Interview with The Book Swain!!!

I was thrilled to be interviewed by the amazing blog, ‘The Book Swain‘ ! Thought I’d share the interview with all of you!!

What keeps your imagination running when you are writing?
Answer: Two things help me a lot in that regard. One is walking. My best friend and I are part of a walking club and she and I often walk in a wonderful area called Alki Beach. It’s right along Puget Sound, has a view of the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges and a gorgeous view of Seattle. We regularly do 5K walks along that beach. Being in that amazing environment rests my mind and helps my imagination stay fresh.

The second thing I do occasionally is write short stories about my characters. Put them in situation other than the ones in the book. That keeps my imagination purring along. And often gives me new ideas for the book!

What was the best reaction you received from your family and friends when they found out you are writing gay romance?
Answer:  My grandson thinks it’s the coolest thing on Earth. He wants to collaborate with me in writing a gay SciFi novel. Now THAT sounds like fun!!

Most of us readers think gay bed scenes are HOT! What do you feel when writing those steamy scenes on your novel?
Answer: LOL! Well, it’s not as ‘stimulating’ as one might think. You have to imagine the scene in ways that are ‘different’ from someone who might be enjoying it as a reader. You have to think about positions, where everyone’s hands are, what position are their bodies in, things like that. You can’t have a character sucking somebody’s toes and in the next breath have him giving a passionate kiss. You have to GET him from one end to the other first. So I think more (or as much) about logistics than I do about how ‘hot’ it is until I get it fleshed out a bit… so to speak. Once I’m sure I haven’t had the guys turning into contortionists and that the scene is believable… THEN I can give it a hotness evaluation. And gay bed scenes ARE hot! I always try to write mine at a 8 on the ‘hot’ scale at least!!

Whoa! Okay, here’s the next one. If you will be given the chance to choose an openly gay celebrity for your next book cover, who would you choose and why?
Answer: I’d choose Elton John. First of all, his from ‘my’ era. LOL! Second, he came out as bisexual in 1976!! A long time before there was much in the way of acceptance for a LGBTQ lifestyle, and has been out as a gay man since 1988. He’s been an outspoken advocate for gay rights ever since then and has been hugely involved in the fight against AIDS. I admire him very much.

Many of us want to write romance but still scared to try, what is your advice?
Answer: Write stories! Leave the novel idea for a little while and start smaller! I wrote gay romance as slash fan fiction for 25 years before taking on my novel of original characters. I think you get comfortable with writing by writing. But I honestly think my time writing stories was great training for taking on something more substantial. I wouldn’t advise waiting 25 years! LOL! But writing ‘stories’ isn’t quite as intimidating as taking on a 80,000 word novel. Get your feet wet… then plunge into the ocean.

And here’s a bonus, my dear. If you are answering this question, it means I am already your avid fan. Convince the new visitors to read your books and become one of your fans.
Answer: Wow. I almost cringe at the idea of trying to convince someone to be a fan or read Love’s Magic. But if I did, I’d do it this way: Go to my website and read my blog. I introduce all of the Love’s Magic main characters there. Get to know the men who inhabit that world! I think THEY will convince you that their story is worth reading without me having to say a word!!

 


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