Books à la Mode | a book, beauty, and fashion blog: S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T

I'd like to welcome the stunning L. Marie Adeline to the blog today to celebrate the publication of her newest novel, S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Revealed from Broadway Books, a division of Random House. Stick around until the end for a fabulous giveaway that you don't want to miss!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Marie! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

The S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T erotica trilogy is published in more than 30 countries, and is a bestseller in many of them. They’re written by L. Marie Adeline, a pseudonym for Lisa Gabriele, who has also written Tempting Faith DiNapoli and the Almost Archer Sisters, both bestsellers. She also writes and produces for television and radio, and was the show runner on the Gemini and Screen award-winning CBC reality program, Dragons’ Den. Her essays and articles have appeared in several anthologies and in the New York Times Magazine, New York magazine, the Washington Post, Salon, Nerve, Glamour, Flare, Elle, and Chatelaine. She was the original Dear Diary columnist for Vice Magazine.

Readers, here's a bit about the scintillating series, the last installment of which hits shelves TODAY!

S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T (Book 1)

Cassie Robichaud’s life is filled with regret and loneliness after the sudden death of her husband. She waits tables at the rundown Café Rose in New Orleans, and every night she heads home to her solitary one-bedroom apartment. But when she discovers a notebook left behind by a mysterious woman at the café, Cassie’s world is forever changed.

The notebook’s stunningly explicit confessions shock and fascinate Cassie, and eventually lead her to S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T, an underground society dedicated to helping women realize their wildest, most intimate sexual fantasies.

Cassie soon immerses herself in an electrifying journey through a series of ten rapturous fantasies with gorgeous men who awaken and satisfy her like never before. As she is set free from her inhibitions, she discovers a new confidence that transforms her, giving her the courage to live passionately.

Equal parts enticing, liberating and emotionally powerful, S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T is a world where fantasy becomes reality.

S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Shared (Book 2)

Still wounded from a recent heartbreak, Cassie Robichaud throws herself into service with S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T, the mysterious organization that changed her life last year by bringing her deepest sexual fantasies to life, one step at a time.

Now, it’s Cassie’s turn to guide the group’s newest candidate, Dauphine Mason, recruiting men to execute a new set of fantasies. While it gets Cassie’s mind off Will, the man she truly loves, it also gives her the chance to help watch S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T work its magic on someone new.

At thirty-one, Dauphine is the proprietor of a New Orleans vintage clothing store—the kind of buttoned-up career woman who has no idea how attractive she really is. In order to reignite her sexual flame and reawaken her dormant heart, she must leave behind her bitter past.

As both Cassie and Dauphine navigate the rocky path between their hearts and their passions, they discover what they truly want in life and in love. S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Shared is a liberating, passionate and sexually charged sequel to one of the hottest new series in erotica.

S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Revealed (Book 3)

S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Revealed bares all—the final book in the hot bestselling series.

The only thing that Cassie Robichaud has ever really wanted is Will Foret, the love of her life. But when Will discovers that Cassie is part of S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T, an underground group devoted to helping women experience their deepest sexual fantasies, Will breaks it off. Heartbroken, Cassie dries her tears and devotes herself to helping the latest S.E.C.R.E.T. recruit, Solange Faraday. Cassie also reignites her relationship with sexy bad-boy Jesse, even if he can never love her as deeply as Will did.

Meanwhile, beautiful, brilliant Solange, a local news anchor and divorced mom, has a great career but a wilting love life. She rekindles long-lost passions, going deeper and hotter than any other S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T candidate before her. Will Solange find what her heart most desires? And when Will realizes he’s made a tragic mistake, will Cassie be able to forgive him? In the end, As both women blossom sexually as sexual beings, they also discover that ecstasy and true love is are closer than they ever imagined.

S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Revealed is the explosive, sensual and sexually-charged finale to the bestselling S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T trilogy.

Describe the S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T trilogy in six words.

Woman has sex, finds true love.

How did you arrive at writing erotic romance? Are there any other genres you’d like to try your hand at?

I’ve always written about women and sex, just rarely had I written women actually having sex. It wasn’t such a big leap, and it’s a lot of fun.

As a big fan of the Game of Thrones books, oh how I’d love to tackle a big, fat sprawling dystopian fantasy saga. But who has the time? Or George R.R. Martin’s brain?

That's what I ask myself every day! It's what's keeping me from writing the next "world's greatest novel" ;) Where did the inspiration for the book come from?

Truthfully, conversations with my single friends who say it’s really hard to find someone you trust, with whom you’d just like to have a little sex now and again. I imagined an organization dedicated to just that task. I threw in the love and romance for good measure.

As a huge fan of first lines, I’d love to hear the first line of S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Revealed. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

Had it been only a week? A week since I put on that black-and-white lace camisole with the matching panties? My ear pressed to the door, I listened to him take the steps in twos, forcing myself to count to five after he knocked lightly, trying so hard to appear a little less excited to see him than I actually felt. I only made it to three seconds and then whipped open the door.

This is Cassie looking back at the happier moments just before her breakup with Will. Who hasn’t done that? Replayed things over and over again, in an attempt to not only relive them, but to redo something to prevent the breakup? Poor thing. But happier times do await her.

That's definitely relatable, and a line that hooks me from the start! Tell us about your road to publication, such as how you first queried, unexpected challenges, and things you picked up along the way.

I published my first novel almost 12 years ago, Tempting Faith DiNapoli, and since then I’ve written and published four more novels, including this trilogy and three non-fiction books. But it’s difficult for me to give writing advice as I broke in stupidly easily. I wrote for a magazine called Vice, which grabbed the attention of an agent, who secured me a book deal before I wrote more than one chapter. And since then, I’ve had a smooth ride. For that, I am eternally grateful and ridiculously lucky. My timing has been really good, too. My career is a testament not just to talent but to luck and timing. So much of publishing is luck and timing, and no one can “learn” how to do that. I know a lot of great works probably will never see the light of day. That said, I write almost every day, and most of what I write is never published and isn’t meant to be... I write because I always have and always will, regardless of whether anyone reads what I write. It’s just how I am.

Are the characters from your books based off anyone you know in real life? If not, how much else of your actual life gets written into your stories?

I used to write more autobiographically, and thankfully I don’t really do that anymore. My life is very boring. It has to be to get the work done. There are always bits and pieces of me in every character—style, hair color, ways of speaking; most writers will admit to that. But none of them is based solely on me. It’s a natural process as you mature as a writer. You stopping looking inside yourself and you start to observe the wider world. Self-centeredness just kind of slips away, if you’re doing it right. And thank god for that because I would quickly run out of material.

Which character from S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Revealed was most difficult to write?

Cassie, hands down. Her meekness in the beginning rattled even me. And her slow and steady growth was really important to document carefully. She changes the most of all the characters. The other character I struggled with is Pierre who becomes increasingly dangerous as the books progress. But it was a great challenge.

She sounds like a very dynamic character. What do you consider your biggest strengths and weaknesses as an author?

Strengths: Discipline, focus, work ethic, and I love writing women; I think I’m pretty good at that...

Weaknesses: I tend to go for the funny, or the stylish—my ego gets in there, and I get in the way of the character. Luckily I have an amazing editor who keeps me in line.

Name the top five novels that have made the biggest impact on your life or on your writing.

Anagrams: Lorrie Moore
Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
The Liar’s Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (memoirs, not novels, but novelistically written)
All of Jean Rhys’s books (After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, in particular)
Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

What’s the greatest thing you ever learned?

It’s not personal.

Simple, but so, so valuable to keep in mind, always! How do you react to a negative or harsh review to your books?

God, they used to floor me. They just don’t anymore. Partly because—see previous answer—it’s not personal. And everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Listen, I have given out harsh book reviews, and looking back, I know I was sometimes just showing off, or I was probably in some ways jealous. I don’t review books anymore for that reason. It’s too hard to write books to turn around and criticize them anymore. Also, karma!

Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out what kind of kid Marie was in high school, her best writing AND personal advice, and the best comment she ever received about her books. We're also hosting a giveaway for a print set of the entire series at the end, so you don't want to miss that either!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Interview with L. Marie Adeline, Author of the S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T Trilogy + Giveaway! (US/Can only)