Andrew Q. Gordon's Blog, page 46
May 7, 2014
Guest Post – Elizabeth Noble – All Those Ideas
Today is something of a special day – or as I’ve been referring to it lately, an international day of mourning. It’s my birthday – my fiftieth birthday – the big Five O. But let’s not dwell on that. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth about a year ago and she’s been a guest on my blog before. One thing I’ve learned about Elizabeth – she always has something interesting to say. So with that, she’s here to talk about idea and her newest book, Electric Candle.
All Those Ideas
A question often asked by non-writers is: Where do you get your ideas? I’m sure I’m not alone amongst writers who are asked that question, and asked often.
Well, let me try to explain different ways it can happen for me.
Recently, I sat in an airport. I’m downright ridiculous about getting there the two-ish hours before take-off, so I always have to spend time hanging out and sitting. Fortunately I have my handy-dandy phone and tablet, so I have plenty to read and entertain myself with.
Instead of reading, I sat watching the comings and goings of other passengers. It was early enough that no one manned the service desk yet. Then a woman, wearing an airport ID badge and regular clothes, arrived with two small children. She began working on one of the computers at the desk.
That’s when my mind started whirring, energized by an idea. My former brother-in-law had a saying, “If you can’t dazzle them with your brilliance, then baffle them with your bullshit.” Maybe this woman was plotting something no good, using two little kids as a perfect cover. Or maybe she was some kind of spy accessing flight manifests for nefarious activities.
From there my mind evolved a plot with international spies, an assassin and a con artist all working to sneak aboard an airplane using a young woman and her kids as a front. Of course one of them wants to kill someone on the plane and the rest want to stop it.
Viola, the kernel of an idea for a book was born.
I’m the type of writer who has the situation or basis for a plot before I know the characters, and I develop the book from there. As details for the plot are filled in the characters flesh themselves out in my head. I keep all sorts of notes on both the plot and people.
The real challenge comes from combining all those elements, no matter which comes first, into a smoothly flowing, interesting story. When brainstorming ideas for The Sleepless City series, my co-writer, Anne Barwell, and I decided on a variety of scenarios for each book. Since Electric Candle is the second of the series, most of the characters were already sketched out. I used the book’s plot and sub-plots to further flesh them out and explore their relationships in more depth.
Official Blurb:
When a vampire finds his soul mate, the bond is forever. It’s love at first sight. Or is it?
Flint, Ohio Homicide Detective Jonas Forge has been a vampire for nearly two hundred years. He’s fought wars, seen life go from the simple but hard colonial days to the modern high tech world. He’s evolved with the times, adapting with each new era, blending into each new life. The one constant is his best friend and lover, Declan.
Until Forge’s soul mate tumbles, literally, into his life.
Even though they’re not fated to be together forever, Forge and Declan are perfectly happy. Despite the pheromone attracting him to his soul mate, Forge isn’t thrilled with the guy, and the feeling seems mutual. While trying to adjust to his clumsy soul mate and equally awkward feelings, Forge is on the hunt for the serial killer who’s leaving a trail of bodies, and who witnesses can’t identify. But Forge better watch out. When his work collides with his love life, things really heat up.
Excerpt:
No one was there, yet Forge couldn’t shake the feeling he wasn’t alone. He wandered down the beach a few yards. Water splashing against the shore and spraying up made him go closer for a better look. The lake’s edge here wasn’t gently sloping sand but a sharp lip of concrete. Hunkering on the ledge, Forge leaned over for a look.
The wall ran a good half mile in either direction. He could see large spots that were darker than the surrounding area. Forge had read about the secret rooms constructed all along Lake Erie during Prohibition. Illegal booze and guns were stashed in them. One could only access the rooms by going under water. At high tide, many of the outer parts of the rooms were completely submerged. He’d never been in one.
More than likely he’d have to get wet to justify the expense of divers. Forge was still contemplated getting a dive team in when he heard shouting.
“Stop. Wait!”
The voice sounded familiar, but Forge couldn’t place it. That always made him nuts. Turning, he looked up at the top of the stairs. Then he squinted and shook his head. Who belonged to the voice made him stare in a type of horrified wonder, like one looked at a train wreck.
The fact his cock picked then to persistently remind him of its presence and give a few twitches and throbs didn’t help.
It was a man, though the horror Forge was feeling might have been less if it’d been a woman. He wore what appeared to be homemade steampunk goggles with dark lenses, a long sleeved black shirt, and black jeans.
“Sweet mother of God, is that a cape?” Forge muttered and took a few steps forward. “No, stop, don’t—”
It was too late. The oddly dressed man began to run down the steps—the slippery, wet steps, waving his arms. He’d gone about three steps when his feet slid out from under him and his rear hit the stone stairs. The man yelped, and Forge’s cock gave another twitch. He had the fleeting thought of how disturbing on several levels that was.
“What the hell?” Forge ran to the bottom of the stairs.
Bouncing head over heels down the steps, the guy finally flopped to one side and rolled the remainder of the way down, finishing his descent with a hearty splash in the chilly lake water.
Floundering and shouting, the man slapped the lake’s surface, went under, bobbed up, and spit water out of his mouth, and garbled, “Can’t… swim.”
Throwing his arms wide, Forge grumbled, “It’s not as if vampires drown.”
The guy went under, the water churned, but he didn’t come to the surface. Jerking his jacket off and dropping it to the ground, Forge made sure his phone was with the garment.
“This has got to be a joke. A really bad joke.” Forge ran to the edge and dove in. The only thing that prevented him from ejaculating the second his fingers touched the man was the cold water. He shuddered when he pulled the guy against his chest and wrapped one arm around him, using the other to help propel them to the surface.
When he got to the concrete edge, he hefted the guy over and onto the ground. Forge hoisted himself out of the water and hit the guy, who looked to be in his twenties, between the shoulder blades to expel lake water.
A shiver and spark of electricity ran from Forge’s palm and coursed down his spine to settle in his groin.
This couldn’t be his soul mate. Yet even as he finished that thought, he knew, and there was no denying what his body was telling him. The fool dressed as some superhero wannabe in a really bad outfit was Jonas Forge’s mate for eternity.
Forge wondered if other vampires would penalize him for killing his soul mate.
May 6, 2014
Wednesday Briefs: Second Shot – The Senior Year – 30
Second Shot – The Senior Year: Chapter 30
“Congrats again.” The footballer player whose name escaped Jason held out his hand to Peter. The two shook, but the guy never let go of his girlfriend. “See you two later.”
“Bye.” Jason gave him a half-hearted wave and watched them walk off. They’d had random people come up several times since the verdict and it still felt awkward. He felt Peter hand’s brush up against his and he grabbed it. “What was his name?”
Peter snickered. “I was hoping you’d know. He seemed to know you.”
“He acted like he knew us.” They started walking toward the Java Shack again.
“So what did you think about your brother’s girlfriend.”
Jason heard the disapproval in his boyfriend’s voice. “She seemed nice. She’s pretty—if you like that type.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“Actually, I think I did answer your question.” Since humor didn’t work, he decided to take a more direct approach. “I thought she was pleasant enough. They were on their date, I didn’t expect her to be all that interested in chatting with us.”
“Did you see how she glared at us when we walked up?” Peter looked over, but never let him answer. “And then when she realized who you were, she suddenly turned friendly?”
Jason wanted to say no, but he’d seen the same thing. Rather than give voice to his disappointment, he nodded silently.
“What are we going to do?” Peter asked.
“Do?”
“Yeah, do; what are we going to do about her? You’re brother should know the truth.”
“What truth?” Jason knew what he thought he saw, but was that enough? “That we think she gave us dirty looks when we walked up?”
“You don’t think we should talk to Dean?” The tone of Peter’s question told Jason they neared the point that this became an argument. Even if he wasn’t as tight lipped as his mother, he didn’t want to air their problems in public.
He pulled them to a stop by an empty bench. People continued to walk by, so he motioned for them to sit. For a moment he thought Peter might resist, but when Jason sat, his boyfriend did too.
“I do think we should talk to him, but I also know him. If you think I’m stubborn, he’ll show you the real meaning of the word.”
Peter twisted his lips in the way that Jason had learned meant he was mulling something over. When he started to run his thumb over their joined hands, Jason knew they’d turned the corner from angry to calm discussion.
“First, you’re not the stubborn one in the relationship, I am. And second, I already know Dean is my biggest challenger for most stubborn male in the house.” He squeezed their hands once and relaxed. “Maybe I’m just overly sensitive, but I’m not willing to just let things go anymore. Not after…. “
“Right.” The times Jason could have confronted Jordan over the last fifteen years and he didn’t still haunted him. “Do you really think this is the same?”
Peter shrugged and stared at the cement. “Maybe.”
That summed up the problem. Were they being overly sensitive and looking for issues that didn’t exist, or was this a legitimate first sign that needed to be confronted?
“Listen, Pete.” He squeezed his fingers tighter. “I won’t make the same mistake twice. Not on this. But I also don’t want to make us stuff and lump her in with Asshole.”
Peter smirked at Jason’s use of one of their many new nicknames for Jordan. “I know, but I really don’t feel this is me trying to find something just to find it. She was glaring at us when we walked up. And she totally did a one-eighty once you told her who you were. It’s like a switch got thrown.”
He’d seen the same thing. “Dean told Darryl he thinks she’ll see things differently if she spends time around me and you.”
Peter laid his free hand on the two that were connected. “I think at this point we should just keep an eye on things. I don’t want to start a witch-hunt, but I also don’t want to ignore things. I seriously doubt Hanna will turn into the next Jordan Colmar.”
The comment had been meant to make Jason feel better, but it had the opposite effect. Had he listened to Darryl instead of dismissing his comments, he might have prevented Jordan from attacking Peter.
“I never thought Jordan would turn into Jordan.” He kept his gaze on their hands. Peter’s knuckles no longer had the constant bruises he’d gotten from training. “I think maybe we shouldn’t be so passive. Darryl’s probably right, if she really is homophobic, just being around us won’t change her.”
When Peter didn’t answer, Jason let the silence drag on. Peter might not say it, but as the older brother, the task of confronting Dean fell to him.
“Why the change of heart?”
“The risk of being wrong is too great.” He glanced down and noticed he’d been gently rubbing Peter’s knuckles. “Maybe she isn’t Jordan, but we don’t know who she hangs out with.”
Peter shifted in the seat and angled himself so he faced Jason. “What are you going to say to him?”
“I don’t know. Something.” Pushing up, he pulled Peter to his feet. “Let’s get going.”
Back on his feet, Peter leaned over and bumped shoulders. “Do you still want to go get coffee?”
“If you don’t mind, yeah I do.”
“It’s all good.” He started moving, gently tugging Jason with him. “I only asked because I know how you are when you’ve got a lot on your mind.”
Jason laughed. He stopped and let Peter’s momentum pull him around. When they were face to face, he stepped closer until they were inches apart. “And just how am I?”
He saw people approaching, so Jason moved them to the side.
“You like your space, and you like it quiet.” He gave a little laugh and shrugged. “Obviously I got at least one of those wrong.”
“Nope you’re totally right on both counts.” Jason snatched a quick kiss and made another attempt to make it to the Java Shack. “But I’m not going to let Hanna or Dean or whatever ruin tonight. We came out to celebrate. Not sit at home alone.”
“I don’t know.” He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked. “Sitting at home alone might not be so bad. Depends on where we sit and what we’re wearing—or not wearing.”
Be Sure To Check Out The Briefs Of These Other Flashers:
Follow all your favorite flashers and read the first 100 words on the group’s website:
Wednesday Briefs Website:
or click on the individual links below:
MA Church
Chris T. Kat
Jon Keys
LM Brown
Nephylim
Lily Sawyer
MC Houle
Grace Duncan
TC Collins
Larry Benjamin
Johanna
Cia Nordwell
Rob Colton
Jim Dunaway
Renee Stevens
Victoria Adams
Tali Spencer
E.S.
JC Wallace
Julie Lynn Hayes
May 2, 2014
Guest Author: Susan Mac Nicol – Double Alchemy Book Tour & Giveaway
Welcome Susan, it’s been a while since you last visited {Read it here} so start by telling everyone what you’ve been up to the last year.
*Sighs* I’ve been writing, doing tons of reading and just getting to grips with my publishing schedule. Unfortunately I also lost my day job in August last year so finding a new one has been a bit of a priority. The bright side of this is that I’ve had time at home to get all my WIP’s finished ahead of schedule. I’ve also been fortunate enough to get to meet some fans face to face and get involved with the Chipping Norton Literary Festival as a volunteer. Oh and possibly volunteering at the World Pole Dancing Championships, another passion of mine. Male Pole dancing that is, not watching the ladies. We have a group on Facebook with some of the hottest and most talented world champions as members.
You’ve been busy since last we chatted, before we get to Double Alchemy, talk briefly about what you published since Stripped Bare.Since Shane and Matthew made their appearance in Stripped Bare, I’ve had three other M/M releases – Saving Alexander, Worth Keeping and Waiting for Rain. They are all quite different. Saving Alexander has some BDSM elements, and an adult abuse theme. Worth Keeping was very much focused on child prostitution and abuse and Waiting for Rain was a more lighthearted romp through the trials and tribulations of hotel management in the countryside.
Double Alchemy is your latest work. I’ll include the blurb at the end, but talk a little about it now.
I had a yen to write something a little different as a paranormal novel than vampires and werewolves. As I love magic and Wicca, it seemed the place to focus was on wizardry and witchcraft. I also live in Essex not far from where the actual Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, a central character in the book was supposedly buried, so it made sense to write about something close to home. I wanted a modern day fairy tale almost of one rather arrogant Alpha male meeting his match in an unusual way and coming to realise that there is place in his life for love and romance.
I’ve referred to Double Alchemy as an Urban Fantasy, you refer to it as MM Paranormal Romance, but whatever it’s called, Double Alchemy is set in present day England and there’s magic involved. How much fun was it to recreate our world to fit your vision?
It was a huge amount of fun to recreate magyckal elements into a modern day setting and hide it among the normality and actions of everyday life. The world in Double Alchemy is much the same one as today but with an added layer of mystique that only the Feys can see. It’s the tantalising secrecy of having basements filled with magyckal paraphernalia and protected by spells; it’s the secret beings that live in the Hampstead Heath ponds; it’s the knowledge that outside of the vanilla world we see as humans, there’s another darker, more powerful one lurking beneath.
How much research did you do to create the magic elements in the book?
As I’m already very much into magic and witchcraft being a Wiccan, it was easy enough to take certain elements from the book and translate them into fiction. The magyck of Matthew Hopkins, as I’ve said, is something very close to home and the kind ladies and gents at the Mistley Museum were very obliging in filling in any gaps. They were honoured that I was writing about a local legend, even if he was a real person. I took a trip out to Mistley, took photos of the area, had tea in a local café and thoroughly enjoyed my research trip. I also had to do a lot of research into Taliesin -who he was, the legends surrounding him etc. It was quite an adventure learning all about this incredibly diverse historical character.
Where did the inspiration for Quinn and Cade come from?
I wanted Quinn to be a blond, tough Alpha male personality and Cade to be a dark, lean bundle of energy to indicate the opposites – light and dark. Who better to inspire Quinn than the gorgeous Daniel Craig as James Bond with his ruthlessness and inner hardness. And as for Cade, I fell completely in love with Éric Bélanger, the Canadian ice hockey player, and modelled Cade on him. I recreated my fantasy of seeing these two men together in my own characters J
Hempstead Heath is a rather famous park in London. Are there legends that you tapped into for Double Alchemy.
No, not for this story. There is a local legend that apparently Queen Boudicca is buried there on ‘Boudicca’s Mound’, near the men’s bathing pond, but that’s all it is – a local unsubstantiated legend. I chose to make up my own rather secretive race of Fey living in the waters of the pond.
What was the hardest part about creating a sub-culture to modern day London?
Making it believable in today’s time and not going too overboard and crazy with the imaginary world. The one thing I wanted to convey in this story was that life can appear so normal and yet there’s this undercurrent to the initiated that bubbles away and only shows itself when it wants to. Other than this, everyday life carries on, and most people are oblivious to the secret world in which Quinn lives. I wanted the two worlds to be blurred as opposed to being too evidently different.
Tell us something interesting that is not in the blurb?Hmm. Okay Quinn is bisexual but he decided a long time ago that he preferred the company of men in his sex life. There is a very strong female character in his background and it is definitely NOT his mother. Valensia is a pretty tough and ruthless character, just like him. She is more prevalent in book 2. And Cade is not enamored of Mary, the witch helping Quinn with his quest in finding the Witchfinder General. You know that saying ‘There’s Something About Mary’?
What have you read lately that most people haven’t read but should?
I actually read a beautiful story from TJ Klune called ‘Bear, Otter and the Kid’. It was such a heart- warming tale, with the three central characters so lovingly developed and their story so rich and emotional, that I think everyone should read TJ’s book.
Since there is always another story to tell, what are you working on now?
I’m writing a six book series called Men in London. It starts off with the story of Gideon Trent and Eddy Luca. Gideon is the manager of his own restaurant, Galileo’s, set in the heart of Soho in London. Gideon used to be a top chef until he was injured in a house fire and lost his sense of smell and taste. He’s a purist and now feels he can’t cook anymore the way he wants to. He brings Eddy on board and isn’t too thrilled when this younger man is able to do everything Gideon wishes he could do which is create delicious food for his customers. So there’s some tension there but hopefully it all works out for the best J Of course in the first book I’ll be introducing the next set of characters for Book 2. I haven’t decided who they are yet, I still have a lot of planning to do. I’m also working with fellow author Sue Brown on what I call a ‘factional’ book which is a fictional book based on fact. It’s the story of Joe Leistman, a man who was sexually abused as a teenager by his scoutmaster and whose story is part of the whole ‘Boy scouts Perversion Files’.
Last question is all yours – feel free to talk about anything you want your readers to know about you, your book, anything at all.
Right. Well, most people won’t know I was once accosted in the street as someone thought I was a prostitute. I wasn’t, I promise. It was my first job in the city and I got ost and was walking the pavements trying to find my way back to work. I lived in a commune with gay men for a while, who treated me like a little sister but ate all my damn food, and I got pneumonia because I lived on pickles for a week and wasn’t taking care of myself. I’ve been on the radio talking about my personal fan crush Benedict Cumberbatch (no secret there) and I got compared to EL James in the local newspapers when my first book was released. I actually went to my local supermarket and found a huge billboard announcing such outside. I was mortified but thrilled.
Thanks for being my guest, now it’s time to plug your work –
Blurb:
Powerful yet tormented warlock Quinn Fairmont must initiate the silver-eyed Cade Mairston into the world of witchfinders, Withinners, and what can happen when two men fall truly, madly, deeply in love.
THE WORLD IN SHADOW
In modern London,, there lurks a warlock. Quinn Fairmont. Dangerous, powerful, tortured. Sharing his body with the soul of an ancient Welsh sorcerer, Quinn is never alone—and never wholly himself. He fights against all those who would exploit his kind. He also takes pleasure where he can find it.
In the forest of Hampstead Heath, Quinn’s hometown, Cade Mairston appears like a waking dream. Lithe, lean and silver-eyed, he evokes feelings in Quinn unlike any other: along with lust comes true affection, immediate and shocking. Cade is clearly more than he seems. And yet, though a man of the world, Cade knows nothing of warlocks, witchfinders or Withinners. He knows nothing of what he is, what he might be, what he might feel. For him, the story is just beginning, and magyck, peril and passion await.
Giveaway:
Click the Rafflecopter Link to enter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Buy Links:
Amazon.com: Double Alchemy eBook: Susan Mac Nicol: Kindle Store
Double Alchemy eBook: Susan Mac Nicol: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store
http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/double-alchemy
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/421369
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html
Excerpt:
It was around eight in the evening when Quinn finally got to the houseboat and saw Cade sitting outside on the deck, Marco Polo on his lap. The dim lights from the bridle path alongside the canal shone faintly. The cat lifted his head and purred as Quinn approached. He scratched its head fondly.
“Hello, Marco. Have you been keeping this man of mine company?” He leaned down and kissed Cade.
“You taste of whisky,” Cade murmured softly, winding his arms around Quinn’s neck and pulling him down for a deeper kiss.
Quinn laughed. “I had a quick drink with Mary before she left.” He sat down and pulled a chair up beside Cade. He’d not missed the sudden stiffening of Cade’s body and he sighed inwardly.
What had he done now? Would he ever understand this man?
“Where do witches go when they leave then?” Cade asked curiously as his hands stroked Quinn’s arm idly.
Quinn was bemused at the question. “I imagine her place in Chelsea, that’s where she lives. There isn’t a magyckal departure lounge, Cade. She doesn’t just go poof in a puff of smoke and disappear.” He grinned. “You’ve been watching too much TV.”
Cade stood, up, brushed the cat off his lap and stormed inside. Quinn gazed after him in exasperation, surprised at the violence of Cade’s reaction to his words.
What the hell have I said now? Jesus, it’s like being with a ticking time bomb.
He got to his feet and wandered inside, seeing Cade at the far window, gazing out into the dark water. “What the hell did I say? Why are you so bloody angry with me?”
Cade turned and Quinn saw the look on his face, a look of vulnerability he’d wasn’t used to seeing. He moved closer to his boyfriend, drawing him into his arms, feeling his resistance then his surrender as he folded into him like a softly spread bedsheet.
“Please tell me what’s wrong,” Quinn said gently.
Cade’s voice was muffled when he replied. “I just feel so useless because I don’t know how it all works. I know nothing about who I am and how I got that way. I don’t know what I can do or what being a Sprite is all about. It’s very confusing and I really don’t know what to make it of it all. I don’t want to ask you all my questions yet because you have enough on your mind but I have so many.” He turned his head and gazed out over the water. “And here you are facing all these dangers and I can’t do anything to help you. And then you have perky little Mary being privy to stuff I don’t even know about. It just gets my goat, that’s all.”
Quinn smiled softly as he nuzzled Cade’s coconut-fragranced hair. “I want to keep you out of danger, not put you in it. And I know you have a lot of questions and I’ll answer what I can whenever you ask. And besides, you are helping me. You’re my reason, the one I want to be with when it all gets too much and the ghosts from the past come calling.” His face shadowed. “You don’t know what it means to me to be able to do that. You’re my soulmate, Cade.” He kissed the top of Cade’s head softly, holding him tighter.
Cade looked up at him, his eyes uncertain. “I am?”
Quinn nodded. “You are. And more. I knew it from the moment I met you in the woods.” He kissed him ardently, feeling Cade’s mouth give way beneath his, hearing his soft sigh of satisfaction as he kissed him back.
When finally he released him, Quinn murmured in Cade’s ear. “Perky little Mary? Do I sense a tinge of jealousy there?” He enjoyed a great sense of satisfaction in being able to provoke such a reaction in this man, to know that he felt this strongly about him to be this way. “I told you: I’m not interested in women anymore. Especially now I have you.”
“She’s very perky, in many ways,” was Cade’s muttered response. “And very beautiful. And a witch to boot. That’s a lot to compete with if you ever decided to bat for both teams again. And I don’t trust her. I don’t know why.”
Quinn lifted his face to his fiercely. “There is no competition; you’re the one I want. I could never feel this way about anyone else.”
Cade lifted his head and Quinn saw his eyes studying his face with an intensity that made him shiver in pleasurable anticipation.
“Then I guess you’d better prove that to me, hadn’t you?” Cade whispered as he pulled Quinn into the cabin. “And I can be a very hard person to convince, so you’ll have your work cut out for you.”
Quinn chuckled as Cade pulled his tee shirt over his head and began to unzip his trousers. “I’m sure I can manage that.” He slid his hands inside Cade’s shirt, touching warm skin and hearing him gasp. “And Mary’s not the only thing that’s perky tonight, I can promise you.”
Bio:
Sue Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. The first year Sue was back in the UK, it snowed on her birthday, as it did the day she was born in 19*coughs* and she swears this was England welcoming her back.
Sue’s career has mostly been in the financial services area and she specialises in what she calls ‘boring’ compliance and regulatory work. That’s why she escapes into the world of writing and fantasy where she chats to her characters ad nauseum and is overjoyed when they reply. It beats the monotony of legalese, contracts and legislation and let’s face it, writing hot scenes between men can only be rewarding.
Sue is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She is also a member of a rather unique writing group called the Talliston Writers Circle, whose ‘creator’ is a man who is both a Bard and a Shaman. It makes for a really interesting evening and dinner conversation. She lives in the quaint village of Bocking in Essex, set in the countryside and not far from the sea should she get the yen to eat oysters.
Social Media Links
Susan Mac Nicol
Twitter – @SusanMacnicol7
Blog Tour Info:
Praise for Double Alchemy
“I love Paranormal stories & I’m a huge fan of Susan Mac Nicol’s M/M books. In this book, she brings both genres together & gives us this amazing story. With her master storytelling, she takes us into the mystical & magical world of Witches, Warlocks, Withinners & Feys. A world where danger lurks in the shadows.” – Maria Recchia
“I stayed up all night reading this story. Susan has a way of writing that is different than anyone else. She’s uniquely brilliant at weaving a tale that brings out my emotions. I have laughed in every one of her stories. That’s incredible for me. Not just a smile, but a laugh. I love that. This book needs to be read. You won’t be disappointed.” - Author Kindle Alexander
Praise for Susan Mac Nicol
“We have to re-iterate that this Author will always be an automatic one-click for us. Her writing is flawless and her flawed characters are completely lovable. There’s always something quirky and fun in her stories as well as drama, angst and heaps of passion! We can highly recommend!!” – Gitte & Jenny – Totally Booked Blog
“Susan has been hailed as a genius writer of male/male literature. Her Saving Alexander has been nominated for several awards and has been reviewed widely. Congrats on all your success, Susan. You have earned it.” – Gay Lit Authors
Tour Stops:
Monday 21st April, 2014– Virtual Writers (interview) & Serendipity Reviews (review and character interview)
Tuesday 22nd April, 2014– Charlie Cochet (interview) & Robin Kalinich (guest post)
Wednesday 23rd April, 2014– MM Good Book Reviews (review and guest post) & Kirsty Vizard (interview) & The Blogger Girls (interview)
Thursday 24th April, 2014– Gay List Book Reviews (review and guest post) & Mandie Foxylutely (guest post and review) & Sarah Madison (interview)
Friday 25th April, 2014– Mrs Condit & Friends (review and guest post) & Janet Wrenn (guest post)
Saturday 26th April, 2014– Zipper Rippers (guest post) Kathryn Lively All Romance Café (guest post)
Sunday 27th April, 2014– In the Pages of a Good Book (promo post) & Twitter Interview at 6pm UK time
Monday 28th April, 2014 – Scott from Gay Guy Reading (guest post and review) & Joyfully Jay (original excerpt)
Tuesday 29th April, 2014 – Cup o Porn (guest post) & Scuttlebutt Reviews (guest post & review)
Wednesday 30th April, 2014 – Melanie from Fangfreakintastic (guest post) & A Reader Review (guest post and review)
Thursday 1st May, 2014 – Tracey’s Vampy and Racey Book Blog (review and guest post) & A Novel Approach (guest post) & Smile Somebody Loves You (promo post)
Friday 2nd May, 2014 – Susan’s Site & Lynda K Scott (guest post)
Saturday 3rd May, 2014 – Sophie Sansregret (review and guest post) & Andrew Q Gordon (interview)
Sunday 4th May, 2014 – Tammy Middleton (review and guest post) & I Smell Sheep (guest post and review)
April 22, 2014
Wednesday Briefs: Second Shot – The Senior Year – 29
Second Shot – The Senior Year: Chapter 29
The enticing smell of fresh bread and marinara sauce struck Jason’s sense the moment he walked into La Scala’s. Several people waited in front of them, so he glanced around hoping Dean and Hanna had already been seated. He didn’t want a confrontation in the lobby.
Then again, having one in the main restaurant sounded worse. The couple in front of him gave their name and stepped aside. He approached the hostess stand and immediately recognized the woman staring intently at the book on the podium.
“Hi, Denise.”
“May I help you?” When she looked up from the book her all business expression was replaced by shock. “Jason! What happened to your eye?”
He raised his hand to his eye and noticed several people around them turn in his direction. “I got in the way of an elbow during the game today.”
“Wow, that must’ve hurt. It hurts me just looking at it.”
With her attention focused on him, Jason felt the heat building in his cheeks. “It looks a lot worse than it feels.”
“I hope you’re telling the truth, for your sake.” She scanned the waiting area. “Where’s Peter?”
Jason hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “He’s in the men’s room.”
Denise nodded and checked the page in front of her. “Erin moved things around so your table is next to your brother’s. They’re seated already.”
He tried not to frown. “Thanks.”
“What? That wasn’t what you wanted?”
“No, no. That’s great. I’m just not sure I want to be that close to my brother while he’s on a date is all.”
“A double date, how sweet.”
“Yeah, kinda.” Next time Peter suggested they do anything like this, he didn’t get to run off to the bathroom.
“Hey,” Smiling, Peter walked over and slid his hand into Jason’s. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I ran into Erin on the way back.”
Denise moved from behind the stand and gave Peter a hug. “Good to see you again. It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, well the trial was last week….”
“I know. The entire staff let out a cheer when she called to tell us the verdict.”
Jason watched Peter’s face closely looking for any sign of discomfort. Moving closer, he reconnected their hands and squeezed.
Denise lowered her eyes toward their wrists for a split second and smiled a bit wider. “Come on, let me take you to your table.”
Jason’s stomach churned as he noticed people staring at them as they walked through the restaurant. He’d gotten better about holding hands in public, but it still made him anxious. Of course it could be his eye. But the real issue for him was where they’d be sitting.
They rounded a corner and he saw the back of his brother’s head. Dean was seated across from a very pretty brown haired girl that had to be Hanna.
Focusing on her face, Jason watched her staring intently at their joined hands. Her lips pinched tighter and he felt like she was shooting daggers at them. From the way Peter’s hand gripped his, Jason assumed Peter saw her reaction too.
Dean twisted in his seat to see what captured his date’s attention and his face went from confused, to a smile that lasted barely an instant and finally into a frown. Jason met his brother’s angry glare briefly, and then looked ahead as Denise stopped in front of their table.
“Jason, what are you doing here?” Dean’s icy voice stung at Jason’s conscious.
“Having dinner. I told you Pete and I had plans.” He glanced at Peter and noticed his boyfriend had a laser locked focus on Hanna. He let go of Peter’s hand and held it out toward Hanna. “Hi. I’m Jason, Dean’s brother.”
Hanna’s eyes opened a bit wider and a fake smile appeared on her lips. “Oh wow, Dean talks so much about you.”
They shook hands briefly and Jason tried to make her insincere smile with one of his own. “Nice to meet you, too.”
“Dean told me about what happened to your eye. Does it hurt?”
“I’ve had worse. And it only hurts when I laugh, so I plan to be like one of those guards in England who never smile.”
She giggled, and it felt like the first honest reaction he’d gotten from her. “That’s funny.”
“Hanna, this is my boyfriend, Peter.” He stepped back and didn’t hear the exchange between the two.
Dean seemed tense as he watched Peter and Hanna exchange greetings. He snuck a glance at Jason and then quickly turned his attention to the menu.
Jason let the awkward exchange continued for a few more seconds before he spoke.
“Nice to have met you, Hanna,” he said, stepping closer to Peter hoping he’d get the hint. “We’ll leave you two alone.”
Peter moved first and surprised Jason when he took the seat on the same side as Dean. It only took a second for him to realize his boyfriend wanted to sit where he could see Hanna. His dinner date had turned into the nightmare he feared.
He felt Peter staring a hole in him, but Jason concentrated on the menu. If they had just stuck to his plans and gone somewhere else this wouldn’t have happened.
Their waiter came and started to fill the water glasses. The guy stopped pouring and raised his eyebrows when he saw Jason’s black eye. Without a word, he looked down and topped off Jason’s glass.
So far their night was off to an amazing start. The waiter, a smile back on his face, took their drink order and left. Jason finally looked at his date.
“Are you okay?” Peter reached across the table with his left hand.
Jason nodded as he laid his right hand in Peter’s. “Yep.”
“Really?”
“Nope.”
“Didn’t think so.” Peter squeezed gently but never let go. “Are you mad at me?”
It took him a moment to sort out his feelings. “No, but I wish we’d gone somewhere else.”
“Then you’re mad.”
Keeping his voice down, he closed his eyes and shook his head. “No, not mad. I wish you’d been wrong and I guess I wished we didn’t have to ruin our night to find out.”
Peter added put his other hand on the table and Jason smiled as he took it. “It’s only ruined if we let it, Soccer Boy.”
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April 20, 2014
Easter ’14
We’re almost to the point where ‘lil q is hip to all the holidays. Despite mentioning it several time that the Easter Bunny was coming today, he needed a bit of prompting to remember. But once she did, she was all into it. So after getting up we put on our bunny ears (that didn’t even make it down the stairs before they fell off) and down to look for our basket, then breakfast. (Yes, I let her have chocolate before we ate, I’m not a total ogre. )
Grandma sent her a basket of goodies that we opened and no shock this was her favorite.
We’re off to here other grandma’s today, so more pictures tomorrow.
April 15, 2014
Wednesday Briefs: Second Shot – The Senior Year – 28
Staring into his closet, Jason realized how long it had been since he and Peter had gone on a real date. Sure they’d gone out alone, but nothing like a real dress up date in months. Sadly this date wouldn’t be only about them.
“You going to decide what to wear some time tonight, Soccer Boy?” Peter’s use of that old nick-name made Jason smile.
“It’s not every day I get a date with a really hot guy. Can you blame me for wanting to look good?”
“You don’t need to put on clothes for that, you look really good already.”
“I’m not sure, but I think we won’t get seated for dinner if I show up in jut my white boxer-briefs.”
“Yeah, but your ass and legs make them look amazing.” Peter moved closer and slipped his hands around Jason’s waist. Pulling gently he brought their bodies together and rested his head on Jason’s right shoulder. “I’ll bet they look just as good from the front.”
Peter’s warm breath tickled Jason’s ear and had an instant effect. “If you keep that up, we won’t have to worry about what the restaurant thinks.”
Reaching around, Peter squeezed his boyfriend’s already hard cock and then stepped back. “Save it for when we get home.”
“That’s so not fair.” He tried to adjust himself, but it didn’t help. “You make us go out tonight and then after getting me worked up, you tell me to save it for later”
“I like knowing I have an effect on you.” He stood next to Jason and selected a white shirt with red and blue stripes. “Here, wear this. It looks good on you.”
“Have I ever not reacted to you?” Removing the shirt from the hanger, Jason put it on.
“Not a single time since we met, but it’s still always nice to see it happen.” Peter leaned over and kissed Jason’s cheek. “Does it help if I’m in the same state myself?”
“Not really, but you’re right, it is nice to know I still have an effect on you.”
“Mhmm, Soccer Boy, and you always will.”
The discussion wasn’t helping him ‘go down.’ “Are you sure we need to go? Can’t we go out ourselves and talk to Dean tomorrow?”
“I won’t push you into going, Jase, but we’ll get a more honest reaction if we show up unannounced.”
“We can go.” He knew Peter’s idea made sense, but pretending to meet Dean and Hanna at the restaurant ‘by accident’ didn’t totally sit well with him. First he expected Dean to get mad. But the bigger problem was what would happen if Hanna didn’t react well.
“Don’t sound so excited.”
Grabbing a pair of navy pants, he turned to face his boyfriend. With his khakis and pale blue oxford, Peter made it very difficult for Jason to want to leave. “Have I mentioned how good you look dressed up?”
He wiggled his eyes for effect.
“Every time I wear something even kinda dressy.” He winked and sat on the edge of the bed. “But that doesn’t answer why you don’t sound excited.”
Slipping the belt through the loops of his pants, Jason picked up his socks and joined Peter on the bed. “I’m not sure I’m going to say this right, but here goes. Let’s say she doesn’t like me–us–and then let’s suppose Dean decides to keep dating her, then what?”
The smile on Peter’s face disappeared. “Then you have a talk with your brother and explain things to him.”
“Explain what? That his girlfriend isn’t very gay friendly?”
“C’mon, Jase. You know that isn’t what I mean.”
“I know, but that’s my point.” He took a deep breath and stared at the hardwood floors. “I don’t think that just because he keeps dating her, I need to get mad at him.”
“Of course you do!” Peter got up. “This is not like him telling you he doesn’t like pepperoni pizza. You’re his brother, he needs….”
“Calm down, Pete.” Jason grabbed his boyfriend’s hand and pulled him back down. “You act like Dean’s already done something.”
After staring at Jason for a second, Peter started to laugh. “Okay, fair enough.”
He rubbed Peter’s hand before letting it go. “Hopefully it won’t come to that. I’d rather not go there with the mindset that we’re there to confirm something. Let’s just go have dinner with them and see.”
“But if it does happen, you can’t just let it go.”
“I don’t see it that way–”
“Jase–”
“–let me finish.” He waited until Peter nodded to continue. “I know Dean. Even if she’s not gay friendly, that’s not going to turn my brother against me. I guess at some point he’d need to make a choice, but for now, I don’t think I need to make a big deal of this. If it happens, I think fairly soon he’ll figure it out and do the right thing. She won’t be welcome here, the team, well most of the team, won’t welcome her or him if she’s with him. My parents won’t be happy and I know my grandparents won’t want her in their house for Christmas or any other holiday. My point is that if we force him to dump her, he may or may not do it, but if he does, he’ll resent me – and more specifically you. But if he figures it out on his own, well….”
Jason shrugged, hoping he made sense. When he glanced over, Peter appeared deep in thought. One thing he’d learned in the almost two years they’d been dating, Peter needed time to work it through himself. Saying more at this point wouldn’t help.
Finally Peter nodded and met Jason’s anxious gaze. “Okay, I get it. I don’t totally agree with you, but I understand. But just so I’m clear, if Hanna isn’t gay friendly, she isn’t welcome here or anywhere else we go, right?”
“Pretty much. I mean she won’t be welcome at the house and while we don’t usually give out invitations to dinner meet ups or parties, we can make it clear to Dean he and his girlfriend aren’t welcome.”
Peter smiled again and took Jason’s hand in his. “Now that we’ve settled that, where was I? Oh, yeah. I remember.”
When Peter tried to slide a hand onto Jason’s crotch, he stood up. “No way! I just calmed down. Save for when we get home.”
“Oh, I will, Soccer Boy.’ Peter winked at him again. “Count on it.”
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April 8, 2014
Wednesday Briefs: Second Shot – The Senior Year – 27
Okay so it’s been a hot minute since I last wrote this story line, but I think I’m going to keep to it of a bit now while I finish up, My Guardian Angel is a Cockblocker. For those reading that one, I’ve not forgotten it, but I need time to finish it AND get it all edited a bit so I can turn it into an eBook. So give me a few weeks and I’ll get it done. In the mean time, hopefully you’ll enjoy a return to this. -AQG
The bus jostled and the icepack rubbed against Jason’s already sore eye. He’d played nearly fifteen years and never got a black eye like this one. Maybe Darryl was right and the other teams had marked him this year. The defender had, however, seemed genuinely sorry, especially when he and his teammates came over to check on him after the game. The game they lost because Jason scored three times.
“Are you sure they weren’t trying to take you out?” Darryl sat in the seat next to him, just like he’d done since freshmen year. “I mean, that’s some shiner.”
“You saw it better then I could.” Jason shifted the bag and sat up. “I didn’t feel the hate.”
Matt twisted in his seat. The lone junior among seniors, he was a shoe in to be the next team captain. “Nah, they weren’t like that. I was watching them for some sign.”
“Ready to charge in like my defender in shining armor?” When he smiled it hurt, but he couldn’t take it back.
“Fuck no! Peter would kick my ass if I tried to take over his role.” Matt’s smile spoke of how comfortable he was with Jason having a boyfriend. He knew there were some on the team who didn’t approve, but with people like Matt and Darryl on his side – and Blake’s – no one was going to say anything.
“Did you tell Pete you got hurt?” Darryl asked.
“No.” He probably should, but he knew what would happen.
“He’ll be upset either way.” Darryl shrugged. “It’s your choice, but tell him now, he won’t be mad you kept it from him.”
Jason held up his hand. “No phone. It’s in my bag.”
“Oh right, I forgot it’s inaccessible.” Darryl stood up and pulled Jason’s bag down from the overhead bin. “Well, well, well. Look what I found.”
He started to toss the heavy black bag across the seat, but stopped short and pulled it back when Jason took the icepack off his face. “Whoa, sorry, Jase.”
“No foul, no harm.” He returned the cold bag to his already numb face.
“I’ve got my phone.” Matt pulled a white iPhone from his sweatpants pocket and pointed it at Jason. “Take the ice down and I’ll take a few pictures.”
For an instant he thought about saying no, but slowly lowered his left hand.
“Say ‘cheese.’” Matt snapped off four quick pictures. It might have been five, but Jason lost track after the second flash.
He didn’t need to look at the pictures to know he’d glared the entire time. Peter was going to freak.
“Can we not send him one of those? I’m sure I looked angry and that won’t help Pete’s mood.”
Matt swiped the screen left to right a few times then right to left. “Yeah, we should probably retake these. He might end up chasing us down on his bike.”
“Just give me a few, I’m still seeing spots from those.” He gently placed the ice back on his face. “I hope this doesn’t look too ugly. We were going out to eat tonight.”
“Great. What about Dean and me? What are we supposed to eat?”
With the pack over his left eye, Jason couldn’t see Darryl, but he knew what he’d see if he could. “Lose the fake scowl, D. Your problem is Pete spoils you with his cooking.”
“Me? You’re the one who whines the most when someone else at the house cooks.”
“Yeah, but he’s my boyfriend. I’m allowed to like him to cook for me. Besides, you’re on your own tonight. Dean’s got a date.”
“A date?” Darryl’s voice told Jason something didn’t sit well with his best friend. “With who?”
“Hanna. They’ve been dating for a week now.” With his one good eye, Jason saw Matt staring at Darryl. Taking the ice away, he turned to his left. “What’s wrong with Dean dating Hanna?”
“He didn’t tell you, did he?” Darryl peered down the dark aisle toward the front.
Sitting up a bit straighter, Jason tried to locate his brother in the crowd. “That’s a stupid question. Tell me what?”
Matt and Darryl looked at each other again until Darryl sighed. “Hanna isn’t the most gay friendly person on campus.”
“What’s that mean?” Clearly something happened that no one had mentioned. “What’s going on?”
Shaking his head, Darryl crossed his arms and sat back. “That’s for him to tell you.”
“Seriously?” Jason waved the icepack spraying water on himself and Darryl. “You drop a bomb on me, then when I ask you to explain, you tell me it’s not your place to say? That’s bs, man.”
Darryl glanced to his left. When Matt shrugged, Darryl let his hands drop into his lap. “She and Dean were at dinner and Ethan and Blake walked over, holding hands. When they left, she said something like she didn’t understand how he could be okay with a gay teammate.”
Jason felt like someone kicked him in the gut. He felt the cold on his thigh and absently brought it back to his face. “Oh.”
He stared straight ahead and no one spoke. Darryl probably knew he’d need a moment to sort things out. “How’d you find out?”
“Dean told me because he wanted my advice. Not that he followed it.”
“What did you tell him?” He had an idea given his friend’s reaction.
“Just what you think I’d say, that she won’t change.”
He closed his good eye and rested his head against the seat. If Dean knew what she’d said and he still went out with her, he must believe she…he didn’t know what Dean thought. Yes he did, Dean thought Hanna was hot.
“You gonna say something?” Matt asked.
“No.”
“You need to.” He heard Darryl shift in his seat. “Jase, I never pushed you with Jordan and I should have. I’m not saying Hanna is anything like him, but if I hadn’t bitten my tongue maybe things…maybe he wouldn’t have cared about you and Peter enough to act.”
“You can’t compare Jordan to Hanna, we barely know her.” The ice back shifted causing him a twinge of pain and he tossed it to the ground. Darryl bent over and picked it up.
“Keep it on, it helps.” Once Jason reapplied it to his face, Darryl continued. “I agree we don’t know her that well, but don’t do what I did. Don’t ignore what your gut tells you is true. She isn’t going to magically change. Think of how difficult it was to be friends with Jordan and me. Always trying to balance the two, keep the peace, defend one to the other. That’s what Dean is going to end up dealing with. Only he’ll be doing it with his brother and his girlfriend, not two friends.”
What Darryl said made sense, but he barely knew Hanna. And since Dean hadn’t confided in him, how did he approach it anyway? Peter might have a suggestion.
“Send one of those pictures to Pete, Matt.”
“Are you sure?” Matt looked at his phone then back at Jason.
“Yep, I’m sure. I want to talk to him and seeing one of those will get him to call me right away.”
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April 5, 2014
A Month of Pictures
I should be writing – I’ve got some quiet time after all – but instead I’m going over pictures. And since technically the captions count as writing, I figured I’d do this instead this morning. :)
Okay – I might have over done it, but I had a lot of good stuff to work with.
April 2, 2014
Let’s Talk About Sex – A Roundtable Discussion (With Giveaway) – Part II
I was asked by my friend and fellow author, Larry Benjamin, to participate in a discussion about sex in MM Fiction. The other authors taking part are WS Long and Hans Hirschi. Debbie McGowan, author, editor and publisher of Beaten Track Publishing agree to act as a moderator. Today is Part II Below is a snippet from the conversation, but be sure to click on the link to Deb’s site and enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post. We’re giving away 5 ebooks and a $30.00 Amazon gift card.
DM: Welcome back gentlemen. Let’s just dive in and pick up where we left off, shall we?
What’s your approach to writing sex?
WSL: The sex scenes should propel the story, involve the characters at that moment. That’s the only reason to include it. If the sex doesn’t add to the plot then don’t add it.
HH: I try to be as realistic about it as possible. I’ve read far too many books to know that some writers have no clue what they’re talking about and some of the sex scenes I’ve read were pure fantasy.
AQG: Typical for me is to get them to the bed, get them naked, have some playful banter that is a prelude to sex, but when it gets to more than kissing, groping, fondling, undressing, I generally fade to black. I will also at times add ‘after’ scenes. These would be where one character makes a comment about being too sore to walk, their jaw is sore, they ran out of condoms, etc. I’m not opposed to letting folks know what I see the characters preferred role or what they like, but detailing it in a ‘blow-by-blow’ account is not my approach.
LB: Here, I’ll have to agree with WS; the sex only belongs on page if it propels the story or illuminates something about the characters that adds a dimension to them. Otherwise I think it can be led up to, then fade to black. When I write sex I try to make it realistic—the marathon sex sessions and positions requiring acrobatic agility in some books leaves me puzzled. When I write, I try to make the words beautiful and there is always a rhythm in my head. I try to keep that going through the sex scenes so it seems part of the story rather than a scene inserted randomly.
Click here to be taken to Deb’s blog for the full discussion and to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post.
To see a list of eBooks being given away, you can see the list here:
March 31, 2014
Let’s Talk About Sex – A Roundtable Discussion (With Giveaway)
I was asked by my friend and fellow author, Larry Benjamin, to participate in a discussion about sex in MM Fiction. The other authors taking part are WS Long and Hans Hirschi. Debbie McGowan, author, editor and publisher of Beaten Track Publishing agree to act as a moderator. Below is a snippet from the conversation, but be sure to click on the link to Larry’s site and enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post. We’re giving away 5 ebooks and a $30.00 Amazon gift card.
DM: In your books, do you have on/off page sex? Why?
WSL: In my book, Love and Murder, and, in another work in progress, the sex is on the page. I don’t think gay men should be ashamed to have sex explored on page as long as, in my opinion, the sex adds to the story and sex depicted involves consenting men. If the book is coming of age, or coming out, then it’s probably more age appropriate not to depict sex on the page. It really depends on the target audience your book or story is designed.
HH: Yes, there are sex scenes in all my books, some more detailed than others. I add them where I deem they are necessary to carry the story forward. It’s not a topic I shy away from, but it’s also not something I specifically add to attract a certain clientèle of readers who look for M/M romance novels.
AQG: For the most part, any sex in my stories is off page. And even the on page ‘scenes’ are rarely explicit. Hardly more than letting the reader know the characters are naked and aroused.
There are two basic reasons for this approach. The first is very personal – as in specific to my situation, not private. As a parent, and a gay parent with a husband, I know that at some point my daughter is going to read my work. Unlike a female writer who has kids, detailed sex scenes could never plant the – “I wonder if that is what my parents do in private” question in their child’s mind. Perhaps it’s silly on my part, but I do not want my daughter to read a detailed sex scene I’ve written and wonder if that is what her parents do/did. There isn’t enough bleach in the world to erase that image from her mind.
The other reason is also specific to me, but this is a personal preference. I don’t really enjoy on page sex scenes when I read. They are rarely arousing and often seem gratuitous. I’m happy to imagine what happens after we fade to black. Keeping the sex off page gives a bit more license for a reader to connect to the characters by placing them in whatever ‘roles’ or situations the reader wants. That might just be me again, but I write the way I like to read.
LB: It depends on the book, on the story; I’ve done both. In What Binds Us, there isn’t a lot of sex that plays out in the pages. It’s certainly implied and led up to but not actually described. That was a conscious decision on my part because I wanted that book to focus on the emotional side of the characters’ romance. In Damaged Angels, it varied – I discovered it was hard to have a hustler as a main character and not describe the sex. Unbroken probably has the most explicit sex I have written so far. Again that was a conscious decision on my part. It is part coming of age novel, part romance so it wouldn’t have been authentic not to describe Lincoln’s sex life as he grew into manhood.
HH: I’m not surprised to read Andy’s point of view, even though I don’t share it. In fact, being a father myself, it never even struck me that our son (or anyone else who knows us for that matter) would picture me and my husband in any of those scenes, not even my autobiographically inspired novel. Besides, I think it’s great if children get a bit of extra sexual education from books, saves me the explanation. The real point though is that unless you write explicit M/M romance/erotica, the sex isn’t about arousal, it’s about moving the story forward, and unless it serves that purpose it’s as unnecessary as a car chase or a walk in the park…
DM: I find Andy’s point about keeping the sex ‘off-page’ really interesting. Readers tend to look for the author within their work. It’s quite a paradox really, as writing intimate, moving sex scenes does seem to necessitate having some notion of how these things work. So I have to ask each of you, how much of yourself is in your writing? Do your characters share your traits?
AQG: I think every character – even the ‘evil’ ones – have some whiff of me in them. Be it a stray thought, a like, a dislike, a mannerism. Some have more than others. But overall, I have a lot of me in my writing because I try to write what I know, and that by necessity means I’ve used more a than just a bit of me in my work.
LB: Like Andy, I think there’s at least a little of me most of my character. Certainly Lincoln in Unbroken is a lot like me—well he’s a lot better looking but personality wise he’s very much me. Further, I think there’s me in the characters who are not at all like me because they are often based on peole I’ve met or know. My mother certainly appears a lot.
Click here to be taken to Larry’s blog for the full discussion and to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post.
To see a list of eBooks being given away, you can see the list here:
