Harper's Happenings: Sunday Brunch 7/28/2013

TODAY'S SUNDAY BRUNCH SPOTLIGHT FEATURES AUTHOR BLAKELY BENNETT

First and foremost, it is a pleasure to have you here. Welcome to Harper’s Sunday Brunch Interview!

Thank you so much for having me. :)

So, can you tell us what makes Blakely Bennett tick? What got you started on the path to becoming an author?

I love suspenseful stories I can’t put down. I also love romance and erotica, so I decided to use all those elements in the My Body Trilogy. I have written on and off over the years and dreamed of writing novels. The first novel I ever finished was when writing with my husband. The My Body Trilogy is my first attempt at writing on my own.

What are you currently working on? Would you care to share a snippet?

I’m currently working on a novel my husband and I wrote ten years ago to get it up to snuff to submit for publishing. I think we’re both much better writers now so it needs some tweaking.

Do you include some of your own personal experiences in your books or do you prefer to use your imagination?

I would definitely have to say my imagination. However, there is some basic stuff that comes from real life, like how to give a kiss that makes you weak in the knees. ;)

Why did you choose Dominant/submissive relationships to write about? What made you choose this genre over others?

This is a really great question. I find the power dynamics in relationships to be fascinating. I also really like exploring the edge between what someone thinks should turn them on and what actually does. I also felt that the D/s relationship offered a great avenue to write a suspenseful novel. As an outsider, I have been intrigued by the lifestyle choice. However, the most compelling reason I told the story of Jane’s journey is because she kept poking me to do so.

Do you have a specific process or a ritual you go through when sitting down to write?

Most mornings I have a cup of coffee and start with my social media. Other than that, I don’t unless you count loud music to set the mood.

Where do you find your inspiration for your plots? Do you have any tricks of the trade you would care to share?

Sorry, no tricks. I follow where my characters lead me. I do not plot, outline, or otherwise confine or structure the flow of creativity. I ride the tide.

What is the oddest place/situation where an idea for a book/plot has come to you?

I can see how this could be a fun answer, but I don’t have any odd experiences to share. Frequently, when I’m in the flow of creating, just as I’m drifting but not yet asleep, another scene will come to me or some idea and I have to pop out of bed and either write it down on paper or hop back on my computer. At the end of My Body-Mine, the third part of the My Body Trilogy, we had a big event weekend away and the story was still surging like a tidal wave. Between each event, I was back on my computer pounding the keys until I had to pull myself away again.

What makes a book stand out and perk your interest?

I need to feel the story and get lost in it early on. I think now that I’m writing and editing all the time and being self-critical in the cleaning up process, it’s hard not to be critical when I’m reading. Too much detail can kill it for me and I find myself skimming. I like the author to get to heart of the story or conflict in the first chapter and introduce the antagonist early on. Show, don’t tell and edit, edit, edit.

We all have our favorite authors. Can you share some of yours and tell us why you like them?

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.

We all have a pet peeve, care to share yours?

The two that come to mind are someone who chews with their mouth open and people who drive too close to the car in front of them. Distance saves lives. :)

When you’re not writing, what are the things you enjoy doing to relax?

Walking, hiking, dancing, lie in the sun, spend time with family and friends, explore new places and try new restaurants. I love to blow bubbles but haven’t done that in a while. 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.

Thank you so much for joining me here today, Blakely. I know my followers will enjoy this spotlight as much as I have conducting it. Good luck on all your future endeavors.

Great questions and thanks again for having me, Harper.

BLAKELY'S BIO

Blakely Bennett grew up in Southeast Florida and has been residing in the great Northwest for over eight years. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a degree in psychology, which accounts for her particular interest in crafting the personalities, struggles, and motivations of her characters. She is an avid reader of many genres of fiction, but especially erotica and romance. Writing has always been her bliss. She is attracted to stories of self-struggle and ultimate recovery.

Blakely is married to a wonderful, loving and supportive husband, also a writer, who helps to keep her grounded. She is a mother, a communitarian, a lover of music (always on while she is writing—thank you, Pandora), and a good friend. An advocate of love and female empowerment, she is a facilitator for a women’s group. She loves to walk and hike for exercise and finds that, since moving to Seattle, WA, she is now one of those “crazy” people who walk in the rain.

WHERE TO FIND BLAKELY