Interview with Author @MarniMann

By Rachel Thompson | Blog

Oct 27

I am honored to have fellow Booktrope author Marni Mann here today! Here’s her story: 

You write both erotic romance and literary fiction. What drew you to writing in both genres?
Memoirs Aren’t Fairytales was a book I had to write. It literally kept me awake every night, consumed every thought, and squeezed my soul until I surrendered. At that time in my life, I had recently lost someone close to me to an overdose. That book helped me heal, it made me understand, it showed me how to breathe again. Once it was finished and I completed its sequel, I turned to my true passion: Erotica and New Adult. Literary fiction served its purpose for that period, but it’s not a genre I would revisit.

Can you describe Seductive Shadows in three words?
Erotic, dark, layered.

Charlie, from Seductive Shadows, is an artist. Do you have any other artistic pursuits besides your writing?
I really enjoy all aspects of interior design and I practice and experiment constantly. If I had just a few more hours each day, I would dabble in photography. My “what-I’ll-do-when-I-retire list” is getting very long.

Your literary fiction works, Memoirs Aren’t Fairytales and Scars from a Memoir, both have young adult versions. How did you change your stories to be for teens and why?
We eliminated a majority of the cursing, we mentioned “sex” rather than describing it, and a few scenes were deleted that weren’t at all suitable for teens. For YA readers, we felt the heart of the story and its message were the most important so we made sure those stayed intact.

Your literary works focus on addiction, what inspired you to write about addiction and how has the response been to the topic?
The response has been tremendous. So many recovered addicts, family members of addicts, men and women affected by addiction, have reached out to me. They’ve shared their thoughts on the books, their personal experiences, their struggles and pain. I’ve been affected by addiction, too. I understand, I’m an advocate for recovery.

Do you have any weird writing habits (such as needed to have a Diet Coke, only being able to write at night, etc)?
Music is a necessity. There’s usually a drink on my desk, but water, coffee, whatever, will work just fine.

How important are character names to your writing process? Do you need to know the names before you begin writing? Do you change characters names as you go?
Their traits and appearance are much more important than their names. Some names do immediately come to me and stick until publication. Others end up changing because they don’t fit the character’s personality or who they turn into by the end.

What is your current favorite TV show?
Scandal. I’m completely obsessed, and Olivia Pope is my idol. I’m equally enthralled with Homeland.

As a New Englander at heart what is the one thing you miss most about New England?
Fall is my favorite season and I really miss it. Florida goes straight from summer to winter and the leaves of our palms don’t exactly change colors. New England has a certain smell during the month of October that I absolutely love and when combined with a cute scarf, knee-high boots, a pumpkin latte, and football, everything just feels perfect.

Final question: of the main social media channels, where do you spend most of your time and how do you manage it?
I would say the majority of my time is spent on Facebook. Goodreads would come in second because I love to read as much as I love to write. I dedicate certain blocks of my day to social media and those scheduled times are when I take a break from writing. I can’t do both at the same time; I lose focus on the plot and the voice of my protagonist. If I’m not writing, social media is more than welcome to chime in at any time. 


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Seductive Shadows: Amazon  B&N

Seductive Secrecy: Amazon  B&N


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