I’m delighted to welcome fellow author Bethany Maines to Writer Wednesday! Bethany and I are both members of our local Mystery Writers of America chapter, and I had the pleasure of meeting her last fall at our Noir at the Bar event in Seattle. That evening, Bethany read an excerpt from one of her delightfully sharp short stories—witty, fast-paced, and utterly engaging.
Today, Bethany is giving us a behind-the-scenes look at her two main characters, Lucas Kane and Charlie Auvray. She’ll also share insights into her creative motivations and her writing process—what drives her stories and how she brings them to life on the page.
I like to ask my guests about the oddest job they’ve ever had. I’ve had some crazy, odd jobs, but Bethany has me beat. Read more below.
Please join me in welcoming Bethany Maines!
- It’s time to get your protagonist out of their comfort zone. You want to present her with a challenge, and you’ve given her the following choices: climb Mount Everest; run a Marathon; trek across the Sahara Desert with a tribe of nomads; or sail around the world alone. Which would she choose?
In Heart’s Curse, I have two main characters—Lucas Kane and Charlie Auvray. Lucas grew up in foster care and then as a runaway until he was fifteen when he went to work for the Montanari Corporation. Lucas is driven and tough, and he wants a life that feels secure. Charlie is an engineering student who grew up in a very insular community. She was always told that she was talentless and worthless, so going to college was a huge change for her. Once at college, she began to realize that her family’s viewpoint might not be the only way of thinking. Charlie would most likely pick the trek across the Sahara because she would like to see the world and explore how other people think. Lucas would most likely pick the marathon with confidence that he probably cheat his way out of it, and if nothing else, he would be done faster and back to doing what he wants to do.
- If your protagonist could live in another era, which would she choose and why?
Heart’s Curse is a paranormal romance / urban fantasy where magic runs in bloodlines, and the witch society is fairly closed to outsiders and is anti-technology. So in some ways, Charlie did grow up in another era—one without technology and where fairy tales are far more relevant as histories. Considering how much of history is anti-women and magic, Charlie would be reluctant to go time-traveling. If she were picking, she would be more likely to pick the future. Lucas would probably choose the sixties because he likes that era of the mob.
- If she could change anything in her life, what would it be and why?
Charlie was a very sensitive child and grew up without much magic. She was therefore belittled and mocked. She would probably choose to have full access to her powers earlier, but she might choose to go to a regular human school far earlier than she did. Lucas would immediately pick having his mother not die.
- What do you and your protagonist have in common?
I would have to say that Lucas and I share a pragmatic approach that people might find abrasive. While Charlie and I share the ability to totally nerd out on a topic.
- If you had an argument, who would win and why?
With my protagonists? It would depend on the topic. But in general… me. I invented them. On the other hand, in writing, sometimes the characters move the story in directions I had not been anticipating, so perhaps I should not be so confident.
- How long have you been writing? What was the motivating factor that got you started?
I have been writing since I was in middle school, but didn’t pursue it seriously until college. My aunt had a novel published back when “chick lit” was the rage, and I realized that writing was really a thing that people could do.
- What do you want most for your readers to come away with after they read your books?
I want my readers to feel like they just went on an adventure and also to feel like maybe they could kick a little ass themselves.
- Tell us about your perfect writing day.
It’s the one where I like everything I wrote that day. Has yet to happen.
9. What is the last book you’ve read purely for pleasure?
I recently re-read one of my all-time favorites – The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. I hadn’t read it in over a decade and was amused to see how different some of the rules for structuring a novel have evolved. Still a great book. Still love it. But being a writer instead of a reader has changed the lens through which I view books. It was very interesting to take another look and consider how I would write that same story.
- What interview question have you always wanted to answer but have never been asked?
Um… I can’t think of one. The one I usually want to ask other people is whether or not they can listen to music while writing and what genre it is if they do. I might be the only person who finds this interesting, though.
- What was the oddest job you ever had?
I was a bouncer for a teen (16-19) nightclub. No, I will not be elaborating.
12 Tell us about your latest book.
Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray was always told she had no magic and nothing to offer. But Lucas Kane, a ruthless casino boss with a dangerous secret, sees something more. When a curse drives his newest Vegas property into bloody chaos, Lucas realizes Charlie may be the only one who can stop the madness. What happens in Vegas might just break the curse—and his heart.
- How many books do you read in a typical month? Do you read in your genre while you are writing?
When I’m on a writing deadline, my reading dwindles to practically nothing. I’m sure most parents will understand that there is really only time for one sitting around extra-curricular activity. My options are TV, reading, doom scrolling, or writing. I cannot do all of them. Choices must be made. However, if I am reading, I will frequently go with NOT the genre I’m writing in unless I’m essentially doing research (in which case I might not finish the book).
- Name three authors you would recommend and tell us what you like about their writing.
Gail Carriger – funny, action-packed, witty take on paranormal romance.
Judy Penz Sheluk – Grounded mysteries that feel satisfyingly wrapped up.
Krista Sandor – romance tropes done right. Love her light touch and rom-com sensibilities.
- What themes do you regularly employ in your writing?
Feminism, ass-kicking, and humor. - What is the most challenging area for you as a writer?
Sex. At some point, it starts to be mechanical, and you think… haven’t I written this before? The challenge for romance is writing the smut to be integral to the character and the story without feeling gratuitous. - What motivates you to write?
I like telling stories! And I love my fake people so much that sometimes I miss them after I finish the book.
- How did you develop the idea for your most recent work?
I started my publishing journey in mystery, but growing up, I always wrote fantasy. However, mystery requires a more rigorous plot development than much of the fantasy world-building that I was used to, so I took time to work on that aspect. And now that I have built up that skill, I find it hard to turn off. So some of the fantasy tropes, like say… the haunted hotel in The Shining, raise serious mystery/crime red flags for me. And once you realize that the mob would never let a hotel go on being haunted and interfere with the cash flow, you start to wonder how they would handle it. And that was my inspiration for Heart’s Curse. It’s The Shining meets Casino, but make it paranormal romance.
- Name three writers from whom you have drawn inspiration and tell us why.
Terry Pratchett – his sense of humor, understanding of humanity, kindness, and cleverness will always have a place in my heart. His ability to tell a gonzo story while still feeling like the stakes genuinely mattered is still inspiring to me even decades after I first picked up one of his books, and his characters are indelibly aspirational. The keen justice of Sam Vimes is something to strive for, and if I grow up to be half the angry crone of Granny Weatherwax, I shall count my life well lived.
Dick Francis – I like horses and tough guys, what can I say? His heroes felt genuine in a way that many faux tough-guy mystery writers couldn’t capture. I liked how his people felt relatable yet cooler than me.
Adam Savage – Yes, I know he’s not primarily an author, but as a multi-disciplinary artist myself, I find his relentless interrogation and protection of his creative process inspiring.
- What was the best writing advice you ever received, and why was it valuable?
It was from the Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi on the subject of sword fighting. “It is not difficult to wield a sword in one hand; the Way to learn this is to train with two long swords, one in each hand. It will seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first.”
Everything. Is. Difficult. At. First.
You have to keep practicing if you want to be good at something, so don’t stop just because it’s hard.
Bethany Maines is an award-winning author, graphic designer, and sixth-degree black belt. Bethany brings a fierce sense of adventure—and humor—to everything she does from world travel for the snacks to Cerberus cosplay and baking for the plot. When she’s not wrangling a daughter, a deadline, or a spreadsheet of character arcs, she’s usually found teaching karate or working on her next novel / screenplay. But whatever the problem she’s got a plot—and a spreadsheet—for it. A member of the Mystery Writers of America Northwest Chapter, a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and the co-runner of The Stiletto Gang blog, Bethany writes under the names Bethany Maines and Sirena Corbeau. You can find her at: bethanymaines.com or catch up with her on Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.
Blurb from her latest book, Heart’s Curse:
Heart’s Curse: Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.