Author Interview - Fay Bec

Fay Bec grew up in Massachusetts and moved around before making Florida her home. She is married and has four little ones she couldn’t live without. Fay wasn’t the biggest reader growing up, but she always wanted to become a writer. She finally took the chance in 2022 and put her heart into her debut novel. When she isn’t writing, she’s raising her babes, lost in a tv show, or drawing. She believes Villains do it better, and there is no convincing her otherwise. Keep an eye out because she is just getting started!

Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy/Romance

 Q&A

Q1: What is the name of your latest book and what is it about?

Hidden Beneath the Embers is about a 25-year-old woman named Davyna, who was adopted at a young age and didn’t learn of it until she was a teenager when her “father” died. Her adoptive mother kept her from living her life, convincing her to sign a contract that held her captive. But that alone doesn’t stop our girl! She pushes the limits and starts learning who she is…and where she comes from. And along the way has to figure out who she can trust because it seems everyone has a hidden secret.

This book has some dark themes, so please check the trigger first on my website or Amazon. But we have Fae, supernatural creatures, curses, and more within the pages of this story.

Hidden Beneath the Embers is Book One in the Dark Curse series. Seeking Beyond the Flames (Book 2) is already in the works, and you don’t want to miss this one…a lot will happen!

Q2: You are currently re-releasing your debut novel, Hidden Beneath the Embers. What is the process involved in creating a second edition of your book? What kind of changes can your readers expect?

Oh, man. There was a lot to this process, and I won’t lie; I was surprised at almost every turn. Initially, I planned on updating the files, but I learned I couldn’t since more than 10% of the book had changed. I added over 27k words to the book and decided to redo the formatting, along with the cover. So, she got an entire makeover! The process of doing a second edition depends on what you are doing to the book. And since I did just about everything I could…it was a lot of work, but I don’t regret a second of it. I had a fantastic team working with me on this. And would like to personally thank Ali, Ashely, Alex, Annie, Susan, and Thea for all their help!

Something else to be aware of when it comes to second editions: you will have to unpublish the books (all formats) and buy new ISBNs to attach to the second edition before re-uploading them. If anyone has any questions about it I’d be happy to help share more behind the scenes and my experience.

But I am thrilled with the updates and feel there is way more depth now that was missing. Readers who read the first edition won’t miss much if they never go back. The plot stood the same, and I did that because I didn’t want it to become an entirely new book. But they will find some scenes were removed, new ones were added, and a brand new spicy bonus chapter! Overall, it’s just more detailed and has a better flow. My goal ultimately was to help the story shine brighter and help the reader connect more emotionally with Davyna and the other characters.

Q3: What is your favourite type of character to write?

Well, I love writing the main character overcoming trials and heartache. There is hope in their stories for the readers and myself. And I love that, but… The villains. I get to pull the dark parts of these characters to the surface, and they are completely unashamed of the evil they bring to the table. And it just makes the story. You can’t have a main character overcome anything without a badass villain trying to tear them down.

Q4: Do you mine your own life for ideas, settings and/or characters? If so, please give an example from your current book release where you have done this.

Yes, absolutely. Davyna got a lot of my trials and past woven into her character. And it was tough to write at times but also very freeing. There were also two other characters in my book that got a mix of someone in my life, which left me pretty broken, and they added to Davyna’s pain and doubts. I think we all pull from our own life in certain scenes when writing because it’s what we know. But when we are writing, we have the opportunity to rewrite the outcome. And that gave me some closure that I didn’t realize I still needed after all these years.

Q5: What is something you wish you had known earlier on it your writing career?

I could have made my first book more cost-effective. I put a lot of money into my first book, and even with all that, I still needed to come back and make adjustments. I’ve learned that it’s good to shop around, speak with different people, and form a budget for each book. Because if you plan on publishing more books, you can save or use your royalties on the next one. Another thing I think that I’ve learned is it takes time to learn your voice in writing. And after finishing the first draft of my second book (which is in editing now), I knew I wanted Hidden to reflect more of my voice and match what the series will develop into.

Q6: What do you do when you find yourself in a bit of a writing rut? Is there any strategy you find works for you to help the words start flowing again? 

So, if I find myself in a rut or I’m blocked I will typically walk away from it and try to clear my head. Or look at what I wrote and try to work out why I feel something is missing. I can’t remember the author who said this now, but I struggled with the plot when I was writing my second book. And a friend told me what she said. Which was along the lines of if you are blocked, it’s probably something in your plot that isn’t working. And honestly, I found that to be true. I was able to go back and look at the book and see it needed more chapters in the beginning, and one scene needed to be moved further out. After that, I started breezing through the plot again, which made a world of difference in that book. Also, tonnes of music that fit the theme of your book! That always gets me in the mood to write.

Q7: What is your favourite writing resource?

I’m kind of obsessed with writer books right now, like The Writer’s Guide to Character Emotions or The Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma. They have so many on Amazon, and I plan on collecting more. They give me ideas of different things to use in my writing, along with watching authors on YouTube. That actually helped me a lot in the beginning with Hidden.

Q8: How would you describe your book’s ideal reader?

Well, definitely adults since I write smut and some triggering topics. But also people who love a sarcastic, morally grey character. Lots of magic and supernatural creatures. One bed trope, enemies to lovers, found family… People who want a fun twist on the lore of Fae. And who maybe liked Cinderella growing up and wants to see how its ties into the book. (Wink, wink)

Q9: What authors or books inspire you the most?

I feel like I’m inspired by so many authors out here. But being an Indie author and seeing others publishing is just an inspiration to keep going. To keep learning and creating my own stories to share with the world. So, here are some of my friends I admire and love their work so much! Ali Stuebbe, N.J. weeks, C.L. Menegon, and Shay Ruby.

Q10: What are you currently reading?

I’m actually about to start Gothikana by Runyx which I’ve heard amazing things about. So, I can’t wait!

To find out more about Fay Bec check out her website or give her a follow on Instagram @faybecbooks. The second edition of Hidden Beneath the Embers is available now in paperback, ebook and on Kindle Unlimited. From the blurb:

Hide-and-seek was a game Davyna loved playing as a child because she always won. But after the death of her adopted father, the game became her life’s mission to seek a blood relative to set her free from the cursed deal she made.

When every lead turns up empty, Davyna is forced to seek help from the creatures that hide in the dark.

And when her fairytale dream for her life goes up in flames, Davyna finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew as one secret after another is revealed. As darkness surrounds her, she wonders if there is any chance of waking from this nightmare.

With the help of new allies, will she find her way back to the light, or fall deeper into hell?What started as a quest for her freedom quickly turns into a fight for her life as Davyna navigates loss, lust, and love. But more importantly, as she seeks answers to who- or what- she is.

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