Welcome Michael Mandrake with Reconnection!
Why I Love Writing M/MMichael Mandrake aka Sharita Lira
Greetings readers! My post is a bit of an update from the first few posts I’d made about the same subject. Since I’ve been around the past four years, I’ve learned a lot and I wanted to restate the reasons why I love it.
In the beginning, it was about it being taboo, it made me hot, etc, but now, it’s more about my enjoyment for writing romance. I discover with every story I write, I’m putting a little bit of myself in every character, whether it’s my snarky side, my long winded, my love for the overdramatic. Notice I said, overdramatic. That doesn’t make me a drama queen! *snicker* I do love the tension, but occasionally, I love a story without all the heartache. I like the fluff as my favorite fellow writer put it.
Ever since I was a teen, I loved reading stories about two people falling for one another. It started with the cutesy Harlequins or my grandma’s Barbara Cortland novels and then I wanted to know more about the steamy with Fern Michaels and Jackie Collins. In many people’s eyes, those authors put out smut, but hey, it had a romantic element, or tried to. *grins* The bottom line is, it opened the door for what we know now as erotic romance.
Then I started getting into Anne Rice and much later, Zane, who also writes erotica. The common thread? In those stories there was something about two people connecting, finding a common ground, and maybe love somewhere along the way. Perhaps it wasn’t clearly stated, but reading between the lines, you saw something in those characters that made you enjoy that book.
And so, that spurred me into wanting to write my own, but it wasn’t until I gained the confidence through encouragement from friends and the fanfic community did I get the courage to publish. It took me a while, but here I am. Now, just like the authors before me, I enjoy writing about two people connecting. Most of the time, I just like them to be two men. Other than the genitalia, what’s the big difference? Men have feelings, desires; they have their ultimate partner just like women do. They have hang-ups, fears, some express their feelings openly, some do not. Why should writing m/m be singled out?
Sure, a lot of men might fit what society calls a “real man” but in Shar’s world, the characters may not always fit that mold. They’re unique, most of the time imperfect, not always what America considers as everyday males. They debunk stereotypes, cross over boundaries, they’re human to me and they connect. I love that the most and as much as I am a feminist, I love writing about the opposite sex.
So my ideas are better defined. Yeah, it still makes me hot, I love the taboo, but most important, I just love writing romance and the fact that it’s between two men, shouldn’t be a big deal. It is after all about human interaction. I enjoy it, and God willing, I’ll continue to do to for years to come.
Thanks for listening.
Blurb: Every once in a while, the average looking guy scores!
Robert McIntyre is a closeted, average looking sports columnist for the Daily Read. Unfortunately, his desire to stay in has cost him the chance at love more than once. However, now it seems his luck will change since his editor has asked him to interview, Jake Valenta. Jake and Robert knew one another in college and when he heard from a mutual friend that Jake might be bisexual, Robert didn’t believe him.
Before Robert’s trip, they discover a mutual affection for one another. Jake shares his desire to stay behind closed doors because he can’t stand being called a fag, but desperately wants Robert to be his man.
Robert and Jake want a chance to reconnect on a more personal level, but will this budding relationship ruin their careers?
Buy links:
Evernight PublishingAmazonAReSmashwordsBookstrand
Excerpt
During my junior year in 2009, I recall when my bestie, a female named Alex let me know the deal on Jake. She was fully aware I was gay and had no issue keeping my secret safe. Back then, it wasn’t a good idea to let anyone know you were homosexual. Oklahoma was part of the Bible belt meaning you’d suffer either at the hands of nagging kids who wanted to taunt you or overzealous bible thumpers who’d pray for you to be saved and or converted.
Either way, I’d learned staying in the closet throughout high school, college, and adulthood was the best option not only for my well-being, but also my sanity. Sad, but I figured why put myself through unnecessary trouble?
As per usual, Alex and I found a table in the corner away from the so-called cool kids. Many people thought we dated which was cool because it kept everyone from jumping in my business.
“Robert.” Alex placed her tuna salad sandwich on the table and dropped her book-bag on the floor. “Have I got some excitingnews for you.”
Although hungry, I pushed the fork through the cafeteria’s version of authentic Mexican because it looked really unappetizing. It really sucked being a poor college student who could only afford to eat in the college cafeteria.
“What might that be?” I shoved the tray away and took the other half of her tuna sandwich.
She glared at me and shrugged, “Jake’s into guys.”
The moment she’d finished her sentence, I stopped chewing. “You’re kidding, right?” I put the rest down on the table and quickly swallowed it before I choked.
Alex smiled, “Nope, I’m not. My friend Lori Tate used to fool around with Jake. She says he confessed it while talking about sex.” She took back her lunch.
“Really?” My mind started to consider the possibilities. We were two years apart and seemingly since he wanted to stay on the down low, we could make this work, right?
Prizes
3 Ebook copies of Reconnection 1 $5 Amazon GC
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About the Muse and Author
Michael Mandrake pens complex characters already comfortable with their sexuality. Thorough these, he builds worlds not centered on erotica but rather the mainstream plots we might encounter in everyday life through personal experiences or the media.
To find out more please visit Michael Mandrake at Wordpress
Author Sharita Lira:In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have
In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and perusing the net for sexy men to be her muses. She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine Fourteeng.net.
For more information, please visit http://www.thelitriad.com as well as her Facebook fanpage, The Literary Triad.
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