Welcome, today we are talking with Beckett Riley! I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy writing schedule to answer a few questions. First, let’s delve into who you are. Some of the questions may be untraditional but you’d be surprised at what readers connect to, and sometimes the simplest ‘I can relate to that’ grabs their interest where nothing else can.
Can you share a little something about Beckett Riley that’s not mentioned in your bio on your website?
When I’m not hiding behind raunchy tales of wolf and bear shifter romances, I write hard science fiction novels.
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always had a passion for storytelling and wrote on and off for many years, purely for fun. It wasn’t until about two years ago that I began to take it more seriously and really pursued it, landing my first publishing offer shortly after querying.
How long have you been writing?
Some critics may say not long enough but I’ve been at it for over fifteen years, having only published this year.
What have you found most challenging about it?
Because I write in first person, finding each character’s voice and personality is my biggest challenge especially when I’m telling the story from the point of view of both the male and female characters. And if you’ve read any of my books, you know there’s always more than one love interest but the more the merrier.
What does writing do for you? Is it fun, cathartic, do you get emotional or exhausted when you write those hot scenes?
Writing for me is an escape, an outlet for the stresses of everyday life so when I’m in the middle of bringing to life a steamy or outrageous sex scene, it’s definitely a lot of fun! Have I suffered from exhaustion when googling different sex positions? Not yet!
Describe what your writing routine looks like. Are you disciplined with a strict schedule or do you have to be in the mood?
Oh my God, it’s insane. There is no structure, no method, no cork board with tiny post-it notes detailing each character’s pet peeve. I write when I can and definitely if I’m in the mood.
Did you go into writing thinking that it would be a hobby or a job?
Well, thank goodness I approached writing as a hobby because I’d be very disappointed if I set out to make a living off it. To be more specific, I’d be broke and living under a bridge.
What inspires you?
My love of cheesy romance mixed with kinky sex.
Let’s move on and give readers some insight into your personal life.
What is your favorite:
- Animal – horse
- Food – pizza
- Movie – The Thing
- TV show – Breaking Bad
- Singer – Joshua James
- Author – Paulo Coelho
What are your pet peeves?
- Aisle hoggers at the supermarket.
- Loud kissers
Who is your hero?
E.L. James. The woman wrote a dirty book, laughed all the way to the bank, and is now probably on a yacht sipping champagne somewhere off the Almafi coast.
Give us one thing on your bucket list.
Take a cooking class in Italy and/or France.
What would readers find surprising about you?
I live in a farming community.
If you could go to heaven, who would you visit?
Bea Arthur from the Golden Girls. I can see myself getting good life advice from her.
Any bad habits?
I leave my dirty clothes on the bathroom floor even though there is a perfectly capable hamper in there.
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
At a school ceremony, I thought I heard my name being called and walked up to the podium to accept an award only to be told someone else’s name had in fact been called out. True and absolutely cringeworthy story. Thankfully it was a long time ago and I can now laugh my butt off.
Now that our readers know who Beckett Riley is let’s get down to the business of your debut novel, a hot shifter romance, Into Their Woods.
How long did it take you from beginning to end before your story was completely finished, and how did you decide on the topic and title?
I had just completed the editing stage for a full-length novel that sucked the life out of me, so I wanted to write something quick, fun, and filthy. It only took me a couple of weeks to flesh out ITW. As far as the topic, I knew I wanted it to be a reverse harem and who better to be on board with that lifestyle than a pack of bears (or wolves)? The pun in the title was totally intentional. *wink *wink
What was your hardest challenge writing this book?
To be honest, this was such a departure from what I’ve written before that it felt like a much-needed breath of fresh air. As I mentioned previously, I had come off the heels of a very difficult editing experience so writing Into Their Woods was an absolute joy. I suppose the biggest challenge (if you can even call it that) was finding different words for male and female private parts.
What kind of research did you have to do?
Oh boy, if you go through my google search engine history, you’ll find sex positions, ballet positions, wolf mating rituals, bear penis sizes, you name it!
What in your opinion makes good chemistry between your leading characters? Good chemistry is simply an energetic exchange between people so I chose to peel back the layers of that exchange to something raw, primitive, and animalistic which is something that lives in all of us even if we’re too embarrassed to admit. My characters don’t dance around or ponder their choices, they already know what they want and give in to their desires without any fears hindering them.
Any other works in progress?
I have two upcoming shifter books coming out this year. The first one is called Delectable and the cover reveal for that will be happening within the next few weeks, followed by the release shortly after. I have yet to give the second one a title, but it’s already written and I’m eyeing a December release for it.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Just write whatever makes you happy, no matter how clean or dirty it is. You’re bound to find at least one reader that will appreciate your work and that makes it worthwhile.
Final words?
Thank you to Coffee Time Romance for picking my brain for a bit and if you’re into quick (and raunchy) reads, make sure to follow me on Instagram, Goodreads, and Facebook. You can also visit my website and sign up for my newsletter to keep up to date with my upcoming releases!
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