Welcome to Cafe Risque's Spicy Wednesday with&n...

Welcome to Cafe Risque's 
Spicy Wednesday with Scotty Cade!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Scotty Cade here again welcoming you to Spicy Wednesday at Café Risque where week after week you’ll get to see another side of your favorite authors and some of mine too. And maybe even a few of the other experts in the genre, like reviewers and publishers. (Fingers crossed)
This week we’re chatting with Cardeno C. about the latest novel from the “Home” Series, “Just What the Truth Is.” Please help me welcome CC to Café Risque.
[image error] Scotty:  Hey CC, Good Morning! Thanks for getting up so early to chat with us today from the West Coast. I’ve got to confess, it’s been absolutely crazy here on Martha’s Vineyard this week and I was stressing out trying to find some time to read this book and attempting to come up with some intelligent (roll eyes) questions, but I sat down this afternoon and couldn’t put the damn thing down until I was finished, about fifteen minutes ago. Oh, the hell with Inn guests, I was enjoying some quiet time with a good book, they can get their own ice.
CC: It’s nice to hear that you have ice. I just got back from a trip to San Francisco, were I was visiting friends. As always, I had a great time, but I found myself wondering why nobody served ice in their beverages. So from me to you, here’s a piece of advice – don’t skimp on the ice!
Scotty: So, my first surprise right off the bat was that this was written in first person. Is it hard for you to write in first person? I have to admit, I tried but wasn’t very good at it.
CC: I really enjoy writing in first person, I’d say it’s my favorite point of view though I also write books in third. The first thing I decide when writing a story is the point of view I’ll use. I base that decision on the characters themselves and what I’m trying to convey.
For example, in Just What the Truth Is, Ben is a character who people might be prone to judge. In fact, I introduced him in my book, Home Again, and many readers despised him. So the goal in Just What the Truth Is was for me to stay consistent to Ben and yet do justice to his struggle, and the struggle that so many people go through to find their way and their own truth.
I’ve heard many friends over the years belittle those who have come out later in life, or who have struggled with that process. Sometimes I think we forget that everyone has reasons for their actions, that we’re all layered, complex human beings and we come to decision at different times and in different ways. Similarly, I think each of us tends to think our own issues and worlds are different than everyone else’s, that our own problems are so complex that they can’t possibly be solved easily.
Putting those things together, I felt it was important for the readers to be in Ben’s head, to understand why he made the choices he made in life, what he wanted for himself and for his family, and why he might not have gotten there in a way that seemed to make sense on the surface but makes more sense when you see what lies beneath.
Scotty: This was a really sweet story from beginning to end. Did it progress and end the way you planned it or did it take on a life of its own, like so many novels do?
CC: Ben’s story started, progressed, and ended the way I planned. That isn’t true for most of my novels, usually the characters write themselves and weave me with them. Ben, on the other hand, was a character who occupied a lot of time in my head long before I wrote the first word of his book. His story was personal and important to me so I didn’t start writing it until I had a very strong sense of him, his desires, and how he’d achieve them.
Scotty: Now let’s get to this really enjoyable read. This is the journey of Ben and Micah, partners at a law firm that sort of fall in love, but go through a shitload of turmoil before they actually find their way. I liked Micah immediately and just knew he was a man of character, but I’ve got to tell you, Ben made me a little crazy. OMG, I’ve never seen such a basket case. I remember the coming out days, and hell yeah it was scary, but I’m not sure I could have handled his coming out. Yikes! Did the story come from a friend’s experience or is it completely fictional?
CC: All of my stories have aspects of my friends in them, so they’re not completely fictional, but none of them are so closely tied to any particular person as to have one model. I agree, Ben’s coming out was difficult.
Ben is, at his core, a family man. He was the peacemaker in his family, trying to mend fences between his outspoken younger brother and his parents. He desperately tried to make his parents happy and proud of him. And he longed for a family of his own. It took many years and bumps in the road for him to find his truth and he needed a remarkably strong man to stand by his side as he walked that path. Micah is that man.
But remember that Ben also gave Micah more than what he’d hoped for in life. Through his patience and determination, Micah found in Ben the heart of his own family, a family he’d never even considered to be attainable.
Scotty: And speaking of making me a little crazy, Noah, Ben’s gay brother drove me up a wall. His personality was so in your facethat I hated him in the beginning of the book. But in the end he redeemed himself in my eyes and I really came to respect him. Was it hard to write a character knowing he would be so misunderstood in the beginning of the book, especially with all the family dynamics going on?
CC: It’s funny to hear you ask that question because I think the answer really depends on which of my books you’ve read first. I wrote Noah (and introduced Ben) in Home Again, my first published book. Readers who read Home Again first tend to love Noah and hate Ben. Of course, Home Again is Noah’s story and you read it from his point of view, so you see his take on his family and how he grew up.
The heart of your question is, to me, the heart of these characters and these books. Two people can grow up in the same house, but have markedly different reactions to that upbringing. For Noah and Ben, I wanted to write about a loving, good family – not some vilified caricature of homophobia – because the reality is that some of the deepest wounds are cut by good, loving parents who simply don’t understand. Noah and Ben each suffered those cuts and they reacted to and healed from them differently. Where Noah shut himself off from his family, Ben clung to them.
I’d love to know what you think of Noah if you read Home Again, his story from his point of view. If I’ve done my job well, he’ll surprise you just a bit.
Scotty: For me being the type of author that writes about the boy always getting the boy, angst is really hard for me to write. I would have such a hard time writing Ben saying such nasty things to Micah in a couple of scenes, do you enjoy the angst or do you hate it as much as I do?
CC: I don’t like angst and I’ve never thought of myself as writing angsty books. I aim for sweet and uplifting in my writing. But I’ll tell you that I’m flattered you felt some angst in this story because, let’s face it, Ben was going through a lot of angst. The hardest battles are often the ones we fight within ourselves and that’s what we see in Ben. Unfortunately, Micah took some shrapnel, but he was strong enough to walk away from Ben when he was being mistreated. Of course, he was also strong enough to step back in and stand by Ben’s side.
Scotty: I must say that the scene in the synagogue brought a few tears to my eyes, and trust me, I haven’t cried since 1966. That was such a sweet scene; did you know when you started the book that this was going to happen? (I don’t want to give it away.)
CC: I’m honored that you enjoyed that scene. Yes, I did know it would happen when I started the book. To me, that scene and what it stood for was inevitable. Both Ben and Micah (but especially Ben) are family men. They’re devoted to their parents, sibling, and (in Micah’s case) niece and nephew.
Love of family and a desire for family were the root of Ben’s fear and self-loathing throughout his life. So it only made sense that once he took control of himself and lived his true life, creating his own family with Micah and showing a complete devotion to that family would be front and center.
Scotty: And can we talk about the hot sex for a minute. It is Spicy Wednesday after all. The book is filled with great spicy scenes and Ben picked up that part of being gay very quickly and easily I must say. I always debate on going for it or easing them into it and boy you went for it right away. That must have been fun to just take the plunge. Maybe you can give us an excerpt here with one of those scenes here to back up my words?????
CC: Just What the Truth is by Cardeno C. (adult excerpt) http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2535
Damn, but he had beautiful eyes. Like a blue ocean with glistening waves. “I haven’t ever done this.” My voice was low, but my heart was speeding. I had surprised myself with that confession. It wasn’t planned, wasn’t thought out, it just sort of sprang from my mouth in an inopportune moment of honesty. I flinched in expectation of his response. Would he laugh at me for essentially being a virgin at thirty-one? Of course I wasn’t actually a virgin. I had slept with women. But it wasn’t the same thing. Or maybe he would be like my brother—disgusted by the fact that I had hidden myself for so long. I didn’t have too much time to stress about it, because Micah moved and put his hands on my hips. He gazed into my eyes.“I’ve never dated anyone from work either. I know it could get awkward, but we’re both partners at the firm, so it’s not like there’s any issue with inappropriate use of authority.” He rested his forehead on mine. “I really like you, Ben. And I think you like me. Can we see where this thing between us can go?”I didn’t correct his misimpression of what I had never done. I didn’t tell him that awkwardness at work was only one of my issues, but the bigger one was being with any man. I didn’t even say that he was right about my feelings for him. In fact, I didn’t say anything at all. My body just took over, and I found myself nodding. Then Micah’s hands stroked up my arms, across my neck, and landed on the sides of my face. He caressed my cheeks, gave me a look that made my stomach flip over, and then he leaned in and kissed me. It was a soft kiss, no tongue. Just his lips brushing against mine with a gentle pressure, backing off, and then doing it again. I felt his beard on my face and his hard, muscular body pressed against mine. There was no way for me to pretend I was kissing a woman. Everything about Micah was unequivocally male. And it seemed that even if my brain hadn’t completely made up its mind about the situation, my body had, because it was the first time in my memory that I got rock hard while making out with somebody from nothing more than a kiss.We stayed in the pool, our lower bodies underwater and our upper bodies pressed together. Our lips kept meeting in tender kisses; Micah’s hands continued petting my face, my neck, my arms, and my back. And somewhere along the way, I forgot to feel cold or anxious or anything other than content. I let myself explore Micah’s skin, let my fingers comb through the hair on his chest and stroke his beard, let my tongue dart out occasionally and taste his lips. Micah took my lower lip between both of his and tugged gently. Then he let go and kissed his way across my jaw and over to my ear. His tongue licked my lobe, and then he sucked it gently into his mouth.“You feel so damn good, Ben,” he murmured.“So do you,” I said with a raspy voice.It was true. He felt amazing. Our bodies seemed to fit together just right, our heads at the perfect height for kissing, our hips lined up together, his leg pushed between both of mine, putting a wonderful pressure on my cock. It was perfect. I leaned in and kissed him again, not wanting the intimate moment to stop. Micah seemed to be of the same mind, because he groaned, curled his hands around the back of my head, and held me still as he increased the intensity of the kisses. It wasn’t long before our tongues tangled, our breathing got heavier, and our hips moved together in an incredibly erotic dance.By the time I realized what was about to happen, it was too late. There was no way for me to stop the runaway orgasm train racing through my body. Micah must have realized it too, because he increased the pressure his thigh was putting on my dick, and put one hand on my ass and the other on the back of my neck, encouraging my thrusting motions. I buried my face in his neck and whimpered as my movements got faster, more desperate.“Come on. Come on,” he whispered into my ear and kissed my temple.It was the tender kiss that pushed me over the edge, and I came with a joyous shout. Then my entire body went limp against Micah. He held me and rubbed circles on my back as I trembled and tried to get air back into my lungs.I had never experienced an orgasm like that. Never. The fact that it had happened from rubbing off on somebody while I was still dressed made that fact all the more startling.“I… I’m sorry.” My words were mumbled because my face was still pressed against Micah’s skin.“Sorry? Why? That was hot as hell.” He removed his hand from its perch on my ass, and pushed it between our stomachs into his suit. “You’re so fuckin’ gorgeous, Ben.” He dipped his head so his mouth was right against my neck, his breath hot on my skin. I could feel his hand moving between us as he stroked himself, and I knew that I had to join in. With my hands shaking, I tucked my thumbs into the waistband of his suit and pulled it out and down, letting his dick spring free. Then I took a deep breath and wrapped my fingers around his glans. Oh, God. I was holding his dick in my hand.He thrust up and back a few times, pushing himself through both of our fists, and then he shuddered and called my name as warmth covered my fingers.Neither of us moved after that. We just stood together, each of our heads leaning on the other’s shoulder, both of us breathing hard, and Micah occasionally dropping a kiss on my neck. It was the most wonderful moment of my life. And it terrified me.Scotty: What’s next CC?
CC: Well, I have Wake Me Up Inside, my first paranormal novel, coming out August 15th. It’s a story about two best friends who are so much more to each other. I was, frankly, surprised by how much I enjoyed writing a novel about shifters and I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out.
Here’s the blurb and the cover by the brilliant Reese Dante (stunning right?):


[image error] Zev Hassick is surprised and confused when he finds himself attracted to his best friend. His very human, very male best friend. Zev is the son of the pack Alpha, regarded as the strongest wolf in generations, born to lead. And everyone knows a male shifter has to mate with a female of his own kind to keep his humanity. So shifters can't be gay, right?

Jonah Marvel wants a relationship with Zev, his best friend, the man he has loved since childhood. It wasn’t easy to maintain that relationship over years spent living apart while Jonah studied to become a doctor. And then things grow more difficult when Jonah becomes his own patient. Before he can make a life with Zev, he has to understand his past and cure the unexplained ailments that plague him.
Zev and Jonah know they’re destined for each other, but they’re facing traditions ingrained over generations and long-buried secrets that may threaten any future together.


Speaking of best friends, in November, The One Who Saves Me, the next book in my Home series, is being released. This book tells the story of Caleb Lakes and Andrew Thompson by showing us glimpses into every year of their lives for two decades. Readers see Andrew and Caleb as they grow from boys to men, from friends to lovers, from lovers to platonic roommates, and ultimately realize that what they’ve searched for their entire lives was theirs all along.
Scotty: Thanks darling for spending some time with us this Wednesday and spicing up our day. Will we see you at GayRomLit in New Mexico?
CC: Alas, you will not see me at GayRomLit, work has me too busy to travel. But I can’t wait to hear all the details so I can live vicariously through you!
Scotty: CC, I really loved this sweet story and BTW, you are doing a great job with our new blog. This is really fun, thanks for all you hard work in getting it up and running. 
CC: I’m glad you liked Just What the Truth Is. And all the thanks for this blog go to the ever marvelous Kelly Shorten – web guru extraordinaire. And her you will see at GayRomLit so make sure you say hello and give her a big hug for me.
Link for Just What the Truth Is: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2535


[image error]CARDENO C. is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a little happiness and a few “awwws” into a reader’s day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno often feels that characters write their own stories and just hopes to find enough time to get those stories on the page. Cardeno loves to hear from readers, so please drop a line to share your thoughts on a story.Visit Cardeno at http://www.cardenoc.com and at Facebook as Cardeno C.