Addy's Couch: Etta Stark #addyscouch

Etta: Thanks for inviting me over to the couch, Addy. I love how you’ve done the place up. Nice pictures.

Addy: Just for you dear. ** grins** I'm happy you came over!

Etta: I’m pleased to get the opportunity to talk about writers who have an influence on me.

As far as writing spanking romance goes, then the writer who has had the largest influence on me is Renee Rose, without a doubt. I don’t know exactly what fortuitous combination of words in the Amazon search bar caused her book, The Westerfield Affair to pop up but that was a life-changing moment. The spanking stuff I’d found before that wasn’t generally not very competently written and most of it wasn’t quite right for me either. It was too rushed, or too unkind and usually had no real plot to speak of. Reading The Westerfield Affair felt like someone had taken all my personal fantasies and made a book out of them. Not only were the spankings were hot, they were proper discipline spankings – it wasn’t just kinky sex games. But they weren’t too harsh. There was really romance behind the punishment. My Amazon account shows that after I bought the book, the next five books I purchased were all by Renee Rose. I was buying one every two days.

Addy: Yes! I think the first reviews I ever did were for Ms. Renee. Her stories literally opened my eyes and made me go, “Other people like this spanking thing???”

Etta: My account shows that over the next couple of months, I was discovering tons of great authors including Arabella Kingsley, Chula Stone, Sullivan Clarke, Loki Reynard, Annabel Joseph and Maren Smith.

Addy: ** nods** I completely agree. I've read most of them, and really enjoy their works.

Etta: And at some point towards the end of 2013, I was struck with the thought that, you know what, I bet I could have a go at writing a spanking romance., myself. My first book, His Lordship’s Apprentice came out in March this year.

Addy: It's so neat how that happens. Renee inspired me to go back and add spanking to a work in progress I already had going which later turned into, Becoming a Lady. Then I got really brave and started sharing the stories I had inside. Keep going!

Etta: I read all the time. I always have. I get a bit panicky if I find myself out of the house without a book. Even if I’m driving five minutes to get some milk. What if the car breaks down and the breakdown service takes hours to get to me? What then?

Addy: ** laughs and snorts** Getting an IPAD made a world of difference in reading!

Etta: In fact, back when I carried around actual books, I usually carried around two or three in case I finished one or wanted some kind of variety. It’s no wonder that I absolutely adore my Kindle. It’s like the Magic Porridge Pot. A never-ending supply of every book there is.

My favourite author of all time is Jane Austen. I put off reading Persuasion for years because I knew that once I had finished that one, I would have completed all of her books and there would be no new Jane Austen to read ever. Her books are amazing. Every word in Austen is perfectly placed. Every single character is exquisitely realised. Nothing big ever happens in Jane Austen’s world, no murder mysteries or pistol duels. It’s just people being people, beautifully told. I’m sure she’s the reason why historical romances have a disproportionate favouritism towards the Regency Period.

Addy: I love Jane Austen as well and sometimes I will go back and ponder what some of my favourite books would be like with more erotic/spanking elements.

Etta: My favourite author when I was a child was E Nesbit. I absolutely adored the Story of The Treasure Seekers in which a bunch of posh Victorian children fallen on hard-ish times determine to restore the family fortune. I spent several years wishing desperately that I could have lived in the Victorian/Edwardian eras. I’m sure Nesbitt wouldn’t exactly be flattered to know that she’s probably one of the reasons all my spanky romances have been set in the late nineteenth century. But she is anyway.

Addy: Totally! What are you reading now?

Etta: As for what I’m reading right now? I’m currently reading Sarah Water’s The Paying Guests which is great, if a little grim. I think I liked Sarah Waters best when she was doing her Victorian Lesbo Romps like Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet.

Addy: Oooh!

Etta: And I’m reading plenty of spanking erotic fiction of course. I loved Renee Rose’s last book Loose Morals (written under her other pen name of Darling Adams). I really enjoyed Annabel Joseph’s Training Lady Townsend which was the first of a new series with a second one coming out soon and April Hill’s Against the Wind which is a great swashbuckling romance set on the high seas.

Addy: All good picks! What about Corbin's Bend? It's such a unique series because of all of the different voices.

Etta: I’m also loving the new season of Corbin’s Bend. I have been a fan of Corbin’s Bend since the beginning and read every single Corbin’s Bend book pretty much as soon as each one came out. I am so excited to be part of it for Season 2. My book, East End Girl is coming out at the beginning of December.

Addy: I'm very excited for you! Tell me about your latest release.

Etta: My current latest release is Lord Westbrook’s Muse, a sweet, spanky romance sent in 1875 which tells the story of a stuffy English Lord who falls for a spirited and rebellious social reformer called Cass. There’s a passionate affair, some heartbreaking misunderstandings and of course, an awful lot of spanking. Because that’s what every good romance needs, I reckon.

Addy: I agree one-hundred percent. Every good romance could use one! Thank you so much for sitting on Addy's Couch! I hope you had a great time.

Etta: Thanks, Addy!

Be sure to check out Etta's blog here!

I have lots of guests coming over very soon including: Corinne, Rayanna, Mary Wehr for the month of November. If you would like to come over and hang out email me: Adaline Raine

I'll make up a nifty graphic and we can talk!

Love,

Addy