Interview Roulette: Olivia Helling

 

  1. Describe a hobby one of your characters likes to engage in.

Hobbies play a big role in my Godsbane Prince series, where the love interests Jem and Ilyas learn about each other through their hobbies. As the next king, Ilyas lives in constant scrutiny with his younger brothers always chomping at the bit to take him down. His whole life is a carefully orchestrated persona – and so he needed to find something he could do alone. That’s where yoga comes in.

Jem, on the other hand, has been forced to live a solitary existence. Even his own family is afraid of him. He walks through life like a ghost, trying to avoid anything pleasurable enough to hold him to life – and the only luxury he allows himself is a game of Go, where he plays both sides.

  1. Flood waters are coming. You can grab only three things from your home before fleeing—what do you choose?

My two cats, obviously. And if I was a bit more organized, a bug-out bag, so I can feed myself, my spouse and the cats. Since I don’t have a bug-out bag, I’d probably take my kindle. (I assume that my spouse can save himself.)

  1. Is there a fiction genre you would write only if forced to at gunpoint?

I’m the type of person who generally finds something interesting in all the work I do, so I’d probably find a joy in any kind of genre. But I would rather not write hetero romance. It holds no allure for me.

  1. Which of your characters should run for US President?

I’m going to dodge this question by stating that none of my characters are American, and so wouldn’t be eligible.

  1. Describe one time someone surprised you.

In the spring, I got obsessed with reading letters. I picked up a ton of books from the library and on kindle – More Letters of Note compiled by Shaun Usher, Signed Sealed Delivered by Nina Sankovitch, and others, and talked obsessively to my spouse about writing letters to my representatives and finding a penpal… and maybe, just maybe, splurging on a fountain pen. A fountain pen has been on my wish list for years, but I could never justify the expense.

At the same time, I went through a rough patch emotionally. One day, my spouse came home with a big brown paper bag from the local stationery shop.
Happy Anniversary. Here’s some beautiful stationary and two fountain pens for you.

O.O!

Um, wait, we were supposed to give each other presents? (We’d never given gifts, and we’d decided to celebrate our anniversary with a belated trip.)

No, he just wanted to cheer me up.

Aww. Now I regret saying I’d assume he could save himself from the flood.

  1. Name two of your pet peeves.

Most of my pet peeves revolve around people acting inconsiderate. The downstairs neighbor that pounds up and down the steps after midnight because they assume they’re the only people who live in the house. People who put in really loud engines or mufflers, or blast music out their windows because only they matter. People who protest things that have nothing to do with them at all, and would have a positive impact on others.

I’d also say when authors try to set up two characters with no chemistry whatsoever (and have been completely platonic up to this point) in a non-romantic because it’s “expected”. He’s a man and she’s a woman, and so therefore they must be together. Um, no. Not everyone is straight. Few people develop a burning passion out of nothing for someone overnight, after not seeing them for months. That’s not how it works.

  1. Which of your characters would send you screaming out into the blizzard before the week was up?

One of the characters in my current work in progress. He’s a cleric/doctor who buys the line that if the sick and disabled simply renounced their sins and followed the One God’s commandments, they’d get better. But really, that’s just to justify his sociopathic/serial killer-esque treatment of them. Would you even want to be in the same room as him?

  1. What’s one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?

My favourite mantra is the joy is in the process.

This means many things to me, and generally when I’m having mindset problems, I discover a new facet to this mantra.

When you’re writing, focus on writing. When you’re not writing, focus on whatever you’re doing. I find it’s generally when I’m not focused on what I’m doing at the moment – and thinking about my novel – is when anxiety and fear sneak up on me. Will this sell? Is this good enough?

And writing (even editing) is the fun part. It’s the all-absorbing part where your book is all important. Once you publish, the relationship changes. It’s done and out, there is no process. The book becomes less important, and you sweep yourself up into a new project.

So if the writing isn’t enjoyable, ask yourself: how can I make this more enjoyable? Because it’s not going to be any more fun afterward. (Another handy law of the universe – you get better at everything when you relax. Irritating, but true.)

***

Book blurb:

Embracing his inner darkness could be his only chance to save the man he loves…

Ilyas refuses to give up his power. Not in the negotiations with his kingdom’s old enemy, and not in his relationship with the man he loves. To keep the possibility of victory all to himself, Ilyas shuts Jem out of the talks and puts their love at incredible risk…

Jem can no longer trust his own mind. While Ilyas has helped keep his inner demons at bay, the vessel of the Dark God senses the void growing between them. When the shadowmancer arrives at the negotiations, Jem keeps a close eye on a foe who seems to have won over everyone but him…

As Jem uncovers the shadowmancer’s true purpose, nobody believes him, including Ilyas. Before a dormant, deadly menace is released, Jem’s only chance to save the peninsula and his soulmate is to embrace the monster he was made to be…

Shadowmancer is the riveting final installment in a trilogy of LGBT dark fantasy novels. If you like gay romance against all odds, action-packed adventures, and far-away fantasy worlds, then you’ll love Olivia Helling’s engaging tale.

Buy Shadowmancer to conclude the fantastical love story today!

Book buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadowmancer-Dark-Fantasy-Godsbane-Prince-ebook/dp/B0753W8L7H/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/shadowmancer-4

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1275324464

Everywhere else: http://books2read.com/Shadowmancer

Author bio:

Olivia Helling doesn’t believe in love at first sight… but maybe, just maybe, it blossoms along a few books. That is, after all, how she fell in love with her husband.

Olivia writes about the darkness and flaws from within, the struggle with self-confidence, self-perception and fear of failure, and fantasy and historical worlds that refuse to allow love between men. So be warned: happily ever after is not guaranteed.

The protagonist and love interest don’t always end up together by the end of one book. But when they finally come together, their love will be a thing of beauty.

Author contacts:

  • Website: oliviahelling.com
  • Blog: oliviahelling.com/blog
  • Facebook facebook.com/oliviahelling
  • Twitter twitter.com/katsubite
  • Email olivia@oliviahelling.com

Interview Roulette: Pat Henshaw

Today’s Pat Henshaw’s turn at the wheel!

 

  1. What genre that you haven’t written before are you thinking about delving into in the future?

Each of my books has a teenager lurking somewhere in it, so I’m very interested in writing a YA book. I thought about telling each of the existing books’ stories from the teens’ points of view, but now have decided I’d rather have different characters tell their own stories—probably in first person novella format since that comes easiest for me.

  1. What advice would you give your 17-year-old self?

Write and write more. And submit. Yes, rejection is difficult and you feel like parts of your soul are being stabbed, but do it anyway. Why? Because in the end, someone will like your writing and will hire you. So the more experience you have, the easier the process will get. (I’ll give you a peek at the future: You make your living writing and teaching writing. So get good at it now.)

  1. What is your favorite procrastination method?

I love to play stupid, time-consuming video games like Jewel Quest and Tradewinds and listen to music—right now the songs of The Dead South, a Canadian group that writes and sings about the American Civil War.  I can’t play immersive games like Diablo because I never would write if I did—though sometimes I’ve been known to play a few rounds of Nox if I set an alarm to limit my time with it.

  1. You’ve been invited to a party being held by your boss. Which of your characters will you take with you as your guest?

Great question! I’d try to take Abe Behr from Behr Facts, but I doubt he’d go with me since he’s not very social. His younger brother Ben, from Waking the Behr, would go and be the hit of the party in his good-old-boy, aw shucks ma’am way. But I think I would have the most fun with Zeke Bandy of Relative Best. Since he’s dealt with so many types of people from all over the world through the Gold Rush hotel he inherited and runs, he and I would have a lot in common and a lot to talk about. I’m intrigued to find out more about the music he writes and sings.

  1. Describe one time someone surprised you.

Dreamspinner Press has an annual retreat for its authors. I’d been reading DSP books long before I became one of its authors, so I was eager to go to the retreat and meet some of the authors whose books I loved. I’d met a lot of authors before in my newspaper and freelance writing days, so I was prepared to meet a group of people who would look down on me as not one of them. But I was totally surprised when I met four people in particular: Rick Reed, Ben Thomas, Jamie Fessenden, and you. All of you were so nice and wonderful, truly greeting me as a fellow author. The Dreamspinner weekend was truly a surprise for me.

 

  1. One of your characters writes a poem to his beloved.

Doubtful, very doubtful. While all my characters read, most aren’t ones for whom creative writing is even of passing interest. In What’s in a Name? Stone runs a bar, and Jimmy owns two coffee shops where he’s the creative barista. Both create in their own ways, but not as far as poetry goes. In Redesigning Max, Fredi paints and Max writes non-fiction bird books. But neither is a poetry buff. Construction company owner Abe and accountant Jeff of Behr Facts are precision men, but not poets. Celebrity chef Adam of When Adam Fell and sous chef/restaurant manager David create through giving customers the perfect dining experience, so there’s no poetry there. In Relative Best, hotel owner and entertainer Zeke Bandy writes his own music, so I think that’s as close to poetry as any of my characters are going to get.

  1. Aside from writing, in what ways are you creative?

I create dollhouse miniatures in quarter inch to the foot scale. Uh, yeah, this is tiny. I used to have a lot more creative pastimes before I got serious about writing. Now I listen to music, write, read, play computer games, and take photos as I travel with my husband.

***

Book blurb:

Both Ben and Mitch think they know exactly what they want. Turns out, they don’t even know their own hearts.

Good old boy Ben has dated women his entire life, while gay nightclub owner Mitch has never considered unsophisticated country boys his type. But after they start hanging out, the small-town contractor and the urban entrepreneur are both stunned by the electricity sparking between them.

As they step outside their comfort zones to spend time together, Mitch finds he enjoys rural car rallies, and Ben is intrigued by the upscale bars Mitch owns in San Francisco. When they share their lives and grow closer, they start to question the way they’ve always defined themselves. Then they kiss and fling open the door to love. Now they must step up and travel the road that may lead to happily ever after—even if that path isn’t one they ever expected to walk.

Book buy links:

Dreamspinner: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/waking-the-behr-by-pat-henshaw-8865-b

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36099055-waking-the-behr?from_search=true

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Behr-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B075D86H87/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505008405&sr=1-1&keywords=9781635339161  

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waking-Behr-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B075D86H87/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505008545&sr=8-1&keywords=waking+the+behr  

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/Waking-Behr-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/B075D86H87/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505008586&sr=8-1&keywords=waking+the+behr  

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/waking-the-behr  

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-the-behr-pat-henshaw/1127058298?ean=2940158850714

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Pat_Henshaw_Waking_the_Behr?id=wUQwDwAAQBAJ

 

Author bio:

Pat Henshaw, author of the Foothills Pride Stories, has spent her life surrounded by words:  Teaching English composition at the junior college level; writing book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites; helping students find information as a librarian; and promoting PBS television programs.

Pat was born and raised in Nebraska where she  promptly left the cold and snow after college, living at various times in Texas, Colorado, Northern Virginia, and Northern California.  Pat enjoys travel, having visited Mexico, Canada, Europe, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Egypt, and Europe, including a cruise down the Danube.

Her triumphs are raising two incredible daughters who daily amaze her with their power and compassion.  Fortunately, her incredibly supportive husband keeps her grounded in reality when she threatens to drift away while writing fiction.

Author contacts:

Website: http://patbooked.blogspot.com

Website: www.pathenshaw.com  (under construction)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.henshaw.10

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenshaw

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pat-Henshaw/e/B00BPDEDEA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1436131610&sr=8-1

Email: patoisca@yahoo.com   pat@pathenshaw.com

 

Interview Roulette: Jayne Lockwood

Interview Roulette questions

Hi everyone. I’m Jayne Lockwood and I write under two names, S.A. Smythe for M/M erotic romance and Jayne Lockwood for romantic suspense (gay, straight, pan – I like to mix it up!) My current WIP is a science fiction/romance between a scientist and the alien who steps out of time in the name of love. I hope to publish sometime around Christmas 2017. Very many thanks to Kim Fielding for hosting me on her wonderful blog. 

What food would you only consider eating if you were stranded on a desert isle with nothing else to consume?

You see, this is where I run into problems, because my immediate answer would be, and would always be, tapioca milk pudding (or frogspawn,) because there is nothing on this earth that would get me to eat it, thanks to being traumatised with it at school. We were sat at tables with “food monitors” which is code for “meglomaniac senior kids” and they would force us to eat everything on our plates. Bobbly chicken skin, wrinkly, lumpy custard, thick chunks of bread pudding, gristly beef; it was horrendous. The cook was this savage little lady who always had a cigarette dangling from her mouth. And she couldn’t cook for shit. So yeah, tapioca pudding. The thing is, that implies that cows are on the island, and if that were the case, the unfortunate bovine would be on the fire pit faster than you can say “T-Bone.” So logically, tapioca milk pudding doesn’t make sense, but I’m still going with it

You can eat only one ice cream flavor for the rest of your life. Which is it? 

Hmmm. Quentin Tarantino once told a story about being with a friend in New York, trying a peanut frappuccino. After tasting it, the friend said that if Elvis Presley ate a load of peanuts and then had an orgasm, his frappucino would taste just like that. So unless someone can present me with a gelato made purely from milk from golden cows, certified Elvis Presley jizz and peanuts, I’ll go without. PS. I hate ice cream!

Which of your characters is going to Vegas with you and why?

Definitely Lexington Black, because he has the money to put us up in a wonderful hotel and we can have a lot of fun on the Sunset Strip. There’s no point doing Vegas on a budget. And he  might even sneak a kiss from Barry Manilow. Cocacobana!

Which of your characters should run for US President?

Well, not Lex, because I think he might be a bit of an asshole unless Rob can keep him in check. I actually have another character in one of my Jayne Lockwood books, Closer Than Blood. Richard Mason is a an altruistic psychopath, so in the current climate, he would be a perfect US President, because….

Multimillionaire businessman (stay with it…)

LGBT and proud of it (He’s pansexual)

Ruthless (he’s killed a few people but they were all assholes, so that’s okay.)

He’s philanthropic, looking out for the poor and hungry

He’s profoundly dyslexic, so what a great role model for others with the same difficulties.

Respects women (after a painful lesson from his forever love, Pagan. Yeah, so she could be his half-sister but nothings’ ever been proven….)

I’d say he was perfect for the role!

Write a story—no more than 100 words–based on this prompt: When the levee failed….

When the levee failed, people began to die; some slowly and painfully, others with shocking ease. 
 
From afar, ignorant men in power calculated the demage, some satisfied the cleansing had finally happened. God had turned his mighty wrath on the sinful. They turned away from the carnage.
 
Yet as the waters eased, a rainbow appeared. The spirit of the people began to gain strength. Understanding, communication, many hands reached out in love to support their neighbours, resources pooled to rebuild a wounded community.
 
Nothing, not God or natural causes, would keep the human spirit oppressed. After all, love is love.
 
What were your favorite childhood books?
 
I had a varied and precocious taste in books, fed avidly by my father, who would present me with thick tomes that would make a lot of kids just run away screaming today because there weren’t any pictures. Reading was the one thing in school I was actually good at! So my favourite childhood books were:

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr

Rebecca by Daphe du Maurier

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Describe a memorable dream—or nightmare

I dream a lot, and promptly forget them the next day, but this one is memorable and I hope it doesn’t cause upset.

About twenty years ago, I began having dreams about climbing up a tall building. It was made of glass, very straight, so I could see right down to the ground as I was climbing. When I reached the top, there was a clock, a huge one with a big pendulum. It was ticking slowly, going backwards. There was a sense of impending menace but I wasn’t sure why. Looking out over the city, I knew I was in New York, but it was slightly different, with grassy spaces and hillsides amidst the big buildings. But the building I was on was so much bigger. After a while, I knew I had to get down to the ground, so I ran down the stairs. It was a bit like an Escher drawing, but I made it, and was really grateful to breath fresh air. It was a good feeling. 

I had this dream several times in a couple of years, which is why it made such an impression, but the dreams stopped after 9/11, and I haven’t had it since. 

What’s something you—or one of your characters—got in trouble for while in school

I was such a goody two-shoes, it was probably nauseating. Most of my characters have been terribly good at school. Or unexceptional anyway. But …. Does sleeping with the Headmaster count? Lexington Black did that when he was 18 (which is legal in England.) I meant, he was of legal age. So sleeping with the Headmaster is probably legal too, though probably not advisable….

Pick any place in the world to spend the next 6 months. Where is it and why?

That’s really hard, as I love the coast, but in the end, I think I’d choose somewhere close to Mesa Verde, in Arizona. I’m an inveterate weather watcher, so the opportunity to mix writing, exploring the wild and watching clouds would be irresistible.

You’re on a ship with Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Catherine the Great, David Bowie, Billie Holiday, and Gengis Khan. But oh no! The ship is sinking and the lifeboat only holds four people. You get to decide—who gets on that lifeboat?

Grrrr, I hate this question! I just take it all so seriously, not wanting to consign anyone to a watery grave. 

I think Alexandra the Great and Gengis Khan would get on fabulously, and between them would be resourceful enough to build their own lifeboat before the ship sinks. And they would kill everyone else if I chose them, so Adios to those two. That leaves Mark Twain, Albert, David and Billie. Billie Holliday is tiny, and I’m only 5’4”. David Bowie was tall but really skinny, so actually, there would be room for all of us on the boat, as long as we get to it before Gengis does!

Book blurb:

Lexington Black by S.A. Smythe 

Robin Martyn is divorced, straight, and living an unexciting life as a book-keeper for a luxury car showroom. His ambition to be an author has stalled, and he has a nightmare of a family, most of whom think he is a waste of space. His father killed himself when Rob was 15, and since then, Rob has found it hard to trust and commit himself to anyone but himself, yet over the course of a test drive with a suave stranger, he discovers he is capable of behaving in a totally irrational and risky manner.
 
Lexington Black is the wealthy New Yorker who rocks Rob’s world. After a night of hot sex, he wastes no time in luring Rob to the US to stay at his penthouse for a month so that he can reboot his writing career. A ruthless businessman, Lex is accustomed to getting what he wants. He is in love with Rob and he also wants his ailing father to accept his sexuality before the old man dies.
 
As Rob is introduced to gay Manhattan by Lex’s colourful friends, he is unaware that Lex is holding on to a crucial secret. Years before, Lex was a student at the college where Rob’s father was Headmaster. A brief encounter between them had resulted in the tragedy that Rob had been unable to forget. With this secret hanging between them, it is only a matter of time before Rob and Lex’s relationship is balanced on a knife edge. 
 
A heated tale of deception and lust between two hot men who cannot keep their hands off each other…

Book buy links:

Amazon US
 
 
Amazon UK
 
 
Smashwords
 

Author bio:

I’ve been writing for many years, starting out at County College of Morris in New Jersey with a course in Journalism. Since then I’ve published five novels for Black Lace Books under a pseudonym (Savannah Smythe) and one ghostwritten book for glamour celebrity, Abi Titmuss, in 2005 (10 Fantasies.) Also, I’ve published two M/M erotica stories as S. A. Smythe, Lexington Black andDocklands Diamond, both available on Amazon and Smashwords.
 
I’ve also published The Cloud Seeker and Closer Than Blood, both romantic suspense novels under Hollow Hills Publishing. At the moment, I’m working on my third Jayne Lockwood novel. I draw from my experiences as an Englishwoman and my time in New Jersey. The area of the Chilterns where I grew up and where I live now is rich in inspiration, secrets and tales from the past.
 
Finally, I write book reviews for WROTE Podcast (http://wrotepodcast.com.) WROTE stands for WRitten On The Edge, and features authors and other creatives from the LGBTQ community. I’m very proud to be a part of this venture, which was started in 2014 by myself, S.A. Collins and Vance Bastian, both terrific authors and friends. The podcast is going from strength to strength, and is a great way of getting to know some fantastic LGBTQ writers and artists.
 
More information on my work can be found on
 
 
or S.A. Smythe’s blog 
 

Author contacts:

Website/blog

For Jayne Lockwood

https://hollowhillspublishing.blogspot.co.uk

For S.A. Smythe

https://sasmythe.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/hollowhillspublishing/

Or Like S.A. Smythe’s page

https://www.facebook.com/SASmytheAuthor/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/ladyjAuthor

Finally, I’m also on QueerRomance Ink!

Interview Roulette: F.T Lukens

F.T Lukens spins the wheel!

 

  1. Warm weather or cold?

Neither! But if I have to choose then I prefer the cold. You can always add more layers if you’re too chilly. The fall is the best time of year.

  1. You get to spend a day with a character from any book—but not one of your own. Who do you choose?

Ford Prefect from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I have my towel and I’m ready to go. Let’s go to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe and fly around in the Heart of Gold.

  1. Name a guilty pleasure you indulge in.

I read fanfic. I read a lot of fanfic. I love to read stories about my favorite characters and to see the canon expanded.

  1. One of your characters has signed up to teach a 1-day workshop. What’s it on?

Pavel Chudinov is an intermediary between the magical world and our world. He would teach an introductory course on cryptids and myth. Of course, being only 1 day, he couldn’t get too specific but he could give a few pointers on how to escape a rampaging unicorn for sure.

  1. Shopping—love it or leave it?

I love online shopping! But I hate going to a store.

  1. Which of your characters is most likely to end up in the emergency room and why?

Bridger Whitt who is the main character of The Rules and Regulations For Mediating Myths & Magic. Poor guy can’t catch a break when it comes to interacting with cryptids. More than likely, he was chased by something and fell.

  1. Describe one time someone surprised you.

When I got back home from Dragon*Con after being gone for five days, my living room had been completely rearranged. My husband had painted and hung a shelf and moved the couch and desks. The floor had been steam cleaned and the kitchen was immaculate. It was a great surprise.

*

Book blurb:

Desperate to pay for college, Bridger Whitt is willing to overlook the peculiarities of his new job—entering via the roof, the weird stacks of old books and even older scrolls, the seemingly incorporeal voices he hears from time to time—but it’s pretty hard to ignore being pulled under Lake Michigan by… mermaids? Worse yet, this happens in front of his new crush, Leo, the dreamy football star who just moved to town.

Fantastic.

When he discovers his eccentric employer Pavel Chudinov is an intermediary between the human world and its myths, Bridger is plunged into a world of pixies, werewolves, and Sasquatch. The realm of myths and magic is growing increasingly unstable, and it is up to Bridger to ascertain the cause of the chaos, eliminate the problem, and help his boss keep the real world from finding the world of myths.

 

Book buy links:

Purchase Links:

Interlude Press: https://store.interludepress.com/collections/the-rules-and-regulations-for-mediating-myths-magic-by-f-t-lukens

Amazonhttp://amzn.to/2xKK8HT

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rules-and-regulations-for-mediating-myths-magic-ft-lukens/1126668631?ean=9781945053245

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-rules-and-regulations-for-mediating-myths-magic/id1255930533?mt=11

Target: https://www.target.com/p/rules-and-regulations-for-mediating-myths-magic-paperback-f-t-lukens/-/A-52916130#lnk=sametab

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-rules-and-regulations-for-mediating-myths-magic

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/733227

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Rules-and-Regulations-for-Mediating-Myths–Magic-F-T-Lukens/9781945053245/?a_aid=InterludePress

Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781945053245?aff=InterludePress

 

Author bio:

F.T. Lukens is an author of Young Adult fiction who got her start by placing second out of ten thousand entries in a fan community writing contest. A sci fi enthusiast, F.T. loves Star Trek and Firefly and is a longtime member of her college’s science-fiction club. She holds degrees in Psychology and English Literature and has a love of cheesy television shows, superhero movies, and writing. F.T. lives in North Carolina with her husband, three kids, and three cats.

Her first novel in the Broken Moon series, The Star Host, was released by Duet Books in 2016.

 

Author contacts:

  • Blog – authorftlukens.wordpress.com
  • Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FTLukens/
  • Twitter – @ftlukens

 

Interview Roulette: Lillian Francis

Today’s player is Lillian Francis!

  1. Describe an annoying habit one of your characters has.

Tyaan, from Theory Unproven, bakes when he’s happy and considers cookies an appropriate form of courting. Not bad or annoying in the scheme of things, but, despite a whole herd of elephants to run around after, Eric is worried he’s going to get fat.

  1. Which would be your preferred vacation choice: a luxury hotel, an apartment in a historic building, or a tent?

That’s easy. Historic building, every time. I’d love to stay in a castle. Tromping around old buildings and ruins is one of my favourite things. Luckily, living in England means I have any number to chose from.

  1. Pick any place in the world to spend the next 6 months. Where is it and why?

Australia. I’d love to travel all around Australia, especially the coast, and check out all the local wildlife.

  1. If you could choose anyone on the planet to narrate an audio version of your latest book, who would it be?

Gareth David Lloyd or David Tennant, I’m not fussy.

  1. Name two of your pet peeves.

‘Free on Kindle Unlimited’ It’s not free, readers pay a monthly subscription. Grrr!  Lads that wear their trousers so low that I can see more of their underwear than I’d like. An inch or so can be sexy, so far down their arse that they can’t even walk properly…not so much. Heaven forbid they have to run for a bus.

  1. Cats or dogs? Discuss. Both. I’m an equal opportunities owner. Any animal, all the animals. They don’t even have to be fluffy (unless they’re meant to be – hairless cats freak me out).

***

Book blurb:

Ewan Matthews is one of Boston’s leading genealogy experts. When a would-be bridegroom comes looking for confirmation that there are no skeletons in his ancestral closet, Ewan considers turning the job down. Trey Capell is a jerk of the highest order and yet Ewan experiences an infuriating attraction that’s easy to justify. Trey’s exactly his type—a carbon copy of the man Ewan’s been looking for his entire life.

Harder to explain is the sense of recognition that leaves Ewan speechless the moment Trey steps into his office. Or the stomach-churning sensation at the thought of casting the job aside.

Trey gets more appealing by the day, leaving Ewan struggling with forbidden desire for his client. Desire not helped by strange voyeuristic dreams that have started to haunt his sleep. Dreams that appear to be an echo of the past.

Book buy links:

Buy Links: Kobo // Payhip // B&N // Smashwords

Universal Amazon link: myBook.to/LoversEntwined_LF

 

Author bio:

Lillian Francis is a self-confessed geek who likes nothing more than settling down with a comic or a good book, except maybe writing. Given a notepad, pen, her Kindle, and an infinite supply of chocolate Hobnobs and she can lose herself for weeks. Romance was never her reading matter of choice, so it came as a great surprise to all concerned, including herself, to discover a romance was exactly what she’d written, and not the rollicking spy adventure or cosy murder mystery she always assumed she’d write.

 

Author contacts:

http://lillianfrancis.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter @LillianFrancis_

Facebook

Facebook Author Page

Goodreads

Sign up for my newsletter

Email: lillianfrancis@rocketmail.com

Interview Roulette: SA “Baz” Collins

 

  1. One of your books is being made into a movie. Who would you cast for the major roles?

Troye Sivan for the role of Elliot would be bang on brilliant. Just love that guy and what he stands for.

  1. What is the most useless or frivolous thing you’ve ever bought?

Cat toys … they never work. Give them a paper bag and happiness ensues.

  1. If you were on a cruise ship for a week, what would you spend your time doing?

Writing … what else?

  1. Are you a nervous cleaner? (And if you are, will you come hang out at my house?)

Don’t know what you mean by nervous … more like stagnant cleaner – paralyzed with fear on just getting started.

  1. Describe a hobby one of your characters likes to engage in.

Singing (I come from a professional background in singing so it seemed appropriate)

  1. If you were to write fanfic (or maybe you already have!) which fandom(s) would it be?

Supernatural – man, would I queer that shit up.

  1. Flood waters are coming. You can grab only three things from your home before fleeing—what do you choose?

My (2) cats and my hubby.

  1. One of your characters has signed up to teach a 1-day workshop. What’s it on?

Art – Elliot is a brilliant artist.

  1. Aliens kidnap you and put you in a zoo. What does the sign on your cage say?

Loose cannon – watch that mouth!

  1. One of your characters just won a prize for doing something really well. Who is it and what prize did he or she win?

Marco Sforza – he’s a prolific and very accomplished quarterback of the Mercy High Avenging Angels and his stats are 3rd in nationals.

Book blurb: 

Born in America but reared in their father’s home of Torino, Italy, Marco Sforza has led a fairly idyllic life. The Sforzas are an ancient and powerful family with a strong ducal past. They run a vast global empire that allows Marco to enter halls of power that most men only dream of. Yet, Marco is a boy who lives in a bubble of his family’s making.

When Marco returns to America to attend high school he grooms himself to become a rising star quarterback of the Mercy High Avenging Angels. He thinks his focus is his burgeoning football career. He is all to aware he is a boy made of pure light that is meant to be seen and noticed. He is comfortable there. Until he meets a boy who shines brighter than him. Elliot Donahey is that boy. But Elliot is a boy who craves shadow and darkness to keep himself safe through another hellish day of high school.

Before he realizes it, Marco’s world becomes undone by this boy. Trapped in a script all jocks are meant to follow, Marco does his best to fit in and play along so he can play the game he loves, but this boy who hides in the shadows begins to consume his every thought and emotion.

Despite the script he’s been given to date girls, have sex, and hang with his teammates and follow along, Marco finds himself on an emotional pendulum where following that jock script only brings him further away from that world to circle the boy hiding in the shadows. Can Marco find it within himself to push against what others expect of him to find his way into Elliot’s arms? Even with all the fame, money and prestige his family brings to the table, will it be enough to gain the interest of a boy who only wants to hide from everyone?

 

Book buy links:

SA COLLINS WEBSITE STORE – http://www.sacollins.com/store/index.php?catalog/all/-/name/1

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/SA-Collins/e/B00RQ93PXC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1504277381&sr=8-1

Author bio:

SA “Baz” Collins hails from the San Francisco Bay Area where he lives with his husband, their daughter and wonder of all wonders, a whirlwind of a granddaughter and two exotic cats. A classically trained singer/actor (under a different name), Baz knows a good yarn when he sees it.

Based on years of his work as an actor, Baz specializes in character study pieces. It is more important for him as an author that the reader comes away with a greater understanding of the characters, and the reasons they make the decisions they do, rather than the situations they are in. It is this deep dive into their manners, their experiences and how they process the world around them that make up the body of Mr. Collins’ work.

You can find his works at sacollins.com, violetquillredux.com and as a co-host of the wrotepodcast.com series.

Author contacts:

 

Interview Roulette: Morticia Knight

It’s Morticia Knight’s turn to play!

 

  1. Shopping—love it or leave it? If it’s online, it’s like a disease where I need immediate intervention. But if it involves putting on pants and leaving the house? Not so much.
  2. Which of your characters is most likely to end up in the emergency room and why? I’d say Zero from Biking Bad. He’s more comfortable letting his fists talk for him in most situations.
  3. If you could be any other living person for a single day, who would you be? Oh wow. Hmm. Uh, I don’t know? It’s complicated enough for me to be myself without adding anyone else to the mix!
  4. What is your theme song? The Fellowship of the Rings theme. I’m always on quests and shit.
  5. Due to a magical curse, for the rest of your life you can read only one genre of books. Which genre will it be? Not gonna lie. LGBTQ romance. More specifically? Historical.
  6. Which of your characters would make a good BFF? Kyle from Building Bonds. He’s got a good heart, and even though he’s painfully shy, once he gets to know someone he’s always there for them.
  7. Describe a memorable dream—or nightmare! I’m all alone. I’m rolling a big donut, and this snake wearing a vest… Oh wait. That was Pee-Wee Herman. I haven’t had this one in a while, but it’s a classic for a lot of people. I’m back in high school and I’m naked, but of course, no one else is. I’m actually surprised that any of us survived high school with our psyche intact, since so many people have had either that dream or something similar.
  8. What’s your writing style—slow and steady or full speed ahead? Full speed, baby.
  9. You can eat only one ice cream flavor for the rest of your life. Which is it? That’s easy. Coffee!!!
  10. What is something you regret not doing that you’ll probably never have the chance to do? I wish I could’ve gone to Everest, at least to base camp. I would’ve been lucky to survive even that far. These days, I’d be lucky to survive the drive to the airport.

Embracing destiny was never meant to be easy.

Morgan can’t figure out where he belongs anymore now that a new world has emerged in the aftermath of the Alasharian invasion of Earth. Everything is too strange and frightening and all he wants to do is hide from it all. It doesn’t help to ease his confusion when he finds himself being drawn to not one, but two aliens. He thought his cousin Chris was insane to fall in love with the muscled warriors who bonded with him as his mates, but his own heart might be in danger when it comes to the warrior Rama, and Hallosh, an advisor to the Alasharian’s Supreme Commander, the Nall.

Chris experiences a terrifying vision from the Soul Healer and it becomes clear that both Alasharian and humans are running out of time to save the Earth from the insidious spread of the Void. A battle is imminent and it becomes imperative to protect those who are allied against the evil that has corrupted the Nall.

Everything on Earth is about to change once again and Morgan finds himself at the brink of discovering his own destiny—and how the two aliens he can’t get out of his mind will be a part of it. A disturbing event triggers the beginning of the fight against the Void. Chris and Morgan must separate for the first time since the invasion, with each of them going with their soul matches. For Morgan, he hopes the goodbye he says to Chris isn’t forever.

 

 

Book buy links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2wixvD7

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ww48MR

Amazon DE: http://amzn.to/2uvPtQs

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2fiJIDX

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2vDiHlv

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2fitn1R

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2hxQDts

First For Romance: http://bit.ly/2ucS2HE

Pride Publishing: http://bit.ly/2fiV6zw

 

 

Author bio:

Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011. Since then, she’s been fortunate enough to have several books on bestseller lists along with three series’ titles receiving recognition in the Rainbow Book Awards.

Once upon a time she was the lead singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern Oregon coast and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men she takes walks along the ocean and annoys the local Karaoke bar patrons.

 

 

Author contacts:

Website/blog: http://www.morticiaknight.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Morticia-Knight/e/B005IQ2B6W/ref=sr_tc_2_0

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorticiaKnight

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/authormorticiaknight?fref=nf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormorticiaknight/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/morticiaknight/

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/MorticiaKnight

 

Interview Roulette: Wendy Rathbone

Today’s player is Wendy Rathbone!

  1. What is your theme song? I would love it if the Tangerine Dream soundtrack for the movie “Legend” would follow me around. If I can pick only one song, well, that changes for me from year to year. For a long time it was “Human” by The Killers. Before that it was “Wearing the Inside Out” by Pink Floyd. Now I’m not sure. My theme changes with my mood.
  2. What hobby do you wish you could take up? Years ago I was on a bowling league. I haven’t bowled in at least two decades. I think I might like to do that again.
  3. What did one of your characters last order from Amazon? This is easy because my characters are imprisoned for part of my newest novel, “The Android and the Thief”, so they have time to read. My character Khim just ordered “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. His beloved Trev just ordered Ray Bradbury’s “Dandelion Wine”.
  4. Describe one of your weird or quirky habits. I collect sterling silver rings. I wear a crazy lot of rings. I even type with them on.
  5. You have just been crowned leader of a small island nation. What’s your first official act? Release the dragons and free all the slaves. If that’s not an issue, then I would legalize gay marriage. If that’s not an issue, then I would make available all secret documents pertaining to UFOs.

 

Book blurb:

The Android and the Thief, Wendy Rathbone

Will love set them free—or seal their fate?

In the 67th century, Trev, a master thief and computer hacker, and Khim, a vat-grown human android, reluctantly share a cell in a floating space prison called Steering Star. Trev is there as part of an arrangement that might finally free him from his father’s control. Khim, formerly a combat android, snaps when he is sold into the pleasure trade and murders the man who sexually assaults him. At first they are at odds, but despite secrets and their dark pasts, they form a pact—first to survive the prison, and then to escape it.

But independence remains elusive, and falling in love comes with its own challenges. Trev’s father, Dante, a powerful underworld figure with sweeping influence throughout the galaxy, maintains control over their lives that seems stronger than any prison security system, and he seeks to keep them apart. Trev and Khim must plan another, more complex escape, and this time make sure they are well beyond the law as well as Dante’s reach.

*

Book buy links:

Buy links:

The Android and the Thief

Dreamspinner: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-android-and-the-thief-by-wendy-rathbone-8344-b

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Android-Thief-Wendy-Rathbone-ebook/dp/B06XKNDNFQ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-android-and-the-thief-wendy-rathbone/1125960885?ean=9781635334074

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-android-and-the-thief

iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-android-and-the-thief/id1210470403?mt=11

 

Author bio:

Wendy Rathbone lives with a cat, three dogs, and her partner of 36 years, Della. She has been writing since the age of twelve. She lives in the high desert of southern California.

Male/male romance has been a passion of Wendy’s since before the signature “m/m” was even invented. She wrote a lot of slash fanfic in various fandoms to assuage that obsession but moved on to original writing in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror where she is published in many anthologies and magazines. Her novels include both indie and traditional published.

She is an award-winning poet, a graduate from UCSD, and runs her own retail business.

Author contacts:

Wendy Rathbone’s Social Media Links:

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Rathbone/e/B00B0O9BMS/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1490462215&sr=1-2-ent

Newsletter sign up: http://eepurl.com/cqDVcX

Blog: http://wendyrathbone.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.rathbone.3

 

 

 

 

Interview Roulette: V.L. Locey

Today V.L Locey spins the wheel!

  1. If you could spend a week in one historical place, where and when would you choose?

Greece. I’m a huge Greek mythology buff and it’s always been a dream of mine to visit Greece and see the ancient ruins in person.

2.We all know about those big prizes such as the Nobel and Pulitzer and Academy Award. If someone invented a new prize that you were a shoe-in to win, what would it be?

It would be the ‘Drink Coffee While Making Words and Chatting on Facebook About Mats Zuccarello’ award. (For those who don’t know who he is, Mats Zuccarello is a hockey player for my beloved New York Rangers.)

3. You’re on a ship with Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Catherine the Great, David Bowie, Billie Holiday, and Gengis Khan. But oh no! The ship is sinking and the lifeboat only holds four people. You get to decide—who gets on that lifeboat?

For sure David Bowie is the first to get a seat. I’m still not over his passing as I was a huge fan. Then Mark Twain as he’s been an inspiration to me for many reasons. Albert Einstein would get a seat and then I guess me. Or should I be noble and go down with the ship? Ugh! Moral questions at 5:30 am. The fourth seat goes to Billie Holiday. I’ll float alongside and hopefully not turn into shark bait.

4. What is your worst phobia?

Bees.

5. Paper or plastic?

I prefer paper but don’t get it anymore.

6. Someone is writing your biography. What’s the title? And who plays you in the movie?

“She Loved Hockey and Wrote Steamy Man Love Stuff” would be the title. Melissa McCarthy would be a good choice to play me.

7. If one of your characters were to practice a random act of kindness, what would it be?

Victor Kalinski finding a foundling kitten and adopting it. Trust me, that would be HUGE for Vic.

8. One of your books is being made into a movie. Who would you cast for the major roles?

We’ll use my new book, Open Net. I’d cast Carey Price in the role of August Miles since he was the inspiration for the characters looks and skill set. As for Sal Castenada, that role would go to Diego Luna with shorter hair.

9. You’ve been invited to a party being held by your boss. Which of your characters will you take with you as your guest?

Not Victor that’s for sure. Probably Mario and Lila from ‘Snap Shot’ or perhaps Tennant and Jared from the coauthored book I wrote with Rj Scott, Changing Lines.

10.What is your least favorite thing about California?

I’ve never been so I have nothing but wonderful things to say about California.

 

August Miles has the world on a string professionally.

Augie, as his friends and teammates call the unassuming young goaltender, is on the fast track to the pros. The starting goalie for the Cayuga Cougars, he has a year or two in Cayuga to hone his skills and all his career dreams will have come true. Pity his personal life isn’t riding the same high. He’s the only one among his group of friends without that special someone to call his own.  Until he meets Salvatore Castenada at a lakeside party. The attraction is white-hot and more than a little wonderfully overwhelming for the romantically inexperienced goalie. August quickly discovers that Sal is everything he’s dreamed of in a man: mature, settled, sinfully handsome, and filled with gentle humor. Sal is also HIV positive.

Will Sal’s revelation about his status end this budding relationship before it can even begin? Or will the two men be able to handle the challenges life—and a championship run for the Cougars—throws at them?

 

 

Book buy links:

Amazon – http://tinyurl.com/y6vdbqmz

Amazon UK – http://tinyurl.com/y82awkl2

 

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35618722-open-net

 

Author bio:

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Dr. Who, Torchwood, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.

 

 

 

Author contacts:

Website: http://vlloceyauthor.com/

Newsletter – http://tinyurl.com/ksul5rs

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/VL-Locey/124405447678452

Twitter- https://twitter.com/vllocey

Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/vllocey/

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807700.V_L_Locey

My blog- http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/

Interview Roulette: Jana Denardo

Jana Denardo spins the wheel today!

 

  1. Which (living) celebrity would you most want to have dinner with? This was the hardest one. Probably because the one I’d most like to have dinner with has passed (Leonard Nimoy). I considered George Takei (my first crush as a kid), J.K. Rowling or Tom Ellis (because he’s pretty hot as Lucifer) but yeah I think I’d like to sit down with George. I could have done this coming January because he’s on the Star Trek cruise but it’s the week the spring semester begins.

 

  1. Black licorice—yay or nay? Here’s the weird thing, I’ll drink licorice flavored alcohol without blinking an eye but no, I don’t really like black licorice the candy.

 

  1. What did one of your characters last order from Amazon? No doubt manga or a Star Trek collectible. Most of my characters are absolute geeks. I can definitely see Aaron laying in an order of manga and a Star Trek T-shirt.

 

  1. Which of your characters would make a good BFF? Aaron from Kept Tears would be a good BFF. We both like science and medicine. We’re into steampunk and anime. He’d be fun to talk to long into the night.

 

  1. Paper or plastic? I have a million canvas bags I cart everywhere. But if I had to chose, it’d be plastic because with my damaged hand, I need handles.

 

  1. Which of your characters should run for US President? I suspect all of my characters would run screaming from the very idea. Rhys is an elfin prince so he’s used to ruling but he’s not a fan of it. Actually, Agni from Soldiers of the Sun, would be good. He’s intelligent, calm and good at taking charge.

 

  1. There’s Tumblr site called Describe a Film Plot Badly. Describe one (or more) of your own book plots badly, in no more than 140 characters. What’s more deadly? Demons or a surprise family visit.  – Soldiers of the Sun.

 

Fae assassins, elfin royalty and grad school finals, and Aaron thought losing his arm would be the toughest thing he faced. – Kept Tear

 

  1. Which would be your preferred vacation choice: a luxury hotel, an apartment in a historic building, or a tent? Hands down, historic building. I go out of my way to stay in historic hotels when I get the chance. Bonus if it’s haunted.

 

  1. Shopping—love it or leave it? Depends on the shopping. If it’s geeky collectibles, books or food, I can shop all day. Anything else I can leave it. If it’s shoe shopping, I run screaming.

Book blurb: Having left most of his arm and his self-confidence behind in the Afghanistan desert, young veteran Aaron Santori has enough on his plate learning to use his prosthetic arm. Attending graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh makes life both interesting and challenging. Mentally, he’s ill prepared for meeting Rhys Edwards, a young-adult novelist from Wales and everything Aaron could want in a man. Between the scars from the explosion and his PTSD, he’s reluctant to date. Ready or not, though, Aaron finds himself jumping into the deep end of the relationship waters.

What Aaron couldn’t possibly know is that Rhys isn’t human at all. As a prince of the Tylwyth Teg, Rhys is fae, with a list of enemies he’s accumulated over the past few centuries—among them a former lover, Morcant, who is back to make Rhys’s life miserable. An unwitting pawn in their Machiavellian fae politics, Aaron only knows he’s falling in love, never suspecting love might be his death sentence.

 

Book buy links: Dreamspinner – https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/kept-tears-by-jana-denardo-3434-b

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kept-Tears-Jana-Denardo-ebook/dp/B00I2FAPXM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1502427475&sr=8-6&keywords=kept+tears

 

 

Author bio: Jana is Queen of the Geeks (her students voted her in) and her home and office are shrines to any number of comic book and manga heroes along with SF shows and movies too numerous to count. There is no coincidence the love of all things geeky has made its way into many of her stories. To this day, she’s still disappointed she hasn’t found a wardrobe to another realm, a superhero to take her flying among the clouds or a roguish star ship captain to run off to the stars with her.

 

 

Author contacts:

  • Website – www.janadenardo.com
  • Blog – https://www.janadenardo.com/category/blog/
  • Facebook – www.facebook.com/jana.denardo
  • Twitter –http://twitter.com/#/JanaDenardo
  • Email- janadenardo@yahoo.com
  • Other -https://www.pinterest.com/janadenardo/