Author Blakely Bennett

Hi all!
Please help me welcome Author Blakely Bennett to my blog today!

Here is my author interview:

What is your name? Do you use a pen name (if so, why?)? 

Blakely Bennett and yes it is a pen name.  My publisher encouraged me to use one especially because I plan to write in other genres as well.

Tell me a bit about yourself:

I grew up in Southeast Florida and have been residing in the great Northwest for over seven years. I graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a degree in psychology, which accounts for my particular interest in crafting the personalities, struggles, and motivations of my characters. I am an avid reader of many genres of fiction, but especially erotica and romance. Writing has always been my bliss.

What type of genre do you write?

I am attracted to stories of self-struggle and ultimate recovery and my genre is erotic suspense. 

What genre do you personally read?

            I read all types of books but mostly romance and erotica.

Tell me about your latest?

I find it difficult to read when I am creating a story so I haven’t read anything recently.  I plan to read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn when I get the time.  My mother highly recommended it.

What sparked your passion for books and the art of a good story?

            I have always enjoyed reading and can get lost in a well told story.

Is there a particular book that changed or affected your life in a big way?

I would have to say Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.  My 10^th grade English teacher had us read it and I think it was the first time I read a story that really took me to another place.  I have read again several times since.

           

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

Yes.  Don’t ever give yourself away for love or change yourself to suit another.  If someone truly loves you, then they love the real you.

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?

I spent a lot of time trying to find an agent to represent me without any success and put writing aside for a while.  Deciding to try again, at my husband’s urging, we thought going directly to a publisher might be a better choice, which ended up working out great for me.  I think timing had something to do with it as well.

What has been your best moment as a writer?

My first book signing was definitely a high point.  Getting signed by a publisher ranks pretty high as well.  I think the reason the book signing stands out for me is because it was a long-time dream and it could have been everything I dreamed of or a disappointment.  It was much better than I imagined and I can’t wait to do it again!

Who is your author idol?

I’m not sure I can say I have one because I appreciate attributes from different authors.  For instance, I think Anne Rice is brilliant with description and Stephen King is always unpredictable.  Nicci French crafts amazing suspense and Audrey Niffenegger wrote an incredibly intricate story in Time Traveler’s Wife that just blew me away.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

I don’t actually.  I think one of the most wonderful things about being a writer is that I get to experience different characters and their “life” experiences.  I’m guessing that it’s similar to being an actor.  I feel the character’s emotions and share those on the page. 

Do you feel like your dream has come true or is there much more to do?

Parts of the dream, for sure, have come true, but there is so much more to do.  I’m still dreaming of the New York Time’s Best Sellers List.

What does your workspace look like?

           

I sit on the couch in our TV room and write with my laptop on my lap.  I don’t care for sitting at a desk.  It feels too much like work that way.

Have you ever had a day when you just wanted to quit?

Not really but I have second guessed some of the choices I made in the story and that’s probably worse.  I learned not to read a bad review when I’m not feeling well. 

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Exercise, lie in the sun, spend time with family and friends, explore new places and try new restaurants.  I’m also an avid movie watcher and I typically consume books but I have a hard time reading when I’m working on a story. 

What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Understand that not everyone, no matter how great a writer you are, will either like or get your story.  That a writer writes and it’s important to keep working at the craft.

Did you have a moment when you realized you were meant to be a writer?

Not really.  It is something I have enjoyed doing for most of my life.  I realized I could really do it during the process of being published.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Connect with a story you can feel and then write the tale in such a way that other people can feel it via your words.  I have also found that setting a writing goal is very helpful.  When I wrote My Body-His, the first novel in the My Body Trilogy, I committed to writing at least twenty-five pages a week, so five pages a day Monday-Friday.  Taking time away when needed helps you be fresh to continue.

After this book, what is next?

I have just completed the first draft of My Body-Mine, the last book in the erotic suspense trilogy.  I have plans to write an erotic romance next.

Your website?

Your blog?

            http://blakelybennett.fannypress.com

Other websites?

            Blakely Bennett’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blakely.bennett

My Body Trilogy Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Body-Trilogy/359307324147300

Blakely Bennett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlakelyBennett

Where can your books be found?

My Body-His, the first novel in the My Body Trilogy is available on Amazon: Click here.

Barnes and Noble: Click here.

Smashwords: Click here.

My Body-His (Marcello), the second book in the My Body Trilogy is available on Amazon: Click here.

You can also find it at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

Both novels can be found on European Amazons: Click here.

Wholesale customers can purchase books from Ingram and Baker & Taylor or by contacting info@fannypress.com. Other e-book editions will be available on Smashwords and from most major e-book retailers.

Please thank Blakely for joining us today! Check out a book and the websites!

Keep Writing!

Jodie Pierce