Flossie Benton Rogers-Part I

Author Interview with the Fabulous Flossie Benton Rogers

Let's get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Were you named after someone special?

Hi, Loretta and readers! Thanks for these wonderful questions. I’m Flossie Benton Rogers. My parents named me Flossie after my paternal grandmother, with Irene as a middle name after my mother. Serendipitously, my grandmother’s name was Flossie Pearl Benton, and my lovely daughter-in-law’s middle name is also Pearl.

Where are you from?

I’m a 5^th generation native Floridian from both maternal and paternal lines. My 6^th great grandfather on my mother’s side came from the Carolinas in the early 1800s and settled in Columbia County (now Baker). He and his son are both designated Florida pioneers.

My father’s family did the same, settling in Columbia County before moving south to Polk County.

Tell us a little about yourself (i.e. your education, family life, travel, pets, hobbies, etc.).

My son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons (my Snickerdoodles) bring sunshine to my life each and every day. Seven years ago I lost my husband, the love of my life and most enthusiastic writing supporter. Today my writing buddy is a beautiful feline fur fae named Marigold.

I have a Master’s in Library Science, and Bachelor’s in Literature and Education. Besides writing and family time, I enjoy crochet, reading, and planning dream trips to Norway, Ireland, and Scotland. Some of the trips involve time travel. 

When and why did you begin writing?

The writing bug bit me at age eight when I began dictating fairy tales to my sitter. Throughout the years I continued to write poetry and novels, but the real passion to actually get published took hold when I retired from my library career.

What genre do you write?

I am published in fantasy romance, have written historical romance, and currently am working on cozy mysteries.

How did you get interested in writing this particular genre?

Fantasy Romance – Regarding the fantasy aspect, a passion for mythology and fairy tales traces back to preschool years when my grandmother read to me every day from a wonderful set of classics called Young Folks Library. As for the romance aspect, the third Harlequin I read was Red Diamond by Dorothy Cork, and it is still my favorite. There is a point in a good romance when your stomach flies up to your heart. In recent years I formed an appreciation for the urban fantasy genre. I consider my Wytchfae series to be urban fantasy with a happy ending.

Historicals – I love history and almost majored in it but luckily realized it’s the romantic and imaginative parts I love the best.

Cozy Mystery – My favorite go to books are cozies. I grew up on Nancy Drew and, later, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, and my favorite—Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe mysteries.

How did you come up with the titles for your books?

I coined the series title Wytchfae (pronounced “witch-fay”) because of the main characters. They have fae or fairy blood and also undergo witchy training such as guiding dead souls or managing the energy in a ritual circle. Wytchfae is also the parallel dimension where all sorts of supernatural beings exist in close proximity to us. 

The individual book titles came to me as descriptive of a story’s contents. For example, when writing the story of the goddess Epona and her powerful lover Eshigel, I remember thinking: “Eshigel, to stay out of trouble you need to ‘mind your manners’ and ‘mind your p’s and q’s’, heck—just Mind Your Goddess.”  But mind also has a different, softer meaning, as in ‘care for’ and Eshigel always cares deeply for Epona. He even goes to the literal depths of hell for her sake.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A combination of both. I began as the latter and then began to incorporate plotting when I realized it saves time during revision and can also be fun.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

The spewing up of the actual words of the first rough draft is the hardest for me. I’m sure I need to buy butt glue by the gallons, but there is resistance with the early draft that can make my stomach hollow and queasy. After all, it is giving birth.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

As an author you’re never fully satisfied with your work. After it’s done and time passes, though, and you go back and reread what you’ve written, it seems magical somehow. Where did those pages come from? It seems as if there’s no way you could have written that. Not that it’s the best. Not that you’re patting yourself on the back. It’s more like you’re thanking the muses for the honor of allowing you to dance with them.

Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

I encourage everyone to check out my website at http://flossiebentonrogers.com. Each week I share excerpts from works in progress and also blog on various topics. Join my newsletter list for tons of special freebies and goodies. 

~Tune in again tomorrow to learn more about the fabulous Flossie Benton Rogers and the opportunity to ask her a question~