Stevie MacFarlane Interview Published on: 21, Feb 2018
Have you always been a lover of reading and writing? Could you paint us a little picture of what your childhood was like and how it has shaped you into becoming the writer you are today?
Even as a child I was a prolific reader and wrote extensively in my diary. I had a lovely childhood for the most part. As the youngest I may have been a little spoiled and a bit of a day-dreamer, but I cherish those early memories. My sisters and I often reminisce about those days and the joy of living in a time of no worries and little responsibility beyond making sure our chores were done. It was a wonderful time.
What was the first book you published? What are some misconceptions you had about being the book industry that you had before you became a published author?Changing Her Mind was the first book I wrote. I remember being a nervous wreck and I didn’t tell anyone in my family except for my husband what I was doing until it was already published. As far as misconceptions, I’m only sorry I waited so long. I thought it would be much harder to get a publishing company to accept my work than it was.
Why did you wait till 2012 to finally start publishing your books? What did you do for a living all the years before that?Oh goodness, I’ve done everything. I was a waitress, a cook, a sewing machine operator, a fine die cutter, and a social worker. I worked in a meat packing plant, a plastics plant, a nursing home and a facility for youthful offenders. Those are just off the top of my head. If I gave it more thought I’d probably remember a few other jobs I’ve had.
There are a lot of erotic romance authors, especially now. What would you say it is about your books that makes them stand out from the rest?I guess I would have to say it’s the love story and possibly the humor. The eroticism has always been secondary for me and it always will be. I want to touch the reader’s heart, maybe more than I want to excite them. Not that I don’t appreciate a sexy book, I do, but it has to be more than that. I want readers to feel what my characters are feeling, to experience it and to be able to escape into my story.
Who are some of your favourite erotic romance authors? If you were to do a collab with one of them, what kind of story would you want to write?I read all genres, so a lot of the books I read are not erotic romance. I love biographies, mysteries as long as they are not to gory, and romances of all kinds. As far as my favorite erotic authors I would have to say my favorite has always been Carolyn Faulkner, although I enjoy her older, less graphic books the best. I like Cherise Sinclair as well, although I haven’t read all of her books. As a rule I don’t read romance while I’m writing, which really limits me and in a way leaves a certain void in my life as I really enjoy them, but it’s best to stay focused on what I’m writing and not let myself get distracted. Collaborating with one of these ladies? Only in my dreams, lol. They are stars in the field.
How did you come to learn about the old-fashioned theme of spanking adult women (as told in Amelia)? Why do you think it has carried over to modern times and become such a hot topic in recent erotic novels?I think spanking adult women as always been around, both in movies like McClintock with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and books like the ‘bodice rippers’ of the seventies. I Love Lucy had episodes in which Lucy got spanked by her husband Ricky. Just the other night I watched Blue Hawaii, an Elvis movie and in it he spanked a young, spoiled girl who was throwing herself at him. As I said, it’s been out there for years in movies, novels and real life. It seems to me that after Fifty Shades of Grey was published it became more acceptable to read erotic spanking novels. Well that and the birth of the electronic reader. Back in the day everyone knew what book you were reading at the doctor’s office. With Kindles and Nooks you can read anything with no one the wiser. I have my own theories on why it’s so popular now but first of all we have to remember that what women read and enjoy is not necessarily a reflection of what they truly believe or what they would want in real life. Sure it’s sexy as hell to read about a dominant male spanking his beloved for misbehaving, but most women would be dialing 911 if it happened to them. It’s all about the fantasy, the escape, and the historical spanking novels take you back to a simpler time when roles were clearly defined.
Who are some of your favourite continuing characters in The Red Petticoat Saloon series? Between the female protagonists in some of the books- Crystal, Callie, Della, Rebekah, and Lapis- who do you relate most to and why?I feel terrible admitting this, but I did not read the entire Red Petticoat Series. I think I was book four with Crystal’s Calamity and I never went further than that. When you’re writing, you’re writing and there is very little time to read. So in answer to your question, I obviously related best to my character, Crystal and wrote my book in such a way because I could not in good conscience make her a true whore, so I bent the rules a bit and made her someone I could really admire. While Crystal does indeed take men to her room, she only has one love. The rest she writes letters for, or teaches them to read. One ‘regular’ visits her to read her poetry. I would love to read the entire series one day, but I don’t see it happening soon. I’m so busy trying to get the stories in my head made into novels.
Your book, "Little White Lies", tells the tale of Maggie, a single mother, who kept the birth of her son with Nick a secret. An unfortunately common story in today's world. How were you able to so accurately capture the mixing pot of emotions of both Maggie and Nick in this complicated love story? In these kinds of situations, do you think it is right of the mother to keep such a secret or should the child and father be allowed a say in the matter?That question is a little tricky. Obviously I believe a father should have a right to his child, especially a man who is essentially a good person like Nick. If you read the book you know that Maggie tried many times to contact him to tell him of her pregnancy. She only married Jim in desperation and she did try to make a success of her marriage before her husband was killed.
Nick reappearance on the scene is accidental and when her secret is exposed it creates all sorts of problems for her, not the least being that she is still very much in love with her son’s father. But she has other children now and a secret kept so long is hard to reveal. It is only with his support along with his commitment to her and the other children that he is able to win her over.
As far as how I wrote it, truthfully I wrote in back in 1992 and it sat in my attic for nearly twenty years. At the time my husband was very ill and I was an emotional wreck. I’ve always been a bit too empathetic, so it’s not hard for me to put myself in the shoes of another. Between the pain I was feeling personally and the story I was writing to stay sane, I think I was able to capture both Maggie’s heartbreak and Nick devotion and determination. By the way, that is my favorite book of all the ones I’ve written.
Sugar Babies, Inc. could certainly have been titled, Sugar Daddies. The concept centers on rich men, not necessarily older, but men who are looking for a certain amount of obedience and respect from the women in their lives. Many are divorced, some more than a few times and have been taken advantage of by gold-diggers and greedy ex-wives. Or they may be looking for specific kinds of relationships that are not easy to find such as age-play. Sam Barringer, the owner of the company, works hard to match these men with women who for whatever reason find themselves in difficult situations, so yes, I guess these men could be called Sugar Daddies but the title didn’t seem to express what I wanted it too. All the matches are consensual and all of the details of what is expected by both parties are clearly spelled out before any contracts are signed. I had a blast writing this series and Susan and Marcus will always have a place in my heart. I still laugh when I think of them.
Of all the series you've written, which one do you like the best? What are some differences in your writing process when writing a series as opposed to a standalone?Sadly, I almost never write a standalone. Apparently, I am too long-winded to write just one book. There are always secondary characters sneaking in and soon they want their own stories. It’s very difficult to shut them up, lol.
As far as my favorite series, it will always be The O’Malleys. This family is like my own. I know them inside and out and they never fail to amuse me when I’m writing about them. Many times I sit down, not sure what I’m going to write and there they are, yacking away as brothers and sisters do. They argue, make up and are so loyal and devoted to each and every member of the family. I adore them and hope they continue to tell me their stories for a long time to come. Book Seven will be coming out soon.
Actually, I do. I have to have Cheetos in the house. Now I don’t always eat them when I’m writing, but I need to know they are available. It could be because I often go hours and hours without eating when I’m on a roll, or it could be that I just love them.
What does success mean to you? Would you call yourself successful?Hmm, obviously I want to make money as we all do. It’s great to be able to do something you love and get paid for it, but I don’t think success is all about money. For me success is getting a letter from a reader saying she now drives an hour every Sunday to have dinner with her family because she realized how important it was after reading The O’Malley books. It’s getting an email that says I love your books, please keep writing or a comment on my Widowhood Blog from someone who didn’t really understand how her mother was feeling until she read my post.
Am I successful? I think I am. I hope others see me that way. If I can make you laugh or cry, if I can make you remember what it was like to fall in love, or even turn you on so you’ll put the damn book down and crawl into bed to snuggle with your husband or wife, then yes, I’m successful.
Well, I’m going to be 63 soon, so who knows. Maybe by then I’ll have joined my husband, the man I loved with all my heart for forty-five years. Or maybe I’ll still be sitting at my computer, eating Cheetos and writing love stories.
