MY INTERVIEW WITH AUBREY CARA

MY INTERVIEW WITH AUBREY CARA

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What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

A: Hi, I’m Aubrey Cara. My books range from kinky contemporaries to downright indecent, scifi romance.

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

A: Beg for Daddy is about Noah Young and his best friend’s widow, Paige Bryant. It’s an off limits, forbidden kind of romance. He’s always been in love with her. And has always hated himself for it. He planned to stay away from her forever, then she shows up in his city. At his club’s auction. How can he resist?

I had originally planned this book a few years ago as a menage romance, and had shelved it. When I wrote the novella, Cry for Daddy, book 1 in the Domum Deorum Doms & Daddies series, for an anthology I was apart of, all of a sudden Noah Young was the FBI agent Maximus Brakas was tangling with. And he wanted his story told.

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How did you get interested in writing this particular genre (historical novels, mysteries, sci-fi, children’s books, etc.)?

A: From the age of eleven I began stealing and reading my grandma’s historical romance novels. She had a wall of her library full of books I was not allowed to read. So, of course I read them all. That began my love affair with the romance genre.

What kind of research did you do for this book?

A: I’m laughing so hard at this question, only because the majority of my books are very dirty. I actually do a ton of research while writing. I can fall down the rabbit hole and lose hours researching paramedic protocol, FBI training, or weapons.

While world building for my sci-fis, I try to interweave as many real scientific elements as I can. So I end up spending way too much time reading articles on subject matter I barely understand.

And all that research usually boils down to a line or two in the story.

Can you tell me about your Series?

A: My most recent series, Domum Deorum Doms & Daddies is BDSM Dom and Daddy Dom themed, and rides the boundaries between bad guys and good guys.

The series focuses on three stories. A hitman, an FBI agent, and a billionaire who are all connected through a BDSM club. Which sounds like the beginning of a joke. A hitman, an FBI Agent, and a billionaire walk into a club…

A very light secondary plot exists through the stories, but each will be able to be enjoyably read as stand alones.

Do you have a favorite book out of this series?

A: I’m still writing book three. I love them all for different reasons.

Where did you get the inspiration/idea for your series?

A: I was really sick, and listening to true crime books on audible when I began writing Cry for Daddy. I was also obsessed with Lore Olympus, an anime weekly serial series I’m still in love with.

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Was it always meant to become a series?

A: The book wasn’t meant to be a series. Or a darker themed romance. The story was supposed to be a little, stand-alone novella for the Dirty Daddies Anniversary Anthology, that was recently released. Then it spiraled. An underlying secondary plot began to form. Secondary characters popped up and they wanted their stories told. I’m working on book three, with the possibilities of a fourth and fifth.

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What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

A: My writing schedule changes with every book I write. I tend to be a binge writer. Which means, I often go a week or two without writing a word, then sit down and lose myself for days or weeks. When I’m not taking my son to school, or picking him, or making dinner, I’m consumed by writing.

Other times, I write a few hours every day. This usually happens when I either can’t clearly see where the story is going, or I’m needing to get to know the characters, or have a few variations of the plot coming at me, and I need to process.

Beg for Daddy was one of those books. I have an alternate chapter for every chapter I wrote. Some chapters I have three different versions.

Noah and Paige wanted me to write their story forever. And I loved writing them so much, I probably could have.

Do you have a new book in the making and if so, what’s the name of your upcoming book?

A: I’m working on Roan Taggart’s story. I haven’t titled it yet. He’s a dom in the Domum Deorum world, and I won’t say too much, other than his story is an mmf, and their romance is very complicated.

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

A: Sometimes I get names first, sometimes I get faces and back stories first, and I agonize over getting the name that fits that character coming to life inside my head.

For the Domum Deorum Doms & Daddies series, all the characters have “club names,” which are all names of Greek gods and goddesses. And their stories make mild plays off Greek mythology.

Maxiumus and Lily are Hades and Persphone

Noah and Paige are Ares and Aphrodite

Roan is Apollo and his two loves are Phorbas and Daphne

Where do your ideas come from?

A: It changes with every book I write.

Is there a genre that you’ve been wanting to experiment with?

A: I’ve written a children’s book I’d like to get illustrated and publish, under a much different pen name, of course.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

A: Balance. Balancing quality time with family, being present when with them, while also being wrapped up in whatever story I’m writing.

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What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book?

A: I’m assuming you mean those little picture movies? I love them! Wish I knew how to make them, or had someone to make them for me. But I also try not to get too caught up in making graphics and such for book releases. I’m easily distracted while putting together promo, and it takes away from whatever my WIP is at the time.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

A: In life? Easy. My family. Over education, over home renos, over accolades in other careers and all that, family.

In my writing career, I’m not sure. I still get giddy over making bestseller lists in America and abroad. I’m still excited every time I finish a book and it does well, and the majority of readers enjoy it. I’m astounded by the amazing community of authors I’m a part of, and call many good friends.

But my best accomplishment? It hasn’t happened yet. It’s hanging out on the horizon, and I’m super stoked for the day I reach it.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

A: Getting to do what I love. Cheesy, but true.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: Since my teenage son assures me every day he’s going to attend college in Poland, then find a job and live over there, I may be in an apartment in Poland, terrorizing locals with my very bad, very broken Polish. Because I’m that mother. And my husband and I are crazy enough to follow him wherever he may settle down.

Have you always liked to write?

A: Yes. Ask me again when I’m in the middle of hating it. 😉

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

A: Keep going. For every head-to-desk moment, there is a triumphant fist in the air moment, if you just keep going.

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Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

A: I’m not a big review reader as a rule, but I appreciate each and every one. Even if someone was horrified by something I wrote. I forget what actress said, “If you believe the good reviews, you have to believe the bad.” I think it was Elizabeth Taylor. I get that. You can’t let yourself get too enamored or destroyed by reviews. Which is why I don’t usually deep dive into them.

I’m serving up my books to as many people as possible. Not everyone is going to be in love with what I’m serving. It’s like serving a burger, just the way you like it to thousands of people. Hopefully, hundreds of thousands of people. Even millions. Lots of people may love it. Some are vegetarians and don’t want anything to do with it. Some people may like it okay, but wish it was slightly different. Some are going to think you’re a monster for using sweet pickles instead of dill. That’s okay.

I wrote reviews and blogged, and even beta read for years before I published my first book, so I see reviews differently. I never wrote those reviews for authors. Not directly. Although I was a huge cheerleader for authors I loved. My reviews were for other readers. I wrote them because there was something about what I read that made me want to discuss it. And I want people to want to discuss my books. And ideally they’ll be discussing them for positive reasons. 🙂

What is your least favourite part of the writing / publishing process?

A: I have a love hate relationship with promo. There is so much I love about it. This is usually when I come out of the writing cave and interact more with readers and the book community in general. But I get so focused on it, I get very distracted from writing. I have a hard time balancing writing and promo when I have a book coming out.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

A: Here is a tidbit from Beg for Daddy:

The beaded fringe on my silver sequined halter top click-clacks against the bare underside of my breasts. The matching skirt swishes and sways around the tops of my thighs with every step we take down the opulent hallway.

Gilt mirrors line our way.

Gold leaf crown molding our guide.

A regal gentleman in a white tux coat and a wolf mask covering the top half of his face passes. His dark gaze removes what little clothing covers me.

I stumble a step, then right myself, trying to ignore the alarm bells going off in my head and appear nonchalant.

Sexy.

Sophisticated.

Basically like I belong here and selling my body to a wealthy dom is no big deal.

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Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

A: I’m not sure if it was a conscious decision. I was writing satire, but romance kept wanting to be written more.

Where did your love of books come from?

A: Reading grannies dirty romance novels.

Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

A: Too many. I’d have to break them down by genre, and then try to choose!

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

A: That’s a hard one! I love all my characters for different reasons. Out of my heroes, the men who are the gruffest, hardest to love, are the ones I love the most. From my heroines, possibly Bambi from Bambi’s Alien Abduction, because she was so fun to write.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

A: I could get high off good writing days. Especially when everything is flowing just right. Even days that are so-so and I have to push through the slog to get to the break through. The days it’s completely draining I know I need to take a break from the keyboard and recharge.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

A: Family crisis. Promo. As I’ve mentioned, I have balancing issues.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

A: Yes? 😉 I often say I write for myself and revise for readers. Every once and a while I have something completely insane in a story I need to scale back, but I find that my readers usually like my insane, so a lot of it gets to stay. I’m not big on trying to follow trends or mainstream marketability, but I don’t intentionally try to avoid it either.

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

Holy cow. That’s a big question. I’m not sure if I have a direct answer because every author I’ve ever worked with, every class I’ve ever taken, every editor I’ve ever worked with, and every book I’ve ever read have all helped shape me, and helped me grow as a writer. I hope I continue to grow as a writer, and am very thankful for my author community.

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

A: Being Your Own Goatkeeper

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