My guest at Author Spotlight today is the fabulous Ms. Charlotte E. Hart, an author of delicious kinky suspense, gin lover, traveler and connoisseur of the fine things in life, such as well-rounded sadists. She is an author of the White trilogy, a character-driven story, and definitely not the traditional billionaire erotic romance with a bit of BDSM. At the end of April, she released The Parlour, the beginning of her next series revolving around Pascal Van Der Braack and Alexander White. Who are they, you ask? Let the author herself tell you. Without further ado, Charlotte E. Hart.

Lilah: You were responsible for many cases of racing pulses and soaked panties when you brought Mr. White from the White Trilogy into the contemporary erotic scene. Now you’re back with another new epic work told from another favorite characters POV, Mr Van Der Braack. How does the VDB series compare to White, and what should your fans expect?

Charlotte: Why thank you very much. Yes, he did get a lot of attention. Seems everyone loved my Sadist, not as much as me, but then I’m the one he constantly talks at. I get ALL the naughty thoughts, as well as some more of his emotions, ones he’ll never show any of you.

Anyway, Pascal. What can I say about him? Naughty, gregarious, a law unto himself that even Alexander can’t control, mostly. I expect people will be slightly surprised by him as he comes into his own with his own POV. It’s been an interesting journey for me to say the least. There’s far more depth to him than anyone would have imagined, me included sometimes. He may be a master of his kink, but when you’ve done it all, where is there left to go?

The White Trilogy was full of money and lifestyle. This trilogy will be, is, more human. It delves deeper into the emotions of the journey for both Pascal and Lilah (bet you like that name), giving you some hints, and hopefully finalisations (if I ever get to the bottom of him) of why he is who he is. Also, for lovers of Alex and Beth, you’ll be pleased to know that they both feature in this trilogy too. Alex is more prevalent for varying reasons, but they are both such a large part of Pascal’s life now that I couldn’t write them out of this.

Lilah: Apart from Pascal you also introduce a new female lead. Was it difficult to switch from a well-established character such as Beth in the White trilogy?

Charlotte: No, thankfully. Beth (Elizabeth Scott) is nothing like me. So I found her difficult to write sometimes. She was always so happy, obliging. She’s a girl’s girl who loves life and believes there should always be a happy ending no matter how hard or arduous the journey. One of the very reasons she manages to stay with Alexander White in the first place, I should think.

Lilah is far more calculated and logical, and she’s been through a rough time. Far more like me in fact. So writing her has been a breeze in reality. I only have to think about what I might do with Mr Van Der Braack and I’ve very nearly got the same response as Lilah would have. She’s wonderfully interesting to write, and I’m loving her interaction with the pair of them. (Oops, did I give something away there? No, no I didn’t. *winks*)

Lilah: How should we expect this series to continue? And will they be the last from our beloved sadists?

Charlotte: I will never, NEVER abandon my sadists. I adore the pair of them. Besides, neither of them ever shut up anyway. I’m often found scanning the objects in the supermarket when one of them will come up with a new and interesting use for say, a can opener? It’s ridiculous. As if teaspoons weren’t enough to drive imaginations mad. But will there be any more? I’m not sure. A lot of people are calling for a book pre the White Trilogy, when it was just the two of them meeting and learning about each other. It would be a roll call of debauchery, I’m sure. Filthy in fact, and would give a hell of an intro to White and Van Der Braack, but it would have nothing to do with love. So, maybe one day, when I’m in the mood for a totally dark write with only sin involved, then yes, I’d love to do that. Some are also calling for Belle and Conner’s own book which would be utterly full of love, maybe loss too, but nothing really to do with kink. So again, if and when I’m ready for a romcom/romance, I might get around to that. In conclusion, they’ll probably all be back one day. Might even marry one of them off, if they’re feeling so inclined, and someone will have them. I would, either.

Lilah: Do you have any extra projects on the go?

Charlotte: I’m always involved in some charity project or another. I love the whole charity thing, it does my soul good to counter the dark every now and then. I’m also playing around with a joint project involving a fantastic male author. If it ever comes off it will be epic. We just need to kick our butts for each other. And I currently have 7 WIP’s (Work in Progress) open. Which means I’m constantly switching characters, although Mr VDB is my top concern at the moment as I’m part way into book 3 now. One of those other WIP’s though is that pre White trilogy book. It’s all very confusing indeed. Such is the life of a writer.

Lilah: Tell us more about Leeds? What was it like for your pen to meet you?

Charlotte: Leeds was awesome. Mind blowing even. I’ve still not really let it all sink in. Amazing people, wonderful authors, astounding organisers ( Jo and Rachel from HourglassEvents)

It was the most bizarre feeling to meet people in the flesh. I’ve known so many people for so long (all of 18 months) in this social media world, but actually getting my first hug, or real live touch was almost surreal. And I was stunned by the amount of my books people bought. It the most wonderful feeling when someone asks you to squiggle your signature on one of your printed babies and then chats to you endlessly about how much they loved your characters, or hated them. It made me know that I did a good job, and because this world is so very thankless sometimes, and lonely, it was a real boost to my energy and ego, I suppose. Also, funnily enough, it’s made me focus more and write more books, treat this like a real thing maybe, rather than just a side line. If anyone out there reading this hasn’t been to one before, go. Authors desperately want to meet you and talk with you about what you loved, what you didn’t love, why you loved. I learnt so much, and interestingly although putting the ‘real me’ out there was scary as f**k, the real me wasn’t the one who was there, this version was, the one with the hat, so it wasn’t worrying at all.

Lilah: Any future plans for more events where we can meet you?

Charlotte: My next signing is in Claddagh, Dublin. UK. October 2016. You can find us on twitter and FB. Twitter is @CladdaghEvent and all the information is there. It’s going to be huge! Then I’m at Chester, Cheshire UK. April 2017. Then Newcastle, UK. June 2017

I’m also looking into varying events in the states that I have been asked to attend. It’s just so far from home and I have to think logically about timings and the like. Who knows, I might squeeze one in.

Huge thanks to Lilah for these questions. It was fabulous to be asked x

Thanks to Charlotte for spending some time with us. Now, if meeting her sparked your curiosity about her work here is more about both The White and the VDB trilogies.

Charlotte’s The White Trilogy

Seeing White

Blurb: Alexander White, the wealthy business man with looks to die for. Just like the other colours you’d think…….but no. He came from a very different place and made some of his money a very different way.  And he keeps it well hidden because the truth would destroy everything he has. All that he’s worked for would be gone in an instant if they ever found out what he’s capable of, or what he really did and who he did it for. So he keeps people far away with metaphorical games and walls to deceive and confuse. He doesn’t do relationships, he doesn’t do emotions and he certainly doesn’t do love….. whatever the hell that might be. He does money. Making it, manipulating it and spending it whist he plays with women who know what they’re signing up for when they walk in the room. Three people shaped who he is today. One damaged him beyond repair, another taught him to control the rage, and a decent one helps him to consider his options more appropriately than his own head might allow. But be under no illusions ladies, Mr White has not been a nice man, and he will probably never be a decent man but as long as he keeps up his image, and nothing gets through his barriers, no one will ever see the truth.
Life’s good for Elizabeth Scott, successful business, happy kitchen and a great sister who deals with all the expensive people so she doesn’t have to. She just cooks, bakes and smiles her way through each day……well most of the time anyway, that is when her great sister isn’t pushing her to, “get out there a bit more,” or “sort her shit out.” Then the biggest contract of their lives comes up….. And the ever useless London tube, with her sister in it, catastrophically breaks down. Unfortunately that means only one thing, she’ll have to deal with some of that wealth herself and that means the devastating Mr Alexander White in all his glory.
Life suddenly couldn’t get worse, regardless of his unfairly gorgeous backside.
She has no idea what the hell she’s doing.

Feeling White

Blurb: Lies, deceit and manipulation.
A game Alexander White knows only too well, but never has he been on the receiving end with such devastating results. Thankfully he knows it all now because she’s shown her true colours and he won’t be fooled by them again. No matter how perfect she may have been, or how close to love he may have come, Elizabeth Scott and her treachery are now nothing more than yet another move in the chessboard of life. His business, as always, is more important than his worthless emotions and the storm brewing needs attending to. So after he’s pushed her out of his system, after he’s found his way back to the dull uninteresting type of emotion he’s used to he’ll deal with it.
In the only way he knows how.

Beth Scotts life is upside down. She was a mess. She still is a mess. But now she’s just starting to get irritated about her mess. How could he do this to her? And how could she have let him?
Alexander White has a lot to answer for but she won’t be one of those stupid girls any longer. She has a two week rule and it’s about time to get on with it. She just needs a distraction, someone or something to remove the pain and help her find a way forward without him. If his twisted game has taught her one thing it’s to hold her head up and ask for what she wants. So if she can just keep those thoughts running through her head, and embrace what she now needs, she should be fine shouldn’t she? She should be able to deal with everything and move on. She still has no idea what the hell she’s doing.

Absorbing White

Blurb: Taken, scared and lost in a world of conflicted feelings, can Elizabeth Scott cope with the man she loves? Can she still hold on to the unending belief that Alexander White is a good man and see through the games?
And when the past finally starts to catch up with them, when a new foe enters the fold with devastating effects, will Alexander White be able to contain the emotions involved? Or will he succumb to his base instincts and risk it all?
Lies, deceit and manipulation carry on in the world of business, but only truth remains in the matters of love. It’s time to face the facts and maybe find a way forward. If there is one.
Will they all make it through together?
Will they all make it through alive?

 

The VDB Trilogy

The Parlour

Blurb: Above all else Pascal Van Der Braack is a gentleman. Devastatingly debonair and seductively charming. Always styled and perfected. He is also a cad, scoundrel, rogue and kink empire founder. Tutored in the highest of society, having been born of royalty only to deny it, he found his solace in a world where rules need not apply. Where he chooses to ensure rules and duty do not apply.
Some call him Sir, others call him Master and no one would dare risk his wrath unless they required the punishment he favourably delivers. No one except one, who has just strapped a collar around his throat. One he asked for. Now he needs to appropriate his businesses correctly for peace to ensue. He needs to find the correct path forward for everyone concerned, so he can relax, enjoy, and finally hand over the responsibility to someone else.
Simple.
But where comfort and a safety of sorts once dwelt, there is now uncertainty, and a feeling of longing he no longer understands. A need unfulfilled. As problems arise and allies scheme, he finds himself searching for answers in the most unlikely of places.

Lilah
It’s the same every day. I found it odd at first but I’m used to it now. I was so tired and weak when I got here that it was helpful really. That small woman comes in to help me wash and get dressed. I don’t know where the clothes come from, but they’re nice enough, and at least they’re clean and dry. Not like the rags I arrived in. They were taken from me the moment I took them off to get into the shower, the first shower I’d had in god knows how long. For nearly a year, I’d been running the streets. A year without a real bed or a home of any sort. There isn’t a long and awful story to tell about an abusive family member or a broken home. I suppose I just slipped through the cracks and got lost at some point. I lost my job first, then I couldn’t afford the bills or my apartment, so the landlord threw me out. I don’t blame him, he did the right thing for himself. And then it was just a long and never-ending road to nothingness.
So, now I’m here, wherever here is.
And I don’t know why…

Have you picked your pleasure? I dare you to try it.