snyder, known for her Bollywood series and her threads on publishing, is a highly entertaining follow on Twitter. In the last few weeks, she's had Romancelandia cracking up about Marvel superheroes' "special skills," funny things her family says, and Old Skool romance plots. She also happens to have a new book out, with a hero loosely based on Gordon Ramsay.
Before I share our exclusive interview, I want to mention a story of hers that convinced me that she's a writer to watch. I was reading a Cleis erotica anthology for review and Suleikha has a story in it that consists entirely of two people sitting next to each other in a movie theater. The story, Matinee, is an example I give now when I talk about the vast range of romance and erotica. The two characters don't touch, yet the story is explicitly erotic and stands out from the rest. (That's saying something, considering it's in a book titled "The Big Book of Orgasms.")
TL;DR - She's a talented writer. On with the interview!
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One of my favorite things about your Twitter presence (and books) is how you unapologetically love soaps and incorporate soapy elements into your writing. How did you get started with this (problematic) fave and what do you recommend for romance readers?
I watched soap operas as a kid with my mother, who glommed onto them
after coming here from India in 1969, and then became obsessed all on
my own. I went on to spend seven years working at Soap Opera Weekly
and Soap Opera Digest. And I think there's actually a LOT of
intersection and overlap between how romance and soaps give women a
safe place to explore their sexuality and confront social issues.
People cite General Hospital's Luke and Laura's infamous rapemance as
problematic and representative of the genre — and, dude, I could write
an entire essay about it — but it's right on par with THE FLAME AND
THE FLOWER and SWEET SAVAGE LOVE and other texts of that period. And
soaps *continue* to grow and change on a parallel track to what we're
seeing in romance. Alphaholes, cinnamon roll heroes, women with more
agency.
If I had to rec one for romance readers...I'd say DAYS OF OUR
LIVES. It's very grounded in families and love stories but still has
the big emotions and campy twists that the genre is known for — and
there's a front-burner gay male love triangle playing out right now!
The Punisher. Frank is a controversial character on Twitter these
days, but you're working on a story inspired by him, right? What is it
that draws you to him? (Other than his nose.)
Jon Bernthal's nose is pretty great, not gonna lie! But I've always
been fascinated by the Punisher — going all the way back to Dolph
Lundgren and, of course, the comics and the basic vigilante archetype.
We can probably trace that fascination all the way to Batman...but
what interests me more about Frank Castle is that he's not some
brooding billionaire. He's working class. He's military. He's a family
man. And when he loses that family, the bottom drops out of his life
and the only thing that matters to him is revenge. That's compelling
to me, and I think the recent Netflix show did a really good job at
depicting the toll that violence takes on a person but also showing
how much Frank still cares about people. The Punisher is shattered and
he's scary...but he's absolutely someone you want on your side. In my
own work, I'm making that archetype a lot less unhinged, but I'm
trying to keep the core of "I will throw down for the people I love."
Your new book, SEARED, has a Gordon Ramsay-esque hero. Is it Gordon
from Hell's Kitchen or Gordon from Master Chef Junior?
Lachlan, my hero, would like to *believe* he's Gordon Ramsay from
Hell's Kitchen...but the truth is that he's Master Chef Junior Gordon.
He's crabby and demanding, but he's a total softie for Naya, his
former stepsister. He would do anything for her, including sacrificing
his own happiness. This book really encompasses a lot of what I
learned from soaps in terms of emotional stakes + bananapants twists.
I had so much fun.
What's next?
Well, I'm working on the Punisher book — and it's driving me a little
bonkers! I hope for it to be the first in a social justice-y romantic
suspense series set post 45's election, so I think I'm stressing
myself out a little about pulling in those elements along with all of
the obligatory hot sex. I've also started SIMMERED, the sequel to
SEARED, which will give readers a peek at what happens to Lachlan and
Naya but mostly focus on another pairing. It's femdom and older
woman/younger man. And right now I have no idea what I'm doing!
What have you read (and loved) lately?
I'm reading two books right now. First, LESLIE'S CURL & DYE by D.L.
White, which is about rival salon owners in a small town trying to
navigate their relationship and local politics. It is so fun! It
reminds me a lot of the movies BEAUTY SHOP and BARBERSHOP, obviously,
but it's also just gorgeously community oriented and funny and I think
White has a wonderful voice! And I just started SINGLE MALT by Layla
Reyne, which is the first in a series about FBI agents solving crime
and falling in love. Partners-to-lovers? Workplace competence?
Cat.Nip.
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It's been 10 years since Naya saw her stepbrother, Lachlan Christie. In that time, he's become a famous chef, complete with his own hip and trendy Manhattan restaurant...and she's become the woman who can give him everything -- especially her body and soul. But the past doesn't always stay dead, and you can't escape it, no matter how far you fly or how hot you burn.
You can find more about Suleikha's books at her website, suleikhasnyder.com, and pick up SEARED at Amazon, iBooks, or Kobo.
Want to win a digital copy of SEARED? Here's your chance! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter between Jan. 10 and midnight Jan. 14, 2018. Open internationally, must have a valid email address and be over 18 years of age. Void where prohibited. Be kind to one another.
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