K-lee Klein's Blog: Chaos in the Moonlight , page 13

December Author Interview #10~~Cherie Noel

The guest on my blog today gives the best hugs and is A-1 in the support department. She's wacky, she's fun and she writes fabulous books. Welcome Cherie Noel. Welcome Cherie and thank you for being here.
1. How about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourself?
LOL. Brave soul. You actually want to hear about my insanity. Where did you grow up? I really did grow up all over the country… mostly in Upper Michigan after third grade though… in the UP… which makes me what? Not everyone knows about Yoopers. LOL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-ZvAVcBIrQ
What kind of student were you? I was a geek who aced the exams and forgot to turn my homework in because I was busy researching something the teacher hadn’t assigned yet. :p  
What was your favorite activity when you were growing up? Anything you want to share is fine.  *shaking head* You poor innocent soul. I can’t tell you. I really had so many. For a couple of years we had horses, and I loved anything to do with them.
2. How did you start writing m/m romance?
I got lured in by ZA Maxfield. And Jambrea Jo Jones. Heh. They are both consummate lurers.
3. Do you write in any other genres?
Well, I’m working on a M/F story, and a YA one… we’ll see how that goes.
4. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
Patric Michael. My Balthazar.
5. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read?
I’m terribly partial to shifter stories. And I love-love-love the big bad alpha and sweet little twink stories. But fav sub-genre? Um… I think I gotta say no. Geez, just surprised myself. I love certain authors, and I love good writing, but I really don’t have a genre/sub-genre I can’t pass up. Huh. Who’d have thunk that.
6. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks?
I do have one quirk… I need to be in my Writing Cave. LOL. It’s actually a place in my head rather than a physical place, but it helps to have certain things near. My GIJoe. My beloved coffee mug. I dunno if there’s anything I won’t write… I haven’t gotten to anything that I felt that strongly against yet.  I do like music when I write, or silence… just no crap music. By crap I mean poorly done, not the type of music.
7. What comes first for you – characters, plot, scenes, etc? Er… yes?
All of them? None of them. It depends, as each story tends to happen differently.
8. Plotter or pantser?
Usually I’m a pantser who then plots and rewrites. But sometimes (when I’m writing really well) I just get the hell out of the way and let the story tell itself.
9. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course.
My muse is everywhere. He shows me pretty boys and raindrops, kicks me in the head when I’m not writing enough, hints at where we’re going next when I’m in the middle of important scenes for other books… in general he’s a huge pain in the arse, and I love him dearly. He got sick once. No, really. I made him chicken soup. You know, imaginary chicken soup, and he came back to work anyway, but he insisted I put someone in the story that I had said no to including before. I’m such a sap I caved. *shakes head again*
10. Have you ever based any of your characters on real people?
All of them are bits and pieces of people I know. You should look for yourself. You are too original not to end up in one of my books.
11. Finally just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like)Rock, country or classical? Yes. (K-lee gives Cherie her mom look)
Giraffe or monkey? True. (Another mom look with a little Eliot Spencer added in)
Tea or coffee? See? People keep saying you have to choose. It’s just not true. (K-lee gives up)
Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? Ooooh I like this one—both. Because their alphas would fall in love and…
Series or one-shot? I seem to only think in series. Or, hey, let’s blame this on my muse. It’s all his fault.
Beach or mountains? Mountain. Too damn many people at the beach. (K-lee nods - true)
Eyes or smile? Eyes, every time.
Cowboys or rockstars? Cowboy rockstars are my fave too!! (K-lee high-fives Cherie but resists posting yet another picture of Christian Kane)
12. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now. 
I’m working on a book called Worth a Thousand Words. It’s the second book in my Rescue Twinks series, and it tells us more about Adrien, Devon, and all their silly little friends. You can—ooh. You wanna read an excerpt? Alrighty. Here ya go:
Devon’s skin was on fire. He placed Adrien carefully on the bed. His hands shook as he grasped the tab of his coat’s zipper and pulled it down. Adrien lay on the bed, his sweet little mouth pressed tightly closed, his chest heaving, and tears making twin tracks of silvery wetness from the corners of his eyes. Devon yanked his coat off, dropping it to the floor behind him. Grasping the collar of his standard black tee-shirt, he ripped it off over his head in one rough movement. “Adrien. Baby. Open your eyes.”
Adrien turned to his side, a low sound spilling out of him. He reached out blindly, snagging a pillow and pulling it over his face. Devon growled, his hands already flicking open the buttons of his faded Levi jeans. “Adrien, I don’t mind undressing us both, but if you like what you’re wearing I suggest you take it off yourself. I don’t have a lot of patience right now, and I’m liable to tear something.”
Devon waited for a moment as he toed off his sneakers. They hadn’t spent a lot of time together yet, but he had a pretty good sense of the guy. Unless he was mistaken, what he’d just said was gonna light Adrien up like a roman candle. He smirked, and started counting.
“One.”“Two.”“Three.” 
Adrien’s arm flung out, slinging the pillow off his face as he reared up. If he hadn’t been watching for it, the little bugger would have clocked Devon right across the mouth. Devon caught Adrien’s flailing arm, a wicked smile curving his mouth as he followed the line of firm flesh back up past his brand new boyfriend’s beautifully muscled shoulder to the biteable line of his throat.
“Do you want to keep that shirt?” Devon heard the dip in his voice as the thought of ripping all the buttons off Adrien’s shirt to get to his well-defined pectoral muscles. Saliva pooled in his mouth and Devon swallowed hard. Adrien’s suddenly wide-eyed gaze swept over Devon’s chest. When he raised his eyes back up to Devon’s face, his eyes were hot and wet looking.
“It’s never been one of my favorites.” The husky timbre of Adrien’s voice sparked the dry tinder of Devon’s lust, setting him utterly aflame. He pushed his jeans and briefs to the floor, stepping on the hem of one leg with the other foot. As he crawled up onto the bed, he used his newly freed leg to push the pants fully off. Crawling up along Adrien’s body, he stopped to place a nipping bite on the thin line of flesh visible between the jean’s waistband and shirt’s hem of Adrien’s clothes.
Adrien made a shocked squeaking noise. Devon’s heartbeat pounded in his ears. Adrien’s bed smelled of the coconut scented shampoo the younger man used, and nothing else. Devon’s dick hardened in a rush. He pushed up above Adrien’s lithe form, drawing his legs up until he kneeled with one leg on either side of Adrien’s slim hips. Sitting back on his heels, Devon gripped the collar of Adrien’s shirt. He fingered it for a moment, noting the sturdy cotton fabric as the backs of his fingers smoothed against the sides of Adrien’s throat. “No. I don’t want to give you a brush burn from your shirt.”
Trembling, Adrien lifted his hands up to rest them on Devon’s thighs just above his knees. “Okay. Just—get it off of me. Please.”
Devon’s breath slammed out of his body. He closed his eyes for a split-second, closing away the vision of Adrien’s molten gaze. Doing so only intensified the sensation of Adrien’s fingers alternately gripping and stroking his legs. Devon slipped the buttons free as quickly as his fingers could move. The last one came free, and he pushed the dull green fabric of Adrien’s shirt aside, sliding his hands around Adrien’s sides. He pushed them up and under, lifting Adrien’s pale olive skin up to his hungry mouth.
Thanks for stopping by, sweetie.
K-lee, thanks for having me. I love hanging out with you! I’ve got a diabolical mastermind kitteh working on a transport device so we can get together more. Bit? Bitticus Rex? Where are you kitteh? Come show our friends what you’ve got—ooh, geez, don’t get so snippy. They aren’t gonna steal the device. What? *huffing out annoyed breath* Fine. We are gonna have words later though, you freak of geniusness.

Lol. Okay, I'll be waiting for that device to make us closer.  You can find the lovely Cherie and her books at the following links"
Tales from the Writing Cave Twitter GoodRea ds Facebook
Cherie has generously offered a give-away for an ebook copy of her new book or something from her backlist to one lucky commenter. Leave your name and email (please) in the comments. Contest will run from December 19-22 and the random winner will be posted here. Good Luck.

December Author Interview/Give-Away #9~~Blaine D. Arden

My guest today is a Dutch writing rockstar who shares my love for one Christian Kane/Eliot Spencer. Welcome Blaine D. Arden to my blog. Thanks for being here, Blaine. J
Thanks for having me J
1. How about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourself? Where did you grow up? What kind of student were you? What were your favorite activities? Anything you want to share is fine. J
Well, I'm a purple haired, forty-something, writer of gay romance with a love of men, music, mystery, magic, fairies, platform shoes and the colours black, purple and red, who sings her way through life. I'm married to a very patient man who’s given me space to grow, and is as chaotic and perfectionistic as I am. We have two sons and a foster son, aged 21, 18, and 19, and a ten year old cairn terrier named Kendra.
I was born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, a city I never quite managed to leave, and now am not so sure I want to leave, unless it’s to move to the UK after my husband’s retirement. I spent most of my rather sheltered youth reading, day dreaming, making up stories and acting them out with my Barbies.
What kind of student? A very boring wall flower type, actually. I did what I had to do, and was actually interested in most of the subjects I took. Though, I didn't do more than I needed to, so my grades weren't sky-high, they were good enough to pass the classes. This is where my Barbies come in again. I had them stashed in the bottom drawer of my desk, and every time I'd hear one of my parents come up the stairs to check up on me, I'd put them away, so they didn't know I wasn't actually studying, but making up stories… again J
My favourite activities were reading—I read about five to seven books a week, I think—writing, listening to music, and singing. I played tennis and did gymnastics, before I switched to korfball.
2. How did you start writing m/m romance? Do you write any other genre?
I started out writing gay romance in the mid- to late eighties. First, I saw a film called 'An Early Frost', my first gay themed film that left quite an impression on me. After that, I began noticing how much the news was filled with negativity surrounding homosexuality and AIDS. Now, I was quite naïve at that age (actually, I don't think I ever quite outgrew that), but all that hate, all that intolerance grated on me, and I wanted to show the world how beautiful love between men could be. That's when I started writing my first story.
But that same negativity caused me to doubt my point of view sometime after finishing that first story, and, for a while, I stopped writing gay themed stories and started focusing on fantasy. And then, late nineties, I saw the film 'Beautiful Thing', and realised my point of view wasn't wrong at all. After all, love is love, no matter what gender or sexuality.
Everything I write is usually a mix and match of genres. I write fantasy, mystery/suspense, and a bit of sci-fi, all wrapped up in romance, with a hint of BDSM here and there. I can't seem to focus on just one genre, but I think that is because the lines between different genres are very blurry. I did write a het paranormal detective story once, that I still plan to edit at some point. It was my first NaNoWriMo project, and is very close to my heart. And I recently ventured into trans* fiction, though, those stories are still m/m romances at heart, just with at least one transgender character.
3. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
I suppose my early influences were all those books I read—from kids adventure stories to historical romances, sci-fi, and mysteries—combined with films and TV series. I couldn't  name just one author. I was like a sponge when I was younger—still am, I suppose—and everything I read or saw would spark an idea for a story in me. Which is why I always feel a bit awkward when people ask me who my examples are. It's never just one single thing with me. That… and I have a pretty crappy memory, book and film wise. I only remember certain things, but never all of it, I'm afraid.
I do remember, and still own all of the books, a series of books called Euro-5 that I read as a teen. I loved those so much, that I started creating scenarios where I'd be part of the team. I even, at one point, wanted to create a video game of that series, with some help of my very computer capable boyfriend at the time. I'd even written the author of the books about it. I still have all my notes, but I never saw it through.
4. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read? For example – I can never pass up a story with a rockstar in it or more often than not, cowboys. J
Oh, that's a tough one. I read pretty much anything I can get my hands on, but I have a weakness for Detectives, including the 'accidental' ones.
As a writer, I'd say elves and magic. I just love those pointy ears so much, not to mention having magic to help them in their daily business.
5. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks? Anything that you just can't read or don't think you'll ever write. Anything you have to do before you start or as you write – certain music, computer facing west, etc.
Slave-fic. It pushes all the wrong buttons and haunts me for days, and not in a good way. *shudder* And incest… really not my thing.
As for quirks. I like things arranged around my computer or laptop in a certain way, but other than that, I'm not that particular. Though, I need to be away from sun or any glaring light—I'm very sensitive to light.
6. Are you a plotter or pantser?
I always say I'm more of pantser, but there are always some key things that I need to know before I know which way to go. I love just letting my mind go, and I see my writing as a journey from A to Z. Sometimes I might take a wrong exit, sometimes I find myself doubling back, but all those little 'mistakes' help me find the right way.
Before starting a story, I'll think about those key points and what my characters are like. The rest of the plotting is all done along the way.
7. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course. J
I'm afraid I have to disappoint you on that one. I don't have a muse. I have a head filled with ideas, and a very active imagination, but no muse J
8. Have you ever based any of your characters on real people?
No. At least, not that I'm conscious of. I might grab a quirk or a gesture that I like, but my characters all sprout from my aforementioned active imagination J
9. Now just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like)
Rock, country or classical? A mix of everything really, though, more rock and country than classical. (You didn't really expect me to choose just one, right?)
Giraffe or monkey? Apparently I was born in the year of the Monkey, so… I guess I'd take a Giraffe  lol
Tea or coffee? Tea. Well… I call it tea, but what I really drink is herbal tea, aka, tea without any actual tea in it.
Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? Fight? Why would they fight? Do you know how incredible their children would be if they stopped fighting each other and just got a room? *snickers*
Series or one-shot? One-shot! No doubt. After struggling—still struggling—with Forester Two, I think I'm just about cured from writing series. *shudders* I don't like where it takes me, personally. I keep doubting myself, keep having to re-read the first book to see if I'm still true to my characters. So, One-shot! Definitely.
Beach or mountains? Being as sensitive to light as I am, mountains, but with a nice view of a beach  lol
Eyes or smile? LOL Why am I suddenly thinking of 'smizing' (or however you write it) smiling with your eyes?  I can't choose here. Smiles don't work if the eyes aren't in it. And some men just look gorgeous even when they're angry. Still, a man with gorgeous eyes who's smiling, that melts me in seconds J

Cowboys or rockstars? Christian Kane. Figure it out :p (Ohhh Blaine - you fell right into my evil scheme to try and put Christian in every single post I do *cackles hysterically*) (and I even found him in purple. ;)

10. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now.
I just signed the contract for a short trans* story for Storm Moon Press' Charity Anthology, Legal Briefs, that will come out at the end of March. All net proceeds of this anthology will be donated to Lambda Legal.
My story is about Legal researcher Daru em Caron, who starts his first day at Surim Court by getting shot as he protects Defender Illan em Murq, his idol and team member. Daru can't help falling in love with his idol when he sees the human behind the Defender, and the attraction seems mutual. But Master Illan is skittish about being touched after suffering a bad experience, and Daru has to work hard to break through his defences and show Illan he is no less than any man.
Aside from that, I’m almost finished with The Forester Two—I know, very lame working title—the sequel to The Forester. In this second part of the Forester trilogy, a boy is kidnapped, and Kelnaht, Ianys, and Taruif are, still, anxiously awaiting for Taruif’s sentence to be reduced (in a nutshell).
My NaNoWriMo project, which is all about faeries and corporate espionage, still needs finishing. It’s about Wisc—a faerie visiting his great uncle in a human city called Kirroj. Wisc has always been taught that technology and magic don’t mix, but when a case of mistaken identity garners him the interest of a faerie thief and a security agent, Wisc learns that his magic might be the key to solving the case.
- And then there are two shorts that I'm working on. One is the story I’m writing for the winner of my Hurricane Sandy Relief Auction. It will be an m/m/m with a main character who has a severe stutter, and a dragon called Buttercup. And the other one is a a holiday vignette with Oren and Veld from my story in the Carved in Flesh anthology.
After that, I still have plenty of ideas, including The Forester Three, and even a couple of finished first drafts that I can play around with. The joy of an overactive imagination J
***
Blaine can be found on blainedarden.com, twitter, facebook, and goodreads. Blaine's books are available at Storm Moon Press, Amazon, and Are


Blaine has generously offered up a give-away for one lucky commenters (Christian Kane is not included in the give-away) . Choice of her backlist, in format of choice. Awesome. Leave a comment with your name and email address (yeah, don't forget that or we can't track you down). Contest will run from December 18-21 and the winner will be posted here. Good luck!

Dec Author Interview/Giveaway #8~~Reno MacLeod & Jaye Valentine

My guest, actually guests, on my blog today are a spectacular writing duo who I constantly fangirl over (don't tell them that though). Welcome Reno MacLeod and Jaye Valentine to Chaos in the Moonlight. *tries not to squee*


1. How about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourselves? Where did you grow up? What kind of students were you? What were your favorite activities? How did you meet? ;) Anything you want to share is fine.
Reno: I grew up in Rhode Island, not too far from where I live now, and had a mercifully easy childhood. I'm the older of two, and my very understanding parents are still together, so I was pretty damn lucky. Growing up, I tended to be a student who did best with teachers who made learning interesting. Memorization has never been a strong point for me, and it's only gotten worse as I get older. I need to understand the reasoning behind something for me to grasp and keep it. The Discovery Channel is my eternal friend. I was terrible at math. I flunked algebra twice and they stuck me in what was considered a "dummy math class" but turned out to be knowledge everyone should have. Things like, oh, how to balance a budget and write checks. Which makes me wonder if the reason our country is so fucked is because all those honor students never took dummy math.
Jaye: I grew up in a small, blue-collar neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland that's famous for its residents calling everyone "hon." I was a straight-A student all through school, including an obscene number of college credits for which I have no degree. I've always been a major biological science geek, and my favorite college courses involved cadavers. If life hadn't gone screwy on me, I probably would've ended up as a forensic autopsy technician. I'm opposite Reno in the memory-retention department—I can remember the most mundane facts in detail forever. Sometimes I wonder if my brain will someday explode because of all the useless information I store. I'm awesome at Jeopardy, and a friend's father punched me out once because I kept winning our weekly game of Trivial Pursuit.  

2. How did you start writing m/m romance? I know you, Jaye, have some solo works out and Reno designs the covers for all your books, so did you start off writing together or separately?
Reno: Jaye was writing long before me. We met through an online roleplay forum. Yes, I was a geek like that too, once. We started writing offline together when the group fell apart as those so often do. We wrote this epic story between our characters, and while it still had all the issues of a bad role-play, we both felt it had a wonderful plot. We talked about how we wished we could share our world with people, and realized of course we couldn't with someone else's characters, so we set out on creating our own.  Jaye had a very strong, private school education, and I was willing to learn what I should have learned in grade school about grammar and construction, so we wrote what would eventually become the second StarCrossed book. And no, the 400,000-word role-play story that started it all has never seen the light of day. Everytime we think we might salvage it, we read a few paragraphs and say, "We wrote that? Yikes."
Jaye: *laughs* Yeah, the head-hopping, it burns. Not much else to add there, other than to say that I've started dabbling in cover-art creation, too. I did the cover for SING! and for its upcoming sequel, the epic-length Karma With A Grudge(you heard it here first, folks) novel, and for my soon-to-be-released solo novel, Abomination. I'm becoming a whiz at changing cover models' hair color. PhotoShop has a steep learning curve like WHOA, but I've picked up some decent skills already, and I'm learning more each day.

Reno: He's being modest. He's a bloody whiz at Photoshop now and has a natural eye for what looks good!

3. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
Reno: I read billions of books growing up and I have to say, the authors who inspired me most were:
—Poppy Brite, who had a creeptastic vision with strong homoerotic characters. I learned that being different is okay from her books, and discovered my love of New Orleans..
—Mercedes Lackey with her wonderful gay character Vanyel, which made it okay to be gay and strong, but emotional too.
—Stephen King, who I find is a magnificent storyteller and can still give me nightmares.
—Richard Adams, who wrote Watership Down. I read that book when I was about twelve and it struck me profoundly. It's basically about a bunch of rabbits, but it's more than that. It's about how humans treat the world and one another. It was not really a kid's book at all. There's a lot of death in that book. I still have the whole thing in my head, scene by scene.

Jaye: I love Ray Bradbury, the writing duo of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and Jeffery Deaver. Deaver's series featuring the quadriplegic forensic criminalist, Lincoln Rhyme, is my desert-island-keeper series of books. I really wish Hollywood would have made more movies after The Bone Collector (which had perfect casting for the two main characters in Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie). Another favorite book that I re-read periodically is Richard Matheson's What Dreams May Come (which is NOTHING like that terrible movie version with Robin Williams). It's a beautiful, profound story about the enduring power of love, and the prose is simply gorgeous. One of my favorite authors of gay erotica through the years has been Rob Rosen, whom I had the pleasure to work with on an anthology a few years back. I love erotica that can be sexy and make you laugh at the same time, and Mr. Rosen is a master of that in short form.

4. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read? For example – I can never pass up a story with a rockstar in it or more often than not, cowboys.

Reno: Six months ago I would have said my favorite sub-genre would be strictly supernatural stuff. And to a large degree, it still is. But I have really loved writing Nick Vangard, my rock star of SING!, and I will eventually want to go back to Germany and explore more of the historical happenings there.

Jaye: I'm having a blast with our rock stars right now. I can't really see myself ever writing a cowboy, though. Brokeback Mountain sort of ruined cowboys for me, I'm afraid. As soon as I see a hot cowboy, I start hearing that annoying, repetitive theme music from the movie, and I just want to cover up my ears and run. We're currently percolating an idea for another supernatural book, but we're keeping the premise close to the vest on that one for now. 

5. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks? Anything that you just can't read or don't think you'll ever write. Anything you have to do before you start or as you write – certain music, computer facing west, etc.

Reno:Reading/writing Squicks: I think we've already written the taboo topics we're likely to. If you've read our books, you know we can be violent and we're pretty open-minded. As far as writing quirks go, I like to be near a window, and I usually have something alcoholic on hand. I have a laptop, so I tend to write in different places.

Jaye: I'm fairly squick-proof, but as Reno said, we've already gone pretty much as taboo as we can go while retaining the ability to sell books in a reasonable number of markets. As for my writing quirks, the area around me has to be without clutter or else I can't focus. My desk is one of those office-in-an-armoire things, and it's in one corner of our kitchen. My morning ritual consists of cleaning up any leftover dishes from the night before, going through sticky notes left on my desk the previous night and discarding the ones I no longer need, and generally neatening up everything in my field of vision. And yeah, booze.

6. Are you plotters or pantsers? How do you handle the situation of writing together?

Jaye: Both. For our co-authored stuff, we tend to start off with a certain scene as a jumping-off point, and from there we let the story unfold organically. However, once we feel like we're approaching the end of the story, we tend to plot how to get there so we don't leave any loose ends dangling. For my solo stories, some of them were very carefully pre-plotted and some were total seat-of-the-pants jobs. Hopefully, readers can't tell the difference.

Reno: That about sums it up.

7. I won't assume you celebrate Christmas but if you do, what are your favorite parts of the holidays?

Reno: Jaye is always making fun of me because I'm about as religious as a frog, but I love Christmas. I love decorating the tree, I love the food and the carols and the Fa-La-La. I didn't grow up in a religious home, but we always did the Christmas thing. I believed in Santa for way too long. But my favorite holiday is—big surprise—Halloween.

Jaye: My favorite part of Christmas is that Reno always takes a big chunk of time off from the day gig. We get seventeen days home in a row this year, so I'm ecstatic. We'll probably do some shopping, work on a small project in the house, and we'll most certainly be ready to start on the aforementioned percolating supernatural book by then. I'm looking forward to a cozy staycation.

8. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course.
Reno: Sometimes I wonder how many voices I really have in my head. They're all very different. Karl, who you will meet in the upcoming Night and Fog novel, came to me at a very intimate moment with an entire story. It brought our other works-in-progress to a halt, demanding to take precedence. Night after night, Karl told me what to write. Now you have to realize, I knew nothing about the concentration camps of Germany aside from what I learned in American public school—not much. Everything we wrote organically, we went back and researched and found 90% of it accurate. It was as if someone were feeding us their life stories.

Other muses are far less work. Jace is loud 24/7 and comes when I call.

Jaye: I tend to treat each character I write as a separate, unique muse for inspiration. They all seem to have their own needs, wants, desires, and demands, so it's hard for me to look at an intangible like that as a single entity. But if I did have a singular muse, he would have a cool name like Eulenspiegel.


9. Have you ever based any of your characters on real people? Do you have a  favorite character to write? (you know I love your StarCrossed series – looove)

Jaye: None of our characters are based on real people, but there are some that possess an amalgam of traits from people we know. Which of my characters is my favorite is a difficult question to answer. I guess my favorite is the principal character I'm writing at any given time, but I have to admit to having a weak spot for Jericho in the StarCrossed series. He has such a tragic backstory, and I hope to tell it someday in a novella format.

Reno:  Jaye's covered this pretty well. We're influenced by people, usually famous ones, but no character is ever supposed to be a certain real person. The SING!books have characters who represent certain aspects of our culture, like talk show hosts and rock stars, and we've taken bits and pieces of different people we enjoy to create our characters.

I'm not sure I would call them favorites, but I have four characters who seem to pop into my head, WWJD-style. Jace Barton, who says WWJD actually stands for, "What Would Jace Do?" Fallon, whose actual inspiration came from our cat, Anakin, and his antics. Karl, who hates stupid people and can be my darker side. And now Nick, who I think will be joining the ranks of the never-going-away staff.

10. Finally just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like and I'd love to see both your answers)

Rock, country or classical?

Reno: All three, depending on the day and mood I'm in. I grew up with classical being played in the house.

Jaye: Oh God, you LIBRA! You just can't choose, can you? Given a choice of the three, I have to say rock. David Bowie got me through puberty. Not personally, of course, but via his music. :-)

Giraffe or monkey?

Reno:Giraffe. No, monkey. Wait, what? Ironically, my sister-in-law and my mother are both monkey fanatics. I was told this weekend how unfair it is that Animal Practice was cancelled.

Jaye: Monkeys creep me out, ever since I got one of those stupid animatronic monkeys with the cymbals when I was a kid. Messed me up almost as much as the clowns did on my first trip to the circus. So, I like giraffes better, especially when they run.
Tea or coffee?

Reno: Both, although if I had to choose, it would be tea.

Jaye:Coffee. I like tea, but I'd be one cranky bastard without my pot of coffee in the morning.

Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves?

Reno: At the risk of being sucked dry in the middle of the night by our vampires, I have to say I think werewolves would win in a fair fight.

Jaye: No way! Vampires would win, hands-down. They have super speed, super strength, and they're super smart. The werewolf has teeth and a surly attitude. Not even a contest. 
Series or one-shot?

Reno: Is this a trick question?

Jaye: Series. I have a hard time letting go of characters.
Beach or mountains?

Reno: Beach. I would die if I had to move away from the salt and surf.

Jaye:Hey, we agree on something! Definitely the beach.

Eyes or smile?

Reno: Eyes. You can learn more from them.

Jaye: Again, I agree.

Cowboys or rockstars? (yeah, I have to ask)

Reno: Rock stars, at least to write. I would have liked to have been a cowboy though. Hell, being a rock star wouldn't have been a bad gig either. Have you seen some of those multi-million dollar homes?

Jaye:Rock stars, because God, there goes that damn Brokeback Mountain theme song in my head again. Thanks for that! :-) (damn - is it too late for me to cancel the soundtrack I ordered for you?)


11. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now.

Reno:I'll leave this one for Jaye.

Jaye: Next up for release is my solo novel, Abomination. After that, our World War II historical, Night & Fog, and after that will come Karma With A Grudge (the SING! sequel). It's going to be a very busy two months for Jaye, with much more on the horizon. (I adore the cover for Sing!)


Thanks for stopping by. I'm looking forward to your next releases – all of them.
Reno and Jaye's Bio

Jaye Valentine (a.k.a. Acer Adamson) and Reno MacLeod live in a quaint, lakeside cottage on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Reno's hobbies include cultivating their sandy garden and building massive bonfires, while Jaye's hobbies include thinking up reasons not to kill the summer tourists. Their first book, Demon Tailz, began the StarCrossed series which has recently celebrated the release of a fifth volume, Revelation.
You can see their full backlog of books at http://www.macleodvalentine.com, and friend Reno on Twitter @reno_macleod or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/reno.macleod.tailz, and Jaye on Twitter @jaye_valentine and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jaye.valentine.  
Reno and Jay have kindly offered up a give-away to on winner's choice of an ebook from their backlist on their  http://www.macleodvalentine.com. Leave your name and email address for a chance to win - don't forget the email or we can't get ahold of you. Contest will run from December 17-20 - winner will be posted on the 21st. Good Luck!

December Author Interview/Give-Away #7 - Shae Connor

Today is a special day for my guest. (encourages everyone to sing Happy Birthday) Please welcome and wish a fabulous birthday to the lovely Shae Connor. Thanks for being here, Shae, and of course, Happy Birthday. J

Thank you! I’ll think of you all while I’m eating cake and ice cream this afternoon. (I'll be expecting mine in the mail) J

1. How about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourself? Where did you grow up? What kind of student were you? What were your favorite activities? Anything you want to share is fine. 
I’m a Georgia girl, born and bred. I grew up in south Georgia and relocated to Atlanta as soon as I was able to, and other than a brief exile to New Jersey, I’ve been here ever since and I plan to stay!
In school, I was the smart, geeky kid. Valedictorian of my senior class—and let me tell you, giving a speech at graduation was one of the scariest things I ever did! I was also a band geek, so I had two strikes against me, but thankfully, my classmates were much more accepting and friendly than your average teenagers. Granted, it might have helped that my mom worked for the local newspaper and wrote a weekly column, so no one wanted to make her angry. ;)
2. How did you start writing m/m romance? Do you write in any other genre?
Like a lot of others, I started out writing fanfic, first M/F and later M/M, before making the transition to original fiction. I don’t currently write in any other genre, but I do have some plotbunnies lurking in the wings, if I ever get to them.
3. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
I found out about the M/M romance genre through Rachel West, who’s a fandom friend. She had two stories published with Dreamspinner Press, and that’s where I started reading. There’s so much variety out there, even just within the contemporary genre that I prefer! I was happy to see that the ideas I was having would fit right in.
4. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read? For example – I can never pass up a story with a rockstar in it or more often than not, cowboys. J
Cowboys are always a favorite. I can’t write them—I don’t know a thing about any of it, other than what I’ve read in cowboy stories—but I love reading them. Menage is another favorite, though I much prefer threesomes that evolve into long-term relationships, rather than one-shots.
I also like sports-based stories, especially when it involves baseball. I keep saying I’m going to write a baseball story myself eventually. And I love small-town and Southern settings too.
5. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks? Anything that you just can't read or don't think you'll ever write. Anything you have to do before you start or as you write – certain music, computer facing west, etc.
As a writer, I write on my laptop, usually sitting in my recliner. I don’t usually have music on, and I tend to write in spurts. Writing sprints and similar systems work well for me in general. I also love sitting outdoors to write, but the weather has to be perfect for that.
As a reader, I read almost exclusively contemporary and rarely delve into other subgenres. But I’m also a completist; if I like a series or author, I’m more likely to read something I wouldn’t ordinarily read.
I don’t have any particular squicks as a reader or writer, though, of course, the way sensitive subjects are treated does make a difference. If it works for the story and for the characters, it’s probably going to work for me.
6. What comes first - characters, plot, setting, specific scenes? Are you a plotter or pantser?  ;)
Plot and characters come first. Most of my stories start with a blurb-like summary in a few paragraphs, but I need to develop the characters pretty well before I get very far into writing. I’m definitely more of a pantser, but that only works for me if I know the characters. Then I can let them lead the plot development.
7. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course. J
I don’t have a specific concept of a “muse.” I joke about my muse going off on vacation without me (FAR too often!), but really, my inspiration comes from all sorts of different places. And sometimes it seems to come out of nowhere! I can’t count the number of times story or scene ideas have come to me in the shower. I requested one of these for Christmas this year to handle it: http://www.amazon.com/Aquanotes-Aqua-...
8. I won't assume you celebrate Christmas but if you do, what are your favorite parts of the holidays?
I do celebrate Christmas (I’m Christian), and I love it all! My favorite part is going to bed on Christmas Eve, knowing what’s coming the next morning. Yes, even though my sister and I are 36 and 44, we still do the Christmas morning gift opening process. J
I also love Christmas music—or, I should say, certain Christmas music, since a lot of it is just dull retreads. Some of my favorites are “Christmas Eve Sarajevo” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, “Mary, Did You Know?” by Mark Lowry, “Carol of the Bells” (especially the Boston Pops version), “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Casting Crowns (who totally reinvented a boring old carol), and the Boston Pops doing “Sleigh Ride.” My favorite traditional hymns are “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Joy to the World.”
9. What's the hardest part about writing for you? The benefits?
The hardest part is sitting my butt down in the chair to WRITE. The best part is the amazing people I’ve met because of it. J
10. Now just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like)
Rock, country or classical? Classic Rock. But if I had to choose, classical. I’m an old band geek, remember? J
Giraffe or monkey? Giraffe. They always look slight supercilious about everything, except when they run, when they’re hilarious. There’s a house near me that has a statue of a giraffe at the front corner of the yard, overlooking the road I take to work, and every year he’s dressed up with a Santa hat and scarf!
Tea or coffee? Iced tea, hot coffee!
Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? All things being equal, werewolves would rip those bloodsuckers to shreds.
Series or one-shot? Series.
Beach or mountains? Mountains, though I love the beach, too!
Eyes or smile? Eyes. I’m a BIG fan of great eyes.
Cowboys or rockstars? (yeah, I have to ask) Cowboys, ma’am. *tips hat*
11. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now.
My latest is En Fuego, which released Wednesday, December 12, from Dreamspinner Press. It’s a novella about a veterinarian, a firefighter, and a cat named Fuego. The blurb:
Marshall Ramirez isn’t looking to fall in love, but from the moment firefighter Brad Flannery walks through the doors of Marsh’s veterinary clinic, he’s smitten. Marsh treats Fuego, the cat Brad rescued from a house fire, and convinces Brad to take her on as a foster—along with the three kittens Marsh helps her deliver. What Marsh really wants, though, is for Brad to keep him too.
Want to win a copy? Cool, I want to give you one! Just comment and I’ll pick a winner to receive an ebook of En Fuego (via the Dreamspinner Press website), as well as some story-related swag by mail. Be sure your email is included so we can contact you if you win! Contest will be open December 15-18 and winner will be posted on the 19th.
Thanks for stopping by, Miss Shae.
Thanks for having me!!
~~ Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she works for the government by day and reads and writes about pretty boys falling in love by night. She's been making up stories for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should start writing them down. Now, she usually has far too many stories in progress, but when she does manage to tear herself away from her laptop, she enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and traveling, not necessarily in that order. Shae posts snippets, updates, and thoughts on writing and editing at her web site, http://shaeconnorwrites.com. You can contact her at shaeconnorwrites@gmail.com.

New Release / Give-Away ~~ Countdown to Santa

Countdown to Santa comes on on Sunday, December 16th - and I'm offering a free ebook copy of the format of winner's choice.  Catch up with Gabe, Matteo and their adorable twins. I don't have a buyers' link yet but it will be available at MLR Press.

Leave your name and email address and I'll choose the winner on October 17th. 


Blurb
Gabe and Matteo have settled into the highs and lows of new fatherhood - exhaustion, dirty diapers, baby bottles and a whole lot of love. But as their first family Christmas looms on the horizon, Matteo is worried about how his partner is handling his new role as Papa Gabe.
There's no doubt Gabe adores the twins, but his libido, sense of proportion and perhaps his sanity seem to have disappeared under the strain. Matteo is determined to make their new family work, but it may take thinking outside the box to get back the calm, sensible Gabe he planned to share fatherhood and the rest of his life with.
EXCERPT 
Gabe and their sweet babies make up Matteo's whole world. If he was a twelve-year-old girl, he’d be scribbling his and Gabe's names in hot pink hearts all over his notebook.
He really loves Gabe and he absolutely adores his babies and though he had never imagined having the perfect family or any family for that matter, he can't fathom what he'd do without them now. Unfortunately, he had also never imagined that having a family would turn his easy-going partner into a baby-paranoid, shopping-obsessed lunatic.
To be fair, Matteo knew all about Gabe's obsessive-compulsive behaviors before they decided to have kids—the clean freak Gabe, the no-starch-or-maybe-just-a-tad Gabe, the did-you-take-your-shoes-off-and-check-the-bottom-of-your-socks Gabe. Matteo knew and loved them all, even the change-the-sheets-right-after-we-have-sex-no-matter-whether-it-was-fuck-o'clock-in-the-morning-or-not Gabe, but Papa-Gabe takes all those quirky and manageable other Gabes and crazily wipes the floor with them.
Matteo is the first to admit his heart melts at just how much Gabe adores Dominik and Megan, which he really, really does. Gabe's baby worship was obvious from the first moment he held Megan and she proceeded to wail until her face was the color of a strawberry fresh from the plant. And he still looked on her as the most beautiful baby girl in the whole world. It was obvious from the first time he changed Niki and received a little newborn golden shower—despite Matteo's warning—and still laughed.
So, yeah, Matteo is fully aware of how much Gabe loves him and their twins but if Gabe doesn't stop his over-indulgent, paranoid behavior, Matteo doesn't know what he'll do. Some days fleeing for Canada seems like the best option while other days the Witness Protection program sounds very, very good. He'd be doing it for the twins, of course, since Dominik, Niki, and Megan, Sweetpea, still have a chance of being normal, functioning, non-batshit-crazy children. But Gabe… Gabe seemed to be teetering precariously close to the deep end of the pool where the bottom suddenly falls out and drowning is the only option.

And because I was at a fabulous Bret Michaels' concert last night and have pics and a video,here's a teaser of the hotness that is still Bret Michaels.

December Author Interview/Give-away #6 - Xara X. Xanakas

Special treat today – my blog guest is a feisty Texan with a reputation to be a sexy, snarky, and snaky lady, (lol) plus she's also a very good friend. Welcome Xara X. Xanakas. Thanks for being here, Xara. J
1. How about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourself? Where did you grow up? What kind of student were you? What were your favorite activities? Anything you want to share is fine. J
I'm just down here in Texas, trying to do my part from deep in the heart. I was born in Texas and raised here by a wild pack of transplanted Chicagoans. Just an average student, hanging around the edges of everything. I wasn't "in" with any one crowd, but got along with all the different groups.
In high school, I took a typing class, and instead of following the assignments, I would be writing stories. After class, I would thoroughly piss my friends off by giving them that one chapter, usually ending with a cliffhanger. They'd always push me for what happened next. The funny thing is, I never had any clue. Even back then I was a pantser.
I started watching Monty Python in kindergarten, so that kind of set up my warped sense of humor from the very beginning. Add pre-pubescent overdoses of sci-fi and horror to the mix, and that has made me the sick puppy you see today.
2. How did you start writing m/m romance? Do you write any other genre?
None of those quickie chapters survived high school, but the writing bug did. Spunky was in hibernation for a couple of decades, but after I started reading MM Romances, he woke up and bit me, hard. Inspiration struck, and I started writing a little here and there, until I managed to string enough thoughts together to make a short story. Then another, and another, and here I am.
3. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
Stephen King sparked my imagination in middle school, and my high school Journalism and Creative Writing teachers did the most to help me wrangle my inspirations into something, from newspaper articles and short stories, all the way to photographs. I sometimes still use my old Pentax K-1000 camera, developing pictures or slides in my dark bathroom. Or my trusty #2 pencil and paper.
4. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read? For example – I can never pass up a story with a rockstar in it or more often than not, cowboys. J
Probably paranormal or urban fantasy. I love stories that take our world and tilt it just a little, so it's mostly recognizable, but things are also out of the ordinary.
I'm more about the ideas and concepts. I'm willing to forgive a lot of things if the concept is compelling. If the starting point is intriguing, I'll jump right in with both feet.
5. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks? Anything that you just can't read or don't think you'll ever write. Anything you have to do before you start or as you write – certain music, computer facing west, etc.
I don't have any real rituals. If there's too much going on around me, I can't focus, so I don't listen to a lot of music when I write, and the TV is usually on just for background noise. The shiny tends to take over, and I lose my way easily. Sometimes completely unplugging and getting back to pen and paper works better for me.
As for squicks? Not a lot. For the most part, I figure if it floats your boat, who am I to judge? I'll attempt to write pretty much anything, hoping I can do it justice. Pedophilia is hard 'no' for me. There's just no cause to glorify the monsters that prey on kids, unless they are dying horrible deaths at the hands of your main character. Or something. Just saying. ;)
6. What's the hardest part about writing for you? Benefits?
Ugh. First, just getting it done. I have ideas hit me, and I think they'll make a great story, but pulling it out of my brain and onto the (usually virtual) page.
Then, once it's done, and it's out there, seeing people's reactions to it. You know what I mean; afraid to look at the reviews and ratings, convinced you're completely incompetent, it's going to be a total failure, and the utterly terrifying thought of "People might actually read this." Eeep!
7. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course. J
*sigh* Spunky. He's … well… he's always there, whispering. "Hey, what if…"or "Why not?"Unfortunately, he's a deadbeat dad of muses, fathering plot bunnies and leaving them behind for me to try to raise.
8. What's the first element of a story that comes to you – characters, plot, scenes, setting? Plotter or pantser?
I'm mostly a pantser. As for which comes first, the character or the plot? Yes. Sometimes a character pops into my head and I have to explore him. Sometimes Spunky gives me a plot idea that I just have to follow down the rabbit hole to its conclusion.
9. I won't assume you celebrate Christmas but if you do, what are your favorite parts of the holidays?
The best thing about the holidays for me is, for the most part, we stop being assholes to one another for a little while. Everyone pitches in and helps out. That certainty that even if things aren't great, everything is going to work out. And that New Years' hope that this time, when we reset the clock, we're going to do it better from now on.
Now, if we could channel that for the other eleven months of the year, we'd be on to something…
10. Now just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like)
Rock, country or classical?All of the above, depending on my mood.
Giraffe or monkey?Monkey :D
Tea or coffee?Unsweetened iced tea (but you knew that one)
Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves?Make love, not war. And record it for us. Strictly for research purposes, of course.  ;)
Series or one-shot?My own, or someone else's? Honestly, I don't really have a preference. My own stuff tends to turn into series because my guys just won't quit talking.
Beach or mountains?Beach, without a doubt. I am a water baby.
Eyes or smile?I'm a sucker for both. Eyes get my attention, but a smile holds me captive.
Cowboys or rockstars? (yeah, I have to ask)Do I have to choose? How about Cowboy Rock Stars? Or Rock Star Cowboys?
11. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now.
I've got more than a few irons in the fire. First, I need to finish my Sandy Auction story. I'm co-authoring a story with our mutual husband w t prater, (ahhh, our hubby is so awesome) and another one with Piper Vaughn, that is before we start work on Ty's story to follow up Party Boy's Guide. I have a couple of sci-fi stories in progress, a contemporary about young lovers reconnecting, and even a het needle play story. Then there's Thompson's story for the Were-Menagerie. And, and, and…. Damn, that Spunky is a busy muse.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for having me over. 

Xara has offered a give-away to one lucky commenter - an ebook copy of anything from her backlist. Leave you name and email address to be included in the draw. (don't forget you email ;D) You can visit Xara's website here and follow her on Twitter.  

December Interview #5 - Ross A. McCoubrey

My guest today is the author of Young Adult m/m romances and a fellow Canadian. Please welcome Ross A. McCoubrey to my blog. Thanks for being here, Ross. J
It’s a pleasure and an honor. Thanks for having me J
1. How about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourself?
I’m 34 years old, single, and I work full time at a grocery store. I published my first novel, One Boy’s Shadow, in May of this year. It’s a young adult mystery/coming-of-age story about four boys in rural Nova Scotia, told from the perspective of one of the boys, Caleb MacKenzie. Where did you grow up? I grew up very close to where I now live, in a small town in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. What kind of student were you? I suppose I was an average student in that I didn’t care about subjects I considered useless to me (sciences, math) or that had a teacher I couldn’t stand (I will leave these names out for obvious reasons) but I always did well in English and the social sciences (political science, law, global geography, history). What were your favorite activities? Growing up my favourite thing to do was watch movies along with spending time at my grandparents’ cottage (which I purchased and made into my year-round home after getting my full-time job).
2. How did you start writing Young Adult stories?
 I wasn’t sure it was going to be a young adult novel when I began. The initial idea came from a vivid dream. Luckily I had some junk mail beside my bed and a pen so I scribbled down the gist of the dream without my glasses on at about 4 in the morning – and it went from there. I left the idea aside for some time and eventually began the story. I had it three quarters finished and left it for over a year before picking back up, finishing it, and reworking the bulk of the first draft.
3. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
I didn’t exactly have any influences in the young adult genre but I was very much affected by the work of Ernest Buckler (The Mountain and the Valley) and the writings of George Orwell, Robertson Davies, Mary Renault, Stephen King, and Timothy Findley. I was also fortunate to have some amazing teachers, whom I thank in the book’s acknowledgments, for their encouragement of my writing. My grade 8 English teacher, Don Aker, is himself a young adult author (Stranger at Bay & Of Things Not Seen)
4. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read?
I don’t know if there is a sub-genre that I like to write as I have only the one official novel at the moment… but I am a sucker for the anti-hero. I like people that seem real and are flawed. They may be good people over all - they never feel they are doing anything heroic just for doing what’s right or for being themselves. When it comes to reading, again, I like the character study and I also really like books about people living during war times or times of national struggles. Some of my favourite books include: At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O’Neill, Famous Last Words by Timothy Findley, The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub, The King Must Die by Mary Renault, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and, of course, The Mountain and the Valley by Ernest Buckler.
5. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks? Anything that you just can't read or don't think you'll ever write. Anything you have to do before you start or as you write – certain music, computer facing west, etc.
Not sure if I have any quirks or not when it comes to writing… I know I hate when the phone rings or anyone shows up unexpectedly at the door when I am working and I like complete silence. I can’t focus with music on or any noise at all. I drink copious amounts of coffee as I go and often end up grimacing as I swallow some cold coffee, having gotten lost in a paragraph or a thought that has taken me away for much longer than I realized.
6. Are you a plotter or pantser?  ;)
I tend to plot out the basics of the book and then surprise myself when it goes a completely different direction during the actual writing process. So a bit of both, really J
7. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course.
I don’t really have a muse – not in the literary sense at least. There are many people who I draw inspiration and strength from, and then there’s the lovely eye candy that helps me get through the day as well (Brent Everett, also Canadian, has always been my favourite)
8. I won't assume you celebrate Christmas but if you do, what are your favorite parts of the holidays?
I’m not as big on Christmas as I used to be, mostly from working in retail for so long – rather ruins all the holidays. However, I love spending time with family and friends and watching football. Go Dallas Cowboys!!
9. Now just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like)
Rock, country or classical?  I’m terrible at one word answers. I like all musical genres but not any one exclusively. Country is my least favourite, although I do like some (Charlie Major, Hunter Hayes, Jaydee Bixby and old school Don Williams etc) I love rock, classic and modern (everything from the Rolling Stones/CCR era to Justin Bieber/One Direction), and classical is always enjoyable as well, especially anything played by Glenn Gould (the Goldberg Variations are a favourite of mine). My favourite performer of all time in any genre is Gordon Lightfoot.
Giraffe or monkey? Umm… giraffe, simply because monkeys rather creep me out
Tea or coffee? COFFEE
Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves?  I am a huge fan of Team Jacob – mainly because Taylor Lautner is so incredibly gorgeous, so I have to take the Werewolves.
Series or one-shot?  Both have their place but I prefer a one-shot most of the time. Always leave me wanting more otherwise the risk of disappointment is too great with the actual results being presented.
Beach or mountains?  I love both but I would choose mountains if I had to decide… with a view of the ocean.
Eyes or smile?  That’s a tough one… it would have to be the Eyes (they need to be deep, yet clear – if that makes sense. And the guys with the husky-like eyes, that icy bluish grey…oooohhhh) as there is so much one can tell from them, but a cute smile (especially on pouty lips) is irresistible.
Cowboys or rockstars? (yeah, I have to ask)  It would depend on the person. Most likely a cowboy though. Something about a guy in snug jeans, with a hat and a pick-up truck that is just yummy – providing they are nice and decent looking, too ;)
10. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now.
Currently I am continuing to work on the promotional side of One Boy’s Shadow. Beyond that, I am attempting to find the time to work on my next book, which I have an outline and some draft pages completed for all ready. I would love to say that it will be out next year but, realistically, I’m thinking more like two years away minimum.
*****
Bio :
Ross A. McCoubrey was born and raised in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. After finishing college, and beginning his full time job, he bought a home on the Bay of Fundy shore where he continues to reside. When not working he enjoys writing, camping, hiking, target shooting, and working on his truck. One Boy’s Shadowis his first novel.
Follow Ross on Twitter: @RossAMcCoubreyLike his page on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/rossmccoubrey
One Boy’s Shadowis available for purchase at Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, and Barnes & Noble – as well as many other booksellers worldwide, in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and eReader versions.

Ross is donating his profits from the sales of One Boy’s Shadow to the Youth Project which supports LGBTQ youth.Website: http://www.youthproject.ns.ca/Twitter: @YouthProject_NS, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheYouthProject?ref=ts&fref=ts

Eliot Spencer does sports Part 2 (Christian Kane - hockey)

The Blue Line Job (season 5)For Trix ;)


Sophie: You watch hockey fights alone, at night, in your room?Eliot:  Yeah.  You never know if you’re going to have to fight a guy on ice.





















I couldn't find a lot of clips from this episode so insteadhere's a couple of my favourite fan vids (both with some fave scenes)

Love  this song by Breaking Benjamin

Eliot Spencer does sports Part 1 (Christian Kane)

Pics from Leverage and Christian Kane (of course) focusing on The Three Strikes Job (season 2) and The Blue Line Job (season 5). Eliot always merges into his roles so perfectly and always with more than a little grumbling and grouching - just makes him even more awesome. TRIX actually requested pics from the Blue Line Job because the damn NHL strike still holds hockey hostage and that will be in the next post since this one got a little big. ;)

I'm hoping for a football episode but since the fate of season 6 is still up in the air and not looking hopeful, it probably won't happen. That will make me a very sad K-lee. But Eliot will never be forgotten that's for damn sure. ;)

THE THREE STRIKES JOB

December Author Interview/give-away #4 - Sasha L. Miller

My guest today is a friend who I finally got to meet in both Long Beach and Albuquerque this year & we shared a fabulous tattoo experience together – sort of. Please welcome Sasha L. Miller to my blog. Thanks for being here, Sasha. J
1. First off – how's your tattoo doing? Are you still babying it like me? ;)
It's doing well! I'm not babying it so much, but it's still the most moisturized my leg has been ever. ;3 For the curious, it's a lovely cherry blossom branch on my lower leg, same place as K-lee's angel (possibly the same leg, too, but my lefts and rights have never been all that great).

2. Now that that's out of the way, how about we start with some basic information – tell me a little bit about yourself? Where did you grow up? What kind of student were you? What were your favorite activities? Anything you want to share is fine. J
I grew up in the boonies of Northern New York, stayed there through college, after which I hit up Vermont, then Ohio, and now North Carolina—making up for all the stationary years in my youth, I guess! I was a great student in high school, but uh, when I hit college that kind of faded in the face of spending all my free time writing terrible, horrible fanfiction and original slash (my motto at that point was, "Stuck? Throw in a new character!" I got better. ;3)
Um, favorite activities have always been reading and writing, though I've turned into something of an avid chef/baker the last few years. I was spoiled by an awesome kitchen my first year in Ohio, and nothing's broken the "cook all the fancy thing" habit since then (fancy stuff interspersed by boxed mac 'n cheese and hot dogs and crap, of course).
3. How did you start writing m/m romance? Do you write in any other genre?
Fanfiction, mostly. I got into original fiction when I read one too many terrible slash fics on fictionpress.com and decided I could do better (hahaha, no). I also write F/F, though I haven't done much of that, and I tend to stick to fantasy, genre-wise, but I branch out into sci-fi and contemporary on occasion, if the mood strikes.
4. Did you have any early influences either in this genre or any other when you were first starting out?
Definitely Megan Derr, NGL. I don't know how I turned from fangirl into roommate/pseudo-wife, but uh, oops? ;3 Other than that, I had a lot of inspiration and influence from my favorite fictionpress authors, but no published peeps at that point (I didn't even know you could buy M/M until after LT3 started, yes I am that sad ;3).
5. What is your favorite sub-genre to write and to read? For example – I can never pass up a story with a rockstar in it or more often than not, cowboys. J
Pretty much fantasy. If there's magic, mages, fantastical creatures, I'm super happy. ^__^
6. Do you have any writing or reading quirks or squicks? Anything that you just can't read or don't think you'll ever write. Anything you have to do before you start or as you write – certain music, computer facing west, etc.
Um, stuff I won't write or read is pretty much non-con and dub-con. Any whiff of it makes me go running in the opposite direction. DNW hardcore. Also not a fan of mpreg, but I'll read it if I trust the author.
I usually have to be listening to music when I'm writing, but otherwise I'm flexible. ^__^ My favorite place to write is out of the house, like a bookstore or coffee shop, some place I can get a stupid froofy drink, plug in my headphones, and people-watch in between making my characters suffer. :3 
7. Are you a plotter or pantser?  ;)
Half and half. I like to plot a few scenes ahead, but I never know the whole story when I start.
8. Tell me about your muse – if you have one of course. J
Fickle and faceless, that's my muse.
9. I won't assume you celebrate Christmas but if you do, what are your favorite parts of the holidays?
My favorite part is silly – I like seeing peeps reactions to the gifts I get them. ^__^ Also the food. I make lots of candies as presents, it's a lot of fun.
10. What's the hardest part about writing for you? The benefits?
The hardest part is definitely writing when I don't feel like it, when I'm tired or cranky. Also picking names. IDK why, but names are the part I like the least.
Benefits, hmm. I love writing. The act of it, the stories, the characters. I love building worlds, playing with magic, crushing peoples' world and then putting them all back together. I also love hearing from people that they loved my stories, that they smiled because of something in a book. It's one of the best feelings in the world, to know that someone read something I wrote and that it made them feel something. …stopping now, b/c I'm getting overly sappy. ;3
11. Now just a few multiple choice questions: (you can take them any way you like)
Giraffe or monkey?
Giraffe. I relate to the tallness.
Tea or coffee?
Both and all. Regular coffee, flavored coffee, black tea, white tea, green tea, flavored of all of the tea… I'm a drinks whore, no lie.

Rock, country or classical?
::laugh:: Rock and country, though I tend to prefer the former. They overlap more than most people realize, though, and I like me some rap and pop too. I'm pretty flexible, though lyrics are a must! (Just not stupid lyrics /o\) 
(K-lee selfishly and gratuitously inserts pic of Christian Kane & Steve Carlson because they ARE country rock)
Eyes or smile?
Smile, definitely.
Series or one-shot?
One-shots, ftw, unless the series focuses on a bunch of different characters in the series instead of one. Then they're cool, too.
Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves?
Fair fight? Werewolves. Vampires never fight fair, though.
Beach or mountains?
I'd say "I live in North Carolina, what do you think" but uh, I think there are mountains somewhere in the state, too. So uh, beach.
Cowboys or rockstars? (yeah, I have to ask)
Rockstars! Rocking Hard at LT3 was totally my brainchild. ;3
12. Finally, tell us about your next release or what you're working on now.
Next release is a very short short called Retirement, it's part of LT3's Kiss Me at Midnight collection. It's about a thief trying to finish one last job so he can run off to an honest life, but of course it all goes to hell and his fresh start ends up being a flash from the past instead. ^__^
Working on currently a serial story, Battle of Will, in which I make epic use of the old fanfic trope of sticking two characters together physically (they're cursed to not be able to leave each other's sides). Oh, and uh, one is a crown prince and the other is a bodyguard, one each from two countries that are at war.
Also working on a short story for the Sandy Relief Auction, which is going to be cool. It's a friends-to-lovers story that is and will hopefully continue to be super sweet (pantsing!).
Sasha L. Miller spends most of her time writing, reading, or playing with all things website design. She loves telling stories, especially romance, because there’s nothing better than giving people their happily ever afters. When not writing, she spends time cooking, harassing her roommates, and playing with her cats. You can check out Sasha's books at and get in touch at ~~

http://www.sashalmiller.com
http://www.twitter.com/nikerymis
Sasha has offered an awesome give-away to one lucky winner – any ebook from her backlist. Please comment and don't forget to put your email address so we can contact you. Contest will be open from December 9-11 and winner will be announced on this post on December 12. Good luck!