I had the pleasure of chatting with author A. C. Arthur about some of the wonderful books she has created.

A. C. will be at Coastal Magic in February. Click here to learn more about her.

INTERVIEW

JENNIE: You write under two names and across a wide variety of genres. Do you approach writing in different genres differently, and if so, how do you switch between these distinct creative modes?

A. C.: I do and my family swears I have different personalities for each name. LOL My creative process, however, is basically the same for both writing personas—I read and write what I like. This makes it easier to stay in the headspace I need to be in for each name and genre I write in. So, when I’m writing as AC Arthur, I’m reading edgier contemporary romance, paranormal and romantic suspense and I’m watching shows with lots of mystery, crime procedurals are my favorites, ie. Criminal Minds.

When I’m writing as Lacey, I’m reading small town romance series (I LOVE a great small town series) and maybe some romcoms. I’m watching Hallmark movies or romcom movies. You’ve Got Mail is my favorite in this category.

JENNIE: Are there common themes or elements that you feel tie together your work, even across different genres or pen names?

A.C.: Yes, I’m always writing to reveal the bright side of situations. To bring the characters on a journey from places they thought were filled with insurmountable turmoil, to a place where they can embrace happiness in whatever form that takes for them.

JENNIE: Do you ever feel constrained by reader expectations based on one pen name or genre, and how do you balance writing for both artistic satisfaction and your audience’s preferences?

A. C.: I wouldn’t say constrained really because at heart, whichever story I’m writing is one that I would also enjoy reading. So, I tend to write what I think I would enjoy. Now, whether that will always meet reader expectations, I’m not sure. I begin each story knowing that some readers will like it and some may not, but I don’t get too hung up on trying to create something everyone will like. When I’m writing romance, I make sure to deliver the happily ever after and when I write women’s fiction, I make sure I’m mapping out the women’s journey as completely as possible. Those are the only expectations I strive to adhere to.

JENNIE: How does your experience working in the court system, which appears to be full of rules and restrictions to an outsider, influence your creative storytelling?

A. C.: There is endless inspiration via my day job, lol. Rules and restrictions may sound rigid, but the reality is they don’t always work the same for every situation. I think this concept is also present in my stories. Even though second chance romance is a familiar (and my favorite) trope, each second chance story I tell has different elements and takes different turns to get to the HEA.

JENNIE: Are there any real-life legal cases or courtroom experiences that have inspired storylines or characters in your books, and how do you blend that reality into your fictional worlds?

A.C.: While I cannot speak on any real cases, there have been elements of many of my experiences working in the legal system, incorporated into my stories. When I write romantic suspense, I am especially leaning on my legal experience to craft believable storylines.

JENNIE: Your next release is book 2 in The Corporation Series. Where did that idea come from, and was it influenced by Ridge’s story creation? 

A. C.: Many of my series (including the Donovan Dynasty which Ridge is a part of) feature billionaires so at one point I thought it only made sense to create their own pleasure playground. It began years ago, when one of my heroes visited the illustrious sex club known as The Corporation, in his city. There are clubs in all the major US cities and in international cities as well, so that made it easy to have visits from different characters across multiple series. Many of my readers loved those visits to the clubs so much that I decided to create a series for the club alone, so that it could become a prime focus in each book.

In Never Too Late, I wanted to write a story about two people deciding to walk their own paths, to put aside the rules and expectations they’d been taught and to dare to live the life of their dreams. Setting this story amidst the backdrop of the Corporation added another layer to Niko and Rowyn’s freedom to choose.