Where were you born and brought up? What impact has the place had on your writing?
I was born in a small town in North Carolina and moved to Greensboro for college. I loved the city so much that I decided to stay. Most of my stories take place locally because I prefer to write about the locations I’m familiar with.
You have a masters in criminal justice and worked as a paralegal for several years. Have you used this experience in any of your stories? Do you plan to use it?
I frequently use my decade of experience in criminal law in my stories. Jax was based in part on a case I worked on, so I really think that having that background has helped me make my stories more realistic.
You are a New York Times Bestselling Author. Which book earned you the title? How does it feel to hold such a merit?
My paranormal romance Let Him Reign was included in the Wicked After Dark Anthology that hit the New York Times Bestseller list in October 2015. It was such a monumental accomplishment, and I’m extremely proud of the title. It’s one that I never imagined that I would achieve as a self-published author.
Your husband is also an author, though in a different genre. How do you both support each other’s’ writings?
My husband D.B. West enjoys writing science fiction and mysteries, but recently we have been collaborating on a new motorcycle romance series. The first book releases on June 26 th . I think readers will enjoy our unique combination of action, suspense, and romance. It was my husband who first encouraged me to start writing novels in 2014, and he has been incredibly supportive of my career ever since. I believe that the fact that we share a passion for writing has brought us even closer as a couple.
What is it like being a mother to two lovely daughters? How would you describe your relationship with them?
I’m so lucky to have two sweet daughters, and I cherish the extra time I now get to spend with them ever since becoming a full-time writer. It’s also great to have the summers off as a family. That time together is a priceless gift so my husband and I consider ourselves extremely fortunate.
Did you yourself read a lot as a child? Since both their parents are writers, are your daughters avid readers, too?
I loved to read when I was a child and went through all of the popular series like Goosebumps and The Baby-Sitters Club. My daughters are not only enthusiastic readers but are already talented writers and artists as well. Our oldest daughter published a children’s book when she was in the second grade. Our youngest daughter is only in kindergarten, but she loves to draw her own comic books and has me help write out the stories.
You enjoy watching the Carolina Panthers. Does your husband share this interest with you or is he a fan of some other team?
I’m a huge fan of football! While my husband and I both love the Panthers, we never miss any games on Thursdays, Sundays or Monday nights in the fall and I really enjoy competing in fantasy football leagues. My love of the sport is what led me to write the Playing Dirty four book football romance series.
You love visiting beaches. Which is your favorite beach in the world and what about it do you love the most?
My favorite beach is Atlantic Beach in North Carolina. Not only is it a beautiful, peaceful area but it’s also where my husband and I were married right in front of the ocean.
‘Cocky Cage Fighters’ is your most popular series. What about it do you think makes it so loved by the audience?
I think readers just love these characters. The main nine fighters in this series all hold a special place in my heart, especially Jax, Jude, and Mace. They were the persistent voices in my head who felt so real that it was like they wrote their own stories. I believe that connection that I had with them can be felt in the pages of each of the books in the series.
Keeping a reader interested in a story through nine books is difficult to pull off. How did you ensure that at the end of each book of the Cocky Cage Fighters series, the reader was left asking for more?
I tried to introduce a new, upcoming character in each book to pique readers interest so that they want to know more about them in the next release. I believe it was also nice for readers to catch up with some of the previous characters when they made appearances in later stories.
What inspired you to write Cain as the first book of your series- An Out Of the cage Novel?
Cain was actually a spin-off character from the Cocky Cage Fighter series. He was the antagonist in that series, but I felt like he had a story to tell about the struggles he faced in his life.
Cain was very well received by readers and critics alike. Did that inspire you to continue the series? How do you feel about reviews that come your way- both positive and negative?
I decided at the beginning of the Out of the Cage series that I would write about three close friends who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks to show a harsher side to cage fighting. I enjoy taking a previously unlikeable character and making him sympathetic, which I think I accomplished with Cain.
As far as reviews are concerned, over the years, I learned to take the good reviews with the bad. When I first started writing it was incredibly difficult to receive harsh reviews for a story that I had put my heart and soul into. Now, though, I accept the fact that it’s impossible to please everyone, so I just try to learn from the criticism in negative reviews so that I can try to become a better writer.
Most of your protagonists are male. Why is that? Do you plan to write a story with a strong female protagonist in the future?
I tend to write stories in the first person with a dual point of view for a male and female protagonist. That way the readers get a feel for each of the main character’s thoughts and feelings. Most of my books are focused on the male character because I love a good, alpha hero and I think readers do too.
Which is the next book you are working on? When is it due to hit the racks?
My next release will be Chase: A Savage Kings MC Novel, the series I’m writing with my husband. It’s a second- chance romance with a ton of angst and action along with the steamy scenes that I’m known for. Chase will be available on June 26 th, and while we plan to write at least three books in this new series, we hope to write about all twelve bikers.
