Author Interview with Beth DeWeese

 Hello riders and readers. Today I am sitting down with Beth DeWeese as I feature her in her own exclusive author interview. We are going to discuss her career thus far as an author and get to see inside her daily life. Along with that she is going to discuss her Kickstarter that she has in prelaunch for her book "Penned by Fate." Now hold on while we get things started. Happy reading everyone :).

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Author Interview with Beth DeWeese

Hi Beth. Can you start things off by introducing yourself?

I’m Beth DeWeese, and I write romance with bite. I’m based in Nashville, Tennessee, and I’m passionate about helping readers escape reality with delightful love stories. You can find me on most socials with the handle Delightfully DeWeese. I really live up to that name, and I bring the audacity of joy to my readers, one HEA at a time.

Visit my website for more information about me: www.bethdeweese.com 

 

What kind of books do you write? What types of genres?

I write paranormal romance. My world is the Howling Forest Shifters, set in the fictional mountain small town of Howling Forest, Tennessee. My specialty is shifters – humans with an animal half who can shift between forms – but I also write about witches, vampires, and occasionally humans entangled in the supernatural world. 

I love writing about the duality of a shifter’s nature. Their animal form is almost a co-protagonist, having emotions and desires and fears like the human characters do. I’m also a sucker for a good, old fashioned claiming bite.

This fall, I’m releasing my first contemporary romance, a small town romance suspense. It’s romance with a different kind of bite. While my shifters are sometimes alpha males, they are just as likely to be cinnamon rolls, too. My romantic suspense characters are all alpha protectors all the way. I’m excited to bring this new genre to my readers!

You can Pre-order Protected by the Grump now: https://a.co/d/0hiHer3t 

 

Do you have a favorite trope or which ones do you like to write the most?

This one is easy! Fated Mates is my favorite trope by far. I love the idea that some external force puts two people together…but how do you make a *relationship* work? Fate is only the beginning. I’m continually drawn to stories about figuring out life with a fated mate. I have a special soft spot for men who learn to be a partner, not just a mate.

A very close second favorite is the grump/sunshine trope. Someone gruff and grouchy who is melted by the sweetness of a sunshine personality? Yes, please! Some of my favorite historical romances are the grumpy/sunshine trope.

What does a normal day look like for yourself?

Corporate Cat by day, Chaos Gremlin after hours. I still work a full-time corporate day job, so I fit my writing into 30-minute pockets throughout my day. On Thursdays, I meet my local writer’s group for dinner and writing sprints in person. I’m privileged to have a dedicated writing space at home, my Writing Nook. It’s a corner of the finished attic. While I’m up there writing, my husband is usually working on his YouTube channel and podcast, and our two rescue mutts are snoozing on the couch.

Do you have any pets or family that support you along your journey as an author?

Not sure I’d call our two dogs “support”. Does emotional support snoring count? (They are sweet, though.) My husband is by far my biggest supporter and cheerleader. He applies his IT skills to sort out all of my technology. He talked me off the ledge with the great 2024 meltdown over my Word license. Recently, he upgraded my monitor and dock as part of the 2026 Writing Nook glow up. He also encouraged me to talk to a local bookstore that recently opened; I was too shy to ask for them to stock my books, but I’ve sold 30 copies there in just three months! I also appreciate that my hubby never begrudges the time I spend on my writing. He knows I’m passionate about my author career, and he has his own hobbies to occupy him when I’m busy. He’s definitely my very own Fated Mate.  

 

How many books do you have under your belt as an author?

I have six books currently available on Amazon, with another one releasing October 19, 2026. I had an additional novella available on my Patreon. Two of those books are available for free to my newsletter subscribers! My Kickstarter novel will be book #8.  

 

Follow me on Amazon so you never miss a new release: https://www.amazon.com/author/bethdeweese  

 

Subscribe to my newsletter for free books and exclusive bonus content: www.bethdeweese.com/newsletter

You are soon to launch a Kickstarter for your book “Penned by Fate: A Spelled Inkwell Book 1,” can you tell us about it?

This will be my first Kickstarter! I’m honestly a little terrified, but I’m doing it anyway. It’s a cozy paranormal romance that is set in my Howling Forest Shifters universe (the DeWeeseaverse, if you will). It’s been a fun collaboration between several small creators and the readers, and I’m looking forward to launching on October 10, 2026. Follow my campaign to vote on rewards and get sneak peeks ahead of launch day: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bethdeweese/penned-by-fate-cozy-spicy-pnr-spelled-inkwell-book-1?ref=cxyq96

It’s a spinoff series that tells the love story of the magical fountain pen shop owner you meet in each of my Howling Forest Shifters books. Reverie owns The Spelled Inkwell, and she’s a witch with depleted magic. When a dragon shifter walks in one day, he knows instantly that she belongs to him. Only problem? She doesn’t want a mate; she wants a partner.

I have a launch party on October 10th in Nashville, Tennessee. If you aren’t local, then follow me on IG and join the IG Live during the party!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/delightfullydeweese

Launch Party RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kickstarter-launch-party-penned-by-fate-with-beth-deweese-tickets-1993988821241

What tier do you think will be one of your favorites among your readers?

I’m super excited to be offering a leather journal cover custom designed and hand made to coordinate with the art print. It comes with a book miniature charm, and I just love them. My Kickstarter campaign is the ONLY place you can get them. 

I really love the book bundle tiers (paperback and hardcover) that include the book, the art print, the journal cover, and the charm. I think backers will love them, and they are so unique. Each item was human created by a small, local artist.

Do you plan to offer any early bird options? If yes, what?

There will be voting on my pre-launch page to determine backer interests/preferences. My cover artist is willing to sign the books (and even hand doodle some artwork alongside her signature!), so that will be limited to early bird backers. I am also planning a special, hidden tier for my newsletter subscribers. 

Following my pre-launch page is the best way to voice your preferences and loves ahead of launch day! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bethdeweese/penned-by-fate-cozy-spicy-pnr-spelled-inkwell-book-1?ref=cxyq96

Tell us about the main characters in your book “Penned by Fate?”

Reverie isn’t just a small business owner. She’s a small town witch. Owning The Spelled Inkwell is a dream come true, allowing her to live independently from her meddlesome coven.

It’s also exhausting her magic.

Running a business solo while spelling objects to sell to a magical clientele causes Reverie to make careless mistakes.

The timing couldn’t be worse, because her landlord just doubled her rent as bills begin piling up. The stubborn little witch might finally have to ask for help. 

 

As CFO of his dragon clan’s brewery, Sterling lives his life in columns and rows. The order and predictability soothes his dragon. However, searching for his mate is a challenge no spreadsheet can solve.

There isn’t a formula for Fate.

His dragon might be anxious, but Sterling wants nothing more than to find and care for his fated mate. When he walks into The Spelled Inkwell, both Sterling and his dragon are speechless. 

Sterling tries to solve all Reverie’s problems, and make The Spelled Inkwell more profitable.

He learns the hard way that Reverie doesn’t want solutions; she wants a partner.

What are the main tropes or themes inside “Penned by Fate?”

Are you a reader who… 

 

• Relates to a woman who is passionate about her career, but stressed by her job? 

 

• (not so) Secretly wants a sexy dragon shifter to give you back rubs and bubble baths? 

 

• Loves small town swoon, cozy spice, and magical shenanigans? 

 

Then Penned by Fate is perfect for you! This paranormal romance has cozy vibes, competent characters…and fountain pens. 

 

Did you struggle with anything while writing “Penned by Fate?”

If we raise enough funds, Penned by Fate will get an audiobook (it’s a stretch goal in the campaign)! This will be my very first audiobook, and I researched writing craft for audio. It’s been a fun, new challenge writing for audio, and I’m excited to hear my story come to life with my narrator.

Do you plan to run more Kickstarters in the future? How do you plan to include it in your author business?

My strategy is to bring my novel-length projects to Kickstarter first as an early release campaign before retail release. That will allow me to collaborate with my readers in developing the art, bonus content, and other aspects of the book’s layout/design.

Every book in my Spelled Inkwell series will come to Kickstarter first. I will also have a collectible item in each campaign that will allow backers to complete a set when they buy all the books in the series.

Also, the biggest, most exciting part of my campaign: the audiobook.

I’m hoping to cultivate and grow a substantial reader base on the Kickstarter platform. My business goal is to commission art and the audiobook via crowdfunding so that I can release to the major retailers in print + audio already in the black with production costs. 

I believe in only using human editors and narrators, but that’s quite the upfront investment for a small creator. Kickstarter will hopefully be my solution to that.

Is this your first Kickstarter? What have you learned so far about it’s process as a newbie?

This campaign is my first! It’s been such an exciting first time, too. I have 216 pre-launch followers as of right now, and by far the coolest aspect has been meeting other creators. We are all eager to find new readers and reach a new audience on the Kickstarter platform, and interacting with folks I’d never meet otherwise has been unexpectedly thrilling. Every creator I meet has been so nice, so helpful, so supportive. I wasn’t expecting that, especially from large, established creators.

Another aspect I didn’t anticipate was how much interactions my pre-launch updates have been. Folks comment, like, and vote way more than I ever expected. I am getting so excited for launch day, and that’s because I’m feeding off the energy and enthusiasm of the readers/backers!

What is some advice you would like to give to your fellow authors thinking about using Kickstarter for the first time?

Don’t be afraid to ask other creators to share your campaign. I had someone with a $50K campaign share my humble little debut. (That feels crazy to type, but it’s true!) It can feel scary/weird/awkward sliding into the DMs to ask for a campaign swap. But 100% of responses have been “Yes, I’d love to!” I connect via various writer communities I’m active in, and follow the rules for each community on who and how to make contact. But it works! Don’t be afraid to try.

What advice would you give to a budding author that hasn’t released anything into the world yet?

Keep writing. Maybe the first book you write isn’t what gets published first. Maybe you need a book or two under your belt before you write one that’s ready for publication. Sometimes you start on a story idea that just doesn’t have enough juice to be a full novel. That’s, okay…just keep writing. Everything gets better with more experience. 

The other key piece of advice is to engage with a writing community. There are so many out there. Try a few and see which one(s) feel right. You can network and learn and get support through the power of community. When I first started writing, I definitely didn’t appreciate just how impactful a writing community can be. It’s so powerful to have fellow authors surround you when you try something new or go for the gusto on one of your goals.

Share anything else about yourself or your Kickstarter that we haven’t touched on yet… 

My Kickstarter is an early release campaign. That means Kickstarter backers will be the first people ever to read Penned by Fate. Backers will also have the name of their choice in the acknowledgements. This is a unique opportunity only possible through crowdfunding. It also makes a great gift for the book lover in your life (what better present is there than “I got your name into a book”?).

Another benefit of an early release campaign is that I have ebook tiers and tiers at all price points. My campaign will be affordable/accessible to people of all budgets and shelf space.

It’s my personal goal to have the highest number of individual backers possible. Will you be one of them?

Support Beth DeWeese by becoming one of her Pre-Launch Followers!

You will get access to all her updates and the launch announcement when she decides to launch her campaign into the world. Don't miss out! Make sure to click the NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH button today!

NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dive into the passionate world of Beth DeWeese, where steamy paranormal romance comes to life and ignites the page. Beth writes irresistible love stories that help readers escape from reality with love and adventure.

Beth’s novels are a blend of smoldering chemistry, pulse-pounding action, and heartfelt tenderness. Her stories feature irresistibly sexy heroes and fierce, independent heroines who discover not just love, but their own inner strength as they navigate the tumultuous waters of romance. 

When she’s not crafting delightful love stories, Beth is living out her own happily-ever-after in Franklin, Tennessee (USA). She shares a home filled with laughter, love, and a pack of adorable canine companions with her real-life hero – her husband. 

Ready to escape into a delightful love story? Here’s how to stay connected:

Subscribe to her newsletter for exclusive content and the latest updates

Follow her on social media for behind-the-scenes peeks into her writing life

Grab her latest book and prepare for a reading experience you won’t soon forget!  

 

Join Beth in her paranormal worlds, where love conquers all and happily-ever-afters are guaranteed. Your next literary escape awaits!

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I hope you enjoyed sitting down with Beth as much as I did. Her Kickstarter sounds fun and right up my alley so I might check it out. What about you? Do you think her Kickstarter is your cup of tea? Then head over to her Pre-Launch Page and click the NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH button so you can interact with Beth through updates to your email and get the launch announcement when she goes live. 

Did you enjoy this post? If you did and want to be notified when we have more authors featured here on KM Jenkins Book Nook or want access to our bookish content, then head over to the sidebar menu. In the upper right corner you can subscribe by the RSS Feed Option or through the Follow Me Button. This way you get notified when something new gets posts here on KM Jenkins Book Nook. Hope you have a wonderful Saturday and come back soon we have another wonderful author featured here tomorrow too. Until then...

~ Katie