Alix Davenport interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

I'm Alix Davenport. I'm forty-four years old and live in Copenhagen, Denmark, so that makes me fluent in certified gibberish as my native tongue. I'm fairly new on the English language writing scene, but I've been tapping away since my dad gave me a typewriter as a kid, and I've written in Danish (fiction/work related) since my early teens. After having slowly lost my eyesight, I gave up on writing, but eye lens replacement surgery in 2019 gave me back my sight and a new lease on life, including the dream to write.

When did your love of books begin?

Well, I think I've always read a lot and can't pinpoint when it happened. My dad worked as a journalist when I was growing up, and the magazine publisher he worked for also published novels, he brought home sample books I'd snatch and eat up in my bedroom. That newly printed book smell, I still remember. 'Fresh off the press', he used to say.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I think I've always known. I've written stories as far back as I can remember. But back then it was just a dream with the traditional market and chances to break through. Besides, Danish was not the best language to write in, commercially that is.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

Grueling. First, the switch to English and then navigating all the sites and platforms, the writing communities, and all those who felt the need to shove 'rules' down new writer's throats. I've looked into serialized platforms, self-publishing, and traditional publishing, but not knowing if my writing was even good enough for people to want to read it, I opted for free sites to test the waters.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

I'd say: Go for it! If you have a dream, a story, a voice... Get it out there. Write your stories, if it takes months or years, just do it. Don't worry about grammar, rules of writing, or that English may not be your first language, a great editor can help polish those kinks later, but nobody can tell your story but you. And a personal piece of advice, take it as you wish, don't write in a genre just because it's popular and you think it'll make you fast money. Write the genre that you're passionate about, your passion will shine through and your readers will notice that.

Tell us about your book/books:

I write romantic suspense and adult fantasy, those are my passions. I do work with dark topics and all my books have strong language, graphic violence, and explicit sex scenes. I work a lot with BDSM in my books and go to bat for the safe, sane, and consensual approach to show that Dominants are not self-centered, macho brutes and submissives are not emotionally unstable, forced punching bags.

I have my steamy, mafia romantic suspense series:

Russian Roulette: Family secrets. 
https://www.wattpad.com/story/255329113-russian-roulette-family-secrets-2021-edited
A British-Russian mafia leader, Gareth, tries to win over the woman he ghosted four years earlier, Mackenzie. He's being personally targeted by a Ukrainian mafia leader, Grychenko, and he needs to figure out why while keeping his men and his love safe and stay on top to preserve his family's heritage. Everything is spun around the dark secrets of the past and how those make the present very difficult and might ruin the future.

Russian Roulette: Flashbacks. (MxM, LGBT) Ongoing

https://www.wattpad.com/story/277855109-russian-roulette-flashbacks
On their wedding day, Jace and Phoenix look back on the decade it took them to finally make it to the big day. In flashbacks of their lives, the story of how they met and fell in love is revealed. What they had to do to overcome to find happiness. Jace's past and the horrors in it, and Phoenix's journey to come out of his emotionally closed off shell. Sacrifices on both sides and fears of being who they are while still doing their work for Gareth.

Then, I have my fantasy book:

Taming the Hellbeast. Ongoing
https://www.wattpad.com/story/240640366-taming-the-hellbeast
Crawling from the depths of a mountain as a toddler, Jax is left to fend for himself for centuries without a clue about where he is, who he is, or why he's there. Being a werewolf with uncontrollable powers, he's forced to live outside the social sphere a pack can provide. Drinking, whoring, and killing are his favorite pastimes until he finds a purpose to step up and find himself.

I do have other ongoing works that can be found on my profile on different sites.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love that there's an audience for everything. It can be hard to find your peeps, but they're there no matter what you write. I love how, mainly, people are encouraging and want to interact, that be readers and writers alike. It's inspiring how strangers take time to read and comment/review books and recommend them to their reading groups or friends, how writers offer their time to go over a scene and give feedback to help. There are too many good things to mention.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thank you! For reading and engaging with the stories and characters. For writing me comments and private messages about pretty much everything. I love to know how you feel about my characters, how the plot works for you, and especially, I love when you give me your ideas of how you wish/think something would play out in a book. Especially, the suspense books, where you write to me with your speculations on who, why, and what, it's intriguing to see how you interpret the clues I leave and the words written. So, thank you!

Where can people connect with you?

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/alix.davenport.romances

Twitter page:

https://www.twitter.com/Mind_Trace

Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheAlixDavenport