Author Interview – Kay Stephens – The Porn Star’s Daughter

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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, romance author Kay Stephens shares what inspired her to write The Porn Star’s Daughter about Tali trying to escape her parent’s adult industry legacy when she attends college, only to be found out.

Written by JJ Barnes

www.jjbarnes.co.uk

I interviewed Kay Stephens about her life and career, what inspired her to write her new book, The Porn Star’s Daughter, and her creative writing process.

Tell me a bit about who you are.

I am a corporate attorney turned romance author. Yes, seriously, one day I was writing well-reasoned legal arguments, the next I was writing graphic sex scenes. And I suppose it’s the Gemini in me but I’ve really loved both careers—one just offers many more opportunities to wear spandex pants and sports bras.

Both my life and my legal career started in Boston, Massachusetts, but I’ve bounced around the world since then, finally settling in Oklahoma. You know those images that pop in your head when you hear the word “Oklahoma”? The cowboys and tumbleweeds and mega-churches? Well, they’re at least half true (maybe closer to 95%). But pieces of this fly-over state are quickly evolving into culture-rich, forward-thinking communities and, my god, the cost of living is basically zero. It’s been the best place to hunker down and write without worrying about little things like salaries and work benefits.

I have four kids, only one current husband, and a ten-year-old Doberman that jockeys for room on my lap as I write every day. My first book, The Porn Star’s Daughter, is a new adult romance novel that tackles self-acceptance in a slut-shammer’s world.

When did you first WANT to write a book?

I first wanted to write a book maybe a day or two before I put pen to paper. At the time, I had switched jobs from a big-firm practice, where I worked about 70 hours a week, to an in-house attorney job, where my work week was closer to 40 hours. And I needed to pour that extra 30 hours into something productive so I wouldn’t inadvertently turn to heavy drinking.

When did you take a step to start writing?

I played around with writing in my spare time for about seven years. And that off-hour tinkering resulted in a thrilling romance novel about a college girl who sold slap bracelets from the comfort of her dorm room. Don’t laugh – I’ve worked hard on my storytelling since then.

But my first serious step to start writing came when I began pushing back against sexual harassment in my workplace. Through the struggles inherent in fighting that unwinnable battle, I finally found a message I was passionate about.

How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?

If you count the slap-bracelet-romance catastrophe, which I do, it was ten years. Ten frigging years for one book. I could have had at least a dozen more babies by now.

What made you want to write The Porn Star’s Daughter?

There were two life events that made me want to write this book. First, I got divorced, survived the horrors of the adult-dating world, and found my own true romance with an amazing new husband. Every step of that experience made my romance writing more authentic and gave me the confidence to consider writing as a full-time job.

Second, once that first wedding ring came off, the sexual harassment I experienced at work went from mildly nauseating to depression-inducing. And, under the false belief that I had suffered the worst case of sexual harassment in the storied history of the corporate world, I began telling my story to other women (mostly just for shock value). I already knew the problem was pervasive, but I was horrified to discover that my suffering was mild compared to that of women I had known for years—close friends and family members who had never spoken a word about it.

It occurred to me that speaking about sexual harassment was my only avenue to create a safe space for others. And I’ve never been one to do things on a small scale. I had an unpublished romance novel that was improving (slowly) over the years and I had slut-shaming story I wanted to blast out to the world. So I just combined the two!

 What were your biggest challenges with writing The Porn Star’s Daughter?

Let’s start with raging anxiety. It’s hard to channel a traumatic life event into your writing, no matter how much time has passed.

Also (and this may go without saying), I am blessed with a severe case of hyperfocus. Without spousal intervention, I have been known to stay up all night, tapping nothing but gibberish into my laptop. And although common writing wisdom tells us to just get something—anything—down on paper, I promise my personal brand of gibberish is far more destructive than a blank page. It was a painful lesson, but I learned to save new drafts of my novel every few hours for fear I would replace my solid, mid-day writing with some 3am nonsense.

Finally, the entire new-writer experience made me feel like a toddler trying to compete with the literary giants. There is no outside validation to encourage you when your confidence dips, no one patting you on the back when you finish your next chapter. It’s just you, your writing instrument of choice, and a crippling sense of imposter syndrome. Battling through fits of self-doubt is a daily adventure that I’ve learned to incorporate into my writing process.

Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?

My protagonist, Tali, is a freshman at a college in New Orleans. She is an amalgamation of traits from my closest friends during my own freshman year of college. All of these friends are, of course, referenced in the dedication of The Porn Star’s Daughter.

Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?

Oof, I have to tiptoe through this one. My antagonist, Brock, is a narcissist that has learned to trick people into thinking he is a great guy. I always write him with one unnamed acquaintance in mind. But I have to tone down the narcissistic behavior in the book because I don’t think any reader would believe a description of the real thing.

What is the inciting incident of The Porn Star’s Daughter?

Tali moves from LA to New Orleans only to escape the legacy of her parents—her mom, the long-retired adult-film star, and her dad, the adult-film producer. At home, she was often recognized by older men due to her striking resemblance to her aged, porn-star mom. But from the safety of an out-of-state college, where webcams and video clips are the rage, she expects to fly under the radar and begin a new, society-approved life.

Her troubles begin when she meets James, a fellow college freshman. He’s hot, he’s fun, and he has an unfortunate proclivity to old-school porn. He immediately identifies Tali and has the power to expose her secret home life.

What is the main conflict of The Porn Star’s Daughter?

Tali has to decide who she wants to become—the proper girl she has always idealized or the wild nonconformist she was raised to be.

Did you plot The Porn Star’s Daughter in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?

Flew by the seat of my pants! I plotted my second book in advance but went off track immediately. I’ve never been great at following even my own instructions.

Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did The Porn Star’s Daughter need?

We went from slap bracelets to slut shaming so, yeah, it was a lot of editing. It was, unfortunately, also a lot of editors, but I learned a lot about finding the perfect editing match.

If a prospective editor doesn’t want to read part of your book before agreeing to work with you, keep looking. If a prospective editor doesn’t get excited after reading your book sample, they’re not connecting with your work. Move on. It’s a painful process that is tempting to shortcut, but I promise it is the best investment of time you can make in your work.

What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?

Don’t overthink it or you will scare yourself into paralysis.

I see you, I know you’ve got ideas floating around in that brilliant brain. Start writing them down today. Put them in your phone, write them on sticky notes, hell, scribble them on the back of your kids’ homework. And the moment you start doing that, bam—you’re a writer. No glossy book cover or fancy fonts necessary.

Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?

I’ll give you all the hints. The Porn Star’s Daughter is the first in a four-book series that follows different girls from Tali’s college. Each of the main characters has already been introduced in book one but I’ll let you guess who they are.

The second book in the series is nearly complete and should be released sometime around June 2024. Books three and four are plotted (though we all know those plots will be trashed soon) and I’m working hard to get them released in January 2025 and June 2025, respectively.

And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?

Absolutely, I am so proud of my accomplishment! The first time you see a printed copy of your book, all of the raging anxiety, late-night gibberish, and graffitied homework start to feel like rights of passage rather than the wasted efforts of an overambitious toddler. If you’re on the edge of that writing cliff, just close your eyes and jump already. The effort is so worth the reward.

Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3Qd0iTj

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Q43b8M

Kay Stephens | Author of The Porn Star’s Daughter

Kay Stephens (@kaystephensbooks) • Instagram photos and videos

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