AMA - You Ask, Bethany Answers!

 Hey, all!

Happy Tuesday. It’s AMA time again which means I answer all your burning questions, or at least 3-5 of them from my form.

You can add in new questions for me HERE. If I don't have new questions, I can't keep the AMA up.

Okay, onto the questions for the day:

1. Some other authors I follow have given lists of music they listen to while writing or if they play a specific song to help them write a scene. I was wondering if you did that and if you'd share any particular songs/playlists that help you write? Reaaaaallly want to know about any you used for Cross&Catherine!!! Also if this got asked before sorry! I went through the blog but didn't see any references to it.

Hi there. I do listen to a lot of music while writing, and I also (usually) make a playlist for every single book or just a single playlist for a series of books following the same couple.
You can find all my playlists on my youtube profile HERE. Including the 100 plus song playlist that I use just for writing. I usually use a spread of songs in the playlist, I have it arranged to my personal tastes, some days I listen to just the beginning, others the end, and sometimes other days, it’s the middle or just a handful of songs here and there.

2. First off, I want to say I have loved every book I have read that you have written and that you are a kick ass author!!! Your talent is extraordinary!!! I absolutely love you!!! My question for you is if you plan on doing any follow ups on the Russian Gun Series and the Seasons Series? Both of these series were fabulous and I'd love to visit their world's again!!!

Hi there. And thank you so much for your kind words. They always make my day when readers say stuff like that. Best kind of thing to wake up to.

As for your question, yes and yes. That is the short answer. Yes on both of those worlds where those two series existing getting more books.

The long answer is slightly more complicated. But only slightly, so no worries. The next series in the Seasons world will undoubtedly be Boykov Bratva. Thing is, London and I decided to split the characters between us and each write their books separately. So, I have Kolya and Viktoria, their books are written, London has two characters, and once she’s done with hers, we will publish the next series to that world. When I work, I don’t publish a first book in a series until the rest of the books are finished. It’s like a guarantee for my readers – they can know a series is done, and they won’t have to wait forever to get the rest of the books.

As for The Russian Guns … the world is called the Russkaya Kings world, and yes, it will get more books. Starting in 2021, I believe. I am currently working on getting the plots worked out for Roman and Vera’s individual series, so eventually. I write fast, just not that fast.

3. Hi Kris! You are really one of my favorite authors and I admire a lot the amount of work you do when it comes to your books. Everything always looks great from story you've written to cover. So because of that I would like your opinion on something, from your perspective as author. I wanted to sing up for ARC of one book through one PR company, but I saw that author requires for the two previous books in the series to be read before this one. The books are really not linked when it comes to plot and the books are not offered to reviews. The author is new to me and this is the only title that caught my attention. I never saw you putting requests like this when I sign up to review your books. Do you think that it's okay for authors to require something like this? Or is it bad image for author? Thanks!

Hi there.

I don’t pretend to understand the way other authors run their business, nor is it any of my business, really. If an author would prefer for readers to read other books in a series, whether they are standalone or not, and are willing to offer those ARCs to you for free, then I think that’s an author wanting to make sure a reader gets the full impact of the series. If they’re not offering the other books as ARCS, then they probably shouldn’t expect people to go grab the books themselves because most readers won’t.

And in fact, I have put out requests with ARCs for new readers that ask if they have read me before. Sometimes, it’s better to have people who know your work than someone who just wants to try you out, and probably won’t like your style because they don’t enjoy the kind of thing you write about as far as that goes. And I have said before that despite books being standalones in the series, like my Marcellos, readers should still have read previous books in the series to enjoy it better, although I tend to offer the previous books as ARCs.

As for is it a bad image on the author – I don’t personally think so, but I’m not the person asking this question or reading that specific author. It’s for you to decide whether or not you feel like the author’s demands are over the top or whatever the case might be.


Okay, loves. That’s all for this week. Until the next!


--BK.