Hello Deatri and Curtis (aka L. L.)  and welcome to APOOO. 

In 140 words or less, tell us a little about yourself? I’m two multi-published, award winnings authors who came together to write the dangerously-sexy Black Widow and the Sandman suspense series. Readers know us as women’s fiction and romance author Deatri King-Bey and erotic fiction author Curtis L. Alcutt. We chose to write under a pseudonym since this series is under a genre neither of us is known for. 

In 140 words or less, tell us why  Black Widow and the Sandman, would make a great addition to our personal library. We’ve heard from several readers that they love the strong, black, imperfect anti-heroes. The balance between suspense and sensuality is also a twist I’m told we pulled off nicely. We also hear, “This should be a movie,” quite a bit and “When is the next one coming out.” 

Why did you decide to write Black Widow and the Sandman–how did you come up with the theme/subject matter? Curtis and I were IMing each other one evening when we began creating the characters organically. We both loved Jeanette (Black Widow) and Roman (Sandman) so much that we decided to team up to write a series.

 What do you think makes Black Widow and the Sandman Reaper different from other books on the same topic in the marketplace? Black Widow and the Sandman isn’t your everyday suspense. Yes there is the usual intrigue and danger, but we also go much deeper than the Sandman being a former military sniper and the Black Widow being a scientific nerd. You get to see these imperfect people fight their demons as they fight against the clock—and attraction to each other—to save us from nuclear war.

 Have many other books have you written? Please share with us all titles and let us know which books readers continue to send you comments regarding.

Between Curtis and myself, we’ve written quite a few books.

Curtis Alcutt has some great erotic tales: Eyes of a Player, Bullets and Ballads, and his newest Zane Presents book that just dropped, Sins of a Siren. One of his short stories was also included in the Zane Presents anthology Caramel Flava. If you haven’t read his books, I highly suggest you check them out. He is good and I am not saying that because he’s my writing partner. Shoot, I wouldn’t have partnered with him if he couldn’t write.

 Deatri King-Bey: Caught Up, Beauty and the Beast, Ebony Angel, Whisper Something Sweet (winner of the 2008 Emma for Best Steamy Romance of the year), The Other Realm, Love’s Desire, Trapped In Paradise, Broken Promises, Diamond in the Rough, Picture Perfect, Tell Her How You Feel, and my only nonfiction title, Become A Successful Author. 

Readers continually contact me regarding Beauty and the Beast and Whisper Something Sweet. With Beauty and the Beast, the heroine is severely scared because of a brutal attack and the hero has bipolar disorder. Needless to say, they don’t fit the typical mold for romance (no matter what genre I write, my characters don’t fit the typical mold). I’ve been thanked numerous times for writing that book.

 Whisper Something Sweet deals with domestic violence, but I wrap it in a HOT romance. Don’t think it can be done? Read the book and tell me what you think.

 So many independent bookstores have gone out-of-business and even chains are no longer immune from bankruptcy as we recently witnessed with the closing of Borders. What impact do you believe this will have on your books? Finding venues to do signings is more difficult. There is only one bookstore near me (about 15 minutes away). Otherwise, I have to go on the other side of town (Phoenix). With the closing of bookstores, you have to get out there in other ways. Find other reader venues. Market differently. 

I noticed that Black Widow and the Sandman Reaper is self-published–what are some lessons you learned or experienced during the process? I started out in the publishing industry a decade ago as an editor at Third World Press Inc. The oldest African-American owned publishing house in the country. When I left there I freelanced for several fiction imprints for various publishing companies. I was also a marketing manager for a publishing company, so I know the business. We produced Black Widow and the Sandman just like any of the big six traditional publishers would. I hate to say there were no lessons learned, but we just followed a process I’d been using for years and applied it to our own book. 

Black Widow and the Sandman Reaper is also available for Kindle, an e-book reader. Why did you decide to pursue e-reader format? Would you use this format for future books? I believe all books should be in eBook formats and if they are long enough, print also. We are in an electronic age and to ignore that market will put you behind. Waaaay behind. 

Name three things that an author must do in order to stay competitive.

Produce a high-quality brand.

Know and understand the business.

Invest in your business. 

Share with us your next project? Curtis’s Sins of a Siren just dropped Oct. 18 and he is busy writing the sequel. We are also writing the second installment of Black Widow and the Sandman. And I am finishing up Santa’s Helper, a traditional romance I hope to have out by Christmas.

 If readers would like to learn more about you and your books, how can they reach you?

http://www.LLReaper.net

http://DeatriKingbey.com

http://www.BecomeASuccessfulAuthor.com

http://www.CurtisAlcutt.com

 Deatri/Curtis, thank you for spending time with APOOO and as always I wish both of you  many blessings with your literary endeavors. 

Thank you for allowing us to share a little of ourselves with you.

Related Posts

• The Stalker Chronicles by Electa Rome Parks
• Rededication by Armond Mosley
• Caliente Nights by Victoria Wells
• Twisted Obsession by Purity Dotson
• Picture Perfect by Deatri King-Bey