Fan Questions Answered by Author Kelli Maine
Buy Kelli’s Books on Amazon:
Taken (Give & Take)
No Takebacks (Give & Take)
Question 1:
Noodleswain; TraceyTurner2009
These ladies would like to know the inspiration behind your books? (Taken, No Take Backs and The Submission of Alistair Ingram)
The inspiration behind Taken was an unpublished paranormal romance with Merrick and Rachael I wrote in 2007 titled Taken By Seven. I kept one scene, the kidnapping, and rewrote it entirely. One of my favorite novels is Stolen by Lucy Christopher, also about a girl who is kidnapped, but much more serious than Taken. It’s written in second person point-of-view, and I love how different it is from all the other novels I’ve read and how it puts me in the story, so I wrote Taken in the same pov.
For Dolls & Doms, I was finding a stock image for something and came across the illustrated pin-up-style woman I have as the D&D logo. I immediately loved the image and had to use it for something, so the series formed around her!
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Question 2:
Rain_Miller
I am thrilled you are turning this into a novella. Love Dolls & Doms so much. What inspired you to do an episodic novel? It is genius I think.
I tend to plot and write in an episode format, so it was something that I’d always wanted to do. I wrote horror flash fiction in the past and have three published on Flashes In The Dark. (You will notice it’s under a different name – Kelli Maine is a pen name.) Brevity comes naturally for me, so short pieces are something I’m comfortable writing.
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Question 3:
Nikkie8503
Does Dolls and Doms have the potential to be a full novel instead of just a novella or will it stop there?
The reason it’s a novella instead of a novel is because of what I’m permitted to do contractually with the Give & Take series. When partnering with a publisher for your work, there are guidelines you agree to. I can self-publish my Dolls & Doms stories novella length. In the future, I’d love to bind three or so of them together and put out an anthology of D&D novellas!
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Question 4:
Ellen.widom; jsmcLaughlin
These ladies would like to know why you picked the Everglades for the setting in Taken/No Take Backs?
When Merrick took Rachael away, I knew I wanted it to be somewhere lush and tropical, somewhere she’d fall in love with. But, I didn’t want it to be an island in the Bahamas or somewhere that was typical. Merrick is anything but typical and Rachael isn’t the kind of woman who would go for a typical guy. Instead, he’d take her to a run-down hotel on a tiny island in the Everglades and make her dreams come true. That’s how he rolls. 😉
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Question 5:
Te.smith55; Sweetbkreviews
I love your Dolls and Doms series. Will we get to read more about Bethany’s childhood or history with her ex? Or how she was introduced to the submissive lifestyle prior to her ex? What was your inspiration behind Black Betty?
Alistair and Bethany will be back! The next series will be about Alistair’s would-be-best-man, Bradley Burton and Red Mary (I hope you like them as much!), but you haven’t seen the last of Ali and Beth. We’ll find out all about her.
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Question 6:
Cris.soriaga; Sarah.j.Chiaradonna; pk.123; gfr16
Why did you feel you had to tell the story of Black Betty and Alistair Ingram? Was it based on real life experience?
It’s not based on real life experience, however, before I was married, I enjoyed knocking egotistical men like Alistair Ingram down a few pegs, similar to Black Betty. Not in the same way she does it! I’m not, nor have I ever been in the BDSM lifestyle, but seeing a cocky, arrogant man makes me laugh and want to bring them to their knees. I guess this is my Dom outlet for that!
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Question 7:
Traceyturner2009; Sarah.j.Chiaradonna; pk.123; sportsfanz16
What inspired you to write the Taken series? Was it based on real life experience?
No, unfortunately, no sexy billionaire has ever whisked me away to a life of my dreams. *sigh* Rachael and Merrick weren’t always on Turtle Tear Island, they were on an island I like to call “Misfit Character Island” for many years. They were always a couple, I just never had the right novel for them until last year when I pulled them out of a trunked paranormal romance I wrote and gave them a new home on Turtle Tear. I’m really glad I did! They seem to like it there.
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Question 8:
Isantinsanchez
What was on Merrick’s mind when he and Rachel found her best friend hook up by not one but two men?????
What was on Merrick’s mind? Sex. Hot sex with Rachael. Like right then. J
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Question 9:
juliamills; zymolas; kiminnite; amandacmoffatt; radkins
When did you know you wanted to write? Where’s your favorite spot to write? What was your motivation to write your first novel? How did you get started writing? What made you decide to publish your material?
Most authors say they always wanted to write. I didn’t. My mom always wanted me to write. She used to tell me all the time when I was little that I should be a children’s book author. Really, she should be the children’s book author. I didn’t start writing until about six years ago, and I will admit that I started after reading Twilight and Harry Potter. (Don’t hate. I’m a huge Potterhead.) Like many people, Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling renewed my love of reading. Until Taken, I wrote young adult novels and have one coming out later this year under my real name.
As far as motivation, I have so many ideas crowding my brain, if I don’t get them out, my head will explode. How did I get started? With the first sentence. That’s not a joke. You just start typing and keep going until you get to the end.
My favorite spot to write used to be in the oversized chair in the family room with my laptop, but last summer I got my desk and that’s where I write now. It sits in front of the living room windows and the neighbors think I spy on them all day long.
I decided to self-publish Taken because I was in the process of going the traditional route—through a major publisher—with my YA novel, and I wanted to have the experience of self-publishing to see which I preferred. I prefer to keep doing both!
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Question 10:
dawnbushemail
What do you do to prep for writing a new book? Do you do research? How do you come up with your ideas? Do you already have characters/plot/story in mind? Do you start with some kind of outline? Just curious about the whole writing process!
Usually a character and a scene come to me first, but sometimes it’s a title and a catchy first sentence and I have no idea what the book would even be about or who the characters are. There’s really no rhyme or reason to anything when it comes to me. I don’t outline unless I’m forced to. I have outlined in the past and I don’t follow it. I’m probably the most unorganized person on Earth, but when I’m organized, it stifles me. Like when I put things away, I can’t find them. I need clutter, chaos and my desk covered in 1,000 Post-It notes!
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Question 11:
krgteaff
Alistair—is he more dominant or submissive by nature?
Dominant, but he’d be anything Bethany wanted him to be! She’s got him on his knees. 😉
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Question 12:
Aras1221; goosic
When you first started writing the Dolls & Doms episodes, did you ever think you would turn them into a novella? What made you go that route? Will it be a multi-series book or just a novella?
I started it with no real plan in mind. I just thought it would be fun to do once a week or so and see where it went and if anyone would read it. Then people started asking me if they could buy it on Amazon, or if it would ever be a novel. So, I decided I’d put 20 episodes up and finish the story with 10 never-before-seen episodes and write a novella. There will be more to come with other characters, and Alistair and Bethany will return.
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Question 13:
xclusivekiss69
If it was you that woke up in that bed, would you have done what Rachael did or would you do things differently?
I probably would’ve fought him the best I could and thrown the hot soup on him like she did. I would’ve used a lot of four-letter words, because I do that. J I tend to be reactive, but once I calm down, I’m logical. So, once I found out who Merrick was and knew he wasn’t going to hurt me, I probably would have acted similarly to Rachael.
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Question 14:
Smilee3939; ashleymaynolan
When is Taken By Storm coming out?
Taken By Storm has a release date for e-book and paperback of May 7th! I can’t wait! It’s new adult, meaning the characters are early twenties—MJ is 20 and Maddie is 24. It’s 100% their story, but Merrick and Rachael are in the book and more is revealed about Merrick’s past. Plus, there’s a mysterious woman we’ve never met! Well, I have, but you haven’t.
TBS serves as the third installment in the series (second full novel), but it’s also the first in what I plan to have as MJ’s own series. I adore MJ as much as Merrick, and I hope you will too!
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Question 15:
luranker
What does your date night look like?
My date night usually consists of dinner and a movie, or dinner and a stroll through Books-A-Million with a cappuccino. Exciting stuff, huh?
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