Get ready to learn more about the book Prey For The Devil in this discussion with sapphic author Gwen Leonhard.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Gwen Leonhard about Prey For The Devil, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the First Love category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Prey For The Devil?
It’s a story in my mind, and I have a choice between telling it or going crazy – a story that tackles a lot of my own insecurities, my fears, and my own image as a woman. It’s a very personal story wrapped into the clothes of a fun, dark, heartbreak adventure.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
The first one that jumped out at me was Emanuela. She is such a b*tch. Probably the least like me of all of my characters and the absolute worst manipulator. A Powerful enemy, an even more powerful ally, but at what cost?
And all of that while being the physically weakest member of the cast. I adore her vibes and the respect she commands.
What part of Prey For The Devil was the most fun to write?
I think the spicy Sex scene! I don’t want to spoil too much, but it gets absolutely wild and mind-bendy while keeping the sex itself fairly vanilla. It dives deep into the mind of one character the readers won’t suspect at the beginning, and explores the current state of mind of another in excruciating detail.
It’s fun. It’s weird. It’s sexy. And it was a blast to write!
How did you come up with the title for your book?
I have to admit, I love the title of the book, but I’m not proud where I got it.
I was in the middle of drafting the story in my head when I saw a Netflix promo for a show (or movie) called Prey For The Devil.
I’m a sucker for puns, and this one worked so incredibly well for the story, the ‘In Cold Embrace’ tagline, and everything else.
Who is the prey? Who prays? Who is the Devil? And who is in cold embrace? All these questions have clear answers, many of them multiple. I couldn’t pass that chance up.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Oh, yes! I’m already deep into writing it with the current working title, ‘Daughter Of The Biest’!
It will switch its focus away from Freyja and introduce Emilia, Veerle, and a yet-unknown player as POV characters!
It will kick the story of Herzkirch into high gear, and the city will change as a result of that. ‘Huntress Of The Night’ and ‘Prey For The Devil’ are introduction pieces, and ‘Daughter Of The Biest’ will bring the real heat!
What is your writing process like?
Absolute Pantser. I have never created an outline in my life.
‘Daughter Of The Biest’ right now sits at 28k words.
My original outline, the one I wrote down while I was still working on Prey For The Devil was: “Introduce Theodananda, idk”
So, pantsing, all the way. But I do love where my characters take me!
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
What do you mean? ‘Stay focused’, what is that?
But, seriously. As long as I’ve got a PC, a keyboard, and no one who tries talking to me, I can write. Bonus points for Headphones and Music.
I’ll either jump between different tasks back and forth, or I hunker down for hours without looking up.
Wish I could control when I’m doing what. But, hey, nobody said being an ADHDiva would be easy!
Is there a particular genre you would love to write but only under a pseudonym?
There isn’t. But I started writing under a Pseudonym of NSFW’s Tales. Had a Sucubus Mascot called Natt Serene Fiona Williams and all.
You can still see remnants of that on my first covers! So I gave up the Pseudonym because it turns out Social Media doesn’t like it when you’ve got NSFW in your name, and I actually enjoy presenting myself since my transition.
Wild, I know, right?
When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
Music! I always set the mood via music. And I like writing in the dark. No matter the mood. Just me and the screen.
I got playlists for many of my characters and stories.
The following is a link to my (still growing!) Spotify playlist for the ICE series! So there is a good chance that I’ve been listening to these songs while writing.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
I wish I knew how to get *out of them*.
Seriously, sometimes I can get obsessive over my stories and characters in a way that I struggle to sleep because I can’t stop thinking about them.
But if it’s been a while, I just re-read the last couple of pages or chapters, including them, to get back into their mindset.
What author in your genre do you most admire, and why?
Tamsyn Muir.
The Locked Tomb series is spectacular, and I absolutely adore her commitment to going buck wild with everything. I don’t feel like she writes to appeal to a specific group or the mainstream, but just to get her story out. She has wild ideas and brings them to the table without any form of restraint.
Love and admire that!
What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?
Right now, it is Sapphic Romance woven into an adventure.
What draws me to these books are the butterflies fluttering in my stomach, the yearning, and the stupid smile I get when two women fall in love.
It took me a while to realize myself as a woman, so now I’ve got a bunch of teenage-love-sappiness to catch up upon.
Describe your favorite reading spot.
I mostly listen to audiobooks as, since I’ve gotten older, reading is making me eepy. I admit to the eepy allegations – I’m an eepy gal.
So, I mostly listen during walks with my dog or in the car. It’s the perfect outside stimulus to concentrate on whatever is happening in my ears!
If I’m not out and about, I lie on my couch, enjoying the books on my back.
