Renae interviews Renae on Bear Chasing

Okay, I'm a bad, bad author.  I did something that is not allowed in the authoring world.  I took a week off.

**record scratch**

​I did what?  Yeah - me.  I took a holiday with my family and spent a week near the beach.  And subsequently forgot to post this last week.  So we are now a week behind.  I'm sorry.

​But here is the third and next instalment in the interviews I've done of interviewing myself.  Chronologically, the next release I had after The Blinding Light​ was a little short story in an anthology called ​A Taste of Honey. Name of book:  Bear Chasing
Date Published:  18th August 2014
Available in: ebook / print as a part of the A Taste of Honey anthology.
Other forms coming:  Will probably rerelease as a standalone when rights have expired.
 
When did you start writing this book?  April 2014

What gave you the inspiration for the story?  I saw Dreamspinner put a call out for short stories to go into an anthology about bears (the gay bear type, not the furry, four-footed ones!)  I loved the idea and made a mental note to buy the book once it was released.  Some months later, I saw BG Thomas put out another plea for good, romantic stories.

At that stage I didn’t know BG – and of course he didn’t know me.  Loving Jay hadn’t been published yet.  No one knew my name.  But there was something pulling me toward this anthology.  So I set myself a challenge to write a bear story in under 12,000 words – for BG.  I know that sounds silly, but I wrote this story for BG.

And my favourite pairing?  Oh, yeah.  The big bear and the skinny little bear chaser…

What was the working title?  I originally called it “Bear Love,” but then changed it to Bear Chasing when I finished.

Where did the title of the book come from?  I didn’t know much about gay bears before starting this story, so I began to research it.  Information sites, dating sites, gay blogs – they are great sources of information.  And the first thing that popped out at me was the term “bear chaser.”  I realised that’s what I wanted my story to be about – the fact that people prefer bears over others.  Some guys like bears.  Some guys like being bears.

It was a natural progression to call it Bear Chasing.

What challenges did you face with writing this?  Research, research, research.  Always!

Then there was the fact that I’d never attempted a short story before.  That was a challenge to wrap up the story in a HEA (or at least HFN) in less than 12,000 words.

Tell us about MC1 – where did the inspiration come for him?  Okay.  I confess.  Gavin, Frank and Brett were based loosely around my neighbours.  There is a bunch of guys who live together in the house across the road from me.  I assume they’re straight.  I pretend otherwise. 

Tell us about MC2 – where did the inspiration come for him?  There is a guy I went to school with – Ashley.  He was into computers and computer games before it was cool to be, was skinny and socially awkward, and he loved his sister to bits.  I haven’t seen Ashley since we were 12, but Neil is what I assume Ashley turned out to be.

Is there anything special that happens in the story that you think readers would like to know about?  I fell in love with writing bears.

What is the best thing that has happened about this story, post-publication?  My friendship with BG Thomas has blossomed.  One day, I will give him a hug in real life.  One day.
​
Do you plan a follow up story?  I love this story.  But it’s not on my priority list.  One day I will write the next chapter in their story.  I really, really want to.