Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today: Stephanie Lake is the multi‑award‑winning and multi–#1 bestselling husband‑and‑wife duo behind a world of historical M/M romance where passion burns, danger lurks, and love always triumphs. Their stories blend slow‑build tension, laugh‑out‑loud moments, and the kind of steamy, satisfying endings readers return for again and again.
Having lived across the globe with their cherished pets, Steph and Lake infuse their books with the flavors of their travels, their shared love of history, and their deep belief that everyone deserves a beautiful love story. Steph gardens and reads; Lake haunts libraries and devours research. Together, they create unforgettable characters who fight for love with heart and humor.
They also write alongside queer historical author Jules Radcliffe. Join their newsletter for a free prequel, The Distraction of Edward MacNair, and stay updated on new releases, giveaways, and behind‑the‑scenes fun.
Connect with them anytime: crewfiction.com/stephanie-lake
Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083897967053
Instagram: instagram.com/jules_radcliffe_stephanie_lake
Amazon: https://swiy.co/BackOfBookSL2AmzAuthorPg
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@radcliffe.n.lake
Thanks so much, Stephanie & Lake, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: How would you describe your writing style/genre?
Stephanie: We write historical MM romance with plenty of heart, longing, and the kind of tension that makes us want to fan ourselves while drafting.
Lake: We love putting our characters in beautifully researched historical settings, then making them work very hard for their happily ever after. Our stories tend to mix emotional depth, sharp banter, and romance that feels both tender and hard-won.
S: Lake does the research. I don’t have the patience for that task.
JSC: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?
S: Lake has sworn me to secrecy.
L: Remember, you promised not to share THAT story, Steph.
S: Okay, let’s just say that neither of us were arrested. I call that a good outcome. 😊
JSC: What is your writing Kryptonite?
S: Ugh! That would be the shiny new toy. We work closely with Jules Radcliffe and she and I have way tooooo many ideas.
L: They do. Drives me nuts. I’m having trouble keeping all the worlds and characters straight these days.
JSC: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
S: First drafts are supposed to be messy. That’s part of the magic, not a sign you’re doing it wrong.
L: I fully disagree here.
S: He does. You should see his perfect drafts. I don’t know how he does that. Mine on the other hand…
L: Illegible.
S: Yeah. Illegible. But they are more to jog my memory. 😊
JSC: What do you do if you get a brilliant idea at a bad time?
L: I write longhand on a legal pad, then brainstorm with Steph.
S: I grab my phone and start dictating, because I need to get the idea down fast, before I forget all the details, and as I’m talking more and more ideas come. I’ve been able to draft a full novel this way and get 10K words in one day.
The product is VERY messy.
L: Illegible.
S: We’ve already covered that.
L: It warranted restating.
S: Are you certain about that?
L: Yup!
JSC: Tell us something we don’t know about your heroes. What makes them tick?
L: Our heroes are usually driven by yearning—sometimes for freedom, sometimes for belonging, and very often for the chance to be truly seen and loved.
S: In historical romance especially, we’re fascinated by characters who appear composed or dutiful on the surface, but are carrying huge emotional lives underneath. That tension between restraint and desire is catnip to me.
L: Yeah, that makes for a realistic, complex character. Whether the character is in a ballroom, a haunted Victorian house, or on the football pitch, what makes them tick is often the same: the need to be accepted.
JSC: Who has been your favorite character to write and why?
S: Alastair in His Pirate. He’s a mix of pirate, gentleman, a bit androgynous, and incredibly sexy. He practically wrote the story himself; he simply had so much chemistry I had trouble getting all on the page.
L: Giggling Lord X. He gets his debut in His Libertine, and we are working on his prequel and full novel right now. He is a very complex character. But I’d better not say much more because his persona is a bit of a secret that is slowly revealed through his books.
S: LOL Oh, I love him too! He is a great character. Remember he had a cameo in Lord Grey and His Spy.
L: Oh, right. I forgot about that.
JSC: Describe yourself using a drink.
S: Oh, that’s easy: Caffeine.
L: That isn’t a drink, Steph. And BTW folks, you DON’T want to see her on caffeine. She has enough energy for five people on a normal day. Give her a few cups of coffee and look out. Now me? I’m a smooth, full-flavored brandy—complex, a little warm, and best appreciated slowly.
S: Hmmm. Is that so? Perhaps I will change my answer to brandy. 😉
JSC: If you could create a new holiday, what would it be?
L: National Library Day. Libraries would be open for a full 24 hours, there would be no limit on the number of books you could check out, and they would serve gourmet finger foods to patrons.
S: Hug Your Favorite Author Day: I think this one is self-explanatory.
JSC: What are you working on now, and what’s coming out next? Tell us about it!
S: We have been polishing and publishing works we wrote over the past handful of years. At the rate we are going, we should have all those out within three years. Most of these are historical MM romance, but there is also the Victorian paranormal and the MM Soccer series.
L: Steph, don’t forget the MF historical spin offs from some of the books in the Regency Lords series, that are also ready for edits. And a contemporary legal thriller that is not romance. Remember above I mentioned there were too many stories!
S: LOL. But there are just so many MMCs running about in my head, and they all deserve an HEA.
L: Yes, and that is something we enjoy crafting and sharing with readers.
And now for Stephanie’s new box set: Regency Lords Collection 3:
Three Historical Gay Romances about men defying societal barriers and duty for their chance at true love.
His Libertine: In a game of secrets and spies, love ignites between bitter enemies. Lord Buckworth, a renowned libertine, is infamous for his daring exploits. But when he rigs a card game to win the services of Frederick Thorndyke—the man he’s watched from afar—his devious plans may cost him more than he bargained for. Amidst the opulence of Regency London and the treacherous world of espionage, they must navigate a fiery past. Will their love story be rewritten, or will past betrayals prove too great to overcome?
Lord Grey and His Spy: A story of Second Chances, London spies, and hidden identities. When a mission brings two men from very different worlds together, the line between duty and desire blurs. In a world where one wrong move means ruin, can they trust each other long enough to find a future together?
The Advocate’s Lover: An enemies-to-lovers tale of passion and justice. A dedicated advocate finds himself at odds with the one man who can help his cause—and the one man he can’t stop thinking about. As they fight for what’s right, they must decide if their own hearts are worth the ultimate risk.
Get It On Amazon
Excerpt
He helped himself to a dessert.
“Oh my.” The sweet confection looked too good to be true. Strawberries in syrup over a blancmange. He took a bite and closed his eyes as he savored the cool sweetened delight.
Buck choked.
Thorn opened his eyes, but Buck was unharmed, and staring at him, spoon halfway to his mouth. Red syrup dripped into his bowl. “Good god, the sounds you make when you eat. Especially when you eat dessert.”
“I do not make any sounds.”
“Oh, but you do. You sound as if I ran my tongue over your nipple and my cock along your thigh.”
Thorn swallowed.
“I am not at all certain I can watch you, listen to you eat the rest of that sweet without spilling here at table.”
Thorn’s cheeks heated and well, other things also heated and with the greatest discipline he had ever exerted, he pushed his dish away.
“No, please enjoy the sweet, and afterward, tell me I may come to your room tonight. Make me a happy man, Thorn.”
“What part of me being forced into this situation, and I being your employee on top of that, do you not understand?”
A slow roguish smile crossed Buck’s lips.
Thorn looked at the table linen, cursing the warmth that crept up his neck to his cheeks. Even with downcast eyes, he could see those elegant fingers stroke the damn wine glass. Up and down, over and over. What was it with that man and those fingers? They never stayed still.
“I think you would have a smashing time.”
“No!” he tried to glare at his host.
God, that grin.
Retrieving his dessert, he ate and watched Buck stare back from under those coal-black lashes.
He enjoyed the power he felt by having this man want him. However, he did not, would not, give the man permission.
“Oh, there. There is that beautiful pout I adore so much.”
“I do not pout,” Thorn retorted.
“Yes, you do. Anytime you’re not smiling—”
“I do not pout.”
“Actually, you’re doing it right now.”
“No—”
“It is lovely.”
“I. Don’t—”
“Go to the mirror and look if you don’t believe me. It is a definite pout.”
“Children pout, not I.”
“Full lips slightly pooched. That is a pout.”
“You, sir, have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Even as a boy you pulled off disdain without even trying,” Buck persisted.
“That was my serious student face.”
“That was not serious. That was erotic.”
Thorn spluttered.
“Let me show you serious. This is serious.” Buck looked off to the side and held a theatrical pose.
“I agree it is a thoughtful face, you have a good thoughtful face.”
“It is indeed. I have practiced.”
“Have you?”
Buck nodded, and Thorn realized he was having a good time.
“Well, I must go since my seduction did not work.” Buck stood and, as he left he said over one shoulder, “Pouter.”
Thorn growled and threw his spoon at him. It bounced off the man’s elegantly clad shoulder.
Buckworth’s laugh echoed off the corridor walls.