Smexy Books

Romance and Urban Fantasy Reviews

  • Review Request
  • Contact
    • Smexy Reviewers Profiles
    • New Reviewer Application
    • Contact
  • Advertising
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • By Genre
      • BDSM
      • Contemporary
      • Erotic
      • Fantasy
      • F/F
      • Historical Romance
      • Historical PNR
      • LGBTQ+
      • M/M Romance
      • New Adult
      • Urban Fantasy
      • Paranormal Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Romantic Suspense
      • Young Adult
    • By Letter Grade Rating
      • A Reviews
      • B Reviews
      • C Reviews
      • D Reviews
      • DNF Reviews
  • Features
    • New Releases
    • Smexy Deals!
    • Retro Review
    • Weekly Wrap-Up
    • Blog Tour
    • Scenic Sunday
    • To Be Read
    • Guest Post
    • Top Ten/Happy Friday
    • Smex Scene Sunday
  • The Psy/Changeling Channel
You are here: Home / Discussion / A Chat with Cara McKenna and a Giveaway!

A Chat with Cara McKenna and a Giveaway!

August 5, 2014 by Mandi 34 Comments

Earlier today I reviewed Lay it Down, the start of Cara McKenna’s new series. Now she is here to chat a little more about it!

Lay it Down kicks off your brand new Desert Dogs series. I have to say I’m quite familiar with your work and this book has a bit of a different feel to it. With multiple characters and an intriguing world that leaves a lot left to explore, this seems like a bigger, more intentional series than what you’ve done in the past. Tell us about the inspiration not only for this book but this desert setting.

It’s such a dry answer! Basically, Penguin was grooming me for a mass market series opportunity, and to say I wanted this very much is like saying the 2014 French national football team is slightly bang-able. Now, while I’m not a complete nobody at this point in my career, my name doesn’t come with a massive built-in fandom attached. (Quality over quantity, people, and my readers are smart and foxy as all get out.) So, Penguin wanted to make sure that my series stood a good chance at succeeding, at that meant picking a subgenre with steam behind it—something that new readers would pick up, regardless of whether they’d heard of me or not. They laid out a few choices, and since I enjoy writing about roughnecks living in broken-down towns, I went with motorcycle club romance. (Though to call the Desert Dogs a “club” is a stretch—they’re more a group of childhood friends who ride and work on bikes in their spare time. They get slightly more organized in book two. Slightly.)

 

layitdown

The romance between Vince and Kim in Lay it Down is super sexy and fun. But what I liked even more is the entire cast of characters you introduce us to. From Vince’s brother Casey who made me laugh out loud more than once, to the bartender Raina who can probably kick everyone’s ass in town, and the prim and proper Duncan, who may intrigue me most of all. Give us some insight into writing these characters.

I don’t normally write the sorts of series that have a new couple in each book (aside from the MMA stories I wrote for Harlequin Blaze as Meg Maguire), but when I was told this was the direction my publisher wanted to go with me, I was all a-tingle. The book series and TV shows and movie franchises I’ve most enjoyed in the past few years almost always feature a large, eclectic, conflicting cast—think BDB, Lost, Firefly, the new X-Men reboots, Battlestar Galactica, True Blood, even competition-based reality shows like Project Runway. I adore watching people, made-up or otherwise, interacting in a big, dynamic jumble, fostering alliances and grudges, supporting or undermining each other, forming combustible lust-quadrangles and so forth. So I love that stuff, though wasn’t yet sure if I was capable of pulling it off, myself. But of course I wasn’t about to pass on a chance to find out.

Because the series was pitched as four books, and the whole thing needed an overarching plot in addition to those of the individual stories, I had to nail a load of shit down before I could begin writing. (I normally don’t plot. Normally I just think, “Oh hey, I’mma write me a book about a convicted felon hero / kinky alcoholic hermit / mentally ill male prostitute.” And then I write it, having no idea where it’ll end up going, but trusting it’ll most likely be publishable.) So this was a whole new beast to slay. I was deeply intimidated by the plotting aspects, and those do take a lot of work, but the characters just showed up right out of the gate, like I’d invited them over. (The town materialized nearly as easily.)

Character-wise, I had to start with Vince, the hero of Lay It Down. Of everyone, he most embodies Fortuity, Nevada, and typified what I thought readers would be hoping for when they picked up a book with such a butch-ass cover. From there, it was all about contrasts—despite being a cocky prick, Vince is also deeply loyal and surprisingly giving (even if he’s loathe to admit it), so in contrast, his younger brother, Casey, is a flighty, self-serving scam artist. The heroine, Kim, is sensible and measured, to Vince’s pushy bluster. Similarly, his best friend Miah (Jeremiah) is hard-working and steady and law-abiding, to balance Vince’s brash over-the-topness. And Vince and Duncan have nothing in common aside from their height and their self-importance—in their words, Vince thinks Duncan is “a creepy motherfucker,” while Duncan thinks Vince is “a feral goon.” Of all the characters, Raina and Vince are the most similar. If there was only one pair of pants up for grabs in Fortuity, they would destroy each other in the fight to wear them.

The next book (yes, I’m ready for the next book now!) features Duncan and Raina. Their set-up in Lay it Down gave me the good shivers. I can’t wait to see how these two match up against each other. Any hints?

Yeah, they’ve got to be the two most mismatched characters of all. Duncan and Raina—and I think I may be paraphrasing Raina—have nothing in common at all except for the fact that they desperately want to fuck each other. (He’s an attorney and the public face of the development conglomerate that’s bringing a controversial resort casino to sleepy Fortuity, whereas Raina owns the town’s dive bar.) Duncan mentally refers to Raina as his “bar wench” when they first meet, and Raina in turn thinks he’s a fussy prick (which he is.) Neither of them respects the other, at first. But here’s a little taste of Duncan’s evolving feelings as Give It All opens, and he’s beginning to find Raina’s rough edges more intriguing than distasteful:

“She was probably thirty-one or -two to Duncan’s thirty-eight, yet in some ways she made him feel hopelessly childish. She’d probably shot a gun, probably ridden her share of horses, taken dares, placed bets, crashed a car, fucked more people than Duncan ever would, and with far more abandon. She made him want things he’d never given much thought to. Noisy, messy sex; nails raking his back. Instincts he didn’t trust any more than he trusted his newfound two-drink minimum.”

While Duncan’s no innocent, he loses a dozen little quasi-virginities to Raina, throughout the course of the book. It’s called Give It All, but could easily be subtitled, The Dismantling of Duncan Welch. I adore Duncan. He wears three-thousand-dollar bespoke wool suits in the summer, in Nevada, and talks “like a robot butler,” to quote Raina. He’s outwardly perfect in many ways, but he also abuses his prescription medication, and flosses his teeth so aggressively he makes his gums bleed. He’s a hot mess hiding behind silk pocket squares.

After Duncan and Raina have their turn, Casey’s book is next. It’s tentatively titled Burn It Up, and I don’t think I’m giving much away by saying it will feature a lot of cussing. Miah’s book will be the fourth and likely final one, not yet titled. Though the series is somehow wildly popular and lucrative, I will go bonkers with power and demand that Penguin let me write one about John Dancer. Because nothing says “romance hero” like a drifter who lives in a van down by the river.

Find out more: Goodreads l Cara’s Website l Amazon

Thanks Cara! I’ll gift a copy of Lay it Down to two random commenters – I’ll pick winners tomorrow.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • More
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Filed Under: Discussion

Comments

  1. LoriK says

    August 5, 2014 at 12:43 pm

    I’ve really enjoyed Cara’s other work and I’m looking forward to this series.

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. Sherry H says

    August 5, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    Great interview. I can’t wait to read this series. I love a cast of well-developed characters.

    Loading...
    Reply
  3. susan says

    August 5, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    I have only read Unbound, but Cara’s other books are in my (giant) TBR pile. Would love to read this book.

    Loading...
    Reply
  4. kp says

    August 5, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    can’t wait to read this book! Great interview!

    Loading...
    Reply
  5. Justine says

    August 5, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    Cara McKenna is one of the few authors who can get me to read outside of my comfort sub-genres.

    Loading...
    Reply
  6. Elaine says

    August 5, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    For some reason I thought this book was coming out on the 19th – no idea where I got that idea. Imagine my joy when I learned it was out today! It’s like Christmas minus the waiting (and all the other gifts). :)

    Loading...
    Reply
  7. Kelli says

    August 5, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    I’m totally buying this book. The previous books I’ve read from Cara McKenna have been awesome!

    Loading...
    Reply
  8. Erica H says

    August 5, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    I am so on board with this series!

    Loading...
    Reply
  9. Maureen says

    August 5, 2014 at 5:02 pm

    I’ve read a couple of Cara’s previous stories and I like them because they are about everyday people who are not perfect. This story sounds different since she is doing a series with a whole big cast of people.

    Loading...
    Reply
  10. Deb says

    August 5, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    Love Cara’s work and was excited to see Lay It Down was released today!

    Loading...
    Reply
  11. Mollie W says

    August 5, 2014 at 5:22 pm

    I have read Cara’s other books & I loved them!
    Cannot wait to read this one! Thanks for the giveaway!!

    Loading...
    Reply
  12. myra c says

    August 5, 2014 at 5:55 pm

    Great interview! I have never read any of Cara’s books but this book sounds interesting and will have to check out her other books. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Loading...
    Reply
  13. Paula says

    August 5, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Hi Mandi and Cara, this series sounds fun. I really enjoy books with a strong cast of characters. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Loading...
    Reply
  14. Rebe says

    August 5, 2014 at 7:23 pm

    Ooo, this sounds great! How interesting that the publisher wanted to groom her for MMP. Good luck!

    Loading...
    Reply
  15. Stephanie F. says

    August 5, 2014 at 7:44 pm

    Wonderful post. Love Cara’s writing and am really excited for this new series. Sounds fantastic, love MC series, especially they feature a strong salt of characters.

    Loading...
    Reply
  16. Melanie Simmons (@mlsimmons) says

    August 5, 2014 at 7:54 pm

    I haven’t read one of Cara’s books yet, but I plan to soon. Great interview and review.

    Loading...
    Reply
  17. bn100 says

    August 5, 2014 at 8:21 pm

    nice interview

    Loading...
    Reply
  18. ML says

    August 5, 2014 at 8:46 pm

    Cara McKenna entered goddess territory for me with After Hours, which is one of the best books I’ve read over the past year. So I’m curious and hopeful to see how she does with a mass market series.

    And please–a drifter hero living in a van by the river? Sold!

    Loading...
    Reply
  19. TerryS says

    August 5, 2014 at 8:46 pm

    I absolutely loved After Hours. I was really stoked when I heard about this series.

    Loading...
    Reply
  20. Kris says

    August 5, 2014 at 8:47 pm

    Great interview. Look forward to the series.

    Loading...
    Reply
  21. Martha lawson says

    August 5, 2014 at 8:55 pm

    This sounds like an awesome book!! Can’t wait to read it.

    mlawson17 at Hotmail dot com

    Loading...
    Reply
  22. JTReader says

    August 5, 2014 at 9:21 pm

    I’ll read anything by Cara/Meg.

    Loading...
    Reply
  23. Jill says

    August 5, 2014 at 9:23 pm

    Sounds fun, count me in!

    Loading...
    Reply
  24. Nicole1000 says

    August 5, 2014 at 10:00 pm

    I am really looking forward to this book. I have loved her last three books (especially unbound). Book 2 sounds fun!

    Loading...
    Reply
  25. Kim says

    August 5, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    I haven’t read her last one before this (the felon), but I’ve read lots of her other books, including the Meg ones. This one looks really interesting. I’m always slightly unsure if I’ll enjoy her books based on description alone, but I’ve come to trust that I’ll love them in the end.

    Loading...
    Reply
  26. mariska says

    August 5, 2014 at 10:56 pm

    i haven’t read any of her books. it sounds a great start for me :)

    Loading...
    Reply
  27. Kimh says

    August 6, 2014 at 12:41 am

    Have not read cara books, but love hot bikers who, thanks

    Loading...
    Reply
  28. Little Lamb Lost says

    August 6, 2014 at 4:10 am

    The series sounds wonderful. The review of the book intrigued me, love the cover and must say didn’t know Cara McKenna had written as Meg Maguire.

    Loading...
    Reply
  29. Steph M says

    August 6, 2014 at 9:37 am

    I can’t wait to read this book!

    Loading...
    Reply
  30. Chris Bails says

    August 6, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    I think I just found a new series to read. I would love to win. I love motorcycles and love motorcycle stories and their crews.

    Loading...
    Reply
  31. Cynthia says

    August 6, 2014 at 5:56 pm

    A book with bikers in it? So great! It’s my latest reading obsession.

    Loading...
    Reply
  32. Elena says

    August 6, 2014 at 11:11 pm

    I loved “After Hours” and am just waiting for some free time before I buy “Hard Time” and abandon my family for a couple days to read it. :) I would *love* to win a copy of this book.

    Loading...
    Reply
  33. Kareni says

    August 7, 2014 at 1:07 am

    What a fun interview to read! And Lay it Down certainly sounds appealing.

    Loading...
    Reply
  34. JenM says

    August 8, 2014 at 12:57 am

    As always, Cara always comes up with great characters to read about. Looking forward to checking this series out.

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to Smexy! If you are reader feel free to use our search feature to find a specific book or browse through our features to find Smexy Deals, New Releases, and book news!

As an Amazon Associate, we do earn from qualifying purchases. We also earn a small commission on affiliate links to Apple, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords,  Booksamillion, and Bookshop,org.

 

Shop our Affiliates!

Amazon

B&N

Apple

Smashwords

Booksamillion

Angela

Melanie

Jen

Kate

Iby

Kate H.

Sign Up for Daily Emails


Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on Instagram

Top Posts & Pages

  • Sunday Smexy Deals!
    Sunday Smexy Deals!
  • Smexy’s Top Ten Favorite Sex Scenes of 2012
    Smexy’s Top Ten Favorite Sex Scenes of 2012
  • Review: Manacled by SenLinYu
    Review: Manacled by SenLinYu
  • Review: The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
    Review: The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
  • New Releases- Week of May 26-30, 2025
    New Releases- Week of May 26-30, 2025
  • Review: The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
    Review: The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
  • Smex Scene Sunday
    Smex Scene Sunday
  • Review: Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt
    Review: Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt
  • Cover Reveal- Make the Play by Kaylee Ryan
    Cover Reveal- Make the Play by Kaylee Ryan
  • Smexy Deals- Deals for books by B.K. Borison, Tessa Bailey, Caitlin Rozakis, and more!
    Smexy Deals- Deals for books by B.K. Borison, Tessa Bailey, Caitlin Rozakis, and more!

Disclosure

The majority of the books reviewed at this site have been provided for free by publishers, authors, or other third parties like NetGalley or Edelweiss. Acceptance of a free copy does not guarantee a review or a positive review.

As an Amazon Associate, we do earn from qualifying purchases. We also earn a small commission on affiliate links to Apple, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Booksamillion.

Shop our Affiliates!

Amazon

B&N

Apple

Smashwords

Booksamillion

 

Find Our Reviewers

Angela @fv-angela.bsky.social l Goodreads

Melanie @melonreads.bsky.social l  Goodreads

Jen .@thebooknista l Goodreads

Kate  @kateminasian l Goodreads

Iby Instagram l Goodreads

Kate H. @Naranjadia l Goodreads

Copyright © 2025 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d