Author Lucy Smoke #interview

Please give a warm welcome to

Tell us a bit about yourself

Well, okay, hi there, I’m Lucy and I’m an author. Which means that I sit at home and eat bonbons and write down my daydreams. Just kidding, I’ve never actually had a bonbon before, but I am really an author—or so everyone keeps telling me. But I do have some experience with writing, so not to worry, your book fantasies are in decent hands. I even did the whole college thing. Unfortunately, I was dumb and went back for more torment. I have a Bachelors and Masters in Literature, Language, and Professional Writing. And despite all of the classics I read for those “credentials,” I’m sticking pretty close to writing romance. It makes me happy and it makes my readers happy.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Yup. Ever since I figured acting probably wouldn’t pan out. It’s hard to remember so many lines.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

Which one? I’ve got so many. But I guess I would say the current one—Dark Maji coauthored with Kel Carpenter—came from a love of f*cked up heroines and villainous nobles. Kel and I both love antiheroes and we wanted to see more out there and thus … Quinn and Lazarus were born.

What are you working on now?

Opening this jar of peanut butter—let me tell you, it’s not going over well. I have no upper body strength.

Unless you meant work wise? I’m pretty sure you probably meant that. Well, right now, Twisted is the Crown: Book 3 in the Dark Maji series is with the editor and Kel and I are taking a short break. I’m finishing up the final epilogue of my Contemporary Reverse Harem series Iris Boys. It’s a novella after story to be released hopefully in November 2019 (due to having to wait for a cover) in the boxset of the series.

Do you have any quirks while writing?

Ahahahahahahahaha. I have all the quirks. I’m pretty sure I accidentally stole all of the quirks from the quirkless writers. I like to write all over the place. My office. Starbucks. My couch. My bed. My bedroom floor. I write ideas on white boards with dry erase markers and when I run out of room, I use my bathroom mirrors.

What are your hopes for the future?

Well, I’d like to continue to write full time. It’s honestly a dream come true. I’ve wanted to be an author for 10+ years, so really I wake up every day excited for work and I want that to continue. I’ll be attending several book signings this coming year, both in the US and internationally. I’d love to continue doing that as well. Otherwise, really, my only hopes for the future are to continue to make enough doing what I love to pay off my student loans, pay my bills, and be lavishly and disgustingly wealthy so I can adopt a bunch of teenagers. Why teenagers? I don’t know. Probably because teenagers can be assholes and I find them hilarious.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Finish the damn book. The first one is always the hardest, but you’ll find with each book you finish the next one is easier and easier. Make friends with everyone, but also don’t let yourself be swallowed up in the stampede of the publishing world. Keep your individuality.