Meet Awesome Author Arell Rivers -

I am pleased to interview contemporary romance author Arell Rivers. She is here to talk about her most recent books and her writing life.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Arell Rivers, and I write steamy celebrity contemporary romances ~ about rock stars, reality TV stars, actors. ? I live in New Jersey with my husband and our two adorable kittens (they’re still kittens for one year, right??). Prior to finding my love of writing, I held a various assortment of jobs, from attorney to wedding planner … so, you can say I have a checkered past.

In addition to writing, I love to travel and cook. Of course, with this global pandemic, my travel has been curtailed, but not my cooking! My newest fun recipe? Sicilian Meat Roll. It’s like a meatloaf, but has ham and cheese in it and is so delish!

Do your travels influence your writing?

Yes! I love to travel, and have been blessed to have visited a lot of places in Europe, Mexico and Central America so far. Plus, during school, I studied/lived in Madrid and London. I have drawn on my experiences when describing these places in my books, as my rock stars seem always to be going on world tours, lol. In the book I’m finishing up, about half of it takes place on the Amalfi Coast, where my husband and I visited less than two years ago for our twentieth anniversary. I absolutely love reliving these awesome places when writing, and hope my readers enjoy the experience as well.

Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?

Sure thing! I’m in the middle of writing my second series, The Hunte Family Series. You see, I absolutely love it when you get to see generations of families in book, so that’s what I set out to do in this series. The first book, OUT OF THE RED, was set back in the mid-1990s, and features Braxton Hunte, a rock star fashioned after Bon Jovi. The remaining books in the series follow his now grown-up kids, and take place in today’s world. The book I’m just about done writing, OUT OF THE GOLD, is about his daughter, Melody. There’s one more book planned in the series, and after that, I have a super-cool idea very loosely based upon my great-grandparents’ lives…

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

My books all spring from my imagination about how I *wish* famous people’s lives would be. The hero in my first book, NO ONE TO HOLD, was fashioned after Adam Levine. From watching him on The Voice, I knew he has a wicked sense of humor, so I imbued Cole with some good one-liners. Plus, Adam has a gay brother, and so does Cole. Sometimes, like with Braxton Hunte, the hero of OUT OF THE RED, I give him physical characteristics of my real-life muse ~ in his case, Bon Jovi.

I do admit, though, that I have appropriated some real-life events into my stories. When I was thinking about NO ONE TO HOLD, for instance, Bruno Mars’s mother passed away. I began wondering how difficult such a personal event happening to a celebrity would be, and that’s how the beginning of the book starts. Also during that period of time, I watched an interview about a celebrity stalker, and that also became a major theme of the book. I didn’t have any first-hand experiences, but let my imagination take over and fuel the storylines.

Some other times, I dream stories up. For example, the opening scene in my next series came to me a in a very vivid dream. I woke gasping for air. Although I haven’t written it down, it’s crystal-clear in my memory, and I know that’s how the series will start.

One final thought about this question is that I have based some real-life travel experiences in my books. When the characters visit real places, I’ve usually also been there and try to inject some of my offbeat excursions into them.

What project are you working on now or what book will be next?

Right now, I’m about three chapters short of being finished with the next novel in The Hunte Family Series, about Braxton’s daughter, Melody. She’s a costume designer and is working on a superhero movie that’s filming on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The leading man, Chase Wright, grew up in her hometown of Chicago but they never were in the same school together ~ although his sister was her archenemy! This enemies-to-lovers story will scorch your kindles, that’s for sure!

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

My first couple, Cole and Rose Manchester, hold a very special place in my heart. The trials and tribulations they went through in their trilogy ~ plus all the hard work I went through trying to learn how to write the books! ~ left an indelible mark on my heart. As such, I’m constantly referring to them in my later books, which are set in the same timeframe. I’m pretty sure they will pop up again in my writings. Just not sure when or how yet!

Is there anything special that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

I want to give a huge shout out to anyone who’s taken the time to read my books, join my very active Facebook reader group, or written a review. You are the fuel that powers my imagination! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

No One to Hold by Arell Rivers

Succumb to Cole Manchester—talented, witty, charming, sexy and oh-so flawed—a womanizing rock star whose shallow life is transformed when he experiences love for the first time.

From the outside, Cole Manchester seems to have it all: looks, fame, money, awards and women. When tragedy strikes, he realizes how hollow his life is, and opens the door to the one thing he’s never considered … finding love. He’s inexplicably drawn to the quiet wallflower who works on his team, a line he knows he shouldn’t cross.

After devastating heartbreaks, all Rose Morgan wants is to blend into the background. Working at her dream job as a publicist, she’s safely hiding in plain sight. Until her client, the irresistible Cole Manchester, notices her. Rose must ignore her desires in order to protect her bruised heart … and keep her prized career.

Cole needs Rose to teach him how to love. Rose needs Cole to teach her how to trust. Together, they form a bond ignited by passion but fueled by insecurities. When her mother’s interference collides with his fan’s twisted plot, Cole and Rose may find themselves with No One To Hold.