Cameron D. James's Blog, page 34

Book Review: Twisted

Twisted

Joey Jameson

Imagine another person,

the mirror-image of you but yet different in every way…

Everly and Hadley Stone are identical twins.

Growing up the boys were inseperable, always at each other’s side and experiencing everything together as one. It seemed like nothing was strong enough to break the bond between the two brothers.

Until now…

On the eve of their birthday the twins meet a man who is literally to die-for, causing them both to fall helplessly at his feet.

But what any unsuspecting man should know, is that wherever the Stone brothers go, trouble follows.

Their story is one of secrets and lies which will have you guessing till the brutal end who’s good, and who’s very, very bad.

Light or dark? Sweet or sexy? Quiet or confident?

Innocent or deadly.

Pick your flavour.

Twisted was a very intriguing read, even beyond the erotic appeal of smoking hot twins. Everly and Hadley share what seems to be an almost X-Files-like connection. They can sometimes sense each other’s thoughts — whether they’re actually doing that or if it’s just the innate “twintuition” the boys mention is never quite clear, though the ambiguity of it adds to the mystery. And there’s the occasional instance in which one brother will suffer an injury and the other brother will spontaneously suffer the identical injury.

All of this, plus the dark cloud of tragedy that seems to follow the boys wherever they go, is laid out in a rapid-fire opening that flips through the twins’ childhood. The tension and mystery are high, grabbing the reader’s attention and holding on to it until long after that gripping opening has played out.

Following the opening, the book evolves into a rather normal m/m erotic romance, with the presence of twins being an obvious exception. Both twins are attracted to a man named Kyle, and it seems Kyle is attracted to both twins. And while it seems almost expected, given the premise, the eventual threesome with Kyle and the twins was insanely erotic.

And in the fallout of the threesome is where the sinister X-Files style plot picks up again. This last segment pulls the reader in as much, or more than, the opening. And the final pages, where the secrets are finally revealed, make for a thrilling end.

As a reader, I felt quite drawn to the mysterious, almost metaphysical, connection between Everly and Hadley, and was a little disappointed that it wasn’t explored further in this book. However, the revelations in the gripping ending leave the door open for a follow-up novel, in which the darker natures of these brothers could be more fully explored. After all, the brothers definitely have a score to settle with each other after the events of Twisted.

—

Joey Jameson, author of Twisted, was my Erotic Voices interview guest a few weeks back — click here to check it out!

Erotic Voices: JT Hall

For this week’s Erotic Voices, we have gay erotica author JT Hall!

Tell us about your latest release.

I’m trying to put out short fiction as I work on longer projects. Out on September 1 my first gay erotica short fiction will be published, entitled “The Foreman.” This story features a young man, Tim, who has a hopeless crush on his boss at the construction site where he’s just been hired. Tim worries that if the man finds out, he’ll be fired. What he finds instead, however, is that the foreman knows how to fix more things than just houses. There is an element of domination and submission in this story along with some light BDSM, but overall it’s a fun read.

I also have heterosexual and lesbian short fiction already out there.

 

What’s the most difficult part of writing a sex scene?

The weird thing is that I never had trouble writing sex. This may be because I’ve always felt very comfortable with my sexuality. I’m bisexual and have been in all kinds of relationships, including polyamory. The most difficult thing is not to make it boring or laughable with flowery language. I like making it realistic, complete with first time mistakes, humor, awkwardness as well as steamy lust. A sex scene should never just be about sex. It’s also about the relationship. And it should move the plot along as well.

 

What’s your most favorite book you’ve read? Why?

  I have too many to choose from! Overall, I’d have to rate J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings as my all time favorite book. But if you want to narrow it by genre, for gay romance I think my current favorite book is “Strain” by Amelia C. Gormley. That was a fantastic book that kept me on the edge of my seat. The emotion between the characters, hot sex, and the action is what makes me rate this one so highly.

 

Are you writing anything now? Can you tell us about it?

I have a couple projects in the works right now, which is typical for me. I’m writing a gay paranormal mystery/romance novel which will be the first in a series. The title is “Murder One,” and it’s about Derwin, a bounty hunter who feeds on pain to gain extra strength and stamina. He’s searching for the man who killed his boyfriend two years ago. Then he meets a young rent boy named Elliot Leed, who can read objects by touching them with his bare hands. Derwin hopes that with Elliot’s Oddity, he can unravel the mystery.

The other project is a het BDSM novella entitled “Juliet’s Orders” about a geeky college girl who is secretly a female dominant. When a frat boy who’s been pestering her for a date makes a bet, she takes full advantage of him. And I do mean full advantage.

 

Do you like music while you write? Or do you prefer total silence?

If I could always have music, that would be fabulous. But I pretty much write any second that I get a chance, which includes during breaks at work, during boring meetings, and at home when everyone is asleep. I built a playlist for my mm romance which includes stuff by MCR, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, Evanescence, P!nk and more. I tend to like punk, but I also like a lot of other stuff as well. The music just has to fit the scene or the character.

 

Thanks for stopping by, JT!  Both The Foreman and your upcoming Murder One sound really interesting!

If you’d like to learn more about JT or pick up a copy of The Foreman, you can find JT here:

The Foreman on Amazon and Smashwords
JT’s Blog
JT’s Twitter (@jthall7)

Book Review: Blue Notes

Blue Notes
Shira Anthony

Blame it on jet lag. Jason Greene thought he had everything: a dream job as a partner in a large Philadelphia law firm, a beautiful fiancé, and more money than he could ever hope to spend. Then he finds his future wife in bed with another man, and he’s forced to rethink his life and his choices. On a momentís notice, he runs away to Paris, hoping to make peace with his life.

 

But Jason’s leave of absence becomes a true journey of the heart when he meets Jules, a struggling jazz violinist with his own cross to bear. In the City of Love, it doesn’t take them long to fall into bed, but as theyíre both about to learn, they canít run from the past. Sooner or later, theyíll have to face the music.

Blue Notes is a beautifully-written novel about Jason’s self-discovery of his attraction to men. Jules hits on Jason and Jason finds himself strangely attracted. Throughout the novel, his best moments of self-discovery come when he listens to his heart rather than his head.

However, the plot is a little thin. The first two-thirds largely focusses on Jason and Jules’s time together, Jason’s growing realization of what this means for his orientation, and Jules finding success with his music. It was all well-written and an interesting read, but there really wasn’t much of a difficulty to overcome (aka a plot). There are some impending issues, like Jason’s upcoming return to the USA and what it means for his relationship with Jules, and the eventual confrontation with his ex-fiancee and what will happen there, but those don’t really come about until the last third of the book.

As I reflect back on this novel, I can’t help but compare it to a beautifully-shot artistic movie. There are some wonderfully described scenes and a quiet lust that burns underneath everything. But a strong plot would have made it move along better. (The late-coming difficulties of the return to the USA and the ex-fiancee matter could have been brought forward a bit and hyped up to become a plot. This novel has all the elements it needs, I just feel that it didn’t make the best use of what it has.)

I do have some minor qualms with some of the language choices, but that comes down to author preference — such as Jules constantly thinking of Jason as “The American” and Jason constantly thinking of Jules as “The Frenchman”; and the repetitive use of the exclamatory phrase “shit” whenever there is some anal play (which created unfortunate mental associations). There were also consistent POV issues as we flipped between character POVs repeatedly throughout pretty much every scene.

Despite these things, Blue Notes had a certain charm to it. It didn’t suck me in and demand I keep reading until 3 AM, but it did keep me coming back every day until I finished it. The love that blossoms between Jules and Jason felt genuine and beautifully expressed. I enjoyed experiencing Jason’s self-discovery of his new identity as a gay-maybe-bi man; it was touching and, like the relationship, felt genuine and realistic.

I must also complement the character development. Often I find that the first book in a series is absolutely flooded with characters, as the author feels it necessary to introduce every single character who will be used for the rest of the series. This leads to awkward scenes filled with gay men that are poorly-written and remain as an amorphic blob in my memory of the novel. Shira Anthony avoids that temptation. If she introduced any characters for use in future novels in this series, she did so with such skill and grace that not a single character felt tacked on. Every character utilized in this novel felt like they were crafted for this novel only, not thrown in for use in future books. I must give Anthony high praise for this.

I figured that Blue Notes would be the first in a series, as so many books I read are, and I confirmed this when looking it up on Amazon. But Shira Anthony crafts Blue Notes as a wonderfully self-contained novel. Blue Notes really was a pleasure to read.

NEW RELEASE: Going All The Way

 

Going All The Way — the third instalment of the scorching yoga-based series Men In The Hot Room — is now available!

Instructor Brad has cute young Simon all to himself, and this time he has a lot more than yoga sex in mind.

Join this hot duo for more of their secret exploits as teacher gives his eager student a few surprises. Amidst lessons about submission and daring public displays of lust in the heart of Toronto’s gay district, Brad takes Simon to levels of pleasure he’s never imagined.

A fling that heated up in Go Deep and Go Deeper takes on a new flare as Brad dares to dream of more than just pleasure.

Going All The Way is now available on Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Google Play, and Smashwords.  (It’ll soon be up on Kobo, B&N, and iBooks if you prefer those platforms.)

For more info, a sexy blurb, and all the buy links, please click here to visit my website.

Load Up for the Long Weekend

The long weekend is here and soon summer will be a distant memory as the cooler temperatures and golden leaves of autumn settle upon us.  As you kick back with your eReader this weekend — hopefully on a sunny patio or sandy beach — pick up a copy of one of my scorching titles to keep you hot and steamy throughout your days off.

 

Men In The Hot Room – Short Stories

Go Deep (Men In The Hot Room #1)

Hot yoga turns scorching when a twink yogi seduces his instructor.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Redvark | Smashwords

Go Deep is available as a FREE download.  If Amazon doesn’t give it to you for free (because sometimes they charge people), please visit one of the other links above.

Go Deeper  (Men In The Hot Room #2)

Seduction awaits a jealous yoga instructor when he finds himself at the whims of two young men, each with a different idea of what it means to please.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Redvark | Smashwords

 

 

Going All The Way (Men In The Hot Room #3)

Releasing Monday, September 1!

When Simon and Brad finally get some time alone, Simon wants to play master/slave, with Brad as the dirty dom.

Purchase info will be posted on this blog on Monday, September 1!

 

 

Other Short Stories

Bathhouse Nights

In the bathhouse, anything is possible, especially at night when all the studs come out to play.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Redvark | Smashwords

 

 

Gaymer

Retro gaming with a delicious twink levels up when a good luck strategy takes a dirty detour.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Redvark | Smashwords

 

 

 

Novels & Novellas

Silent Hearts

No matter how far Jake runs, he can’t escape from love.

All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Champagne Books | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

 

 

Autumn Fire

The closet gets a little crowded when Dustin meets the man of his dreams.

All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Champagne Books  | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

 

 

 

 

Isle of Illusions by A.L. Wilson

Recent Erotic Voices guest author A.L. Wilson just released her latest book!

Check it out!

 

 

Title:  Isle of Illusions

Author:  A.L. Wilson

Genre:  Gay Paranormal Romance

Word Count:  30,000

 

Blurb:

The year is 1954 and this marks 10 rocky years that Cyrus has spent with his human companion, Dr. Lorenz Meissner.  The two unlikely lovers, after some heated debate, decide to cross the Mediterranean and go on holiday in Italy.

At first it seems like a dream vacation for the paranormal investigators, but the tide turns as rumors of ghoulishly twisted animals washing ashore reaches Lorenz’s ears.  Cyrus is quick to dismiss the hearsay.  However, something about the description of an animal with two heads has the doctor shaken.

Just when the two think they might get back to enjoying sandy beaches and quiet walks, something far more substantial than whispers of grotesque animals is swept in by the sea.  The body of a human being washes ashore in a state that definitely suggests paranormal foul play.

Not only is the lovers’ vacation cut short, they are thrust into a ghostly case involving a sinister plot on an island cut off from civilization, which happens to sport a terrifying asylum.

Can our heroes escape the madness surrounding them or will they be trapped forever on the Isle of Illusions?

 

Excerpt:

When Cyrus awoke several hours later, his beloved was on the couch nursing a glass. The vampire furled his brows as he rolled out of bed and nearly tripped over a wine bottle. “Hmm…rough day?”

Lorenz’s face was pink and his hand was trembling. “The experiments…they are happening again. I heard them talking. We have to go back. We have to turn around! The bombs…Mein Gott!”

Cyrus blurred across the room, barely catching the glass as it tumbled from his lover’s hand. Lorenz had put his hands over his ears and started to rock back and forth. “OK, OK! Whoa whoa, Baby. There are no bombs. There are no experiments. Just breathe.” Strong dark arms encircled his lover’s trembling frame, ready for the other to start fighting back. Cyrus ducked a few flailing limbs and ignored the German’s screams. “Sshhh! It’s ok, it’s just me. Lorenz, Lorenz it’s me. It’s Cyrus. Come on, I think it’s time you lie down. I’m sorry I stayed in bed all day.”

Cyrus frowned deeply as he gathered up Lorenz’s flailing frame, taking a few smacks and even a punch to the face. He was used to the fits, but it had been such a long time since either of them had one, especially one so violent. Eventually he had to throw his lover onto the bed and restrain him. Honey eyes stared down into the other’s vacant face. He knew that Lorenz was somewhere far away, watching horrors that no being should ever be forced to engage.

Sighing heavily he leaned down and pressed their foreheads together. “Please forgive me, but you must rest.” Their minds linked together and briefly Cyrus could see the laboratory with its sterile white walls. There was a man with a mask over his face, peering into the cages of some animals. Flashes filled his mind with fear, disgust and a sense of having no control. The animals changed to people and while none of them were human, seeing them in cages turned his stomach.

The vampire literally bit his tongue, feeling blood flood his mouth as he tried to ignore any emotions he might have over the experimentation done on supernatural creatures. It wasn’t anything new for humans to try and learn how vampires or other creatures functioned. Focusing his thoughts, he forced Lorenz’s tortured mind to go black, freeing him from the flashbacks. The thrashing stopped and he began petting at the other’s face. “Ssshhh…it’s not your fault. They wanted your father’s research. They wanted your expertise. You did what you had to do to protect your mother. I know you never wanted to hurt anyone, Baby. I know…”

Lorenz went still, breathing evenly as his blue eyes slid shut. As he had passed out, salty hot tears rolled down from his eyes. Cyrus sat on the edge of the bed staring at his beloved for what seemed like an eternity. He absently wondered if the entire trip was a mistake. He had pushed his lover, believing that the two of them had come so far since the horrors of the war. However, perhaps they had not come quite far enough in healing their emotional wounds.

Eventually Cyrus got up and went to take a shower. He dressed and moved up through the ship. He needed fresh air to clear his head. The Elder truly did not know what he would say to Lorenz when he saw him next. The plan was that he would hide in the depths with the luggage again. They would dock the next morning and so he had to be ready to be transported to the train. There was nothing to be done but trust that his love would recover as he always did. It was with a heavy heart that he disappeared into the bowels of the ship.

 

About the Author:

As a young child A. L. held three aspirations which she vocally proclaimed to anyone that listened.  She was either going to be an author, an actress or a psychologist.

It was only after her brother was diagnosed with Autism and Pervasive Development Disorder that her aspirations shifted from theater and prose to exclusively studying psychology.

However, she never truly left her flare for the dramatic behind.  At the tender age of eight she was taking a starring role in Tom Sawyer; the following year it was Alice in Wonder Land.  Then eventually her Senior year of High School she wrote and starred in the school’s Senior play.

The Case of the Murder that Wasn’t, had her bouncing around stage as a savvy detective with a bumbling side-kick, attempting to solve the murder of a rich aristocrat.  The off-color humor had audiences in stitches for three days and nights- to the delight of her and her family.  However, despite the success of her writing and acting, the young A. L. graduated High School with honors and then immediately went on to start college in search of her (three) subsequent degrees in Psychology.

It wasn’t until years later that things would come full-circle as Indie Publishing has become more and more popular and the itch to write more overwhelming.  Momentarily hanging up her hat as a Child and Family Counselor, A. L. has once again plunged her hands back into writing; spinning wild tales for her own enjoyment and hopefully the enjoyment of her audiences. 

 

Author Website:   http://www.authoralwilson.com/index.html

Social Media:

Blog – http://thedoctorslostjournal.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006671833158
Twitter – @Author_ALWilson

Book Buy Links

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/470094
ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-isleofillusions-1604531-348.html
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N09UESG

 

And be sure to CLICK HERE to view my recent interview with A.L.!

Erotic Voices: Jamie Lake

This week on Erotic Voices: Jamie Lake!

(A few days ago, Jamie interviewed me — click here to check it out!)

Tell us about your latest release.
My latest book is Bad Boy Part 2. It is the sequel to the original novel which is about Peter, a kindergarten teacher who has no other choice but to moonlight as an erotic nude massage therapist at night, in order to make ends meet. In the first book, I introduced the love of his life that he meets and who is the parent of one of his students. His name is Chip (a police officer that happens to work in the prostitution department) and the man that gets Peter involved in the nude massages, Tony, a powerful casino owner.  The sequel follows Peter as he finds out that Tony will stop at nothing to keep him under his control, even killing his roommate.  It’s a series which does have cliffhangers at the end of each book.
 
What was the hardest or most difficult scene to write?
That’s a good question. I think the hardest scenes are the subtle moments where there’s no yelling, screaming, or sex. The challenge is in making it just as interesting as the more dramatic scenes.
 
What’s the most difficult part of writing a sex scene?
I think making it fresh and interesting is the most difficult part of writing a sex scene. M/M readers have read every position under the sun so coming up with something they haven’t seen before or a new spin on something that they have seen isn’t easy.
 
What’s your favourite part about writing a sex scene?
It turns me on to write sex scenes. I know that if I’m getting excited writing it, I think that the readers will too. I love living vicariously through my characters. Since I’m cursed with the trait of someone who loves being a faithful partner, I get to live out my wildest fantasies through these characters and sometimes my greatest fears.
 
What kind of research went into this book?
That’s an interesting question because Bad Boy is loosely based on a true story. Each character is loosely based on someone I know so most characters are not difficult to write.
 
Describe your writing routine.
Well, it changes from book to book but generally, I have an idea for a book, I write down every idea I have for it out of sequence. Then I put in some type of order in an outline form making sure that I don’t forget certain plot points. Once I have a rough outline, I just write a first draft. Then, I send it to my editor (typos and all). I work with different editors each book so depending on the person, they usually will help me fill in the details, smooth out my prose, etc. Then it goes to the copyeditor, then the beta-readers and when it’s ready, I publish it.
 
What made you decide to write this genre?
It’s funny because I didn’t start reading m/m until about a year ago. Even though I’m a gay man, I just assumed the stories wouldn’t have much depth or that I wouldn’t be able to relate to them but when I started to read them, I saw how hot they were and how amazing some of the writing was and I wanted to jump in and try it.
 
Where do you like to write?  Home?  Coffee shop?  Subway ride to work?  Somewhere else?
I use Google Docs to write so I write on my desktop, my Chromebook and my iPhone if I’m out and about. Sometimes I even write by hand if there’s electronic problems then I transfer what I’ve written into the Google Doc. I used to use Evernote more but one time it erased everything I had written and once was enough to not want to use it. There are times that I will use Scriveners and other times I use WriteDuet.com
 
What was your most favorite scene to write?
My absolute favorite scenes to write are the family dramatic moments that let you know what the person is really feeling or when they are revealing their deepest darkest secrets or something that happened to them in the past.
 
What’s your most favorite book you’ve read?  Why?
I generally like to read business and metaphysical books so I like Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk and The Secret. As far as M/M, authors I love include River James, Kindle Alexander, Sara York and many others.
 
What’s your most favorite book you’ve written?  Why?
I love the Bad Boy series but I have so many stories in my head that I’m dying to tell and I can’t wait for readers to read.
 
What drew you to this genre?
Well, I’m gay so that helps and I want to add a level of emotional roller coaster and character depth that you don’t always see in this genre. The more novels I write, the more I see that I love really diving deep within character and I think the more the readers read my novels, the more they’ll see that coming up.
 
Why did you decide to self-publish?
There are so many reasons why I self-published. One, I have been traditionally published under a different name by a major publisher and by smaller publishers. The experience is too confining for me. I like the freedom of doing what I want when I want to without the red tape and being able to change at a whim.
 
Are you writing anything now?  Can you tell us about it?
Yes, I’m writing the Trainer Part 2 & 3. The Trainer was the first novel that I released. I was afraid to look at it until recently when I read it and realized it was actually very good, except that if I was to do it over again, I’d make a longer and more resolved ending. That’s why because of demand, I’m writing the second and third part. I think it’s going to be one of my best novels ever.
 
Of the covers you have for your works, which one is your favorite?
I love the Bad Boy covers and I love Boyfriend for Rent.
 
Can you describe the editing process?  Was it difficult?
My editing process usually is not difficult at all except if I have to manually make the changes myself. Usually, if I do the edits by hand, I’ll ask my assistant to make them or I’ll give notes on what I want to fix and ask my editor to help me.
 
Do you like music while you write?  Or do you prefer total silence?
Sometimes I listen to sound effects tracks on Youtube with rain drops but if I listen to regular music, it cannot have lyrics. Otherwise, it distracts me.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite?  Why?
I love the character Chip in Bad Boy, I could fall in love with him. He’s sexy as fuck.  A cop that’s gay and has a son and wants a family? Totally hot!
 
Which of your characters was the hardest to write?  Why?
I think the most difficult so far was the boyfriend character in Boyfriend for Rent. To keep him subtle and at the same time interesting was a challenge.
 
Which of your characters would you like to meet in person?  What would you say or do with that character?
I think Chip from the Bad Boy series.  If I was single, I wouldn’t say anything. I’d just lock the door, drop my pants and bend over.
 
Do you have any advice for writers who want to try this genre? Of course, read what’s out there. Read the 1-star reviews of other people’s books to see what people hate. Get your novels beta read, copyedited and proofread before you put one book out there. I learned that the hard way. Also, if you’re going to write a book, write a series and put the entire series out all at once, rather than one book at a time.
 

 
If you’d like to learn more about Jamie Lake, or pick up a copy of Bad Boy 2, you can find Jamie here:

Jamie’s website
Jamie’s twitter feed

New Interview on Jamie Lake’s Blog!

Hey all!

I was just interviewed by Jamie Lake!  Check it out:

Cameron D. James is best known for his novels Go Deep and Autumn Fire. His characters take on a life of their own, bringing readers along for the ride. No matter what he writes next, the pages will fly!

What started your interest in writing m/m fiction?

I’m actually a sci-fi writer at heart. I’m a Trekkie through and through. I’ve got a sci-fi novel that has a lot of potential, but needs a lot of work. After something like the sixth revision, I was in desperate need of a break… and with my university courses at the time, I couldn’t dedicate the energy to do a complete overhaul of a 100,000 word manuscript that needed whole plot points excised and other new plot points added in.
So, I decided to take a break. But, being a writer, I couldn’t just take a break from writing, period. I ended up just taking a break from that genre. For a few years I’ve had a back-of-the-mind nudge to give gay erotic fiction a try. I did a little research, emailed a few people, talked to a few others, and then, tentatively, put my fingers to the keyboard.
I quickly found that I loved it. This genre was a whole new way to approach storytelling from what I’d been doing before. That also meant the learning curve was steep. I had to write compelling fiction that essentially revolves around two people exploring feelings with each other – with no ray guns, aliens, spaceships, planetary catastrophes, or dictatorial governments. I had to write about two young men who fall in love. It was a total shift, and I know that exploring this genre is making me a stronger writer.

Click here to visit Jamie Lake’s blog and see the rest of the interview!

Erotic Voices: Ingela Bohm

Welcome to this week’s Erotic Voices, in which we meet an author of m/m erotic fiction.

Today’s guest is Ingela Bohm!

Tell us about your latest release.

The Road Taken is the second instalment in a series about a seventies progressive rock band called Pax Cymrica. It picks up a few months after the cliffhanger in the first book, Just Playing, and it follows Jamie and Michael as they struggle to make it as professional musicians. Both their manager and the record company forbid them to continue their relationship, and they try to obey, but the music is suffering as much as they are. Then they get the idea that perhaps one of them should get a girlfriend, in order to divert attention away from their attraction to each other. Unfortunately, this brings with it a whole new set of problems that ultimately threatens to destroy the band.

 

What kind of research went into this book?

I’ve had to learn a lot about music, especially seventies music and what was possible/typical to do back then when it comes to recording and performing. I don’t really play anything myself, apart from really bad piano and guitar, so I had to interview people in the know about a lot of details, like time signatures and guitar brands and how a studio works. The most fun part was finding out what a reverb room is like, and whether you can have sex in it! (You can.)

Can you describe the editing process? Was it difficult?

Editing is actually my favorite part of writing. I mean, I do enjoy the bits of the first draft that come easily – when the words just seem to flow out of me – but I’m also plagued by the artist’s fear of the white page. When I draw pictures, they often turn out better if the paper is torn or used, and it’s the same with my writing: I just need to begin by filling the page with any old garbage. Those early versions are often woefully bad, because at that stage I’m just trying to get the plot to work. Afterwards, when I’ve got the “skeleton”, I really enjoy fleshing it out: looking for “bumps” and smoothing them out, expanding things that speak to me and cutting away the unnecessary stuff. That’s when the text becomes a story, and it’s magical to me.

 

What’s the most difficult part of writing a sex scene?

I think it’s difficult to make each scene unique, to say something new. Since the basic events involved are quite similar from one scene to the other, it’s sometimes hard to make them interesting. I solve this problem by using metaphors and imagery that tie in with themes in the story. For example, in the Pax books I use a lot of musical imagery, and in my upcoming vampire book there’s a focus on pounding pulses and wanting to sink your teeth into things. Even though it’s difficult, I enjoy finding new ways of describing the feelings and sensations involved. I also love to see my characters lose control a little: the way they’re irresistibly drawn to each other, the way their bodies betray them even as they try to play it cool…

Are you writing anything now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m working on several projects at the moment. I’m outlining a third book in the Pax series, tentatively called Nine Lives, which will take place about ten years down the road. This time Jamie is going to suffer for once! I tortured Michael so much in the second book that I feel he should get some rest – not that he won’t be touched by the things happening to Jamie, of course.

I’m also finishing up a dystopian vampire book, Last Communion, that I wrote in Swedish and which I am currently translating. It’s taking a lot more time than I anticipated, but I feel like it’s actually becoming a better story as I remold it to suit the English language.

Finally, I’m grappling with a book called Mindfuck, in which a guy called Jakob discovers that his friend Leo has written erotic stories about the two of them online. It’s a bit dark and a completely new area for me, so I’m both excited to write it and a little unsure of myself. However, I have an excellent beta reader who tells me when my plot isn’t up to scratch, so I’m hoping it will turn out great in the end.

Thanks for stopping by, Ingela!  I have to say the premise for Mindfuck sounds like it could get super hot!

If you’d like to connect with Ingela online, you can find her here:

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And if you’d like to pick up a copy of The Road Taken, Just Playing, or Ingela’s other works, you can find them here:

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Book Review: I Am A Faggot

I Am A Faggot

Sir Hunter

How do you become everything you fantasize about? Marc craves becoming the perfect bottom boy, but he can’t seem to let himself cross over to the dark side. Things turn around when he texts Sir Hunter for a late night erotic stimulation.

The evening quickly turns from playful, horny texting into a night of involuntary milking, a watersports video and a toilet brush. Before he realizes, Marc is enslaved by Hunter by nothing more than a text message.

A master at controlling behavior, Hunter sends Marc on a path leading deeper into a new world of self-discovery, and Marc has not choice but to accept who he is.

This was an interesting and well-written story about a slave coming to fully accept his role as a sub. Marc is trying to be a good sub, but just can’t get into the full mindset… the mindset of the “faggot,” as Marc calls it. He desperately wants to be Sir Hunter’s faggot, but just can’t seem to get his body and mind to accept that title.

Marc does what he can — he tries to stimulate himself and force his mind to accept that he is a faggot. He texts Sir Hunter and slowly the evening spirals out of control.

I Am A Faggot was a hot read. I have to admit I was a little hesitant when I realized that Marc is the only one in the story (Sir Hunter is only present as a few text messages), because, really, how hot can a solo scene get in erotica? I was glad to be shown just how hot a solo story can get.

Sir Hunter depicts Marc’s descent to faggot believably. I know little about the BDSM lifestyle, other than what occasionally shows up in a book or *cough* online film, and I know even less about the mindset of someone who wishes to be a sub — like, is it a conscious choice or is it an innate personality trait? Interestingly, Sir Hunter doesn’t really explain the reasons behind Marc’s descent to faggot sub, and the story is all the stronger for it. Sometimes, over-explanation kills a story or explains away something too easily — but Sir Hunter does neither.

Sir Hunter crafts a fascinating erotic story that left me wanting more. The “About the Author” section only adds to the appeal of the book — according to the blurb, everything in I Am A Faggot is based on real events that Sir Hunter has experienced as a master.