Vicktor Alexander's Blog, page 21

Hey All,

Today's Ask Author with Sandrine Gasq Dion is going to have to be delayed until later on this week due to the fact that I was super busy, and got sick over this weekend (I'm still sick actually) and didn't get the questions to Sandrine in time. You will still get an Ask Author this week, just later on.

But, you can start submitting your questions for author Amy Lane starting today. Send them to: [email protected]

Some of you are leaving your questions in the comment box, please email them to me. It's easier for my sister to compile them that way.

Have a Marvelous Monday!


-Vicktor Alexander

Click on the following link to listen to my radio interview on the Writer's Online Network: Write on the Edge. After you listen to the interview leave a comment on the post and be entered for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card and any book from my backlist or Chain Me when it releases next month.
I had so much fun on my interview and I so look forward to doing it again and I hope you enjoy listening to it:
http://jwasg.blogspot.com/2013/07/sev...

Hey Everyone!
Guess what?! I'm going to be on Write on The Edge's Blog Radio Show tonight at 11 pm/10pm est/cst!
Listen in as I answer questions and call in to ask your own.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/writerso...

Congratulations Urb! You are the winner of the Ask Author Jana Downs prize! Jana will be contacting you about your prizes!

It's that time again!

On Monday, our Ask Author will be: Sandrine Gasq Dion.

Which means it's time for your questions!

Ask away and don't forget to send your questions to: [email protected] with "Ask Author Sandrine in the subject line.

It's time to put Sandrine in the Hot Seat.

I am ECSTATIC to present Dreamspinner Press author Mary Calmes, an amazing author and whose book, Change of Heart, got me started in the M/M Romance genre and inspired me to write. Mary is known for her amazing series such as A Matter of Time, and Change of Heart, as well as other books that have a tendency to stay with you like Mine, Frog, and Timing (with the sequel At The Sunset).
Mary has answered 40 of your questions and she's doing a giveaway (WOOHOO!) of one of her books from her backlist to one lucky person. You need to have an account with Dreamspinner Press and Mary will add the book to the winner's bookshelf.
Enjoy the interview and don't forget to leave a comment!

I just wanted to start by saying thank you so much for having me Vic. [You're very welcome Mary, thank you so much for being here]
1. What do you do when you get writer's block?I write something else. I normally write two things at once anyway just because of that problem. I bore easily as I have the brain of a gnat. 2. Besides Domin will any other secondary characters get their own story arc in your Change of Heart series?The next Change of Heart book will feature Wick and Dov who I introduced at the end of Crucible of Fate. 3. Are you planning on writing any other 'darker' novels like Mine?I didn’t actually plan to write Mine, it just happened. That being said, I do plan to writeConrad Harris’ book and that would be darker since the man kills people for a living. Have to figure out how to make that okay. Very John Cusack in Gross Pointe Blank. But I wish I was a plotter so I could say where my books were going to go but I’m not. 4. What is your favorite writing snack?I don’t eat when I’m writing because food near my computer makes me psycho. I do drink a helluva lot of coffee and tea though.  5. What's the title of the book of your life?  New Shoes Cure The Blues6. HG Wells, William Shakespeare, Steven King show up at your house for dinner..who gets the seat of honor and what the first thing you ask?Shakespeare, even though I love King, I’m an English Lit major after all and that’s where  my heart is. And I would ask him why Hamlet couldn’t just leave with Horatio and head for Greece.  I would have liked that better. 7. Where do you write at? In an office or comfy chair? Do you have a set time that you write or just when the muse strikes you?I wish I had an office, how cool would that be? I have an awesome desk though which is only my space. No kid homework gets done there. I love my desk.8. In what series is your favorite couple and why are they your favorite? Sam and Jory in AMOT are my favorite because they are absolute opposites. Jory is a butterfly and Sam is a tree.9. What is your most favorite scene that you wrote and for which characters did you write it?My favorite scene is Sam and Jory in the diner with Maggie when she finds out that Sam loves Jory. It’s both funny and awful. 10. On a rainy day what is your favorite thing to do?Oooh, someone knew that rain is my favorite thing! And I like to stay home and write. 11. If you were stranded in any of your worlds (books), which one would it be?  And who would it be?If I were stranded in a book, I’d like to be a werepanther named Joanna in Change of Heart because (a.) I always wanted to be named Joanna and (b.) In my werepanther world I could shift and with all the running I’d be skinny. Fan-frickin-tastic. 12. If you were stranded on a island and could only take 3 people, 3 types of food and 3 things what would they be?If I were stranded I’d take Bear Grylls, the guy from Man Vs. Wild with me because he’d keep me alive, Andrew Zimmern the host of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern because he’d be able to cook whatever Bear found and Eddie Izzard because I’d need to laugh while I was cold and miserable and Eddie looks like he would be the stiff upper lip kind of chap. As for the food, I’d really need to check with Bear before I answered. I would suspect staples like rice. And the three things, again, back to Bear, but probably a pot, a crapton of matches, and “1000 Places To See Before You Die” so I could quiz everyone and ask questions to keep up morale. 
13. Dear Mary Calmes, Do you prefer creating characters for series, where they have a lot of growth and development, or for standalone novels, where readers get a faster impression. You’re great at both, but which gives you the most satisfaction? Thank you!" For me, I never write anything planning to write a sequel. The sequel thing comes from thinking I still have more to tell or if a secondary character suddenly got interesting. So honestly, I love them the same. Oh, except the warders. That was a planned series but originally I was going to have them all be about Ryan and Julian. All from their perspective. But then I was reading comments on Good Reads and Carol Lynne, who I respect so much, said she wanted to read Malic’s book and I was like, Malic’s book? Really? And that was it. So I guess the answer is actually standalones.14. You are on Desert Island Disc (a British radio programme that has been going since 1942) you are allowed to take 8 pieces of music 1 book and 1 luxury item. What would you choose? Thanks for answering our questions.Let’s see, Greatest Hits of The Doors, Melanie Gardot Worrisome Heart, Kristina Train Dark Black, Best of John Coltrane, The Best of Astrud Gilberto, The Best of Nina Simone some trance album with like 100 songs on it…there’s no way. Am I writing on this island? Because if I’m writing, there are playlists on my iPod for everything.  It was all jazz for Sinnerman and all trance when I was writing Jory, it depends. One book? No. Not going. There’s no way. I could always read One Hundred Years of Solitude again. I love that book. But I would miss having Dex In Blue with me too or The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox. That’s way too hard. And the iPod would be my luxury item. I’ll need somewhere to plug it in though. My husband always says, you could never be on Survivor. It’s very true. 
15. I want to know if Mary has any eventual plans to write a story for Jin and Logan's son. (PLEEEEEASE say yes!) [Vic seconds this question]I currently have no plans to write about their son, sorry guys. 16. You have a few books where the bad guy isn’t actually a bad guy, even if he does have a bad job, as the main character. Do you believe that every bad guy has a good guy inside of him just waiting for the right man (or woman) to bring it out of him?It depends on the level of bad, but yes. I am a romantic to the core and I think that every character is redeemable if he has not crossed the line where he is not. 17. I want to know what’s happening with Stef and Rand! Is there going to be another book?There is going to be Glenn’s book which I will admit is giving me fits. It is in progress.18. [From Vic] Ummm…. Can I get a sequel to The Guardian? LOL.No Guardian sequel, sorry Vic. I promise to write you a ficlet though.  {From Vic: WOOHOO!!]19. Who are your favorite authors?I have too many favorite authors to list but among them are Amy Lane, Damon Suede, Rhys Ford, Ariel Tachna, TJ Klune, Anne Tenino, Cardeno C., Ellis Carrington, Poppy Dennison, Carol Lynne, Brooke McKinley, Ethan Day and see…it’s off the rails already. Too many. I’m going to GRL this year and I will be a scary fangirl. My apologies in advance. 20. Which one of your characters do you wish you were like?I wish I was like Jin, he’s smarter than me.  21. Which if any of your characters is more like you?Sadly, Sam is most like me. Really bossy, very stubborn and kind of an ass.  22. Do you plan on writing for a while to come?I hope to if I can get my muse in gear. 23. How long does it take for you to complete a book?It depends. I wish I wrote as fast as some of my friends but I find I can’t. So normally like four months and sometimes waaaaaaaaaaay longer. 24. What is the longest story you have ever written?AMOT which was written as a single volume to have a part 1 & 2.25. What is the shortest story you have ever written?Judgment, which was my sci-fi story in which I learned that I cannot write sci-fi at all and will leave it to better writers than I. 26. Would you ever write about a man and a woman?I honestly have tried to write a story with a man and a woman. When I first started, I tried. But there was always something missing. It’s simply not interesting to me and then I’m bored and then it’s like Math and I’m done. 27. Would you ever write about Ninja's?If I did enough research and learned a lot about them, maybe. But writing historicals is probably a gift I don’t possess.28. What inspires you to write a story?Sometimes a song or a TV show or like in the case of AMOT, the Gucci ad with Mathias Lauridsen. I saw him and wrote all about Jory.  29. Have you ever wanted to write any other types of books like horror, mystery?I would love to write a mystery but I don’t have the skills.  And since I’m a big scaredy cat, horror is off the table. I used to scare myself writing my warder books late at night that’s how ridiculous it is.  I see previews for movies and my husband always laughs and says, “oh hell to the no” because he knows. No horror for me. Not ever. 30. What would you recommend to other people who would like to start writing for the first time? Write every day, 365 days a year for at least 3 hours a day. Don’t stop, never give up and find yourself a fantastic beta reader who you trust to be honest but not hurtful. 31. What gave you the writing "bug"?  Was there an influence such as a person, an event or a song maybe?When I was younger, between welfare and my mother being ill, writing got me away from things. And when I did write, I would read it out loud and everyone would stop what they were doing and listen. So that’s what did it for me. 
32. What are some of your favorite books?  Not just recently but what books did you enjoy as a kid?  teenager?I read The Outsiders until it was in tatters, everything by SE Hinton actually, Robert Silverberg, Lois Duncan, all the Albert Payson Terhune books about his collies, The Great Gatsby was a big one for me, To Kill A Mockingbird and The Catcher In The Rye. I read those all many times. 33. What genre do you find the easiest to write in/about?I like paranormal, I find it the easiest to write because you get to do whatever you want. 34. What genre do you find the hardest to write in/about?  Is there a genre you shy away from?I can’t write fantasy or sci-fi at all.  I stink at it. 35. Have you ever written someone into your story just so you could vent your emotions with them (good or bad)?Before I made up with my mother, all the mothers in my books were bad. Jory has no mother, Jin has no mother, Stef has no mother, and then once I forgave her, it changed. Now there are good mothers in my books. Matt’s mom in Steamroller is an example. 36. Where do you suggest someone new to your work start, and why?I would start with Frog because it’s not too long and it gives you an idea of the kind of writer I am without a big investment of time like picking up AMOT. 37. What are the genres that you generally read, excluding MM?I honestly don’t read much outside mm, but when I do, I read paranormals like Laurell K. Hamilton. I’m in love with her werewolf king, Richard.  Also JR Ward, Katie MacAlister, the dragon series or The Corset Diaries is a favorite. 38. If you couldn't write what would you do?I would still be a manager at FedEx. I loved the people I worked with. 39. What is your favorite thing to do to decompress from life(stress)Watching TV, especially series I own on DVD like Queer As Folk, Will & Grace, and Teen Wolf. All guilty pleasures I use to turn off my brain.  40. How long have you wanted to be a writer?Since I was 12 years old.41. What made you start to write about paranormals?I wanted to write about a world I could make mine. It’s a God complex really. 42. Who is your favorite character that you have written about?My favorite character is Jory. Writing him is like being in a car with no brakes. 

Here's an extended, unedited excerpt from my WIP: Raising Shawna. Enjoy!


Shane’s shirt was soaked from Shawna’s bath. The little girl had been in a very playful mood and had splashed around in the bubble bath, dunking her Barbie dolls in the water and turning Ken into Santa Clause. Shane had laughed even as his mind swirled with all the possibilities of his date that night.“Daddy?” Shawna asked as he helped her out of the bathtub and dried her off.“Yes, Baby Girl,” he asked her, rubbing the towel over her hair.“Awe you gonna kiss Doctuh Tuckuh tonight?” she asked, a small smile on her face. Shane hesitated for a moment before he continued to dry her.“Maybe. Does that bother you?” he asked.Shawna shook her head no. “Nope. Barbie and Kira kiss each otheuh all the time!”Shane laughed. “They do, do they? And why is that?”Shawna gave him a look of exasperation as if his question was stupid. “Because, Daddy! They are lesbinams!”Shane snorted out a laugh. “The word is lesbians.”Shawna sighed. “That’s what I said!”Shane nodded his head gravely. “So you did. I apologize.” Shawna nodded her head in a sign of forgiveness.“So, what about Ken? Is he all alone?” he asked, gesturing to the soaking wet, very unclothed, doll who lay at the bottom of the now empty bathtub.“No. He’s waiting on Twoy,” Shawna told him.“Troy? Who’s Troy?” Shane asked, his mind thinking of all the dolls he’d bought for his daughter. He didn’t think he’d bought her a doll named Troy, but perhaps he was mistaken.“The black guy! I saw him at the stowe. Can I get ‘im?” Shawna asked, looking up at him with a puppy-dog look. Shane chuckled. He should have known that she wanted a toy.“I’ll think about it,” Shane told her, handing Shawna her clothes so that she could get dressed. She pulled on her panties and her long, flowing purple Disney Princesses nightgown that looked just like a gown. He handed her the tiara she wore to bed and the princess wan she slept with as well as her teddy bear.“When did you see Troy in the store?” he asked her. He hadn’t taken her to the toy section of Walmart the last time they’d been there because she always wanted something and he was very bad at telling her no.“Unca’ Buhnawd took me when he babysat me yestuhday,” Shawna told him off-handedly as she smoothed her hands down her hair, her teddy bear’s feet smacking her in the face. Shane laughed and brushed his fingers over the injured spot.“Well maybe Uncle Bernard will buy it for you,” he told her.Shawna’s eyes grew wide and she let out a happy squeal when the doorbell rang. “Unca’ Buhnawd!” she exclaimed as she took off running out of the bathroom.“No running Shawna!” Shane yelled out as he cleaned up the bathroom and rose from the toilet where he’d been sitting.“Daddy! Let me out!” Shawna’s plea drifted to him from the stairs and Shane laughed again. Shawna hated the baby gate because it was too tall for her short frame to climb over, though she’d tried many times. The doorbell rang again and Shane groaned. Bernard was so impatient. He walked to the wall and pressed the intercom for the front door.“I’m on my way you impatient butt. Just hold on,” he said. He heard Bernard’s deep chuckle before the other man replied.“Just wanted to make sure you knew I was here,” he said.“The whole neighborhood knows you’re here. You’re kinda hard to miss,” Shane pointed out.Bernard was a fully transitioned male. His skin was a dark brown, his head shaved smooth, that seemed to reflect light from all over the place. He stood at a very tall six feet three inches, towering over Shane whenever they were together. He had a goatee, broad shoulders and a tribal armband tattoo that matched the tribal band on his wrist that held the initials of his deceased grandmother who had raised him after his parents had kicked him out. Bernard had a great personality and outlook on life and didn’t let his position as a prison guard taint his sunny outlook on the world. Next to Stephen, he was Shane’s best friend. He’d been a big help with Shawna and the whole transgender thing and had stepped in more than once to babysit the little girl when Shane had to work late at the office.“Daddy!” Shawna whined.“Okay, okay,” Shane said as he walked down the hallway to the stairs. Unlocking the gate, he moved it out of the way and rested his hand on Shawna’s shoulder before she could run down the stairs and possibly tumble down them.“Walk,” he admonished her.“Awww man!” she complained but did as he told her. He followed her down the stairs slowly and smiled when she unlocked the door and swung it open widely before launching herself into Bernard’s arms. The big man scooped her up and swung her over his shoulders as he ducked inside the doorway. Reba and Sinatra sniffed, meowed and barked as they wound themselves around his ankles, clamoring for his attention as well.“I swear they love you more than me,” Shane said with a smile.“Who? Shawna or the animals? Nah, don’t answer me, they all do,” Bernard said, his deep baritone voice filling the entryway.“Unca Buhnawd, howsey!” Shawna said, bouncing slightly, patting her small hands on Bernard’s head.“Hold on, Cakes,” Bernard said with a deep, rumbling laugh. “Let me put the movies and stuff down.It was then that Shane noticed the sports bag and the Walmart bag his friend held in his arms. He quirked an eyebrow at the other man and gestured with a hand.“You want me to get them for you?” he asked.Bernard shook his head, moving his entire body side to side much to the enjoyment of Shawna who giggled from her tall perch on his shoulders. “Nah, man. I got ‘em,” he said as he walked forward, kicking the door shut behind him with the heel of his black biker boots.“God, I hope you didn’t drive that bike over here. You know I hate them,” Shane said.Bernard grinned. “That’s why I always bring it over.” He waggled his eyebrows at Shane. “Nah, I brought the sensible Expedition with me today.”Shane nodded. He walked into the living room, Bernard following him and tilting slightly and dropping Shawna gently to the couch, the little girl squealing and giggling the whole way down. She popped right up onto her feet, standing on the cushions holding out her arms. Shawna loved to cuddle with Bernard and Shane knew it was because the man reminded her of her teddy bear. Bernard placed his bags on the floor and sat down on the couch, pulling Shawna onto his lap.“How’s my favorite niece?” Bernard asked.“I’m yo’ only niece!” Shawna said with a bright smile. Shane’s eyes misted as he saw the sheer joy on his daughter’s face. He was so happy to see that today’s session hadn’t caused her to be morose or too tired as some of them often did. He walked over to the couch and sat next to the two of them, glancing down at his watch. He had time to get dressed, so he would spend a few minutes with his daughter and best friend.“That you are,” Bernard said solemnly, nodding his head. He lowered his voice into a loud whisper. “Guess what’s in the bag for you?”Shawna’s eyes widened and she tried to imitate his whisper, though her voice came out louder than Bernard’s did. “What?”“Look and see,” Bernard said, nodding at the bag on the floor. Shawna slid off Bernard’s lap and dug into the bag excitedly. She let out a whoop of happiness and clapped as she pulled out three new Barbie dolls, one of which, Shane noticed, was a black male doll named Troy. As she continued to dig through the bag, she pulled out movies. Brave, Tangled, Alpha and Omega,Despicable Me, Megamind, and Escape From Planet Earth. Shane’s eyes widened as he looked at the loot Bernard had bought for his daughter and he looked over at the other man.“What?” Bernard asked, feigning innocence.“You’re spoiling her,” Shane told the other man.“Oh and you’re not?” Bernard’s left eyebrow quirked up with his question and Shane felt his cheeks grow hot.“Yeah, but I’m her father,” he pointed out.“And I’m her Unca Buhnawd,” Bernard said imitating Shawna’s phrasing of his name. Shane shook his head and didn’t respond. It was a common argument between him, Bernard, and Stephen. The other men were always gifting the little girl with presents, toys, movies, clothes and shoes. Her room looked like Toys ‘R Us, Baby Gap, and the Disney Store had all thrown up in it. He let out a sigh of exasperation and flopped back against the cushions of the couch.“So, you just told me you were going out tonight. You gotta work or something?” Bernard asked, leaning back on the couch next to him. Shawna ripped open the plastic covering on the movies and tried to take the dolls out of their packaging. Shane grinned as she kept shooing Reba and Sinatra away from the pile of trash.“No! Bad Sinatwa! Bad Weba,” she said shaking her finger at them.“Nah,” Shane shook his head. “I don’t have to work tonight,” he said.“So where you goin’?” Bernard asked.“Daddy has a date with Doctuh Tuckuh!” Shawna declared loudly from the floor, before her little tongue poked out between her lips as she applied herself determinedly to releasing the dolls from their secure casing.Bernard’s eyebrows rose. “Whoa! You got a date? For real? With the fucking therapist?”Shawna gasped. She covered her mouth and pointed at Bernard. “You said a bad wuhd!” she said, sounding horrified. Shane laughed. Bernard lifted slightly and pulled out his wallet. Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out five dollars and handed it to Shawna. “Sorry, Cakes.”Shawna nodded and shook her finger at him. “Don’t do it again,” she commanded him before she ran off to the kitchen to put the money in her “Swear Jar.”“She’s a little spitfire, huh?” Bernard said.Shane nodded as he continued chuckling. “You and Stephen are helping to pad her college fund with all your profanity.”“You don’t have to put money in the jar? You? Mr. I can’t say a sentence without using the f-word?” Bernard asked incredulously.Shane shrugged. “I still use it. I just do all my cussing at work and then in the car on my way to pick her up, so that way when I’m home with her I can watch my language. Or you know, I say it in my room after she’s gone to bed,” he said with a grin.Bernard nodded. “That’s smart,” he said, then turned a speculative gaze on Shane. “So you’re going on a date with the doctor? What about your protests about Shawna?”Shane shrugged. “There’s this other child psychologist that works with Tucker. Named Jeremiah Rosenberg. Tucker says he’s very good and puts the welfare of the child above all else. We’re going to be referred to him if Tucker and I decide we want to try dating,” he said. He glanced down at his watch and leapt from the couch. “Shit! I gotta get dressed.” He turned his head at Shawna’s gasp and groaned.“Daddy!” Shawna’s eyes were wide, “You said a bad wuhd too!” She held out her hand and he walked over to the entryway table and grabbed his wallet. He pulled out five dollars and handed it to her. She looked at him and at the five dollar bill. Shaking her head as if she were so disappointed in him, she turned and returned to the kitchen and her swear jar. Shane ignored Bernard’s loud guffaws as he turned and ran up the stairs to get dressed.“No wunning Daddy!” Shawna yelled out and Shane groaned again. He hated when she used his words against him.

It's time for you to start submitting your questions for Mary Calmes who is our next author in The Hot Seat here at The Purple Fantasy Den. Remember, nothing too personal (try to keep it to writing, books, movies, etc. you know, things okay for public consumption).

All questions should be submitted to: [email protected] with the subject line: Ask Author Mary Calmes. You have until Friday, July 12th, 11pm/est.


And for those of you who want to know what authors are coming up for the next two months (all the way through to September) here's the Ask Author Schedule:

Ask Author Calendar
Mary Calmes-July 15thSandrine Gasq Dion-July 22ndAmy Lane-July 29thAriel Tachna-August 5thTempe O'Riley-August 12thJambrea Jo Jones-August 19thAndrew J Peters-August 26thJaime Samms-September 2ndNessa L. Warin-September 9th

The week before the author is scheduled to be in The Hot Seat and on for Ask Author you, the readers, will have that week to ask questions (so for instance, since Mary Calmes is the next one, the readers will start sending me their questions tomorrow, and then next week they'll start sending in questions for Sandrine, and so on and so forth). So make sure you get your questions in.

The authors will answer at least 20 questions, though some have answered more, and some of them will do a giveaway as well.

Fun times to be had by all! W00t!

So mark your calendars, start asking your questions for Mary Calmes and get your questions ready for all of the other authors.


-Vicktor Alexander

I am so very happy to present to you all the amazingly talented Jana Downs today for Ask Author. I just finished reading all of the books currently released in her "Marked" series and they were amazing. This is definitely an author you should read if you enjoy authors such as Gabrielle Evans, Stormy Glenn, and Toni Griffin, and while Jana is just as talented she has a uniqueness and a decidedly "Jana" voice that makes all of her stories a joy to read. Jana has books published with Siren Publishing and I for one can't wait to read whatever she has coming out next.

And now, prepare yourselves for Jana Downs in the hot seat.







1. What's the title of the book of your life? 
A Series of Odd and Imaginative Events.
2. Where do you write at? In an office or comfy chair?
I have a lovely office in my living room and I alternate between my office chair and my leather sectional. Wherever the Muse feels like curling up.
3. Do you have a set time that you write or just when the muse strikes you?
 I write everyday but what I write is pretty dependent on what my Muse feels like talking about.
4. What is your most favorite scene that you wrote and for which characters/what book did you write it?
 My favorite scene was in Ravyn’s Blood when Alex sees Kalel for the first time since Kal’s abduction. The sheer relief and joy that went through both characters as their eyes met was such a poignant moment for me that I fell a little in love with both them and the genre.
5. On a rainy day what is your favorite thing to do? 
 Sit on the porch with a hot cup of tea and watch the rain fall. The quietness of the world while it rains is very relaxing. It’s good for the writing.
6. Is there a genre or subject matter that you want to write about but are hesitant to do so (ex. Interracial, Disabled, Transgender, Mpreg, etc.)?
 I don’t think I could write Mpreg. I am someone who needs real concrete reasons why a male should be capable of becoming pregnant and having a child. Unfortunately, I just can’t wrap my mind around the concept and would not do the subgenre justice.
7. What is your ideal vacation spot?
 A Scottish castle tucked away in the highlands would be my perfect vacation spot. I’d love to spend a month or two buried in a big old library overlooking the scenery.
8. Is it harder to write about menage+ couples than two men?
 It’s definitely harder to write menage couples. The relationship has to be believable and to foster the connection between all of them, I have to flesh out the relationship more. It makes the story longer and has its own unique difficulties.
9. You have a BDSM series (or more, I can’t remember). Did you enjoy writing about that sort of lifestyle or was it difficult?
 I love the intensity of BDSM relationships. It doesn’t work for every couple and there are certain stories that just won’t support it. However, the ones that it works for are wonderfully intense. Making  the BDSM element believable can sometimes be more difficult than writing a story without it but it’s definitely worth the final product.
10. What is your favorite genre to read for fun?
 I love fantasy and historicals. I know it seems like an odd combination but I will devour anything like LOTR or Mary Balogh’s regency series.
11. When did you start writing?  What inspired you to write?
 I started writing from the second I could hold up a pencil. I always had a vivid imagination and told elaborate stories . I don’t know what inspired the first one but I know that I haven’t been able to stop since.
12. How long does it take you to complete a book?
 It really depends on the book. Some books consume me and I can write them in a week or two. Others take me months. It depends on the characters and how well the words are flowing.
13. Where would you suggest someone new to your books to begin reading?
 It really depends on what you like to read. If you like something with a bit of sci-fi I would recommend Working Stiffs and the Deadzone series. If you prefer more paranormal books I would say read the Beast Games series or the Marked series.
14. “In the Name of Research” what is the strangest thing you have claimed on your income taxes?
 I don’t know if it’s the strangest thing but I did get to claim a couples’ massage with one of my girlfriends so I could incorporate it into a story. *research win*
15. What is the best thing about being a writer?
 The best thing would probably be that I get to keep my own hours. I can write when I need to and crash when I have to. It’s great.
16. If you had to pick only three of your characters to take on vacation who would it be and why?
 I’d have to say Bren and Cross from His Guardian Angels and Grayson from Collared with Ink. Bren and Cross would be entertainment and Grayson would keep them from killing each other. :)
17. Do you read MF or MFM books? 
 Sure. I am very eclectic in my reading tastes. Love has no boundaries and I will read pretty much anything so long as it has a good plot and a believable romance.
18. How about the FF genre?
Same applies. Love is love.
19. What do you think about the New Adult genre for MM?
 I’m actually experimenting with New Adult in MM at present and I am really enjoying it. I like the idea of a character coming into their own without having to necessarily write Young Adult.
20. Some actors cannot watch themselves onscreen – as an author, What goes through your mind’s eye when you read your own work?
 I hate to be dramatic but I really cringe when I have to go back and read my own work. I constantly rewrite sentences in my head and it’s never quite perfect enough. I try not to read my own stuff if I can help it. I’ll leave that up to my readers.
21. Do you plan on writing for a while to come?
Definitely. I’ll write as long as people read my books.
22. What author or authors would you like to collaborate with?
 I am very excited to be collaborating with Gabrielle Evans on a upcoming series. ^-^ I really admire her as a writer and it’s going to be a fun process.
23. Do you write about more than one story at a time?
 I tend to manuscript hop. I usually have three or four things open at one time.


Jana has generously donated two books from her backlist to one person who comments. So make sure you leave a comment!

Hey all!

Sorry this is so late posting but I was up until 7am this morning and finally my body decided to crash and then I was back up at 11am. So that's why this post is so late.

But here it is: an unedited excerpt from my current WIP: Raising Shawna. The characters of this book are very interesting. Over nine chapters written, over 27k words, and they've only shared one, even though it was a hot and sexy one, kiss. No date and no sex just yet. When they do finally do it though, watch out! LOL. Anyway, here's the excerpt. Enjoy!

****


Tucker laughed again. “I completely understand. If you hadn’t stopped by today I probably would have engineered a reason to call you tonight,” he stated without embarrassment.
Shane nodded and sighed. “This is bad,” he said.
“So bad,” Tucker said. “So maybe we should just say goodbye and try to limit our interaction to sessions with Shawna?”
Shane nodded. “Agreed,” he said and stood to his feet. Tucker followed him and they walked to the door. Shane turned to thank the doctor and found himself frozen in place by the darkening of the older man’s gaze. He was aware of the older man pushing the door closed behind him and then he was being pulled into the bigger man’s arms.
“If you want me to stop, I need you say something now, Shane,” Tucker said, his voice deep and husky.
Shane shivered at the lust he could hear in the other man’s tone and said nothing. His eyes slid closed as Tucker lowered his head. Shane pushed himself up on his toes as he closed the distance between their lips. The first touch of their lips caused him to moan. It was a soft kiss, an exploratory one. When Tucker lifted his head, Shane whimpered. He wanted to feel the other man’s lips against his own and he was rewarded a fraction of a second later when Tucker’s lips pressed against his own again, this time the kiss was harder, more passionate than the one before. Shane wrapped his arms around the older man’s neck and pressed his hard cock against the man’s stomach. He felt Tucker’s hands on his ass and moaned when the man lifted him to wrap his legs around Tucker’s waist. He felt the wall pressed against his back and opened his mouth wider for Tucker’s tongue.
Their tongues dueled for dominance and Shane submitted and let Tucker take possession of his mouth. The older man controlled the kiss, sucking Shane’s tongue into his mouth before nibbling on his bottom lip. Shane felt lightheaded and his senses swam as he felt himself toppling headfirst into bliss. All of those backroom blowjobs and one-night stands hadn’t prepared him for this mind-numbing, all-consuming passion that had enflamed his body. He wanted to crawl inside of Tucker and never leave. His head fell back as Tucker’s lips trailed down over his chin, down his neck and to the point where his neck met his shoulder. Shane hissed as he felt Tucker bite the flesh there before sucking on it hard. It took a lot for a mark to be left on his darker colored skin, but it seemed that Tucker wasn’t going to stop until he saw the mark of his claim on Shane’s skin.
Shane trembled at the sound of Tucker’s growl as the man palmed his ass and brushed a finger over the crease of Shane’s slacks. His cock twitched and spit out a drop of pre-cum to wet the front of his boxer briefs and Shane moaned. He pressed his hands to the back of Tucker’s head and lifted the man’s lips back to his own. Their kiss was soaring out of control and before Shane was aware of what was going on, he felt himself laid out on the table of the conference room and Tucker’s hands were pulling his shirt out of his pants.
Before they could give into their lust any further a knock on the door startled them apart from each other.
“Dr. Ames?” a female voice sounded from the other side of the door hesitantly.
Tucker groaned in disappointment and laid his head on Shane’s shoulder. His warm breath panted against Shane’s neck and Shane shivered even as his cock twitched behind his zipper. He wanted Tucker’s lips back on his own, and yet, he knew that what they were doing was wrong.
“Yes, Alicia?” Tucker asked after lifting his head.
“Your next patient is here,” Alicia said.
Tucker’s body lifting from his own, sent a draft of cold air washing over Shane’s prostrate form and Shane shivered again. He pushed himself up into a seated position and attempted to push his shirt back into the waistband of his slacks. He studiously kept his gaze away from Tucker’s as the doctor attempted to right his own clothes. He didn’t know what to say to Tucker, didn’t know if he should say anything, so he didn’t. Once they were both presentable, Shane walked towards the door again.
“Shane?” Tucker’s voice sent thrills down his spine and Shane froze but didn’t turn around.
“Yeah?” he said.
“I’d really like to see where this can go. I can refer Shawna to another psychologist,” Tucker offered and Shane shook his head.
“No, I-I mean I would love to see where this is going also, or where it could go, but Shawna seems very comfortable with you and I don’t want to do anything to damage that,” Shane said.
“I understand,” Tucker said. “Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know okay?”
Shane nodded and hurried out of the door. He needed to get home, get back to Shawna and remind himself of why he just had to turn down what could have possibly been the greatest thing to happen to him since adopting the little girl. He’d take the rest of the day off work if he had to, but he had to get away from Tucker before he did something else that he would regret.