My newest title from Phaze Books is En Garde, a novella about a couple that get together via a shared interest in competitive fencing.
The book came out of several creative spaces. I have always been interested in the sexual side-effects of competition. As an athlete myself and someone who dated athletes, I know that people who are passionate about competition often extend that passion into other areas of their lives. I wanted to write something that addressed this.
Phaze was looking for characters that broke some conventions for their Rebel line and I love taking cliches and turning them on their head. So that was also a motivation. I especially enjoy writing strong female characters. I despise the whole simpering "come-rescue-me" bit that is stereotypically applied to romantic heroines.
Which paired up well with the last major inspiration for that story. I know a young lady who is absolutely a fierce competitor on the strip. I wanted to take that fire, that drive and that aggressiveness and write it into a character. In a very real way, En Garde came into existence simply to give me an excuse to write that character.
The book came out of several creative spaces. I have always been interested in the sexual side-effects of competition. As an athlete myself and someone who dated athletes, I know that people who are passionate about competition often extend that passion into other areas of their lives. I wanted to write something that addressed this.
Phaze was looking for characters that broke some conventions for their Rebel line and I love taking cliches and turning them on their head. So that was also a motivation. I especially enjoy writing strong female characters. I despise the whole simpering "come-rescue-me" bit that is stereotypically applied to romantic heroines.
Which paired up well with the last major inspiration for that story. I know a young lady who is absolutely a fierce competitor on the strip. I wanted to take that fire, that drive and that aggressiveness and write it into a character. In a very real way, En Garde came into existence simply to give me an excuse to write that character.