Kate Hawthorne's Blog, page 8
November 29, 2020
Author Spotlight - A.D. Ellis
Everyone, welcome A.D. Ellis today!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: Hi! I'm a mom of a teen and an almost teen (15 and going to be 13 in November!) I just recently started my 22nd year in education, all but one year in the inner city of Indianapolis. I've taught K-6 general education, alternative education, and I'm now an instructional coach.
I started writing in 2013, published in 2014, and will keep at it as long as there are stories in my head and readers who want to read them
I'm a hot tea lover and I drink way too much of it. I also love chocolate, pizza, and sweet wine (best to drink with friends) I have a warped sense of humor, speak sarcasm fluently, and despise talking on the phone.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
A reviewer recently said this about my books, "Overall I just love the way the author tells a story and her books are unique, from the careers to the homes to the families of her characters. You don't come across them in other books. So I guess you call it non formulaic, which makes reading her books all the more fun."
I like to think my stories provide humor, emotion, and an HEA for very real characters. I love the settings and characters I write so much and would definitely want to be friends with most of them in real life. A lot of my stories are based on real-life people and/or storylines. But I like to think I give them a happy ending when maybe their real life didn't.
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
I'm about 3/4 done with a city/country, opposites attract, age-gap romance titled Take Me Home.
I'm looking forward to starting a story tentatively titled Power Struggle about two school principals.
If you could dream cast your favorite book into a movie, whether yours or someone else's - what book would it be and who would you cast?
I'm horrible at this. Maybe if any of my readers are viewing this interview they can chime in with some ideas. I don't ever have famous people in mind when I'm writing and I'm not super in touch with movie stars, so I freeze every time I get this question.
What is the weirdest place you've ever written before?
I sometimes TRY to write at school if I get a break, but it's totally weird to write a sex scene at school. I've definitely written notes on my phone at stoplights or on receipts when I'm out with friends.
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
I usually start with the idea of two characters, then flesh out their individual issues and their combined issue. Then I start making notes of certain scenes I'd like to include along with setting and secondary characters.
If the story ideas won't leave me alone, I know I have something I definitely want to write.
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
I've got this idea, but I can barely describe it outside of my own head, so I'm not sure exactly how I'd get it on paper. Plus, I've not yet determined if it would be a happily ever after...at least not for all the characters. So, it stays in my head rumbling around for now.
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
I think all of my characters get their fair share of appreciation. I think Jay (in The BJ Boys series) is likely an all-time favorite. I adored Reid in His Reluctant Cowboy, but some found him unlikable. I also adored Keegan in Let Love In, but some think he's too whiny (he's young is my defense of him)
I think Jase in Bryan & Jase gets a lot of shit because people don't like the way he reacted in a certain situation. He ends up making it right. Also, none of us know how we'd react in any given situation until we're in it, so I think he deserves a break.
I feel like Braeton misses out on some of the love he deserves from readers. I love, love, love Braeton, but maybe he's a bit too much for some.
What is your favorite book? One of yours and one of someone else's.
This is so hard. I love each book I've written for one reason or another. I'll say Sawyer is my favorite because it was the book that brought me to the M/M romance world and also gave me one of my very best friends.
Favorite book(s) I've recently listened to on audio: The Dichotomy of Angels by N.R. Walker and Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall.
ONE of my favorites ever read (because there's no way to have only one favorite!): In the Absence of Light by Adrienne Wilder
Favorite show to binge watch?
Hubster and I finally got around to watching The Office. I also love Handmaid's Tale, Schitt's Creek, Sex Education, Pose, Dead to Me, Tales of the City, Eastsiders, Hollywood, AJ and the Queen, Sense 8 are a few I enjoy or liked in the past.
What movie have you seen more times than you want to admit?
I don't usually rewatch movies. Lion King and Land Before Time were ones my oldest watched at least a million times. I do love a good rewatch of Elf, Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, and A Walk to Remember. Other than that, I don't purposely sit down to rewatch a movie, but I'll rewatch if it happens to be on.
Favorite quote or song lyric:
Cinderella: "Have courage and be kind."
Is there anything else you want anyone to know?
All of my books are on KindleUnlimited and several are on audio (with more coming soon!)
Where is the best place to find you online?
Facebook: ,www.facebook.com/adellisauthor or my Facebook group: ,https://www.facebook.com/groups/EllisElite I'm also on IG and Twitter and my website is ,adellisauthor.com
What's the signup link for your newsletter?
November 22, 2020
Author Spotlight - Naomi Aoki
Happy Sunday, and welcome to Naomi Aoki.
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I live in rural New Zealand, about 2.5 hours from Mt Doom. When I'm not running after my teenagers, and getting into arguments with characters who'd much rather do everything but what I want them to, I can usually be found on the couch reading or watching anime.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
My books are very much Asian centered with the main focus being on China and Japan. So far my Japanese set ones are all Yakuza orientated while my Chinese set ones are historical.
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
Tokyo Nights Season Three. It's a Yakuza based serial I started two years ago that got shoved to the side for awhile. Right now I have a couple of chapters written for it, but as it's the final season I'm needing to figure out how it will tie up before I get stuck into it in earnest.
If you could dream cast your favorite book into a movie, whether yours or someone else's - what book would it be and who would you cast?
As an author you always have that dream that maybe one of your books will be turned into a movie... which of course makes it hard to pick one, but I'd choose Rueben (Men of Science Book One).
Rueben: Eddie Redmayne
Yuan Xi: Eugene Lee Yang or Dennis Oh
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
Inspiration can hit at anytime and those plot bunnies can be damn distracting if I'm already working on something, so I have a notebook solely for ideas so that I can come back to them later. Some ideas are really rough--a situation, basic character info and maybe a trope to explore--while others are more detailed including major plot conflict points to be explored and sometimes snippets of dialogue. The story that gets work is usually the one whose characters won't be quiet...and they don't care if I already had a plan in place for the year. A story that remains a dream is one whose characters are never fully formed, but maybe one day they'll start talking to me too.
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
One of my Dream stories that I'd love to write is an F/F story set in 14/15th century Japan involving a female samurai (yes they existed) and courtesan from Yoshiwara.
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
I think any of historical characters are underappreciated. Why? It's hard to say. I know that in the history romance genre Regency is more popular than late Victorian and they are set in China as opposed to Great Britain... but it could be anything really.
What is your favorite book? One of yours and one of someone else's.
The favourite book I've written so far is, Rueben (Men of Science Book One) and my favourite to read... Just Business by Anna Zabo, their book is one of my go-to comfort reads.
Favorite show to binge watch?
Ace of Diamond... it's a baseball anime.
What movie have you seen more times than you want to admit?
Grease... though maybe that's not embarrassing to admit.
Where is the best place to find you online?
,facebook.com/naomiaokiauthor or ,facebook.com/groups/KiwiAuthorsRainbowReaders
What's the signup link for your newsletter?
November 17, 2020
A Thousand Lifetimes - audio available now!
A Thousand Lifetimes written by Kate Hawthorne
narrated by Christopher Rourke
**available now on audible**
Get it here - https://www.audible.com/pd/B08NC1Q9D3
---
My name is Ezra Clarke, and I’m 23.
Forever.
If you’re counting in vampire years, I’m actually 208, and if living that long has taught me anything, it’s that nothing lasts forever. And that’s been fine. It’s...whatever. I’ve never wanted anything that long, anyway, which is why I’ve never taken a mate, but that all changed when I met Declan Byrne.
He’s young, handsome, and he doesn’t do what I tell him to. He smells like cinnamon and has eyes that remind me of the daytime sky. Every kiss we share feels like home, and no touch lasts long enough.
I need him to be mine.
And for the briefest moment he is, and life is perfect...and then it isn’t. Rogue vampires threaten to pull us apart, and complicated politics are painful reminders that a world exists beyond our privacy of our bedroom.
But if anyone thinks they can keep me away from Declan, they have another thing coming. My mate and I have a thousand lifetimes to live, and we’re just getting started.
November 15, 2020
Author Spotlight - Davidson King
Today I am so happy to welcome Davidson King!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I'm a bisexual married woman with three kids, I run the LGBTQA Review and promo blog Diverse Reader. I have many publications under my pen name Davidson King. I love coffee, elephants, sunflowers, autumn, and reading all the books.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
I would say I'm a romance, suspense writer. I love writing the antihero and writing within the gray areas of society. I don't feel the world is black and white and I feel we are living in a time where we do what we can to get by and sometimes those things are questionable. For that reason I relate to the sinister side of my characters.
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
I'm currently working on book 3 in my Joker's Sin series called Heart Beats. Each book in that series is a standalone so that's a plus. After that will be book 4.
If you could dream cast your favorite book into a movie, whether yours or someone else's - what book would it be and who would you cast?
This is such a hard question seriously so difficult. So I'm going to cast my last book that published: To Die For. I'd like Sparkles to be played by Robert Sheehan and Antonio Cupo as Max.
What is the weirdest place you've ever written before?
on the toilet. I'm not lying. I had a good scene and no one would leave me alone so I went in the bathroom and wrote.
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
I always do bios for characters first and a thin plot. I outline with bullet points so I don't write myself into a corner. Descriptions, dates of birth all of that. I start with the thought of, "If this was a movie how'd I want it to begin?" I know it's a good idea when I can't get it out of my head.
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
I want to write a vampire book. I have one plotted so I just need the time.
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
I think for sure the most underappreciated character I have is Lee from my Haven Hart series. He's brilliant, quiet, he's loyal, and has a vast knowledge of so many things.
What is your favorite book? One of yours and one of someone else's.
I will pick of someone else's because I suck at picking my own. Story Of Us by Barbara Elsborg is outstanding.
Favorite show to binge watch?
I'm currently finishing up Mindhunter and it's amazing so I will go with that
What movie have you seen more times than you want to admit?
Speed LOL
Favorite quote or song lyric:
I love so many quotes and use many often. One I tell my kids all the time is "Look where you're going, not where you've been."
Is there anything else you want anyone to know?
I can't wait until life goes back to the crazy normal we're used to
Where is the best place to find you online?
most likely in my reader group ,https://www.facebook.com/groups/davidsonkingscourt or my website has a newsletter:, www.davidsonking.com
What's the signup link for your newsletter?
November 13, 2020
A Thousand Lifetimes - audio avaialble now!
A Thousand Lifetimes written by Kate Hawthorne
narrated by Christopher Rourke
**available now on audible**
Get it here - https://www.audible.com/pd/B08NC1Q9D3
---
My name is Ezra Clarke, and I’m 23.
Forever.
If you’re counting in vampire years, I’m actually 208, and if living that long has taught me anything, it’s that nothing lasts forever. And that’s been fine. It’s...whatever. I’ve never wanted anything that long, anyway, which is why I’ve never taken a mate, but that all changed when I met Declan Byrne.
He’s young, handsome, and he doesn’t do what I tell him to. He smells like cinnamon and has eyes that remind me of the daytime sky. Every kiss we share feels like home, and no touch lasts long enough.
I need him to be mine.
And for the briefest moment he is, and life is perfect...and then it isn’t. Rogue vampires threaten to pull us apart, and complicated politics are painful reminders that a world exists beyond our privacy of our bedroom.
But if anyone thinks they can keep me away from Declan, they have another thing coming. My mate and I have a thousand lifetimes to live, and we’re just getting started.
November 8, 2020
Author Spotlight - Meredith Spies
Welcome today, Meredith Spies!
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm originally from Texas but live elsewhere now. While I've always loved writing and stories, I was originally going into anthropology in college. I'm nonbinary and identify as queer, have an awesome kid I call Spawn online to keep them private, two cats who are sure they're gods, and an a TBR pile that might actually smother me in my sleep one day. I fell into writing after college, where I'd been on the student paper for a bit. I was teaching belly dance at a local community center and saw a greeting card near the door. It had a beautiful faerie prince on it, and a story unspooled in my mind about him. A year later, I'd written it and it'd been accepted to be published by a small, now-defunct, indie. The bug bit and I've been writing ever since, pretty much all UF and PNR for some reason, lol.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
Queer-centered romance with banter, a hint of strange, chosen families, and happily ever afters.
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
I'm working on the first book in a new series I'm very excited about. It's a bit spec fic, urban fantasy, a "what if" world where magic is real but fading, and people are trying to bring it back.
If you could dream cast your favorite book into a movie, whether yours or someone else's - what book would it be and who would you cast?
This is so hard. In part because I have more than one favorite book, lol. I'll go with a dream cast for Hawk's Widdershins and say
What is the weirdest place you've ever written before?
Weird for me, anyway--riding cross-country while my SO drove, moving from Texas to CA and writing on my phone. There's only so many miles of empty desert you can stare at before it all blurs together and you get ideas for creepy stories.
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
Typically for me, I get a character in my head first and they have a story attached. I let them ramble at me a while and if it starts to make sense, it becomes a story. If it's just "hey, this is a neat person" and it goes nowhere, I tuck them away for later and either they bloom out into a story or become a character in another story. I'm a pantser but I am working on trying outlining, at least my own version of it, because I want to be more organized in my writing and just with my time in general. So with my baby outlining, if I know the character is part of a larger story, I'll start writing down everything about them, all the details, even things that may never make it into a story at all like what their favorite flavor gummy bear is or something. From there I'll bring in the other characters and then map out the story. I've been using Campfire for this lately and it's been great, if a little more time consuming than I expected. I've found doing this also helps pare down on my "oh god, I need to delete this entire chapter!" moments!
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
I have been carrying around an idea for a MM historical mystery/PNR for a while and I feel like 2021 might be the year it happens. The characters came to me ages ago and have been whispering and bugging me to get them on paper. They are some of my favorite ones I've dealt with, even though right now they are tucked away in "story ideas" folders and a paragraph here and there of dialogue filed away for later. I love historicals and works like Jordan L Hawk's Whyborne and Griffin series (and his new Rath and Rune book), and KJ Charles' entire oeuvre and they've really inspired me to let this story idea out to play and grow. The characters I have planned are a Vaudeville stage magician and a dissolute youngest son of a wealthy shipping magnate... And that's all I'm saying about them for now!
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
Argh! That's hard, lol! I'm going to say Julian Weems, from Bump in the Night, but that might be just because HE feels he's under appreciated in the story. Either him, or Mark from The Devil in the Details--he's so at sea when it comes to dealing with demons, witches, and all of that--I think his awesomeness can get lost a little in all of that.
What is your favorite book? One of yours and one of someone else's.
It's hard to pick from my own because I feel like they're all my babies. I think for mine I'd end up going with The Devil You Know because it felt the best to write after a year of dealing with severe anxiety and depression, getting back to writing and coming up with that felt so good. And someone else's is actually harder lol. I think I'll say Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga, specifically A Civil Campaign. I love her writing and the world building and characterizations so much.
Favorite show to binge watch?
This is where we find out I watch way too much TV. I like to binge old sitcoms, and also cartoons like Miraculous Ladybug and She-Ra. I think lately though it's mostly been things like I'll BeGone in the Dark, Ghost Hunters (now that the transphobic guy is gone!), and Kindred Spirits. I do love me some ghost shows.
Favorite quote or song lyric:
“It doesn't stop being magic just because you know how it works.” (Terry Pratchett, Wee Free Men)
Is there anything else you want anyone to know?
Wear a mask, ffs!
Where is the best place to find you online?
,facebook.com/meredithspiesauthor or ,twitter.com/meredithspies
What's the signup link for your newsletter?
,https://us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e2a6d43bde27d897fe064e1bf&id=91f82fc064
November 3, 2020
Dreams
Kate Hawthorne
Coming - Dec 3, 2020
Jackson Bishop doesn't know what's real.
He had a birthday. He met a man. He buried his mother. He got lost in the woods, and then...
Jackson woke up.
It's his birthday again and his mother is alive, but the man from his dream is selling him a coffee and he doesn't know Jackson's name. Fragments of his memories become tangible threads of his reality and, as the days and nights unravel, Jackson finds himself falling for a stranger he feels like he's known his whole life.
Jackson needs to uncover the truth before he loses his mind, but when he pieces everything together, will he come out with a soul mate by his side or will he wake up and discover none of it was real?
That everything ended much as it had started.
As a dream.
---
Dreams is a 55,000 word romance, filled with a hint of magic, the promise of true love, and a very solid, very real, happy ending.
---
Click here to add Dreams to your TBR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55845455-dreams
November 1, 2020
Author Spotlight - Katerina Ross
It's a new month and we're joined today by Katerina Ross!
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m a Russian author from Moscow, but I write kinky M/M and M/F stories in English. I’m also an editor, a journalist, a translator, and a specialist in Gothic novels, so I'm used to multi-tasking :) In my free time, I draw sexy men and interrogate other BDSM authors for my website.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
Inevitably, there are a lot of Slavic motifs and Russian-ness in my books. The ones I’ve published so far are set in Moscow and Prague, so you’ll get a chance to wander through these cities with my characters, which I think is an enticing bonus now that traveling for real is rather problematic.
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
It’s a MMMMF story, also set in Russia (and yes, that’s the correct number of the letter M!)
If you could dream cast your favorite book into a movie, whether yours or someone else's - what book would it be and who would you cast?
If filmmakers could afford time travel, the young Benedict Cumberbatch (while he was still a redhead) would have been awesome as both Tristan and Jarek from The Sons of Gomorrah (Jarek is Tristan’s doppelgänger). This story is set in Prague—I think it’s a wonderful location for a sinister but aesthetically pleasing movie :)
What is the weirdest place you've ever written before?
An opera theatre. I got an idea I had to write down in the intermission, lest I forgot it.
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
A dream is always a good idea to me ;) I’m rather chaotic, so my stories often grow from very vague but colorful scenes I can’t get out of my head. I start writing without having a plot and it somehow weaves itself around them.
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
Let me start from afar. As a child, I passionately disliked Sherlock Holmes, but I was intrigued by another character from Conan Doyle's stories—Colonel Moran, the ONLY character whose behavior the great detective couldn't quite explain and thus wrote it off as the result of bad genetics. What had made an honorable soldier "turn evil"? It's never revealed. Now I have a story on my mind—a spin-off from The Sons of Gomorrah—that pretty much explores this untold storyline. It's not about Colonel Moran, but about a man somewhat similar to him.
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
Dragomir and Ida from Black Cat Security. This book didn't sell well, probably because it’s Femdom and all other books are M/M. But I quite like this pair; the connection between them is electric.
What is your favorite book? One of yours and one of someone else's.
I’m quite pleased with my M/M trilogy The Sons of Gomorrah, about the dark secret of how magic really works. Maybe because it gave birth to a whole magical universe that keeps expanding (which means there will be spin-offs). As for books by other authors, there are so many favorites that I always name a different one. Since I started talking about paranormal fiction—I’m very fond of Ukrainian writers Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, especially their novel Age of Witches. It’s frighteningly good, and in addition to the urban fantasy plot, there’s also a love story.
Favorite show to binge watch?
I was obsessed with Sherlock for a while (and even wrote Sherlockian fanfiction), but now it’s The Witcher.
What movie have you seen more times than you want to admit?
Of recent, it’s been The Man from U.N.C.L.E., purely for fanfiction purposes!
Favorite quote or song lyric:
A pervert is someone kinkier than you are :)
Is there anything else you want anyone to know?
One of my stories, Wicked Solace, can be downloaded for free: ,https://katerinaross.com/2019/04/20/wicked-solace-is-out-and-its-free/
A warning (or an incentive to read): M/M, BDSM, public humiliation and punishment role play, whipping, barebacking. And if you want more free stuff, you can join my ,FB group and check out the group files or find me on AO3 where I stash my fanfics—I go by the names tenderly_wicked and skadi_zlata.
Where is the best place to find you online?
My website or my blog, in addition to my FB group: ,https://katerinaross.com and ,https://tenderlywicked.tumblr.com
What's the signup link for your newsletter?
You can sign up for updates via email on my website, at the bottom of each page. They mostly consist of my interviews with BDSM authors, though.
October 25, 2020
Author Spotlight - Christina Lee
Happy Sunday to Christina Lee!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am a full-time writer, mother, and wife. I'm from Cleveland and live with my husband and son, our French bulldog, and two ornery rescue cats.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
I write mostly contemporary MM romance full of simmering tension and swoony moments with different levels of steam. A couple of my readers described me as the queen of UST (unresolved sexual tension) and quiet, tender moments and though I'm not sure it's exactly true (what lovely compliments!), those are my favorite kind of scenes to write.
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
The book I'm working on now is a secret because I'm superstitious and don't talk about stuff I'm writing until I've completed the first draft. I never know if it's going to go south!
What is the weirdest place you've ever written before?
Hmmmm...probably in a car. LOL! Not really weird at all but as writers we learn to tune out and adjust to conditions.
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
My first drafts are a short, hot mess of scenes thrown together and mostly dialogue and location. I then do two more big passes where I layer in setting and emotion and intimacy and all the things to make it a book. LOL! I'm a slower writer and this is my process and I've learned to embrace it. Or I'm trying to!
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
I still want to finish my shifter romance i started a couple years ago but I hit a brick wall every time I try. Someday it will come together for me. I even have a title!
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
EEK! I don't really know. Maybe...Tristan from Reawaken because he's sexy and protective and I'd want him to take care of me. Just saying...
Favorite show to binge watch?
Too many!! We binge Netflix shows most nights, the most recent was The Umbrella Academy, Dark, and The Money Heist. But our list is very long. We've watched it all.
What movie have you seen more times than you want to admit?
Probably the Lord of the Rings trilogy because they are spectacular.
Favorite quote or song lyric:
I've always been enchanted by this Paulo Coelho quote from his book, The Alchemist: "When you truly want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
Where is the best place to find you online?
In my FB group, ,,The Swoon Room or on ,,Instagram
What's the signup link for your newsletter?
,https://us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e2a6d43bde27d897fe064e1bf&id=91f82fc064
October 18, 2020
Author Spotlight - Bryce Winters
Please welcome Brice Winters to the blog today!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I'm an extroverted introvert. :) Which means I'm naturally happy in a quiet place by myself, but I'm also super friendly/chatty among others. I blame my ADHD. :) I'm creative, knit/crochet, have a B.A. in Music, an M.A. in English and Creative Writing, and am two cats shy of being a crazy cat lady (and married, so I guess I'm disqualified anyway). And I hate to cook.
I'm also a huge advocate for mental health awareness and care. I have personal experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD, PMDD, and ADHD. I'm a pretty open book about my own experiences and encourage others to seek out help anywhere they can.
How would you describe your brand? What makes one of your books inherently YOU?
My characters go through some trials before finding their happy ever after. I'm not afraid of exploring heavy emotions, past trauma, and mental health. But it's not all heavy! Some of my favorite characters provide great comedic relief! And there's plenty of steam along the way. ;)
Tell us about what you're currently working on.
I'm sort of in between projects. I just finished my Changing Tides series and am working on a freebie novella tied to that universe right now. I have plans to finish the Serrano Saga soon, and I think I'll be starting a new series involving some firemen. Not sure what that's going to look like yet, but I'm excited.
If you could dream cast your favorite book into a movie, whether yours or someone else's - what book would it be and who would you cast?
Confession - I don't really have a favorite book. My brain just doesn't work that way? Not really sure why. I think I just read too much. :) There's always something wonderful! However, I did reread Beg by Piper Scott (the whole series is great), and I can absolutely see Tom Felton as Lucian, and Robert Downey Jr. or George Clooney as Marcus. Mmmhmm.
What is the weirdest place you've ever written before?
I've written in a Taco Bell before. I was on a road trip with my husband and had a breakthrough on a scene that was troubling me. We stopped for lunch, I whipped out my laptop, and jotted down a few hundred words while I could. I get carsick, so it worked out great!
What does the writing process look like for you? What comes first? How do you start? When do you know you have a good idea vs a dream?
I usually think about my characters and what their backgrounds are, what brought them to the moment when my story begins. The dynamic between the two main characters relies a lot on their past experiences and who they are. I'm usually thinking of setting around the same time. At that point, once I have those notes jotted down, I'll begin my outline and start crafting the plot.
If you could write about any character or story that you haven't written about yet, what would it be and why?
I have a paranormal series I've loosely outlined, still MM romance. It's inspired by Native American culture and folklore, which is part of my heritage, but I feel a little intimidated to be bringing something like that to the table and do it justice. I'll probably write it soon, but I'm marinating on the best way to execute it. It's such a departure from my current brand, I feel like I would want to create a new pen name for it. Something to look forward to!
Which of your characters do you think is the most under appreciated and why?
I honestly don't know if I have enough information from my audience to know the answer to this. :) But I'm going to take a stab and say Isaac Serrano from Growing Desires. He's the "strong and silent" type, which was incredibly difficult to write, but also the protector of the people he loves. I think Royce steals the show a little bit, and rightly so, but he draws his strength from Isaac.
What is your favorite book? One of yours and one of someone else's.
My favorite book that I've written is Rising Tide. I grew a lot as a writer while working on this one, and I think it shows.
Favorite show to binge watch?
Homicide Hunter. :) Lt. Joe Kenda is a badass. Or I'll binge any documentary.
What movie have you seen more times than you want to admit?
*whispers* Twilight... To be fair (she says in her defense), I watch it with friends while drinking wine and saying how awful the book and story is. But we can't stop. It's unhealthy.
Favorite quote or song lyric:
"Be a deeply disciplined half-ass." Elizabeth Gilbert wrote this in her book Big Magic, and it really helped me relax with my writing. It tells me to get my butt in my chair every day and write something. I can always fix it later.
Is there anything else you want anyone to know?
If you want to know more about me and what I'm working on, as well as some free short stories to see if my writing is for you, sign up for my newsletter! And feel free to say hi anytime. There's a contact form on my website, ,www.brycewinters.com, or find me on Facebook. :)
Where is the best place to find you online?
Here's my Facebook group. It's small right now, but I have plans to make it a fun place very soon! ,,https://www.facebook.com/groups/193245941618845
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