Q&A with Author Samantha Cole
Some authors’ books stick with you forever. And I have been so lucky to find sooo many of these authors in my journey through Romancelandia. Samantha Cole is one of them. I remember diving into her Trident Security series and being instantly hooked. Can I tell you how I found her books? Nope. Mentalpause is a thing, y’all. But I can tell you once I found her I binged the hell out of everything she’s written. And then continued to dive into every new release as they came out.
Of course I have my favorites. Nobody will ever replace Jase as my favorite Samantha Cole hero. But Darius is a very close second. And honestly, who could ever forget Carter? A hero who shows up exactly when needed, then breezes back out again like he was never there. And if he was, he was only there for the food.
Seeeee!!! That’s what I mean. If you’ve read anything related to Samantha’s Trident Security series, you’re probably grinning ear to ear right now because you know exactly what I’m talking about! And that’s what makes Samantha and her stories and character so amazing!
But Samantha is also so much more than a memorable author. She’s a solid voice of experience and knowledge in the Romancelandia community. And she’s honestly one of the reasons Charm City Romanticon is the event it is.
When Julie, Rhon, Susy and I first started floating this idea about hosting an indie author signing, we did a bunch of research and went to other events, but the biggest shift was when I messaged Samantha and asked if I could pick her brain. Because she does A LOT of events. I honestly expected to send her a list of questions and hopefully get some solid feedback. What I got was a very detailed, in depth phone conversation that answered so many questions, offered suggestions and ideas, and gave me new paths to consider for the event.
Oh, yeah—AND A TOTAL FANGIRL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE HOLY SHIT I GOT TO CHAT ON THE PHONE WITH AN AUTHOR IDOL!!! Ok, you must understand, at that point, I was nothing more than a fangirl with a small IG profile and an idea for a new event. For one of my favorite authors to not only offer to help, but get on a call with me??? That was huge. I love that we’ve become friends through this community. And a lot of it started with her willingness to chat with me and prove how embedded she is in the community she loves to write for.
And that call did so much more than give me ideas for CCR. It reinforced in my mind and heart that there are people in this industry who are in it for the big picture. They’re in it to bring the best of Romancelandia forward. To build community. To be part of something special. And I have seen it time and time again with Samantha Cole. Whether it’s her keeping readers and authors up to date on happenings in the publishing community, options and opportunities for authors to branch out in their publishing option, or just sitting down with fans and offering her knowledge for understanding, she’s there. And I absolutely love that about her.
I get to see and hug Samantha at CCR2025 in just over a month. And believe me, I am truly counting down the days.
Until then, I loved reading her Spotlight Q&A responses. And I hope they bring you some great insight into Samantha and her books as well.
How did you get started writing? Bored out of my mind while recovering from knee surgery.
Where do you recommend a new reader start in your backlist? For BDSM readers, start with Leather & Lace: Trident Security Book 1. For non-BDSM readers, Her Secret: Malone Brothers Book 1 or Wannabe in Wyoming: Antelope Rock Book 1.
Do you have a favorite/most memorable scene/ part in a novel you've written? I love the barn sex scene in Don’t Fight It: Hazard Falls Book 1. And the “holy sh*t” moment in Salvaging His Soul: Trident Security Book 11. However, for that one, it’s best that the reader follows the Best Reading Order for the series and its spinoff series to understand how big a moment it is.
Is there a part of your career as an author you thought was going to be difficult but has wound up being really wonderful? I thought the whole thing would be difficult in the beginning. I’m an indie author who had no idea there was an entire book community on social media before I wrote my first book. Some parts of being an author are far easier than others, but I learned from others over the years. My favorite part of my career is going to signings to meet my readers and find new ones.
Are there specific themes, tropes, or subgenres you’re more drawn to as an author, reader, or audiobook listener? As an author, I prefer to write romance/suspense due to my background as a police officer, but I’ve ventured out to contemporary romance without suspense and have plans for a few books with other subgenres. As a reader, I’ve been on a major MM and MM+ kick for the last two years or so. I read ebooks and listen to different audiobooks when I’m in the car, so I always have two books running at the same time.
What is your favorite part about being an author? Sharing the stories in my head with others.
What do you like to read/listen to? Any favorite authors you want to send a shout-out to? As I said above, I’ve been on a major MM kick lately. Shoutouts to my current favorite authors - Michelle Dare, Aurora Crane, Lucy Lennox, Brooke Blaine, A.E. Via, Felice Stevens, and more!
Is there someone(s) who’s been influential in your life as it relates to your career? Two people. Catrina Courtenay was the first indie author I met back in 2015. She’s no longer writing (she only did it while her now-retired husband was deployed), but she saved me from making many new author mistakes. I owe much of my success as an author to her. DeeDee Lorenzo is my book world bestie. When we met at a signing in 2017, we just clicked. I felt like I’d known her forever. Since then, we talk almost every day and support each other in both our author lives and real lives. She’s awesome!
How have your life experiences influenced your career as an author? My career as a paramedic and then as a police officer often influence my writing, especially when it’s a romance/suspense book.
This or That: 7 random questions that may or may not be book-related:
Kindle or Paperback - Kindle to read. Signed paperbacks to savor.
Beach or Mountain Vacation - Either, but if I HAD to pick, it would be the beach.
Dogs or Cats - Dogs! Milo is currently my only pup, but from 2000-2023, I’ve had 2 and 3 dogs at a time.
Ice Cream or Cake - Ice cream cake!
Action Flick or Rom-Com - Action flick
Tea or Coffee - Neither. I love cappuccino but hate coffee. It’s a completely different taste to me.
Road Trip or Air Travel - Either.
Connect with Samantha Cole
You can find more information about Samantha, her books, and how to connect with her on social media here:
