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Author Spotlight: Ann Herendeen

I've been following Ann Herendeen's career since she published Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander with HarperCollins in Spring 2008. This was before Running Press started their m/m historical romance line and Herendeen's m/m, m/f combo (with one of those 'm's being the same gent) was the nearest thing I'd seen to m/m romance breaking into mainstream publishing. Now, Ann's back with Pride/Prejudice, also from HarperCollins and published just yesterday! I happen to know that the '/' in the title is no happenstance. Let's hear what Ann has to say about it, shall we?


Oh, and don't miss the excerpt from Pride/Prejudice at the end of the post.

Tell us about your recent publication.

Pride/Prejudice is what I call “the hidden story” of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It takes the same characters and plot and brings to light the homoerotic subtext. Most of us are familiar with the central romance, of proud Mr. Darcy and prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet, and how they learn the truth behind their mistaken “first impressions” (Austen’s original title). But I see a similar development in the relationships between Mr. Darcy and his “gentlemanlike” friend Mr. Bingley, and between Elizabeth and her friend Charlotte. In both cases, one of the partners has to learn to respect the other’s choices and to treat him or her as an equal. 


This is a bisexual love story: the same-sex relationships are in addition to the m/f ones, not instead of them. I’m not changing the story, only showing a part of it that couldn’t be seen in Austen’s time. I don’t think Austen was consciously writing “bisexual” characters; that’s a modern way of categorizing people. But the kind of friendship she portrayed between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, the affectionate but domineering control that Mr. Darcy wields, can very easily support a sexual interpretation. Elizabeth’s sense of betrayal at Charlotte’s marriage to the loathsome Mr. Collins also carries an implication of jealousy. And the exploitative relationship between Mr. Darcy and Wickham practically requires a sexual aspect to make sense of it.

What gave you the idea for this story?

Writing my first novel, Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander. That story took a traditional Georgette Heyer form of the Regency romance—a witty, drawing-room comedy of manners—sexed it up, and queered it by making the hero “slightly bisexual” (as I described him in my presentation for a conference—see below). The idea was to use all the clichés or standard tropes of these m/f romances—the alpha male rakish hero, the marriage of convenience, and the Bertie Wooster-ish group of the hero’s friends—to tell an m/m/f romance, giving the hero a hea with his wife and his boyfriend. 


Phyllida has a minor subplot in which the hero thinks his wife is the author of Sense and Sensibility, which was published anonymously. (She actually writes trashy gothic novels.) And it got me thinking about Pride and Prejudice, because I saw the possibility in that novel for a similar m/m/f situation. Because P&P was published in 1813, it’s usually read as taking place in 1812, so it was a natural progression from writing an m/m/f love story set in 1812 to telling P&P as an m/m/f story—or slightly m/m/f/f.

Why do you write?

When I started, it was to write the kind of thing I wanted to read but didn’t see anyone else writing: an m/m/f love story in the form of a traditional m/f romance novel. I think of Phyllida as my fantasy autobiography—what’s sometimes called a “Mary Sue.” If I could go back into the fictional past and be the heroine of a Regency romance, this would be it.

Working on P/P was a very different experience. I wasn’t writing “my” story; I was writing Jane Austen’s story, trying very hard not to change it, but to bring out some of the hidden aspects. Writing about other characters, as opposed to a version of me and my fantasies, changed how I felt about writing. 


Now I think it’s more like what real writers do: they look for truths—about the world, about themselves, about relationships—by telling a made-up story. I see writing as a conversation with readers. It’s not just me talking to my computer. When we write something intended for publication we hope other people will read it and be moved by it. I’m still writing for myself, in the sense that writing fiction allows me to be completely honest—or as close as anyone can get. But I’m also putting this candid viewpoint out there and saying, “This is what interests me, what turns me on, what makes me laugh. What do you think?” Naturally I’m going to get negative responses as well as positive ones, but that’s what it’s all about—a way to reveal, through my fiction, the true self that feels hidden within my physical being and day-job existence, and see how other people react to it.

To what/whom do you credit your success?

First: to the fact that I write comedy within an old-fashioned narrative style. People can enjoy my stories on different levels: as genuine romance or as a humorous take on a familiar genre or story. Most of the books I read growing up were written at least fifty years ago (I’m almost 55), and many of them had a style that’s deceptively easy. The reader assumes it was as easy to write as it is to read. Only when you try to emulate it do you find out how hard it is to achieve. But I keep trying. 


Second: my editor at HarperCollins. He’s the one who, in his words, “came across” the POD Phyllida and liked it enough to give it a chance at real publication. It was the humor that attracted him. HC published Phyllida as regular fiction, not as romance, and I think my editor was surprised that some readers took it seriously as a love story. Many people assume I was one of the select few to be picked out of the slush pile, and want to know my secret. The truth is even stranger. I did send my manuscript to publishers and agents, but gave up after six months and did print-on-demand instead.

Third: I also have to thank some influential bloggers, especially Michelle Buonfiglio and her blog, Romance B(u)y The Book, and the Smart Bitches, Trashy Novels. They both gave the POD Phyllida great publicity, and I suspect this was one of the reasons my eventual editor decided it was worth a look. 
 


How did you start writing?


I had read a number of Marion Zimmer Bradley Darkover novels years ago. I especially liked The Heritage of Hastur with its homoerotic coming-of-age story and the villain, Dyan Ardais, who is primarily same-sex oriented but admits to being “a man of impulse”—desiring a woman, even marrying, on one or two occasions. Then, much later, I found a book of Darkover fanfiction. Like all overconfident neophytes, I thought I could do as well as some of those writers, and I sat down and wrote a story, told in the first person, about being one of Dyan Ardais’s “impulses.” (Yes, reader, I married him.)


The story sucked, but at the time I was quite pleased with it. I wrote several more, chronicling the adventures of the little family I created with Dyan, his boyfriends, and our two children. Eventually the stories became longer, then novellas. I had written two full-length novels and was halfway through a third when I realized two things: 1) Bradley had stopped permitting fanfiction, so all this work was unpublishable; and 2) while my first efforts were atrocious, I had gotten better with practice and could perhaps try to publish something. That’s when I switched to Regency romance. The comic mood of most regencies suits my voice, and it was a genre I felt comfortable working in. 



If you could change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

Publicity. I would make it possible for new, marginal writers to get publicity, like readings, interviews—ideally, a book tour—if they want it.

When the big publishing houses pay an enormous advance to a celebrity or bestselling author, they obviously don’t want to lose that investment, so they’re willing to put additional money into publicity to make sure the book performs up to expectations. Authors like me, who get very small advances, aren’t worth the extra expense. If our books don’t sell, the publisher hasn’t lost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, only a very few thousand. There’s no point in throwing any more money down the drain after that initial small loss.


Blogging is just about the only way new authors have to promote ourselves, and I’m not very good at it. Public appearances and interviews are much easier for me. It’s something I enjoy doing, and I think most books sell better when the author is right there with readers, face to face, answering questions and sharing her pleasure in her work. But it only happens now for the few authors who already have the big sales or get a big advance, and can be counted on to fill seats. I would be willing to set aside some of my minuscule advance for PR instead of taking it as cash, but since I would need help making the arrangements and getting gigs, I suspect the publishers would still consider it not worth the trouble.
Of course, being featured in a special segment like this Author Spotlight is much, much more fun than trying to be a conscientious blogger or Twitterer—and I thank you for giving me the opportunity! 
 


What is your proudest moment as an author?


Being invited to be a panelist—a speaker—at the conference held at Princeton University last year called “Love as the Practice of Freedom? Romance Fiction and American Popular Culture.” My proudest moment was meeting the other panelists: multiply-published romance novelists like Jennifer Crusie and Eloisa James; and scholars like Stephanie Coontz, author of the pioneering nonfiction work, Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage—and then standing up and speaking about my one published book (at the time), and realizing I was, however briefly, part of this group.


Kirk, or Spock? 


Spock. I figure he must be bisexual, as it’s the most logical orientation, being open to relationships with both (or all) sexes ;)

Here's an excerpt from Ann's newest release, Pride/Prejudice:

Author Spotlight: Donald Hardy

Please welcome Donald Hardy, whose historical m/m romance, LOVER'S KNOT, just came out from Running Press a few weeks ago.

Set in Cornwall in 1906, LOVERS’ KNOT tells the story of Jonathan Williams, who came to Trevaglan Farm one long lost summer a heart-broken young man in need of healing and peace. The hot days were filled with sunshine, the nearby ocean, and a new friend, Nat. Jonathan and the farmhand quickly grew close, Jonathan needing comfort in the wake of his grief, and Nat basking in a love he didn’t know could exist. But feelings of love and passion were soon mixed with darker currents of rumor and suspicion, jealousy and doubt. As the summer faded, Jonathan was devastated by another death, and fled to Cambridge to forget.

Fourteen years later, he is determined to start anew at Trevaglan. Until he sees Nat’s figure in the shadows of a darkened library. Until lost mementos of that summer idyll reappear. Until lives are in danger and Jonathan learns that ghosts are real.

Inspired by the stories of E. M. Forster and E. F. Benson, LOVERS’ KNOT is a haunting tale of love and loss, betrayal and redemption.

Tell us about your recent publication.

Lovers’ Knot actually has an interesting history.  It was originally intended to be a short story for an anthology that never worked out.  The stories were to be gay themed and involve spell-craft; it was to be a speculative fiction sort of thing.  The stories were supposed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 words long.  I had an idea for a story, and started to write it.  When I hit 10,000 words, and the main characters hadn’t even arrived at the Cornish farm that figures largely in the story, I thought maybe – just maybe – this wasn’t going to be a short story.   It was going to be at least a long novella (my writing friends joke I am incapable of writing anything short).  And it was going to be a ghost story.

I set it aside for some time, and then a little over a year ago started again on it.  Erastes told me of the Running Press M/M series, and strongly encouraged me (read, strong armed me) to submit it.  In spite of the fact that I hadn’t set out to write a classic Romance novel, it had strong, strong Romance underpinnings. And Running Press liked it.    My editor told me that she particularly liked the supernatural layer, and the fact that the story has two timelines.  The reader starts the story in 1906, when Jonathan Williams, the main character, inherits the farm where he’d spent the summer of 1892.  Even before he arrives, however, memories rush back, told as a parallel narrative, each flashback triggered by a face or an artifact.  The flashbacks are not quite half the book, but a very sizeable portion.  The editor found it very interesting, and atypical for romance, as was the ghost story part.  She liked that RP was going to shake things up a bit.  

What gave you the idea for this story?

This sounds a little silly, I suppose, but I had a dream one night about a rather peculiar little incident, involving a woman telling a young man that he had to do a specific thing.  I woke up, and thought “That’d make a good story for that anthology.”  I typed the two or three sentences I remembered of the dream’s dialogue (only one of which actually made it into the book).  Then the story around it…well, just sort of appeared full blown in my head.  I knew I wanted it to be in Cornwall, at the end of the Nineteenth Century, that there would be two timelines, just who the main characters were, and what the arc of the story would be.  It grew, of course (a lot), but the basic framework was there from the beginning, all from three lines of dialogue in a dream.

Why do you write?

Because I love words.  I love the English language and its thousand plus years of history right there in the words themselves, in their irregularities, their spellings, their clearly foreign origins.  They are beautiful things, and I would resist to my last breath those who would try to change and dumb down the way English is written or spelled.

What do you like to read?

Lord.  Well.  I’m a pretty rabid Austen fan, I’m afraid, and a bit of a purist about it.  I’m not keen on Austen fic, nor do I like most of the film versions of her books.  I’ve read all the works (including the juvenilia) um, mumblety-mumblety times.  And all of her letters.  Four times.  And the footnotes.  For fun.  And I’m now starting on biographies and critical analyses.  Actually, there’s a reason for that: I’m adapting Pride and Prejudice to the stage for a theater company I work with.  I’m going to bury myself at the cabin where I did most of the work on Lovers’ Knot over the coming holidays and try to bang a lot of that out.

I love E. F. Benson, and this book owes a lot to the atmosphere and tone of his ghost stories and was very heavily influenced by some of them.  I revisit them all the time.  Some folks might recognize that, if they’re familiar with his work.

I’m reading a lot of Raymond Chandler and Rex Stout – I have an idea for a 1940s series of mystery novels, rather like the Thin Man movies, that I’m going to work on with a friend (so stay tuned). Chandler’s particularly brilliant.  Phenomenal prose.  C.J. Cherryh and Barbara Hambly are my favorite Sci Fi and Fantasy authors, respectively.  I’ve been reading a lot more history and biography lately, things like Devil and the White City and The Verneys. 

So I’m kind of…all over the map. 

How did you start writing?

I’ve always liked words, and I’ve always done fairly well at writing essays or long chatty emails, but any original stories I tried were disastrous.  There’s a failed fantasy novel/world that is so appallingly derivative that I’ve buried it deep, deep, deep in a box in the attic.  It’s embarrassing.  I have always been good at telling stories that really happened, though.

Then about eight years ago I had a very, very odd event happen to me, something that I couldn’t explain, and it triggered a week and a half of utter bizarreness that I couldn’t understand.  I can’t go into it too much, because, well, they’d lock me away in an asylum.  =-D

Anyway, so much happened that my friends suggested I write it down so I didn’t forget any of the details.  It turned into a 30,000 word first person manuscript (see what I mean about brevity not being the soul of my wit?) By chance some months later I read a story by an author that…echoed the events that had happened to me very closely, and what’s more, listed sources.  I also got the impression that she believed the things she wrote.  So I sent my manuscript to her, asking her if she thought my event and her research for her story were related.  She thought it possible, but the thing that bounced it for me was that she said at the end of the email “You’re a very good writer.  You should turn this into a novel.”

I didn’t, but that fall I decided to try NaNoWriMo, and write a 50,000 word novel, if I could spin a story out that long.  Heh.  It was 140,000 by the time I finished it in April.

After that, there was one false start (which I’ve not given up on yet), and then I started Lovers’ Knot. 

Was there a time when you almost gave up?  What made you keep going?

Not writing, but I almost gave up on Lovers’ Knot.  I got about one third of the way into the novel, and I just locked solid.  I couldn’t come up with a thing.  I’d stare at the computer screen for hours, and nothing would happen.  That state of events lasted from January until November of 2008.  I wrote a novella in the summer, 35K words, which was, heh, supposed to replace Lovers’ Knot in the anthology, but was, oh, ten times too long.  By then I was pretty certain that Lovers Knot would never be written.  It really upset me, because I liked the characters and the story a lot.  Then Erastes, who very much liked the story as it stood (she was being Brit Crit and beta), started nudging me to pick it up again.  I buried myself for two weeks in the woods.  For several days, I didn’t get more than 100 words in a day.  And then it ramped up and broke loose, at least a little.  It was a difficult book to write.

In a broader sense, there are times that it is hard to buckle down and write.  I love words, but a novel has a lot of them.  I’m afraid some people might think I’m a bit too much of a dilettante.  I love to write, but I don’t seem to be driven to it. 

It’s the same with my other interests.  I’m very active in a theater company out here in the Bay Area, and we do excellent work.  And I’m quite busy throughout the Renaissance Faire season, usually portraying Shakespeare – people are fascinated to watch me write with a quill pen.  I suppose I spread my time too thinly amongst many interests, and there are moments when I wonder if something should go.  Unfortunately I like them all.

And that’s what makes me keep going.  I really like writing.  It’s work, make no mistake.  The Oscar Wilde story of his spending half a day trying to decide if he should put in a comma and the second half of the day trying to decide if he should take it out isn’t that far off.  Almost everyone I know who writes tells me “Just get it down.  Don’t self edit.  Don’t worry about that first time around.” 

I can’t seem to do that.  I love sentences and I love paragraphs.  I very much love dialogue.  I’m most at ease writing that.  The characters in the stories are always talkative.  In fact, they often don’t shut up.  And sometimes, rarely, but sometimes, I’ll come to the end of a long day, turn off the computer, and next morning re-read what I’d done, and think “Who wrote this?  This is pretty good stuff!”  And I really don’t know where it came from, or where the characters came from, or where the words came from (my characters are far cleverer than I)…but they’re there, and I love that they are.

And that’s why I do it.

What have you always wished someone would ask you?  Now answer!

Why, yes.  I’ll marry you.  =-D

Aw, way to butter up your host, Don. 'Fraid I'm already hitched but if you want to be my bit on the side, maybe we can work something out. ;>

Everyone, I want you to know that Don was quite nervous about his spotlight, the goose.  He did great though, didn't he? I particularly liked the story of how the story began as a dream. It's got me wondering which line from the novel is the one Don dreamed.

Please click the link below for an excerpt from Lover's Knot.

Author Spotlight: Lee Rowan

Please welcome historical m/m author Lee Rowan. I loved Lee's book Ransom, so I was thrilled to learn that one of the new Running Press titles, Tangled Web, was penned by her.  Running Press, by the way, is a print publisher who has launched a line of historical m/m novels aimed at the romance market. It's a project I'm excited about and I hope you'll support it as well.

Here's a blurb for Tangled Web.  And don't miss the link to an excerpt a the bottom of the post.

England 1816:

Brendan Townsend fell for Tony Hillyard's seductive ways when they were college roommates, but out in the real world Brendan is dismayed to find Tony's youthful indiscretion has turned to dangerous recklessness.  When Tony's thrill-seeking behavior at a private club for gentlemen of unusual inclinations puts them both at risk for sexual blackmail, or worse, Brendan can't confide in his family. His only hope is his brother's old commanding officer Major Carlisle, who has a near-legendary reputation for solving impossible problems.  But Brendan finds himself in even deeper trouble when he is smitten by the handsome older man the moment he lays eyes on him.

Society ladies with eligible daughters lament that the widowed Philip Carlisle buried his heart with his wife.  Carlisle lives what appears to be a quiet life, but unknown to Society, he is actively assisting the authorities in solving a case of smuggling and murder in a sleepy Kentish village. His knight-errant instincts are touched by Brendan's dilemma, and he soon discovers the appealing young man is useful to have at his back in a tight spot. Neither of them expected to find love in a tangle of blackmail, smuggling, and murder.. and neither can be sure where the deadliest danger lies.  

What gave you the idea for this story?

I really enjoy Georgette Heyer's Regency romances (though I don't like all of her heroes), and I've wanted to try writing a Regency for some time. I was at the Queer Lit festival in Toronto a couple of years ago, and many of the gentlemen who stopped at the booth asked if I had anything that wasn't about war, or any stories that featured older men.  So when Running Press asked if I'd like to submit a book proposal, I thought this might be a chance to do something a little different, and contrast the emotional extremes of a younger man versus the steadier, more realistic attitudes of a man who's had more life under his belt.   I've researched Britain's old Molly Houses, clandestine establishments of the day where men could meet other men, but since the only record we have of these places is mostly from prison records – those who were caught and couldn't evade prosecution – I speculated that there might have been the occasional very discreet, high-class establishment that passed unnoticed.  But anytime you have secrecy, you have the opportunity for blackmail… so enter the naïve Brendan  and his randy, idiotic boyfriend Tony, who doesn't understand the meaning of discretion and probably couldn't spell it if he tried.   

Who has inspired you, and how?

An elderly lady who used to be one of my massage clients.   She ran away from home to join the Army Air Force when she was 18, had a long, eventful life, a marriage that ended too soon when her husband died suddenly, and some horribly painful health problems – but she was always brave, interested in life, and funny.  I want to be like her when I get that old.  Lots of other people have inspired me, but she really stands out. Someday I'm going to fictionalize her life and give her a happier ending.

What do you like about m/m?

The equality.   I have never much liked gender roles – Man Is Brave, Woman Is Soft, etc…  I think we all have many qualities in different measure, and m/m lets the characters define themselves.

If there were one misconception about m/m that you could clear up forever, what would it be?

That every same-sex love story is automatically porn.  Or, even more basic, that there's something drastically different about same-sex love as opposed to opposite-sex.  There isn't—I know this from experience.  Love is love.

If you could change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

The same thing I'd change about all business… the idea that every piece of creative work has to make enormous profits or it isn't worth doing.   Not every book can be a best-seller.  There's nothing wrong with modest, sustainable profit. 
 

Do you now write, or have you ever written, fanfic?  If so, what fandoms, pairings, etc?

I started writing Man from UNCLE fanfic at about 12, and have gone through many different fandoms .  Oddly, though, I wrote very little slash, or even het romance—just adventure stories, like unfilmed episodes.

What is your proudest moment as an author?

Winning the Eppie for Ransom, and being able to acknowledge how much my wife has done to help me – materially, as well as moral support and inspiration.

Kirk, or Spock?

Spock.  (Of course, Spock—I'm married to a mathematician!  And I don't think Kirk is very good spouse material.)   

Behind the link below is a lovely excerpt from Tangled Web.  Please note: this excerpt contains mature subject matter.  By clicking the link below, you certify that you are eighteen years of age or older.

Author Spotlight: Jan Irving

Jan Irving and I have a lot of the same kinks.  Needless to say, I love her wounded, brave characters and  yummy hurt-comfort scenarios.  I've read The Hired Man and The Janitor and enjoyed them both thoroughly.  But today Jan is here to talk about her most recent release, Wylde, on sale now from Dreamspinner Press. 

(Check out that cover.  Aren't they adorable?)

In Wylde, Noah Matthews brings his son Josh to the pristine woods of Washington State to make a fresh start. The first night in their new home, Noah meets Kell Farraday when the laconic police chief shows up on his doorstep searching for two people lost in the forest. It's the start of a sexy new friendship when Kell decides to pursue the shy but flirtatious Noah.

But a new beginning won't be so easy. Noah's former boyfriend shows up to try to reclaim a place in his life, and worse, Josh is drawn to the growing mystery in the forest. People disappear and then one turns up dead. There's something haunting the forest. Something watching. And soft-spoken and confident Kell's reassurances can't ease Noah's fear when Josh goes into the woods alone.

Don't miss the excerpt from Wylde behind the link at the bottom of the post.

Tell us about your recent publication.

Wylde is a book that was inspired by growing up in the spooky Pacific Northwest. I’ve always wanted to write a story that picks up on the atmosphere here since I grew up in a haunted area. I liked writing about down to earth men who have to deal with an unusual and unsettling mystery.

What gave you the idea for this story?

I think I just wanted to write a contrast of characters, like denim and linen. Noah is a refined city man from Seattle, a single father, and Kell is a rough around the edges small town chief of police who is an ex Army Ranger.

Why do you write?

I guess I have a need to do it, like breathing, but lately I am enjoying the role of reader again. I am not pushing myself as much as I was around the time I wrote this novel, over the summer.

What do you like to read?

I read by author, something I’m sure everyone can relate to, and I also really like a book that is kind of different. 

What do you like about m/m?

You can meet some very contained guys in a lot of pain. I like to see if I can help them to a better place within the story.

How did you start writing?  

I’ve always written though right now I’m slowing down. I used to have a pretty driven schedule but decided I wanted to enjoy myself a little more and meander rather than stride.

Was there a time when you almost gave up?  What made you keep going?

I have felt that way and recently with some tough times for my family have wanted to slow down. I like to write so I suppose that’s why I do it and I do have a work ethic where if I start something, I will finish it. Much of what I do is asking myself questions. How will my characters get there? I take it one step at a time and write from chapter to chapter and it’s an act of faith.

Why do you think m/m is so popular?

I think once you get a taste of it, it can be addictive since you get to write not just one hero but two. I’m fascinated by that. I love men. Typically my stories usually have a contrast of opposites and a lot of hurt/comfort. I just finished a novella that had an arc of finding yourself, of healing, called Sylvan, for example.

Kirk, or Spock?

Spock, definitely.

Click the link below for an excerpt from Wylde:

Author Spotlight: Charlie Cochrane

I first discovered Charlie Cochrane's writing with her story Aftermath in the historical m/m anthology SPEAK ITS NAME. I was immediately taken with the combination of understated charm and intense emotion she brings to her characterizations. Then, for a little while I kept hearing that Charlie had other books out but I couldn't find them in ebook editions. So I was delighted to discover recently that she has a whole series of novels out from Samhain, the Cambridge Fellows Mystery series, which feature the adventures of Orlando Coppersmith and Jonty Stewart, Cambridge scholars, amateur sleuths, and soulmates. They're delightful. Before I even finished the first one, I'd ordered the second. 

So it gives me particular pleasure to introduce to you Charlie Cochrane, who is joining us today to talk about her latest release, book four of the Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, LESSONS IN POWER:

Cambridge, 1907

After settling in their new home, Cambridge dons Orlando Coppersmith and Jonty Stewart are looking forward to nothing more exciting than teaching their students and playing rugby. Their plans change when a friend asks their help to clear an old flame who stands accused of murder.

Doing the right thing means Jonty and Orlando must leave the sheltering walls of St. Bride’s to enter a labyrinth of suspects and suspicions, lies and anguish. Their investigation raises ghosts from Jonty’s past when the murder victim turns out to be one of the men who sexually abused him at school. The trauma forces Jonty to withdraw behind a wall of painful memories. And Orlando fears he may forever lose the intimacy of his best friend and lover.

When another one of Jonty’s abusers is found dead, police suspicion falls on the Cambridge fellows themselves. Finding this murderer becomes a race to solve the crime…before it destroys Jonty’s fragile state of mind.

Be sure to click the link at the bottom of the post to read an excerpt from LESSONS IN POWER.

And now, the interview:

What gave you the idea for this story?

It seemed like the natural next part of Jonty and Orlando’s relationship, for them to deal with the awful things which happened to Jonty at school. The abuse he suffered – and the hatred he feels for his abusers – has hovered over his life like a black cloud and he and Orlando are never going to be able to really be happy together until Jonty can find some sort of ‘closure’.  

I also wanted to use characters from other books who had proved popular, like Matthew Ainslie and Jonty’s amazing parents (who are always a great source of comic relief). Oh, and I was determined to get the lads playing rugby against each other, too.

Why do you write?

It started because I’d run out of suitable fanfic to read in my fandom and I thought “I’ll try my hand at it.” Then it became a really enjoyable hobby (and one I started to get paid a bit for, once I went pro). Now I carry on because I enjoy it so much – I don’t feel I have to write every day (I tend not to if we’re on holiday) but I’m always picking up ideas to use when we get home.  

Who has inspired you, and how?

Loads of authors – Austen, Sayers, O’Brian, Jerome K Jerome to name but a few – who’ve taught me that serious writing doesn’t have to be boring and that humour works well in romance, mysteries and adventure stories. I’m grateful to Lee Rowan for nudging me and nudging me into trying to get published. And I have many sporting heroes, particularly paralympians, who remind me never to give up and aim for the stars. 


What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Ooh, that’s difficult. A whole tin of condensed milk and a spoon would be pretty good but I’ve not done that for a while. Watching lots of rugby on the TV, especially when it’s a Heineken Cup weekend and I can rack up seven or eight matches (part or whole) over four days is a wonderful indulgence. Why do I do it? The games are exciting and the men are scorchingly hot. Simples. *g* 


If there were one misconception about m/m that you could clear up forever, what would it be?

That it has to be sexually explicit. There’s plenty of well written, non-explicit romantic books around (not just mine, Tamara Allen’s ‘Whistling in the Dark’ is a brilliant example). Some of them even have covers which you wouldn’t mind your maiden aunt seeing.  

Who is your favorite character, and why?

Among my characters, I love Jonty Stewart from the Cambridge Fellows books because he’s worked his way through troubles with an unquenchable spirit and a cheerful smile on his face. He’s also got an impish sense of humour and is drop dead gorgeous.

Among other people’s characters I love Tom Pullings and William Reade from the Patrick O’Brian books and Sutton and Jack from Tamara Allen’s ‘Whistling in the Dark’. All of them heroic, dashing males, who’ve fought for their country and suffered physical and/or emotional wounds.  

Do you now write, or have you ever written, fanfic?  If so, what fandoms, pairings, etc?  

I have. I started off writing Age of Sail fanfic (Hornblower, Master and Commander) which is where I met lee Rowan, before she was published. If it hadn’t been for that I would never have tried my hand at pro-writing.

I’ve also dabbled in Torchwood fic and still produce the occasional piece, which helps keep the creative juices flowing. I’ve always specialized in AU or crossover stories for my fandoms – I think I might be the only person to have written Jeeves & Wooster/Torchwood crossover.  
 (Very Good, Ianto: 1/2, 2/2 Charlie let me link provided I explain her other stuff is not as loopy.  That's okay.  We don't mind a little loopy around here, do we?)

Please click the link below for an excerpt from LESSONS IN POWER.

Author Spotlight: Bryl R. Tyne

Please welcome m/m author Bryl R. Tyne.  Bryl is the author Coin Operated Boy (don't you love that title?), and the short story "Exposed," which appears in STARbooks press's Nerdvana anthology, launching today and available here.

Nerdvana is an erotic collection of stories where nerds and geeks show that brains are sexy. The guys in Nerdvana are computer geeks, gamers, superhero freaks, and comic book fiends. The nerd’s creative mind turns any activity into foreplay. The torment between jocks and nerds hides the real attraction between them with hot, sweaty sex. Nerdvana features hot, erotic stories from Jay Starre, Rob Rosen, Stephen Osborne, Helen E.H. Madden, Jeff Adams, Jim Clark, Dalton, Landon Dixon, Augusta Li, David C. Muller, Bryl R. Tyne, J.D. Waters, and Wayne Mansfield.

NEWS FLASH! Bryl is running a contest.  Leave a comment here and enter to win a free copy of Nerdvana!  Way cool, Bryl!

Don't miss the excerpt from "Exposed," behind the link at the bottom of the post.

Tell us about your recent publication. 

My story, Exposed, exemplifies the trials in communicating with and understanding the nerd. Two, early-twenties, software developers, Clay and Dave, rivals for the same company position, end up falling for each other, only to have one discover a secret stored on the others hard drive, an adult game featuring the two of them that could put a definite end to their budding relationship. Misunderstanding, miscommunication, a terrible car versus bicycle accident, hot sofa sex with Clay's arm in a cast, and the wiles of computer hacking are just some of the fascinating and nerdy elements in this story, not to mention all the other wonderful writers and their stories in Nerdvana, that will once and for all prove, geeks rule and jocks drool!

What gave you the idea for this story?

Actually, my idea for Exposed came from the call for submissions from Fred Towers. Fred asked for gay erotic stories of geeks and nerds that show how brawn doesn't necessarily have to be the only turn on. Writing prompts are how I get quite a few of my ideas, actually. When my brain's ability to "what-if" picks up on the right prompt, it's off. With Exposed, I took Fred's call, threw in a couple of long-time geeky friends' personalities and circumstances, added a touch of fiction and a lot of heat, and voila!

Who has inspired you, and how?

Underdogs. That's it. I've always had a soft spot for the less fortunate, the bad boys, the misunderstood, the misfits. They seem to flock to me as readily as I flock to them (takes one to know one, I guess). I've always been an observer. Yes, I like to watch. Take that as you will, but I've noticed that "the square pegs" -- as Author & Literary Icon Victor J. Banis so eloquently put in a review of one of my books -- have always fascinated me. I see them living their lives, often shut out or shunned from the mainstream, disregarded as odd or strange or non-conformists; and yet, they yearn, they laugh, and they cry just like anyone else. I feel I understand them and am compelled to get their stories out there for the world to read.

To what/whom do you credit your success?

Oh lord, so many people I have to list here. My editor, Bo Perkins for starters, if not for her guidance, I'm not sure I'd be published today. Jill Noble, senior editor at Noble Romance has gone out of her way to respond to my many questions, and  when asked, Authors Lena Austin and  AJ Llewellyn have offered me very candid advice on my writing, for which I will be forever grateful. My kids have been extremely supportive, even inspirational at times. Last but not least, Sugar Daddy, my S.O., he is my biggest fan and supporter (and in more ways than one, but that's for another time). If I've failed to mention anyone, please forgive me.

What kind of impact do you hope your work will have on readers?

Regardless of genre, I hope my characters resonate, either with those readers who relate to the characters or with readers who may have experienced similar situations or know somebody who has. Overall, I just want readers to realize there's a diverse world out there, and my writing embraces lovers across the gender and sexual spectrum, as well as a variety of misfits and scoundrels. When readers put down one of my books, I would love for them to be not only aroused or moved, but also walk away with a more objective look at those around them, those who may appear different, may not fit "the societal mold".

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Other than the hundreds I spend on eBooks per year? Sipping a Screaming Orgasm while perusing Rear Stable - rearstable.com (please note, link not safe for work.)

Kirk, or Spock?

Spock, of course...the things I could do with those ears.

Click the link below for an excerpt from Bryl's story, "Exposed," appearing in the Nerdvana anthology:

Author Spotlight: Jeanne Barrack

A few weeks ago I was a guest on Jeanne Barrack's nifty blog, The Sweet Flag.  Now it's my pleasure to return the favor.  Jeanne is here today to talk about her novel The Sweet Flag (appropriate for Veteran's Day) and her predilection for Antonio Banderas.

The Sweet Flag is currently available from Loose Id.  Here's a blurb:

Brandon Keats is a paranormal investigator, specializing in Civil War phenomena. As a gay man, he's searched for years for evidence of gay paranormal activity. When he finally finds what he believes to be an example of this, he decides to confront the ghost of a homosexual Civil War soldier at the grave where he's been sighted.
 
Ron Tayvail has guarded the grave of Matthew Hardesty for years. When he learns of Brandon's interest in the legend of "The Vigilant Soldier", he's determined to dissuade him from any deeper investigation. He didn't realize that he'd fall in love with the fellow on first sight. And yearn to become his lover. For always.

Don't miss the excerpt from The Sweet Flag, behind the link at the bottom of the post.

Why do you write?

Because if I don't I get a headache. All those ideas inside my noggin would explode if I didn't pop the cork every now and then. And as for those characters wandering around bumping into each other and clamoring for attention…if you don't give them something to do they tend to annoy you and poke you at the oddest hours of the day.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Watching the show “Flipping Out”. It's about this spoiled, egotistical flipper (person who buys property/houses; remodels, redesigns and then sells them at a profit) and his problems. I don't know why I like the show, but I get this weird kick watching it. 


How did you start writing?

Writing for publication began when my mother passed away suddenly and I was downsized. I had time on my hands and a full-fledged story that came to me in a dream. Yep, a dream. I wrote the story in about six months and then did the contest route with it until my husband said to stop dorking around and submit it for publication. I did.
 
What was one of your favorite books as a kid?

I loved all of the Louisa May Alcott books. And my favorite was actually “Little Men”, the sequel to “Little Women”.

Who is your favorite character, and why?

I love all my gals and guys but I think if I had to pick one character it would probably be deMonde from The Sweet Flag. He's very much at ease with who he is and he is so darn sexy. I think he's one of my more complex characters. Plus, he sings and for me, as a vocalist, I really relate to him.

Do you now write, or have you ever written, fanfic?  If so, what fandoms, pairings, etc?


I used to write fanfic but not for the typical fandom. I wrote fanfic based on the films of Antonio Banderas! With so many different movies in his career, both American and Spanish and in just about every genre including gay films, we had a small but dedicated group who wrote what happened after the movie ended or put the character in a different setting or just took the sexy Banderas and had him become involved with the writer. 

So, for instance I wrote about appearing on Broadway in a version of Evita. He starred with Madonna in the film “Evita” and played the part of Che. Banderas starred in the revival of the musical “Nine” several years ago and has a great singing voice. 


What kind of impact do you hope your work will have on readers?

That they'll close the book and want to further explore the world I introduced them to.

Kirk, or Spock?

Spock, during the mating season. 


Please click the link below for an excerpt from The Sweet Flag in which DeMonde finally begins the story that led to the legend of the “The Vigilant Soldier”

Author Spotlight: K.Z. Snow

Please welcome author K.Z. Snow, who's joining us today to talk about her recent release, Bastards and Pretty Boys.

A lakeside summer idyll, a budding romance . . . and jealousy gone horribly awry.

Charles Larkin is finally happy with his life.  For the most part.  He's happy with his new summer getaway--a rustic cottage he just bought on a small Wisconsin lake.  He's happy that his ex-wife, whom he divorced because he couldn't play straight anymore, has become one of his best friends. He's happy he can breathe again.

It's only Kenneth, Charlie's boyfriend of five months, who makes this new life less than completely satisfying.  Charlie feels they've never been quite right for each other, and Kenneth cements that conviction when he makes a disturbing confession.  Charlie knows their time together is quickly coming to an end.  Problem is, Kenneth doesn't know it. And he tends to be rather possessive.

Planning to spend a quiet, relaxing two or three weeks at Cloud Lake, Charlie is less than thrilled to notice that his next door neighbor is one hell of a looker.  He doesn't need that kind of distraction. Only, Booker isn't going anywhere, and he isn't that easily ignored. And neither is his unexpected, none-too-savory baggage. And neither, for that matter, is Charlie's.  But when two people care enough about each other, they figure out how to help carry such baggage . . . or cast it aside. 

Bastards and Pretty Boys is available from Liquid Silver Books here:

http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=Bastards+And+Pretty+Boys&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

Don't miss the excerpt from Bastards and Pretty Boys at the bottom of the post. And now, the interview:

Tell us about your recent publication.

Bastards and Pretty Boys is a m/m erotic contemporary romance.  In a nutshell, it's about a summer idyll and budding romance that are threatened by double-barreled jealousy born of obsession. 

What gave you the idea for this story?

The title, actually.  It came to me before the story did!

Why do you write?

It burns calories, builds finger strength, and keeps me from running afoul of the law.

What do you like to read?

Fiction (literary, m/m, horror) and history, mostly, with an occasional biography thrown in.

What is your most embarrassing experience as an author?

The embarrassing experiences fall into two categories: 1. sticking my foot in my mouth, and 2. having a book reviewed by somebody who didn't pay very close attention to it.   

Who has inspired you, and how?

Lois Stahl, a housemaid, who suggested I try my hand at writing romance.  

What do you like about m/m?

The m.  And m.   

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Gay porn.  Doesn't make me feel too guilty, though.  ;-)  

To what/whom do you credit your success?

I'll get back to you when I'm successful. 

Was there a time when you almost gave up?  What made you keep going?

What time is it now?  I often feel like giving up, but there's nothing else I'm qualified to do except, maybe, be an editor.    

If there were one misconception about m/m that you could clear up forever, what would it be?

That wimmin can't "get it right."

What was one of your favorite books as a kid?

Homer's Odyssey (I was hooked on Greek mythology.)

If you could change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

One thing?  Yikes.  Okay, let's start with publishers' criteria for acceptance.  I think too many substandard offerings have been flooding the market.

Who is your favorite character, and why?

Jackson Spey, by far.  He's been with me a long time.  He's a master carpenter and wizard and biker.  He's mature, intelligent, droll, sexy as hell, and very flawed but also very likeable.  A complex man loaded with strength, sensitivity, and integrity.

What is your proudest moment as an author?

Every time I write a fabulous sentence, paragraph, or section is a proud moment.  Beyond that, I feel pretty humble.  Relative anonymity can do that to a person.

What kind of impact do you hope your work will have on readers?

Depends on the work. To provoke thought, sometimes, and feeling. To provide a brief escape. I certainly don't expect to make any life-altering impact.  I'm hardly the asteroid of popular fiction.

Kirk, or Spock?

I've always been a Spock gal.

For an excerpt from Bastards and Pretty Boys, please click the link below:

Author Spotlight: P.A. Brown

Please welcome m/m author P.A. Brown, who's here to talk about The Rockford Files, police procedurals, and her new novel, Memory of Darkness, available now from Amber Allure.

In this raunchy mystery Johnny Wager is a 42-year-old street hustler, small time burglar and reformed car thief (well, mostly reformed) He's an ex-con who finds himself in the middle of a war between powerful adversaries that has disastrous consequences for a lot of people. 
 In his search for justice Wager has a host of allies and foes, his disapproving son, the Los Angeles Sheriff's deputy, a six-foot-five black drag queen from New Orleans who wears four inch Jimmy Choos, her five-foot-five Puerto Rican boyfriend, an ex-Marine porno film maker, the Armenian mob and an incontinent Bassett Hound called Columbo.

Tell us about your recent publication.

Memory of Darkness is the story of a man with absolutely no regard for the law. He thrives by his wits, his good looks and wicked sense of humor. Being charming doesn't hurt. At seventeen he married his girlfriend when she got pregnant. The marriage was an unmitigated disaster, made worse when he discovered he was gay. His marriage fell apart. His ex-wife despises him, his son is now a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy totally embarrassed by his old man, and for reasons he can't fathom, the Armenian mafia is out to kill him. Betrayed by friends, beset by his own conscience that has come back late in life with a vengeance, and the need to redeem himself, he battles the ruthless mob in the only way he knows how: with cunning and a total disrespect for the law.

What gave you the idea for this story?

The idea first percolated through my mind twenty-nine years ago when I was writing screenplays for a course in L.A. I had to come up with a character for a movie and being a huge fan of The Rockford Files and Jim Rockford, I came up with Johnny Wager. The screenplay never went anywhere but the character stuck in my mind. Fast forward to the present and I've published a couple of books and wanted something outside of my L.A series. Wager came back to me, but this time he was reinvented as a gay man who had  a lot of baggage, a weird assortment of friends and was a con artist and reformed car thief – well, mostly reformed. Memory of Darkness grew out of that. 
 

What do you like to read?

Mostly police procedurals, stories that look at the darker side of life, though I usually like them to have an ending that offers some kind of hope. I don't like novels that end on a black note, in hopeless despair. But cop stories, some thrillers, comedies – either in mysteries or not. I'm a huge fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, and have read every one of his books. 

Was there a time when you almost gave up?  What made you keep going?

There actually was a time, about fifteen years ago when I did quit. I had no more stories in me and the ones I had written didn't do anything for me. I put them away and spent some of that time painting – I used to do acrylic paintings and pencil sketches of animals, mostly horses. But after a mind break the stories started flowing again. I picked up one of the old manuscripts and found I had a whole new insight into it. Since then I've never stopped. I'm not always super productive, but there was always something I was working on. I just couldn't stay away. The words come to me, and the ideas and I have to do something with them.

 

What was one of your favorite books as a kid?

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley.  I was a horse nut. In fact, until I hit my teens and branched out, I wouldn't read a book unless it had horses in it. That's why I read Trixie Belden as opposed to Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. Trixie was a horse nut who had her dream of having horses come true.

Kirk, or Spock?

Oh Spock for sure. I taught myself how to raise one eyebrow and flash the live long and prosper sign. LOL. I was a total geek. I think I wrote some Trek stories but they were not pairing anyone up sexually, so I don't think that qualifies as slash. I did the same with Starsky and Hutch because I was totally in love with Paul Michael Glaser.

For an excerpt from Memory of Darkness, please click the link below.  Please note, the following excerpt contains graphic depictions of sex and violence.  By clicking the link, you certify that you are eighteen years of age or older.

Author Spotlight: Jet Mykles

I'm very excited to bring you Jet Mykles, who's here to talk with us about her new release, Revelations, the latest in her Heaven Sent series. I'm a big fan of Jet's and in fact, she wrote one of the few het stories I've read in years.  It was great, and though I'm still glad Jet's writing m/m, I'm pretty intrigued by the triad she's got going in Revelations. Don't miss the link to an excerpt at the bottom of the post.

For years, Gretchen’s main objective has been taking care of the boys of Heaven Sent. When her boys decide to take a hiatus, she decides to do the same.

Before she can begin her summer off, Gretchen has one last public commitment. There, she meets tall, mysterious, and wickedly handsome Archer Thanos. Archer’s company has a video game based on Heaven Sent and he’s has been trying to get in touch with her to discuss it. Their first meeting quickly turns into a discussion of another type … in a nearby hotel room, sending Gretchen headlong into a whirlwind affair she hadn’t anticipated.

Only, someone isn’t exactly thrilled about Gretchen and Archer’s romance. Gretchen’s adorable new assistant, Owen, has been pining for his boss since he started working for her but he hasn’t had the courage to assert himself and tell her he wants her. As a result, Gretchen is completely blind to his feelings for her. And after meeting Archer, Owen knows he has no chance against the handsome devil. His own attraction to the older man is instant and overwhelming, the bisexual urges he hasn’t divulged to Gretchen fully awakening.

Owen thinks he’s not enough for Gretchen. Gretchen thinks Owen is far too young for her. Archer thinks they’re both ridiculous. He knows the three of them are just right for each other, if they can survive the revelations.

Tell us more about Revelations.

Heaven Sent: Revelations is the sixth full book in my Heaven Sent series. For five books now, Gretchen has been the manager of Heaven Sent, taking care of them and herding them to where they needed to be. I thought it time that she got her happy ever after. I knew not all the Heaven Sent fans would approve since it's an m/m series and Gretchen is most assuredly a girl but I took that chance. Besides, I gave her TWO guys so that should count for something.

Why do you write?

I've got all these stories in my head and I keep coming up with new ones! Also, I got tired of reading and thinking to myself "that's cool, but if I'd written this, I'd have done it THIS way". I write because it's fun and because I seem to have this god complex of wanting to rule the lives of others. Although, my characters sometimes turn that last bit around on me.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Porn. It's so cool when you find a really good one that really turns you on. I'll watch all sorts, even some kinks that I'm not into. It's fascinating to me what some people find erotic. Okay, I don't watch ALL kinds because even I have a squick factor, but I watch a hell of a lot more than I would have thought I'd like a few years ago.
 
What was one of your favorite books as a kid?

I was always into epic fantasy or high fantasy. Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series is my all time favorite. But David Edding's Belgariad, Frank Herbert's Dune (ok, that's sci fi but it had lots of fantasy elements), Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince (omg, yes!) all have their places in my heart. There was a time that I wouldn't read a book that wasn't in the fantasy/sci-fi section of the bookstore and wasn't part of at least a three book series.

If you could change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

I'd wish that the method of print publishing was closer to epub. From all I've heard, epub is much easier and much friendlier. Of course, I haven't tried to access the big print pubs yet so I could be wrong.
 
Do you now write, or have you ever written, fanfic?  If so, what fandoms, pairings, etc?

I have! Weiss Kreuz. It's an anime series that's called Knight Hunters here in the states. I fell in love with these guys thanks to PL Nunn, the cover artist for my Heaven Sent series. She's written some fanfiction about them on her site, as well as provided tons of yummy pictures. I really, really hope to get back to finishing the second fic someday, or, rather, extending it. I miss the boys.

Both my Weiss Kreuz stories can be found on my website: http://www.jetmykles.com/home/2006/04/weis-kruez-night-out-part-1-of-6/ and http://www.jetmykles.com/home/2006/09/weis-kruez-on-the-run-part-1/

What is your proudest moment as an author?

I was at Yaoicon last year, working the MLR group's vendor table, and a fan walked up dressed as Hell from my Heaven Sent series. OMG, it was SOOO cool! It was cool enough that there were a few people at the con wearing Heaven Sent t-shirts, but to have someone actually cosplay one of my characters. That was love. I still get a silly grin when I think about it.

For an excerpt from Revelations, please click the link below.

Author Spotlight: Sedonia Guillone

Please welcome Seodonia Guillone, who's joining us today to talk about her new release from Loose Id, FLYING FISH.

In seventeenth century Japan, during the golden age of samurai and of the Kabuki theater, young actors known as "flying fish" traveled the countryside, performing for audiences by day and giving their bodies to their samurai patrons at night.

Genji Sakura is one such flying fish, yet he dreams of the day he'll find the man he can give his heart to and leave the loneliness of his itinerant life behind. Though he loves theater, he doesn't love every part of his profession, especially some of the patrons. So when a handsome ronin, or masterless samurai, comes upon him stealing some solitude for a bath in a hot spring and their encounter turns passionate and profoundly erotic, Genji's surprised and delighted.

Daisuke Minamoto's past fills his life with a bitterness that grips his soul and makes him dangerous. Yet his passion takes him when he spies on a graceful young man bathing naked in a hot spring. He has always loved women but he can't deny the call of his heart or his baser interests.

After an afternoon of sexual bliss, his heart and soul are tormented and torn. Keeping this miraculous lover will require giving up the one thing that has kept him alive for years: his hatred for the lord who murdered his wife. If he loves another, how will he go on and who will he become?

Tell us about your recent publication.

FLYING FISH is an historical m/m that takes place in feudal Japan between a masterless samurai and a travelling kabuki actor. The samurai, Daisuke Minamoto is a man torn up by grief and the thirst for revenge on the lord who murdered his wife five years earlier. When he comes upon Genji bathing in a hot spring and is drawn to him, the course of Daisuke’s life begins to change.

The twist in this story is that previously, Daisuke has always been with women so it’s a transformation for him to fall passionately in love with Genji even though Genji is feminine in certain ways. However, there is something in Daisuke’s nature that craves a certain kind of companion, someone sweet and kind the way Genji is as well as physically beautiful and graceful. Daisuke and Genji fit together in a unique way, a way that gives Daisuke back something he’d felt was lost in his heart, and so the dramatic change for him in a female to male partner is softened, I feel.

What gave you the idea for this story?

First off, I just love learning about feudal Japan. I became entranced with it when my boyfriend turned me on to the films of Akira Kurosawa. Of course, I became enamored also of Kurosawa’s star actor, Toshiro Mifune who was incredibly handsome. Since then my favorite films are Seven Samurai, Yojimbo and Sanjuro.  

When I began to write fiction with samurai as well as writing m/m, some research revealed to me that homosexuality was a common practice among samurai as it was with the Greeks, a very similar structure and so samurai culture lends itself very easily to m/m erotic romance. Everything fell into place inside me and a voice rose up which gives way to stories like FLYING FISH.

As for the exact idea of the relationship between Daisuke and Genji, I’m not sure. The only thing that is clear is that Daisuke’s character is very influenced by the historical figure of Kansuke Yamamoto. I’m not saying that Kansuke was in love with a man, but his story, the kind of man he supposedly was held the passion, commitment and loyalty that makes for a fascinating, sexy alpha hero.

What do you like about m/m?  

I enjoy so many things about writing m/m! It's a wonderful genre to write in as well as quite the addictive genre. From the first m/m I ever wrote (Danny's Dragon) I was absolutely hooked. Aside from the fact that writing about two beautiful men loving each other is so erotic and arousing, I love writing about the emotional relationship between the characters. There is a bond between the heroes that emerges when I write m/m that doesn't happen for me in the same way when I write m/f. It's very difficult to put into words, but the way that comes to me to phrase it is a burning love in the heart that just needs to be written out. 

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

I have a few, actually. Reading m/m erotic romances and murder mysteries is one. Listening to Gackt’s music is another.

My other favorite guilty pleasure has been watching Fuurin Kazan, a 50 episode historical drama from Japan about the political career of a famous samurai, Kansuke Yamamoto.

To what/whom do you credit your success?

I credit my success to the man in my life. In spite of the fact that I put in the work, constantly writing, critiquing, improving it and all that, I wouldn’t even have had the confidence or discipline to go for it without his support. He’s the inspiration for all my heroes and the love I have with him is my muse.

If there were one misconception about m/m that you could clear up forever, what would it be?

That m/m is porn. Yes, it’s highly erotic and that’s a good thing, believe me. But the emphasis is so much on the emotional romance between the two (or more) heroes and that’s what makes m/m compelling.

What kind of impact do you hope your work will have on readers?

Really the primary impact I would hope for is that readers will come away from a story I’ve written feeling that they’ve had a worthwhile experience reading it. I know that the genre I write in doesn’t gear itself to reaching large numbers of people with a message the way that literary fiction does, but in my own way, I write about the things I feel matter in a human life, friendship, love, passion, loyalty, and if that comes through and touches a reader’s heart, then, that’s the best I could possibly hope for.

(Extra because I had to answer this. LOL) Kirk, or Spock?

Absolutely, unequivocally: Kirk! 

For an excerpt from FLYING FISH, please click the link below. (Please note, the following excerpt is for mature readers only.  By clicking the link below, you certify that you are 18 years of age or older)

Author Spotlight: Keira Andrews

Please welcome author Keira Andrews, who's here to tell us about her new release DAYBREAK, available now from Loose Id.

Lucas and Nate enjoyed eight steamy nights of forbidden romance last year at Hanukkah. Now after months of long-distance dating, they're living in their own apartment in Greenwich Village and beginning a new life together. Lucas hates lying to Nate's family about the true nature of their relationship, but being with Nate is worth it.

They revel in having a private place to explore their relationship -- and every inch of each other -- but Nate and Lucas soon discover that living together isn't always perfect. When an unexpected betrayal shatters their tentative happiness, they struggle to find their way back together as the holidays approach once more. As their first magical nights together become a distant memory, can Lucas and Nate's relationship survive the break of day?

Tell us about DAYBREAK.

DAYBREAK is a full-length sequel to EIGHT NIGHTS, which was a holiday novella about two young men who meet and fall in love during Hanukkah. In DAYBREAK, Nate and Lucas move in together and continue their relationship, encountering some roadblocks along the way.

What gave you the idea for this story?

I felt that EIGHT NIGHTS only scratched the surface of Nate and Lucas and their burgeoning relationship, and I wanted to dig deeper. They had a lot more story to tell.  

Why do you write?

This is a simple answer, but I write because I enjoy it and find it fulfilling.  

What do you like about m/m?

There’s something about men being tender with each other that has always pushed my buttons. Plus, I find two (or more!) men together extremely hot.  

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Trashy TV shows about teenagers, such as Gossip Girl. Although I never feel guilty about anything that brings me pleasure. Life is too short!

Do you now write, or have you ever written, fanfic?  If so, what fandoms, pairings, etc?  

I have indeed written fanfic for a variety of fandoms. Lots of Brian and Justin from Queer as Folk, and also Veronica and Logan from Veronica Mars. I haven’t written any fanfic in quite a while, but it’s only because no ’ship or fandom has really eaten my brain in the last year. I’m sure one will come along again at some point. Writing fanfic is a fun escape.

Kirk, or Spock?

Both, of course! Preferably together, especially as played by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. 

For an excerpt from DAYBREAK, please click the link below. (Please note, the following excerpt is for mature readers only.  By clicking the link below, you certify that you are 18 years of age or older)

Author Spotlight: Winnie Jerome

Welcome to another Friskbiskit Author Spotlight and please give a warm welcome to m/m author Winnie Jerome.  Winnie is here today to tell us about her new release with Torquere, entitled SPIKENARD: FREEDOM TO FLY.

Zhong Shi is a young dragon in the early days of China, known for being headstrong and a little vain. His lover, Chen Jing, keeps him out of trouble, and keeps him happy, at least until he and Chen Jing are assigned to meddle in the affairs of humans. When a terrible accident befalls Chen Jing, though, Zhong Shi worries he'll never be happy again.
In modern America, Sebastian has boyfriend problems when he meets David. He's definitely attracted, but trying to be true to Luke, who spends more time fighting with Sebastian than loving him. When things start to go horribly wrong, Sebastian finds himself turning to David, looking for the kind of understanding only a soul mate can give. The stories of the two couples begin to intertwine in the way of myth and magic, but will Sebastian and David be able to make things right in time? 
 

Don't miss the excerpt from Spikenard: Freedom to Fly at the bottom of this post.

Tell us about your recent publication.

"Spikenard: Freedom to Fly" has two stories running in parallel about two couples. The first one takes place in China, around 400 B.C., the other in modern day America.

The storyline in China concerns a young Chinese dragon named Zhong Shi, mated to an older dragon named Chen Jing. Zhong Shi is vain and a bit flighty, and it's up to Chen Jing to keep him grounded. However, that changes when Chen Jing is struck with a horrible curse, leaving Zhong Shi to care for his lover.

In San Francisco, we meet Sebastian Crawford, a college student who's having boyfriend problems. While out on a class assignment, Sebastian meets David Peterson, a forty-something IT consultant who's still wounded by a messy divorce and an even messier breakup. Something clicks between them, but Sebastian wants to remain true to Luke.

The two stories intertwine, and when they finally resolve, the outcome will forever change Sebastian and David's lives.


What gave you the idea for this story?

Several reasons - this is my first novelette, so I wanted to stretch my legs and write something with more emotional weight and more intricate than my short stories.

I've always loved Chinese dragons and Hong Kong cinema, so I wanted the story for Zhong Shi and Chen Jing to have both elements.

Chinese dragons are very different from Western dragons - they lack wings, have a more serpentine body, and have hair (a mane, beard, and hair on the end of their tail). Unlike their Western counterparts, they are beneficial. They bring rain and will give advice to kings and emperors. Although they love beautiful things, they aren't obsessed with hoarding treasure. They don't breathe fire, and they can shape shift into any form they choose. They are especially vulnerable to iron, which blinds them.

As far as the Hong Kong cinema influence - HK cinema tends to have a smörgåsbord of genres; some action, comedy, high drama, all packed into one. Zhong Shi's and Chen Jing's story follows that format - there's comic moments, action, smut, and some fairly intense angst.

Against this weighty primary tale, I wanted to contrast Sebastian's story, which takes place in the modern day. My favorite stories are ones where longtime friends get together, so I wanted to write one where getting together may not have been the best of ideas.


What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Damn, I can only pick one. I would have to say expensive, snobby chocolate.

How did you start writing?

When I was little, I used to make up stories with my brothers and sisters. That just became a natural thing, and so when my grammar school teachers gave me homework that involved writing stories, I loved it.

When I was a teenager, if something lame or out of character happened in a movie or a comic book, I would talk about it with my brothers and we would talk about how it should have been written. Then, when I went to college, I found an online group that was posting erotic stories.  I was over the moon - I could write and I could do it about sex?  I jumped in, and the rest is history.

What was one of your favorite books as a kid?

Ozma of Oz. I wanted to read the Wizard of Oz after I saw the movie, but the only Oz book my family had was Ozma of Oz. So I read it, and I loved the descriptions of the Land of Ev, the Gnome King's underground kingdom, etc. That's when I realized that the books had more depth than the movie and I wound up reading every one that L. Frank Baum wrote.

What kind of impact do you hope your work will have on readers?

There's a lot of mixed emotions that occur when one partner in a relationship becomes the other partner's sole caregiver. More so when the caregiver isn't ready to shoulder that much responsibility. I wanted to explore that with Zhong Shi, and really have the readers feel the roller coaster of emotions he experiences.

Sebastian's story is a bit lighter - he has to deal with trying to hold together his relationship with Luke while he's very strongly attracted to another man. However, it's no less important than Zhong Shi's story, and I'm hoping the readers will enjoy his journey, also.

Kirk, or Spock?

I always had a thing for dashing heroes, so it would have to be Kirk.

For an excerpt from Spikenard: Freedom to Fly, please follow the link below. 

Author Spotlight: Jessica Freely

My new m/m INSTINCT is out from Loose Id and I'm grabbing this week's spotlight to celebrate.

Joam is a varnal, a shape-shifter endowed with otherworldly sexual powers.  Until recently a virgin, all Joam wants to do is drive his new lover Blake, a former hustler, wild.  But the hotter things get between them, the more out of control Joam’s varnal powers become.  The next thing he knows, he’s shifting without warning and drawing dangerous quantities of sexual energy from Blake, leaving his soul mate in a blissful, comatose state for days.  Terrified that he will kill Blake, Joam withdraws, but Blake misunderstands the reason for this sudden distance, and fears that Joam rejects him for his past.  Meanwhile, all is not as it seems at the quiet farmhouse retreat where the two have found refuge after a traumatic experience in Joam’s hometown.  If Joam and Blake don’t break out of their intoxicating cycle of denial and excess in time, it may be too late for both of them.

Don't miss the excerpt from INSTINCT at the bottom of this post.

What gave you the idea for this story?

After VIRGIN came out, a reader commented that she wanted to know more about Blake.  So I started thinking about him and the situation that he and Joam are in at the end of that first book, and INSTINCT grew from that.

What do you like about m/m?

I think for me the question is more what don't I like about it.  I love the emotional intensity, the security of knowing that no woman is going to get screwed over in the story, men crying and in pain and fumbling to express their love for one another... you know, all of it!

To what/whom do you credit your success?

I think the personality trait of relentlessness has stood me in good stead throughout my life.  And I can't overestimate the advantage of having a strong and loving family growing up, and a supportive husband in adulthood.  Having people backing you up makes it a lot easier to take risks.

If there were one misconception about m/m that you could clear up forever, what would it be?

That it's a niche market.  Every book store in Japan has a boys love section the size of the romance section in an American book store.  I don't think male/male romance is a "Japanese" thing.  I think there are a lot of women who just don't know about it yet but who, if they encountered it in mainstream commercial outlets, would love it.

What was one of your favorite books as a kid?

I had a picture book called the SUMMERFOLK about a kid who lived year round in a resort town who took his leaky rowboat out on the back waters on the longest day of the year and encountered the real Summerfolk of the island.  It's a really cool, atmospheric story about fairies.

If you could change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

I'd put the person with the most at stake, in other words the author, in control of their own destiny. 

Kirk, or Spock?

I'm a Spock girl, through and through.

Click the link below for an excerpt from INSTINCT. 

Author Spotlight: Cassandra Gold

Please welcome Cassandra Gold, who's here to tell us about her new m/m romance.  In HOT AND BOTHERED, shy, geeky Gil has been hiding his attraction to his sexy baseball player housemate, Dustin, by being rude to him. His plan seems to be working—until the temperature climbs and Dustin begs to sleep in Gil’s air-conditioned bedroom.  Gil intends to turn him down flat, but somehow finds himself agreeing. He thinks the night will be torture, but a lot can happen on a hot summer night…

HOT AND BOTHERED is available now from Cobblestone Press: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/hotbothered.htm  And don't miss the excerpt at the bottom of the post.

Tell us about HOT AND BOTHERED.   What gave you the idea for this story?

Hot and Bothered just kind of popped into my head.  Living in Missouri, I get to enjoy (lol) the extremely humid summers, and I thought about what it would be like not to have a working air conditioner.  The story came from that tiny idea.  I started writing it expecting to be flashfiction, but it turned out to be quite a bit longer than that.

Why do you write?

This is probably a trite answer, but I write because I like to write.  I've loved reading and writing since I was small.  When I was really little, I wrote about horses.  Then I went through a horror phase.  Now it's romance.  When I stop loving it, that's when I'll stop writing.

What do you like to read?

I like to read a lot of different things.  I read a LOT of m/m romance in just about any genre: mystery, fantasy, sci/fi, contemporary, historical.  I also like m/f romance, especially Regency and paranormal.  When I want something different I'll pick up some nonfiction or humor.  

How did you start writing?

I've been writing in various forms since elementary school, but I began writing romance in 2006.  I entered a Halloween writing contest held by a publisher that's now closed.  I'd been reading m/m for a while and really loved it, and the story idea I had was m/m.  I was nervous but I wrote the story and subbed it.  It was selected as one of the winners of the contest, and I've been writing ever since.

If there were one misconception about m/m that you could clear up forever, what would it be?

That it's all about the sex.  People seem to see m/m and instantly think a book is going to be very explicit, or that it'll be like porn, but that's no more likely to be true than with any other type of romance.  I've read wonderful m/m stories that had closed-door sex, or none at all.  Often, those stories end up being labeled "explicit" because there are two men involved, even though there is no sex.  I think that's pretty ridiculous.

What kind of impact do you hope your work will have on readers?

I'm a huge crybaby and often find myself getting emotional over stories, but it's a good kind of emotional.  I hope my work has that effect on readers.  If I'm doing my job, they will laugh, cry, or get that "awwww" feeling while reading one of my books.

Kirk, or Spock?

Spock.  He's the logical choice.  ;)

For an excerpt from HOT AND BOTHERED, please click the link below.