We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful A.d. Wilde. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with A.D. below.

A.D., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

Romance authors are often misunderstood, particularly when writing in the dark or taboo genres. My work is definitely an example of that. But I believe the negative judgment reflects more on the lack of education around the dark romance universe rather than the individual doing the judging themselves. Dark romance involves more complex characters, typically with some sort of trauma, whether it be past or current. And there’s almost always a toxic element to the relationship(s) between the main characters. It’s sometimes a little unconventional, gritty, and painful. But there’s beauty and growth that can be found in that. It’s a very niche market to write to and not everyone is going to be able to relate to my characters. But what’s more important is that I’ve learned that that’s okay! For every person who misunderstands or judges my books, there’s a reader that loves them. But what’s more satisfying for me is when someone finds a safe space to work through their own traumas and experiences through my characters and their stories. To know you’re not alone in this world is an incredible realization, even if it may be through fiction. Publishing dark romance has certainly thickened my skin and given me that much more respect for my peers writing in similar genres.

A.D., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

To make a long story not-so-short, I’ve always been an avid reader. I started as a young girl with small library books, moved onto the Little House on the Prairie books, then dipped my toes into the Stephen King world as a teenager. But when I hit my early twenties, I fell in love with romance in particular. As it turns out, I love love in all shapes and forms. Then when dark romance made its grand appearance in the book community, I fell head over heels and woke up one morning with an urge to immerse myself in that world completely. Writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed and thought there’s no better way to spend my life than doing something I’m deeply passionate about. Dark romance feels very natural to me. I write characters that speak to me and that I can personally relate to. Some of my stories are a trauma dump and were emotionally harder to compose than others. But every second of heartache was worth it.

I’m incredibly proud of the fact that so many readers have found something of value in my books. It warms my heart when I hear of people using my stories as an outlet or safe space to heal or explore.

As for what I want my readers and fans to know … it’s simply that I won’t stop writing. You’d have to pry my laptop from my cold, dead hands before I give up on this. There are so many stories and characters that I’ve conjured up in my chaotic brain that I could do this for ten lifetimes and still not be empty.

I appreciate everyone who takes a chance on me and my books. If it weren’t for those people, this entire journey would be pointless.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I’ll start by stating the obvious: building a social media presence is hard. So, if you’re struggling with that, just know you’re not alone. I’ve lost count of the number of times I wanted to give up on building a community. On those days, I’d remind myself that just one more post, interaction or outreach could be the one that changes the game. Too often people give up just before they’re about to see success. I refuse to be that person.

My biggest piece of advice for someone just starting out: be yourself. It sounds cliche, but authenticity is magnetic. And the last thing you want is to be attracting the wrong audience by sharing something that isn’t on brand for you. It’s about quality and not just quantity. A handful of loyal community members will take you further with your business than twice as many people who aren’t truly interested in what you’re offering.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

To be completely transparent, my entire life has been a series of pivots. Stability isn’t something I’m used to so naturally I seek out chaos and change. The largest pivot I made was when I was nineteen and had enrolled in a police program with the dream of someday becoming a detective. Unfortunately, my health took a turn for the worse (a heart defect), and that put a huge damper on my plans. But I was young and resilient and needed to find a career that wouldn’t challenge my cardiac health. Oddly, I landed a job at a bank as a teller. I moved up the ranks and built my life around a corporate finance position. There were several other smaller adjustments, such as romantic relationships that went sour, throughout the next ten years. Then when I began publishing in 2023, I made another huge pivot and dove head first into that. Like I said, my entire life has been a constant whirlwind of change. And I anticipate the rest of my years will be similar. But I believe spontaneity is the spice of life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.authoradwilde.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoradwilde