SM Soto
Let’s find out a little bit about you as an author. Did you always want to be an author?
Not exactly. While growing up, I actually wanted to be a pediatrician up until high school. During high school, my love for writing sort of took over all my other aspirations and I decided to follow through with it.
What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?
Hmmm. I’d have to say V.C. Andrews had a huge impact on me while growing up. My mom had a box full of her books and when I was a kid, I would sneak through the books in there and read them without my parents knowing. I think the first book of hers I picked up was “My Sweet Audrina”. I just remember reading the tiny words and holding the thick, frayed book in my hand like, wooow, this stuff is way better than what’s in the school library. Lol. The drama interweaved with the suspense and the love stories captivated me as a young girl and I think while growin gup, it made me want to write similar books.
Colleen Hoover, hands down, has been the most impactful on me as an adult. Not only is she an amazing writer, but she also has so many side projects that you can’t help but applaud. Like the Bookworm Box, where the proceeds get donated to charities, and I think it’s amazing. She’s truly a gem in the community and she’ll always be an author I look up to.
Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?
Coffee. Always coffee.
And my phone. Google and Youtube are lifesavers if I need a song to set the mood or I need a question answered for research.
Not exactly. While growing up, I actually wanted to be a pediatrician up until high school. During high school, my love for writing sort of took over all my other aspirations and I decided to follow through with it.
What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?
Hmmm. I’d have to say V.C. Andrews had a huge impact on me while growing up. My mom had a box full of her books and when I was a kid, I would sneak through the books in there and read them without my parents knowing. I think the first book of hers I picked up was “My Sweet Audrina”. I just remember reading the tiny words and holding the thick, frayed book in my hand like, wooow, this stuff is way better than what’s in the school library. Lol. The drama interweaved with the suspense and the love stories captivated me as a young girl and I think while growin gup, it made me want to write similar books.
Colleen Hoover, hands down, has been the most impactful on me as an adult. Not only is she an amazing writer, but she also has so many side projects that you can’t help but applaud. Like the Bookworm Box, where the proceeds get donated to charities, and I think it’s amazing. She’s truly a gem in the community and she’ll always be an author I look up to.
Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?
Coffee. Always coffee.
And my phone. Google and Youtube are lifesavers if I need a song to set the mood or I need a question answered for research.
Tell us about your latest release:
A Cruel Love is an enemies to lovers, romantic suspense that released in May. If you enjoy brooding anti-heroes and sweet bakers with a penchant for darkness, this one is right up your alley.
Blurb:
As a hitman for hire, Percivale is no stranger to violence.
From the moment he saw Blossom Jaymes through the window of her bakery, he knew he was in too deep. Not only was she as sweet as her perfectly crafted treats, but she was a soft-spoken, golden-haired angel that shone like a bright beacon in his dark world. And Percivale didn’t deal in angels. He dealt in death and crime. The even bigger issue? Percivale’s next hit is on said sweet little baker who doesn’t seem to realize how much danger lurks around her with each passing day.
If he doesn’t get the job done, who will?
When Percivale has to decide what’s more important to him—the life of a woman who may very well be innocent or getting his revenge on the men who murdered his family—the lines become blurred. Morals are twisted and a deathly chase ensues that can only result in one thing—Blossom buried six feet under.
Or can it?
Can Percivale let his lust for revenge go in order to save Blossom from the bounty on her head, or will the power she unknowingly holds over him be what gets her killed?
Excerpt:
With my cigarette dangling from my lips, i watch her from my perch along the brick wall, hidden in the shadows. Her long blonde hair is distracting. The strands are a blend of caramel and honey—shit looks like it’s been spun from gold. Her body, which she tries to hide behind in those unflattering clothes, is still delectable, regardless of her attempts. She’s a tiny little thing, but despite being so small, she has curves in all the right places. Petite with soft features and a killer smile. She’s the epitome of sweet and angelic—everything I’m not. She’s nowhere near my type, but my cock that’s straining against the seam of my jeans? Yeah, apparently, he likes her a whole hell of a lot more than he’s supposed to. She fiddles with instruments behind the counter, which displays a wide range of sugary treats that are no doubt the cause of the fucking obesity here in the US. And here she is, this sweet little thing, damning everyone who walks through those doors with her fucking confectionary goods. That’s what her place is called after all—Blossom’s Confectionary Sweets. For the last few days, this has been a nightly occurrence. I park across the street from her shop, slip back into the shadows of the quiet main street, and watch her through the windows as she begins her baking process for the next workday. She’s a creature of routine. Even in the small amount of time I’ve been watching, I know that. My sweet little baker hasn’t deviated from her routine, not once since I’ve been watching.
She closes up shop every day at 8:00 p.m. on the dot, and then she makes a point to check her displays, pulling out the old goods and placing them neatly into a pink box set out on the counter. After cleaning up from top to bottom, she then takes the box out to her car where she later drives it to the homeless shelter. Believe that? This chick doesn’t even throw them away. She’s too damn giving. Too fucking sweet. So goddamn thoughtful. Which is why I can’t wrap my head around the fact that there’s a bounty on the beautiful girl’s head. And the bigger problem? I’m the fucking hitman sent to finish the job. I guess I should probably start from the beginning so you can understand. So you can see what’s led me here and why, after everything, I still plan on killing her.
How did you decide on your story plot?
I really wanted to write something that was a little different than my previous books so with A Cruel Love, the plot actually came to one night just before bed and I ran with it.
How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?
I always google names before I use them in stories, just because I hate using names that are used in books super often. The location was actually decided for me because the book was part of a series of standalones.
Do you have a favorite scene? Why?
There’s a specific scene where we see the heroine, who is normally a quiet introvert, break out of her shell and become this fierce woman who refuses to take Percivale’s crap.
Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why?
I’d say I identify with Blossom, the heroine. I pulled pieces from myself and my life experiences and inserted them into her character, which makes her a little more real in my eyes.
Let our readers know how they can get a hold of you…
Readers can always get in touch with me through email, on FB, and on Instagram. I try to be as active as possible, but when I’m deep in the writing cave, I usually take a step back from social media to focus on the characters, etc. But just know, I always, always respond to messages!
A Cruel Love is an enemies to lovers, romantic suspense that released in May. If you enjoy brooding anti-heroes and sweet bakers with a penchant for darkness, this one is right up your alley.
Blurb:
As a hitman for hire, Percivale is no stranger to violence.
From the moment he saw Blossom Jaymes through the window of her bakery, he knew he was in too deep. Not only was she as sweet as her perfectly crafted treats, but she was a soft-spoken, golden-haired angel that shone like a bright beacon in his dark world. And Percivale didn’t deal in angels. He dealt in death and crime. The even bigger issue? Percivale’s next hit is on said sweet little baker who doesn’t seem to realize how much danger lurks around her with each passing day.
If he doesn’t get the job done, who will?
When Percivale has to decide what’s more important to him—the life of a woman who may very well be innocent or getting his revenge on the men who murdered his family—the lines become blurred. Morals are twisted and a deathly chase ensues that can only result in one thing—Blossom buried six feet under.
Or can it?
Can Percivale let his lust for revenge go in order to save Blossom from the bounty on her head, or will the power she unknowingly holds over him be what gets her killed?
Excerpt:
With my cigarette dangling from my lips, i watch her from my perch along the brick wall, hidden in the shadows. Her long blonde hair is distracting. The strands are a blend of caramel and honey—shit looks like it’s been spun from gold. Her body, which she tries to hide behind in those unflattering clothes, is still delectable, regardless of her attempts. She’s a tiny little thing, but despite being so small, she has curves in all the right places. Petite with soft features and a killer smile. She’s the epitome of sweet and angelic—everything I’m not. She’s nowhere near my type, but my cock that’s straining against the seam of my jeans? Yeah, apparently, he likes her a whole hell of a lot more than he’s supposed to. She fiddles with instruments behind the counter, which displays a wide range of sugary treats that are no doubt the cause of the fucking obesity here in the US. And here she is, this sweet little thing, damning everyone who walks through those doors with her fucking confectionary goods. That’s what her place is called after all—Blossom’s Confectionary Sweets. For the last few days, this has been a nightly occurrence. I park across the street from her shop, slip back into the shadows of the quiet main street, and watch her through the windows as she begins her baking process for the next workday. She’s a creature of routine. Even in the small amount of time I’ve been watching, I know that. My sweet little baker hasn’t deviated from her routine, not once since I’ve been watching.
She closes up shop every day at 8:00 p.m. on the dot, and then she makes a point to check her displays, pulling out the old goods and placing them neatly into a pink box set out on the counter. After cleaning up from top to bottom, she then takes the box out to her car where she later drives it to the homeless shelter. Believe that? This chick doesn’t even throw them away. She’s too damn giving. Too fucking sweet. So goddamn thoughtful. Which is why I can’t wrap my head around the fact that there’s a bounty on the beautiful girl’s head. And the bigger problem? I’m the fucking hitman sent to finish the job. I guess I should probably start from the beginning so you can understand. So you can see what’s led me here and why, after everything, I still plan on killing her.
How did you decide on your story plot?
I really wanted to write something that was a little different than my previous books so with A Cruel Love, the plot actually came to one night just before bed and I ran with it.
How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?
I always google names before I use them in stories, just because I hate using names that are used in books super often. The location was actually decided for me because the book was part of a series of standalones.
Do you have a favorite scene? Why?
There’s a specific scene where we see the heroine, who is normally a quiet introvert, break out of her shell and become this fierce woman who refuses to take Percivale’s crap.
Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why?
I’d say I identify with Blossom, the heroine. I pulled pieces from myself and my life experiences and inserted them into her character, which makes her a little more real in my eyes.
Let our readers know how they can get a hold of you…
Readers can always get in touch with me through email, on FB, and on Instagram. I try to be as active as possible, but when I’m deep in the writing cave, I usually take a step back from social media to focus on the characters, etc. But just know, I always, always respond to messages!
