First,
here's the blurb:
In
1915, starstruck Jack Abadie strikes out for the gilded streets of
the most sinful town in the country—Hollywood. With him, he takes a
secret that his country hometown would never understand.
After
years of hard work and a chance invitation to a gay gentlemen's club,
Jack is discovered. Soon, his talent, matinee idol good looks, and
affable personality propel him to the height of stardom. But fame
breeds distrust.
Meeting
Wyatt Maitland turns Jack’s life upside down. He wants to be worthy
of his good fortune, but old demons haunt him. Only through Wyatt's
strength can Jack face that which keeps him from being the man he
wants to be. Love without trust is empty.
As
the 1920s roar, scandals rock the movie industry. Public tolerance of Hollywood's decadence has reached its limit. Under pressure to clean
up its act, Jack’s studio issues an ultimatum. Either forsake the
man he loves and remain a box office darling, or follow his heart and
let his shining star fade to tarnished gold.
Read
an excerpt and purchase the Tarnished
Gold
ebook
or print,
signed by the author (if one of the first twenty sold.)
Tarnished
Gold
is a story that I have longed to tell for some time. It involves a
young man who goes to Hollywood to seek his fortune. All too soon,
times change and being gay in Hollywood is looked upon favorably.
Times
in the early days of Hollywood changed drastically as the 1920s
waned. Attitudes toward the many scandals involving stars and
directors caused studios to take drastic measures. Jack, though not
one of the culprits, is wrapped up in the frenzy to clean up
Hollywood.This
is really a story about a man who knows who he is and is
uncompromising in his beliefs. With Wyatt, he is the face of those
who hid from the censure that the 1930s brought to Hollywood. Jack is
probably the strongest character I've ever written, but he has a
poignant vulnerability to him as well. I like to think of him and
Wyatt as an unfinished puzzle—there are only two pieces needed for
completion and they only fit one way.
What
do you think makes a good story?
For
me, a good story has to be believable, with characters that I would
want as friends. Fantasy, for me, only goes so far on my
believability scale. I read and write with the hero in mind—always.
I want him to be strong, intelligent, sure of himself yet vulnerable.
If there are more than one hero, the same applies. Alphas all the
way, with a touch of beta with each other.
The
circumstances of a story must have enough twists and turns to keep me
wanting to turn the page. I don't mind slow parts, as long as they
don't drag on. Sometimes it's nice to take a breath and enjoy the
scenery.
Understanding
that there are only a limited number of tropes, I don't mind that,
because each author brings their own unique take. I don't, however,
like a rehash of fairy tales, where the predictability is high. I
just read a romance, configured like Cinderella's story, and it was
rather disconcerting that I knew the story well ahead of the
conclusion. This wasn't a fantasy, but we had the step-sisters, the
guy who was her prince, the castle, etc.
What’s
the hardest thing about writing and how do you handle it?
I
suppose the hardest thing for me is the wait between the time I send
a manuscript in to the publisher and when I hear back from them. That
is usually three months and it is tough waiting. However, I move on
and write something else or research, which takes an extraordinary
amount of time. You can't hurry the process, so acceptance is the
best way to handle it.
If
you could have dinner with 5 people, who would you choose and why?
The
first guest would have to be my husband. We are attached at the hip
and never do anything without the other, and we love it that way.
Since we are both history buffs, our guests would have to be from the
past. Abraham Lincoln is a must. My grandmother would be another. I
adored her and got so very few years with her. And then both her
parents, whom I never knew (they died a quarter century before I was
born,) but as a genealogist, I have learned much about. However, I
would love to know more. They were simple, but fascinating people,
who died much too young, both of lobar pneumonia, two and a half
years apart.
My
great-grandmother, Clara, died at 34, two months after the birth of
her 10th
child. Can you imagine? She left behind eight children and a husband
who adored her. He vowed to keep the family together, but he died at
the age of 42 only two and half years later. The oldest girl was
twenty and on her own, the next son was indentured to a local farmer,
my grandmother was 16 when she married my grandfather, the next two
girls went to live with friends, and the rest went to an orphanage.
One came out shortly after, but the other two were adopted out. It
was twenty years before the siblings were reunited. A fascinating
story really.
Genealogy is a fascinating hobby. You never know what you're going to find, or how long it's going to take. It's an on going task.
If
you could travel in a time machine, would go back to the past or to
the future?
Definitely
the past, back to the early 1800's, in England. So many of my
romances are set there and I find that period in history fascinating.
Well, I actually find all history fascinating. I would love to
experience the life lived then, from all angles, but alas, I am a
spoiled creature who must have her air conditioning. I won't be
volunteering for the time machine any time soon.
It would be hard to decide to go back to the past or
forward to the future. I think I'm with you, though.
How wonderful would it be to meet our relatives?
What
does your family and friends think about your writing erotic
romances?
My
family is grown, and they are thrilled that I am finally fulfilling
my lifelong dream. They cheer me on and celebrate each new contract.
I also sustain a great deal of teasing, especially from one of our
sons-in-law, who loves to tell people that I write "naughty
books." Yeah, I've cuffed him up side his head a few times for
that.
How
important is reader feedback, good or bad, to you?
Reader
feedback is very important. I write for my readers and if they don't
enjoy my efforts, I want to know. Of course, if I don't please them
with a story, I am disappointed, but their comments help me to
remember why I spend so much time creating characters and their
stories.
What’s
the best advice you can give to an inspiring author?
Study
your craft. If you love writing, you should be open to learning more
about it. I learn something new with each edit and I try very hard to
apply that knowledge to the next manuscript.
Be
open to criticism and learn from it. What might have seemed like a
great idea in theory, might not pan out so well in practice.
Read
about the genre you favor and read in the genre you favor. See what
others are writing, how they are writing.
Don't
sign a contract in haste. I presently have several contracts, 7 years
in length, that I wish I'd never signed.
Do
your research—both for your story and where you submit it. I can't
stress that enough. Don't be afraid to contact authors at a
publishing company you are considering. Ask them about their
experience.
Excellent advice, Brita.
How
do you relax?
I
read or watch TV with my honey. We also have date day every Friday,
which gets us out of the house. We are huge movie fans and it is
never a question of what
movie we'll see. More, it's "Okay, what haven't we seen."
Date day every Friday, how fun.
What
is your favorite all time book?
I
have to say that I have two—Lisa Kleypas's It Happened One Autumn
and Mary Balogh's Simply Love. Unforgettable stories and characters.
Fun
Questions:
Pepsi
or Coke?
Peach
tea
Chips
or pretzels?
Chips,
though I do like unsalted pretzels.
Mountains
or beach?
Mountains.
HATE the beach with a passion. HATE! The thought of sand gives me the
heebie-jeebies. HATE!!
Favorite
color?
Mauve
Favorite
ice cream?
Almond
Chocolate
Casual
or dress up?
Casual
all the way. I'm a t-shirt and jeans gal from way back. However, my
mother taught me how to dress and I can dress up when it is required.
Cook
outs or restaurant dinners?
Definitely
restaurant. My husband has never enjoyed cooking out and I can
honestly say, it does nothing for me either. We have so many
wonderful restaurants where we live, that we have our choice anytime
we want.
Another
recent release is For
Men Like Us,
which takes place during the Regency in England. You can find it at
Dreamspinner Press. Just click the title to be magically transported.
Blurb
for For Men Like Us:
After
Preston Meacham’s lover dies trying to lend him aid at Salamanca,
hopelessness becomes his only way of life. Despite his best efforts
at starting again, he has no pride left, which leads him to sell
himself for a pittance at a molly house. The mindless sex affords him
his only respite from the horrors he witnessed.
The
Napoleonic War left Benedict Wilmot haunted by the acts he was forced
to commit and the torture he endured at the hands of a superior, a
man who used the threat of a gruesome death to force Ben to do his
bidding. Even sleep gives Ben no reprieve, for he can’t escape the
destruction he caused.
When
their paths cross, Ben feels an overwhelming need to protect Preston
from his dangerous profession. As he explains, “The streets are
dangerous for men like us.”
About
Brita Addams:
Born
in Upstate New York, Brita Addams has made her home in the sultry
south for many years. Brita's home is a happy place, where she lives
with her real-life hero, her husband, and a fat cat named Stormee.
She
writes, for the most part, erotic historical romance, both het and
m/m, which is an ideal fit, given her love of British and American
history. Setting the tone for each historical is important.
Research plays an indispensible part in the writing of any historical
work, romance or otherwise. A great deal of reading and study goes
into each work, to give the story the authenticity it deserves.
As
a reader, Brita prefers historical works, romances and otherwise. She
believes herself born in the wrong century, though she says she would
find it difficult to live without air conditioning.
Brita
and her husband love to travel, particularly cruises and long road
trips. They completed a Civil War battlefield tour a couple of years
ago, and have visited many places involved in the American
Revolutionary War.
In
May, 2013, they are going to England for two weeks, to visit the
places Brita writes about in her books, including the estate that
inspired the setting for her Sapphire Club series. Not the
activities, just the floor plan.
A
bit of trivia – Brita pronounces her name, Bree-ta, like the
woman's name, and oddly, not like the famous water filter.
Please
visit me at any of these online locations:
Thanks for stopping by today, Brita. I enjoyed our interview.
How do you enter this wonderful contest you ask? Well, it's easy as pie:
1. Follow For Whom The Books Toll by email or gfc.
2. Have you read any of Brita's books? Which one is your favorite?
You MUST answer the question in the comments and
tell me how you follow. Make sure you also put your
email in the comment. Have fun following along on the rest of the stops and good luck!
