Guest Blog: J.S. Wayne
I'd like to welcome J.S. Wayne as part of the Noble Romance Authors "Timeless Desire" blog tour. Take it away, J.S…
Do you have any unusual writing rituals?
Before I sit down to start my writing day, I pee on a fire hydrant and sacrifice a chicken sandwich. It's my thing.
I'm KIDDING!
I don't know if my rituals really qualify as rituals at all, to be perfectly honest. I grab a beverage, a pack of cigarettes, and an ashtray. The full items are empty and the empty items full long before my work day ends. And I write like a maniac until I can't write anymore.
Who is your favourite character from one of your stories and why?
So far, my favorite character is Moradiel, from the "Angels" series. For all his power and abilities, he still finds himself at the mercy of fate and the machinations of his fellow angels. Even so, he's gentle with the woman he loves and ruthless when she's threatened.
Some day, the kind of guy I want to be!
How do you get yourself in the mood to write?
Since I write full-time as a profession, I can't afford NOT to be in the mood to write. I'm always promoting, outlining, pondering plot points, or calculating new and exciting ways to get rid of another fifteen minutes of that pesky "spare time." And when I'm not doing that, I'm asleep! *laughs*
I have to have three things in front of me to be able to write: music, a beverage (usually Mountain Dew, beer if it's later in the day), and an empty ashtray and full pack of cigarettes. The full items will be empty and the empty items full long before I'm done with my day!
What's the best writing tip you've ever been given?
The best tip I ever got came from Margie Church, when I was working on "Dancing On Flames." She told me to put my head in a box and switch brains with my characters. Divorcing "myself" and my own predilections from the equation made it a lot easier to create characters that I felt were believable and "real," and I'm very grateful to her for this wisdom.
What are you working on at the moment?
I have several projects on my docket, as it happens. On November 28th, "Dancing On Flames," my first foray into m/m erotic romance, comes out from Noble. Then I've got a submission, "Dead Means Dead," for the upcoming Lesbians Vs. Zombies series from Noble Romance. I'm trying to finish off the last "canonical" story in the "Angels" series, Angel of Death, and an erotic romantic comedy fantasy I started this summer, Once a Knight's Enough. After I'm done with that, I'll move back to work on The Hollow, my erotic horror update featuring none other than the Headless Horseman.
In the meantime, I'm also trying to raise awareness for Writing Out Child Abuse, a coalition of publishing-industry professionals who are dedicated to bringing comfort, aid, safety, and hope to survivors of child abuse worldwide.
What's been your biggest writing challenge? How did it turn out?
So far, my greatest writing challenge that WENT anywhere was when I decided, in a fit of insanity, to sit down and write an m/m novella. Getting myself into a headspace where I could explore the proclivities of two men who found each other attractive cost me more than a few sleepless nights. Finally, I talked to Bryl Tyne and explained the trouble I was having. He was very pointed, as Bryl always is, but very helpful in getting me around the block.
That novella, "Dancing On Flames," is due out November 28th from Noble. And without Bryl, it probably would never have seen daylight!
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More than two decades have passed since the Hodans invaded the peaceful kingdom of Jurav. In their zeal for conquest, they have mercilessly rent the Juravian national character asunder, starting with the temples of their gods.
Varath was raised from a young age by his uncle to one day assume his father's mantle— of the command warden of the Temple of Noradi, the most beloved goddess of the Juravian pantheon and the deity of heart, hearth, and the fires which burn in both.
Melody would have been the High Priestess to Noradi, and her own family has groomed her with equal care against the day when the Hodan hordes would be expelled and she could assume her rightful place as the most powerful figure in the entire nation . . . and as Varath's bride.
When Varath departed to serve in the Hodan army, Melody saw it as an unconscionable betrayal. Now Varath has returned to take his father's place as the sole guardian of a temple where no one dares enter, and he has made overtures to claim the other half of his bequest: Melody herself. But can Melody see past the deceptions and lies his rebellion has forced and learn to love the man who seems to have turned his back on his own people?
Buy links and more about J.S. Wayne:
http://nobleromance.com/authors/155
http://jswayne.wordpress.com
Twitter: @jswayne702
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