Jon Michaelsen's Blog: Ramblings, Excerpts, WIPs, etc., page 30

Join me while I Chat with British Author of Gay Romantic Mysteries, JL Merrow

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

Thank you for having me here, Jon!

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

I come from a little town you’ve probably never heard of… Actually, not so much a little town as a largish village in Hertfordshire, which is far enough out of London to feel like the countryside, while nevertheless being close enough for all the good stuff. J

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

Oh, Lord… I’m not just a writer, I’m British as well, so this sort of thing is like pulling my own teeth! I guess what makes me proudest of what I’ve achieved is when I get an email from a reader telling me my book really spoke to them, and really resonated with their own life.

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

In a word: cluttered! I’d like to blame the general air of untidiness on my two teenage kids, but to be honest, I’m just as bad.

 

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

I’m a natural pantser. The trouble with writing mysteries, though, is that a certain amount of plot seems to be unavoidable! I generally compromise by assembling my cast of suspects at the start and making sure I have a handle on their motivations – then just letting the muse carry me where she will.

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

For me, the most insidious has been the automatic assumption that gay characters mean gay porn. There was a member of my writers’ circle (now departed, although not dearly!) who used to delight in telling everyone I wrote “filth”, while not batting an eyelash at other members including (straight) sex scenes in their books. Generally, though, reactions have been more restrained (we are, after all, British *g*) but for some people, it’s clear that a chaste kiss and cuddle between a same-sex couple equates in their mind to top-shelf het stuff.

You are a very prolific writer! Can you share what inspires and challenges you most in your writing? 

What inspires me? Ooh, everything. Which I guess explains the “prolific” bit! In Wight Mischief I have a character with albinism, and he came about from reading one too many books with the Evil Albino trope. A lot of the side characters in Pressure Head and Relief Valve are based on “types” I see every day in my home village—the mystery Pressure Head centres on the PCC, or Parochial Church Council, which governs the affairs of the local parish church, and I was a member of our local PCC for ten years, as treasurer. But I guess mainly it’s people and places.

What challenges me? Plot, definitely. And keeping it all straight (pun not intended!) in my head.

You have written a very popular gay romance/mystery series (Plumber’s Mate) featuring a blue collar plumber, Tom Paretski, who has a rather unique ability of finding hidden things.  Would you care to elaborate for our readers or would that be giving too much away?

Tom’s power of finding hidden things has been a mixed blessing for him. As a child, he uncovered a lot of things that people would have preferred remained hidden! It’s contributed to a certain amount of estrangement from his family, and misunderstandings from other people. Phil, to start with, is very skeptical of Tom’s talent—but when he does believe, he’s quick to see the advantages to a private investigator of having Tom’s abilities on tap.

As well as finding hidden things, Tom is a good old-fashioned dowser—able to locate water. Which is basically why he became a plumber! Apart from taking advantage of his abilities that way, though, Tom hasn’t really explored his talent; his experiences with family taught him it’s not exactly something to be proud of. But now he’s met Phil, that’s likely to change…

Besides your Plumber’s Mate mystery series, you have written a couple gay suspense/thrillers, Fall Hard and Wight Mischief. Each feature protagonists who “fall hard” for mysterious men. What influenced you to pen these romantic characters caught up in suspenseful circumstances?      

The setting of Wight Mischief—the lonely house on top of a windswept cliff, based in a mid-nineteenth-century fort and connected via a tunnel through the chalk cliffs to the sea below—is a real place, and one I visited back in my teens. I can still remember creeping through the rough tunnel and emerging at the rusty staircase beyond. I defy any writer NOT to be inspired by such a setting! And as a long-time lover of fairy tales, the idea of someone more-or-less imprisoned in a tower (until, of course, the arrival of their handsome rescuer) was irresistible.

Fall Hard, too, was shaped by its setting—in fact, several reviewers have noted how central its harsh, brooding landscape is to the plot. Icelandic literature tends towards a very dark sort of humour, and it wasn’t until I started writing Fall Hard that I really understood why. The story is also, of course, greatly influenced by the great Icelandic sagas, and in particular Egil’s Saga, whose eponymous (anti)hero is even darker and more brooding than the land itself.

Which living actor would you cast to play protagonist, plumber Tom Paretski,, from your mystery series and why? How about Viggo, the Icelandic tattooed, modern day Viking that Tom falls for?

I am notoriously bad at casting actors for my characters! I think my cover artist, Kanaxa, has done a marvelous job of finding guys who fit the bill for Tom (Pressure Head), Phil (Relief Valve) and Viggo (Fall Hard), and I’d hesitate to try and improve on that.

I can tell you who’d play Al and Larry in my romantic comedy novella Muscling Through, however, as Alex Beecroft kindly cast Toms Hardy and Hiddleston in those roles for me!

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

The new release is Relief Valve, and without giving too much away, there’s a bombshell dropped at the end which I’m exploring in the current WIP, Heat Trap, which will be book #3 in the Plumber’s Mate series.

A great thing about writing a series is that you can take your time exploring your characters’ lives. In Pressure Head, Tom’s family was only briefly touched on, but in Relief Valve, we meet his sister and her fiancé, and Tom’s older brother. Themes of family will be carried on in Heat Trap.

I also have some fun in Relief Valve with a subject dear to my heart: writers’ circles. The one I’m a member of is excellent, but my goodness, I’ve heard some horror stories about other groups!

Another theme that’s present in all the Plumber’s Mate books is that of the Anglican Church. Tom is a confirmed agnostic, but the parish church has a way of weaving itself into village life whether you’re a believer or not.

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.

It’s been wonderful to talk to you! Thanks so much for having me.

 

Find JL Merrow on the web:

My website is at: www.jlmerrow.com, and I’m on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow

Chatting with the Rainey Bell Thriller Series author & Lambda Award Nominee, R.E. Bradshaw

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

Thank you for inviting me, Jon. It is a pleasure to be here. I’m a bit of a lurker on the site, but I love seeing all the titles and blurbs. There are some great books being written in our community.

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

I currently reside in Oklahoma City, but I grew up in North Carolina and my heart will always be on the Outer Banks of my home state. My parents still live on Hatteras Island and that is where I call home, but my wife was born in Texas and grew up in Oklahoma. We’re a bi-state family.

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

Being in a twenty-six year relationship and raising a fine young man are my greatest accomplishments, I believe. But if we’re talking writing achievements—that happened recently when I became a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Lesbian Mystery for the third straight year. Two out of the three books in the Rainey Bell Thriller series, Rainey Nights and The Rainey Season, are now sporting “Finalist” gold seals, along with Molly: House on Fire, last year’s award finalist. I also received the news in December that my novel, Out on the Panhandle, was declared First Runner-up for Best Lesbian Novel in the 2013 Rainbow Awards. It was a good end to 2013 and a fantastic beginning to 2014.

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

I live with my wife, our two cats, and two dogs. We will celebrate our twenty-sixth anniversary on June sixth. We have a grown son and his lovely wife also in our family. Laughter is the key to our happiness and survival. It resonates through our lives. We are renovating our home this spring, so I hope the laughter continues. Really, I’m a happy camper and am so fortunate to do what I love for a living, and to have such a wonderfully supportive spouse and extended family encouraging me to follow this dream.

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

With the Rainey Bell Thrillers it’s a must that I know where I am going. I have to weave psychological elements as well as crime clues in the telling. It’s important to me that the reader can look back in the end and say, “Oh, I see it now,” but did not see it on first blush. So, I have a fairly clear idea of the meat of the story when I start. Some elements and details may morph as I write the story, but the bones of the psychological and criminal behavioral profiles I began with will remain as planned. A lot of research goes into the development of the criminal mind in these books, so accuracy demands I stay true to the behavioral science. With my other novels, I am a panster all the way.

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

The only real homophobic reactions I’ve dealt with came from my mother, who is forever asking, “Can’t you write a book about people that aren’t lesbians?” She means well. She believes I could become rich and famous, if I just wrote about “normal” people. (My mother is my best source of material. Don’t tell her. It will ruin the natural flow of mouth dropping—Paula Deen foot-in-mouth worthy—lines I use in my comedies.)

“No, Mom, I won’t sell out, at least not for less than six figures.”

Seriously, I’ve had quite a bit of positive feedback from the non-lesbian community about my novels. A group of straight male psychologist read Molly: House on Fire for their book group and then discussed it with me. That was a load of fun. My main characters are lesbians. They love women and have healthy sex lives, but the stories a reader finds on the pages of my novels will focus on the facets of life universally experienced regardless of one’s sexuality. I believe that is why many LGBT readers feel comfortable sharing one of my novels with a family member or non-gay friend. I hear from readers who tell me they hand my books to their mothers and say, “See, we are just people.” I totally get that. Oh boy, do I totally get that.

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

My inspiration comes from being a voracious researcher. Most writers say they read a lot. I do too, but almost always for research. I would go to school for the rest of my life if someone would pay me. I love to learn. When I come across something that sets my imagination to running, I will devour the subject. It will fill my dreams and thoughts for months, all the while a story will brew until it manifests and must be told. That’s how it works for most of my story ideas.

The main challenge I face is also because I love research. The trouble with becoming lost in the research is knowing when to stop digging and start writing. I also have a mean case of Attention Deficit Disorder, so focus is fleeting at times.

You have a very popular FBI thriller series featuring lesbian protagonist, Rainey Bell. What influenced you to create such a tough yet smart protagonist who just happens to be deeply committed to the safety of her family?

When I was in high school in the late seventies, I read about a new type of FBI agent, the “profiler.” Before that, I would sneak into my mother’s collection of true crime novels. I was probably the only fourth grader that had read In Cold Blood. This study of the science and the men and women who “profiled” serial killers became a life long obsession. I have a fairly extensive research library on the subject. I began my writing career with romances, but by book three, I was already dreaming about Special Agent Rainey Bell. The first book, Rainey Days, was a bit too much of a romance and very much an experiment for me in the mystery/thriller genre, but by the time I was finished writing it, I knew Rainey was around to stay.

I absolutely love getting inside the mind of a fictional, retired FBI Behavioral Analyst and creating a killer for her to catch is thrilling. If anyone ever looks at my search engine history, I’m afraid the real FBI may come calling. I’m completely dumbfounded at what can be accessed on the Internet, like the actual crime scene photos from BTK murders, and yes, I have them saved on my computer. Like an actor preparing for a role, I am committed to seeing things through a criminal behavioral analyst’s eyes, or committable, as some might think. This makes for interesting dreams, to be sure.

Introducing a family into this very independent and at one time very broken woman’s story parallels her life’s journey. Too many years studying man’s inhumanity to man had taken its toll on the wounded agent. Rainey has since learned to love, to trust, to forgive, and all of these things prove she is like us. We, the readers, can identify with the struggle to give the world a chance, when the staggering blows it hands us are too much. Rainey’s family and her love for Katie have allowed her to soften, as well as keeping her vulnerable. Without that family to protect, Rainey might just go rogue. Katie and the kids keep Rainey grounded in the good life, because she’s seen plenty of the evil man has to offer. (The fact that Rainey and Katie have triplets, well, that was one of those panster moments sneaking into my thriller.)

Besides your thriller series, you have written a mystery of murder and mayhem titled Molly: House on Fire. Your protagonist, Molly Kincaid, has appeared in your other novels, but Molly: House on Fire focuses on the successful, wealthy defense attorney as she faces her past head-on…or suffer the consequences. Can you share why you felt the need to write her story?    

Good golly, Miss Molly. I love Molly Kincaid. She’s what I dreamed of being, when I first left high school, before I fell in with the theatre crowd and changed course dramatically, no pun intended. In my first novel, the characters needed a lawyer. I thought it would be funny to have a lawyer look so much like Jodie Foster that someone in that backwater courtroom would say, “I didn’t know Jodie was a lawyer, too.” That’s how Molly came into being. She grew a life of her own, but always in the background, popping in as legal advisor or friend, and then fading out of the story. She is the hub around which all of my characters revolve.

The demand for her very own story came from the readers. They wanted to know her backstory and they most desperately wanted her to have a romance. I wasn’t up for another lesfic romance novel at the time, so Molly needed a mystery. I was given, and writers know what I mean by given, the prologue one afternoon. It came fast and furiously. When I finished typing, I read it aloud to my wife, or attempted to. I could not finish it. With tears flowing down my cheeks, I said, “Whoa. I did not mean to write that.” But it was Molly’s story and it needed telling, so I did. Mystery, thriller, romance, comedy, it’s all in there. Molly is a great character and I look forward to working with “the female Matlock” for many years to come. Besides, she drives such cool cars and Rainey Bell needed a buddy.

Which living actor would you cast to play your protagonist, Rainey Bell, from your thriller series and why?

If I could hand pick and money was no object, no question it would be Angelina Jolie. Jolie is a fantastic actor, able to play complex, layered characters. Rainey is a bit less physically imposing than Lara Croft, but they share survival skills and a puzzle solvers mind. Angelina was magnificent in The Bone Collector and Mrs. Smith certainly shares traits with Rainey. Besides, my God, look at her. Sorry, lesbian moment. In all honesty, I think Angelina gets far less credit than she deserves for the complexity of the characters she plays. She makes it appear so effortless that it doesn’t look like acting. Funny that, how those who make it look easy never get the credit they are due. Rainey is complicated, cerebral, yet will shoot you dead in a heartbeat. I think Angelina Jolie could rock that role, and who wouldn’t want to watch her walk around strapped with fire power, in a black leather jacket, driving a badass car, and married to a cute little blonde, and I don’t mean Brad.

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

I’m finishing up the next Rainey Bell Thriller, Colde & Rainey, due out in April 2014. (The extra “e” in the title will make sense when it’s read.) This time Rainey revisits a cold case, spending some of the narrative in memories from the past with her father, Billy Bell. He was deceased when the series began, so not much is known about him. We get to see some of Rainey’s traits in Billy, and learn just how short a distance from the tree she really fell. Meeting a fully fleshed out Billy Bell character was interesting for me as a writer. I was not expecting it, but it has been a real treat. The reader will see, more than hear of, the relationship Rainey has talked about in the previous books. Rainey Bell is a daddy’s girl.

This story contains very little of the previous characters. Rainey is away from home and on her own for the majority of the book. Of course, we will catch up with Katie and the now two-year-old triplets, but for the thriller part of the story Rainey is alone with her memories in a strange little town. Attending the funeral of an old friend of her father’s, Rainey gets caught up in a rare North Carolina blizzard and a cold case from her past. Can she spot the killer before another murder, or is she now the intended next victim?

(Strange note: I wrote the blizzard in before one actually hit NC this year. Weird, huh?)

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.

I want to thank you for the time and effort you put into promoting our work, Jon. It is very much appreciated. I enjoyed the questions—particularly fantasizing about Angelina in a leather jacket for a bit there. Thanks for having me on the page.

Find R. E. Bradshaw on the web: www.rebradshawbooks.com

Interviewing the Best Selling Lesbian Romance and Mystery author, Gerri Hill

Gerri, 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 East Texas in a very conservative part of the state! Some of my books take place in the area, including the very early Behind the Pine Curtain and one of my most recent ones, Keepers of the Cave.

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

Just being published for the first time stands out as a significant point in my life. Now, twenty-four books later, it’s almost surreal. Having some of those books be nominated (and win) for writing awards is something I’m most proud of.

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

My partner and I live on five acres in the “woods”! I have recently retired from higher education so I no longer have an hour commute to work each day. That has certainly changed my “home life”. I can now write when I want to instead of cramming in writing sessions before work, after work, and any other time I could grab a spare minute! I enjoy being outside and I have a vegetable garden that takes up way too much time but it’s very therapeutic. We have what we call a “garden cabin” and I spend a lot of time on that deck with my laptop! I couldn’t imagine having a better office in which to write….I can watch the birds at the feeders, listen to the sound of their calls, the smell of the pines, the sensory overload from the greenness of the woods…it’s all very relaxing and it’s my favorite place to work. And not to sound too much like a hermit, but we normally close and lock the gate on Friday evening and don’t open it up again until Monday morning. Our home life is definitely staying “home”!

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

It depends. For the most part, I don’t use outlines. Or if I do, it’s very crude. I find them a waste for me because I rarely follow them! There are certain details of a story that I want to make sure I hit, so those will be written down. Mostly….fly by the seat of my pants!

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

No, not at all. I’ve always had very positive responses.

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

That’s hard to answer. A lot of my preliminary work is done while I’m out walking in the woods or sitting on a fallen tree. I find inspiration there. I always have. And after twenty-four books, the biggest challenge is keeping them fresh and new. Characters need to stand on their own and not be too similar to another that readers confuse them. That’s a challenge when writing about strong, independent women . . . finding traits in each that separate them from the others.

You have three lesbian mystery series going; Ross and Sullivan, Johnston and Riley and the Hunter series. How do you prepare when starting a new book in the series? How do you keep the series fresh and exciting, especially where romance is involved? 

I will usually go back and read the previous book (or at least skim it) to get a feel for the voices again. That’s especially true if it’s been a while between books. In Keepers of the Cave and Weeping Walls (CJ Johnston and Paige Riley), they were written only one book apart so that wasn’t difficult to maintain each character’s personality. I’m currently working on a cross-over with Tori and Sam from Hunter’s Way and Cameron and Andrea (Ross and Sullivan from Devil’s Rock/Hell’s Highway). There are three books in the Hunter Series and two with Ross and Sullivan. It has been several years since I’ve visited Tori and Sam so I had to go back and read those to get a feel for the characters again. So far it’s been a challenge to juggle all four characters!!

Keeping the series fresh is as simple as keeping the story fresh! It’s more difficult when romance is involved because usually the initial romance takes place in the first book and it takes up more of their time. Subsequent books deal more with the mystery than the romance, although having their relationship grow into something deeper is also a part of it.

Which living actor would you cast to portray lesbian FBI agents CJ Johnston and Paige Riley, and why?

I get asked this question a lot! Not just about CJ and Paige but other characters as well. Honestly, I can’t give you an answer. The vision I have of them in my head is just that…a vision of them and not of some actress I’ve seen on TV or in the movies. And my vision of them might be completely different than what my readers may see!

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Of course! I’m not sure how many of them I’d like to share however. Okay…I’ll give you one: I love old Steven Seagal movies!

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

Weeping Walls was just released this past December (Jon-which has been #1 Best Seller in Gay & Lesbian Mystery on Amazon since release; congratulations!), the sequel to Keepers of the Cave. I have a romance coming out in July, The Midnight Moon. I call it a “fun, summer romance” and I hope my readers think so as well! As I said earlier, I’m currently working on Angel Fire, a mystery that involves Tori Hunter and Sam Kennedy and Cameron Ross and Andrea Sullivan. It’s due to be released in late December.

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.

It was my pleasure! Thank you!

 

Find Gerri Hill on the web:   www.gerrihill.com

26th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists Announced – “Pretty Boy Dead” makes the cut

 

The 26th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists were announced on March 6th 2014. My novel, “Pretty Boy Dead” was shortlisted as a finalist in the Gay Mystery category.  To see the finalists for all categories, click on the link below:

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/news/03/06/26th-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-announced/

PRETTY BOY DEAD –

Blurb:

A murdered male stripper. A missing go-go dancer. A city councilman on the hook. Can Atlanta homicide detective Sergeant Kendall Parker solve the vicious crime while remaining safely hidden behind the closet door?

When the body of a young man is found in a popular midtown park, police and local media quickly pin the brutal killing on a homeless gay kid with AIDS. But Homicide Detective Sgt. Kendall Parker isn’t convinced, even when the suspect is accused of assaulting a police detective with a deadly weapon.

City leaders want the heinous murder solved yesterday and they jump at the chance to pin the crime on the drug-craving teen. Besides, it’s an election year and remaining in office is their top priority, even at the sacrifice of the young man. Sgt. Parker isn’t easily persuaded and is determined to prove Hopper’s innocence, despite protest from his colleagues and the great citizens of Atlanta. And all threatens to expose the deep secret Parker has carefully hidden from his comrades for years.

Reviews:

Pretty Boy Dead

A murdered male stripper. A missing go-go dancer. A city councilman on the hook. Can Atlanta homicide detective Sergeant Kendall Parker solve the vicious crime while remaining safely hidden behind the closet door?

Named one of Jessewave’s Top Picks 2013!

“Pretty Boy Dead is a well-written police procedural with an engaging plot and well-developed characters.” – Jessewave

“…the writing is solid, the book is well executed from cover to edits…” – author Ryan Field

“The author has written a gritty crime drama that is exciting…” – Rainbow Book Reviews

“Highly recommended for those who like swift, compelling stories.” – Chris Beakey, author of Double Abduction, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award

“ The characters are well drawn and I really believe that they propel the story and of course, it helps that the book is so well written.” – Amos Lassen

“…offers an intriguing look into the thought process, personal demons, peer pressure and bureaucratic nightmares that can plague a homicide detective working on such cases.” – Bob Lind, Echo Magazine   

“If you are looking for a great mystery, you can’t go wrong with Pretty Boy Dead. – The Novel Approach

“Jon Michaelsen has written a tense, entertaining, and believable crime novel.” – David Sullivan, author and retired 29 year veteran of the San Jose Police Department.

“Overall, a good read…a murder mystery with a lot of flawed characters.” – On Top Down Under Reviews

WHERE TO PURCHASE “PRETTY BOY DEAD” –  

Wilde City Press: http://tinyurl.com/PrettyBoyDead

Amazon –

eBook: http://tinyurl.com/PBD-ebook

Print: http://tinyurl.com/PBDprint

Print UK – http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Pretty-Boy-Dead-Kendall-Parker/Jon-Michaelsen/9781925031607

Amazon India: http://www.amazon.in/Pretty-Dead-Kendall-Parker-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00H9VAM5Q

(Europe) Junglee.com: http://www.junglee.com/Pretty-Boy-Dead-Kendall-Mystery/dp/1925031608

Barnes & Noble –

eBook:

Print: http://tinyurl.com/PBDBarnesandNoble

OmniLit –  https://www.omnilit.com/product-prettyboydeadakendallparkermystery-1364535-243.html

Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/pretty-boy-dead

Tower Books – http://www.tower.com/pretty-boy-dead-kendall-parker-mystery-jon-michaelsen-paperback/wapi/124483703#product_details

What They Are Saying About Pretty Boy Dead

Pretty Boy Dead - by Jon Michaelsen

A murdered male stripper. A missing go-go dancer. A city councilman on the hook. Can Atlanta homicide detective Sergeant Kendall Parker solve the vicious crime while remaining safely hidden behind the closet door?

What they are saying about Pretty Boy Dead  

Named one of Jessewave’s Top Picks 2013!

“Pretty Boy Dead is a well-written police procedural with an engaging plot and well-developed characters.” – Jessewave

“…the writing is solid, the book is well executed from cover to edits…” – author Ryan Field

“The author has written a gritty crime drama that is exciting…” – Rainbow Book Reviews

“Highly recommended for those who like swift, compelling stories.” – Chris Beakey, author of Double Abduction, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award

“ The characters are well drawn and I really believe that they propel the story and of course, it helps that the book is so well written.” – Amos Lassen

“…offers an intriguing look into the thought process, personal demons, peer pressure and bureaucratic nightmares that can plague a homicide detective working on such cases.” – Bob Lind, Echo Magazine   

“If you are looking for a great mystery, you can’t go wrong with Pretty Boy Dead. – The Novel Approach

“Jon Michaelsen has written a tense, entertaining, and believable crime novel.” – David Sullivan, author and retired 29 year veteran of the San Jose Police Department.

“Overall, a good read…a murder mystery with a lot of flawed characters.” – On Top Down Under Reviews

 

Where to purchase:

Wilde City Press: http://tinyurl.com/PrettyBoyDead

Wilde City Press Ebook; Pretty Boy Dead

Amazon –

eBook: http://tinyurl.com/PBD-ebook

Print: http://tinyurl.com/PBDprint

Want Your Lesbian Protagonist Intellectual, Pragmatic & Cerebral? Look no further than Author Ellen Hart

Ellen, 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 Eden Prairie, Minnesota, just a little south and west of Minneapolis.

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

I guess it would have to be sustaining a career for twenty-five years.  It’s hard to get published, but equally hard, if not harder, to stay published.  I just turned in my 31st book (eight were published in the Sophie Greenway series.)  I think that’s a fairly significant accomplishment.

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

I live with my partner of thirty-six years.  (JM-Wow! Congratulations!) We were married in our home last September, with family and a few friends in attendance.  We have two daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandkids.  And of course, we’ve always lived with dogs.  Currently, we share our townhouse with Newton, a 17 year old miniature poodle (black).  He can’t see, can’t hear, and is very creaky, but he’s still with us.

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

I do a great deal of thinking about a story before I start writing (and often do research.)  Generally I need to have the title in place (which I use thematically to help me think myself into the story).  I need to know the central crime, who did it and why (the motivation), and then I cast the book around that crime.  Every significant character in a mystery needs to have a possible connection to the central crime.  Once I know all that, and a few other high points along the way (twists, character issues, suspense, structure), I can begin writing.  I’ve never outlined.  I’ve taught writing for seventeen years and in that time I’ve learned that there are writers who outline and writers who don’t.  Those who do outline can’t understand how you could write a book without one.  Those who never outline can’t imagine why you’d want to use one.  Perhaps I’m a bit of an exception because I have my feet in both worlds, but generally, I let much of the book play out without knowing the outcome.  I like that process.  I like being surprised.

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

Sure. Over the years, I’ve spoken at hundreds of small libraries around the Midwest.  There are times, when the event is over and we’re selling books, that I feel like people don’t even want to touch my novels–like they’re made of plutonium.  I’m sure the lesbian themes, etc., have hurt my sales over the years, but it’s what I want to write and because they’re mainstream enough, there has been crossover.  I had a bookstore owner once invite me to his store.  He said that he didn’t know where the gay bars were in his city (Canada), but he’d find out.  When I told him that I didn’t go to bars much, he asked me how I “hooked up” with my “people.”  He meant sexually.  I told him I’d been in a committed relationship for twenty years (at that time.)  I can still remember the look of surprise in his eyes.  Generally, though, people who have problems with my books simply stay away.  I’ve rarely been directly challenged.

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

I know this may sound strange, but I’ve always felt that a writer never entirely masters her/his craft–there’s always more to learn.  Every book presents you with new problems, and with each book, a writer should be trying to grow, both as a storyteller and as a wordsmith.  If I had to say what one quality all writers possess, it’s curiosity.  That quality, which presupposes the desire to understand the world, makes writing a fascinating, though often difficult, life’s work.  You’re always learning, and there’s always more TO learn.  That inspires me.  People like Dennis Lehane, Val McDermid, Margaret Atwood, and Tim O’Brien also inspire me because of what they’ve achieved.  Their writing feels like verbal alchemy to me.  When I read them, it makes me want to try harder, dig deeper, reach higher.

You have a long-running lesbian mystery series known to fans as the Jane Lawless Mysteries, with a stunning twenty-one books to date. How are you able to keep the series fresh and exciting? 

For many years, I wrote two mystery series–alternating them.  I think that helped me to keep the stories and characters fresh.  Each time I moved back into one of the series, I’d been away for at least six to eight months, and I was eager to check back in and see what was going on.  I think the most important factor, however, for my longest running series (Jane Lawless) was that my original press, Seal Press in Seattle, dropped me after six books.  They stopped publishing fiction for a time because they didn’t feel they could do it profitably.  My agent shopped the series around New York for over a year, with the same result at each press. Editors said that they thought I was a fine writer, but didn’t want to touch a series, where the first six books were owned by another press.  They all suggested I start a new series.  Finally, St. Martin’s stepped in with a wonderful two book deal and the Lawless books found a new home.  It was during that uncertain time–a time of mourning, really–that I began to think more deeply about my main character.  Jane had always been a hard nut for me to crack–intellectual, pragmatic, cerebral.  The more I thought about her, the more fascinated I became by her, and when the next book came up, my writing/thematic ideas/tone had changed.  I started delving more deeply into Jane’s world–and that’s where I’ve found most of my inspiration for continuing the series:  delving more deeply into Jane and Cordelia, and their lives.  If anything has kept the books fresh, it’s that.

Many of the Jane Lawless mysteries have now been released in unabridged audio book format, with several more releasing this year. Has the growth of audio books with the advent of cheaper technology drawn a new legion of fans, or do you find those who have read the books in the past return to listen to the audio version?

That’s a question I can’t answer.  It’s too early to tell.  A few of the books were released in 2013, and the rest will become available at Amazon/Audible in April of 2014.   I hope it brings me new fans.  I love audiobooks myself.  I’m always listening to one on my iPad, in my car, in the kitchen while I’m making dinner.  Because I spend a great part of each day staring at a page of words, I like being read to in the evenings, especially.  While I listen to a ton of non-fiction on audiobooks (memoir, history, politics, science and technology, biography), when it comes to fiction, I need to hold the book in my hands.  Just the way it works for me.

Which living actor would you cast to portray your lesbian restaurateur sleuth, Jane Lawless and why?

Probably Laura Linney.  She has a kind of midwestern openness in her face, not exactly innocence, but no ironic sarcasm.  She’s also one of my favorite actors.  It’s difficult to name someone because we all create an image of the character to fit our own impressions.  When the BBC cast Roy Marsden to play Adam Dalgliesh in the PD James mysteries, she was initially aghast.  He was nothing like she’d imagined him–and yet he became Dalgliesh in every way to those of us who watched and loved the TV series.

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

Just sent off the next Jane Lawless mystery to my editors in New York.  Title:  THE OLD DEEP AND DARK.  The book will be published sometime in the fall of 2014.  Usually, when I send off a book, I take several months to just relax and regroup because all my mental circuit breakers are fried and I need a break.  This February, however, the next book kind of fell on me.  It’s only happened once before–with the THE IRON GIRL.  I’m so far into my thinking that I will probably start writing it in early March.  The book I’m working on is always the one I’m most passionate about, but I don’t want to say anymore.

lso, Bywater Books, will be publishing THE LOST WOMEN OF LOST LAKE in paperback for the first time in April 2014.  St. Martin’s publishes my books in hardcover and ebook, which is great, but without a paperback in the pipeline, writing careers can die.  Most people can’t afford a hardcover.  All of my books have made it into paperback, with the exception of the last four.  In the fall of 2013, Bywater published THE MIRROR AND THE MASK and THE CRUEL EVER AFTER as trade paperbacks.  Next fall, REST FOR THE WICKED will hit stores.  Beyond that, they’re currently in negotiations with St. Martin’s for the rights to my next two mysteries.  All very exciting!

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 Ellen Hart on the web: www.ellenhart.com

Getting to know Gay Mystery/Thriller & Suspense Author, Ethan Stone

Guest Blogger – Ethan Stone

 

Ethan Stone 101

It really should be a college course since I am so very interesting. Okay, not really. This isn’t about me but it is basic information on the characters who have appeared in my mystery and thriller novels.

Cristian Flesh and Colby Maddox: In the Flesh/Flesh & Blood—Cristian is a detective with the Reno police department who uses rules to keep people from getting too close. He likes sex, but only anonymous hook ups, until he gets in trouble and meets Colby Maddox. Colby represents Cristian in a murder case but they fall for each other and Colby challenges Cristian to break his rules. Cristian is charged with the murder of a man he slept with who was also the ex-lover of a televangelist. The story doesn’t end with Cristian being cleared and he has to find the real killer and deal with his feelings for Colby.

In Book 2, Cristian investigates the murder of a young hustler and is forced to deal with memories he’d rather stay hidden. After the case is solved Cristian faces his past head on, which means a very unhappy family reunion. Colby is at his side the entire time.

Gabe Vargas and Drew Bradley: Blood and Tears—Gabe is a supporting character in the first two Flesh books and Cristian makes appearances in this story as well. Gabe is taken into FBI protection when he survives an attempt on his life by a serial killer. FBI agent Drew Bradley grew up with a very religious mother and never dealt with his desires for men, until he meets Gabe. Gabe and Drew have to navigate their feelings as well as more attempts on Gabe’s life.

Jack Coleman and Derek Malone: Wolf Moon—Jack Coleman finds his life in a mess when he discovers that he is a werewolf and so are his boyfriend and best buddy. Jack isn’t just any werewolf he is one of great power, a born leader. Jack and Derek have to figure out who wants to stop Jack from taking charge of the pack.

Kaleb Pierce and Cooper Lockwood: Zombie Boyz/Surviving Sin City (Written with Daniel Kaine)—Las Vegas native Kaleb Pierce and Cooper Lockwood are thrown together when Vegas turns into a zombie bloodbath. They don’t get along but rely on each other to survive and can’t ignore a sexual attraction, even when their lives are in danger.

 

Luke Kincaid and Ben Skinner: Subject 13—Childhood friends Luke and Ben reconnect when Luke tries to stop his ex-boyfriend, Shane, from getting married. Luke fails but he and Ben become friends again. Luke soon finds himself drawn to Ben, who he assumes is straight, while also dealing with the return of childhood nightmares. Luke is thrilled when Ben admits he is bi and has feelings for Luke, but at the same time he learns his nightmares are repressed memories. Luke and Ben find themselves in the middle of a government conspiracy and have to hide from an assassin out to kill Luke.

I will be getting the rights to Subject 13 back soon and will be republishing it with several plot changes.

Linc Carpenter and Brady Williams: Bartender, PI: Disgraced hockey player Linc Carpenter moves to Florida to work at his mentor’s bar but wants something more. He becomes a private investigator and is hired to prove a wealthy fashion designer is cheating on his wife. Bodyguard Brady Williams stands in Linc’s way, well, Brady and Linc’s incompetence. When the case becomes dangerous, Linc realizes all isn’t what it seems and he has to find a way to prove the truth.

I will be getting the rights to Bartender, PI back soon and will be republishing it with only minor changes.

Jason Holt and Quinn Reynolds: Past Tense—Jason has been running from his past for years and hired PI Quinn Reynolds to help him deal with it once and for all. Quinn protects Jason and finds himself drawn to a man for the first time since the death of his lover. Jason is shocked to learn that not only do demons exist but Quinn and his family are hunters. Jason and Quinn have to navigate the world of the paranormal as well as their feelings for each other.

Daniel “Kash” Kashaveroff, Cody Ives and Zane Davis: Compromised, Uniformity, Bk 1—Kash and Zane are correctional officers at a maximum security prison, a place where its dangerous to admit being gay. They begin a no strings attached relationship but it turns to more, despite Zane’s growing bond with Inmate Cody Ives. Kash and Zane try a committed relationship, but Zane finds it too difficult. Kash helps prove Cody is innocent, but then the real killer comes after both of them.

Zane Davis and Brett Emerson—Damaged, Uniformity, Bk 2—Zane falls hard over heels for Brett, a coworker. He is stunned that for the first time he wants to commit to a man, but Brett is reluctant to get close because of a traumatic event in his past. Zane discovers a prison conspiracy and ends up suspended. Zane and Brett work together to expose the truth.

Dylan Hoss and Joey Campbell—Recruited, Uniformity, Bk 3(Due out in April)—Inmate Dylan Hoss has no problem getting blow jobs from fellow prisoners, but doesn’t consider himself gay. New roommate Joey Campbell makes him question things when it becomes more than sex and Dylan falls for him. He is devastated when Joey disappears from his life but thrilled when he gets an early release. Life on the streets isn’t easy when Dylan ends up being recruited by the FBI to help bring down an eco-terrorist.

Jake Sullivan, Garrett Townsend and Nathaniel Colt: Through the Eyes of Evil (Work in progress)—Jake Sullivan is plagued with nightmares that appear to be psychic visions. Nathaniel Colt is the detective investigating murders that don’t appear to be linked until Jake comes to him. Garrett Townsend is the man they both fall for.

Ethan Stone is becoming a duck once again. After more than a decade away from the soggy state of Oregon he is back in his home state. He used to have a day job where he wore a sexy uniform work, now he can wear whatever he wants to work as he attempts to see if this writing thing can support his Mt. Dew addiction.

 

Find Ethan Stone on the internet:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ethan.stone.54

www.ethanjstone.com

SPOTLIGHT – Mark Zubro’s gay YA Mystery novel; SAFE

Very special treat for you today with an excerpt from SAFE, the new Gay YA Mystery/Thriller novel from Mark Zubro.

SAFE, by Mark Zubro

Blurb:

In an unsafe world, death and danger stalk gay teens, Roger Cook and Steve Koemer.

Roger Cook is in the middle of his senior year when Kyle Davis, the most picked on kid in his high school commits suicide. Roger agrees to write an article on Kyle for the school newspaper. As he gathers information, Roger realizes the dead boy was gay and may have been murdered. Gay himself, Roger wants to find out the truth, but this leads him to danger and the possibility of love. Roger opens himself to even greater risk while trying to make those around him safe.

 

Chapter One

Monday 7:04 A.M.

 

When I was two feet from the newspaper office door, Darlene Banyon rushed up to me and said, “Roger, did you hear the news?”

I shrugged. “I’m lucky to be awake and moving at this hour.”

“Kyle Davis committed suicide.”

It was early on the Monday after Christmas vacation and only some janitors and a few of the nerdiest teachers were in school. Monday is deadline day, whether or not we just had two weeks of vacation. I planned to finish some final rewrites on my next column before the bell rang for first period.

Darlene Banyon is our editor. She’ll probably be valedictorian of our class. She’s a little overweight and wears a huge assortment of rhinestone-studded glasses. She’s pretty silent, like she rarely says, “Good story” or “Thanks for the help.” I know she takes her job seriously because she’s always after school for hours every day making sure everything is perfect. Nothing gets past her scrutiny.

I guess that’s good in an editor, but I think she could lighten up a little. I know the pressure gets to her. On the days the paper is supposed to come out she snaps at everybody, demanding rewrites and cuts and edits and changes at the last second. If the paper is even a minute late from the printer, she starts slamming things around. She only calms down after a couple of her friends come by and tell her how great the paper looks.

I like her a lot. I just avoid her when she’s in a mood. This year we’ve become friends, and even though she’s dating a guy who goes to the University of California Riverside, we go out for coffee or a soda once or twice a week. We discuss politics, the reason why things happen, the meaning behind events, why people do crazy things, everything. Of all the people I know, she’d be the first one I’d tell I was gay.

Darlene continued, “It was too late to make this morning’s Riverside Tribune. It got posted on a few kids’ pages just an hour or so ago, and now everybody’s sending messages about it.” She showed me her phone.

After I read a couple, I said, “It doesn’t say when it happened.”

“Supposedly, sometime after nine o’clock last night.”

“I was at the basketball tournament all weekend. The final game ran into double overtime. I didn’t get home until late. Nothing was on the Net when I went to bed.”

Darlene snorted. “I’m surprised anybody Tweeted anything. I’m surprised anybody cared. They probably don’t. They probably just love death and gossip.” She gave an angry snarl as we walked into the office together.

In the senior class at Riverside Memorial, we’ve got just under a thousand kids. So you don’t know everybody, but I think we all knew Kyle Davis. Every day he plodded over two miles to school. He could have taken transportation provided by the district, but when he was a freshman, a few other kids had forced him into the back seat of the bus, taken his pants and underwear, and tossed them out the window. Before the bus driver figured out the screams were those of distress, he’d driven half a mile.

They caught the guys who did it, and they got suspended, but Kyle never rode the bus again. Danger lurked as he’d walked down the halls: getting shoved into lockers, his path blocked deliberately, incessantly taunted and teased.

Kyle had been maybe twenty-five pounds overweight, and all of it had added to his baby fat. He was around five foot six, so fighting back, even if he’d wanted to, wasn’t a practical consideration.

At least, I’d never heard of him getting back at his tormentors. He’d never been in any of my classes, but I’d seen him nearly every day, on the way to school, one foot plunking in front of the other, never hurrying. He’d always carried a faded green backpack. Every day as he’d approached what was for him high school hell, he’d looked like an out of shape recruit in the army finishing his first twenty-five mile hike.

Darlene read from her iPhone. “They found him hanging from a pepper tree in the orange groves, somewhere way out past Victoria Avenue near Jackson Street.”

“Does it say anything about him leaving a note?” I asked.

“Nothing here.” She punched a lot more buttons. “Nothing like a police report. Nothing on the Riverside Tribune Web site so far.”

Steve Koemer rushed in, nodded to us, and hurried to set up his laptop. In about ten seconds he was typing away. Steve was our newest staff member, the gofer to do the dirty work nobody else wanted, a junior severely afflicted with teenage uncoordination, terminal shyness, and skinny to the point of emaciation. He dropped stuff all the time. He often made silly mistakes while working on the newspaper program on the computer, but he never made mistakes editing our copy. He wore black-framed glasses. Darlene helped him out a lot, and I’d helped him cover up a couple mistakes he’d made with the computer program. When I worked with him, he was quick to learn and asked intelligent questions. His dad was a preacher for the Witness for Jesus Church.

Bert Blaire, our so-called ace reporter, breezed into the room. He slapped me on the back and said, “Hey, Rog, how’s it hangin’?” He chucked Darlene under the chin and said, “Good to see you, lady boss.”

Darlene swatted his hand away and growled at him. “Next time you touch me,” she said, “you get belted across the room, then I kick your nuts so hard, you won’t ever have to worry about birth control again.”

Bert gaped at her. I’d never seen her display this kind of anger.

Bert said, “Hey, easy. I’m just being friendly.”

She glared at him.

I don’t like Bert Blaire. He doesn’t know when to stop or let things go. I wondered if Darlene might have been working up to her explosion for a while, and her upset over Kyle’s death might have triggered the response. I’d seen and heard her endure a lot from Bert. If I thought she needed my help, or asked for it, I’d be happy to lend a fist or foot to cause Bert any amount of discomfort.

Bert was hosting the annual newspaper staff bash this coming Saturday night. It was a tradition for the seniors on the paper to throw a party for the whole staff sometime during the year. Bert had offered to do all the planning. At his place it wouldn’t be just the newspaper people and their friends. He’d have a mob of athletes, rich kids, “in kids”, plus us regular schlubs from the paper.

Bert walked over to Steve, slapped him on the shoulder, and said, “How’s the stud junior gopher today?”

Steve winced, ducked his head, and stopped typing.

“Leave him alone,” I said.

“You too?” Bert asked. “Jeez, I’m just being friendly. Everybody needs to back off.”

Bert is almost as bright as Darlene. In fact our whole staff is in the top five percent of the class academically. Bert will probably get a four-year academic scholarship to some college even though he doesn’t need the money because his dad owns half of Riverside County.

Usually everybody on the newspaper gives Bert a wide birth because he’s a jerk. Compounding the dislike is the fact that he is one of Mr. Trumble’s pets.

A computer pinged with an incoming message. We all glanced at the clock. Seven twenty-two precisely. The Riverside Drone comic strip appeared in all the inboxes and in text messages. It was anonymously drawn, with lush colors and careful shading. Even better it was bitterly sarcastic about teachers, athletes, popular students, and school administrators.

Today’s strip was about a chemistry class experiment gone wrong with a supervising teacher who resembled Frankenstein’s monster. Mr. Trumble rarely let us print them, but we all looked forward to them. They were cool and funny. Bert hated them. I loved them.

Mr. Trumble is the faculty advisor for the paper. He pretty much wears the same brown pants every day. They’re all shiny so I guess he never washes them. A few times a year, when it’s really hot out, he’ll wear Bermuda shorts with black socks and sandals. He’s an old guy with white hair growing out of his ears and nostrils. In winter when it’s cool, he puts on long sleeve white shirts and sweaters. When it’s warmer, which is most of the year, he has these short sleeve beige shirts with his initials stitched on the pockets. He rarely talks above a whisper, and it’s really tedious to listen to him because he rambles so much, but he pretty much leaves us alone. All he cares about is that we don’t get him in trouble printing controversial stuff that teenagers are supposed to have never heard about, like abortion or AIDS or teen pregnancy.

The newspaper office is about twelve feet by twenty feet, so everything is pretty cramped. We’ve got a bunch of old reject computers, but some of us have laptops and wireless Internet connections. Still, Mr. Trumble watches us pretty carefully on our Internet use. We can get in a lot of trouble if we’re caught on inappropriate-for-school Web sites.

On the left as you walk in, there’s a corkboard wall that has a mock-up of the paper laid out page by page. On the other walls are huge posters from old musical plays: Hello Dolly, Man of LaMancha, Finian’s Rainbow, West Side Story, and some I’ve never heard of. We have those because Mr. Trumble is hot for old musicals. He claims he starred in a couple in college.

After we took a moment to read the strip, Darlene told Bert about Kyle Davis committing suicide.

“Who cares?” Bert threw himself into a chair. “The guy was a fag and nobody liked him.”

“Don’t say fag,” Darlene and I said at the same time.

“Will everybody leave me alone?” Bert asked. He always wore the most fashionable clothes in that casual I-don’t-really-care-how-I-look way that’s popular among people that care about that stuff. I wear mostly jeans and T-shirts myself, with my letterman’s jacket or a sweatshirt if it’s cool out. “You can’t sue me for being a hypocrite. I’m not going to get all weepy over a kid I barely knew, that nobody liked, and that nobody is going to miss.”

Darlene advanced on him and towered over him as he lounged in his chair. Through clenched teeth, she said, “We need to write a story about Kyle.”

“Don’t look at me,” Bert said.

“I wasn’t going to ask you,” Darlene said. “I’d do it myself, but I agreed to help out for two weeks on the yearbook staff, plus my usual duties here.”

Darlene always liked to help people, constantly took on more and more, and was always swamped.

She turned to me. “Roger, would you do the story?”

I wanted to protest and say no, I only did sports, but after Bert’s reaction, I could hardly refuse.

I had strong mixed feelings. I, too, thought, Kyle was gay. I was pretty confident about being gay myself, but not about being open about it. It’s not that if people associated me with Kyle that they’d think I was gay, but I wanted to be careful.

I mumbled a yes.

Ian McCord strutted in. He raised an eyebrow at me and swept a bow toward Darlene. I disliked Bert, but I hated Ian. He worked on the theater, arts, and movie news and reviews. If anybody in the school fit the stereotype of an effeminate gay male, he did. His wrists limped, he swung his hips and sashayed around campus, and he could adopt a lisp at the drop of an insult. Ian’s being effeminate wasn’t the issue. The problem was that he was a total jerk. He was overweight and proud of it, and he liked to tell us in nauseating detail about every new fad diet he tried. He thought he was funny. I’m ashamed to admit, I’ve laughed at some of the things he’s said. I just thought a lot of it was a pile of pretentious nonsense.

Ian often talked about the latest opening he’d been to in L.A. or how this or that play was so ghastly. His reviews of school plays were generally really nasty, even after Mr. Trumble toned them down.

In the realm of emotions, Ian dealt only in superlatives. He was always the tensest, saddest, gloomiest, or happiest, and he let you know which it was in great detail.

He didn’t like me, either. He thought I was a dumb jock. He kept up a string of snide innuendos, which he thought I didn’t catch. I had him figured out. On the days when I wore my oldest, most faded, and tightest jeans, he wouldn’t stop fawning over me, patting me, finding things to come over and talk to me about.

This morning Ian burbled almost incessantly about Kyle’s death, but he had few facts. That never stopped Ian. His up moods annoyed me more than his downs. Ian said, “Did you hear? They’re going to have ‘grief counselors’ in the school.”

What I got from his explanation was that a sort of swat team of psychologists, counselors, social workers, and others were descending on the school so that any kids or teachers affected by Kyle’s death could come talk to them.

“I may go so that I can get out of class,” Ian said.

“You look like you’re ready to weep with sorrow,” Darlene said.

Ian put a hand to his breast. “You wound me deeply.”

“I wish,” Darlene said.

I wanted all of them to shut up. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Kyle’s death, except gay or straight, it was sad.

Ian launched into a long-winded description of the party he went to Saturday night. Others began working. I entered my column on a computer, finished my rewrites, printed it out along with an article of mine, and added them to the cork board, and left.

 

Purchase link:

http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Mark-Zubro-ebook/dp/B00HUBW9B0/ref=zg_bs_7130633011_8

Website: http://www.markzubro.com/

 

 

Interviewing author Lynn Ames, creator of some tough, kick-ass lesbian protagonists

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

It’s my pleasure, Jon. Thanks for asking.

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

I’m originally from New York, but I live in Phoenix, Arizona.

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

You’re right. This is always a tough question. Do you want to narrow that down to “as an author?” If so, I would say my greatest accomplishment is being able to write what’s in my heart—to do something I love to do—and being able to make a living at it.   

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

I work out of my house, so it’s a long commute—all the way two doors down! You can’t believe the traffic. I share my life with my two beautiful golden retrievers, Parker, who is nine, and Dixie, who is three. Parker is my Zen man.

And Dixie should be playing the outfield for the Yankees. She’d be less expensive than Carlos Beltran. Just sayin’…

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

I am a pantser from way back. I usually know three or four things that are going to happen in any book, and then the rest of it falls into place organically as I go along.

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

I’ve been so fortunate. My books have been well received and I haven’t gotten any backlash in terms of the fact that my protagonists are lesbian. Of course, my philosophy about such things is, “If you don’t like it, don’t read it.” In those instances where straight people have asked about my books, I disclose up front that there are lesbian characters in the book and invariably no one seems to have a problem with that. As I said, I recognize that this is not always the case, so I feel most fortunate, indeed.

Many of your plots include espionage, secret paramilitary organizations, diplomats, political officers, politicians, the U.S. President – among many others spanning the gambit of high-stakes mystery, action and adventure. Where do you get your ideas?

LOL. Well, in some cases, I’ve lived them. Not the espionage part, but I spent many years working in high level politics, so it’s a world that’s familiar to me. So I have some inside knowledge of how these worlds function, which means I also understand all too well how things can go awry. So, where the average person might read something in a newspaper or magazine or see a story on television about a current event and see only what is being presented to him/her, I see the moving parts behind the curtain and fill in the back story. Or, something will lead me to ask the question, “What if…?” Once my curiosity is aroused, I can start to imagine the plot I can create from it.

You have written some seriously kickass lesbian mystery/thriller/suspense fiction with the Classified Series and Kate and Jay series; What was your inspiration behind creating such tough, kickass female protagonists and how do you keep them fresh?

Thank you for that! Having spent so many years in male-dominated fields where I was often the ONLY woman, I understand what it takes to stand strong and hold your ground. It requires a level of toughness and a proficiency at one’s job that goes beyond normal expectations. So I tend to imbue my characters with that level of proficiency at their jobs and with that strength and toughness. In the fields in which my characters work, in their jobs, in their lives, they are exactly who/what they need to be. Also, I want to present role models to girls/women that let them know that they can be anything at all that they want to be.

How do I keep my protagonists fresh? Like real people, the characters in a series must evolve and grow over time. That growth takes place either in their relationships, or the situations they encounter, or both. So I try to create situations, plots, and human interactions for the characters that allow them to continue to grow and evolve. As long as they are growing and evolving, they’ll stay fresh. And I really hope they learn some things along the way about life, and that the readers and I learn right along with them.

In the first Kate and Jay release, The Price of Fame, protagonist Kate was outed and lost her job as a TV anchor. In the second book, The Cost of Commitment, Kate’s lover, Jamison “Jay” Parker cannot depend on her anonymity being guarded. Was any of their experiences autobiographical?  

Interesting questions. Although I did spend half a decade as an award-winning broadcast journalist, I never got outed in that context. I was once threatened to be outed. That was when I held Kate’s job in The Cost of Commitment. In that same context, the person who threatened to do the outing would also have been outing my partner at the time.

And here’s a bonus tidbit: The riot I describe in The Cost of Commitment really did happen. What I describe (except for the kidnapping) is a moment-by-moment accounting of a riot in which I held the position Kate holds in the book. Harrowing.

Which living actors would you cast to play your protagonists, Katherine Kyle and Jamison Parker from the Kate & Jay series?

Because I think life should be about choices, I’ll give you a choice of Jennifer Lawrence, Keira Knightley, Kate Beckinsale, Angelina Jolie, or Emily Blunt for Kate, and maybe Natalie Portman for Jay. Of course, there’s always Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor, too.

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

My current release actually has nothing to do with thrillers or suspense. It’s a contemporary lesbian romance titled, All That Lies Within. Here’s the synopsis:

How far would you go to hide who you really are inside? And what do you do when you find the one person from whom hiding your true self isn’t an option?

Glamorous movie star Dara Thomas has it all—an Oscar nomination, dozens of magazine covers proclaiming her the sexiest woman alive, and people of both sexes clamoring for her attention. She also has a carefully guarded secret life. As Constance Darrow, Dara writes Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction, an outlet that allows her to be so much more than just a pretty face.

Rebecca Minton is a professor of American Literature in love with the work of the mysterious, reclusive author Constance Darrow, with whom she strikes up a correspondence. A chance phrase in a letter leads her to a startling conclusion about the author.

What happens next will change the course of both of their lives forever.

And my current work-in-progress is a historical romance titled, Bright Lights of Summer. It is about the heyday of women’s softball in the 1940s. That book should be out this coming summer.

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, for the invitation, the opportunity, and for the wonderful questions.

 

Find Lynn Ames on the web:

Friend me on Facebook (Author Lynn Ames)

Follow me on Twitter (@lynnames)

What is it like growing up in a Religious Commune? Author Lloyd A. Meeker tells us and more

Lloyd, 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 are you from and live now; I recently read a guest blog post where you mentioned you were born in a religious commune; what was it like growing up?

Yes, a farm in Colorado. Communal life is very much like a small village, with most of the familiar boundaries removed – centrally coordinated work, eating together, one theology, very little private space. Organic farming was a big thing for us, and growing as much of our own food as we could. Pretty radical for the late 1940’s. I went through school being “one of those people” from that weird group northwest of town.

That environment shaped me in many ways, pluses and minuses both. Few empathic children can begin training in subtle energy healing at age ten as if it were a perfectly ordinary thing to do, but I was given that incredible opportunity.

Although I went off to college and traveled extensively, I lived my life out of the community’s worldview for the first half of my life. I’d never had any other. When I came out and left, I was in my mid-forties. I slammed into a learning curve that nearly killed me. I had very little idea how the rest of the world actually functioned. Let’s just say some dark years ensued.

While I love wild nature, I now prefer to live in a city where I can walk to most of my daily needs. It seems I’ve dropped anchor in Wilton Manors, Florida. It’s a strange feeling, to be putting down roots in a place I’ve never been particularly drawn to, but it also feels very right. And I love being warm!

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

Most of the things I feel best about in my life aren’t things I accomplished on my own. I conducted a community orchestra for eight years. I’ve been sober twice as long as I drank to escape. I’ve been cancer-free for eleven years. I’m working on my fifth novel. I can’t honestly claim I accomplished any of that on my own. Spiritually and physically, I’ve relied heavily on many allies.

I think my greatest accomplishment is that I’m happy, living a life that honors my core truths. The ancient Greeks said you could never call a man happy until he was dead, because you had to know how his life ended before you could say he’d been happy. I’ve got plenty of living to do yet and I’m far from finished as the human being I want to become, but if I died tomorrow, you could still say I was one of the happiest men on earth. I have health, love, family, challenging and meaningful creative work, friends, and plenty of books waiting to be written. All that, plus ocean breezes, sunshine and palm trees—there are hibiscus, lemons and a dozen different kinds of orchid growing on our balcony.

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

Sure. I’ve been with my husband Bob since 2002, married since 2007. We both came out late, Bob has three adult children from his first marriage, and I have one. All Bob’s grandchildren live in Paris, so we make an annual trip to see them.

We are very different in background and temperament. He’s an extrovert, I’m an introvert. He loves movies, and I have trouble sitting through them. I prefer watching sports, which he has little interest in. We both enjoy cooking, so we take turns. He likes using recipes, I’d rather wing it. We have a very unconventional relationship, but we fit together so well.

What are your guilty pleasures?

Only guilt-free pleasures for me! I love buskers of all kinds, especially Dixieland and Ceílí musicians; thunderstorms; clover honey on fresh cornbread slathered with butter; the way a kelp bed smells at low tide; poetry, passionately delivered aloud; an occasional dungeon scene—it sweeps away energetic cobwebs not reached by softer brooms; Lord Dunsany’s stories; Stephen Foster ballads; farmers’ markets and street fairs; Cirque du Soleil; a half-hour nap after lunch.

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

The most inspiring thing for me is when I discover more meaning in a scene than I consciously put there. Something deeply true comes out in a way that is congruent with the character, possibly even essential to him, that makes new sense of some element of the story, gives it dimension that previously had been obscured. That’s pure magic to me, and beautiful.

The challenge is that I can’t make that happen. I just have to keep writing the best I know how, keeping my eyes and heart open for it, should it come. That poetic depth rings so artificial if it’s just contrived cleverness, yet it’s utterly luminous when it’s real.

You released a unique and very enjoyable mystery/thriller titled “Enigma” out from Wilde City Press, which features a rare, but refreshing non-traditional protagonist; a silver-fox private investigator. Russ Morgan also happens to be a psychic empath? What influenced you to create and feature a more mature character in a field traditionally reserved for the youthful?   

Thank you for saying those kind things about Enigma.

Remember in the American version of Queer as Folk when Brian turned thirty? It was an identity crisis—thirty! Doomed to see a wrinkle soon. Ewww. Old. It’s laughable!

I came out in my mid-forties, long after the culture I was just entering had dismissed my market value. To be sure, I take unabashed pleasure in the company of gorgeous young men as much as the next gay man, but I rejected my assigned market niche, which informed me daily I’d already passed my “best consumed by” date.

I’m fascinated by the many and powerful gifts that come only with age—fully engaged with examining and challenging the myths about age that a cynical, petty, frightened and narrow gay pop culture seems addicted to. It’s an especially silly, nasty and cruel form of narcissism, the way I see it. It’s a huge waste—self-defeating, in terms of developing meaningful gay culture.

I confess I have a lot of Russ Morgan in me. I’m letting him make my argument that life really does get better—and much more interesting—after fifty and beyond.

Do you have plans for a sequel to “Enigma” and will gay P.I. Russ Morgan appear again?

Absolutely—I’m working on the next story now. I think Russ has a series in him, and Colorado is a rich setting for his stories—just look at what’s in the news there now—cannabis, gun control, cultural schisms between urban and rural, conservative and liberal. My mouth waters just thinking of the possibilities!

Incidentally, in the book I’m working on now, Russ’ own set attitudes toward age are challenged, because Colin (who is twenty-five and definitely not a self-absorbed twink) won’t leave him alone, and insists on being taken seriously as a relationship prospect. That’s very scary territory for Russ.

You have also published a very mystical mystery/thriller novel, Traveling Light, released by MLR Press, Inc. The plot of the story combines both the earthy visible world with the spirit realm as protagonist, Ian, uses his shamanic abilities to track down his brother’s killer. I sense an overarching lesson to be learned; can you share more of the premise with us?   

Gladly! My favorite soapbox theme.

The overarching vision I write from is that the visible and invisible worlds are distinct but not separate. They interact all the time, and depend on each other to reveal their deepest beauty. They need each other like we need air to breathe, like music must be heard to be shared.

I’m convinced gay men are perfectly suited to accommodate this interplay consciously, to be stewards of that mystical inter-dependence, the passages of giving and taking between the realms. All my stories are grown out of this premise, because it’s the way I experience life.

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

Not really, but some conversations have ended abruptly when I say I write mystical gay fiction. I don’t care. Given some of the things I’ve survived, I’ve accepted that I’m on bonus time. Whatever time I have left is way too precious to spend caring about what people like that think of me and my work.

Which living actor would you cast to play your protagonist, Russ Morgan, in your P.I novella, “Enigma”?

Ed Harris, but not his overly gaunt version. Yes, give me Ed Harris. Please give him to me!

Last question; I read recently that you’ll be teaching an online class through Florida Romance Writers on some of the differences in the Hero’s Journey for a gay protagonist. Do you have more details you can share at this time ?

Not really, because it happens in October and I haven’t finalized my materials yet. I’ve been obsessed with the Hero’s Journey for decades. When I first realized there was a heteronormative overlay to the myth’s structure, I was offended. Then I realized, hey—straight people have their version, and we need ours. It’s incredibly exciting to explore the similarities as well as the differences.

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 Lloyd A. Meeker on the web:

www.lloydmeeker.com