I’d like to welcome back Beth Matthews, author of A Midsummer Night’s Fling. Check out Beth’s previous visit here.

This is your third book, but your first contemporary romance. What made you decide to switch genres?

I feel like the romance genre experienced a bit of a Renaissance in contemporary romance a few years ago, and when I read those books I knew I had to write my own. Victoria Dahl and Julie James, for example, were two of my biggest inspirations when I wrote my own contemporaries because their books are smart, sexy, and hilarious. Jennifer Crusie, too. Nothing’s better than a Jennifer Crusie romantic comedy. These days I like bouncing back and forth between fantasy and contemporary romance to keep my brain agile. 😉

Please tell us about the characters in your new book, A Midsummer Night’s Fling.

Max and Nicola were childhood sweethearts, but Max was a bit of a party boy and that drove them apart. But now they’re back together working on a play and neither one of them is sure they can resist their attraction. Max is a tender-hearted hunk who doubts his own abilities. Nicola is a wary but passionate actress searching for her big break.

This book is set at a successful theater company in Southern California. That’s an interesting location for a romance. Did you do a lot of research on working in the theater?

I was an actor myself in my misspent youth, but I’m also lucky because I have some contacts that are still in the industry who were willing to let me pick their brains. One actor in particular, Thomas Ashworth, was really invaluable. I went to a play he was in and afterwards he persuaded the whole cast basically to line up and let me interview them. That was a very cool day!

So, you write books with actor heroes, who is your favorite actor in real life? 

At the moment I am torn between Tom Hiddleston who is just gorgeous and has Talent oozing out of his beautiful pores, and Chris Pratt who is so endearing and simply adork-able. I’m leaning towards Pratt because have you seen those new pictures of him from Jurassic World?! Yum-my.

It is difficult to choose between hot, talented men isn’t it? Speaking of hot men, what is your next project, and when will it be released?

Right now I’m polishing up a contemporary New Adult romance, Love’s Last Call, for release later this year. It’s about a dorky bouncer and the cocktail waitress he’s sure is out of his league. If people want to learn more they can check out the book’s info-page on my website.

What inspired you to write A Midsummer Night’s Fling?

I’ve been in A Midsummer Night’s Dream twice as an actor (once as a fairy and once as Hermia, the ultimate Shakespeare bimbo) and I met my boyfriend during one those productions. So, for various reasons, it’s kind of my sentimental favorite of Shakespeare’s plays. Reunited lovers is also one of my favorite tropes so, when I started brainstorming ideas for a contemporary, the idea of reunited lovers having to work together to play Titania and Oberon (the ultimate Shakespeare power couple) just got all of my creative juices flowing.

What scene was the hardest to write? Why?

When I was doing research for A Midsummer Night’s Fling I read this great story about Richard Burton and JFK having a contest at a party to see who could remember the most Shakespearean sonnets. (Burton won, by the way.) I knew I had to steal this for my book–and I did! The hero and several of the other actors have a “Sonnet Faceoff”–but working the contest into the story was difficult. I had to keep the pace moving and find a balance between working the sonnets in but not drowning the reader with them. I think I finally nailed it, but it took a LOT of drafts.

What’s your favorite moment from your book?

I really love this exchange between the hero and heroine right after she joins the play:

“I should have asked for more money to do this play,” she said.

                Max nodded. “Probably.”

                “And my own dressing room.”

                “Definitely.”

“And some sort of cabana boy to feed me grapes in the breaks between scenes.”

                “Well,” Max paused, putting on a thoughtful expression. “We don’t have anyone like that on staff, but maybe one of the interns.”

Who’s your favorite character in A Midsummer Night’s Fling?

Well, of course I love the leads and I love their chemistry together, but one of the secondary characters snuck up on me too and became a real scene stealer. That was Lachlan, the hero’s main rival in the theater company. Lachlan is really fun to write because he is snarky and sneaky and British and sexy as hell. (He might or might not be based a little bit on Tom Hiddleston…) Lachlan is going to get his own book at some point–he’s just too much fun to write!

What is your next project, and when will it be released?

Right now I’m polishing up a New Adult romance, Love’s Last Call, for release later this year. It’s about a dorky bouncer and the cocktail waitress he’s sure is out of his league. If people want to learn more they can check out the book’s info-page on my website.

Want more Beth? Read about Beth’s love affair with theater.

 

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