2nd Place Winner in the Historical Romance Category of the Romance Reads 2024

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Bio: Neverfakeit is a city girl raised in Las Vegas but set down roots in Florida, a mother, and a wife to a nerdy video game developer. She is a Watty winner, a Wattpad Originals writer, and an Wattpad Ambassador. She writes romance and its various subgenres, but romantasy is her favorite because sexy guys with wings are a turn on even if the covers are cliché.

Story title: Courtesan of War

Premise/Blurb: A 19th century London courtesan agrees to a phony courtship with a navy captain and finds herself negotiating uncharted territory outside the boudoir.

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The year is eighteen-thirteen. The place is London. Mistress Rosalind Hayes is a courtesan, raised in an orphan asylum and later tutored by one of the most respected courtesans of the time. Now, Rose caters to the whims of lusty nobles and businessmen, and she is determined to maintain her sovereignty.When Rose meets the Thompson siblings; Jules, a navy captain, and Alice, his spirited younger sister, the trio form an easy kinship. Rose learns they have recently lost their mother to smallpox, and she is persuaded by the siblings to pose as Jules's love interest in an attempt to bring their grief-stricken father out of a terrible depression. As luck would have it, Rose's genial manner helps to free the older man from his melancholy, but she also begins to feel things for the captain that threaten to topple her empire.

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What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired by the challenge of writing a story set in a historical timeframe. I'd long been intimidated by the amount of research a historical novel would require. So, I decided to make it easy on myself by choosing to set the story in London during the Regency era, which has spawned many popular historical novels.

What was the inspiration behind the main character and their love interest?

Another challenge I gave myself was to write a strong, independent female character living in a historical time and place when women had limited rights and opportunities. I put my female MC in the role of courtesan to nobles and the wealthy elite, which allows her to keep a staff and live well without a husband or inheritance.

As for her love interest, I didn't want this to be a case of a courtesan falling in love with her patron. That seemed too easy. Instead, I found her an unlikely suitor who is devoted to his military position and holds traditional viewpoints. To give them a fighting chance, they share similar family wounds, helping them to bridge the gap through empathy.

What sparked your interest in writing, and how did you end up writing on Wattpad?

I never imagined I would become an author. My interest in reading fiction didn't start until my thirties, when I picked up a copy of Sphere by Michael Crichton. And it wasn't until I started devouring the Harry Potter series that I had the urge to write my own fantasy story. As I grew more serious about my writing, I joined a local critique group and learned the noble art of taking criticism. I eventually longed for other beta readers, and that's when I discovered Wattpad. Since then, the incredible community of readers on the platform have kept me motivated with their comments and kind feedback.

Do you have a favorite scene in your story? If so, what makes it special to you?

I look for humor in the stories I read, and I try to incorporate humor into my stories as well. So, I'd have to say the pheasant hunting scene is my favorite. I introduce a young man here who is painfully shy and anxious, and he is taken aback by my female MC's beauty and bold manners. He has such difficulty around her, in fact, that he vomits on her boots.

How do you create and develop your characters? Do you base them on real people, or are they entirely fictional?

I consider myself a character driven storyteller, but I don't always create my characters first. I often like to build the world I want my characters to live in and make sure I have a good idea of the plot. When I start to craft my characters, I simply have conversations with them, and I put them into hypothetical situations they might face in their world. The more I get to know them; how they speak and act, the easier it is for me to tell the story through their lens. Of course, sometimes my characters surprise me and go off-script, which is fun too.

As for writing characters that are based on real people, my YA story Neon Girl (found on my @buzzmama profile), is loosely based on my life growing up in Las Vegas. The character of Papa is a reflection of my own dad, whom I had a very close relationship with right up until he retired to the great gig in the sky.

Do you have any favorite romance authors, on or off Wattpad, who inspired you to write romance stories? Feel free to name up to three people and some of your favorite stories they authored.

I have to admit, my favorite genre to read is fantasy. But there are many fantasy authors who do a great job of incorporating romance into their stories. I'm a fan of Holly Black, especially her Cruel Prince series. Whenever I read her work, I strive to improve my own writing. As far as authors of contemporary romance, an early influence for me was Sylvia Day and her Crossfire Saga. On Wattpad, I enjoy the works of @JoWatson_101 and @BrittanieCharmintine because both of these authors do a great job of incorporating humor into their stories.