12/12/20

Hi MarZé, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a lover of all things beautiful and creative. I’m the mother of five amazing children and mentor high school students. I enjoy cooking, sewing, baking, drawing, crocheting, and making jewelry. I sound really domesticated! LOL. I also fancy myself as an undercover celebrity. I’m a local fashion model, makeup artist, and national bestselling author.

What were you like at school?

In elementary school, I was a brainiac. According to my mother, teachers wanted to promote me out of grades because I was bored with the schoolwork. My mother homeschooled me before it was popular. I learned to read by the age of three. I wore the teachers out with questions and discovery. That all ended around high school. I was enrolled in college prep classes, and I was bored. I took plenty of “breaks” from classes I’d fall asleep in. I still graduated with a 3.5 grade point average on a 4 point scale. I attended community college and then University of Michigan much later in life and graduated with an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts and Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been a writer and storyteller my whole life. I wrote stories in grade school and poems in high school. Middle school years I wrote soap opera scripts for my Barbie dolls. There isn’t a defined time when I knew I wanted to be a writer. I just do it.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

My writing ambitions for my writing career are getting one or more of my stories to screen-- movies or series. I’d also enjoy encouraging people to follow their dreams when it comes to writing so I’d like to become a book coach and show them the process.

Which writers inspire you?

I enjoy reading fellow contemporary writers like the member of my writing tribe, NKs Tribe Called Success. I’ve read most of Naleighna Kai’s catalog- loved every book! Shakir Rashaan for some heat. London St. Charles writes loves stories from the heart. My Fairy Godmother writes mature love stories. I love them all and discovering more. I also love Beverly Jenkins, Elle Wright, Octavia Butler, Walter Mosley, and too many more to list.

What have you written so far? 

Gemini Rising was my debut novel about a young woman groomed and raised to be sex trafficked to the highest paying patron, and her journey to get out of that lifestyle (a work of fiction). Next Lifetime is being expanded from its short story format to a novel- it’s the story of a woman who searches for love after being the victim of domestic violence and being framed for her abuser’s death. Designed to Love you is a short story that was published in The Just One Kiss anthology about a woman who finds love after divorcing a philandering husband. King of South Shore, book six in the Kings of The Castle series is about Kaleb Valentine, a real estate developer who inadvertently gets caught up in gang business while trying to improve Chicago’s South Shore area and finally I co-authored The Knight of Birmingham, book 8 in the Knight of The Castle series, with Lori Hays about a woman on a mission to find women who are disappearing from the prison system in Alabama when she gets help from some members of The Castle.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m currently writing Worshipping Felice, my contribution to the Decadence anthology due for release February 2021.

What’s it about?

The story is about Felice Morales, a university professor who is hired to instruct men who are thoughtless in their sexual technique and attention to their partners. In her private life she’s willing submissive and now has the opportunity be the dominant.

What genre are your books?

I write contemporary fiction, romantic suspense, and I’m dabbling in erotica with Worshipping Felice.

How much research do you do?

I do a lot of research as most topics I write about are not from first-hand knowledge or experience.

Now, before we end this interview and start sharing some of your work here on my website, do you have any tips on what to do and what not to do?

To do:

👍 Believe in yourself

👍 Be definite with your goals, and flexible with you process.

👍 Get with a partner or group to keep you motivated when the struggle is real.

👍 Be coachable/amiable. No one wants to work with someone who’s always arguing their points when they are the ones asking for help.

👍 Learn to promote yourself.

Don’t do:

👎 Don’t listen to the naysayers. Haters are always going to hate.

👎 Don’t be too hard on yourself. It never really helps.

Thank you so much for your time! This has been great!

It was my pleasure. And thank you for stopping bye!

Gemini Rising (release date 2/23/19)

Aisha couldn’t have known how much her existence would change the summer before her tenth birthday. Her family, and life as she knew it, was turned upside down after a tragic accident that left her an only child to her widowed mother. A family secret and an arrangement sent her two hundred fifty miles from her home only to be given into the hands of her treacherous new guardian, Angel. A new identity and routine were given in exchange for her freedom—Gemini was born.

Twelve years later, Gemini has secrets of her own that she needs to keep from her coworkers at the accounting firm of McFadden and Tate and Zephyr Gray, a top executive at the company. Gemini fights to keep her attraction for Zephyr hidden, but a turn of events uncovers her feelings and her secret. Now, she has to figure out how to reclaim her freedom without getting herself or Zephyr, killed.

Click here to download your copy of Gemini Rising

Books by MarZé  Scott

Just One Kiss: 

Find the perfect hero in this sweet to sensual short story/extended excerpt collection featuring just one kiss.

Looking for a bride-to-be with the perfect guy or a passionate kiss between forever lovers? Thirteen USA Today Bestselling, National Bestselling, and award-winning authors share a quick read collection of romantic escapes featuring  just one kiss.

JUST ONE KISS includes:

A Taste of Logan by USA Today Bestselling Author Siera London

Make This a Night to Remember by USA Today Bestselling Author Naleighna Kai

Afternoon Interlude by Award-winning Author J.L. Campbell

Perfect Kiss by National Bestselling Author London St. Charles

Designed to Love You by National Bestselling Author MarZe Scott

A Love Like Forever by National Bestselling Author Lisa Watson

It Began with a Kiss by National Bestselling Author Michelle D. Rayford

Unexpected Attraction by Karen Bradley

It’s Only a Kiss by National Bestselling Author Shakir Rashaan

Kissing You by Christine Pauls

Heat by Sierra Kay

Forbidden Kiss by Anita L. Roseboro

The Ultimate Gift by National Bestselling Author Martha Kennerson

Click here to download a sample of Just One Kiss

King of South Shore (Kings of the Castle Book 6):

Award-winning real estate developer, Kaleb Valentine, is known for turning failing communities into thriving havens in the Metro Detroit area. Kaleb's business investments always brought excellent returns and put him on track for multi-million-dollar status. That is, until five bodies are found in a house fire in one of the properties he purchased on the South Side of Chicago. This puts Kaleb deep in the middle of an intense criminal investigation led by a detective who has a personal vendetta. Not to mention, Kaleb is forced to revisit a life he barely escaped as a teen which threatens a new love interest before the relationship lands on solid ground.

Skyler Pierson has no time for romance, let alone love. So, it's unexpected that when Kaleb shows up to volunteer at her place of employment, the walls around her heart begin to crumble. Working as the transition coordinator for The Second Chance at Life Women's Shelter, Skyler secures sanctuary for women and children who have been abandoned by their families or are survivors of domestic violence. When Kaleb asks Skyler for what seems to be a simple favor, she soon discovers that asking one too many questions puts her in the kind of danger she thought she'd managed to distance herself from years before. The circumstances surrounding Kaleb's background brings up his past and threatens his success, his life, and his new love. How far will Kaleb's enemies go to take him down?

ABOUT THE KINGS OF THE CASTLE SERIES Each King book is a standalone, NO cliffhangers.

USA Today, New York Times, and National Bestselling Authors work together to provide you with a world you'll never want to leave. The Castle.

Fate made them brothers, but protecting the Castle, each other, and the women they love, will make them Kings. Their combined efforts to find the current Castle members responsible for the attempt on their mentor's life, is the beginning of dangerous challenges that will alter the path of their lives forever.

These powerful men, unexpectedly brought together by their pasts and current circumstances, will become a force to be reckoned with.

Book 1-Kings of the Castle (the introduction to the series)

Book 2-King of Chatham Book

3-King of Evanston

Book 4-King of Devon

Book 5-King of Morgan Park

Book 6-King of South Shore

Book 7-King of Lincoln Park

Book 8-King of Hyde Park

Book 9- King of Lawndale

Click here to download a sample of King of South Shore (Kings of the Castle Book 6)

Knight of Birmingham (Knights of the Castle Book 8):

Single mothers who are eligible for release, have totally disappeared from the Alabama justice system.Women's advocate, Meghan Turner, has uncovered a disturbing pattern and she’s desperate for help. Then her worse nightmare becomes a horrific reality when her friend goes missing under the same mysterious circumstances.

Rory Tannous has spent his life helping society’s most vulnerable. When he learns of Meghan’s dilemma, he takes it personal. Rory has his own tragic past and he’ll utilize every connection, even the King of the Castle, to help this intriguing woman find her friend and the other women.

As Rory and Meghan work together, the attraction grows and so does the danger. The stakes are high and they will have to risk their love and lives to defeat a powerful adversary.

DON'T MISS the hot new standalone series, Knights of the Castle. The Kings of the Castle made them family, but the Knights will transform the world.

Book 1 - King of Durabia

Book 2 - Knight of Bronzeville

Book 3 - Knight of South Holland

Book 4 - Lady of Jeffrey Manor

Book 5 - Knight of Grand Crossing

Book 6 - Knight of Paradise Island

Book 7 - Knight of Irondale

Book 8 - Knight of Birmingham

Book 9 - Knight of Penn Quarter

Click here to download a sample of Knight of Birmingham (Knights of the Castle Book 8)

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Before you go...

please enjoy an excerpt from Worshipping Felice, MarZé's contribution to the Decadence anthology due for release February 2021.

Quivers whipped down Felice’s spine to her toes as a gentle touch pulled her silken straight hair away from her shoulders, and warm breath fanned at the nape of her neck. A hot hand gently raised the hem of her black wraparound dress, caressing her smooth and ample derriere before smacking it. Nearby patrons shot glances around the scene as the clap echoed above the chatter throughout the rooftop space covered by a glass dome.

“Oppa is hungry,” Namjung purred in Felice’s ear as his hand traveled around the curve of her cinched waist, drawing her into his firm, robust body. Placing a hand on top of his, she angled toward his husky tenor, as he inhaled the scent of spiced ginger and almond oil she slathered on her body after every shower.

“Would Oppa like to have his meal here?” Felice murmured, delighting in the slight, cool breeze that kept the heat of her partner d’jour from sending her sensibilities into overdrive.

Spinning Felice on her heels in a Chicago style steppin’ half-turn, Namjung whirled her into an about face. The corners of his lips lifted, as he took in the impish grin Felice offered him.

“Ahem, may we join?” A couple that looked as if they stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine from some other part of the world reached the far corner of the restaurant where Felice and Namjung stood near the patio entrance.

“You look like you’d make a scrumptious appetizer, Ms. Morales,” The raven-haired woman proclaimed as her gaze raked over Felice’s body, quirking an eyebrow at the hardened buds that demanded to be seen through the thin covering of her bodice.

“Good evening, Alessandra,” Felice greeted, adjusting her dress and offering a smile that showed she wasn’t as embarrassed as onlookers may have considered. “Dimitri.” She nodded.

“And your friend is?” Dimitri inquired, smiling as his gaze appreciated the much-taller-than-the-average Asian man whose wavy hair hung to his waist. “

Namjung Moon,” he declared, sliding one hand in a pants pocket while extending the other. “Pleased to finally meet you. Felice has spoken highly of you both.”

“Well, Felice has been a bad girl as we hadn’t been informed that we would meet you, Mr. Moon,” Alessandra countered, lifting her glance from his nether region to meet his eyes.

Namjung snapped a glimpse on Felice, smoothing his fingers over his strong, clean jawline. “We’ll have to find a consequence to fit the crime.”

“You do remember that this is a meeting of a different sort,” Dimitri said, holding up a leatherbound satchel.

“He’ll be my guest for any upcoming events at The Castle so that he can … research the benefits.”

“You’re quite ambitious,” Alessandra assessed, crossing one curvy leg over another. “That’s not how this usually works, but we’ll talk to Khalil to see what he thinks.”

Felice beamed as her pulse picked up speed as Namjung’s touch reached her knee under the table. Mimicking the posture of the woman who sat across from her, she squelched the desire to reciprocate.

Dimitri extracted a file from his bag, opening the folder and reading the first page, then glancing up at Felice. “Tell us about the course you teach at the university.”

“I teach a four hundred level course on feminism for Women of Color as it pertains to human sexuality through Roman and Greek Mythology.”

“Intriguing” Alessandra said, twisting around to get the attention of a server walking by.

“Can we have a platter of truffle fries and classic hot toddies all around, please.”

The server rushed away as Alessandra returned to her position, all eyes on her. “Is there an issue?” she inquired, taking a sheet of paper from the thin stack Dimitri held. “Having friends who own restaurants has its perks.”

“No problem with me,” Namjung responded, his supple lips growing into a smirk as he relaxed against the back of the chair. “I happen to love the truffle fries here.”

Dimitri cleared his throat and nodded toward Felice. “My students and I discuss the ritual temple worship of female deities in other cultures and how knowledge of those behaviors can expand our perception of the sexual power women possess and how it translates to their sense of well-being.”

“Have you discussed The Temple of Aphrodite?” Dimitri queried in a curious tone.

“Weren’t the women sex slaves in the temple during that time?”

“Indeed,” Felice agreed. “Greek society was extremely open-minded about sex. Brides became temple prostitutes, if you will, to bring luck and happiness to their marriages. Sex wasn’t necessarily considered a commodity the way westerners think. It was more like a form of worship.”

“Fascinating,” Alessandra said, taking a sip of the amber liquid.

“Most certainly, especially when you have an apostle writing epistles to an entire nation of men to stop absolving their sins through intercourse and for women to submit to their own husbands.”

Felice chuckled, snatching a fry from the dish. “And then to have these pleas published in the Holy Bible? That’s a whole other conversation for a different day.” Everyone around the table shared in laughter.

“I think you’d be perfect for a role at an event we’re holding this weekend at The Castle,” Alessandra suggested.

“Really now?” Felice asked as she tucked a loose whisp of hair behind an ear, glancing between Alessandra and Dimitri. Dipping a slender pinky finger into her drink, she tasted the contents of her beverage before taking a sip.

“We’re hosting an extravaganza,” Dimitri explained, his attention switching between his papers and Felice and Namjung. “We host one every season. Word has gotten back to us that a few of the men need to be educated on how to be better partners.

“Was consent an issue?” Felice asked, narrowing her gaze on Dimitri.

“Consent was always given. Alessandra and I will be too busy to do it ourselves. You’ll have a few students, and as much time as you need to get them adjusted. We’ll provide an instructional area that should suit your purpose.”

“It’s only one weekend,” Felice affirmed. “I don’t need anyone from the university in my affairs. I keep my personal life rather low profile.”

“We understand,” Dimitri declared with a smile.

“So what are you looking for me to do exactly?” Felice questioned.

Dimitri retrieved the sheet from Alessandra, dropped it in the folder, and placed it back in the briefcase. Alessandra reached in her clutch and handed Felice a black and gold embossed business card. “The event information is coded on the emblem. Your phone should be able to read it. Don’t lose it. This invitation is unique to your use.”

Felice received the paper, glancing between it and Alessandra as she stroked the print with her thumb.

“Ms. Morales,” Dimitri said, stabbing his fork into the pile of crispy, sliced potatoes. “Your education on sexual expression sounds like it will be useful. Tell me, what’s your experience in the area of dominance?”

Decadence An escape into everything sensual and naughty, wanton and wicked. Where breaking the rules is an extremely good thing, and yielding to temptation is not only encouraged, but expected. Release date: February 14, 2021

Pre-order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KJFZ6YN/