K-lee Klein's Blog: Chaos in the Moonlight , page 27

Author William Neale interview & give-away

I'm very pleased to have William Neale onmy blog today. I met William at GayRomLit and he instantly made me feel at easewith his soft, calm voice and warm, sparkling eyes. William had a holidaystory, "Christmasing With You," released at MLR Press on November 20 and it's astory you have to read with a box of tissues nearby.
Welcome, William. I have to tell you thatmeeting and speaking with you was a definite high point for me in New Orleans.Thank you for making me feel so included. J
1.     Howdid you get started writing m/m romance? Did you always want to be a writer?
First, thank you for having me here today. It's an honor. And meetingyou and that beautiful smile of yours at GayRomLit was an equal pleasure.
To your question, I've been a writer pretty much all my life—just notas a romance author. I spent almost thirty years in corporate life as amarketing and communications executive and always had the dream of one day findingtime to write the stories that kept knocking on the door of my imagination.Finally, I reached a point in my career that allowed me to pursue some dreams,writing being at the top of the list.
2.     Whatwere your early influences either in this genre or any other?
Depends on what you call early. I had a library cardbefore I entered elementary school and growing up, always loved stories withstrong plots and characters who weren't afraid to express emotion. When Idecided to try my hand at writing romance, I first did quite a bit of research.Before I wrote a single word, I probably read over one hundred m/m romance booksby many of the top authors in the genre. I made notes along the way about theelements that made each strong, so I guess you could say that I had manyinfluences. I even made correlations between the best stories and theirpublishers and found a lot of consistency: only a handful of publishers wereputting out what I considered the strongest books. That's why I eventually sentmy first novel to MLR Press and—thank them and the literary gods—they acceptedit.
3.     Whatis the hardest part about writing for you?
Finding time. I still have a day job as aconsultant/advisor in the marketing field. Then there's my partner who likes tosee me occasionally. And two dogs who consider me Mr. Mom. And a big oldhistoric house that always needs something fixed. So I'm usually found at mywriting desk very early in the mornings and late at night. Sleep? It'sover-rated.

4.     Doesany one of your books hold a special place in your heart more so than theothers?

I think you and other authors might agree that yourfirst published book is pretty much akin to your first love. My first, a bookcalled "HOME," will always be my favorite. And even though I now wince at someof its first-time-author flaws, it still continues to sell very well.
5.     Tellus a little about your Christmas book. It's a very emotional story; did yousniffle a little when you wrote it?
I had more than a few sniffles. First, a littlebackground. Back in the 1970's The Carpenters came out with a song called"Merry Christmas, Darling." It is now a holiday standard. But from the get-go itbrought tears to my eyes. I never knew the real story behind this song so Iused it as inspiration to make up my own. Briefly, it's about a man who losthis long-time partner to a brutal crime and is now facing his first Christmasalone. Don't worry – you'll be smiling (and maybe crying) for him by thestory's end. I think I enjoyed writing this more than anything else I'vepublished, tissues notwithstanding. It just appeals to that sappy sentimentalside of me that finds no shame in crying and smiling at the same time.
6.     Doyou have any writing quirks? (ie computer has to be facing a certain way, cupof coffee on the left, certain music playing, etc)
Well, I prefer writing when my dogs are not howling andmy partner is not shouting from one floor below, "Hon, can you come here for aminute?" But beyond that I am pretty flexible and easy-going. (Don't ask aboutmy many other flaws!) I even do some of my best writing on airplanes duringbusiness travel and have had more than a few amused moments when I realize theperson sitting next to me is reading every word I write.
7.     Doyou have any writing or reading squicks? Things you don't like to read andcan't see yourself ever writing?
I like to think I'm a pretty non-judgmental andopen-minded guy but I tend to stay away from reading or writing stuff Iwouldn't do or fantasize about in my personal life.  Or, that which pushes legal boundaries or extremesocial taboos. That's not to say that I'll never write—for example—a storyinvolving leather, whips, and chains. But I'd probably first need to visit thelocal leather bars to interview some of the patrons.  (Purely for research purposes, of course.) Butboy, that would require some major "splaining" to my partner.
8.     Beingone of only a handful of men in a sea of female m/m writers, do you think yourthoughts and experiences make your books more realistic to the genre or isfiction just fiction? Also, do you put a lot of yourself into your books?
I occasionally receive e-mails from gay men readers whotell me they want and appreciate a male perspective. But I honestly thinkthat's pretty much a hunk of baloney. Give me two good m/m books written by onemale and one female and I'll likely not be able to tell you which one waswritten by the woman. Occasionally, I'll come across a sex scene where it'sclear the writer has never had that particular experience. But, I've seen thatin books authored by either gender. I'll conclude with just saying that most ofmy favorite m/m romance books were written by women.And do I put a lot of myself in my books? Of course.But as I have patiently tried to make my friends understand, none of mycharacters are me. They simply reflect the places, people, and experiences I'veknown over the course of a lifetime. It's cliché to say "write what you know,"but as most writers will agree, it's nonetheless true.
9.     What'snext on your plate? What are you working on?
MLR Press will release my next book, "Always Faithful,"later this month.  While it's a sequel to"A New Normal," the story stands alone without need to read the first book.(But there's no penalty for buying both!) Here's a brief blurb:
When Cade and Marksaid their vows it was for always and forever. But that was before Mark enteredthe Marine Corps and before Cade enrolled in college. Four years later, withMark's impending discharge and Cade's graduation, they're seemingly ready tofinally have a long-awaited life together. Their hot and passionate attractionto each other remains as strong as ever. But their long separation has changedboth men. And even the strongest of marriages can be threatened by temptation,suspicion, and broken promises. Can their love survive? Or, will they discoverthat "always" does not always mean faithful?
One of my other big projects is serving as one of theorganizers of the GayRomLit Retreat. It's the only major event planned entirely for bringing together authorsand readers of m/m romance fiction.  Weare working hard on the program and agenda for next year's Retreat inAlbuquerque at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, October 18-21. Registrationopens in either late January or early February at GayRomLit.com. But, you canget a sneak peak by visiting the site now. We're expecting around 300-400authors and readers this year so I'd suggest registering early to make sureyou'll get in before registration is closed.
10. Finally –a few quick choices:
a.     Coffeeor tea - Coffeeb.     Dogor cat - Dogc.      Beachor mountains - Beachd.     Pecsor abs - Pecse.     Smileor eyes - Eyesf.      Cowboysor rockstars - Cowboysg.     Whowould win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? And why. – Both. Since vampires tend to beloners or couples and werewolves tend to be pack animals, usually a singlevampire will lose to the wolves. But if Vlad calls up some blood-sucking friends,then it'll be an epic battle probably won by the immortals.  My favorite vampires and shapeshifters,however, are lovers, not fighters.

William has generously offered up a copy of his holidaystory, "Christmasing With You," to one lucky commenter. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. J
If you don't win,you can pick it up at MLR Press Christmasing with you
Be sure to check out William's website for information onhow to buy his other books, too. William Neale

Author Amy Lane interview and give-away

I'm thrilled to have Amy Lane as my guest today. I can honestly say I have never read a book of hers that I didn't like and more often than not, I get way over-the-top invested in her characters (that would be why I formed the Deacon-fangirl-club) because she writes them broken and emotional and with a whole lot of love and hope. Amy has two holiday releases this year both from Dreamspinner; The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters (cutest cover ever!) already out now, and Puppy, Car and Snow on December 21.
Welcome, Amy. Please excuse me if I fangirl a little too much. J  So are you ready for Christmas? Have you exhausted your knitting needles for the holidays?
LOL—actually, I was doing GREAT, until I had, like three emergency baby hats to finish.  It was my fault—I knew those babies were coming…
1.     How did you get started writing m/m romance? Did you always want to be a writer?
Oh yeah—always wanted to be a writer.  As for m/m romance?  I was taking a master's class in creative writing when Prop 25 was being voted on.  In California, it was the FIRST proposition that dealt with banning gay marriage, and it was voted down (which is why Prop 8 was such a crock, but that's another story.)  Anyway, I started getting angry (and passionate!) about why we couldn't just let people be who they needed to be.  In the meantime, I'd finished a short story called Vulnerable, and when I went to add on to it, I suddenly realized that Adrian had a past with an elf named Green—if you ever read that book (and forgive me for the shitacular do-it-yourself-editing) you'll see that their relationship took me as much by surprise as it will take the reader.  But I loved writing that relationship, and the rest sort of went from there.
2.     What were your early influences either in this genre or any other?
Mm… Robin McKinley, Guy Gavriel Kay, Anne McCaffrey, Melanie Rawn and C.J. Cherrye to start.  Yeah, I know—all sci-fi/fantasy writers, but I loved them terribly!  In strictly m/m, I'd say Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux.
3.     What is the hardest part about writing for you? 
Constant self-doubt.  Constant.  When I'm writing, it's not so bad—the characters are talking, and yeah, sometimes doing unexpected things, but that's okay.  It's when I'm thinking about what's coming.  It doesn't matter which story I'm working on—the stories are always a challenge in some way.  I always try to do SOMETHING I haven't done before.  So, I'm always wondering if I've got the chops to do that thing I have planned to do.  It's what makes taking criticism so hard.  On the one hand, constructive criticism is essential to improving a craft that SHOULD be constantly evolving.  On the other, the bad shit?  The mean shit?  That just seems to echo every doubt I've ever had.
4.     Does any one of your books hold a special place in your heart more so than the others? LOL—Vulnerable, of course, because it was my first.  Bitter Moon, I & II, because they have a fictionalized version of my family in them, and because the second one is the hardest thing I've ever done, in any capacity, ever.  And after that, I think it's a toss up between Making Promises and Clear Water, because they're sweet and joyful and still painful in their ways.
5.     Tell us a little about your new releases and I just have to know who picked out that adorable picture for the cover of Critters. 
LOL—okay, I've got two Christmas releases this year.  One is for the Advent Calendar, which I REALLY enjoyed writing—it's called The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur Bearing Critters, and it involves knitting as a form of communication for a VERY grouchy alpaca rancher/fiber mill owner named Rance Crawford.  It's a short little novella, but I really loved it—and I got to design a knitting pattern for it, so that's a plus!  And the cover?  Well, it was my idea—Lynn, who is in charge of the Advent Calendar, always asks us what we'd like.  I said I wanted an alpaca wearing a hat and a scarf, and the art department set about to make it HILARIOUS, and damn, they did a fantastic job of it.  I mean… Seriously.  One reviewer called it "epic-ly awesome" and I'm inclined to agree.  Who needs man-titty when you've got an alpaca,  looking at you with disdain and a knit hat?
The second story is a novella featuring two guys who have previously only been in short stories.  Ryan and Scotty originally showed up in a story called Shirt, which appeared in the Curious Anthology, and the short story Phonebook, both from Dreamspinner Press.  In Shirt, our two boys meet in a bathroom, and their relationship rapidly progresses until Ryan is running through the house late to pick his parents up from the airport.  He gets tangled up in his shirt, and interesting things ensue.  Phonebook involves a business trip and a conversation with Scott that has petered out, but neither of them wants to get off the phone.  Scott proceeds to do things to a phonebook that no one anticipated—and, yes, interesting things ensue.  Both stories feature a simple, no angst relationship—and how sometimes the very simplest things in our lives can lead to our most exciting and best experiences.  Puppy, Car, and Snow does the same thing.  Ryan and Scotty are snowed in with Ryan's parents—and Ryan's mother does not approve of Scotty as a mate for her son.  (It's not the gay—it's the ambition, which Scotty doesn't have a lot of.)  Basically, these characters are all about each other—and sometimes family is less of a blessing than others!
6.     Do you have any writing quirks? (ie computer has to be facing a certain way, cup of coffee on the left, certain music playing, etc)
If I am not careful, I could eat myself out of house and home—that's a writing quirk, right?  Seriously.  The kids have learned not to put cookies on the table—I'll totally snarf them all down and then look up blankly and go, "Cookies?  We had cookies?"  And my biggest quirk is talking to myself.  I'll be doing laundry (sometimes) or sitting in the car and I'll be having total character conversations.  My husband has finally learned that this is "writing", not to be confused with "schizophrenia" by virtue of the fact that I can jerk myself back to reality at will.  Maybe.
7.     Do you have any writing or reading squicks? Things you don't like to read and can't see yourself ever writing?
I don't know—eleven years ago, I never would have seen myself writing m/m, so I've learned to be careful.  But I think an irredeemable protagonist would be hard to do.  I came close with Chase, from the upcoming Chase in Shadow, but when all was said and done, Chase was more damaged than evil, so I think I'm safe.  I think something with an ultimately pessimistic ending—I hope I'm never that jaded.  (Even death at the end can still have some optimism—something I've been trying to convince my publisher for a year!)  Really awkward prose.  At least I hope not—I always fear getting too comfortable with the process.  It's a hard balance between being confident enough to say, "I know that's different than what we're used to but I'm keeping it because I like the difference," and so arrogant I don't see I just wrote crap.  Writing crap is definitely a squick.
8.     What are your thoughts on some of the speculation going around the m/m romance genre that stories and ideas are just being recycled and new authors aren't bringing much "new" to the table. (don't feel intimidated because I'm new :P)
Oh no.  That's not intimidating at ALL. (*g*) I think that as more people are drawn to this genre, we will find that different writers have different things to offer—that's a given, and a positive one at that.  I do think that new writers have to be careful of making the genre too incestuous (and not in the yummy Wincest way, either.)  What I mean is that I worry about a generation of m/m writers who have ONLY read m/m literature.  Josh Lanyon, Marie Sexton, Heidi Cullinan, Damon Suede, Mary Calmes—they've all truly loved other genres first, and have literature, all literature, including poetry and non-fiction, running through their veins.  It's fine to write m/m because that is your passion, but the more—and more variety—you read can only improve your writing.  I worry that we'll create a generation of m/m writers who know only m/m tropes and m/m expectations, and that's not good for any genre.
9.     What can we expect next from you? Are you already working on something else? 
Oh ALWAYS.  Let's see… I've got a brief break from releases in January, and then, I've got two projects that I found to be VERY interesting.  The first is the novella form of Super Sock Man, which was my free story offered on the m/m group at goodreads.com.  The thing is, I sent this to my publisher thinking that it was simply cute and that she'd want to read it.  She liked it very much—but wanted it longer.  And she wanted the socks that were figured in the story.  So I designed the socks, knit a pair for the cover, and sent them to her, along with the pattern.  I'm EXTREMELY tickled about this—but I'm also nervous.  Besides wanting the novella to measure up to the short story (which people really loved!) I also hope the pattern is sound.  I had it vetted by a couple of knitting pros, but nothing near what they do in the larger magazines, and I'm nervous. 
The other thing that I've got going is sort of an offshoot of that—and it's an example of characters taking on a life of their own.  When I wrote the short story, I mentioned that Donnie, the protagonist, had given a few handjobs to a buddy.  When I wrote the novella, I talked about that buddy, and he seemed to have a story to tell as well.  When I told Chase's story… ye gods, are ye listening?  The fury ye unleashed upon the world, it was fearsome and frightening, and it shall rain blood and redemption down upon the reader!  (Sorry about that—but seriously—what happened with this character!)  Chase's story was not pretty, it was not comfortable, and I'm seriously thinking about rewriting the ending to make it less happy.  (My beta readers just took out a hit on my life, and so did my publisher.  Maybe I'll save that for another book, when I'm out of the country.)  The novella, Super Sock Man, and the novel, Chase in Shadow are going to be released in the same month, and I hope that at some point, someone will look at both of them and marvel that they came from the same brain.  I know I do.  (I also worry.  Geez, talk about your fractured psyches—yeesh!) 
10. Finally – a few quick choices:a.     Coffee or tea—neither.  Diet Coke.b.     Dog or cat--Catc.      Beach or mountains--Beachd.     Pecs or abs—Abs!e.     Smile or eyes--Smilef.      Cowboys or rockstars--Rockstarsg.     Who would win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? And why. In my books, they work together with the sidhe and fight anyone who threatens them.  After all, they're all the Goddess's children!
Amy has generously offered up an ebook copy of  The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters  OR Puppy, Car and Snow (IOU) to one lucky commenter (winner's choice of one of the two). BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT.
But if you don't win you can pick up The Winter Mating Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters at Dreamspinner -  The Winter Mating Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters
Puppy, Car, and Snow will be available on December 21 Puppy, Car and Snow

And be sure to check out all of Amy's book on her website

Author Ethan Day interview & release day give-away

My lovely guest today is the fabulousEthan Day in all his witty glory. I was fortunate enough to meet Ethan at GayRom Lit and he certainly dazzled me with his wit and sarcasm and beautifulflowing locks. J  He has a holiday story coming out on December10 (today) with MLR Press called A SummitCity Christmas.
Welcome, Mr. Day. First I have to ask youif you ever got your nuts back from Carol Lynne or is that a little TMI tobegin the interview?
Wow!That was an awesome intro. I feel so good about me right now, thanks so much,K-lee. I must confess that Carol did return my nuts to me, lol. Naturally –flying down to New Orleans this past October my luggage was over the weightlimit. SHOCKING!!! So Carol was kind enough to allow a few of my belongings tostow away in her luggage – my big-ass bag of Butter Toffee Almonds happened tobe among those items. I'm completely addicted to them – it's a sick, sad,co-dependent relationship.
1.     Howdid you get started writing m/m romance? Did you always want to be a writer?
I didn't always know that I wanted to be a writer. It was somethingthat never occurred to me as an option. I'd always thought of writing assomething only really smart people did, lol. Happily, I discovered it isn't arequirement after all. I'm in!! I kinda stumbled into it while at college.
With regard to M/M – I honestly didn't have to adjust the sort ofthing I'd been writing since college – other than taking the glossed over sexthat was already in the stories and expanding them, lol. Other than that, I'mwriting exactly what I've wanted to since my very beginnings in a Gen-EdCreative writing class.
2.     Whatwere your early influences either in this genre or any other?
My earliest influence would have to be Dr. Seuss, LOL! Between Seussand Grimm's Fairytales – those are the first books I remember reading andloving. I think I was about sixteen? LOL! Kidding!
I also have very distinct memories of the Ramona books. They reallymade me laugh. I loved reading when I was little – then I sort of fell awayfrom it when I hit puberty and discovered all those classic films. I became alittle obsessed with those movies.
It took Anne Rice and Armistead Maupin to suck me back into the joysof the written word. That was way back in my early twenties. Now I try to splitmy time between the two.

3.     Whatis the hardest part about writing for you?
Hmm, I'm not sure, really. I think the hardest part would be, havingto have the EDJ. I'd love to write full time and be able to promo properly. Ilove writing, but it can be like pulling teeth sometimes. Having limited timeto do it makes that more difficult and frustrating. There's often a lot ofguilt when I take time away or feeling like I've wasted time when I'm lessproductive than I know I can be. It's one of those catch 22 situations since sometimestaking an extra day off to do other things or nothing can be more rejuvenatingthan anything else. Right now I don't feel like I have that luxury. Maybesomeday, though! : )
4.     Doesany one of your books hold a special place in your heart more so than theothers?
I'm not sure if I'd consider it a special place so much as havingextra meaning to me. At Piper's Pointhas a great deal of my own personal feelings and regrets woven into it, withregard to my relationship with my grandma. Not that either she or I areanything like Cassidy and Sadie, but I think it's safe to say that my real lifedefinitely inspired that book. I certainly found it cathartic – getting some ofthose feelings out and onto the page. I find myself going back to read a littlepiece from that book and before I know it, I've read multiple chapters – forwhatever that's worth – it seems to easily suck me back in.
5.     Tellus a little about your Christmas story. Is it a new story or related to one ofyour other books?
My Christmas story, A SummitCity Christmas, is part of the Summit City Series – aka the Sno Ho series, lol. For the people whoare fans of Boone and Wade, it'll be the appetizer before the main course – thefinal full-length book which will close out the series. I'm going to try mybest to have that out by winter 2012.
Boone is certainly in rare form in this short. Like a lot of the foodthat seems to be forever around during this holiday season, I really wantedthis story to pack a confectiony-power-punch, stuffing in as many laughs as Icould squeeze into 13k.
It's going to be difficult to say goodbye to Boone after the last bookis completed. I realize how much I've missed having this crazy character in myhead each time I come back to him.
6.     Doyou have amy writing quirks? (ie computer has to be facing a certain way, cup ofcoffee on the left, certain music playing, etc)
Not really. I do play music while I'm writing most of the time. Somefor white noise, some I use purposefully when I'm writing particular scenesthat requires a specific tone. Other than that – I require butt loads ofcaffeine. Sugary coffee & hot chocolate infused concoctions created usingmy K-cup coffee maker and a multitude of flavored creams or Diet Coke by thevat-full. I cut myself shaving last week and bled Diet Coke. It was messed up! :)
7.     Doyou have any writing or reading squicks? Things you don't like to read andcan't see yourself ever writing?
Gay for you I'm really not a fan of and I'm not a shifter kinda guy.Other than that I'll read anything. In the end, though it comes down tocharacters. If the characters pull me in than an author could do just aboutanything to them and I'd stick around for the ride.
8.     Beingone of only a handful of men in a sea of women m/m writers, do you think yourthoughts and experiences make your books more realistic to the genre or isfiction just fiction? Also, do you put a lot of yourself into your books?
No – I don't think it requires a penis in order to write gay romance.A good writer is a good writer, period. There are a great many lady authors outthere whose books I love and look forward to reading each time a new book isreleased. I do use bits and pieces of myself or friends here and there –certainly different situations I've run across over the years make it into thebooks.
9.     What'snext on your plate? What are you working on? Doing any co-authoring? (hinthint)
I've actually got quite a full slate of books heading your way asidefrom the Summit City Christmas short.I'm just now finishing up a rough draft for SecondTime Lucky – a book about ex college boyfriends who find their way back toone another fifteen years later. That should be available from MLR Press latespring or early summer of 2012.
My first stab at a non-romantic comedy, a fantasy basedparanormal/historical titled A Token ofTime should be available from MLR Press sometime around the first of theNew Year. It's definitely a different sort of story than people are used toseeing from me, so I'm anxious to hear what people think – and I have no doubtthat I will hear, LOL!
Geoff Knight and I are working on finishing up our first co-writingproject, To Catch a Fox. It's whatwe're hoping will be the first in a new adventure/mystery series set in andaround New Orleans. Lots of family drama, murder, possibly an explosion or two,some steamy sex, a heaping helping of bantery goodness and laughs all rolled upinto one saucy book. Look for this one to become available through Dare Empire,mid-summer 2012.
Other than that, I'll be working on finishing up the final Summit Citynovel and the Self Preservation sequel.

10. Finally –a few quick choices:a.     Coffeeor tea – Coffee – nocontest.b.    Dog or cat – I've had both! Currently I'm a dog, though. LOL!c.      Beachor mountains – Um…Beach inthe winter months and Mountains in the summer months. What? I'm greedy!d.    Pecs or abs -  Seriously…like I could choose one over the other? e.     Smileor eyes – Again with theseSophie's Choice kinda dilemma's!?! What are you trying to do to me K-lee!!!f.      Cowboysor rockstars – OMG – I willnow officially need therapy!! I hope you're happy with yourself, young lady! :)g.     Whowould win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? And why – In my world there's only hotsex! No fighting! Now, if the sex happened to get a teensy bit rough I mightnot complain…much. At least not until it stopped. : )
Ethan has graciouslyoffered up a copy of his holiday story, ASummit City Christmas, to one lucky commenter on my blog. (Or a copy of Sno Ho – the first book in the series, should someone winwho's new to the Boone & Wade saga) BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME ANDEMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. J 
If you don't win and haven't already done so, you can pickit up at MLR Press http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?... (please note - this is not the cover that will be displayed on the MLR site)
Be sure to check out Ethan's website for information on howto buy his other books, too. http://ethanday.com/

Author interview/give-aways schedule ☺

Thanks so much to everyone that's commented on my blog this week. I think the interviews are going well and I've still got another week of them to share with you. But first since I've got you here under the false pretence of giving you an author schedule - bwahahahahah - I have to do a little pimping of my own (more to come I'm sure).

My first published work comes out December 27 from MLR Press and I have to say I'm pretty proud of it. I fell in instant love with the Josiah in my head and his situation, not to mention that big old heart that he tries so hard to hide. Wyatt is very different from Josiah - his heart is wide open and ready for business and I really love that about him too. For any of you who've read my free story Outfoxed, you'll find this is a very different read. I'd never written a cowboy story before and though it's more of an emotional ride than one on horseback, I hope you all enjoy it.

I'll give you guys the schedule first and then if you want a little taste of Finally Home, there's an excerpt at the bottom of the page. ☺


Author Interviews and Give-aways

Saturday,December 10 - the edible Ethan DaySunday,December 11 - the adorable Amy LaneMonday,December 12 - the wonderful William NealeTuesday,December 13 - the mega-awesome Megan DerrWednesday,December 14 - the ZAMeriffic Z.A. MaxfieldThursday,December 15 - the kinky Kaje Harper Friday,December 16 - the justifiable (lol) J.P. Bowie (who has, shall I say,more than one give-away)Saturday,December 17 - the mystifying Missy WelshSunday,December 18 - the charming Christopher KoehlerDecember19 - the stellar S.J. FrostTuesday,December 20 - the jingly James Buchanan

(schedule is not set in stone - and is dependanton author's availability to appear in my studio or you know, send me theirinterview :P)

*****FINALLY HOME (Home on the Ranch series 1) (blurb)

When his father's funeral brings Josiah Nelson back to his childhood home during the Christmas holidays, he's determined to sell the ranch and bury his past. But when Wyatt Aames rekindles a fire in Josiah's lonely soul, he realizes that home isn't the house you grew up in, it's where your heart belongs.


EXCERPT


Josiah flickedthe cowboy hat from Wyatt's head, one hand sinking into the brown curls he'dwanted to touch for so long. His hair was thicker than Josiah would havethought, thickbut still soft andsensual as it slid through his fingers. In Josiah's mind it was the mostintimate of gestures, touching someone else's hair, playing with it, tugging itas passion soared. The kiss went on and on, lips moving, tongues exploringuntil both men were breathless and had to pull away. Josiah nervously duckedhis head only to have it lifted again by one calloused thumb, his eyes meetingWyatt's.


"Do you know howlong I've wanted to be with you like this?"



Josiah couldn'tcontain the excitement that longed to shoot out of him, the urge to whoop andholler and turn into a raving idiot right before Wyatt's eyes. He was achinglyaware of his thighs pressing tight against Wyatt's, his cock hard and lustingbeneath his jeans as he let one corner of his mouth curl up in a sexy smirk,eyes never leaving Wyatt's. "You kissed me last night."


"You know that'snot what I'm talking about," Wyatt growled, leaning in and nipping at Josiah'sbottom lip. "I've missed you so much."


"So you said inyour letter."

Josiah loved thered blotches that appeared on Wyatt's cheeks. How could such a perfect man beembarrassed about anything, especially something that had made someone else sohappy and hopeful? That was the first time he'd admitted that to himself—thatWyatt's letter had touched something deep inside him. It scared the crap out ofhim.

"Kinda girly,huh?"

"What?" Josiahconcentrated his thoughts back to the man beneath him.

"The letter,"Wyatt said. "It was kinda girly."

Josiah shook hishead but the smile on his lips must have been a dead give-away. "Well, maybe alittle." He leaned back to grip the bottom of Wyatt's t-shirt, pulling it upand over Wyatt's head and tossing it to the side.

Wyatt burst outlaughing, startling Josiah and almost sending him ass over tea kettle to thefloor. The cowboy managed to grab on just in time to pull him back into hisarms. Then their mouths were attached again, something more primal and raw thistime.

Josiah moved hisbody closer to Wyatt's, stretching his feet to the floor, going up on his toesso he hovered over the cowboy, lips still firmly planted in place. His hands threadedthrough Wyatt's hair again, fingers tracing and learning the shape of Wyatt'sskull. He shifted his hands lower to massage the back of Wyatt's neck, slippingdown his spine, inch by inch, knobby knot by knobby knot. He liked what hefelt; bony vertebrae covered by skin as smooth as silk. He hoisted himself upfurther, one hand gripping the stool while the other slipped further downWyatt's back, fingers running down the smooth skin until they reached the crackin his ass.

Wyatt groanedinto his mouth, hands cupping Josiah's ass, fingertips rubbing and kneading thetight bottom beneath the jeans. They moaned in unison, bodies pressing closertogether, mouths eating at each other as their tongues tangled for dominance.

Josiah felt likehe was in a dream, the dream he'd had since he was young—kissing Wyatt,touching Wyatt, feeling Wyatt touching and kissing him. It was the most eroticthing he could ever remember doing, so much better than any of the sexualexperiences he'd had in the past—and they still had most of their clothes on.

"Holy hell, Josiah,"Wyatt whispered when he tore his lips away, breath coming in soft bursts, hischest heaving against Josiah. "Waited so long for this. I just wanna hang onand not let go."

"Then don't." Josiaheven surprised himself when the words in his head became a reality and he was sayingthem out loud to Wyatt, but this time he didn't back off. He brought hisforehead to Wyatt's, leaning in close and rubbing his nose against his friend'sjust as he'd done so many years before. He wanted this. He'd always wanted this,and by Christ if it was a dream he just hoped he never woke up. He felt a handmove from his ass, sliding up his belly and stopping to play with a tautnipple. He gasped and arched his back.

Wyatt's smilewas bright, his eyes even brighter as his hands moved up and cupped the sidesof Josiah's face. "Do you mean that? Really?"

Josiah lovedthat smile, half-crooked but all sexy, one dimple appearing in the center ofhis left cheek when he was happy or excited. He licked over Wyatt's lips,taking his time to taste everything that was his friend's… dare he say his lover's essence? He thrust his hipsforward, cock straining against his jeans as it brushed against Wyatt's metalbelt buckle. He was already leaking, the material of his boxers' sticking tohis wet tip and making the tightness of his pants even more unbearable.

"I—" He didn'tget the rest of his words out as the barn door creaked open filling the roomwith more light.

Fabulous Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

Fabulous! Fabulous! Fabulous! Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka totally rock and what a sweet (hot) couple.
 David Burtka and NPH "You're the Top" by 1dobiedc

Author Marguerite Labbe interview and release day give-away

My guest today is a fabulous writer who I"almost" met at Gay Rom Lit but fully intend on meeting at least once in thenext year. Marguerite Labbe has published 4 solo books and 14 stories withco-author Fae Sutherland. Marguerite's next solo book, All Bets are Off, comes out on December 9 at Dreamspinner Press.
Welcome, Marguerite. I swear I'm going tocollect those twitter hugs we exchange in person some day. J
I still can't believe we kept missing each other all thosedays and end up at the airport at the same time and still not see eachother.  Next year for sure, we'll sit atthe bar and ogle all the handsome men together. Thank you so much for having me on your blog.  *Squishes*
1.     Howdid you get started writing m/m romance? Did you always want to be a writer?

Actually, when I was really young, Iwanted to be a painter like my Granny, but I have zero art skills so I startedwriting poetry and stories in elementary school instead.  When I was in college my mom started harassingme about trying to get published.  I didnot have the confidence in either myself or my writing at the time to evenattempt and eventually the pressure from my own lack of confidence got so badthat it completely blocked me and I stopped writing altogether.  Several years later I discovered fan fictionand I started writing again just for me, just for fun and I fell in love withm/m fiction. 
2.     Whatwere your early influences either in this genre or any other?

That'sso hard for me because I read a lot for fun, all genres, all kinds of authorsand I'm very bad about analyzing what I like/don't like about their writingstyles, so I'm not sure how to see which styles would apply to me.  I will say that role-playing made a bigdifference with character development. My favorite authors growing up were C.S. Lewis, David Eddings, AnneMcCaffrey and Louisa May Alcott and I have a lot of must by m/m authors.  The Goodreads M/M group's Hot Summer Dayschallenge also opened me up to many more new authors that I hadn't triedbefore.  My pocketbook hates me, but mye-reader is happy.  I loved your storyK-lee and I can't wait to read more about Glitter Fox.
3.     Whatis the hardest part about writing for you?

Comingup with titles and blurbs and all those little things that make presentationpart of the package.  There are days whenthe words come easily and days when it's a fight for every one.  I would prefer a lot more easy ones, but I'verecently compared writing a book to childbirth. I had a hard time with All BetsAre Off.  It took me years of falsestarts before it finally started flowing and then it took twice as long towrite because it was out of my comfort zone. But when I looked I the final copy I was so proud and happy that I stuckwith it and I kind of forgot about all the times I bitched about pulling outthe words for it.  When it's all said anddone and your "baby" is here, an author forgets about the blood, sweat andtears.  Probably why we keep trying foranother instead of giving up the whole gig.
4.     Doesany one of your books hold a special place in your heart more so than theothers?

Firstit was Bee Among the Clover becausethat was the first story Fae and I finished and I loved it.  Then it was My Heart is Within You, because that's the first solo novel lengthstory that I ever finished on my own and I like the spin I put on it.  But the truth is they're all special in theirown way to me.
5.     Tellus a little about your new release, All Bets Are Off. Is it a stand-alone orpart of a series? Where did the inspiration for it come from?

Igot the idea for All Bets oneChristmas several years ago as we were shopping with a "what if" moment.  Most of my stories start that way.  What if these two men had a one night standonly to discover the next day as the school semester starts that one is theprofessor and the other the student.  Ihave to let stories percolate for awhile in my brain before they start towholly form.  Eli in particular tookextra long to cook because he is nothing at all like how I originallyenvisioned my professor.  He's contrary,hard-headed and entirely too rebellious and independent and I tried fightinghim for too long before I realized that he was right and I couldn't make him amore submissive character.
Eliwants only two things out of life, to be left at peace at work and to find theright man to share his life with that will stick around.  Ash is just looking to finish his last yearof school so he can finally move on and settle down.  The last thing either of them expected was tohave all of their expectations derailed by the heat between them that neithercan deny.  Over baseball, bets andclassroom debates Eli and Ash learn the real meaning of life and love.
Itwas meant to be a stand alone because I never wanted to try writing acontemporary romance again.  However, oneof the members of my crit group is poking at me to write an interracialcontemporary romance and Eli in All Betshas a cousin Gareth who insists he is one of the characters in this newstory.  So we'll see. 

6.     Doyou have any writing quirks? (ie computer has to be facing a certain way, cupof coffee on the left, certain music playing, etc)

IfI get stuck writing on the computer I'll switch to pen and paper and thatusually unblocks me.  I do make playlistsof songs for each story, though I don't always listen to music while Iwrite.  All Bets' playlist included "You Do Your Thing" by MontgomeryGentry and "Strangers In The Night" by Frank Sinatra.
7.     Doyou have any writing or reading squicks? Things you don't like to read andcan't see yourself ever writing?M/M/Mdoesn't squick me out but I can't see myself writing it either. Pronounconfusion is hard enough in m/m without adding a third party, plus it's veryhard to get a really good balanced dynamic between all three characters.  However, I know better than to even tryingsaying "never" because my muse always makes me pay for such a statement.

8.     AsI mentioned, you write solo as well as in collaboration with Fae. How did thatcome about? Do you have a preference now?

Wemet each other online years ago and we wrote a few things together for fun andthen lost touch.  Little did we know thatshe was literally living 15 minutes away from me at the time.  A few years later we met up again online andstarted writing and after a few months we realized from a meme that we hadalready met before.  We had a good laughover that.  Our dynamic works welltogether.  I love the stories that Faeand I come up with when we work together and I especially love thecharacters.  Writing solo gives me theopportunity to do stories like my vampire trilogy and ghost story that I'mworking on that are not quite romance. They're darker and different and I like that, too.




9.     Whatcan we expect next from you? Are you already working on something else?

Ifinished the rough draft of a gay horror/thriller during Nano.  That story started with one of those what ifmoments as well as I was driving down to South Carolina with my husband twoyears ago.  What if a man is murdered onthe side of the road and he comes back as a ghost to help his long time partnerfind the killer.  I really wanted towrite the story, but resisted for a year because I couldn't think of onepublisher that would take it.  Neitherthe story, nor the characters would leave me alone though, so during the midstof my vacation last year I sat down and wrote the first couple ofchapters.  I love Andrei and Dean's storyand I'm very glad that I wrote it.  Afterthat I'm either going to work on my pulp noir story, or one of several fantasystories that won't leave me alone.
10. Finally –a few quick choices:a.     Coffeeor tea – Twocups of coffee in the morning, after 11 am, I love tea of all kinds as long asit's decaffeinated.b.     Dogor cat – Ilove both.  Currently we have two cats,Isis and Osiris.  Once we get a house ofour own I'd like to add a dog to the mix.  c.      Beachor mountains – Again both, I was born a mountain girl and if I had to pick one, then I'dgo with mountains, but I love my yearly vacations at the Outer Banks.d.     Pecsor abs – Abs.(Whoohoo, you see I didn't pick both there?) Pecs can be overdone, abs are just nice to ogle and stroke.e.    Smile or eyes – That one's hard, I like a nicegenuine smile, but I'm a serious sucker for eyes.  I'd have to say that the eyes are the firstthing I notice and fall for.f.      Cowboysor rockstars – Neither, Fae says that I'm sapiosexual, which means that I'm attracted tosuper smart men.  I have to say thatnerds and geeks really get me going.g.     Whowould win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? And why.  Vampires, they fight dirty and are moreruthless.  Werewolves have a code, but aif it was a pack of werewolves again a group of vamps I'd go with thepack.  They know how to fight together.
Marguerite has generouslyoffered up a copy of her new release, AllBets Are Off for one lucky commenter on this post. I'll do the draw tomorrow.  PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME ANDEMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. J
But if you don't win, you can pick it up at DreamspinnerPress http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2660

Also be sure to drop by Marguerite and Fae's website to seeall their wonderful collaborations and solo works. http://chasethedream.net/

Author Marguerite Labbe interview and new title give-away

My guest today is a fabulous writer who I"almost" met at Gay Rom Lit but fully intend on meeting at least once in thenext year. Marguerite Labbe has published 4 solo books and 14 stories withco-author Fae Sutherland. Marguerite's next solo book, All Bets are Off, comes out on December 9 at Dreamspinner Press.
Welcome, Marguerite. I swear I'm going tocollect those twitter hugs we exchange in person some day. J
I still can't believe we kept missing each other all thosedays and end up at the airport at the same time and still not see eachother.  Next year for sure, we'll sit atthe bar and ogle all the handsome men together. Thank you so much for having me on your blog.  *Squishes*
1.     Howdid you get started writing m/m romance? Did you always want to be a writer?Actually, when I was really young, Iwanted to be a painter like my Granny, but I have zero art skills so I startedwriting poetry and stories in elementary school instead.  When I was in college my mom started harassingme about trying to get published.  I didnot have the confidence in either myself or my writing at the time to evenattempt and eventually the pressure from my own lack of confidence got so badthat it completely blocked me and I stopped writing altogether.  Several years later I discovered fan fictionand I started writing again just for me, just for fun and I fell in love withm/m fiction. 
2.     Whatwere your early influences either in this genre or any other?That'sso hard for me because I read a lot for fun, all genres, all kinds of authorsand I'm very bad about analyzing what I like/don't like about their writingstyles, so I'm not sure how to see which styles would apply to me.  I will say that role-playing made a bigdifference with character development. My favorite authors growing up were C.S. Lewis, David Eddings, AnneMcCaffrey and Louisa May Alcott and I have a lot of must by m/m authors.  The Goodreads M/M group's Hot Summer Dayschallenge also opened me up to many more new authors that I hadn't triedbefore.  My pocketbook hates me, but mye-reader is happy.  I loved your storyK-lee and I can't wait to read more about Glitter Fox.
3.     Whatis the hardest part about writing for you? Comingup with titles and blurbs and all those little things that make presentationpart of the package.  There are days whenthe words come easily and days when it's a fight for every one.  I would prefer a lot more easy ones, but I'verecently compared writing a book to childbirth. I had a hard time with All BetsAre Off.  It took me years of falsestarts before it finally started flowing and then it took twice as long towrite because it was out of my comfort zone. But when I looked I the final copy I was so proud and happy that I stuckwith it and I kind of forgot about all the times I bitched about pulling outthe words for it.  When it's all said anddone and your "baby" is here, an author forgets about the blood, sweat andtears.  Probably why we keep trying foranother instead of giving up the whole gig.
4.     Doesany one of your books hold a special place in your heart more so than theothers?Firstit was Bee Among the Clover becausethat was the first story Fae and I finished and I loved it.  Then it was My Heart is Within You, because that's the first solo novel lengthstory that I ever finished on my own and I like the spin I put on it.  But the truth is they're all special in theirown way to me.
5.     Tellus a little about your new release, All Bets Are Off. Is it a stand-alone orpart of a series? Where did the inspiration for it come from?Igot the idea for All Bets oneChristmas several years ago as we were shopping with a "what if" moment.  Most of my stories start that way.  What if these two men had a one night standonly to discover the next day as the school semester starts that one is theprofessor and the other the student.  Ihave to let stories percolate for awhile in my brain before they start towholly form.  Eli in particular tookextra long to cook because he is nothing at all like how I originallyenvisioned my professor.  He's contrary,hard-headed and entirely too rebellious and independent and I tried fightinghim for too long before I realized that he was right and I couldn't make him amore submissive character.
Eliwants only two things out of life, to be left at peace at work and to find theright man to share his life with that will stick around.  Ash is just looking to finish his last yearof school so he can finally move on and settle down.  The last thing either of them expected was tohave all of their expectations derailed by the heat between them that neithercan deny.  Over baseball, bets andclassroom debates Eli and Ash learn the real meaning of life and love.
Itwas meant to be a stand alone because I never wanted to try writing acontemporary romance again.  However, oneof the members of my crit group is poking at me to write an interracialcontemporary romance and Eli in All Betshas a cousin Gareth who insists he is one of the characters in this newstory.  So we'll see. 

6.     Doyou have any writing quirks? (ie computer has to be facing a certain way, cupof coffee on the left, certain music playing, etc)IfI get stuck writing on the computer I'll switch to pen and paper and thatusually unblocks me.  I do make playlistsof songs for each story, though I don't always listen to music while Iwrite.  All Bets' playlist included "You Do Your Thing" by MontgomeryGentry and "Strangers In The Night" by Frank Sinatra.
7.     Doyou have any writing or reading squicks? Things you don't like to read andcan't see yourself ever writing?M/M/Mdoesn't squick me out but I can't see myself writing it either. Pronounconfusion is hard enough in m/m without adding a third party, plus it's veryhard to get a really good balanced dynamic between all three characters.  However, I know better than to even tryingsaying "never" because my muse always makes me pay for such a statement.

8.     AsI mentioned, you write solo as well as in collaboration with Fae. How did thatcome about? Do you have a preference now? Wemet each other online years ago and we wrote a few things together for fun andthen lost touch.  Little did we know thatshe was literally living 15 minutes away from me at the time.  A few years later we met up again online andstarted writing and after a few months we realized from a meme that we hadalready met before.  We had a good laughover that.  Our dynamic works welltogether.  I love the stories that Faeand I come up with when we work together and I especially love thecharacters.  Writing solo gives me theopportunity to do stories like my vampire trilogy and ghost story that I'mworking on that are not quite romance. They're darker and different and I like that, too.




9.     Whatcan we expect next from you? Are you already working on something else?Ifinished the rough draft of a gay horror/thriller during Nano.  That story started with one of those what ifmoments as well as I was driving down to South Carolina with my husband twoyears ago.  What if a man is murdered onthe side of the road and he comes back as a ghost to help his long time partnerfind the killer.  I really wanted towrite the story, but resisted for a year because I couldn't think of onepublisher that would take it.  Neitherthe story, nor the characters would leave me alone though, so during the midstof my vacation last year I sat down and wrote the first couple ofchapters.  I love Andrei and Dean's storyand I'm very glad that I wrote it.  Afterthat I'm either going to work on my pulp noir story, or one of several fantasystories that won't leave me alone.
10. Finally –a few quick choices:a.     Coffeeor tea – Twocups of coffee in the morning, after 11 am, I love tea of all kinds as long asit's decaffeinated.b.     Dogor cat – Ilove both.  Currently we have two cats,Isis and Osiris.  Once we get a house ofour own I'd like to add a dog to the mix.  c.      Beachor mountains – Again both, I was born a mountain girl and if I had to pick one, then I'dgo with mountains, but I love my yearly vacations at the Outer Banks.d.     Pecsor abs – Abs.(Whoohoo, you see I didn't pick both there?) Pecs can be overdone, abs are just nice to ogle and stroke.e.    Smile or eyes – That one's hard, I like a nicegenuine smile, but I'm a serious sucker for eyes.  I'd have to say that the eyes are the firstthing I notice and fall for.f.      Cowboysor rockstars – Neither, Fae says that I'm sapiosexual, which means that I'm attracted tosuper smart men.  I have to say thatnerds and geeks really get me going.g.     Whowould win in a fight – vampires or werewolves? And why.  Vampires, they fight dirty and are moreruthless.  Werewolves have a code, but aif it was a pack of werewolves again a group of vamps I'd go with thepack.  They know how to fight together.
Marguerite has generouslyoffered up a copy of her new release, AllBets Are Off for one lucky commenter on this post. I'll do the draw tomorrow.  PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME ANDEMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. J
But if you don't win, you can pick it up at DreamspinnerPress http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2660

Also be sure to drop by Marguerite and Fae's website to seeall their wonderful collaborations and solo works. http://chasethedream.net/

Fist Me This Christmas - NSFW

Um, yeah. I don't think I have to say much else about this. No nudity - just um, words. :PCourtesy of Tony Buff on twitter by the way.Don't be offended - the content is all in the title. :)

12 Gays of Christmas

Apparently this is a couple years old but it's so sweet and catchy. At first I thought they were just doing dance moves but they're actually imitating each of the verses. Yeah, maybe I'm a little slow. I stole it from... well everyone. Enjoy.

PS There's still time to post your comment on Zathyn's interview - I'll make the draw on Friday morning.

Author Zathyn Priest interview and give-away

Please welcome someone very special to myblog today, the one and only Zathyn Priest. I've been fortunate to becomefriends with Zathyn (is that okay to say Zath) over the past year and he'shelped me immensely in my writing and my website, as well as just being verysupportive and encouraging. His writing always manages to move me, whether totears or anger or just plain joy and I'm thrilled to have him here.
Welcome, Zathyn. How's the weather inAustralia? Are you getting some snow shipped in to play with?  I wish!  I despise summer.
1.     Howdid you get started writing m/m romance? Did you always want to be a writer?  I stumbled into m/m romance. I'd finished writing a manuscript and was looking around forpublishers.  I found the website forTorquere Press and decided I'd like to send them something forconsideration.  The manuscript I'dfinished didn't fit the submission guidelines, so I wrote something else.  That something was The Curtis Reincarnation.
I always wanted to a published writer and it was my ultimate dream asa kid.  I was writing stories – albeitbad ones – from the time I could string a sentence together.  I worked with a mentor for a couple of yearsprior to writing 'Curtis'. 
2.     Whatwere your early influences either in this genre or any other?
I didn't have any influences in the m/m genre because, to be honest, Ididn't even know how popular it was until I found the Torquere website.  It was an eye opener for me and surprising toknow gay fiction had such a large readership. 
The one author I did love reading was Anne Rice and the vampirechronicles.  I loved her poetic stylewith description.  She was the one whoalways made me think, 'Wow, I wish I could write like that.'    3.     Whatis the hardest part about writing for you?
Pretty much everything lately! 
4.     Doesany one of your books hold a special place in your heart more so than theothers?
At the risk of being predictable, probably The Curtis Reincarnationholds that spot in my heart.  Mainlybecause it was a joy to write, it flowed easily for me, and it was the first storyI had published.  The main character,Alec (AKA Tyler Curtis), is also very close to my heart.  Even more so now seeing as I have him tothank for helping me break through my writing anxiety.   
5.     Tellus a little about what you're working on right now. Rumor has it there will bea Curtis Reincarnation sequel?
I've always said there would never, ever be a sequel to Curtis. Now there will be two more Curtis stories.  I've just finished the first draft of Fight or Flight, which is graphicnovella.  That will be available beforeChristmas.  The Violin Player will be the third one, probably novella length,too.
I'm working on a few projects right now and trying to catch up on mywriting since taking the last year and a half off.  There will also be a novella length sequel to Left of Center , which I'm about halfway through writing.  I have a novel, Dystopia , on the backburner for thetime being until I finish the other projects. I'm writing a vampire story at the moment, Emrys Amara , and that's posted on my Blog, Broken Pencil, as free serial fiction.   Hmm, what else?  Ah, also another short story work in progresscalled The Statue .  All of these new projects will be graphicnovella/novels.
6.     Doyou have any writing quirks? (ie computer has to be facing a certain way, cupof coffee on the left, certain music playing, etc)
Not really, no.  I used to needcomplete silence when I wrote, but now I like listening to music.  Other than that, no, I'm pretty boring.
7.     Doyou have any writing or reading squicks? Things you don't like to read andcan't see yourself ever writing?
Yes, but each to their own. 
8.     Youdo beautiful digital art as well as your writing now. Is there a co-relationbetween the two? Does one fuel the other or visa versa?
Absolutely!  Digital art hasbeen the thing that rekindled my interest in writing fiction.  Fightor Flight - the sequel to Curtis - was inspired by one artwork I did justfor fun.  I create 3D models for each oneof my characters.  Bringing them to lifein art is an exciting thing to do.  I hadsuch a clear image of how I imagined Tyler Curtis to look and I wanted a readerto see him how I imagined him.  The samecan be said for all my characters.  Emrys Amara came to life when I createdthe 3D image of the main characters.  Again, I did it for fun and it ended up sparking a plot idea.
Having said that, I understand some people want to imagine charactersin their own way.  Even though I've movedinto graphic novellas/novels, I'll always make a plain text version of thestories as well.  It gives people thechoice as to which they'd prefer.
9.     Finally– a few quick choices:a.    Coffee or tea Tea in the morning,coffee from then on.b.    Dog or cat  Love them both.  I have a cat and a greyhound.c.     Beach or mountains  Mountainsd.     Pecsor abs  Abs.  But nothingover the top.  Muscle men don't do it forme at all.  In fact, I find it a majorturn off.  e.    Smile or eyes Eyes.  But a pretty smile is lovely, too.f.     Cowboys or rockstars  Cowboys don't do it for me either.g.    Who would win in a fight – vampires orwerewolves? And why.  A vampire.  He could kill the werewolf any night thatisn't a full moon.
Zathyn has graciously offered up an ebook from his backlist to one lucky commenter on my blog.  The winner can choose from The Curtis Reincarnation or The Slayer's Apprentice. PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT.
Be sure to check out - Zathyn's author website at www.zathynpriest.com - his writing website http://zathynpriest.com/brokenpencil/- and his stunning art at http://zathynpriest.com/artifex/