Guest Author … please welcome 🖤 L.T. Marshall 🖤 (#thecarreroeffect)

Cast your mind back, if you will, and you may recall my enjoyment reading this novel. It is Book 1 in a series known as The Carrero Effect.

I even took the book to Portugal with me .. I needed to keep up with the story, Remember that post?

I invited the author, LT Marshall, to join me and answer some questions I devised after I finished the book, which left me a quivering wreck following months of chemistry build-up between the two main characters, an incredible sex scene when they finally allowed themselves to cross the threshold and much soul-searching on the part of Emma, following a traumatic past.

So engaged with the characters was I by the end, that the cliffhanger LT Marshall wrote for the end of Book 1 – with the two main characters heartbreakingly unable to even speak to each other – left me distraught (and you know how I love emotion in books, so this was a 5 star read for me).

L T Marshall has her own blog … have a look at this post she wrote last month about the Carrero Series.

Amazingly this busy busy author had time to squeeze in a visit to Ideas.Become.Words … how lucky are we??

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1. How long ago did you discover the Carrero brothers dwelling inside your mind, needing their story to be told?

I have had the story of Jake and Emma swimming around in there since about 2016. It was an idea which grew after watching a fifty shades movie randomly on TV one afternoon, while sick on the couch. And as I had never even read the books I was completely in love with the idea of a billionaire lifestyle, office setting and damaged character. I love a bit of glam, but I wanted a hero that made you want to love him. Not some damaged man who was in need of rescuing and had severe BDSM tendencies. I wanted men with hearts and women who were survivors.

2. Did they immediately arrive as brothers or was it originally one, followed by the need for a sibling?

I had the idea for Jake and as he was my main lead, Arrick was just a side character to give Jake more depth from the beginning, but never to take centre stage. He was always part of the plan and is in all three of the first books. Sibling love, someone looking up to him and show how important family was to him, Arrick was my Jake softener lol.

3. As an author do you write full or part time and what book number are you working on at present?

I work full time as an author now. Ever since the release of Carrero book four, as it enabled me to quit my other full-time commitments. I recently put my pen down on the sixth book in the series and now have to go through the editing process for release.

4. How long do you spend producing one from first word typed to publication day, on average?

I can write a full Carrero novel in a month and have it released too. I did that with the first four and have now pulled back to enjoy the process more that I have built up enough of a series. My latest book took a couple of months spread out, as I didn’t want to keep working at the speed I was in the beginning. I also now have an editor and formatter on my team so after this book , all my books will take a lot longer to come out.

5. Name two negatives and two positives about self-publishing.

Negatives – not having the marketing skills and back up of a publisher who can put your books out in front of new readers. I have to work extra hard to get my books out there. Learning as you go when it comes to the process of publishing.

Positives – being in control of everything and having no one set me deadlines, word count limits or argue over my cover choices. I love the full control aspect as it frees up my creativity. I excel when I am left to do things my way.

6. Why New York?

I have always had a weakness for New York and really want to go there one day. I just think it looks like a fabulous city, fast paced and so diverse. I love the accents and finding some Italian/ American mixed business men was not a far push in the city full of them.

7. You have a fan base (which I’m lucky enough to have been invited to join) and can I ask whether this side-line has added to the book sales success, or merely been a fun way for your readers to connect with you as author?

My fans love all the extras that go with my books – bonus books, merchandise and all the competitions and giveaways. It isn’t enough to make a business and I do it purely for the love of what I do and the love of my readers. I think my fans are awesome and they keep me writing with their sheer passion and energy. We had a team war a couple of weeks back between the brothers’ admirers and it reminded me how much my readers have been affected by my characters. I love all of it and don’t care if the merchandise and such never makes back its costings – it just feeds the love of Carrero all round.

8 . What genres do you read when you are not writing?

I am boring as heck. I stick with romance, contemp romance, chick lit and a bit of romantic comedy. I have touched on erotica a few times, but I prefer a lot of story and romance for my buck. I don’t really stray from those kinds of books often, although I did have to read some fantasy and supernatural books when researching my Cruden Tale project. (which will eventually appear!)

9. If you could take three people to a desert island for a month and survival effort would need to be mastered, who would they be and why?

I literally just answered something similar in another interview lol, so I don’t wasn’t to bore you with the same answers.

Okay – Bear Grylls for obvious reasons. That man could keep me alive with bugs and urine.

Jason Momoa, he’s a bit of an outdoor rough and ready guy – and it doesn’t hurt to have eye candy.

And yes, I know I am so sad, but my fiancée. He is another outdoorsy camping and survival type of dude. He is also a joiner who would build me a cabin and luxurious living out on an island for a month.

Between those three all I would need to do is look pretty lol.

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Wow. I am honoured you took time out of your busy schedule to come and see me here and explain some of the background to the Carrero series. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and can’t wait to read Book 2. Just the small matter of Stephen, Matsu and Sachi to seethrough first ⛩

Follow LTMarshall on her FB author page here 🖤