Jon Michaelsen's Blog: Ramblings, Excerpts, WIPs, etc., page 29

Interviewing Southern Gay Fiction by Newcomer Stephen del Mar

Interviewed by Jon Michaelsen

Stephen, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook group.

My pleasure. This is my first interview, so you know, very cool.

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

I live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment? 

Well, I’m still a fairly “new” writer, but I think what I’m most proud of so far is my first novel Dark Love. It came together pretty quickly while I was working on another book. I finished the first draft in something like 10 weeks, which is blazing fast for me. We got it edited pretty fast and published. I was a little nervous because it is a rather wacky and strange story but the feedback has been great. When people want to know when the next one is coming out, I take that to be a good sign.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

Aha, I’m supposed to have a home life? Do they sell those on Amazon? I’m a single guy working two jobs and trying to find time to write. Fortunately my parents and the sibs all live in the Tampa area so I get to spend time with them.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines in detail?

I’m a total pantster. Nothing blocks me faster than trying to outline something. I know this sounds silly but for a long time, I’m talking years and years, I didn’t get any writing done because I was always told that you had to start with an outline. A few years ago, I reconnected with a friend from high school, who is also a writer, and she asked me why the hell I hadn’t gotten any writing done. I explained that I always got hung up on the outlines and it never went anywhere. She very patiently explained to me, that it was okay to just make stuff up as I went. I haven’t looked back since. I have thirty years of storytelling to catch up on.

Can you share something about yourself most wouldn’t know?

I’m sure I could, but I don’t know what that would be. You mean like how I don’t like beats? Really, don’t feed me beats. Oh and I have dyslexia, which can make writing a bitch. Thank God for editors and proof readers.

Have you ever had to deal with homophobia after your novels are released, and if so, what forms has it taken?

That’s a really good question. I’d say, no, because I really don’t tell a lot of people I write, let alone what I write. I live and work in the more rural and conservative areas of Tampa and well, they tend to be suspicious of those with book learning and I tend to write about men doing unnatural things with other men, so I’d rather keep the pitchfork action down.

You have published numerous short stories, novellas and novels in several genres, such as gay contemporary, mystery/thriller, paranormal/ghosts and gay romance; Do you have a favorite genre for writing?

No, well other than stories with gay men in them, I don’t think I have a genre. I write what the muse gives me. Back to the pantster thing, I guess, an idea for a story comes to me and I start writing it. For example, “Slay me,” said the dragon. is a fun little urban fantasy story. I didn’t plan on writing an urban fantasy story, I just had this flash of a leather bar, which was really a dragon bar and in walked a twink that was really a dragon slayer. Suddenly the gears started turning and a nice little short story came about.

Okay, maybe I need to re-think my answer. Although I have some broader fantasy and a sci-fi series on the to-be-written list, I think the genre I’ve really settled into is some kind of broad neo-gothic southern thing. One of the hallmarks of southern writing has been setting as character, sometimes the central character. I’m really having fun playing with my Bennett Bay series, using the same setting and many of the same characters for contemporary stories as well as more paranormal and fantasy stories.

“Him” is promoted as a short psychosexual horror story about madness, delusion and murder, and I found it to be that and much more. Few writers choose to delve into the psychotic mind as the main character as you have. Did writing the story freak you out as it did me reading it?   

You have no idea. That is one of my first stories. I did it more as a writing experiment where I wrote something really dark. I really had no idea what I was doing because I do not read that kind of story.

The seed for that story comes from a bit of real life. I went to grad school in the Twin Cities and I used to work in the mental health field, so I know a bit about psychosis. And I’m also very aware of the stigma the mentally ill face, so I’m always trying to be sympathetic when I meet the obliviously ill folk out in the community. So there was this guy on the bus I took that presented as mildly delusional and I said hi to him one day and tried to chat with him a bit. Over the next few days I realized he had started including me in his delusions. I choose to start taking a different bus. (You have to love the mental health care system in this country where we let sick people fend for themselves on the street, but that is a rant for another day.) Anyway, I took that experience and tried to imagine what it would be like to slip into a very dark place. And just to make it more fun, I wrote it in first person, so I really was the crazy guy. I have a whole new respect for writers who write regularly in this genre. I couldn’t do it.

Several of your short stories include ghostly themes. One in particular I greatly enjoyed is “The Demise of Bobby and Clyde”. What was your inspiration for writing this dark ghost story?    

Halloween, I think. I wanted to write a good old fashion ghost story that could tie in with my Bennett Bay location. I of course wanted to give it a fun little gay twist so I have two naked guys exploring an old house. Half the fun was getting them naked in a believable way. Sadly, things don’t end well. There is a follow up story planned. Not sure when I can get to it. Three sisters, who are witches, buy the haunted house and want to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Not a good idea. But things end better in that one, maybe.

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

Dark Love is my current release. It started out as my little poke at paranormal romances, you know the whole sparkly vampire thing, but it transformed along the way into something with a bit of depth to it. “Dark love” is a metaphor for gay love, how our love had to be hidden for so long. It’s a story about letting go of the past and finding and forming family. There are no vampires but there are witches, fairies and a guy named Boris.

Return to Cooter Crossing is my current work in progress. I’m about 75% done with the first draft. I really want to release this by the end of summer. It’s contemporary gay fiction with a strong romantic element but also a southern family story. I have genre issues.

After that I need to write a sequel to Dark Love otherwise my fans will hunt me down and do unpleasant things to me.

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

Thanks for doing this Jon. It has been a real honor.

Find Stephen del Mar on the web: http://www.stephendelmar.com

 

 

NEW EXCERPT: Boystown 6: From The Ashes – by Marshall Thornton

EXCERPT – BOYSTOWN 6: FROM THE ASHES

Written by Marshall Thornton

** Graphic m/m sex **

 

I had him face down on the bed, head shoved into the pillow, back-arched. I held onto the veneered headboard with both hands and fucked him in an aggressive way that in some states was classified as a felony. Owen Lovejoy, Esquire was enjoying the hell out of it.

He was too tall to be considered short but too short to be considered average, which put him on the tall end of short. He had dark hair cut conservatively, nice copper eyes that were made bigger by the large, round, tortoise-shell glasses that kept slipping down his nose as I fucked him. His body was squat and athletic, like a wrestler or a boxer, even though I knew for certain he didn’t do either of those things. Long hours and take-out food seemed to be his only health regime.

His ass was perfectly round, especially when he lay on his stomach, and he lifted it up to meet me as I thrust into him. I’d been fucking him for what seemed like hours. He’d come maybe ten minutes before. I wanted to come. I was tired and the room was hot with radiator heat so I was sweating like we were mired in the dog days of August.

I pushed all thought out of my head and concentrated on the way my dick felt sliding in and out of his ass, the little gasping whimpers he let out, and the sexy arch of his back. A minute later, I could feel myself getting close, muscles contracting, cum flowing through me, and then a few brief seconds of silence, release, blissful emptiness. The French call it la petite mort, the small death. But I don’t think it’s like that. It’s more like life, before I screwed it up so bad.

I caught my breath and pulled my dick out of him. He flipped over and said, “I made a mess of the sheets. I came twice.”

“You paid for them. I don’t think I can complain.” On his second visit, Owen had arrived with a set of nice permanent press polyester and cotton sheets from Carson Pirie Scott . I lived in a place called the Hotel Chateau where you could rent rooms by the hour, the day, the week, or the month. The rooms were furnished right down to the bedding. Bedding that wasn’t up to Owen’s standards.

The Hotel Chateau was located in a six-story, yellow brick building on Broadway with a mod sixties neon sign and steel awning stuck on one end of the building. I lived in a single room with no kitchen. The sallow yellow paint had bubbled off under the window and the drapes had a groovy brown and black pattern that hid the mold growing up the back of them. There was a double bed, a dresser, and a small metal table with two chairs. In other words, the place was thoroughly disgusting. But it was a hundred and ten dollars a month and I could walk to work. That gave it an appeal.

Abruptly, Owen said, “I keep hearing that this is what causes AIDS.”

“What is?”

“Sex, dear. What we just did.”

“Do you wanna stop coming to see me?” I asked, completely unconcerned with what his answer might be. Well, maybe not completely. It would be inconvenient if he stopped coming around.

“No. I mean, if you’ve got it then you’ve already given it to me. Right?”

“Or vice versa.” I really had no idea what he did when he wasn’t in my bed. I mean, aside from being a lawyer and working his ass off. He could have been fucking half of Chicago in shifts for all I knew.

“True,” he admitted. Of course, he knew that Harker had been sick with AIDS when he was murdered. I suppose he was thinking it was more likely that I’d be the one to be handing it out. If it truly was caused by sex, that is. We lay there a minute or so, the sounds of traffic on the street below drifted up. I’d cracked the window a bit to help with the extra radiator heat.

“This is nice pillow talk,” I said, finally.

“Sweetie, I just wondered if you were worried. Are you?”

Was I? It was like I’d been waiting to start dying for a year, well, hoping might be a better word. It was starting to get hard to believe that I would. “No, I’m not worried.”

“It’s mostly in New York and San Francisco, anyway,” he pointed out.

“Is it?”

“I think something like two thousand people have died nationwide. But I don’t think there’s even been two hundred here. If that.”

“Lucky us,” I said, though I didn’t feel lucky. I’d known three people who had it. Two of them wouldn’t have made the death count, though. Harker because he’d been murdered. Earl Silver, Ross’ boyfriend, had officially died of liver disease since it was less embarrassing. So, of that couple hundred, I knew one who’d been counted. Some guy named Robert who’d been Brian’s grumpy roommate. I didn’t like the drift of the conversation so I changed the subject. “You told Mrs. Harker where I work.”

“I told her lawyer where you work. Was it a secret?”

“She came by to see me.”

“I’ll call Buck and tell him that’s not cool.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What did she want?”

“Her favorite priest died of a heart attack. Except she doesn’t believe it. She wants me to poke around.”

“Are you going to?

“No, I gave that up.”

“You still have your license, though.”

“For another year.”

“When you’re ready to go back to work, I can use you at the firm. In fact—”

“I’m not going to get ready. I just said I gave that up.”

He put a hand on my bare chest and said, “Relax, it was just an offer. Why doesn’t she believe the priest had a heart attack?”

“Because she’s a stubborn old bitch.”

 

ManLoveRomance Books –  http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?...

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Boystown-Ashes-...

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boyst...

 

Author Michael Nava; Creator of the Highly Popular Henry Rios Mystery Novels

Michael, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook group. 

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

Just outside San Francisco.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

You know, Jon, the most interesting things about me are in the books I’ve written.  Otherwise, my life is quite ordinary.  Getting up, cleaning the cats’ litter box, going to work, coming home, making dinner, watching baseball on TV.  Really nothing to write home about.

What would you say is your greatest accomplishment to date? 

Twenty-plus years of sobriety. (Jon – Congratulations! That IS a major accomplishment and I’m greatly proud for you.)

Have you ever had to deal with homophobia after your novels were released, and if so, what forms has it taken?

Well, never to my face.  I’m sure there were outlets that did not review the books because they featured a gay protagonist and undoubtedly many readers wouldn’t read the books for that reason.  On the other hand, the fact that there was a gay protagonist may have distinguished them from the crowded field of crime fiction and attracted reviewers and readers for that very reason.  Certainly, I have no complaints about the positive reviews the books received in many mainstream publications.  So, the gay factor may have been a wash.

Your seven novels featuring gay Mexican-American criminal attorney, Henry Rios, are cited often by authors of the LGBT mystery/thriller genre (including me!) as not only ground-breaking, but a major influence in their own writing. How do you feel having achieved such enormous influence on generations of writers (not to mention readers) and the icon-status bestowed upon you? 

I appreciate the compliment but the real pioneer was Joseph Hansen.  His 12 Dave Brandstetter, novels, published between the early 70’s and mid-90’s, featured a gay insurance investigator who was both secure in his sexuality and his masculinity and competent at his job.  Joe’s books were the antithesis of camp and the mid-70’s New York gay ghetto novels in which the protagonists were “doomed beauties” whose lives seem to consist of sex, drugs and self-pity.  I read them as a law student at Stanford and they spoke to my experience of being gay and gave me a model for what a sane, accomplished life might look like as a gay, professional man.  They are also beautifully written — Joe’s best books are as good as Ross McDonald’s or any of the other so-called “literary” mystery writers — and a great pleasure to read.  Joe showed me the way and I am in his debt as a writer and a human being.  So, to the extent people feel the way about my books that I feel about Joe’s, I would urge them to read Joe’s books if they haven’t already.

 

The five-time Lambda Award winning Henry Rios mystery/suspense series is what fans have come to know you for, starting in 1986 with the release of The Little Death. Last year, to the excitement of many fans, all novels in the series were released in e-book and audio formats to a new generation of gay mystery lovers. Are you surprised by the series’ incredible endurance of almost three decades?  

I’m happy the books are still available and that, as e-books, I won’t have to worry about them ever going out of print.  It was odd hearing the audiobook.  I could only listen to a little bit and then I had to turn it off.  I don’t know why it was so disconcerting to hear another voice reading words I wrote, but it was.  As for why they have survived, I don’t know.  I think they do document a very complex and difficult period in LGBT history — the plague years — and the fact that they constitute a series may provide a more panoramic view of those years than a one-off novel.

Can you share why you chose to end the Henry Rios series with the release of the seventh and final novel, Rag and Bone?

I never set out to be a mystery writer, my first vocation was as a poet. When I did turn my attention from writing poetry to writing fiction in my early 20s, I wanted to write about my sense of “otherness” and estrangement from the mainstream culture as a gay man in a straight world and a brown man in a white world. I found the American noir was a perfect vehicle for that exploration because in those classic novels by Chandler and Ross McDonald, for example, you had an outsider hero who embodied the virtues the mainstream pretended to honor — loyalty, courage, ingenuity — but rarely demonstrated. And, as I said, Joe Hansen’s books, which were mysteries, gave me a blueprint. So crime fiction seemed a way to write about a queer Latino lawyer struggling to right the thing in a hostile world. The Little Death was supposed to be a one-off but it did well and the publisher — Sasha Alyson, another gay pioneer — asked me if I had another one in me. I did. After Goldenboy was published a New York literary agent got in touch with me and said he thought New York publishers would be interested in more Rios books. He negotiated a two book deal with HarperCollins and, voila, I was a mystery writer.

By the time I got to the last book in the Rios novels, I had pretty much exhausted its capacity to explore those outsider themes. At the same time, I had become more interested in my Mexican heritage and identity than in my gay identity. So I looked for another literary vehicle to explore that aspect of my “otherness.” One thing and another led me to fin-de-siècle Mexico, the Mexican Revolution, the Mexican-Arizona border and Hollywood in the silent film era.  So now I’m writing a series of historical novels. My underlying theme never changes: I write about the day-to-day heroism of disenfranchised, the despised, the underdog.

It’s been about thirteen years between the release of your last Henry Rios novel and your most recent release, The City of Palaces. What kept you so busy all these years? Have you ever considered penning another gay mystery series?

Well, as you may know Jon, in addition to writing I’m a lawyer.  I’ve spent almost my entire legal career in public service, first as a prosecutor, and for the last 25 years as a staff attorney at the California Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court, where I currently work on death penalty cases, writing opinions in those cases for the court.  I also became very involved in pushing for greater diversity in the legal profession and the judicial system.  California is a “minority/majority” state — that is, no single racial or ethnic group comprises 50% of the population — and the largest population is Latinos, most of us of Mexican descent.  Yet, though we are approaching 40% of the population, lawyers and judges are overwhelmingly white, straight and male. Unless we’re prepared to accept an apartheid system of justice in California, that has to change.  I spent most of the last 10 years working on that issue in various capacities.  Now as I approach retirement from the law, I’ve turned my focus back to writing.  I’m not interested in writing another mystery series, but I don’t rule out revisiting Rios at some point.

The City of Palaces is a significant departure from the more contemporary gay mysteries you’ve written in the past. After a long absence from publishing, what influenced you to share such a sweeping historical saga set prior to the Mexican Revolution?

The book is well

Well, as I mentioned, in the last 15 years or so I’ve become really interested in the Mexican part of my heritage and identity.  My great-grandparents came to California in 1920 as refugees of the Mexican Revolution; they were among the million Mexican displaced by that savage and bloody civil war, about which most of us know nothing.  So there’s that.  But I also became fascinated by Ramon Novarro, who was one of the first generation of movie stars in the 1920s, and who was both a Mexican immigrant and a homosexual.  His early life — how he came to L.A. as a teenager and hung out at the studios where he was discovered — and what it might have been like to be an immigrant and gay and suddenly propelled into worldwide fame, seemed like a story worth telling.  Those narrative threads came together for me.  Originally, I was going to write a single novel based on Novarro and set in Hollywood in the late teens and early 20’s, but the backstory — the story of the Revolution and how he came to California — was so complicated and dramatic and fascinating that I realized I could not do his story justice in a single book.  So The City of Palaces, which introduces the Novarro character (called Jose) as a nine-year-old boy is the first of four novels.

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

I just finished a book tour for The City of Palaces and now, after catching my breath, I will resume work on the second book in the series which is set in the border town of Douglas, Arizona between 1913 and 1916.

On behalf of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook Group, thank you so much for sharing your time with us and answering questions fans of the genre would like to know.

Thank you, Jon.

 

 

Find Michael Nava on the web:

http://michaelnavawriter.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_...

 

 

 

 

 

Author Alex Morgan’s Popular Paranormal Police Detective Returns

Author Alex Morgan interviewed by Jon Michaelsen

 

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

Ellicott City, which is just northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment? 

Getting published is a huge milestone.  I love saying ‘yes’ when someone asks with a sympathetic look ‘have you ever been published?’ and watching a mixture of disbelief and ‘really?’ cross their faces.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

I have a husband who supports my writing hobby but often asks ‘how do you come up with this stuff?’.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines in detail?

I come up with a general idea of the story I want to write and then continue to expand on it until I feel satisfied with the final product.

Have had you ever had to deal with homophobia after your novels are released, and if so, what forms has it taken?

I’ve never experienced homophobia from any novel or short story, but I get the impression some bad reviews of my work are rooted in homophobia. Nothing specifically has been written but there have been subtle implications readers have been turned off by the gay themes.

You have published numerous short stories, novellas and novels in several genres, such as gay contemporary, mystery/thriller, M/M, erotica, and gay romance;

Have I missed any?

You missed only one: post-apocalyptic science fiction. Harvested, available from JMS Books, takes place after an alien race has devastated Earth and stripped it of its resources.  Dakota sets off through wild territory with unknown perils to find his lover, Grayson.

Do you have a favorite genre for writing?

I prefer writing mysteries because of the broader appeal (I get to toot my horn a bit more).  But I like writing BDSM stories because they are easier and a lot more fun!

For reading?

I love reading mysteries set in ancient or medieval times.  I recently finished reading John Roberts Maddox’s Decius Mettelus Caecilius the Younger series set in ancient Rome.  Now I’m reading Laura Joh Rowland’s Sano Ichiro series set in late seventeenth century Japan.

The Corey Shaw mystery series will soon be re-released by Wilde City Press for fans to enjoy. You must have been surprised by the sudden closure of your last publisher as I was; when can readers expect to see titles from your backlist return, especially those with mystery/thriller/suspense elements?

“Breathless“, the first Corey Shaw mystery was just released by Wilde City Press, followed by “Murder at the Green Lantern” and then “Invisible Curtain” in order.

The Corey Shaw mysteries are some of my favorite, especially the second installment, “Murder at the Green Lantern”, where following a fetish party at a gay bar in Washington D.C., a young man is found murdered and left nailed to a St. Andrew’s Cross. When will it be available to readers again? Can we expect to see more of paranormal sleuth, Corey Shaw?  

The final edits of Murder at the Green Lantern are finished so look for it this summer.  The fourth installment, “Legacy of Hepaestus” (never published before) will be out after “Invisible Curtain“.

Many readers may not realize you and I collaborated together to write Switch Hitter, an erotic thriller novella about a closeted top ranked National League baseball player with a secret, who falls for an alpha S.W.A.T captain tasked with rescuing him from a crazed fan. What did you think when I first approached you to collaborate on a story?  

Who doesn’t know we collaborated on “Switch Hitter”? I thought you and I did a good job of telling everybody!  Hehehe

My first reaction was apprehension because some of my…I mean, a lot of my…oh, all right, all of my ideas are kinda out there, so I thought you might echo my husband and say “how do you come up with this stuff?” LOL. But I’m pleased with the final product.

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

Sure!  “Legacy of Hephaestus” opens where “Invisible Curtain” leaves off.  Corey is trying to salvage the remainder of his Baltic vacation by enjoying the sights and men (mainly, the men) in the Netherlands and Norway.  A huge diamond is stolen from a factory in Amsterdam.  Then a young man with whom Corey has a one night stand is murdered, and an attempt is made on his life in Oslo. When Corey gets back to Massachusetts, he believes he is safely back home, but he gets drawn into the situation when a noted volcanologist on sabbatical disappears from the University of Bergen in Norway and the diamond appears in Boston.  Corey has to return to Europe to find the missing professor, whose disappearance is linked to the diamond theft.  And the people who tried to kill him in Oslo aren’t ready to give up yet.

I’m also working on a mainstream novel which is a follow-up to the two already at JMS Books, “Inside Passage to Murder” and “A Faire Day for Murder“, which feature colleagues of Corey Shaw. My current WIP is based in southwest Louisiana, where an old woman, hated by everybody, has been found dead.  Was it murder or natural causes?  Randy Arsenault believes it’s murder, but proving it will be difficult because it seems everyone in the small town of Opelousas had a reason for wanting her dead.

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

 

Find Alex Morgan on the web:

http://pennedbyalanscott.com/alex.htm

https://www.facebook.com/pennedbyalexmorgan?fref=ts

 

Author T.A. (Tom) Webb Discusses His Writing Influences & Future Projects

Tom, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction facebook group. Glad to be aboard! Thanks.

  Let’s start off with where are you from and live now? I know you live in my city, HOTlanta, but am unsure what area.

I was born and raised here in the big city—in Doraville, then moved to Norcross when I was three. I’ve lived in the area (it’s a suburb north of Atlanta) ever since, except for a six month period I was in San Diego.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns…lol, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment so far? 

Huh. You’re right, I don’t really like to call attention to what I’ve done, but it’s one of those things you have to do to get noticed. LOL. I’d have to say the Pulp Friction series that Laura Harner, Lee Brazil and Havan Fellows and I started last year. We each write a novella every two months, alternating, and bring in each other’s characters. For the finale, we co-wrote a rather explosive story that brought all the loose ends together. It was fun, original and hugely successful.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

Sure. I have a home in Norcross, which I share with my ex-partner. I have a rescue dog, a Boston Terrier-chihuahua mix; I had three others that I raised since they were pups, but lost them all in the past eight months (they were all 13+ years old). Right now, I’m writing full-time, having some health issues that make working full time impossible. I’m single, always looking for someone that can put up with my grouchy self, and love love LOVE reading.

You are relatively new on the writing scene as I understand, but have quickly made your mark. What inspires and challenges you most in your writing? 

I think I’m most inspired by the new voices that keep showing up in the genre. So many people pooh-pooh those of us who choose to write gay romance, or gay mystery/action/adventure, but I have been very much impressed by the talent I’ve seen. It pushes me to be better, and to stretch outside the box with my next project.

And I have a small group of really good friends who challenge me every day. Will Parkinson and Laura Harner hunt me down and make sure I’m putting at least a paragraph down on paper. Even on those days I want to just watch Judge Judy, they make me think, and that’s the most important thing for me.

You have released a very thrilling mystery/thriller series set in Atlanta known as the “Knight” series. In the first book, City Knight, ex-cop Marcus, who buried his heart years ago, is working the streets to keep them safe when he meets, Ben, who is also working the streets; selling himself for money. Both men collide very early on in a whirlwind suspenseful thriller that I could not put down. What influenced you to create such damaged characters as Marcus and Ben?  

It’ s funny—I had no idea what I was going to do as my part of the Pulp Friction series, and the four of us I talked about above had a conference meeting and hashed out the big picture. The series was to be set in Atlanta, it would feature cops, and they would all know each other. When I sat down to write, Marcus came through loud and clear. Then I started typing and Ben was there. He was young, a smart ass, but hurt so badly he’d shut himself off from love. Then Marcus was there, watching him and something in Ben called out to Marcus. Their backstories were there in the next moment—seriously—and they practically screamed in my head to be put together. I got criticized a little for how quickly they fell in love, but it had to happen that way. They sparked, then they had to get to know each other and the love held them together when their pasts tried to pull them apart.

You have also published the first in a planned series, The Broken Road Café, taking the story out of the big city and to the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia. What was your inspiration for such a gorgeous setting?  

My parents used to take my little brother and me up to Helen and into the mountains every fall for picnics. Then I started renting cabins in Blue Ridge during the summer, and I just love the area. Laura asked me one day when I was griping about my frustrations with my job—what would you do if there weren’t any barriers? I’ve always wanted to own a restaurant, and wouldn’t it be wonderful to set it in the mountains where the people would have different kinds of mysteries and secrets? I started BRC the next day.

Can you provide readers an update on the next Broken Road Café installation?

Absolutely. I am about half-way through it, and working on it every day. I had surgery on my right hand and couldn’t type, and am healing up nicely and able to get back to work, so I am planning on a May release, June at the latest.

Have had you ever had to deal with homophobia after your gay novels are released, and if so, what form has it taken?

No, I haven’t. I’ve always tried to work with gay-friendly agencies, and the friends I have are very supportive of my writing. My first novel, Second Chances, is semi-autobiographical, and a lot of my family read it. I have seven brothers and sisters, and they sometimes are uncomfortable with my homosexuality, but I’ve learned to deal with it. At my age, and being the next to the youngest of eight, I tell them to fuck off and they do the same when we disagree. Then we hug it out. So it’s all good.

I know which living actor I would chose to portray the hunky protagonist, Marcus, from your Knight series in a movie – who would you pick? What about Ben?

I picture Clive Owen or George Clooney for Marcus. That look is just him. Although I could see Daniel Craig there too. For Ben? Hmm. Ryan Reynolds. Or Chris Evans. *sighs*

Last question; With the Knight series and now The Broken Road Café series, you have chosen to end each novella with a cliffhanger, clearly a successful move for you. Have you had to deal with much backlash? (Such as the time I waited with baited breath for City Knight to release and when the last page was done, fired off an email to you demanding the next installment? J )

Oh yeah. People say they won’t buy the books until the whole series is out. Some of the reviews on Good Reads have been brutal. But for every one of them, there’s another person who says, God I hate you but I love Ben or Marcus or Dan, and I have to know NOW what happens. Broken Road Café actually had a very different ending, but I was threatened with bodily harm if I did what I wanted to do.

But seriously, I try to keep my readers engaged. I leave things open so they can play with my characters in their own minds. Most go Ah when the next installment does come out, and they are happy with what I do.

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

Thank you!!!

 

Find T.A. Webb on the web:

email AuthorTAWebb@aol.com, visit him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authortawebb, tweet him on Twitter @TomBearAtl, or visit his blog at www.tom-webb.blogspot.com

Meet Gay Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Action/Adventure author, Eden Winters

Author Eden Winters interviewed by Jon Michaelsen;

Eden, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook group.

Thanks for letting me be here.

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

I live in a very small town in upstate South Carolina.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns…lol, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment? 

Personally? It’s tuning out the naysayers, writing and publishing a novel. Professionally? It’s the writers I’ve had the pleasure of encouraging, as a beta, editor, and friend, several of whom were like I once was, with stories to tell but having allowed people to convince me I wasn’t smart enough, educated enough, or anything thing else enough to become an author. It’s a great feeling to see someone who’s been discouraged spread their writer’s wings and fly. I love proving detractors wrong too. J Oh, and one of my books was a Lambda Award finalist, and several have won honors at the annual Rainbow Awards.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

My two children are now grown and out on their own, so I live alone, the proud pet parent of two rescue cats. Thanks to my writing, I have made many friends within the US and beyond, and love to visit with them or invite them to my home.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines in detail?

I am a pantser all the way. I may start with what I think is a sound design, but as my characters develop and take over the story, all my plans get tossed to the side.

Have had you ever had to deal with homophobia after your gay novels are released, and if so, what form(s) has it taken?

Mostly I’ve received some less than stellar comments by readers who didn’t realize my book starred a gay couple. I’ve also been asked “how can a woman write a gay man?”

You have a rather interesting trio of novels known to fans as the Diversion series in the mystery/thriller genre which specialize in pharmaceutical crime. Can you share a little about the series with us?

The series stars a royal pain in the ass, former drug trafficker who’s working off a ten-year sentence in service to the good guys. His time is almost up and he’s assigned to train his replacement. My hero, Lucky, doesn’t get close to anyone, and uses his snark and attitude to keep other at bay. College-educated, former Marine turned pharmacist Bo is everything Lucky is not: neat, compassionate, caring, vegetarian, and in Lucky’s eyes, too perfect. When on assignment together, they realize how much in common they really have.

Your Diversion series features pharmaceutical crime in each novel, as investigated by the Southeastern Narcotic Bureau. Do you have personal experience with the pharmaceutical industry? How do you go about your research for each novel?

My day job is in the pharmaceutical business and I read a lot of trade magazines. Far from being bored, I’m fascinated by the things going on in the industry that most people don’t know about, like drug shortages, pill mills, and cargo jackings. But when I read about a multi-million dollar drug shipment being stolen, eighteen-wheeler and all, in two minutes flat, something clicked and ideas began to form. I had intended Diversion to be a stand-alone about diverted drugs, but the articles kept coming, the ideas kept spinning, and along came Collusion, based on the ongoing US drug shortage crisis.

Although a lot of material for the books comes from my work knowledge, I still spend hours upon hours researching, as I’m a details kind of writer. In September I’ll attend a writer’s police academy to further hone my crime writing skills.

Corruption is the third novel in your Diversion series, which has SNB Agent Bo Schollenberger going undercover and joining a biker gang to investigate a designer drug that turns people violent. What was your inspiration for the plot? Do you have future novels in the series planned?

I’d been reading articles about designer drugs which, until recently, were sold over the counter. It was also time to bring Bo out of Lucky’s shadow and give him time to shine, even though the story is told from Lucky’s point of view. Through Lucky’s eyes we watch Bo become so ingrained in his undercover persona that at times he forgets who he really is. It’s also a wake-up call for Lucky. If he wants Bo in his life, he has to start meeting the man halfway.

I’m currently working on books four and five in the series, and hope to release the next installment later this year.

Which living actor would you cast to play protagonist, former drug trafficker, Simon “Lucky” Harrison, from your Diversion mystery/thriller series and why? How about his partner, former marine and bedmate Bo Schollenberger?

Fans of the series have mentioned Matt Bomer, Tom Hardy, or Steve Amell (with dark contacts) for Bo, and Ben Foster, Colin Ferrell, or Ryan Gosling for Lucky. Someone else suggested Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, but only because he wanted to see them make out. Their boss, Walter, is based on a younger Brian Dennehy at about sixty-three.

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

The tagline for Manipulation is: “Lucky Lucklighter has a new life. His old one wants him back.” Lucky’s past returns to haunt him in the form of a man he used to know. Will the thrill of the chase lead him back to a life of crime? He has some hard decisions to make in this book, and faces a lot of revelations. Look for it to publish in late summer or early fall.

Oh, and the first book in the series, Diversion, is being re-polished for a second edition, due to publish in May.

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

Thank you!

 

Find Eden Winters on the web:

www.edenwinters.com

Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets written by Marshall Thornton – A Review

BOYSTOWN 4: A TIME FOR SECRETS – Audio Version

Written by Marshall Thornton – Narration by Brad Langer

Review by Jon Michaelsen

In Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets, Marshall Thornton has penned the first full-length novel featuring tough, rough around the edges, at times jaded, former Chicago cop turned private detective, Nick Nowak, which is perhaps my favorite of the series thus far. A Time For Secrets contains a stunning mystery that reveals an older gentleman’s longing to learn whatever happened to his long lost lover, a decades old murder and a mix of Chicago politics; the novel is first rate and deftly written with enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep a reader flying through the pages to find out what happens.

Also contained within the pages is further insight into the sometimes odd relationship between Nick and his cop-currently on medical leave-boyfriend, Bert Harker, who still has both feet firmly in the closet when it comes to his overbearing and unaccepting mother, Mrs. Harker. Unlike previous Nick Nowak stories, Thornton tosses in a budding friendship his lover, Harker, has with an ambitious young reporter with starry eyes, and seemingly ulterior motives. The boy inserts himself more and more into Nick and Harker’s home — and relationship — in the guise of learning more about the vicious Bughouse Slasher, the last case Harker was working before having to take medical leave as his health got worse.

The Bughouse Slasher case continues a story-arc that has existed since the release of the second Nick Nowak novel, Boystown 2: Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries and comes to a head by the end of the novel when readers learn Harker has been secretly carrying on the investigation into discovering the identity of the serial killer, perhaps aided by the doe-eyed young reporter who has now inserted himself into Nick and Harker’s relationship. Not surprising, really, considering the time – early 80s – and the openness of most gay relationships of the time, but readers come away with a real sense of the deep love Nick has for Harker, especially when he is forced to face his own jealously, something even Nick didn’t think he could ever exhibit.

Once again, I listened to the unabridged audio book version. Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets. As I’ve said before, reading and/or listening to a Nick Nowak novel is like slipping on a well-worn leather coat, comfortable and warm and the same feelings holds throughout this novel. Nick Nowak continues his tough man, studly persona, while just beneath the surface he knows he must come to terms with his lover’s worsening health and be there to support Bert. Yet, it’s Harker who comes across stronger than Nick in this regard, working to prepare and provide support to his lover through the enviable, clear his conscience by finally coming out to his mother, and to enjoy what remains of his life.

Narrator, Brad Langer, who has narrated the previous Nick Nowak mysteries, has become Nick Nowak to me. His voice is perfect for the series and I couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role. Not only can I highly recommend Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets, but I can also assure any reader of mysteries the entire Nick Nowak mystery series is destined to become a classic, ranked up there with the likes of Michael Nava’s Henry Rios, Richard Stevenson’s Donald Stratchy and Greg Herren’s Chanse MacLeod series.

Award Winning author Josh Lanyon Discusses his Gay Mystery/Thriller Novels

Author Josh Lanyon interviewed by Jon Michaelsen

Josh, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook group. 

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

I live in sunny Southern California. So Cal is pretty much its own world. You have the extremes of Beverly Hills, the movie industry, and then very remote, redneck areas — which is where I live now.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment? 

I think my greatest accomplishment is simply being able to support myself comfortably as a writer of fiction. That’s actually pretty rare, even these days. I’m able to do what I love for a living and I’m my own boss. How many people can say that? And on top of that, I’m successful enough at it to be able to help out my parents and family when they need it. That means a lot to me.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

I have a very patient and very supportive SO. Mostly my life revolves around work. I pretty much work all the time. Even my vacations are based on places I plan to write about. When I’m not writing, I’m dealing with all the other stuff: translations, audio books, the details of publishing, marketing, promotion. My work is my passion. That said, I’m trying to be better at taking evenings and weekends off.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines in detail?

I plan things out, but not in detail. I like a general outline. It keeps the story focused and on track. But the details change because the story naturally evolves as it grows. The best part of storytelling is giving yourself over to that tide of imagination, letting it sweep you along. I love that creative rush. But I still like to keep an eye on the coastline.

Have had you ever had to deal with homophobia after your gay novels are released, and if so, what forms has it taken?

I get the occasional piece of hate mail, and I’ve been turned down for a few projects, but I use a pen name so my personal and professional life stay separate. I have more trouble with stalkers than anything.

Which novel and/or series was the most fun to write?

Well, they all have their pleasures and their pains. The Adrien English series was the first series I wrote, and so there was a beautiful freedom in not having a clue about what I was doing. Plus I feel a sentimental attachment to Adrien and Jake. The Holmes & Moriarity stories are classically structured mysteries, so that’s fun and intellectually satisfying. And the Dangerous Ground series is very much pulp fiction action-adventure. Those are the easiest to write because of their high octane episodic nature and the focus on emotions and sex.

The Adrien English mystery series is by far what fans have come to know you for. Why did you choose to end the series with the release of The Dark Tide?

This is where keeping an eye on the coastline is useful. J  All the major character arcs and plot lines are resolved by the end of The Dark Tide. For me, that’s the signal to bring a series to a close. I wanted to go out on a high note.

It’s not easy though, which is why most writers wait too long to pull the plug. We all come to love these characters and the worlds we’ve created. It’s tempting to stay just a while longer. But the danger of waiting too long is that sales start to decline, and there is actually less interest in your new projects because you’ve already started to lose the attention of all but your most fanatical readers.  It’s tricky because it takes a while to build interest and readership for a series, so it can be hard to tell whether you’re still growing or whether interest is already slipping!

You are a stunningly prolific writer, with several ongoing series, stand-alone novels and short story releases? How do you manage both writing and self-promotion so seamlessly?       

See above — in particular, that part about not having a home life. J  You can’t have it all. For me, it’s the personal stuff that gets shortchanged.

Fair Game is my favorite mystery/thriller novel you’ve written. (You knew I’d have to ask since I’ve bugged you before!) Is there a sequel in the works with ex-FBI agent Elliot Mills?

Yes, indeed. Carina Press is publishing Fair Play, the sequel to Fair Game, in November of this year. (JM-OMG! I can’t wait; I so loved Fair Game and always felt it needed a sequel.) Have you considered a serial with Elliot Mills?

I never really thought about Elliot Mills as a series character. He didn’t have much in the way of unresolved issues at the end of Fair Game — and his relationship with Tucker Lance is pretty straightforward. But I loved the story possibilities of his father’s radical past, and so that’s what drives Fair Play. Also Tucker’s background seemed like it might have some interesting possibilities. But I think after Fair Play, that will be it.          

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

I’ve got an M/M romantic suspense novel coming out from Carina Press on May 5th. It’s called Stranger on the Shore, and it’s about a young reporter who is invited to a decaying Long Island estate to investigate a long-ago kidnapping. Most of the family does not want him poking around — and someone is willing to do pretty much anything to stop him.

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

Thanks for inviting me, Jon! 

Find Josh Lanyon on the web:

Website: http://www.joshlanyon.com/

Blog: http://joshlanyon.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @JoshLanyon

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Josh-Lanyon-Fan-Page/107401402656849?ref=hl

Multi-genre Author, Playwright and Publisher, Geoffrey Knight sits down with me

Geoffrey, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook group.  (Full disclosure – Geoffrey Knight is one of the publishers of Wilde City Press, which currently has released two of my novels)  

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

I live on an island in Far North Queensland, Australia, right on the Great Barrier Reef. I moved here from Sydney almost two years ago and I have no intention of ever going back. Don’t get me wrong, I love cosmopolitan life and the energy of big cities. But you can’t beat walking the dogs every day on a perfect, deserted beach with a calm tropical sea as blue as the sky.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns…lol, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment? 

I guess my books are my greatest accomplishment. Writing a novel isn’t easy. As we all know it takes a lot of hard work and discipline and imagination. But most of all it takes courage. You’re pouring your heart and sweat onto the page for the whole world to praise or rip to shreds. There will be people who will like what you create… and there will be people who will hate it. It’s inevitable that your hard work will be trashed by someone out there. You will be called some terrible things, you will be abused, mocked and have your ego crushed. Rejection is hard for anyone, let alone when you’ve worked night and day and emptied your soul into something. But we’re writers because we write. We tell stories because it’s what we’re born to do. And finishing those stories and putting them out there for the world to admire or hate, for better or worse, now that’s a real accomplishment.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

I live with my three dogs and two cats, which is quite a houseful of pets. My partner Brett lives on the mainland in a city called Townsville which is about a half hour ferry ride. We tend to spend one weekend on the mainland, then one on the island. Brett is quite high up in disability care and has a very demanding job, so when it comes to the weekend we try to unwind as much as possible, taking the dogs to the beach, watching DVDs, going to the basketball, cooking or going out for dinner. We have lots of great friends so it’s always nice catching up with them for a barbie or a swim at someone’s pool. It’s pretty much hot all year round in Far North Queensland so we’re never far from someone’s pool.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines in detail?

I plot till I drop! Everything has to be completely planned out. I’d love to be one of those writers who can make it up as I go along, but I think with some genres – in particular actions and thrillers – that’s very hard to do. Knowing where the next twist is coming from and when a clue needs to be planted is extremely important. Having said that, one thing I do like to do is put my characters in a dire situation with no idea how to get them out of it. I figure if I don’t know how to save them, the reader won’t be able to guess what will happen next. It’s a great way to raise tension plus it makes me think twice as hard trying to come up with a creative way to save their arses.

Have had you ever had to deal with homophobia after your gay novels are released, and if so, what forms has it taken?

No, I’ve been very lucky never to have had to deal with that. If anything it’s the opposite. People are delightfully intrigued when they find out what I write. They find it fascinating. Some don’t take it very seriously, but they still love to talk about it. And no matter how many times I tell people that I write several different genres in gay fiction, I always get labeled as a “gay porn writer”. I used to get annoyed but nobody means any harm by it, so I go with the flow now. If that’s the best way they can deal with it and describe it, then that’s okay with me. At least they’re trying in their own way to get their head around it and accept it, and I have to take my hat off to anyone willing to accept new things.

Harm’s Way is a mystery/suspense novel I am dying to read which has a unique plot I don’t think I’ve ever read anywhere, especially not with a gay theme. What influenced you to write Zach Taylor’s story?

Years ago a friend of mine told me she had a dream that she discovered her father was a serial killer, and her first reaction was to question whether that would be something you inherit. It was only a dream, but I thought it would make for a great story, so I wrote it… but I have a confession to make: Harm’s Way was originally written as a straight thriller. I wrote the first version way back when I wanted to be the next James Patterson, in the days before I turned to gay fiction. I like that story a lot, but it didn’t really jump out as a straight thriller. Then one day, after I found some success as a gay fiction writer, I decided to turn the main protagonist in Harm’s Way from a straight woman into a gay man. The process was a lot more complicated than I initially thought, it was so much more than changing “she” to “he”. Men react to situations and dialogue very differently – both emotionally and psychologically. It gave the entire story a very different vibe, and I think it’s even better than before. There was also the added element of the daughter. A gay character with a child completely changed the back story of that character and their sense of self. I was stunned (in a good way) at how different the story became and the issues I needed to address. It made the book so much more layered.

Not many readers of your novels realize that you, along with author, Ethan Day, started a new publishing company almost a year ago? You currently own and operate your own advertising and design company, so what possessed you to start Wilde City Press? Can the members of Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction expect to see more releases with mystery, suspense/thriller themes? 

This month marks our first birthday, it’ll be a year on April 16, so we’re very excited about that! I love design and advertising, but I love writing so much more, and starting Wilde City felt like a great way to combine the two. I wasn’t sure how I’d go, but I really love publishing. I love dealing with all our wonderful authors and readers beyond the realm of my own books. And yes you can expect LOTS more thrillers and mysteries being released by Wilde City this year. This month alone we’ve got some delicious, dark tales such as Clipped by Devon McCormack, Breathless by Alex Morgan and a superb thriller called The Next by new author Rafe Haze, which is like a sexy, sinister, gay version of Hitchcock’s Rear Window. There’s lots of thrills to look forward to this year!

You have an incredible action/adventure, romantic thriller, mystery/suspense series known to fans as Fathom’s Five, which include the novels, The Cross of the Sins, The Riddle of the Sands and The Curse of the Dragon Gold. Can you share a little about how your self-confessed nomadic life influenced the development of this series?     

Thanks for the compliment, I do love the Fathom’s Five books. And yes, I love traveling so wherever I go I look for the adventure in a place, whether it’s a marketplace in the Middle East or a snow-covered mountain or a remote island. Of course, I haven’t visited every exotic location that my Fathom’s Five boys have been to. But that’s when research and imagination come into play.

My favorite mystery/suspense novel written by you (and fellow writer, Ethan Day) is To Catch a Fox. (You knew I’d have to ask this next question!) Is there a sequel in the works with the enigmatic and sexy, Jon Fox?

Haha, yes I knew I wasn’t going to dodge that bullet. And yes there is a sequel in the works called A Fox in the Hole which will hopefully be ready later this year. This book will be a lot creepier than the first with a main focus on the spooky things that go on in New Orleans, including the evil work of the book’s main villain, a Voodoo Queen named Sister Sacrifice. And yes, we’ll be putting Jon in lots of bad situations and then try to figure out how to get him the hell out of there. The opening scene sees him drugged and being buried alive (hence the title A Fox in the Hole). How he gets out of that… well you’ll just have to wait and see.

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

Well A Fox in the Hole is top of the list, along with the third instalment in my action series Drive Shaft which is called Drive Shaft 3: Russian Roulette. I’m also working on my sexy gay Tarzan-inspired adventure novel, Zan of the Apes. After that I think I’d like to do a comedy. I actually love writing comedy, I had so much fun writing Guess Who’s Coming At Dinner, I’d love to do something quirky and fun like that again. Aside from those I have about a thousand other projects I’m working on at any given time. Who knows which one will bust out of the gates first!

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

Thank you so much for having me, Jon. This interview was a lot of fun! Keep writing and reading everyone, and if you want some great mysteries and thrillers, we have a stack over at wildecity.com – hope to see you there!

Find Geoffrey Knight on the web:

www.wildecity.com

Looking for a Killer Thriller Series? Come in for a chat with author, Syd Parker

Syd, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for members of the Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Facebook group. 

Let’s start off with, where do you live?

Thank you, Jon. I live with my partner of eight years in the very red state of Indiana, just north of Indianapolis.

As you probably know, writers rarely like to toot their own horns, but what would you say is your greatest accomplishment? 

I am incredibly timid, so for me, it was taking the rejections I received from traditional publishing houses for my first few manuscripts and using those as a platform to self-publish. I knew putting my work out there would open me up to reviews, good and bad, and that was a big hurdle for me to overcome. For me personally, being a #1 bestseller in my genre was validation for all my hard work.

Without getting too personal, would you share a little about your home life?

Not at all, I tell people all the time, there are very few questions I won’t answer. I live with my partner, Sarah. We love to spend time cycling, hiking and hitting the golf course. We both dabble in cooking which means we have to stay pretty active. We have one son and a ton of nieces and nephews. No pets, but only because we are running all the time and neither one of us wanted to leave them home alone. We enjoy gardening in the spare time we have left. For the most part, we are pretty normal and boring.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants when writing or plot out your storylines in detail?

I generally have the basic plot in my head, but where and how I get to that point is never set in stone. I have tried putting together an outline, but I always stray from that, so for me it’s easier to have a goal and take whatever turns the story goes through on my way there, rather than tying myself down to a specific outline.

Have had you ever had to deal with homophobia after your lesbian novels are released, and if so, what forms has it taken?

Fortunately, I haven’t experienced it with regard to publishing my novels. I have been pretty lucky in that everyone who knows the genre that I write has been respectful of it, even if they won’t read my books. It makes it easier to put out a lesbian story knowing that I don’t have to hide it from anyone.

Can you share what inspires and challenges you most in your writing? 

I think for me it’s the challenge of putting out a novel that pulls the reader into my world. I want them to feel the ache that I do, or shiver with fear when they get a glimpse into the killer’s mind. I have to put myself into each character’s head and live the story through their eyes. Sometimes, I might take it a bit too far as it takes me several days after finishing one of the Gray Foxx thrillers to come out of my dark place. Sarah always tells me I scare her during those times.

You have a killer thriller (literally!) series known to fans as the Gray Foxx Thrillers, featuring Detective Rebecca Foxx and FBI Special Agent Jordan Gray. What inspired you to conceive these characters and do either resemble someone you know personally? 

The plot for the first book literally came to me in a dream, so when I went to write the story, I already had an idea that I wanted two female leads. I wanted them to be strong, but still have a vulnerability that made them likeable. For Rebecca Foxx, someone pointed out that I hadn’t had a main character with red hair in any of my stories. I decided that Rebecca would work perfectly as a red head, as she has a fiery temper. Jordan is more laid back, but has a tendency to doubt herself. I can’t say that they remind me specifically of anyone, like a lot of my romance characters do, but I think there are personality quirks in each of them that I’ve pulled from numerous people.

Do you research for your novels? If so, how do you go about your research?

I will generally do my research as I’m writing a particular scene. For instance, in the Gray Foxx series, as I was writing details about the police department or the FBI, I would do internet searches on both and gather as much information about both branches of law enforcement. When I do a murder scene, I will research the body to see if the idea that I have is plausible. A lot of the other research regards places in the city, details regarding certain events that have happened, things like that. I also have several people with expertise in certain areas available to me. They have been kind enough to let me pick their brain in the process. Fortunately, in this day and age, there is a wealth of information out there and it makes research so much easier.         

Which living actor would you cast to portray your lesbian detective, Rebecca Foxx and FBI Special Agent, Jordan Gray and why?

It’s funny you ask that. I sat down after I started Sin No More and looked up hundreds of actresses till I found the ones I thought fit them the best. For Rebecca, I chose Poppy Montgomery from the show Unforgettable. Everything from her red hair to her black leather jacket fit the picture I have of Rebecca. For Jordan, I would love British actress Heather Peace to play her. It helped to have their faces in my head as I was writing because I could picture the scene so much easier.

Last question; can you share with us a little about your current release and/or WIP?

I am finishing up a romance that actually plays off of the story in Someone Like You, and then I am diving into the next book in the Gray Foxx series. The title is Chase the Devil. Some of the back stories in Sin No More will come into play in this book, as well as a brand new string of murders to solve.

On behalf of the Facebook Gay Mystery-Thriller-Suspense Fiction Group, thank you for giving us a little of your time today, answering questions fans of the genre want to know.

Thank you, Jon. I really appreciate you including me in a group of such talented writers, and for letting me talk about myself and my writing. It’s been a pleasure!

Find Syd Parker on the web: www.sydparkerbooks.com