AMA - You Ask, Bethany Answers!

Hey, loves!

We are back again for another AMA where I answer 3-5 of your questions, or whatever has been dropped into my form if I don’t have enough to make it to three. Sometimes, I get a lot of repeat questions, and I just leave them until I feel like answering them because it’s been so recent since I just answered a specific questions. Please check through some of the older AMAs, I am sure you will find the answer you seek for things like Andino, Zeke, Cece, and more.

Do you have a question for me? Awesome.

Drop it into the form HERE.

Now, onto the questions for the week.

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1. What is your favorite book from London?

I know this question didn’t come from London if only because her questions tend to be WAY out there … LMAO.

So hi there, questioner who isn’t London.

Um, this is actually really hard for me to say because I have favorites spread far across London’s growing backlist, and all for different reasons. If that makes any sense? Like I would have to explain it, but I will give some of my favorites from her books, the reasons why they are my all-time faves, and then I will kind of try to pick just one to say “this one is my ultimate favorite.”

Again, not easy.

Because I have such a high respect for London and her writing. I think, and not because she is my best friend, if I didn’t like her books, I wouldn’t read them … there are a lot of popular books that people go crazy over, and I am over in the corner like meh, not really my thing, couldn’t be bothered.

I read her because I like her, not because she is my friend – trust that. And I think she is a great story teller – she has these main plots, but then large over arching, intricate plots that spread across series if you are lucky enough to read every single one of her books, and pick them all up. That just takes real skill, and an imagination like I doubt anyone really understands. That’s talent, and I respect it a lot.

So my favorites for different reasons from her are:

In the Beginning – just from the first book, to the final book of that entire series, you see a growth like no other in London’s words. And there was something very pure about the love between that heroine and hero that carried on throughout the series, and whenever they showed up in other books, so I loved that.

Calavera – never have I enjoyed a heroine more from London than I did Luna … until …

White Rabbit: The Rise – I kind of know how the entire Kingmaker Saga is going to go because I have been chatting with London privately about this series for a couple of years now, or even possibly longer. 3 years, maybe? She wanted to do great things, and she is doing them.

And finally … The entire Seasons series that London and I wrote together. I just remember, while it was not all easy, that writing that first book we were so excited. BEYOND ecstatic to be writing together, and we kind of created this whole thing that was amazing, and I still love it.

Now, if I had to pick an all-time favorite book from London, it is a toss up between Syn and Red. Red because it was one of the firsts I read by her, and Syn because well, it’s Syn okay. I don’t have to actually give more if you’ve had the pleasure of reading Syn.

2. I love all your families! BUT my favorite one is the Guzzi family! They are truly my favorite. When will we get their books and how many books will each brother get?

Hi there. And thank you so much.

So there are 6 books for the main Guzzi Legacy series:

Corrado
Alessio
Chris
Beni
Bene
Marcus

Corrado and Alessio is a duet within a series of standalones. They HAVE to be read together if you want the HEA for the trio couple involved, it is a Male, Male, Female romance. The men are in a relationship together, and they are also getting it on with their girl, Ginevra.

Every other book in this series is standalone. And even Corrado and Alessio, their duet together, can be read as a standalone. You don’t need to continue reading on in the series if all you really wanna do is just read those two. BUT, I do, of course, hope you’ll come back to read the rest of the brothers.

Alessio isn’t technically a Guzzi in surname (yet) – but to Corrado, to his brothers, to his mother and father, Les has been one of them from the first time Corrado brought him home. Corrado isn’t himself without Alessio, so. That is why the second book in the Guzzi Legacy is named after Alessio, because he will always be a part of the Guzzi family, whether his surname changes or not.

I also have plans for a companion, that may focus around all the couples in the series, or just a couple. And I would like to do a Christmas novella for them, as well, but we will see how that goes. It really just depends on how much time I get, how far ahead I am when I finish their books (I only have Bene and Marcus left to write, now).

3. Would you ever write a pluz-size heroine or hero?

Hi there.

I have answered this before on another AMA – I don’t use labels. When you constantly point out what makes a character diverse, it only serves to make them seem like “other” and “different.” And that’s just lazy writing – details do the job just fine.

I have written heroines like Gabbie who are struggling with type-two diabetes, and is actually underweight. I have written Jordyn, described as average in height, with curves. Which to me, meant an average sized woman, and that to me, was like a size 12, there abouts. And she also had four children, so … women change after kids.

My heroines are not perfect, model-esque bodies. They are real women in my head. They may be toned, they may be like Haven who jogs every day and also works out on a pole, so yes, she is very toned, very fit. Or ones like Catrina, who are very vain about her appearance. Or ones like Catherine, who is the typical Italian woman, of pretty average size, very beautiful, and is typically pretty happy about her appearance.

Sometimes I give enough details, like in Haven’s case, where you can safely assume she is not plus-sized.

And other times, I don’t.

I will not put a size on page. I will not put a weight on page for a woman. I give enough details to satisfy how I see my women, and if the first place someone’s thought goes to is because the hero describes her as perfect for him, that she must be a size 2, with long legs, and a flat tummy … well, I’m not sure that’s on me, to be honest. She’s perfect for him because he likes the way she looks. In Lucian’s case, that was Jordyn’s average size 12. In Andino’s case, that was Haven’s very fit and toned body.

I am not going to put a size or a weight on page. And I will not use phrases that constantly point out a heroine is not perfect just to fit into the mold of marketing for a specific size heroine. That’s not how I write.

Please assume my heroines are beautiful women – that come in varying skin tones and sizes.
As for heroes … nah, I like fit men. That’s what I want to read about, that’s who my husband is, and that’s what I intend to write about, too.

Hope that clears it all up.

4. Why didn't Michel become a made man?

Hi there.

You know, it wasn’t like a bad reason or anything. And he’ll explain it in his book, too. But he just wanted to be more than JUST a made man. He absolutely respects his family, their life, the mafia, and all of that. He loves his father and uncles and cousins, but he didn’t think what their goal was in their life was the same as his. He had other plans. While his heritage suggests he couldn’t become one, his father and uncles and the rest of his family would have absolutely made room for Michel to join their ranks had he wanted to.

But personally, Michel wanted to be more than just affiliated to the mob. He felt like there was a bigger purpose for him, he had an interest in becoming a doctor after an experience he had as a younger man, and yeah.

So, he wanted to be more.

And he became that.

Okay, loves.
That’s all for this week.

Until the next.