Jolie Du Pre and her latest planned anthology: SWING!

An Interview with editor Jolie Du Pre

Here at Logical-Lust we're really excited to be the publisher for editor Jolie du Pre's new e-book anthology,

SWING! Adventures in Swinging by Today's Top Erotica Writers.

Our company ethic is to seek out high-quality books, and we can be patient in doing so, and this is when our patience is rewarded; when a potentially outstanding proposal like SWING! lands on our desk!

It's time to have a little chat with Jolie, to get inside her head and see what's in there, and find out what plans she has for SWING!

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LL: I think the first question has to be; Why an anthology about swinging?

JDP: Jim, let me start by saying that I am very proud to be a new member of Logical-Lust. I have always been impressed with the goal that you have for Logical-Lust, which is to publish good quality erotica. That is why I submitted my proposal to you. My first anthology was with a print publisher, but e-books are a strong interest of mine.

Swinging has been a part of my life, and I knew that someday I wanted to put together a collection of erotica celebrating the lifestyle. Now is a good time in my life to work toward that goal.

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LL: Your previous anthology, IRIDESCENCE, was a great success. What do you put that down to?

JDP: Part of the success of Iridescence: Sensuous Shades of Lesbian Erotica was luck. The book was selected for inclusion in InsightOut book club. Any author of GLBT will want their book included in a book club that has over 60,000 members. Consequently, many copies of Iridescence were sold through the club.

Also, I believe my promotional efforts were good. For example, I created a blog tour that included most of my authors. I also read on book tour in cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Austin, Texas. The best thing about a book tour is that you get to meet your audience. Depending on where my authors for SWING! are mainly located, I plan on arranging a reading. Also, I'd like to attend something like Swingfest. Besides all the fun that people have (smile) it's an excellent place to promote the book.

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LL: If any authors are reading this and thinking about submitting to SWING! what advice would you give them at this point?

JDP: If you've read Iridescence, or if you've read any of the Logical-Lust anthologies, you know what type of erotica Jolie du Pre and Logical-Lust are looking for. The Logical-Lust anthologies include stories by authors such as Ann Cory, Emily Veinglory, Catherine Lundoff, D. L. King, Jude Mason, Kathleen Bradean, Jean Roberta, Sydney Beier and the late James Robert Sands. These are all excellent authors.

However, for SWING! I am also very open to new authors. I guess what I'd like to stress is that I'm open to all submissions that represent good erotica. Stories for SWING! should contain plenty of sex, but they should also contain a good story.

The details for submitting to SWING! can be found right here at Logical-Lust.

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LL: Will you be having one of your own stories in the SWING! anthology, and if so dare we ask for an advance idea of the story...?

JDP: Well, my novel is on hold so that I can focus on SWING!, but I've recently been asked to be one of four authors for a lesbian themed e-book, and I also have three other stories to write, all by November. This in addition to the fact that I'm a freelance writer who ghostwrites content for websites. I wrote a story for Iridescence, and I'd love to write one for SWING. But if I don't, that leaves one more space for an author! We'll see how the summer develops.

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LL: Erotica is very popular right now. What do you think that is due to?

JDP: One of the main reasons erotica is popular, I believe, is because of the Internet. Most of our books are sold on the Internet. The Internet gives a reader anonymity and privacy. E-books are especially great for that. People have always had sex and enjoyed sex, team that with a safe way to buy erotic literature and erotica writers can't lose!

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LL: I love to read and write erotica. I think it is a wonderful genre for writing because of the depth of sense and emotion that can be in well-written erotica. What appeals to you about writing erotica?

JDP: I've always loved sex and I've always had an open mind. Frankly, I don't see how you can be an erotica writer without a love of sex and an open mind. Writing about sex, coupled with an actual story, has always been an enjoyable way to write for me.

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LL: You recently became a full-time author. Tell us about that. How difficult a choice was it and what sacrifices had to be made. And more to the point, has it been worth it so far?

JDP: When I became a full-time author I accomplished a dream of mine. It's working and if I ever leave my home to work for someone again, it means I failed. I got lucky because, and this is no joke, the day I quit my job was the day I got offered my awesome ghost writing job. I've gotten very good at writing over 3,000 words a day, five days a week.

Being a full-time writer has its challenges. You have to figure out your taxes, which I hate. You have to stay focused. When you are at home its easy to get distracted.

However, I can throw on shorts and a t-shirt, sit outside in the sun with my laptop, a bowl of grapes and a tall glass of water and write my articles. This is much better than having to sit in some stuffy office, wearing uncomfortable clothes, with a boss checking up on you all the time.

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LL: For our readers out there, what book recommendations do you have for them? And don't be shy about mentioning your own!

JDP: Never ask an author for book recommendations - we could be here all day and night. LOL Right now I would recommend Amorous Woman by Donna George Storey.

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LL: Jolie, you are what I describe as a 'power-promoter.' Apart from the obvious, what's the importance for any author in promoting?

JDP: You can't be shy. Aggressively promoting does not mean you're narcissistic; it means you're trying to get the word out. You will have people who will complain about promoters, but then you also have people who are eager to hear what an author is doing next. It's the latter that you're working for.

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LL: Tell us what Jolie du Pre loves to do in her spare time, if she gets any of course!

JDP: It's no joke; I have very little spare time. But when I do I like to spend time with my husband and kids, spend time with my girlfriend, read and tend my garden.

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LL: Where can we find your website and other links?

JDP: Here are my website and MySpace. Also, in the future look for a SWING website, a SWING MySpace and more.

Jolie's website

Jolie's MySpace

Jolie, thanks a million for allowing us this interview. We are so excited about SWING! and we’re looking forward to working with you on this. SWING! Is going to be a huge success!

Jolie du Pre is an author of erotica and erotic romance. Her stories have appeared on numerous Web sites, in e-books and in print. Jolie is the editor of Iridescence: Sensuous Shades of Lesbian Erotica, published by Alyson Books, and is the founder of GLBT Promo, a promotional group for GLBT erotica and erotic romance.