The Winter Storm: Interview with Katherine Deane, Renee Rose and Casey McKay

We heard from Katherine Deane last week and this week, I've got all the ladies who put together The Winter Storm here answering some questions. What a collaboration, here we go.. 

Natasha Knight: What was the process of collaboration?

Renee Rose: Katherine Deane came up with the idea of us each writing our own fairy tale romance that takes place at the Spa NK Fetish Lodge.  We chose our characters and went to work. When we put it all together, we had to make sure the characters all seemed distinct enough. We had some coincidental similarities we had to edit out.

Katherine Deane:  Also, Renee came up with the brilliant idea of putting the stories together, instead of just being separate stories. (I’ll be honest, and say it scared the crap out of me at first. :) ) And Casey  came up with the awesome title and the idea of making it into a series!

Natasha Knight:  I’ve read the book (loved it!), but for our readers, why don’t you each tell the quick synopsis of the storyline you wrote for The Winter Storm:

Katherine Deane:  Thank, Natasha! Jillian is a spirited young village woman who is  going to a Matchmaker, with her brother (Jake), so they can both find mates.  After  Jake gets hurt, and they are attacked by wolves, a handsome , dominant man (Bertram, owner of the Lodge) saves them.  He introduces many different forms of spanking to Jillian, and helps her find her inner submissive.

Casey McKay: Coral is a mermaid in human form hiding at the Spa “NK” lodge from her checkered past. She made a bargain with a sea witch in order to turn into a human for the prince she fell in love with. The prince broke her heart and Coral went into hiding. Now she works at the lodge tending to the aquariums and nursing her broken heart. She's determined never to let anyone in again, that is until Jake Hill falls into her life.

Renee Rose;  Faye Godmeyer, is a human/fairy halfling who doesn’t know how to use her powers and believes having sex will cause her to lose them. She tangles with her hunky shifter landlord after she accidentally turns his feet into flippers.

Natasha Knight: The Winter Storm was a collaboration between all three of you. What was it like working as a team?

Casey McKay: I have no idea what I am like to work with. Hopefully my co-authors found the experience to be as enjoyable as I did. I think the biggest challenge was our schedules. It was challenging finding times where we could all be online at once to talk things over. Emails helped because then we could just have a continuous conversation over a period of time, but trying to have a 'real time' discussion was tricky! I think the night we were trying to figure out how we could merge the book together into one story instead of separate mini stories I was actually at a bar with my husband having a burger. I was texting with Kate while she was messaging with Renee online. I came dangerously close to going over my text limit that month, but we figured out the direction we wanted to take the book in.

Katherine Deane: Hehe, I remember those nights.  Casey kept texting me, saying “I can’t text anymore. I’m over my limit. Ok, what do you think about doing this?”   while Renee and I argued (the fun kind of arguing, of course) online, about how many different POV’s and character stories there were in the Black Dagger Brotherhood books.  

Renee Rose:  Casey is very easy to work with until you call her hero a wimp. Then she goes roller derby on your ass. Katherine is the task master--she kept us to a tight schedule, made us edit out our excess “bits” and “smiles” and had the vision that tied it all together.

Casey: Jake is not a wimp! He’s a sensitive soul!

Renee Rose:  Jake is totally hot, and definitely not a wimp.  I was kidding, remember?  Still kidding…  (take the skates off, Casey--sheesh!)

Katherine Deane: LOL, about the editing. Those emails were mainly to  get my own booty in gear.  “Gah! I  just found 150 “smiles” in the document!”   Oh, and as long as we are comparing editing notes… I should have kept track of how many times Renee threatened me with “booty”ly harm every time I screwed up  the dialog tags.  :) I think I saw a vein popping out of her head, when she started “yelling” , “You can’t ‘smile’ a statement!  You can’t hug a statement. Period. Exclamation Point! Come on!”   Hehe, I think I finally figured them out. (And alas, no, she really did not threaten to spank me. But that would have been a nice promo video for the book.

“Renee Rose spanks Katherine Deane OTK because of her sloppy dialog tags!”

Natasha Knight:  Can you talk a little bit about the draw of mixing fairy tale characters and spankings? How did you come up with that and how does the end result compare to your initial idea?

Casey McKay: Mixing fairy tale characters and spankings just seemed natural. Fairy tale characters are always doing ridiculous things that should get them spanked. Slaying dragons, eating poison apples, getting lost in enchanted forests- they are all filled with opportunities for a spanking! The initial idea was Kate's but I jumped on that one quick, it was brilliant and I wanted to join in the fun too.

Katherine Deane: I agree with Casey. (No surprise :) ) I think all fairy tales need a good spanking- or three!  And to be perfectly honest, this was a huge compilation between all three of us.  We took turns playing off each other with ideas. (You should have seen our chat sessions. We completely ran over each other when we got talking fast! It would have been fun to watch from the outside!)

Natasha Knight: What was your favorite part about writing The Winter Storm?

Renee Rose:  Having a hero with flippers for feet gave me a lot of opportunity for silliness.  Also, It was so fun when we started mixing our storylines--when my characters joined up with theirs for dinner and the “Sea Witch” scene.

Casey McKay: I think my favorite part of writing The Winter Storm was making my story my own. Yes, I wanted my little mermaid character to be the recognizable little mermaid we all know and love so I threw in some familiar characteristics (has a lot of sisters, makes a deal with a sea witch, fell in love with a prince). Then I checked the original version of the fairy tale written by Hans Christian Anderson, did you know that the little mermaid turns into sea foam at the end of that story? The prince falls in love with someone else and in order to turn back into a mermaid she's supposed to kill the prince. Instead she kills herself and turns into sea foam. Depressing much? And not at all empowering for females.

I decided to make my own version. Coral's story is what would have happened to the little mermaid if she didn't get her HEA and didn't decide to turn into sea foam over it. 

Katherine Deane:  Working together to make the scenes fit was so much fun! There were a few times where one of us would need another author’s character to borrow for a specific scene. I almost spit wine on my laptop when Casey had Redd jump up and down screaming about “ Coral losing her VJ card”. Hilarious! 

Natasha Knight:  Some of the side characters seemed quite developed, like Cindy/Stepmother (She’s submissive Cinderella by day, and the domme Stepmother by night) and Redd the Slayer. Will they have their own Ever After Chronicles?

Katherine Deane: YES!!! Ok, these characters were supposed to be tiny, side characters that added to the story line. But holy heck, they just started demanding more action. They are definitely getting their own stories! Cindy will get to finally come to terms with her conflicting sides, while also getting lots of “play time” of course; and Redd- she is going to explain how her “daddy” came into her life. There is no sexual activity between her and Bertram, but she may meet the man of her dreams who will open up her sexual side so she doesn’t keep thinking of sex as (in her words) “a disgusting and ga-ross activity!”

Natasha Knight:  Can you talk about the age play in this story?

Katherine Deane:  In this story, there is a bit of sweet AP (non sexual in context), between Bertram and “little” Redd.  But I have left Redd open for sexual activities with a potential lover in her own book later. Since she is a not a major character in this book, I kept Redd’s AP scenes to two awesome spanking scenes in which her “daddy”, Bertram, punishes her thoroughly for some poor behavior.

Natasha Knight: What is the draw for adding spanking into your books in general?

Casey: The draw for adding spanking to my books? Well, I think I always add spankings to every story in my head anyway, so when I am writing a story I don't feel like I have to think about where to add the spanking- it just happens. It's what I like so it's what I write.

Renee Rose:  Ditto-- I mean JINX! (we actually all three share one brain, must be why we’re friends…)

Katherine Deane:  Hehe, double jinx! In my mind, spanking belongs everywhere!

Renee Rose, Casey McKay and Katherine Deane (in unison):  THANK YOU, NATASHA!! 

* * * *

In a world where fairy tales and real life collide, in which truth is sometimes stranger than fiction and romance and fetish are the norm, a winter storm forces a cast of characters to converge at a unique lodge, and three interwoven tales are set in motion.

Jillian and her brother narrowly escape a wolf attack, thanks to a shapeshifter, Bertram. As the owner of the lodge, Bertram opens Jillian’s eyes to a whole new world filled with spanking and so much more. Will she keep fighting her submission, or allow herself the chance for true love?

Coral is a fugitive—hiding from herself, her true desires, and the sea witch to whom she owes a great debt. She fears showing real emotion and letting herself be free, but Jake Hill’s dominating presence beckons her to yield to him—not just her body, but her heart, mind and soul. When the sea witch demands retribution, though, she may lose the one man she has come to trust.

When Faye blunders while casting a spell upon her landlord, he claims her as his slave until she can undo the magic, and she finds herself subject to his firm discipline. As her attraction to him grows, Faye fears she will give in to the handsome shifter and forever lose her maidenhood, and consequently her powers and the ability to fix her mistake.

Even as all three women struggle with surrendering to the dominant men they have fallen for, each finds herself on a journey to discover her true self. Can they find a way to yield to love without losing themselves in the process?

Publisher’s Note: The Winter Storm is an erotic romance novel that includes spankings, anal play, sexual scenes, age play, exhibitionism, elements of BDSM, and more. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Buy now on Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Blushing Books, ARe

Read More

Author Katherine Deane's First Interview

Please welcome my good friend and fellow author Katherine Deane for her first ever author interview! Katherine is another one where I can't remember how we met but her friendship, openness and willingness to share herself has been invaluable over the last year. She just released her first book, The Winter Storm: An Ever After Chronicle along with Casey McKay and Renee Rose which is still sitting comfortably on Amazon's Top 100 list. I've read it and it's pretty incredible what these ladies have come up with. Here she is...

Katherine: Thank you so much for having me today, Natasha! You probably don’t realize this, but you are my first ever, author interview! On this side, that is. I have done interviews and promotions from the other side, as an avid, excited reader. But this time, it’s kind of fun and cool to be the one answering the questions. Hopefully, I won’t show my booty too badly. LOL, I trust your editing skills. Make me sound cool, please. J

Natasha: Your first release was a collaboration with Renee Rose and Casey McKay. What was it like working with these ladies? 

Katherine: It was amazing- so much fun, but it also kept me in check. Having them with me, and the deadline, kind of pushed me to up my productivity. It was very good for me, and showed me that I could accomplish something with the right incentive.  These ladies are so good at what they do, but also really down to earth and nice about their talents. 

Casey and I had more than a few “jinx” sessions, while talking out ideas on chat sessions, only to say the same thing as each other within a second of our individual replies.

Natasha: Can you talk a little bit about the draw of mixing fairy tale characters and spankings? How did you come up with that and how does the end result compare to your initial idea?

Katherine: I actually came up with the idea when I wrote my Winter Spanks post (the huge blog hop hosted by SRR and Spanking Romance).  I originally called the lodge “The Winter Spanks” fetish lodge, and envisioned “Jack and Jill” meeting a bunch of other fairy tale characters along the way.

Renee and Casey jumped on board, and created these awesome new characters that fit so perfectly together. Then Renee came up with the idea of intermingling the stories. (Originally, I had envisioned three different stories). Brilliant! The stories fused together, and the characters seemed to take on a mind of their own. It was so much fun to “watch” from the sidelines, while trying to figure out what would happen next.  I can’t believe how well they came together, like it was meant to be. I’m definitely surprised – very pleasantly- at how the original concept changed. Totally for the better!

I can’t wait to start the next one with them.

Natasha: Do you have a favorite character in The Winter Storm?

Katherine: Totally! I love them all, but Bertram B. Wolfe is my favorite.  He is so dominant and sexy, he’s got the whole Alpha wolf / man thing going on! He’s sweet and sensitive (like when he toyed around with Redd’s favorite stuffed animal to make her feel better after her spanking), but also very carnal in his sexual needs and desires.  He knows how to push Jillian to her limits, both sexually and “spankily”.

Natasha: A little birdie mentioned the potential of more books coming to follow within this series. Can you talk a little about that?

Katherine: I am so excited about the secondary characters getting their own stories! Cindy is getting her own story- one where she finally gets to come to terms with her duality (between her submissive and dominant side).  This will be another group effort, where all the characters will intermingle again- some will be new, and some will be continued from the first story.  We are working on plotting right now! If it goes anything like the last one, there is a very good chance we won’t know what these characters are going to do with (and to J ) each other, until the end. It’s going to be awesome!

And Redd is getting her own story.  I will be tackling this paranormal on my own. I’m envisioning a cross between Buffy and Dark Angel.  She kicks paranormal bad guys’ asses, is very bad at witty banter, and is a virgin who thinks sex is “ga-ross!” This will be partially done in back story, to explain how she became Bertram’s “little”, and also present day, where she will meet the “man” she finally gives her body to- and I do mean in all the right ways.

  

Natasha: How has writing or reading in this genre helped you to come to terms with this desire in real life?

Katherine: This is a tricky one for me. I am so easily influenced by my surroundings, and if I’m not careful in my reading (or writing), I can very easily find myself resenting my husband for not being the perfect HOH, like in the books.

Reading and writing has helped me become more open with my spanking desires (and needs), so for that I am very thankful.

But I have to be careful when I am in a fiction setting, that I remember that it is fiction. There is no such thing as the perfect HOH.

With that being said, my husband and I entered a DD relationship several years ago, and because of some of the great books out there, I did gain the courage to bring up more desires with my husband.  Our communication both in and out of the bedroom has really improved over this past year. I’m grateful that he loved me enough to accept me when I asked him to spank me that first time.

Natasha: Thanks so much for being here and sharing with us Katherine. I wish you continued success and am looking forward to your next book. Readers, have a peek below at the sexy little excerpt Katherine is sharing...

Katherine: Thanks so much for having me today, Natasha! 

* * * *

He made quick work of untying the laces in the back of her dress and yanked it over her head. He pulled her petticoats to the floor and watched her anger dissipate. She shielded herself and shivered after he removed her corset, leaving her naked and vulnerable to his eyes.

She was a beauty to behold. The luscious curves that had been hidden below all those layers created in him an animalistic urge to take her as his own. Her creamy breasts rose and fell with every breath she took. Her nipples stood peaked in the cool air, rosy and pink, demanding to be kissed. He licked his lips and ran his tongue across his sharp canines.

No, now was not the time for his animal urges. Right now he needed to take care of the vulnerable, trembling woman in front of him. He beckoned her forward and helped place her gently over the wooden horse. He raised it so her feet no longer touched the floor, placing her bottom in the perfect position for him to attend to her needs. Her legs parted as she reached forward to hold the handles to situate herself. He couldn’t help but become aroused at the abundance of wetness he saw in the crease of her white cotton panties. They were soaked with her arousal. He carefully shimmied them off her, and held them up to his nose. The smell of her floral scent beckoned him to change.

His growl frightened her, and she turned wide eyes upon him.

He pushed his animal back down inside of him and held up his hands in a gesture of safety. “I’m not going to hurt you, Jillian.”

“I know.” She gave him a timid smile and placed her legs into position.

He strapped down her legs and torso to keep them secure but not too tight. He rubbed his hand across her smooth bottom, still red and blotchy from the warm-up. “Try not to tense your bottom.” He smacked her warm cheeks gently a few times until she relaxed. “Are you ready, Jillian?”

“Yes, sir,” she nodded and murmured breathlessly.

Blushing Books, B&N, All Romance Ebooks 

Read More