Author of the Week: Maureen O. Betita

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Maureen O. Betita visits. I met Maureen in 2011 at the Erotic Authors Association conference here in Vegas and I loved the idea of a magical world with pirates without the scurvy. She writes fun and tongue-in-cheek sci-fi/fantasy romance and action/adventure. Today I asked her one question about blending fantasy with reality.

BBTF: Many people have a pirate fantasy, but real pirates aren't the ideal. Where do you think the fantasy comes from and how do you make your pirates the ideal?

Where does this fantasy come from? The same place the idea that everyone in a medieval castle is warm, that a highland hut would be vermin free, that a homestead in the wild, wild west could be kept clean of dust... Hollywood. And, to a certain extent, writers. Legends and folk tales never mentioned stink, dirt, vermin, starving, teeth falling out... And then Hollywood came along and continued the tradition.

In other words, it's not my fault.

How do I make my pirates the ideal? Well, I cheat. I follow what I consider the pirate code and I cheat. I don't write historically accurate pirate stories. In my series, The Kraken's Caribbean, there are modern conveniences in the Caribbean, despite it being the late 1690s, because travelers from the future have brought things that help. Like...ice machines. A substance tossed into the privy which eats human waste. A thread woven into every banner and sail and line called solar thread...which powers all the toys that fell through time. Like Ipods, blenders and speakers for when the band plays at the bar.

In my BIG series (30 books/1 couple), now known as Forever A Pirate, one of two main characters is a witch with several nice spells. The vermin free spell is a favorite. She also has a bag of healing spells she uses and, to be quite frank, her Caribbean is simply more aware of things like sweat and stink and...they wash more! I also made the Caribbean much more fruitful...more produce available and fresh water wells everywhere.

It's all fantasy, because let's face it, no one wants to imagine living with vermin, starving to death, teeth falling out...etc. Where does it come from? We all want freedom, we want to run away to someplace less complicated, full of color and fresh air and hot men... It's there because it's what they want. The readers want fantasy, not reality. I try to deliver what they want. And what I want, because I am my favorite reader. If I don't love what I write, why would anyone else?

So, for vermin free pirate ships, all the fresh water you want, feasts on the beach, dancing on the deck, hot men and women...visit my worlds.

You can find out more about Maureen's hot, sexy fantasy pirates on her website. Be sure to buy a book and tell a friend. Happy reading!

Siobhan 

Author of the Week: Karla Doyle

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Karla Doyle visits. I met Karla on Six Sentence Sunday when she offered snippets of her book More Than Words. Oh my glory, I howled with laughter at the witty and humorous dialog, and fanned myself in her hot sex scenes. Karla writes hot, sexy contemporary romance and has won me over every time. Today I asked her one question about reading and writing.

BBTF: What do you like most about reading and how does it affect your writing?

Karla: My favorite thing about reading is becoming immersed in a world I didn't create, and therefore, can't control. I love the suspense of not knowing what will happen from one scene to the next. I love going on the ride with the characters.

When I'm writing, I try to give my readers those same thrills. I hope that they'll enjoy the quirky situations my characters sometimes find themselves in, or the super-sexy interludes, or even the sad moments. When I read, I am IN that world for a few hours. My objective when telling a story is to provide that same experience.

Thanks so much for inviting me this week!

You can find out more about Karla's sexy, hilarious contemporary romance on her website. Be sure to buy a book and tell a friend. Happy reading!

Siobhan

Author of the Week: Mellanie Szereto

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Mellanie Szereto visits. Mellanie writes contemporary erotic romance, and I first met her on Facebook when I recognized her name as being Hungarian. Mr. SM is Hungarian and we immediately started talking about recipes we loved to make and eat. Today I asked her one question about researching for the stories she writes.

BBTF: Your most recent release is a cooking romance. What's your favorite part of researching your stories?

Mellanie: I love experimenting with new recipes--or creating my own--to use in my stories. I always get interesting ideas for tormenting my characters when I'm cooking, and my family is now used to hearing they get to be my test subjects! They usually enjoy the results too!

You can find out more about Mellanie's sexy, fun contemporary romance on her website. Be sure to buy a book and tell a friend. Happy reading!

Siobhan

Author of the Week: Anastasia Vitsky

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Anastasia Vitsky visits. Anastasia writes sweet (with a hint of spice) female/female fiction, and I first read her snippets on #SnippetSunday, a group that shows of little bits of their writing to anyone visiting their blogs. Anastasia's tales sucked me in from the moment I read them and I wanted to know more. I asked her one question about the genre she's chosen.

BBTF: Female/Female romance seems to be the least well known of the romance genres. What appeals to you most about this genre that you write?

Anastasia: When I was old enough to write a letter to my grandmother, my mother taught me the correct way to address the envelope: Mrs. (Husband's first name) (Husband's last name).

I couldn't understand why an adult woman had to receive mail in her husband's name. I told my mother as much, but she dismissed my protests. "This is the correct way," she said.

Years later, however, my mother ordered her own set of return addresses labels. No "Mrs.," no husband's first name, just her own first and last name.

From the time I was a small child, I wanted stories about women. We deserve mailing addresses in our own name, mail addressed in our name, and stories written for and about us. I don't want to read about women whose lives are incomplete until a man rescues and fulfills her. I want to read about strong, smart, capable women who can be all that and feminine. Sexy. Attractive.

Many people think I write F/F based on sexuality. I'm thrilled to be embraced by LGBT readers, but for me the motivation lies deeper. I want to write about women who love women, yes, but it's very simple:
I want to read stories about women. And so I write them.

You can find out more about Anastasia's sexy, feminine women on her website. Be sure to buy a book and tell a friend. Happy reading!

Siobhan

Author of the Week: Cara Michaels

Welcome back to Buy a Book, Tell a Friend!

This week Cara Michaels has dropped by. Cara writes heroic science-fiction and paranormal fantasy, and is a #flashfiction host of #RacetheDate flash challenge. No matter the genre, Cara writes a darn good story. I asked Cara one question about world building.

BBTF: What is your favorite thing about building new worlds?

Cara: World building is far tougher than character building. Worlds are all about rules, and breaking those rules breaks faith with readers. It's up to the author to make sure the rules stay constant. I suppose I find research to be the best part of world building. In attempting to create a believable environment, I study and research all sorts of wild things to establish rules that make a crazy sort of sense.

You can find Cara's worlds and her new worlds at her website. And be sure to pick up a book and tell a friend.

Happy reading!

Siobhan