Archive for the ‘First Timer Friday’ Category

First Timer Friday

with C. Zampa

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover your new favorite author.

1) How does it feel to be an Author Virgin?

CZ- What a good word for it, because it feels just like that…a virgin’s first time. All the excitement leading up to it, then THE event. And that wonderful high when the book goes live.

2) How well do you really know your characters?  Underwear preference?  Favorite flavor of ice cream?  Coffee or Tea?

CZ- Oh, I LOVE this question! Underwear? Oh, Candelario would wear NO underwear. If he did, he’d wear those nice white, tight briefs. Ice cream? Hmmm. He’s not really an ice cream fellow at all. And coffee. Definitely coffee. In fact, there’s a coffee scene in the book.

3) What music are you listening to lately?

CZ- Would you believe it? Hispanic music! Traditional, club techno. It started as inspiration for my novella, which is primarily Hispanic, but I grew to love the spicy, sexy music.

4) If you were going to cast the hero of your book, what actor would get the part?

CZ- Wow. These are fantastic questions! I would pick, without hesitation, the Hispanic actor, Eduardo Yanez.

5) How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

CZ- Giggling at this one. My entire office is practically in my book! They’ve even allowed me to use some of their names. But it is VERY likely.

About the Author:

Candy G.

by C. Zampa

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC

Buy at Dreamspinner

Buy at Amazon

Synopsis:

What kind of man drives a bulletproof Mercedes and carries a high-powered pistol in the glove compartment along with his boyhood teddy bear? Candy G does, that’s who. Once the exclusive attorney for the most powerful drug lord in San Antonio, he turned his back on Teirso Flores and walked away. But at what price?

Moving on with his life despite the threat of Teirso’s revenge, Candy meets gorgeous, streetwise Carlos Alvarez, and thus begins a passionate love affair rife with danger, secrets, and specters from the past that just won’t let go. When truths are revealed, will the one thing that brought their worlds together be the test that strengthens their love or the knife that severs their bond forever?

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

1 – How well do you really know your characters?  Underwear preference?  Favorite flavor of ice cream?  Coffee or Tea?
That’s an easy one. There are two main characters, Janus and Alcaeus, and I know them as well as I know the keys on my keyboard. (I’m very unfamiliar with the back of my hand). Janus is a tea drinker, especially herbal or green tea, and he takes it with honey. He’s not a fan of sweets but he loves anything citrusy – lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges especially. As for underwear, well, I guess you could say he goes commando. This time period doesn’t really have boxers or briefs. Alcaeus however, is a coffee drinker doused in milk and sugar and if ice cream was to be had, he’d be a Neapolitan kind of guy. But really, he loves pie with pretty much any fruit you can stuff in it, though he favors strawberries over anything else, especially when his sister, Ceres, is the one who makes it.

2 – What music are you listening to lately?
Recently, I’ve been listening to Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns on constant repeat. I think it’s a fantastic album and the songs really drive the muses. They’ve been a great push for the recent novels I’ve been working on, especially Iridescent and Burning in the Skies. Three Days Grace also had a new album in 2009, Life Starts Now, which I’ve recently discovered and it has been filling my ears as well. Join those with a nice mix of Evanescence, Breaking Benjamin, and any decent movie soundtrack and I’m always listening to something.

 3 - Classic Novel you would like to see turned into a movie?
Well, I don’t know if you would call this a classic, but it’s a classic to me… Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I’m worried about what Hollywood might do and edit from the story, but it’s my absolute favorite science-fiction book and one I read probably three times a year. I really need to replace my current copy because it’s so worn it’s falling apart. I’ve heard rumors that they are making it a movie, but I’ve not seen a trailer yet so I’m not holding my breath. But the day I do see one, you can guarantee I’ll be there on opening night with all the other Sci-Fi geeks.

4 – Favorite Superhero?
That’s an easy one. I’d have to say Batman. I’ll take him in pretty much any shape and form I can get him, whether comic book or cartoon or live-action film though my favorite would have to be Kevin Conroy. He’s been the voice actor for Batman/Bruce Wayne since 1992 in nearly every animated incarnation of the superhero and was the first person in animation to alter his voice for the two different personas of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Needless to say, I can often be found arguing with Superman fans over whose better, Batman or Superman. (Batman naturally)

5 – What did you do to celebrate when your first book was published?
 Well, right around the time my first book was published, I was in transit between jobs and housing. Things were a little complicated and stressful, but I still managed to find time to celebrate. My mother took me to a very nice, very trendy sushi restaurant where I not only ate sushi for the first time but downed way more cocktails than I needed to. Still, it was fun and it’s always amazing to know that your family supports you. A week later, my friend drove down from out of state and she, too, took me to dinner. I ate a lot in celebration.

Bio: Nicole Wilkinson is twenty-four, happily single, and living it up in Charlotte with her mother who needs a bit of a helping hand. Born in Washington State, she was transplanted to the East Coast just before the awful teenage years and often remarks that it was like moving to a different country. She’s only been writing seriously for three years, but reading and writing have always been a passion. Nicole’s first story was written in the fourth grade and was a lively, if not strange, tale about a girl who was being inexplicably chased by spiders. Thankfully, since then, she has moved on to more interesting fare. Starting first with fan fiction that gave her a good basis in story construction, detailing, and editing, she soon shifted into works of her own. After taking a timeout to gain a degree in Environmental Resources – which has absolutely nothing to do with fictional writing whatsoever – she’s now back on track and determined to bring her stories to life.

You can find out more about Nicole Wilkinson here http://dracosdebauchery.tripod.com or here http://dracoqueen22.livejournal.com or get your copy of Nicole Wilkinson’s The Requiem of Janus here http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2666

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? -

Very likely!  All my friends know that they will appear in one of my novels sooner or later, either by name or personality.  In addition, they know that anything they say to me not preceeded with “off the record” may also turn up in a novel. 

What music are you listening to lately? –

I am a huge country music fan as you can tell by this book, but I am just as big a fan of the Great American Songbook.  They just don’t write songs like that anymore

Funniest Show on TV? –

I have several – Will & Grace, Golden Girls and Modern Family.

If you were going to cast the hero of your book, what actor would get the part? -

 Jake Gyllenhaal

If you could live in another time in history when would it be? –

The Regency Period.  I love the formality where everyone dressed for dinner and people paid you a call instead of texting you.  I also  love the romance of the era.

If you could switch places with one of your characters would you? –

I would love to be Ian Dillon, the record label executive in Final Encore.  I love the music business which is why I wrote this book.

What did you do to celebrate when your first book was published? -

Well, since that was just a week ago today, I remember exactly.  I sat on the porch of my Martha’s Vineyard home with Kell, my partner of fourteen years and watched the sun go down with a glass of red wine.  I toasted Kell for his undying support, my best girlfriend for her great insight and guidance while writing this book and finally, I toasted Ian and Billy, the main characters of Final Encore, because without them there would be no story!

Bio: Scotty Cade left Corporate America and twenty-five years of Marketing and Public Relations behind to buy an Inn & Restaurant on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with his partner of fourteen years.   He started writing stories as soon as he could read, but only recently for publication.  When not at the Inn, you can find him on the bow of his boat writing male/male romance novels with his Shetland sheepdog Mavis at his side.  Being from the south and a lover of commitment and fidelity, most of his characters find their way to long healthy relationships, however long it takes them to get there.  He believes that in the end, the boy should always get the boy.

Find out more about Scotty Cade here www.scottycade.com or here www.dreamspinnerpress.com or get your copy of Final Encore here http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2055

Welcome Readers!

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

  
How well do you really know your characters?  Underwear preference?  Favorite flavor of ice cream?  Coffee or Tea?
 
Both Aaron and Matt are boxer-brief guys most of the time. They’re also coffee drinkers, but both do drink tea sometimes (hot and iced). Aaron likes his coffee black with two sugars and one cream, his hot tea with just a little sugar, and his iced tea sweet, but not overly sweet. Matt prefers flavored coffee drinks (caramel latte is a favorite) but likes his iced tea unsweetened with lemon, or sometimes flavored teas like raspberry or peach. He liked herbal hot teas, especially Lemon Zinger.
 
Aaron likes smooth, simple ice creams like chocolate or coffee, while Matt likes lots of toppings or mix-ins. If they went to Ben & Jerry’s, Aaron would get Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz, and Matt would get Phish Food. They’re both big fans of whipped cream, too, although it doesn’t always make it onto the ice cream.
 
Who did you dedicate your book to and why?
 
My book is dedicated to “everyone who’s ever told me to ‘write more, dammit!’” More than anything, that’s been friends and fans of the fanfiction I’ve written over the years, although friends who haven’t read that much are still very supportive. My family’s also been very encouraging, of course, but I’m from the South, so they’d probably word things a little more politely.
 
How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?
 
Not very. I rarely base a character substantially on a real person. I borrow small attributes or stories from people I know (or from myself), but that’s as far as I go with it.
 
What holiday do you look forward to most?
 
Definitely Christmas. I love the decorations, the food, the gifts, the music, and the fun. Shopping for Christmas gifts is probably the highlight of the year for me, especially now that I have a little more financial stability and don’t have to worry about price as much I did for many years. We don’t generally buy big-ticket items in our family, though. In fact, one of our favorite traditions is Christmas Eve gifts—my parents, sister, and I each buy the others small gifts with a $2 per person limit. It’s fun to get creative and figure out something unique to each person without spending much!
 
Secret Fantasy, If you were going to be famous for something other than writing what award would you want to win?  Tony? Grammy? Oscar? WWE Championship belt?
 
I’ve always harbored a tiny fantasy about going for the Tony/Grammy/Oscar hat trick, but that would be as a writer, because I’m no actor and not much of a singer. In the non-writing world, I would have loved being a figure skater and win awards for that. In reality, I’ve never even been on figure skates. I really should get that much under my belt, at least!

Short bio: Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she works for the government by day and writes by night. She’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to start writing them down. Now, she usually has far too many stories in progress, but when she does manage to tear herself away from her laptop, she enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and traveling, not necessarily in that order. In addition to her novella Model Student, Shae has two short stories coming up from Dreamspinner. Sharing Christmas will be part of the 2010 Advent Calendar Set Naughty or Nice (link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=62_359&products_id=2049), and another story is scheduled for a February 2011 release.

Find out more about Shae Connor here http://shaeconnor.blogspot.com or get your copy of Model Student here http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2023

Welcome Readers!

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

How well do you really know your characters?  Underwear preference?  Favorite flavor of ice cream?  Coffee or Tea?

- It depends on the story they came from or how long I’ve worked with them. If it’s a one-shot short, then the best I can give you is a physical description. For my novels and series shorts, I can practically give you their shoe-size and lube preference lol.

What holiday do you look forward to most?

 - Thanksgiving; even though my family is small, it’s nice to have some time together where we can all get together, eat, and relax. Christmas would be a close second, because that’s when I spend time with my friends ^_^ .

If you could live in another time in history when would it be?

 - Hmmm, either feudal Japan or the wild west days of America. It’s a real toss up between the beauty and energy of Japan, with the raw, gritty truth of the American expansion.

If you could choose to time travel would you go forward or backward?

 - Either, really. I’d love to go back and experience life out in the pristine wilderness or maybe learn some wisdom from someone wise. But, I’d also like to see what exactly the future holds, and if my “Stars” setting even comes close to what humans/Terrans become.

What is the scariest part of sending out that first book?

 - Waiting for the first reply back from the editor. You sit there, either waiting by the mail-box or refreshing your e-mail page, and wonder if you sent the right file. Or if your edits were good enough. Or if the story was too intense or not intense enough. Or if something you said turned the editor off for some reason.

 Secret Fantasy, If you were going to be famous for something other then writing what award would you want to win?  Tony? Grammy? Oscar? WWE Championship belt?

- I can just imagine myself, standing on the ropes of the ring, holding up my championship belt for the audience to scream over. Ah, the roar of the crowd…you know, a Nobel prize would be nice too ^_^ .

Bio – “So far as the Galactic Union knows, the being known as Gabriel West is currently being confined somewhere on Mathai’s surface. It is generally assumed that he’s either been captured by the Maa’rish Imperial forces or by his lover’s clan. Little is known about his whereabouts or the identity of this reported lover. Either way, his illegal activities seem to have lessened, for the time being.”

Learn more about Gabriel West here http://gabrielsknife.livejournal.com/ and at www.torquerepress.com 

Welcome Readers!

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

How well do you really know your characters? 

I’d say very intimately, although none of my characters are autobiographical.  (Sometimes I wish they were!)  For me to immerse myself in my writing, I need to make the characters come to life.  They become my friends, my family members, even my adversaries.  I talk about them in present tense over dinner – evoking raised eyebrows from my partner.  I dream about them.  And, I both worry about and celebrate their problems and their victories.  I’d say it’s comparable to an actor staying in character even when he or she is not performing.  Fortunately, no one has called for a straight-jacket for me – yet.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

I believe anybody is fair game, even if I don’t even know them.    It could be a friend, an acquaintance, or even a person I don’t know.  I travel often on business so sometimes play a mental game in airports as I people-watch.  I imagine details about their lives and create small little stories about them.  It’s both amusing and entertaining and helps me with the sometimes lengthy wait times.  In “Home” I knew exactly who my villain was but I think it’s safe to say that secret will go with me to my grave.  As an amusing aside, my partner and I have taken an annual beach vacation for ten years with the same group of about eight friends.  I’ve threatened to put them all in a murder mystery about one of our vacations that goes badly wrong.  Now, they love the idea but let’s hope they’re still my friends once I get it written.

What classic novel would you like to see turned into a movie?

 Well, I think my first choice has already been made into a movie but I’ve never seen it nor do I think it was anything more than a straight-to-dvd release.  I just finished re-reading Patricia Nell Warren’s “The Front Runner” for the umpteenth time since I first discovered it while in college back in the Seventies.  Yes, it’s probably considered cliché by some but it also never fails to make me cry.  (I won’t say why in case you haven’t read it.)  I’d like to see it produced by a major studio and made into the next “Brokeback Mountain.”

What makes your first book naughty?

The sex scenes are rather explicit.  So much so that my 78 year-old mother still doesn’t know her son writes books like this.  But that said, “Home” is more a falling-in-love and constructing-a-life story than just a series of erotic scenes. Readers who want steamy, occasionally edgy situations will find them.  But what I hopefully achieved was a good plot balance between the raw and the romance.

What is the scariest part of sending out that first book?

Not knowing if you’re good enough.  Hoping, even fantasizing about the acceptance letter that says “Where have your talents been hiding all this time?  We loved it!”  And, being prepared for the more realistic likelihood of a generic, one-paragraph rejection that ends with “Best of luck in your future endeavors.”  When I received the e-mail from MLR responding to my first submission, I just kept re-reading the simple but beautiful words: “We like your book … and would like to offer you a contract.”  I’ve been smiling ever since.  

William Neale is a writer of m/m erotic romance fiction.  His newly published book, “Home,” is the first in a series of three.  An excerpt is available at either the publisher’s or the author’s web site.

The second book in the series, “A New Normal,” is due for release from MLR Press in late 2010 or early 2011.  MLR Press will also soon release a short story by William titled “Got Your Back” on its upcoming new “quick reads” division. 

William lives in Cleveland with his partner, their two dogs, and hopefully soon, a newly adopted son.  William Neale books are available at MLR Press, Amazon.com, and other major booksellers.

Thank you for joining us William you can find out more about William Neale at www.williamneale.com and at www.mlrpress.com

Welcome Readers!

Join us in meeting some of the new authors on the scene every Friday.  Hear what the newbies have to say and discover the voice of a new author.

This is your first book, how does it feel to be an Author Virgin?
You know, it feels awesome. Every step along the way has been a journey and a learning experience. The writing of the book was only a small part. Not even the hardest part. Finding the right publisher, dealing with rejections, working with an editor and developing a rapport and a rhythm of working together, line edits, proofing, formatting and final galleys. Each step feel like  hurry up and wait..

But then release day comes and the feeling is like nothing else. To go to the website, see your book, click on the link, and see that people can buy your book is like riding the biggest wave.  And for about three minutes, it’s awesome.

Then you realize that your work has only just begun. Now you have to market your book, promote it, make sure people know it’s out there.  And doing that without seeming pushy…this virgin hasn’t figured that out yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

To write a book, to pour your heart onto the page, and to see if come to life. That is truly a wonderful feeling and has made all of the work worthwhile

How well do you really know your characters?

I’d have to say I know them much better than I should, especially Derek.

Derek is all about comfort and casual. He would prefer to spend his life wearing a t-shirt and jeans. He would keep his hair short enough so he would never have to brush it if it didn’t mean going to the barber twice a month since his hair grows like weeds. Brand names in clothing make him gag, but he will only buy quality equipment and gadgets. He’s kind of a techie-geek, but he’s not a geek. Secretly, he wishes he had the body to be a go-go dnacer, but he’s a bit too short for that…but he is happy that his body fat remains at around 8% and that he’s toned. The one thing he refuses to skimp on is his underwear. He wears Gap cotton boxer briefs. They hug his ass just right and display his package in a complimentary way. It makes life easy on Jeremy when it comes to buying gifts for him.Jeremy is a bit more complex than Derek. He also refuses to wear brand name clothes, but he will go to several thrift stores to find the precise degree of acid wash in his jeans or to find the exact logo he’s looking for.  The Tazmanian devil is his favorite cartoon character, so he’ll search far and wide to get clothing that has Taz’s emblem on it. On the other hand, he is content to do whatever the crowd is doing. He can hang out watching football or spend hours listening to Derek mix music. It doesn’t much matter to him. As long as people are getting along with each other and he gets quality time with Derek, he’s happy.

The one thing that both Derek and Jeremy have in common is their love of kissing. They are both passionate people and deeply in love with one another. Kissing gives them a chance to really express themselves in a way which is far more powerful than  words. They’ve been known to kiss for hours on end. Both have taken out stock in chap-stick since their lips are always red and swollen.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

They are definitely in my work.

For instance, in Wrestling With Desire, Beck is kind of a combination of two women I know.  One is brash and uncouth, saying whatever comes to her mind and threatening violence to male anatomy at all times. The other is insightful and caring, wise beyond her years. Putting the two of them together into Beck Stoltz was a blast because I could take the extreme of both their personalities and play with it.

Scott is based off a high school crush. No, the guy’s name wasn’t Jeremy.  Although I did have a crush on a Jeremy in college. But he was blonde, medium height and build, and just an all-around sweet, easy-going guy.

In my upcoming Release through Ai Press, Meant For Each Other, you can read the blurb on my website and see the awesome cover there as well, Jeremy is me allowing my crush on a guy to go wild. What if I had actually been a relationship with him? The way Jeremy behaves and the sex he and Craig have are out of this world. But there is a piece of me in Jeremy as well. I’m an educator and a nurturer.

Craig on the other hand is based on this guy who I worked with who was really cool. He was from Nebraska and had this Metrosexual sort of vibe to him. He’s very tech savvy and was cute in a dorky sort of way…my favorite kind.

BIO: D. H. Starr is a clean-cut guy with a wickedly naughty mind.  He first became interested in reading from his mother who always had a stack of books piled next to her bed.  Family is important to D. H. and his stories center around the intricate and complex dynamics of relationships and working through problems while maintaining respect and love.  His favorite books tend to fall in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and coming of age.

Find out more: Website www.dhstarr.com Blog www.dhstarr.blogspot.com Book Order Link http://featherweightpublishing.com/ShowBook.php?YA=DS_WRDESIRE