Suanne Laqueur
OK, wow, this is seven questions. I'll take them one at a time :-)
1) What's your inspiration for Jav & Alex's characters?
Javier Landes started out as Xavier, Xav for short, because I thought it sounded damn sexy. But after The Fish Tales, I wanted to get away from French-speaking characters. So he became Javier instead. I made him Dominican after watching Joanna Hausmann's video on different Latino accents. Apparently Dominicans speak Spanish the fastest out of all Latinos (although Puerto Ricans will vehemently and speedily deny any such thing). To contrast that, I first made Alex Penda Argentinian. His Spanish would be much slower and sing-song with a heavy Italian influence. It just made for some funny, nationalistic-pride competitive dialogue between them, with Jav speeding up and Alex slowing down on purpose. He later became Chilean.
2) Do you speak Spanish?
No.
3) What was the purpose in killing off Roland/Meredith—a faster way to get Val & Alex together?
It was partly for convenience yes, otherwise I’d have to develop the parental relationships and that would be like another 300 pages in an already long book. Also partly to give Alex, Val and Jav the common experience of being orphans.
4) Can I get Alex's recipe for Dulce de Leche? You take the label off a can of condensed milk. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place the can on its side, making sure it’s covered by the water at all times. Simmer 3 hours, adding more boiling water if necessary to keep the can covered. Remove with tongs, let cool completely before opening.
5) Was it hard writing the intimate scenes between Jav & Alex?
Yes, at first. I had to really dial into what that experience might be like from both sides. When I relaxed and let go of preconceived notions of masculinity and gender and just let the action flow between two humans, it was a bit easier. Still a challenge, though.
6) How did you do your research for the male escort business?
I read a bunch of books but most of the research was done online. I lurked around a lot of forums where sex workers were discussing the trade. I needed a lot of personal, psychological details, though, and three different escorts I met were nice enough to answer questions I sent them. Since I started publishing, I find experts, no matter the field, love to be consulted. Tell them you’re writing a book and they’ll enthusiastically help you out.
7) Is Guelisten based on a real town?
Two towns, actually. Katonah, NY with its beautiful houses and picturesque-as-f*ck Main Street; and Cold Spring, NY which sits on the Hudson River and is also Norman Rockwell’s wet dream. I moved the location a bit northward to Poughkeepsie so the town could be by the Mid-Hudson Bridge. I love bridges.
1) What's your inspiration for Jav & Alex's characters?
Javier Landes started out as Xavier, Xav for short, because I thought it sounded damn sexy. But after The Fish Tales, I wanted to get away from French-speaking characters. So he became Javier instead. I made him Dominican after watching Joanna Hausmann's video on different Latino accents. Apparently Dominicans speak Spanish the fastest out of all Latinos (although Puerto Ricans will vehemently and speedily deny any such thing). To contrast that, I first made Alex Penda Argentinian. His Spanish would be much slower and sing-song with a heavy Italian influence. It just made for some funny, nationalistic-pride competitive dialogue between them, with Jav speeding up and Alex slowing down on purpose. He later became Chilean.
2) Do you speak Spanish?
No.
3) What was the purpose in killing off Roland/Meredith—a faster way to get Val & Alex together?
It was partly for convenience yes, otherwise I’d have to develop the parental relationships and that would be like another 300 pages in an already long book. Also partly to give Alex, Val and Jav the common experience of being orphans.
4) Can I get Alex's recipe for Dulce de Leche? You take the label off a can of condensed milk. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place the can on its side, making sure it’s covered by the water at all times. Simmer 3 hours, adding more boiling water if necessary to keep the can covered. Remove with tongs, let cool completely before opening.
5) Was it hard writing the intimate scenes between Jav & Alex?
Yes, at first. I had to really dial into what that experience might be like from both sides. When I relaxed and let go of preconceived notions of masculinity and gender and just let the action flow between two humans, it was a bit easier. Still a challenge, though.
6) How did you do your research for the male escort business?
I read a bunch of books but most of the research was done online. I lurked around a lot of forums where sex workers were discussing the trade. I needed a lot of personal, psychological details, though, and three different escorts I met were nice enough to answer questions I sent them. Since I started publishing, I find experts, no matter the field, love to be consulted. Tell them you’re writing a book and they’ll enthusiastically help you out.
7) Is Guelisten based on a real town?
Two towns, actually. Katonah, NY with its beautiful houses and picturesque-as-f*ck Main Street; and Cold Spring, NY which sits on the Hudson River and is also Norman Rockwell’s wet dream. I moved the location a bit northward to Poughkeepsie so the town could be by the Mid-Hudson Bridge. I love bridges.
More Answered Questions
Belle of the Books
asked
Suanne Laqueur:
Hi Suanne! Your books changed my life. There's really no way to shape that into something softer, but it needs to be said. I'm minoring in dance now, etc. Thank you isn't enough, but it's a start. I was also wondering about Here To Stay. I think you said Amazon won't allow pre-order. Will Amazon have it on January 14th? If not, could you tell me where to go to buy the book on January 14th? Thank you! Mackenzie
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