Vicktor Alexander's Blog, page 20

Andrew J Peters Week: Day One: Ask Author W/Andrew J Peters

Hey Vicksters!

So this week I am very happy to be turning over the Purple Fantasy Den to Andrew J. Peters. Andrew is the author of Werecat and upcoming novel The Seventh Pleiade. Both books I'm sure you will enjoy. Andrew answered 18 questions about himself as a writer and his writing process and I'm sure you will be intrigued by the information that you learn about this author. So, sit back and relax and read all about Andrew J. Peters in the Hot Seat!



1. What do you do on a typical writing day?

I work around a day job so it’s rare, and pretty delightful, when I have a full day to write. I’m most productive in the morning, so most days I sneak an hour or two of writing in before I head off to work. Then, I’ll also write for a few hours in the evening, sometimes as late as midnight or later.

I’m working on two main projects. I have an e-novelette series called Werecat. Book 1 Werecat: The Rearing was the début installment and was released just this past May.

I have a very different kind of series that comes out this November. It’s a re-telling of the legend of Atlantis, and the first book The Seventh Pleiade is the story of a young gay prince who becomes a hero during the last days of the ancient empire.

2. Do you have a particular fondness for any of your characters? Who is nearest and dearest to your heart?

My characters feel like my children, even the ones who do terrible, unforgiveable things, so they’re all close to my heart.

In Werecat, I especially enjoy writing the character Farzan. He’s a self-described: “overachieving, gay Persian with attention deficit disorder.” He’s a twenty-two year old medical school student who collects comic books and has to work the overnight shift in his father’s convenience store. Farzan becomes an unexpected romantic lead. He’s goofy and high strung, but I think he’s really endearing.

3. Do you use pictures for inspiration for your characters? Such as model or actor pics?

A few years back I started an inspiration board for my home office. It was mainly for my Atlantis series so I collected magazine clippings of anything ancient Greek – temples, statues, landscapes, etc..

I have a few pictures of models from magazines, but I shy away from putting anyone well-known on the board. It’s easier for me to build a character in my head when he’s more of a blank slate.

4. Please tell us about the projects you are currently working on; what can readers expect to see in the coming months?I’m working with my editor on Book 2 in the Werecat series. We expect that it will be released in early 2014. Without getting into spoilers, Book 1 is the story of college senior Jacks Dowd who goes on spring break to Montréal, hooks up with a handsome drifter named Benoit, and falls into the world of feline shifters. The second book takes Jacks further into his journey of discovering how to survive his bizarre and violent new life. And there’s a romantic storyline that’s pretty steamy.Besides that, I’m writing the prequel to The Seventh Pleiade, which goes back to the beginning of the Atlantis legend. It’s the story of a young Poseidon and a young woman named Cleito who meet up when each of their lives are gravely endangered. They find themselves joining forces against a common enemy. 5.     What is your most favorite scene that you wrote and for which characters/what book did you write it?I really liked writing the early scenes with Jacks and Benoit in Werecat. There’s a fun flirtation and a hopeful, romantic feel, yet an inevitable sense of danger. The scene where Jacks discovers that Benoit is a panther shifter was one of my favorites too. I think it’s the sexiest, and as a writer, I was able to go off the rails so to speak depicting how a werecat would claim his mate.6.     If you were stranded on an island and could only take 3 people, 3 types of food and 3 things what would they be?Let’s see. Three people? How about my husband, our cat Chloë, and that British survivalist guy Bear Grylls who could tell us what bugs to eat and how to find water. Plus he’s awfully easy on the eyes.Three foods: chocolate, veal parmesan and lots and lots of red wine. Red wine counts as a food, doesn’t it?Three things: a laptop for writing, a King-size Tempur-pedic mattress and lots of sunscreen. I burn easily.7.     When did you start writing?  What inspired you to write?I started creative writing really young. I made picture books, and when I started reading mysteries and fantasies, I used to write my own stories.It was a way for me to express my imagination. I was also a pretty shy kid, so writing was also a safe place for me to withdraw and create worlds where I felt happy and where I belonged.8.    What is the best thing about being a writer?In my experience, when you tell someone you’re a writer, people assume you’re much smarter than you are.9.     If you weren’t a writer what would you be?I might try to give it a go as a pastry chef or a baker. I don’t know that I’d succeed, but what the heck. 
10.            It is quite noticeable that female writers of the MM genre outnumber that of men – why is that you think?It makes sense to me because the romance market including and beyond M/M is predominantly female readers. I think it’s natural that more female writers would be tuned into that market. Of course that’s not to say that men can’t also write good romance stories. In M/M, authors like Josh Lanyon and Rick Reed have huge followings. But I find more male writers writing for markets like action adventure and humor. When you look at gay fiction, there are lots of men writing memoir, coming-of-age, and mystery too.11.  What is your favorite thing to do to decompress from life(stress)I’m not the best person to learn from in terms of healthy habits! I do take long walks to unwind and think things out. Otherwise, you’ll find me vegging out in front of the TV, or writing at the computer, or holing up in bed for a nap.12.Which one of your characters do you wish you were like?I wouldn’t trade places with him, but I admire Werecat’s Jacks for his courage and perseverance. I have mentioned in other interviews that he came about as a jagged reflection of me as a gay college student, facing what felt like a frightening future. Jacks gets himself in a lot of dangerous situations, but he comes out of them stronger, physically and emotionally. I guess it helps when you can morph into a two-hundred pound mountain lion.13.Which if any of your characters is more like you?All the heroes in my stories emerged from some part of my personality. In The Seventh Pleiade, the lead character Aerander is a sixteen-year-old who has a really important mission (Save Atlantis!), but he struggles a bit more with self-confidence than Werecat’s Jacks. So in that sense, wanting to do the right thing but not being sure if he’s the right person for the job, Aerander is more like me.14.Would you ever write about a man and a woman? 
The prequel to The Seventh Pleiade has a romance between a man and a woman as a major storyline. It’s taken from the Atlantis legend – Poseidon and his mortal wife Cleito – so re-imagining that relationship was very important to developing the series.I wouldn’t say that it’s been harder or easier writing that story in comparison to the gay relationships I’ve written. The emotions and the inter-personal conflicts are the same.15.Would you ever write about ninjas?Now that’s a really unique question. JI wouldn’t rule out writing anything in the realm of fantasy. I don’t know much about ninjas, but I’d learn as much as I could if a ninja story caught my imagination. When I was writing The Seventh Pleiade, there were scenes and settings that made me stop for a moment, asking myself: can I really do this, write about something I’ve never remotely experienced? I’ve become more trusting in myself, and I like researching myths and legends. So sure, I’d write a ninja story.     16.What inspires you to write a story?I guess the common denominator for me is that I like gay heroes. I write about gothic shifter worlds, ancient legends, and epic adventures, and in all cases, there’s a gay hero at the center of it all, which for me is the kind of story I can get behind.17.What are some of your favorite books?  Not just recently but what books did you enjoy as a kid?  teenager?I read a lot of the classic children’s stories as a child like The Phantom Tollbooth, The Wind and the Willows, and Stuart Little. Then, I became a voracious reader of Agatha Christie and P.G. Wodehouse.As a teenager, I loved J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I also read a lot of books by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. 18.When you have the time, what do types of books do you like to read for pleasure?  Favorite authors?I read a lot of fantasy and ancient world fiction to stay tuned into the type of stories I write. Gregory Maguire is my all-time favorite author. I also read most everything by Anne Rice and Neil Gaiman, which probably sounds all over the map. But I like those authors for different reasons. Gregory Maguire creates incredible worlds and has a sweetly cynical point-of-view. Anne Rice tells lush, atmospheric stories. Neil Gaiman’s focus on folklore and mythology interests me.About Werecat: The RearingFor Jacks Dowd, a college senior who feels ungrounded from his family and life in general, an alcohol and sex-infused weekend in Montréal sounds like a pretty good escape. His Spring Break binge takes a detour when he meets Benoit, an admiring drifter with startling green eyes. A hook-up turns into a day, two days, and then a full week in Benoit’s hostel, making love and scarfing down take-out food. But at the end of the week, Benoit demands that Jacks make an impossible choice: stay with him forever or never see him again. 

The night before Jacks is supposed to return to college, he meets Benoit in Mont Royal Park to try to work things out. Benoit springs on Jacks an unfathomable secret: he’s a werecat. He traps Jacks in an abandoned cabin and performs an occult rite so they will be mated forever.Buy links:AmazonBarnes & Noble All Romance e-Books

Write on the Edge Friday Night With MJ O'Shea

I just finished an AWESOME interview with Mj O'shea on Write on the Edge. Love that girl! If you missed the live show you can listen to the recorded show here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/writersonlinenetwork/2013/08/03/write-on-the-edge

And for you faithful listeners I'll be back on WOE next Thursday night with a new guest. Be ready to be taken to the EDGE!

Write on the Edge Thursday Night with Kiernan Kelly

Meet Kiernan Kelly on Thursday's episode of Write on the Edge with your host (me), Vicktor Alexander, and co-host, Amanda C. Stone. A veteran of writing gay romance, Kiernan didn't need to be tied down or flogged to answer our questions. She freely told us about how she gets over the writing "hump day" (which sounds a lot more fun than it is) and even how she somehow managed to kill off one of her kids in her books. This and other things are sure to open your eyes to another side of this prolific writer. Join us at Write on the Edge where we take writers to the edge and back! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/writerso...

First Donation to The Trevor Project from Impossible

The first donation of $1250.00 has been paid to The Trevor Project from my royalties of Impossible.
The royalties were paid and I would like to say they were paid in memory of:
SusanAlan (Jo's friend)And Debby's daughter
If you have bought a copy or will buy a copy soon please let me know who you are buying and donating the book to.
Thanks everyone for your support!

  “You probably don’t know this, but you just gave me a lot of reasons to live.”

-- Mark, 15, Tennessee

Dear Vicktor:

On behalf of all the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth served by The Trevor Project, we are deeply grateful for your financial contribution.

Your gift of $1250.00 supports our life saving and life affirming for LGBTQ youth. Your support not only enables us to continue the important work of our 24/7 crisis and suicide prevention Lifeline, but also enables us to deploy our school workshop program and operate our online social network, TrevorSpace.

You can find additional ways in which you can take action on our website. The most important thing you can do is share that information with others. 

Sincerely,

Abbe Land

Executive Director & CEO 

The Trevor Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and your contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.  No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution. Our federal tax identification number is95-4681287. 

 Please keep this electronic receipt for your tax records.

7/31/2013 8:10:43 AM (PT)

Your Contribution Information:
The Trevor Project

Vicktor B.

The following summarizes your contribution for:
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Ask Author Amy Lane

Hey Vicksters and other Visitors to The Purple Fantasy Den!

-gestures to the comfortable couches scattered around the massive den-





Please, have a seat, make yourselves comfortable. Enjoy some of the lovely and delicious Italian food

cooked by Tommy, of the Tate Pack and Mary Ames, Tucker's mom, and Shane of Raising Shawna.

We have something very special for you today. For Ask Author The Purple Fantasy Den is very proud and honored to have the amazing Amy Lane in The Hot Seat, answering your questions. Amy Lane is a very talented author of books of all different types of genres, she's a veteran to this writing business and her characters always stick with you, even when the book is over. If you haven't read her stuff before, this is a chance for you to get to know a little more about her before you go and buy everything she's ever written (like I have) and if you have read her stuff then this is your chance to learn even more about her than you did before... and then you can go and buy the stuff of hers that you haven't read before.

And as always we have a giveaway! Amy has generously donated two books from her DSP (Dreamspinner Press) backlist to one luck commenter. So enjoy the interview, leave a comment and enjoy Amy Lane in The Hot Seat.





1. You are known for being the queen of angst, do you ever want to write something fluffy and without all of the heartbreaking stuff?
I actually do release the occasional comedy—but it’s funny.  People are so used to my sad stuff, they think somehow I’m copping out when I write something happy.  Mostly it’s just the same as everyone else—I need the change of pace.
2. Where did you get the idea for the Promise Rock series?
From about a thousand different places.  Levee Oaks came to life when I was driving my daughter to dance lessons in a dusty, redneck suburb near our house.  There’s a church literally on every corner, and a friend of mine once checked out horse property there in a rainstorm only to find that the whole works was underwater.  (She’s the same one who killed 17 rattlesnakes in one year because they were on the property she eventually bought, and she needed to keep her stock safe.)  Anyway, I saw a bunch of kids running wild—the kind of thing where you think, “Those kids are way to young to be unsupervised!” and suddenly I had the vision of Crick, walking down that road, cutting church.
3. What’s the best thing about being an author in your opinion?
People pay you for letting your fantasy life rule your home.
4. What’s the worst thing about being an author in your opinion?
Author’s ass.
5. What do you do if you get a bad review (not that I think you ever do) to keep writing?
I get lots of bad reviews—and I do a bunch of things.  One of them is whine to Mary, my bestie, who pets me and tells me they’re all bastards and to ignore them.  (I do the same thing for her.  It’s a good system.)  Sometimes I look at the reviews themselves—for It’s Not Shakespeare, for example, I have three sorts of reviews.  One set of reviews tells me that they know people like Rafi, but that James must be a cruel stereotype.  The set tells me that they live with people with James, but Rafi is a politically incorrect caricature.  I look at that sort of dichotomy and realize that the world is a lot more divided than it seems—and I’m lucky to live, and to once have worked, in a place where racial and cultural diversity really is diverse, because not everybody sees that in the world.  (The third set of reviews comes from people who also have straddled both worlds, and who think I nailed them both!)  And generally, that’s the sort of thing I have to do with all negative reviews.  I look at the place from whence they stem, and decide if I would make the same choice again.  Usually, if I made that choice from a place of compassion and objectivity and a sense of how I see the world, that answer is yes, and I have to simply regretfully reject that reader’s opinion for my reality.  Chase in Shadow, for example—there were some people who literally screamed at me because he was cheating on his girlfriend.  But I got a lot of letters from people who knew a Chase who didn’t stop with that razor blade, and who write me to tell me thank you, so it was worth it.
6. {From Vic} I LURVED Bolt-hole! Any plans for a sequel?


* grimaces*  Thank you-- I loved it too—and much like Clear Water, I had sort of a cozy series envisioned, of these two characters going out and solving other mysteries (albeit accidentally.)  However, remember that review thing we just talked about?  Yeah—people of color thought I got that book right, and I was proud.  I worked with a lot of Terrells (maybe not gay, but they had other neurosis that stemmed from growing up in Terrell’s situation) and I wanted to do those boys justice.  I think I did—but people aren’t always ready to see that racism still exists in this country, and that the worst thing it does is deprive a person of the agency to change his life.  The things people said about that story—and about me—were really ugly, and it’s going to take a while for me to recover from that.
7. Do you have a favorite character? Favorite series
* grins*  Yup.  The one I’m working on right now. 
8. Do you prefer to write series or single titles?
They both have their joys.  Singles go faster—that is for darn sure—and I love that rush that comes from having two characters just speak to me.  (Racing for the Sun was written like that.  Glorious—ah!) I tend to do overlapping timelines and multiple points of view when I get into a series.  Forever Promises was a ginormous accomplishment for me—there were what?  Eight points of view in that story?  And several subplots?  And the only way you can do something like that is to make sure that for all of the things getting busy in there, they all have a northstar—a centralized theme or set of themes that pull the whole thing together.  So for just the downhill rush, the one-off is great.  For the complex craft thing?  The series is awesome.
9. Have you ever written someone into one of your books to "get even" with them?  Good or Bad.;)
Uhm, yes, and both.
10. Do you ever skip to the end of the book when reading?
All the time.
11. Are you a pantser or a plotter when writing?
It’s a road trip.  I know where I’m starting out, I know where I’m going, I have a couple of scenes in focus to stop at on the way, but I always leave lots of room to get lost, to wander back roads (heh) and discover places I’d never planned to visit.
12. What the title of the book of your life?
I forgot what?
13. H.G. Wells, William Shakespeare, Steven King come over for dinner who has the seat of honor and what's your first question?
William, of course, but Steven gets to help me draft the first question.  I think it would be something along the lines of “Steven King says that art supports life and not the other way around.  Would you agree?”
14. Where do you write at? Office or comfy chair?
Kitchen table which is no longer used for it’s intended purpose.
15. What is your writing schedule like?
Wake up in the morning, take care of writing business or blog, go to the gym or run errands, come home, write, go get kids, write, take kids to activities, throw something together for dinner, sit with kids for a while, write.  Kids go to bed, write.  Watch TV with husband, write. Go to bed.
16. On a rainy day what is your favorite thing to do?
Knit.
17. What is your favorite scene that you wrote?
Uhm,  it varies, day by day.  The “Leave me?” scene in the tack room was one of my favorites, because it was one of those that I knew I was gong to write from about halfway in the book, and the anticipation was amazing.  Ace and Sonny’s first sex scene made me really happy because I don’t do raw and dirty that often, and I wanted to get it right.  The “Get an education you cocksuckers!” scene in Bolt-Hole made me absurdly happy.  Every conversation between Carson and Dale in Left on St. Truth-be-Well cracked me up.
18. When did you start writing?
When I was four.
19. If you had writer’s block how would you overcome it?
Doing dishes.
20. How do you come up with your stories?
I have no idea.
21. Did you always want to write M/M romance or did you want to start somewhere else?
I started with urban fantasy and a hardcore goth chick with a heart of gold.  But the vampire she was in love with also loved a male elf, and it seems that even before m/m was a thing, I had a desire to see it happen.
22. If someone was just starting to read your books where would you suggest they start?
That depends—if they like light and fluffy, Left on St. Truth-be-Well or The Winter Courtship of Fur-bearing critters.  If they liked angst and pain, The Locker Room or Talker.  If they were undecided, Sidecar. 
23. Who is your favorite character that you have written and why are they?
I honestly can’t decide.  Ever.  Today, it’s Jeremy-bunny.  Tomorrow, it might be Joe or Casey.  A lot of times it’s Deacon.  A lot of times it’s Mikhail, but that could be Mary’s love, bleeding over on him.  Seriously—I’ve never written a protagonist I haven’t loved a lot.
24. What advice would you give someone who wanted to start writing?
Do it because you love it.  For no other reason.  If you do it because you love it, you’ll get good at it, and then expect to be paid.  But once you start doing that?  Treat the business part of it with respect, or people won’t respect your writing.
25. If you were stranded in any of your worlds (books) which one would it be?  And who would it be with?
The Little Goddess books, hands down, with Cory and her men and her cast of thousands.
26. Is there a genre or subject matter that you want to write about but are hesitant to do so (ex. Interracial, Disabled, Transgender, Mpreg, etc.)?
Transgender, I think, because I wouldn’t want to get anything wrong.  I write about mental illness in one form or another all the time, mostly because I’ve known a lot of people with those problems, and I’m comfortable figuring out what goes on in their minds.  Physical disability would probably be one of the things I should think about dealing with.  It’s hard—my parents were both nurses, and I’m privy to some pretty painful details.  I gave a secondary character CF in an upcoming story and felt like an asshole for the entire book.
27. What is your ideal vacation spot?
Carlsbad or Monterey.
28. “In the Name of Research” what is the strangest thing you have claimed on your income taxes?
My Corbin Fisher subscription.
29. What is the best thing about being a writer?
People actually think that what goes on in my head matters.
30. If you weren’t a writer what would you be?
I already was.  I was a teacher.  I miss it every day.
31. What is your favorite genre to write?
Fantasy or AU.
32. If you had to pick only three of your characters to take on vacation who would it be and why?
Green (cause he’s non-monogamous and pansexual and wow!), Bracken, and Cory.  (Cause Bracken is fun and grumpy, and Cory is a girl, and I could watch Green, Bracken and Cory, nom, and talk grumpy things with Bracken and girl things with Cory and have the occasional pity moment from Green.)
33. Who would be your ideal?
My mate.
34. What would this “ideal” have that you would consider as the “best characteristic?”
He’d have to think I was worth being stuck with for 25 years.
35. What are the genres that you generally read, excluding MM?
Fantasy, urban fantasy, het romance, historical.
36. Do you read MF or MFM books?
Yes.
37. How about the FF genre?
Alas, no.
38. What do you think about the New Adult genre for MM?
I think a lot of stuff I’ve written actually fits there already.
39. It is quite noticeable that female writers of the MM genre outnumber that of men – why is that you think?
Because women love a romance of equals, and they also love men.  It’s sort of win/win.  (I can, and have, written entire articles on this question, but dude… 62 questions?  Ouch!)
40. Some actors cannot watch themselves onscreen – as an author: what goes through your mind’s eye when you read your own work?
Really?  Other people read this?
41. What do you do when you get a writer’s block to unblock?
Do the dishes, fold laundry, watch television.
42. What is your favorite thing to do to decompress from life(stress)
Yarn.  Knit or crochet.  And read.  Or listen to music.
43. Do you write about more than one story at a time?
No.
47. Have you ever written about feline shifters or any other types of shifter?
Yes—in both Green’s Hill and the Bitter Moon books.
49. Which one of your characters do you wish you were like?
Deacon or Shane.  I’d give serious body parts to be able to keep up my own house.
50. Which if any of your characters is more like you?
That’s tough.  I say it’s Cory, but Mary Calmes says I’m Green.  But I know I’m Jory from Mary’s AMOT series, so can I just go with that?
51. Do you plan on writing for a while to come?
If the fates allow.
52. How long does it take for you to complete a book?
Depends on the length.  I write long—a lot of my books are twice the industry norm.  It takes between six to eight weeks.
53. What is the longest story you have ever written?
My Bitter Moon books are both over 220 K.  When Dreamspinner picked them up for their YA line, the first thing we decided to do was split them into two books for a total of four—we could have easily done a total of six, and still maintained an industry standard length story.
54. What is the shortest story you have ever written?
Do Over, which I love by the way.
55. Would you ever write about a man and a woman?
Done that.
56. Would you ever write about Ninja's?
Yes!
57. What inspires you to write a story?
A moment, a feeling, an image, a heartbeat, a line of dialog, the thrust of an actor’s lip, the way two men shake hands in public—anything.
58. Have you ever wanted to write any other types of books like horror, mystery?
I suck at mystery but it doesn’t keep me from trying.
59. What gave you the writing "bug"?  Was there an influence such as a person, an event or a song maybe?
Complete loneliness as a child. 
60. How did you decide what you wanted to write?
I just wrote, mostly.  I think it chose me.

61. What are some of your favorite books?  Not just recently but what books did you enjoy as a kid?  teenager?
Robin McKinley, Nancy Drew, Charley and the Chocolate Factory, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Prydain, Guy Gavriel Kaye—there’s a thousand of them.  Me and books—like chocolate and peanut butter. 
62. What genre do you find the easiest to write in/about?
Fantasy and urban fantasy feed my soul.
63. What genre do you find the hardest to write in/about?  Is there a genre you shy away from?
I’m not a fan of rules, so I’m probably not a good fit for BDSM.
64. Where does you suggest someone new to writing start, and why
Fan fiction—because you get to stretch select muscle groups—character, plot, theme, mood—without having to be responsible for a complete product.  It really does help you concentrate on the things you love best about fiction.

Ask Author Mary Calmes Winner

Congratulations Tj Richards! You are the winner of Mary Calmes' Ask Author Giveaway! Mary will be contacting you soon to get details for your prizes!

Thank you everyone else for commenting and stopping by. Don't forget to come by the Purple Fantasy Den tomorrow for Ask Author with Mary Calmes and this Thursday for the winner of Ask Author with Sandrine Gasq-Dion.

Ask Author Sandrine Gasq Dion

I've got it up! Finally!
It's the Ask Author with Author Sandrine Gasq-Dion!


I've got some swag donated by Gabrielle Evans for one lucky person who comments!

1. What's the title of the book of your life? “What the hell?” lol

2. HG Wells, William Shakespeare, Steven King show up at your house for dinner..who gets the seat of honor ? Stephen King. lol

3. Where do you write at? In an office or comfy chair? In my office IN a comfy chair. J

4. Do you have a set time that you write or just when the muse strikes you? My muse seems to smack me with ideas at all hours. Mostly it’s in the middle of the night.

5. In which of your books is your favorite couple and why are they your favorite? I Love Riley and Mateo. I think because Mateo was so dead set against falling in love, and then fell so hard for Riley…I just love that. J

6. What is your most favorite scene that you wrote and for which characters/what book did you write it? The first love scene between Devin and Andrei “Into the Lyons Den” is first with “Russian Prey” a close second.

7. On a rainy day what is your favorite thing to do? Snuggle in bed with my kindle.

8. If you were stranded in any of your worlds (books) which one would it be? And who would it be with? Russian Prey with Vince Markov. J

9. What is your ideal vacation spot? The South of France.

10. If you could meet your favorite author of all time, who would it be and what would you say to them? Stephen King and “Dude, you scare the shit out of me”

11. What is your favorite genre to read for fun? M/M!!!!

12. How long does it take you to complete a book? It depends. I’ve written some in three weeks, and some I took over a month. Some of them I’m still adding stuff in up until the day it releases.

13. If you had to pick only three of your characters to take on vacation who would it be and why? Riley Flynn, because he’s so happy all the time. Chance Christianson for his magic skills. Nikolai Markov for his wit. lol

14. It is quite noticeable that female writers of the MM genre outnumber that of men – why is that you think? We LOVE men making love!!!

15. Some actors cannot watch themselves onscreen – as an author, What goes through your mind’s eye when you read your own work? Ugh, I should have fixed that line.

16. Do you write about more than one story at a time? Oh god yes. I usually have at least five going at once.

17. Would you ever write about a man and a woman? I have in the past, and in my books now I have heterosexual couples, but the books are not focused on them.

18. Where do you write? An office, a room, a cubbyhole... My office!

19. Have you ever written someone into your story just so you could vent your emotions with them (good or bad)? Not yet, but it’s a possibility. lol

20. What is the new series about that she has coming out this year? The Santorno Stories begins with The Medicine and the Mob. The book centers around Stefan Santorno and Jordan Youngblood. The rest of the books in the series revolve around their four kids.

21. What do you do when you get a writer’s block to unblock? Thankfully, I haven’t had writers block yet. *knocks on wood*

22. If you couldn't write what would you do? I think I would be a cruise director. I love cruises. lol

23. What is your favorite thing to do to decompress from life(stress)? I lay in bed with my Kindle and my cats. Sometimes I catch up on soaps because their lives are SO screwed up. lol

24. What made you start to write about paranormals? I love Werewolves, always have. I was always a “Jacob” Fan. ;)

25. Who is your favorite character that you have written about? I love Devin Lyons. He’s such as ass….

26. Which if any of your characters is more like you? I would have to go with Devin Lyons as far as sarcastic wit. I’m a mix of Nikolai Markov and Devin. It takes a lot to piss me off, but when I’m there you better run. lol

27. Do you plan on writing for a while to come? Oh yes. I have so many stories and characters that are begging to come out!!!

28. Do like to write series or do you prefer to write single stories? I am finding out that I love writing series. I LOVE bringing back characters from previous books so that people can see where they are in life.

29. What is the longest story you have ever written? The Santorno stories /series is 700,000 words, which is why it’s being cut into several books…

30. What is the shortest story you have ever written? 12,000 words “Second Time Around”
31. Hi Sandrine, I just want to start off saying I LOVE LOVE YOUR BOOKS :). Were you ever embarrassed to tell your family you write m/m books? How does your husband feel about you writing such books? I'm a little nervous to let my husband know that I read such books :/. Thank you so much for writing such awesome, wonderful, and sexy books. They keep me from pulling out my hair at the end of the day. Please don't stop writing :). I was never embarrassed! I was never one to care what others thought, not even my family. My husband has supported me from day one and although he takes a lot of flak at work for his wife's career choice, he stands by me. (He's military) I would ask him in passing, maybe just a hypothetical question? Like, "My friend reads these books, she said I should check them out. What do you think?" Or something along those lines. If you feel more comfortable with him not knowing, no one will hold it against you. :) You are very welcome! I am just so glad that people enjoy the books. At the end of the day, that's what makes me smile. I have no plans to stop any time soon! Thank you so much for reading!!


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Now Available for Pre-Order: The Faery Truth

The Faery Truth, releasing August 3, 2013 from Silver Publishing, is NOW available for pre-order!

Pre-Order The Faery Truth


Here's the blurb and cover:
Princess Eeirana is asked by her brother Eeian to help him find a way to stay in the human realm with his mate Thomas and she rushes to help him even though she's a bit resentful of his good fortune. Colliding with her brother as she comes through the veil, Eeirana is surprised to find that her body has changed and she is now a man, something she always felt she should be. Living her life as Eeiran, he meets his own mate, Philip Sands, at a McDonald's and the two begin to date. But when Philip reacts badly to finding out Eeiran's secrets, that he's a faery and used to be a woman, will Eeiran lose his chance at a happily ever after? And when evil plots are revealed and have a connection to Eeiran's family, will Philip stay and fight for his mate and their future family or will he run away?

BIG Announcement: Write on the Edge

Here's the BIG announcement:

I was asked by Wt Prater and excitedly accepted the position as the new host of Write on the Edge's blog radio show!

Beginning in August I will be hosting the radio show on Thursday and Friday nights. Interviewing authors, editors and everything in between. If you listened to my interview with Will and Kristyn M. Phipps last Friday night then you know what to expect.

Woohoo!!! Get ready, because it's me and you know if the show is called "Write on the Edge" then I'm going to take it to the EDGE.

Bwahahaha!

Ask Author Amy Lane Question Time!

So even though you have to wait a bit for Ask Author with Author Sandrine Gasq Dion, you can start to submit your questions for the fabulously amazing author Amy Lane who will be in the Hot Seat on July 29th. Submit your questions to: vicktoralexander@vicktoralexander.com with the subject: Ask Author Amy Lane. There is NO limit to how many questions you can ask, just don't make them too personal, capice?

So, as I return to writing Raising Shawna (only 30-40k left until it's done!), you can get your questions together and start sending them in!