Friday, February 17, 2017

Q&A with Brenna Zinn, author of Unmasked Secrets




Available today is the romance novel Unmasked Secrets, book two in the Strip Club for Women series, by author Brenna Zinn.





The author has taken a few minutes out of her busy schedule for a Q&A about her newest novel. 




When did you become interested in storytelling?

I started as a child telling stories to my younger sister. I remember staying up late at night with her, weaving tales of princesses and fairies. Then, as I matured, my stories evolved to include other subjects. I worked as a training manager in a corporation for twenty years, and often created stories (situational scenarios) to include in part of my classes. In my thirties, I had a hysterectomy and was homebound for six weeks. To help pass the time, I started writing my first novel. I haven’t stopped writing since.

What was your first book/story published?

My first story published was a short story for True Romance Magazine called The Princess Dress. Turns out, the stories in the magazine aren’t exactly true. LOL. But I was so ticked seeing my story in print. I ended up writing several stories for the magazine before contracting with a publishing house.

What inspired you to write Unmasked Secrets?

Fifty Shades of Grey. I have friends who are deep into the BDSM lifestyle (I am not.) When Fifty Shades came out, I overheard many conversations about how the book wasn’t quite accurate. As someone who isn’t in the lifestyle, I wondered what it would be like for two characters who also know little about the lifestyle to dip a toe into that world. One character, my hero, would be a stripper whose stage name is The Dom. My heroine would read erotic books and trying a little BDSM might be something she really wants to do. But I also wanted to educate the readers, just a bit, on what the lifestyle is about. I had several of my friends give me guidance regarding that education. In the end, I think the lack of knowledge/experience of my hero/heroine and the education they receive, made Unmasked Secrets a fun, great read.

What character in Unmasked Secrets is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Hannah Armstrong is the most like me. She’s a high school principal (something I actually went to college and got a Master’s degree to do), and she’s a bit of a type-A personality. She’s organized, proficient, smart and determined – all traits that I identify with, though I’m not as organized as I used to be.

What is your favorite part in Unmasked Secrets?

Without doubt, the private lap dance scene. The hero, a stripper with the stage name The Dom, is really a high school Drama teacher working at the strip club over the summer to earn some extra money. The principal of his high school, the heroine, is at the strip club for her sister’s bachelorette party. She decides to get a private lap dance, as she’s drawn to the BDSM lifestyle, and The Dom is the closest she thinks she’ll get to that lifestyle. The hero is in disguise, which includes dying his blond hair, wearing brown contact lenses, donning a black mask and using a fake Scottish accent. He knows damn well who his “client” is in the private lap dance room, but she has no idea who he really is. All these elements come together in one very fun, very sexy scene.

What was the hardest part to write?

Honestly…the end. Deadlines come up and stories have to eventually end, but writing the final sentence in a book is always hard for me, especially with Unmasked Secrets. After spending several months with the characters in the story, letting them go is difficult. They’ve become a part of my world, even though the world is only in my head. Thank goodness there’s always the next story to write and new characters to get to know.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

I would love to try my hand at either being the owner of a small bar or an ice cream shop. I’ve actually given the ice cream shop quite a bit of thought. The name would be Crazy Cow Ice Cream. The tag line would be ‘Home of the Cow-a-bunga sundae that’s udderly delicious!’ Silly? Sure. But fun. And who doesn’t have a good time going out to get ice cream?

Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

I read every one I find and I do pay attention, though I try not to let them influence my writing. I’ve been very fortunate. The majority of my review are extremely kind. These reviews help sitting in my chairs for hours at a time worthwhile.

What well-known writers do you admire most?

Janet Evanovich and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. These ladies seem to love what they do and they have a sense of humor – both of these traits are easy to read in their books. Being likened to either author would be the greatest compliment I can imagine.

Do you have any other books/stories in the works?

I’m currently working on Trouble In Red Boots, which is an Iron Rods Strip Club for Women crossover book in Sable Hunter’s Hell Yeah! Kindle World. In this story, readers meet Tegen, the daughter of Lyle Truitt, the strip club’s half-crazy owner, who is going through a bit of a ‘what am I doing with my life’ crisis. The hero in the story is Chance, Lyle’s ranch hand, who has dreams of owning his own ranch. Lyle puts Chance in a pretty tough predicament, and Chance needs to make some life-changing decisions of his own. I’m really excited about this story, as I get to pull in some of Sable Hunter’s characters from her Hell Yeah! Series. It should be a fun, great read.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


 
About the Author: Brenna hails from the Lone Star state where she lives with her husband and four dogs, three of which are as big as long horns. She’s a fun-loving writer who likes nothing better than to explore while she travels (no planned excursions, please!), eat what others cook (it works out better for everyone that way), and avoid the gym whenever possible.

Her journey through life has taken her all over the United States, as well as many places throughout the world. Using her travel experience as a guide and peppering in interesting characters she’s met along the way, she loves nothing better than weaving tales of romance and leaving readers yearning for adventures of their own.

To find out more about Brenna, visit her website at: http://brennazinn.com/

You can follow Brenna on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

6 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for hosting me today. I hope your readers give Unmasked Secrets a try. This standalone story in the Iron Rods Strip Club Series is sure to please :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Let me know if you ever open that small bar; think I know the perfect bartender for the place...Willie B

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brenna is a new author to me and I'm looking forward to reading Unmasked Secrets.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am loving the book! I adored Iron Rods and been waiting for the second book!

    ReplyDelete

I adore reading reader feedback! I will, however, remove all spam and pointless comments.

Please take note that I have the right to delete comments from this site. Please only post constructive and respectful feedback.