Meet Dame Rho
My hearts, today I’m thrilled to introduce you to Dame Rho — romance devotee, vampire enthusiast, southern storyteller, and the creative force behind the brand-new Prince of Lust. She brings southern charm, sharp determination, and a whole lot of heart to the indie world. I’m so glad you get to meet her.
JEN: It’s so nice to meet you! Congratulations on your new release! Let’s get started. What genres tug at your heart the hardest? What do you love to read, and what do you love to create?
RHO: All things romance, especially with fangs. I’m a sucker for a vampire.
JEN: Who are your favorites? Author, biggest influence, the narrator who makes you swoon — go.
RHO: Favorite author is hard. I have so many but one stands out above all others. The talented Anne Rice. She was my hero growing up and very supportive of my writing. She told me to never give up, and I haven’t yet. The woman was a genius. I read Interview with a Vampire when I was way too young. I fell in love. I consumed vampire novels galore and it made me want to write. She was and still is an inspiration to me.
JEN: Community is everything in this indie world. Who are the creators in your corner?
RHO: Lu Langley is my sister from another mister. She has been a big supporter of my debut. Together we make up the dynamic duo, The Brit and the Hick.
JEN: Music while writing — what’s the vibe?
RHO: Work well with music but I can’t edit listening to it.
JEN: What keeps you fueled while you're creating? Snacks, drinks, talismans, forbidden potions?
RHO: Espresso and water. I forget to eat while I’m working. I get into the zone and nothing else matters as long as I stay hydrated.
JEN: Paint me a picture of home. How has where you live — or where you grew up — shaped the stories you tell?
RHO: I live in the southeastern USA. I moved around a lot growing up. The south inspires a lot in my stories. Southern charm is underrated. Southernisms are underrated. We’re a friendly bunch who can cook well, joke well, sit back and relax well.
JEN: Morning bird? Night owl? Midnight vampire? When do the words flow best?
RHO: Morning person always. I start work 90 minutes after waking up and I work till my eyes want to fall out of my head. I create the best during quiet morning, when the day is new and full of opportunities.
JEN: When you’re not writing, what brings you joy?
RHO: Hiking. Traveling. Cooking. Baking. Arguing which supercar is the best with my kiddo.
JEN: Let’s talk publishing paths. Where do you land — trad, indie, hybrid?
RHO: Self-published. I got great feedback from traditional publishers when I was querying but I’m weary of waiting when it feels like it’s my time to shine. I gave up publishing for a long time. I kept writing. Then one day, I decided I’d send my stories to open submissions and see what happened. It didn’t work out. The offers I had were subpar and I knew this series was meant for more. I couldn’t sign with anyone who wasn’t ready to take it because the series is written. It’s ready. Then I realized I’m ready. I’m going to do this myself. It’s time.
JEN: Good for you! That’s a great story. Every writer has themes they can’t stop coming back to. What are yours?
RHO: Love is number one. Healing through the power of love is second. But also, gaining a voice as a woman. I’m an abuse survivor. I was taught that nothing I do matters. It was so ingrained in me that I was a flawed being that I didn’t believe in myself. I was afraid of love, my own desires, other people even. I was led on a journey to healing and it took the power of love to do it. That’s apparent in my books. Characters learn and grow. They overcome obstacles and trauma they never thought they’d be able to.
JEN: What does a typical creative day look like for you — the real version, not the Instagram version?
RHO: Breakfast, school run, writing, a snack if I remember, some Instagram, writing, more coffee, maybe lunch though I doubt it, writing, pick up my kiddo, take voice notes in the car(multitasking is a must), make dinner, play Mario Kart with my kiddo, chat about cars with my kiddo, chat about whatever he wants to chat about, make dinner, work in bed, there’s a theme because I write constantly.
JEN: Tell me about the feedback that’s shaped you — the hard stuff and the heart-melting stuff.
RHO: Toughest criticism was actually telling me that my book Prince of Lust was a 5-chili read and that it was dark romance. I had no idea. I thought dark romance was a different thing at the time and it kinda upset me. I’ve since learned what it is, and now I appreciate being called a dark romance writer.
The biggest compliment, ARC readers messaging me while they read freaking out about something that happened, how they felt reading it, their excitement for the next book, the love for the characters, etc. I can’t believe the wonderful reviews I’ve had. I still cry at every new review I get because there’s still a part of me that wonders how all of this happened.
JEN: If you could whisper one thing to an aspiring creator — or to your younger self — what would it be?
RHO: Write every day, even if it’s a sentence. Keep good notes and don’t be afraid to rewrite the entire story. Don’t be afraid that you’re weird, trust me, you’re not. You’ve got a story inside begging to come out, write it.
JEN: And who in your life keeps cheering you on?
RHO: My husband is my number one fan. He knows the books, the stories, he reads every review, and he gets so excited for every stage of the process.
JEN: And what’s coming next? What should readers be clearing space on their TBR for?
RHO: The second book in the Children of Asmodeus series will come out in six months. It goes into editing in January.
JEN: Thanks so much for taking the time.
RHO: Thank you for reaching out to me. I’m truly honored you chose to interview me. It means a lot.
My hearts, thanks for reading, and please check out Rho’s website!
Are you a human author? A human who narrates audiobooks? A human who designs book covers? Or a human who does PR and promotion for other authors? I'd love to interview you, too. Let me know when you’re ready!
