Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I reside in the suburbs of Connecticut with my husband and three sons. I am the only woman in a house of men! During any given evening you can find me reading while the men in my house scream at the game (Basketball, Baseball or Football) on TV.
I am an only child who never wished for a sibling and I openly admit to being a spoiled brat. I am the daughter of an avid reader, the “real” Kitty Berry. I decided to write under the pen name, Kitty Berry, in honor of my late mother who passed away in 1998 from breast cancer. It was my late mother’s desire of becoming a writer that prompted me to create the characters that I place in worlds of wealth, power, seduction, dominance and submission.
My love for reading and discussing literature didn’t come to me until my late twenties. Angst-ridden romances (from the moment a man meets a woman and they fall into an unstoppable infatuation with each other) always mesmerized me and fast-paced entertaining mysteries as well as witty “chick lit” contributed to my desire to not only be a reader but also a writer. I recently found myself at a time in my life when the busy balance of career and family made me crave an escape into the world of romance with an erotic twist. Multidimensional characters such as powerful, dominant, alpha-males spurred on my creative spark to write about seduction.
I love dark chocolate, music inspires my writing and I am obsessed with the Zumba fitness craze. I plan on enjoying life to its fullest as soon as I’m done driving carpools, attending youth basketball games and coordinating the events of my three adolescent children who have way better social lives than I do.
I have written and self published 7 books in a woman’s contemporary romance series: Sliding, Stoned, Siblings, Second Chances, Stealing Home, Screen Play, and Surrender. I am currently working on my 8th book, Starting Over.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am currently working on the 8th book in The Stone Series called Starting Over. I was inspired by the characters as they have grown throughout my series and felt that their story needed to be told. Music also inspires my writing and I’m in the middle of a minor (no stalking involved) Sam Hunt obsession even though country music has never been my thing. His songs are the inspiration for Starting Over.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I’m completely normal! I find I write my best early in the morning before I go to my real job. Everyone else has left the house and there’s complete silence for an hour. I drink coffee while I write then head off to work.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was that student who always hated to read. My mother was an avid reader and tried to talk me into falling in love with reading when I was a child but I wouldn’t listen. It wasn’t until my twenties that I found my love for books. Once I did, female authors such Anita Shreve, Marian Keyes and Kristen Hannah became my fast favorites. Their angst-ridden romances filled with an emotional sensitivity caught and mesmerized me. Following their novels, I continued to seek out “Chick Lit” for a number of years until my more recent discovery of E.L. James and the genre of erotic romance. This discovery came to me at a time in my life, when work, children and life in general made me crave an escape into the fantasy world of seduction and romance. Sylvia Day, J. Kenner, M. Leighton, and my favorite, Shayla Black spurred on my creative spark. Their stories gave me the motivation to see to fruition characters of my own creation.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Starting Over. If I go by my outline and the voices in my head (like I said before…totally normal!) here’s what might happen…
Bailey and Nix are finally settling into their happily ever after and now it’s their turn to help out their loved ones. Arizona is struggling with her past, her addictions and her relationship with the sexy and commanding Hunter King. She decides the best place to deal with her turmoil is back across the pond in London. Bailey and Nix join them and turn the trip into an opportunity to scope out locations for their next film. While back in London, Arizona isn’t the only Doyle who will come face to face with her past. Nix will be forced to deal with the challenge of owning up to his sins and offering his apologies to the one woman he never planned to see again. Can he keep his promise to Bailey and steer clear of the London underground sex clubs or will the old temptations bring his darkest desires back to the surface?
Asher McBride is on the run from his feelings. Unfortunately, he’s brought the woman causing those feelings along for the ride. Harper is his best friend’s widow and hiding secrets of her own. As Asher nurses her psyche back to health, she’ll reveal things about her relationship and her dead husband Asher never could have predicted. Will the information make him want her more or will Asher miss out on love again?
Hunter King thought he had his hands filled with helping Arizona through this difficult time but when his brother and fellow Special Agent, Graham King disappears on a mission and returns wounded; his strength will be tested like never before. Graham heads to recover in London by his brother’s side but his injuries are more than skin deep and he’s nursing more than physical wounds. Juliet, his partner and submissive left him forcing Graham to question his Dominant lifestyle.
That’s the plan for Starting Over, my friends but you never know how far off course I may veer so stay tuned…
A look ahead…
Because so many readers have expressed a sweet spot for Damian Stone, Survivor: A Stone Novella (The Stone Series Book 9) will chronicle the events in the billionaire’s life from that fateful day when he walked into Professor Blake’s class until the day Sydney Cooper fell at his feet. I miss Alex Smith and have been thinking about telling his and Parker’s story since Stoned. That being said, this novella might turn into a full novel and tell Alex’s story from the time Damian Stone walked into his life till the present.
The wheels are turning…
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Yeah, here’s the thing…I don’t have one! It’s a huge problem because I think my books are pretty damn okay and more people should read them. I’m just not sure how to get them onto people’s Kindles without them knowing I exist. I have used a few sites for honest reviews, I keep a Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter account along with my website but without mass exposure it’s not really doing the trick.
It seems like the key to success in this self publishing era is to pay lots of money for promotion with no guarantee of ever getting it back. Or in the genre of Romance, pay hot guys to pose half naked on your book cover!
That’s why when I came across AwesomeGang.com I squealed with delight. A place to showcase my book for free? And post an author interview for free? YAY! Sign me up.
I do have to give props to a few special ladies out there that have been fans since Sliding and post to their Facebook pages and other social media sites. They read my material and give feedback before I release it to the general public and they always leave honest reviews…Sirenda, Angelina, Chloe, Tina, and Mirian. I don’t know what I’d do without these book loving ladies.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Buy a lot of tissues for when the agent, editor and publishing house rejections come in. Chocolate and wine help too.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m not really sure that I’ve been given the best advice of my life yet.
What are you reading now?
I am currently working to revise my 4th book, “Second Chances” to reflect a change in plot so I’m reading that. For enjoyment, I’m about to begin Kate White’s latest novel, The Wrong Man.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to continue writing books in my series, sending out queries to agents in the hope of finding one to take me on, and reading…I will never stop reading.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Only 3 or 4? Come on, that’s not fair. If I were stranded on a desert island, I’d have my Kindle full of books with me. But okay, I’ll play along. Four books though, no way I can do only 3. Here goes…1. Anita Shreve’s The Pilot’s Wife, 2. Shayla Black’s Wicked Ties, 3. Marian Keyes’ Watermelon, and 4. E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey.
Author Websites and Profiles
Kitty Berry Website
Kitty Berry Amazon Profile
Kitty Berry’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account