Author Q&A: Beth Kery

I'm happy to welcome author Beth Kery to the blog today.  She also writes under the name Bethany Kane.  


Welcome to Hanging With Bells Beth. Please tell us a little about yourself.

Thank you for having me! Well, I’m an author of contemporary and erotic romance. The ‘romance’ part is crucial to me. I write really sexy, but also very emotional and intense stories. I’ve been writing for about five years now. I love my husband, cooking, travel, books, art and shoes, not in any specific order, except that my husband is definitely #1.

“Because You Tempt Me” is Part I in your new serialized novel, Because You Are Mine.  It starts out a series of books that will be released each Tuesday.  I like that it gives your readers something to look forward to.  Why did you decided to release it this way?

It was the publisher’s idea. I don’t know their specific reasoning, but I would hazard a guess that it relates to many things. The popularity of fan fiction might be a factor. Fanfic is released in this way, although Because You Are Mine is a bit different, as its release will be planned and consistent. I’m sure that the increasing demand for eBooks figured into the decision. It’s convenient to get a book installment on your phone or reader every day of the week, sort of like watching an episode of a television series. Plus, because of the popularity of social media, people can share the experience of reading like they would a television show. The serialization controls for time, making it more likely people are consuming the book at the same moment, making it easier to share and talk.

The covers of each part in the series is absolutely gorgeous. Did you come up the ideas for the covers? I love how it alternates between feminine and masculine looks.

You noticed the male/female alteration! Awesome. It reflects the fact that I always write in both the heroine and hero’s point of view. I think it completes the romance and really ramps up sexual tension doing it that way. The covers are beautiful. Unfortunately, I can’t take any credit. That was all Berkley’s art department’s doing. They did a fabulous job—so elegant and sexy. They capture the tone of the story really well.

What is it about Erotic Romance that you think has made it become so popular lately? I have to admit that I'm reading more in this genre now myself.

I think it was just time. Fifty Shades of Grey certainly hurtled the genre into the spotlight, even though it had been around for a decade plus. Readers are demanding more sexuality and honesty about what goes on in the bedroom in their romance. Even books that are not considered ‘erotic’ are getting hotter, more explicit sex scenes. The bar is just changing as people become more and more comfortable with talking about and reading sex.

You've written quite a number of books. Now this may be hard to answer, but do you have a favorite? If there isn't a favorite, is there one that holds a special memory.

They are all really special to me. If I had to choose one, I’d probably say Wicked Burn. It’s the book I first sold to New York (to Berkley). It felt like the book where I truly became an ‘author’ in a tangible sense of the word.

Who are some authors that you enjoy reading?

In the erotic romance category? Jaci Burton, Megan Hart, Emma Holly, to name just a few. In general romance, Linda Howard, Julie James and Sandra Brown. I have a major crush on J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter books.

What can we look forward to from you in the future?

Exposed to You, the second novel in the One Night of Passion series comes out in November, with a novella from the series paving the way in October—“Captured by You.”  I’m also going to be doing another serialized novel with Berkley. It should be out in January of 2013, with several more erotic romances to follow.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today Beth! I'm looking forward to reading the upcoming installments to Because You Are Mine.

I appreciate you having me, and I hope both you and your readers enjoy Because You Are Mine.

Find Beth Kery on the web:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads