Welcome @OpalCarew - Giveaway! #RomFantasy

I'm sure many of you are familiar with best-selling author Opal Carew, and her mega-sexy/HOT tales of passion and love. I've been a fan for ages, and honestly think she does this genre better than anyone else. I was thrilled when she agreed to do an interview with me, and she has some wonderful goodies up for grabs, too - so settle in and get to know her better, and find out all about her new release, HIS TO POSSESS!

Available NOW:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Chapters Indigo  |  Kobo Books

iTunes  |  Books-A-Million

Has writing been something you always did, or was it a discovered talent that came to you at a later point?

Writing was not something I've always done. I didn’t start until shortly after I had my babies. When I was at home with them, I started reading Harlequin romances. Always a creative person, I was looking for an outlet for that creativity and started thinking about writing romance. I adore a good love story and being swept away by the powerful emotions they make me feel, so romance was the perfect fit. I enjoy watching two (or more) people come together, overcoming all obstacles. Plus, I love the sexy aspect! (At the beginning, my writing was actually too hot for what was trending!)

Do you remember how it felt when you were offered that first contract? What emotions stand out in your memory?

I always say that I was an overnight success after 14 years of trying. On my 24th wedding anniversary (I had been writing for about 14 years at that time), I got a call from Emily Sylvan Kim from Prospect Agency to tell me she wanted to represent me. She sent my book to an editor at St. Martin`s Press that day, then called me a few hours later to say it was on the editor’s desk and she was reading it right then! The next day, I was told that the senior editor missed her subway stop while reading it! They made an offer for a three book deal later that week

It was 14 years of building, writing, planning, learning and frustration that then culminated in a big burst of joy when I found out that I was going to be signed! I actually thought I would explode with pure happiness!

Is this a first book, part of a series, or the latest in a long line of many?

This is the complete book of the erotic serial, His To Possess, an intoxicating tale of a woman torn between a dominant billionaire and a tattooed, bad boy rock musician. His To Possess was first published as a six-part e-serial novel, and is now available in this full book, featuring special bonus material. Two characters from this story will continue to live on in my upcoming e-serial His To Claim which will release on June 3rd. I also wrote a self-pub prequel to His to Possess entitled, Taken By Storm.

What is the oddest thing that’s happened to you since you chose to become a professional writer? Will it ever make it into a book, or is that a secret?

Haha! You can be certain that in this line of work, there are quite a few odd moments that happen! It’s hard to remember all of them when asked, but one thing that frequently happens to romance authors is you catch yourself discussing erotic subjects or plot points casually in a public place and suddenly realize that everyone around you can hear what you are saying! It's so funny to live in your own writing fantasy world where anything goes and then hear yourself talking just a little too loudly about it in a restaurant or public transit and seeing people's reactions!

I’m continually surprised about what makes it into my books from real life. I don't tend to draw on real-life experience but sometimes I will be inspired by an event. For example, I was watching the reaction of a friend who had joined me at my booth at Sexapalooza.  She was wide-eyed and uncertain at all the goings-on around us and it gave me the idea to write a heroine who was at a show just like this (I called it Sex-a-la-gala) with an author friend, and is approached by BDSM master who introduces her to his world. That was Secret Ties, and it’s the opening scene.  You can read more about it here. 

Do you have your next book underway, or other titles in the planning stages?

His To Claim, the sequel to His To Possess will be out in June! You don’t want to miss this, with its hot biker rock musician hero! The covers are incredible. You can view them here.

I’m also currently working on Riding Steele, a hot biker story for St. Martin's Press! It will be released in October. I also decided to self-pub two connected novellas, Hot Ride and Wild Ride. Hot Ride and was featured in the New York Times Bestselling Box Set, Riding Desire. Wild Ride is part of the “Invitation to Eden” book series involving 27 authors, sharing their works via three ebooks a month, starting this March and continuing until December!  (See www.invitationtoeden.com for more information.)  Hot Ride will be released individually on April 15th. Wild Ride is the second book and will be released September 16th. The third part of my “Office Slave” series will be coming out late spring/early summer, and you can look forward to a box set featuring BDSM!

You can anticipate and watch for these titles on my author website, or you can sign up for my newsletter.

Do you have a favourite genre and why? Is it one you write in, read in, or both?

The first books that really captured my interest were science fiction.  When I first discovered these wonderful stories of ‘what if’ and brave new worlds, I was mesmerized.  Later, I discovered romance, and those books drew on my emotions.

Now my favourite genre is erotic romance! I also love fantasy and futuristic and I do sometimes write in those, but always with an erotic focus. I love strong heroines and happily-ever-afters. What fun to write a heroine choosing between two equally appealing heroes? I like pushing beyond traditional boundaries and dealing with a woman who is growing and evolving - questioning her sexual boundaries and pushing past them. Writing in the erotic genre allows me to do this. Same with fantasy and futuristic - I love that anything goes and you are only limited by your own imagination.

What, to you, is the most exciting part of the writing process? Does it change from book to book or remain the same?

For me, the most exciting part of the writing process is being along for my characters' emotional journeys. I love it when my characters really start to come to life; when they reveal their inner secrets, and deepest traumas, and I start to feel their hidden passions. I am continually surprised by my characters. They come to life and develop as I write them, revealing things to me that I hadn’t planned on but just evolve naturally throughout the writing process.

If you could co-author a book with anyone, who would you choose and why? What kind of book do you think would come from the collaboration?

Oh my goodness! There are so many talented authors in my genre that I would love to co-author a book with and many that I have already had the pleasure of self-publishing with! Instead, I will reveal to you that I would have loved to co-author a book with the great Isaac Asimov. I can only imagine what kind of a book would come from our collaboration!

I actually met him once and he made up a limerick about me on the spot. Unfortunately, I couldn't write it down. (Would you have stopped one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Asimov, could you wait while I get a pen?")

Where can readers find you on the web?

Readers can connect with me online here:

Website  |  Twitter  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook

My latest release is His To Possess. It came out on March 18th!

First published as a six-part erotic serial, His To Possess is the intoxicating tale of a woman torn between a dominant billionaire and a tattooed, bad boy rock musician. Now available for the first time as a complete book, this edition features sizzling new bonus material.

Jessica’s life was in ruins…until she met him.

Standing in the rain feeling lost in a new city, with no job and no prospects, she’s about to give up. Until Dane Rainier pulls up in his limo and offers her a ride—and sweeps her into the life of her dreams. Now she has a high-powered job and is having the best sex of her life, exploring her submissive side under the masterful hand of a gorgeous billionaire.

But there’s a part of her that’s still holding back. Because the truth is, she’s never gotten over her ex-boyfriend Storm. A heavily muscled, motorcycle-riding rock musician, Storm couldn’t be any more different from Dane… and she just can’t get him out of her head. Now Storm is about to reappear and turn her whole world upside down. Both Dane and Storm make her body burn to be possessed, but will her indecisive heart cost her the love of both men?

Available NOW:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Chapters Indigo  |  Kobo Books

iTunes  |  Books-A-Million

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