Across the Beer Bar with Lee Brazil!

Welcome to my Beer Bar Lee!  What can I pour you to get us started?
Do you have any tequila back there? No? What do you have? Beer, eh?  Just beer? *sigh*  okay... well, the darker the better.  Got any Three Philosophers?  FINALLY I get a writer who knows craft beer…and it's lambics…ick. No. Sorry. Nothing sour in here.  I'll let you have a preview glass of our pumpkin spice lager though.  It just won a "straw poll" as the Favorite Pumpkin Lager at the recent Michigan Fall Beer Fest…Besides, I only serve MY beer here, darling. Nothing else.

You are the author of one my absolute favorite series for Breathless Press:  Truth or Dare, the amazing story of the Blake Brothers and their various lives, loves, triumphs and happiness.  It's HOT.  What inspired you to write it?
Well, it was kind of an accidental occurrence.  I started with the concept of family in a discussion with a friend, you know the old nature versus nurture thing? And how children raised in the exact same environment would be intrinsically different from one another.  It grew from there. 
Okay I'll just tell you that my absolute fav was Brandon's story.  And when they exchanged keys...omg.  (fans face).  
That was truly the hardest one to write.  I rewrote the key scene at least a dozen times to get the feeling I wanted to come through.  From your reaction, I see it was successful. I'm glad you liked it, because that particular story has been somewhat controversial. 

I hear Dan is getting his story....wanna share some hints?
[image error] Dan's story is out in early February. My editor and I are working diligently on it as we speak.  *looks around* shhh. She doesn't know I'm here, and slacking. Dan's been involved with the same man for the last three years.  Turns out rather than the last Blake brother to fall in love, he might well have been the first. 
You've had a lot of success in publishing.  what is your secret?
If I knew I'd tell you.  I think that it's a least 50% happenstance, and then Victoria Miller's gorgeous covers, Breathless Press's excellent editorial staff, quirky characters and honestly? Who knows? 
Oops your glass is empty!  what's next? [image error]
For my glass? More of the same.  Publication wise, more m/m romance.  I've got Loving Jacob releasing Nov. 4, Word Play, an anthology of shorts with my Story Orgy group, December 2, and The Librarian releasing in early January. No silly, IN your glass…sheesh.. Writers.Here----drink this.  It's a delicious brown ale, roasty, a little chocolately and only 4.2% ABV for you light weights.
How bad a boy are you....really?
Lol- now? Not so bad at all.  I settled down fourteen years ago with the love of my life.  Before that... well.. that's a different story. 
Okay, tough question here:  How many of your fellow published authors AT your publishers do you read? Or do you stick to what you know you like?  I ask because I have found several authors I probably never would have had I not been "colleagues" with them (like you, for example).  I've made an effort to buy and read authors at my 3 publishers and support them with reviews and what not.  Of course, I've been known to keep silent when I don't like something.  I only post reviews if they are "glowing."
See, that's hard for me.  I only like to write reviews for things I love- in fact if I don't love things, I don't finish reading them. I'm published only through Breathless Press and with Story Orgy at this time. I read m/m; and BP mostly seems to produce m/f.  I've read DC Juris, who pubs through BP, and I read Hank Edwards and Em Woods with Story Orgy. Other than that, I'm eagerly awaiting new m/m releases from certain BP authors * eyes Liz* who have been teasing the social media with hints of Turkish delights...I don't have a lot of time for reading as it is lately, but when I do I like Josh Lanyon's mysteries, and Jet Mykle's rock star series.  I'm also reading Oscar Wilde again, on the recommendation of a new friend. :) 
Can't go wrong there. I make a point to alternate contemporary whatever (fiction, romance, biography) with classics from my English Lit Degree days.  Just finished "The Great Gatsby" for the third time in my life.  Amazing.

I LOVE the excerpt from Loving Jacob...it sounds like an amazing story.  What is your favorite story you've written?
My favorite story is the one I'm currently working on.  It changes from day to day.  But you know, the one I can reread is Telling the Truth.  I had a heck of a time editing that one, cause I'd get absorbed in the story and forget what I was doing and just read. 
Ok, nightcap...what's your poison?
Coffee please- I have to be sober enough to drive home. That is what taxis are for my love.  I should know.  I own a bar.
Finally, I don't want advice for new authors, or your "writing habits" or even to know what you eat while you write.  What I want to know is this:  I just wrote and completed final edits on my first m/m story: Blue Cruise.  Will you please read it and let me know what you think?
Absolutely with pleasure.  Yay!  Watch for it…
Thanks Lee.  Looking forward to our "bedtime" very soon….
Liz


Don't forget about my IN BETWEEN DAYS BLOG HOP! starting November 4 with a ton of other amazingly talented writers!
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