Welcome back to RomFan Brita, it is always a pleasure to
have you with us.
Thank you
Annette, for having me. I always love coming by and saying hello. Before we
start, I'd like to tell everyone about the contest that I'm running throughout
the duration of the tour:
At each stop of the tour,
I'll give away a copy of an ebook from my backlist to one randomly drawn
commenter. For Men Like Us, the newest release, isn't eligible.
At the end of the tour,
I'll select one person from all of the commenters and that person will win a
swag pack, containing *tons* of Brita Addams swag.
Now, with that bit of business taken care of, ask away! J
Tell us a little about your new release For Men Like Us.
This story is one that has come to
mean a lot to me. First, it's an historical, set in the Regency era, shortly
after the Napoleonic War. He is a gay man in an era when homosexuality was a
hanging offense. This makes Ben a very lonely man. To make his situation even
more difficult, Ben is haunted by events that took place during the war,
because of his preference for men.
Preston Meacham is a man whose life
was torn to shreds by the war. After leaving his service to the Crown, Preston
attempts employment, where he misinterprets the attentions of his employer.
Fear forces the employer to dismiss him, setting in motion a series of events
that causes Preston to give up all hope.
With no pride left, Preston loses
himself in the bodies of nameless men at one of the many molly houses in
London. The sex numbs him to the desolation of his life.
One night, he discovers Ben in a
damp, acrid alley and the two men's lives become inextricably linked.
What can we see coming from you in the future?
I have submitted a rather long
novel, 105k, set during the era and glamour of old Hollywood. I'm waiting to
hear from the publisher on that one.
Meanwhile, I'm writing a novel set
during the French and Indian War, 1754. This book will be the beginning of a
series, which will span 200 years in the lives of one family.
I am a genealogist and in the many
years that I've traced my family history, I've uncovered many interesting
stories, which have given me great material for these novels.
I'm taking my time with them, so
they won't be out for awhile.
What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I love the creativity. I've done so
many things in the creative vein—flower arranging, macramé, crochet, knitting,
cross stitch, and a huge variety of other crafts, and nothing has ever
fulfilled that part of me that screams creativity, like writing. I get totally
lost in the moment when I'm writing, a scene becomes my entire world. Nothing
beats it!
If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would
you recommend I start with and why?
Hmm. There is quite a variety in
there. If you like BDSM, there are several books to choose from. The historical
Sapphire Club series—Serenity's Dream,
Lord Decadent's Obsession and Chocolate, Tea, and the Duchess; Splendid Captivity (historical ménage,)
a m/m contemporary series, Free Me and In
His Arms.
I have several male/male
offerings—contemporaries A Minute After
Midnight, Free Me, and In His Arms,
my vamp historical, Love Immortal,
and my new release, For Men Like Us. Ménages—Chocolate, Tea, and the Duchess and Splendid
Captivity.
I have some favorites—A Minute After Midnight; a sweet story I
wrote called An Evening at the Starlight,
which sadly hasn't gotten much notice. It is the story of how we have to grasp
love because we never know when it leaves us. There is no sex in that one at all.
The other favorite I have is Her Timeless
Obsession, which I wrote under my real name. Demands of the Heart is a romance that is near and dear to me, as
it is the first thing I ever wrote, then rewrote.
For pure, unadulterated erotica, I
have the male/male Romeo Club shorts.
Folks can check out my bookshelf and see what appeals to
them.
What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of
your stories?
I simply hope that when people read
a Brita Addams book, they know that I attempted to write characters and a story
that will stay with them. I don't write lesson into my stories, save for in An Evening at the Starlight, and then,
that is subtle and no preaching.
I love well-told stories, with
characters that make me laugh, cry, and everything in between. Those are the
kinds of stories I try to write.
What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?
Hmm. Let's see. I've lived a pretty
interesting life, in many aspects. I've lived in Iceland, the absolute vacation spot of the world.
I've met many celebrities, talked to many, have collected autographs since I
was a young girl, and even kissed Mickey Rooney.
What else would you like readers to know about you or your
work?
I live a pretty normal life. I have
grown children, two grandchildren, a cat named Stormee, and a grandpuppy named
Fiona. Okay, I actually have four grandpuppies, lest my other daughter read
this. They are Chopper, Chloe, and MoJo.
I write every day, be it 500 words
or 4k, I treat writing as my job.
I have worked as a receptionist for
an aluminum company, office manager for a CPA firm, a substitute teacher for
some very incorrigible middle-school students, and worked a kiosk in the mall
with a friend, taking pictures and putting them on t-shirts, calendars, and
tote bags.
I've been on ten or twelve cruises
and was a guest lecturer on many of them, as part of their enrichment programs.
And last, but not least, I've been
married to my best friend for many years and wouldn't trade my time with him
for anything in the world.
How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or
writing venture in general?
It's funny that you ask this
question. My family is very proud of what I do, though, for the most part, they
haven't read anything I've written. However, I do get teased a lot about
writing "naughty books."
I actually bristle at that, because
I write romance, first and foremost,
so it begs the question, is romance naughty? Me thinks not!
Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
LOL I wouldn't know how to act if I
had only one project going at a time. Take my current work. I actually started
what I thought was a standalone novel. However, as I reached 12k, I realized
that the background I was writing would make a great novel in itself, soooo, I
put that one on hold, while I write the beginning of what will blossom into a four
or five novel series.
In between, I write blog posts and
some episodes of Boxer Falls, which is a really fun project with my friends,
Damon Suede, Poppy Dennison, Ellis Carrington, and a whole slew of really
talented authors who contribute regularly. Never read our Gay Time Drama? For shame.
Twenty lashes with a wet something or other.
Check out the M/M
Romance group on Goodreads for all the episodes. Such great fun!
When not writing, how do you relax?
For twenty something years, my
husband and I have had date night, every Friday. Since his retirement a couple
of years ago, we instituted date day, which gives us greater flexibility.
Usually, it's something as benign as a movie and dinner, but sometimes we mix
it up and it's lunch and movie, with maybe a stop off at our favorite coffee shop.
We like to shake things up every now and again. LOL
We also spend every evening
together, coming together about 5, when he has dinner ready. Yes, the man cooks
like a chef! His favorite apron is one I bought him years ago. The front shows
a huge hamburger bun, and says, "Keep your hands off my buns." (He'd
just love that I told everyone that story.) *shrugs*
We watch television in the
evenings. It might be a singing or dancing competition, our favorite dramas or
comedies, or something streaming on Netflix, usually period pieces, but
whatever it is, we do it together.
I've joked for years that since we
do everything together, we had snaps surgically implanted in our hips. Our kids
would agree. Rarely do you find one of us without the other and we wouldn't
have it any other way.
I also read at bedtime, which is
always nice for me. I truly look forward to that time.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
I have an eclectic mix of
authors that I enjoy, and the names are always changing. Some that never disappoint
are Pamela Clare, Mary Balogh, Lisa Kleypas, Aleksandr Voinov, Damon Suede, and
the list goes on.
Where can readers learn more about you and
your books?
I love visitors, so
please feel free to stop by my site or email me.
Email address: Brita@britaaddams.com
Twitter: @britaaddams
Read my review of For Men Like Us (here)
Thank you so much, Annette, for having me back at Rom Fan Reviews. You're a sweetheart. The review for For Men Like Us is stunning. I am so happy you like it!
ReplyDeleteBig hugs,
Brita
Very nice interview and cover.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Lovely and funny interview! (I loved the part with the kitchen apron. Hilarious!) Good luck with the book release!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excellent guide to your work! And hey, Mickey Rooney was pretty kick-ass as Puck in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, so that's quite a coup!
ReplyDeletevitajex(at)aol(dot)com
I would love to win one of your books.
ReplyDeletetheponylady @ ymail . com
I really enjoyed the interview! :)
ReplyDeleteHeh... your coming works really do sound interesting. Also, the ones your WIP. I look forward to them!
Judi
arella3173_loveless(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thank you all for stopping by. I'll be drawing over the weekend for the winner of the backlist book.
ReplyDeleteI have selected the winner and it is: vitajex@aol.com
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone, for stopping by and commenting.
I'll be emailing the winner.
Hugs to everyone.
Brita