Bookish Lifestyle: Interview + Giveaway with A.D. Robertson, author of Captive

Today I have the enormous pleasure of welcoming author A.D. Robertson (a.k.a. Andrea Cremer) to the blog. A.D. is here to talk about her recently released fantasy romance/erotica, Captive.

When I first heard about Captive I just knew I had to get my hands on it. Never mind that I don't usually read erotica, or even romance novels, but guys - this is a book set in our beloved Nightshade world! A book that explores what Andrea Cremer could not explore in her YA novels - the forbidden side of Nightshade! It's hot, steamy and gorgeously written - how could I possibly say no to that?!

The best part?! You can enter to win a finished copy of Captive on Bookish today! So enjoy the interview and make sure to scroll all the way down to enter the giveaway!

Hi A.D! It's a great pleasure to have you stopping by the blog today! Huge congratulations on your latest release, Captive! Could you tell us a little bit about the plot?

Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.

But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.

Captive is your first-ever adult companion book set in the beloved world of Nightshade and I have to say I can't wait to explore "The Forbidden Side of Nightshade" myself. What were the challenges in bringing this story to life? Was writing an adult novel any easier or harder than writing YA?

I don’t find writing romance more difficult than writing YA – it’s more about examining different kinds of desire that correspond with different life stages. In YA the romance is about discovery and first experiences. Erotic romance focuses on romance that’s grounded in adulthood, not necessarily sexual experience – that just depends on the story – but the characters have greater certitude about who they are and what they want and generally they have the ability to exert more power over their lives, something that comes with adulthood. As for surprises, ummmm, well I was surprised at how physically exhausting writing erotica is. I had to take more breaks than I’m used to when I’m drafting a novel.

Can you share with us a few of your favorite (and preferably steamy) quotes from Captive?

Most would be spoilers, so I'll just offer one

"That would also offer a surprising turn in the narrative," Tristan said. He slowly pulled away to sit beside her, though he kept his hand curved along her neck, his palm pressed against the pulse at her throat. "What would you prefer: sex or violence?"

"Are those the only two options?" Sarah asked with a nervous laugh.

"In the story you've set up, it seems so."

What was the book that most influenced your life - and why?

Tough question! So many books have shaped my life, but I think the book that had the most influence is Marion Zimmer Bradley's THE MISTS OF AVALON. This novel is a retelling of Arthurian legend from the perspective of Morgan le Fay. It taught me that historical narratives are driven by point-of-view, where Morgan le Fay is cast as the villain in most tales of Camelot, in Zimmer Bradley's novel she is the heroine. This novel and others by Marion Zimmer Bradley showed me how compelling strong female characters are to me as a reader and a writer. She also taught me that the blending of history and fantasy creates my favorite kind of story.

What books are on your Fall/Winter To Be Read pile?

So many!!! A few I've been lucky to get early copies of: Amy Sackville's ORKNEY, David Levithan's TWO BOYS KISSING, Kat Falls' INHUMAN, Jon Skovron's MAN MADE BOY, Marie Lu's CHAMPION, Stephen King's DOCTOR SLEEP, Christine Feehan's DARK WOLF, George R. R. Martin's A DANCE WITH DRAGONS and a lot of 18th and 19th century American history for a current book project.

Fill in the blanks:

1) If I was magically transported back in time to the Dark Ages, I'd... become a nun (seriously) because aside from nobility, which as a time-traveler I doubt I'd get to be royalty, they were among the few women who had access to education and convents provided at least a little more shelter from the violence of the outside world. Those were rough times.

2) I'm a pro at... cloud-gazing.

3) I'm addicted to... Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

4) I'm scared of...rocodiles and overlarge insects.

5) The last book I faked reading was... honestly, I try not to lie about what I have and haven't read and own up to the gaps in my personal library. There are so many books and we all have different tastes in literature. I'm not a fan of what I consider to be book snobbery, or the shaming about what was hasn't read and conversely what one has read.

Last question: I'm super curious and I'm sure your fans are all wondering about it too: are you working on a new book now? If so, when can we expect it? Can you share some juicy details to keep our appetites going?

I'm in the middle of several projects! The first is a companion novel to CAPTIVE. This erotic romance follows the story of Corrine (a Searcher) and Monroe (a Guardian) and the passion that develops between them as they attempt to foment a revolution. This book will be published in summer 2014.

On the YA front I have a new series that will be in stores April 17, 2014. The first book is called THE INVENTOR'S SECRET and is a steampunk/alternate history set in a 19th century North America where the War of Independence failed and a mechanized British empire is overtaking the continent.

After that another novel in the Forbidden Nightshade series and a follow-up to SHADOWVINE (December 2013).