Welcome, DK! So, tell us what your upcoming book, Fairy Tale Lies, is about.

Greta and Jacob aren’t looking for love, but when they meet, their attraction is white hot, melting away all self-restraint.

Both times.

The first is a stormy spring afternoon, spent indulging in each other’s bodies. When they’re abruptly interrupted, they part ways convinced they’re nothing more than an erotic chapter in the other’s life.

However, when they cross paths again, Jacob isn’t willing to let Greta slip away this time. He wants to finish this story they started.

Ooh, what was your inspiration for this steamy story?

I’ve read and liked many billionaire romances. I enjoyed them because of the conflict and characters, even the power struggle and problems that arise when one person is wealthy, and the other is working-class. My thought was why does it always have to be the man, and why does the person with the less money have to feel inferior?  I wanted something a little different.

In “Fairy Tale Lies” I flipped it. The woman, Greta is from an extremely wealthy family, while Jacob’s background is much less affluent. However, he refuses to let Greta’s family and friends cut him down, to try to make him feel as though he’s lacking. He’s proud his father was a Detroit cop, and his mother was a librarian.

I LOVE that you reversed the typical gender tropes there, and I think you’re spot-on in that assessment. Well done! For a reader’s point of reference, what other works or authors would you compare your work to?

Hmm. The closest to a movie would be Grease. Greta is very proper, like Sandy, and Jacob is more abrasive, like Danny, though a bit nicer and more confident. They also have the whole opposites attract thing and the struggle to find common ground as feelings deepen.

I love Grease!

As for my writing, I love for it to be compared to Colleen Hoover and Christina Lauren. Hoover is the queen of making readers feel emotions to the bone and making them fall hard for her characters. Lauren is the master of romance and humor. I strove for this combination in all my books, including the first of my series, “Fairy Tale Lies.”

How do you relate to your main characters?

I’m like Jacob in the way that he is headstrong. When I decide to do something, no one and nothing will get in my way.

Greta avoids confrontation, absolutely abhors drama. I am the same and will steer clear of people who thrive on it.

Jacob and I are different in how we handle responsibility. He’s taken care of his brother and father when most men are still boys, hanging out at frat parties and barely able to care for themselves. As a result, he’s become a bit of a know-it-all. Me, on the other hand, I’m not the best at adulting and try to avoid it.

Greta has a tough time standing up to her family. She tries to please them, while also finding her way in life. Now, let me say, I don’t work at trying to displease my family, but when I’ve chosen the path I think is best for me, I take it, regardless of what others think, including my family. Guess that goes back to being headstrong.

It sounds like you know your characters very well! Did you ever run into any challenges writing them?

In this book, I found Greta more challenging to write than Jacob. She grew and became a strong woman, but it took a while for her to find her way.  At times I wanted to shake her, or sit down with her, and have a talk about standing up for one’s self.  Sitting back and watching her mature was at times, difficult.

In general, I always find when things are starting to go bad the hardest to write. I have this urge to curb the problem, make my characters see reason instead of letting the conflict and disaster build. Those two things are what make the story fun to read, but it battles with my pragmatic side.

I find the steamy scenes and dialogue are the most fun and easiest to write. I love the mix of emotions that come into play during the physical scenes. As for dialogue, listening to my characters talk is always fun, and it is also when the words seem to flow the most for me.

My favorite thing to write is dialogue and interpersonal relationships too. How long did it take you to write the book?

It is hard to say. This was the first book I wrote from beginning to end. Once it was written, I submitted to a few RWA [Romance Writers of America] contests and improved the story with the suggestions from the judges. Then I queried agents. When I signed on with Blue Ridge Literary Agency, we worked on edits. Then did the same with my publisher, Champagne Book Club. So there was a lot of stops and starts with this book. However, I’ve noticed with the two other books I’ve written after the first it takes about four months to write the first draft. If I then take in the edits and rewrites, its anywhere from six months to a year.

That sounds about right. So, who’s this book for?

“Fairy Tale Lies” is a contemporary romance. Heat level is hot, so adults only.  I hate to give an age because I read all across the board. YA, NA, Adult, all of it. I feel it’s all about the story, and age doesn’t matter.

With that being said, my books aren’t about first-time love. My characters have lived a little, so they’d probably attract readers living in similar situations, such as those in their late twenties and older.

Gotcha. When can we read it??

June 3rd.

Less than a month away! Congrats on your upcoming release. What are you most looking forward to when Fairy Tale Lies is out?

Sharing my story! I adore Greta and Jacob and can’t wait for others to fall for them.

Is there anything you’re nervous about?

Getting up in front of people and talking about my books. It’s easy to write, so much harder to talk about what I’ve written. Also, there’s the fear that my stories won’t reach people and will sit unread.

What’s next for you?

“Fairy Tale Lies” is the first book in the Opposite Attract series. They are all stand-alones, but the characters know each other and most are friends. I’m at different stages with each one. My goal is to meet all my deadlines and get them to my readers.

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You can also check out C.K. Brooke by going to her website or checking out her Twitter