Renae:  My goodness.  It’s Wednesday again?  That means it’s interview day and I have another interview where I get to find all the juicy bits about books – sometimes before they’re released.

So today I have…  **consults her notes** Oh, YAY.  **does a little dance**  My favourite author to interview.  Any guesses?  My most frequent guest… the lovely Nic Starr!

Nic:  Am I the most frequent guest? What an honour! I do hope I’m not boring everyone to death **wink**

Renae:  Hi Nic!  Nah – not boring.  Just the first person I go to, and I always have a spot for you on my blog.  What can I get you to drink?  Coffee?  (Please – no one else seems to want to drink coffee with me…)

Nic:  Sure. I’ll have a large flat white. I’m fairly basic with my coffee order. Actually that’s another thing I’m nervous about with my upcoming trip to the US. Have you seen the choices at Starbucks?! I’ll have to get someone to translate ‘large, flat white’ into Starbucks speak for me so I’m all prepared.

Renae:  Ok!  **dashes off**

Nic:  **Googles Starbucks** Venti? Grande? Huh?

Renae:  Back!  **hands Nic cup and sits down, wriggling to get comfortable**  Okay.  Now, let me see.  What are we… **gasp**  You have another release?  Wow – go you, Nic!

Nic:  LOL. I’ve been busy, but I still can’t believe how quickly October is coming around.

​Renae:  Yay.  So, More Than a Friend releases next Wednesday on the 7th.  Let me check out the blurb…
​
More Than: Book Two 

Tim Walker is a free man. He’s broken up with his girlfriend and is ready to move on to a new relationship. But the relationship he wants to pursue is fraught with challenges. Firstly, Scott Richardson is a man, and only Tim’s closest friends know Tim’s bisexual. Secondly, everyone knows Scott relishes the single life. And then there’s the big one: Scott is the younger brother of Tim’s best friend, Paul. 

Scott can’t deny an attraction to his brother’s friend Tim. Lean, dark blond, and blue-eyed, Tim is hot and hard not to notice—especially since Scott and Tim work together. Too bad the man is straight, and too bad Scott worries how Paul will react if Scott hooks up with his best friend. 

Tim and Scott want to see if there’s a chance for more than friendship between them, but neither of them wants to lose Paul. Together, they must find the courage to follow their hearts and find a way to have it all.​

Right!  So another one in the More Than series.  And more than a friend… delicious.

And WOW – going after the best friend’s brother??  Isn’t that taboo in some social rule?

Nic:  There is definitely a social code that raises questions about falling for your besties’ brother or sister. When I started writing the story, I did some online research, and found a huge volume of articles and advice columns, all expressing different opinions, but it seems a lot of people are asking the questions. Tim definitely fell into the camp where he didn’t want to put his relationship with his best friend in jeopardy.

Renae:  And Tim is bisexual?  Do you think there are a lot of guys out there who are bisexual, but we just don’t know about it because we assume they are straight when we see them with their girlfriends?

Nic:  I don’t know about a ‘lot of guys’ but you are right with the assumption part. It’s easy to see a man and woman in a couple, and assume both partners are straight. I’m sure it’s not even a conscious thought, more a given.

Renae:  So Tim is bi, and he’s just broken up with his girlfriend?  Has he had a boyfriend before, or will this be his first steady male relationship?

Nic:  Tim’s had some experience with men, but nothing serious and nothing that would be termed a relationship. His first serious relationship was with this ex-girlfriend.

Renae:  And Scott is determinedly single?  Is it just a case of having the right woman man come along?

Nic:  LOL. For Scott it’s a matter of timing. And finding that perfect man.

Renae:  Okay – now I’m thinking about the brother, Paul.  His best friend and his little brother together?  OMG – I would be terrified.  I’m sure both of them would know secrets about me I wouldn’t want the other to know.

Nic:  I’d love to know your secrets! Maybe you could introduce me to your bestie, Renae? Or you have a few siblings, so I’m sure one of them would be willing to spill the beans! 

​When things come out into the open, Paul isn’t too worried about his secrets getting out (probably because he doesn’t have too many), but there’s a natural fear that important relationships will change. Luckily, Paul wants his brother and his best friend to be happy. However, Tim and Scott hide their relationship from Paul, and no one likes to be lied to by the people they love, which creates some tension.
​

Renae:  I was only having this conversation with someone a few days ago – there are certain people who you just don’t go after.  You cut your losses and run.  This particular scenario was the twin brother of the ex-fiance.  What do you think in real life?  Would you go for it like Scott and Tim?

Nic:  I think hooking up with someone related to an ex-lover, is a different scenario, to the one in this story. If you’ve already had an intimate and sexual relationship with one sibling, then move to another, it does have a certain taboo. For example, if Tim and Paul weren’t just best friends, rather they’d been lovers, then Tim hooking up with Scott would be seen differently as Tim would have been in a sexual relationship with both brothers. The intimacy of sex complicates things.

Renae:  Now – I need a sneak peek at the story so I can imagine… tell me, is it “I’ve had my eye on you for ages” type scenario on both sides?

Nic:  Oh yes. There’s been some unresolved sexual tension for a while now. There are hints of it in the first book.

Renae:  Do you think both characters experience the thrill of the forbidden?

Nic:  Sorry to disappoint but not really. They experience the thrill of being with each other - Scott excited to find out Tim is open to a relationship with a man, and Tim thrilled that Scott wants him. In fact, things would be easier if they didn’t have to deal with worrying about the impact of their relationship on Paul.

Renae:  Now, this is a series.  Is there more to come in the series?

Nic:  Definitely! There are three more stories planned. The next is More Than Money where the main characters have a value conflict. This story features the oldest Richardson son, James, who works in his family business. Jamie falls for Daniel, the owner of the Coffee & Sunshine café, but his father’s plans for redeveloping the small town, drive a wedge between them.

Renae:  Do you need to read the first one in order to understand the second?

Nic:  The enjoyment of More Than a Friend, would be enhanced by getting to know the characters in the first book, More Than a Superstar. It would also put the secondary characters into context. So reading the first book is my recommendation.

Renae:  What are you working on now?

Nic:  Busy, busy, busy! I’ve just finished edits for my upcoming Christmas story (The Proof is in the Pudding comes out in December – obviously!) I’ve also completed my first novel set in Australia. Rustic Melody is the first book in my new Rustic series and will be released early in the new year. I have a number of works in progress nearing completion including Patricks’ Savior (book #3 in my Heroes series) and Rustic Memory.

Renae:  Where can people find you?

Nic:  You can find me on key social media sites. I love it when readers get in touch.
Website & Blog: http://www.nicstarr.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Nic-Starr/e/B00MAWRRQG/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicki.nicstar
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NicStarrAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicstar000
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nicstar000/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8139967.Nic_Starr
 
Renae:  Thanks for joining me (again!)  I promise to stop hassling you… oh, I don’t know… in about ten years time? **wink**

Nic:  I love being hassled by you so look forward to the next ten years J

Renae:  Congratulations on the new release, and I hope it does spectacular!

​Nic:  Thank you. It’s been a pleasure chatting, as always.
​

 
Renae:  AAAAAAAAAAAAaaannnnddd – WELCOME!  Welcome back to my blog, the wonderful, the hyper, the peppy….  MISS BEANY SPARKS.

**applause**

Renae:  Hiya, Beans!  Welcome back.  What can I offer you to drink?

Beany:  Hm, how about a green tea?

Renae: Right-o.  Give me a sec.  I could really do with a coffee myself…  **runs off**

Beany:  *counts* Your second is up…

Renae:  Smart-arse.  Here you go.  **passes over cup **  So, I hear you have a new story out?  Exciting much??  Let’s look at the blurb.

An explosion sends Ethan running...straight into the arms of his mate.

Ethan White is a witch whose days are spent in his apothecary with his familiar, Beema. While making potions for the townsfolk keeps him busy, nothing exciting ever happens—until one day when a surprise visitor walks in and his world crumbles around him. Suddenly Ethan and his familiar are on the run, heading for the Fae to seek sanctuary.

Grayson is an alpha wolf. His two best friends are his betas, but there’s one thing missing—a pack. It’s for that very reason that the three of them were volunteered by the council to act as representatives. Their mission? Try to convince the Fae Queen to get the Fae involved in a battle with the Midnight Coven, the witches suspected of using the dark arts. However, the mission takes a back seat when Grayson meets his mate for the first time. 

With revelations and lies around every corner and a battle looming, they have to be ready to fight if they want to have a life together.

When a prophecy about the Shades of Power comes to light, both sides want the power for the battle against the other. The question is—who will unite them first?

Renae:  So let me get this straight.  Ethan is a witch.  There is also Fae and a Fae Queen.  And Grayson is a wolf (I’m assuming a shifter).  Is this correct?

Beany:  Yup. There’s also a few other characters running around.

Renae:  So where’s the dragon??

Beany:  Uh…

Renae:  So no dragon?  **pouts**

Beany:  Uh…

Renae:  Stories are much better with dragons in them...**Gives Beany a searching look before moving on to the next question.**  


So in this world – does it have a name? – the witches and Fae are allies?  But they’re against the shifters?  Why is that?

Beany:  They’re not really against the shifters, the Fae just don’t see why they should bother helping them, or anyone else. Ethan has a connection to the Fae, but the shifters don’t and they’re the ones needing help against the Midnight Coven.

I haven’t named the world, not really… there’s kingdoms, but this book only looks at the Fae kingdom.

Renae:  And they need to unite to fight the bad witches?  Who are using the dark arts?  But aren’t the dark arts the fun ones?  When I was growing up, it was the kids in black that did all the fun things.

Beany:  Haha probably, but the ones wielding the dark arts are naughty, not fun *winks* As shifters, they don’t have much of a chance against dark witches so they go looking for an ally.

Renae:  Tell me – do you ever just look at world politics to get your story lines?  Do you think “Well this country and this country are at war, but when this country comes in…”?

Beany: To be honest, I don’t watch a lot of TV and especially not the news. Politics bore me and it seems to be just doom and gloom on the TV so I don’t really bother.

Renae:  So where do these wonderful worlds come from?

Beany:  PITA has some very interesting ideas…

Renae:  So a wolf and a shifter?  Is this normal or surprising to this world?  Is Ethan going to be happy or peeved at his mate?

Beany:  Shifters are normal, at the point we’ve only heard of wolf shifters, PITA hasn’t told me it that will change. Ethan is definitely happy to find his mate, although Grayson does annoy him at times.

Renae:  Now, I understand that this is the start of a series?

Beany:  Yes. It was initially planned to be a standalone and now it’s Book 1 of at least 3.

Renae:  Who is publishing the book?  Where can we find it?

Beany:  I am, or rather, my company Rainbow Ninja Press is. Currently it’s up on ARe and Smashwords and it’ll be up on Amazon sometime this week. I’m also getting the publisher website setup and readers will be able to buy directly from there and once that’s up, I’ll have a special link for EU readers.

Renae:  What else are you working on?

Beany:  I’ve got first books in two other series that have been partially written as well as ideas for a lot more.

Renae:  So do you think you’ll ever write anything other than fantasy?  Is that what comes easy to you?  For me, I love the realism of my characters and I’m interested to hear where you think your future writings will be?

Beany:  It’s what I mostly read. I’ve written a contemporary but I have more fun writing fantasy because it gives me a lot more room to play. Plus, fantasy stories can have dragons!

Renae:  Oooh!  Dragons! **grin**  Is this a lifelong desire to write?  Have you always wanted to?  I came to write quite accidentally.  Like, “Oh, whoops – look I just produced a 60,000 word manuscript.”

Beany:  I’m the same. I have always loved to read, I devoured books from a young age. Although I have an active imagination, it wasn’t until the beginning of 2014 that I decided to try and write and that ended up as a, “I wrote a story over 40,000 words? How did that happen?” Unfortunately, now PITA won’t shut up.

Renae:  What about your other series, Paws and Magic?  How is that going?

Beany:  Jackson’s Fox is the third book in that series, but the characters are not talking to me! Grrrr! Even the Merman Tales boys are keeping quiet, it can be very annoying. Then again, other characters are popping up…

Renae:  Now, imagine this.  You’re sitting in a café having a coffee and then one of your characters turn up.  Let’s say the Fae Queen.  What would be your reaction?

Beany:  Honestly? I’d ask where’s Beema? (Ethan’s familiar) Beema is just awesome!

Renae:  What is the HARDEST part about writing fantasy?

Beany:  For me, finding the time to write in general is pretty hard at the moment. There are so many stories in my head, but not enough hours in the day to get them down!

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Beany:  I’m on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/beany.sparks), Twitter (@BeanySparks) or people can email me at beany.sparks@gmail.com

Renae:  Thanks for joining me today.  It’s been lovely to have you and your characters come to visit **grin** I need more fantasy character writers on.  I hope you had fun?

Beany:  I had lots of fun! Thank you for having me and for my tea **grin**

Renae:  Today on my blog we’re welcoming a new guest – writer Meg Amor!  This is Meg’s first visit to my blog so we need to make it a good one.  Hi, Meg.  Come on in and take a seat.  Can I offer you a coffee?  Tea? Water?  **whispering**  It’s a new policy of mine to offer drinks, so I’m still getting used to it.

Meg:  Ooh, lovely, thanks for having me! **grin** Given we’re a couple of Australasians, I brought a bottle of New Zealand savvie blanc to sip while we chat. Would you like a cold glass of wine, Renae?

Renae:  Okay.  **whispers to Meg that she doesn’t drink alcohol, but will try it this once because it’s on a blog** Two secs.  I’ll be back with some glasses...

Meg:  Goodo. I’ll let you open that and pour us a glass.

Renae:  Back!  Here...  **hands Meg her glass**

Meg:  Thanks, Renae. Cheers! Lovely to be here. **grin**

Renae:  **sips and hopes it doesn’t go to her head** Okay – let’s get into the interview.  In March you released Hawaiian Lei, the story of a flight instructor in Hawaii meeting a man originally from New Zealand, who’d come to Hawaii via LA.  Today you’ve come to talk about your next release on the same theme, Hawaiian Orchid. It released yesterday (the 15th).  Let’s take a look at the blurb.

Blurb:

 Kulani is “The Orchid,” a young, insecure, pro-surfer who comes from a rough background on the Big Island of Hawai’i. He’s Beau Toyama’s cousin from Hawaiian Lei. But he’s also a healer and has a heart as deep as the ocean he’s part of. Like the great Hawaiians, Duke Kahanamoku and Eddie Aikau, who have gone before him—waterman and warrior Kulani Mahikoa epitomizes the spirit of aloha and love. Kulani’s not only healing his own wounds, but “The Lost Boys”—young, homeless, abandoned and abused gay boys he’s taken under his wing.

He meets the lone and lonely New Zealand widower, Rob Masterson—a wounded psychologist who’s trying to come to terms with his husband Tony’s death. When he died, they were separated but still living together. Can Rob reconcile all the pieces of guilt and love, to heal and fall in love again?

When he drops anchor in Kona Harbor and meets the exotic islander—young, bolshie Kulani—explosive heat makes sparks fly between them.

Is the age difference between them a barrier or something they’ll get past? Kulani has more layers than Rob ever bargained for. And Rob’s tangled knot of responsibility, grief and guilt with his New Zealand heritage and past life is something he needs to untangle. Two wounded men have to learn to trust and love one another. Traveling between the South Sea Islands of beautiful New Zealand and the exotic Hawaiian Islands—they forge a sea change, finding a home for their shrapnel laced souls.

Renae:  **takes a moment to process the multiple layers and storylines in the book**  Wow – how many pages is this book?  Is it an epic saga?

Meg:  LOL. I do love writing in the old sweeping saga styles of old. I like the richness of them. The page count on this one is going to be around 324 I think,  with the word count about 97,000. 

Renae:  I’m fascinated with the huge varieties of different backgrounds you are bringing into these books.  You have Hawaiian, New Zealand, Maori, Japanese, Tahitian...  Tell me about your background.  Is this your heritage that you write about?

Meg:  Thanks. **grins**  Part of it is my heritage. I’m a New Zealander, born and bred but also a US citizen. My American home state is Hawai’i. I got my citizenship on the Big Island of Hawai’i over in the country courthouse in Hilo on the wet side of the island. My soul is very Polynesian, even though I’m not of that blood. Hawaiian is my soul’s home. It’s where I feel most at home in the world. I’m a real islander at heart and Hawai’i is the perfect combination between New Zealand’s own island heritage and American convenience which after living here 20 odd years, I’ve become a hybrid of the two places.

I’ve lived at home in Hawai’i twice on the Big Island and am working my way back then. My late husband Aaron was a New Zealand Maori. Much of the information for both Matt (in Hawaiian Lei) and Tony (in Hawaiian Orchid) comes from Aaron’s heritage. He really did come from the Ngati Raukawa and Tukorehe tribes. He was a Kuiti/Heremia and his family were Maori royalty. The Maori urupa or burial ground I mention, is where his mum Mereana is buried and his ashes are also. The marae I describe is his marae at Kikopiri near Ohau, Levin in the North Island of New Zealand.

I have a deep need to be connected to Polynesians and the heritage that goes with it. My best friend in NZ, is part Rarotongan and I had a Norfolk Island friend. All my life, I’ve been drawn to Polynesians. I resonate with their spirit and culture. My love of Tahiti though is something embedded in my soul. I think the Tahitians are the most beautiful of the South Sea Islands people. 

And the Japanese heritage is honouring the many Hawaiians that have that in their ancestry.

Renae:  Are you automatically drawn to writing about characters with Pacific Islander heritage?  Does it come naturally?

Meg:  Yes, as you can probably tell from my last answer. LOL. I’ve always had Polynesian people in my life, right from when I was a wee girl. Before I went to school, we lived out in the bays on Maori land. I used to go to the hangis--similar to a luau with mum and dad. I’d do my wee poi dance (badly) and someone would make me a wee flax headband to wear. I’d be the only Pakeha (white) girl there in my, then, blond hair and pale skin dancing with everyone else. I loved it. I felt right at home.

When I started school over in Christchurch city, my best friend was Tania Cleaver and she was a native Fijian New Zealander. My ‘Uncle’ Paul who lived with us for a while was Maori. My best friend who I sat next to the first day of high school when I was 12, is Rarotongan. My first real boyfriend was Maori. It just resonates with me. I think it’s because I’m essentially a cruiser myself. So, the easy island energy of Polynesians fits with my personality and way I like to live my life. I’m not a very formal person in many ways. At home in Hawai’i, despite my accent, most people assume I’m a local which is a huge compliment. I’m most at home close to the sea, like most islanders and I love the spiritual connection that Polynesians always seem to have.

Renae:  So someone picking up your book who is not aware of anything about Hawaiian or New Zealander history, are they going to be lost, or are they going to learn a lot from your book?

Meg:  Ooh, good question. Well, I hope they get to learn a lot. I like to include as much as I can about the culture, food, lifestyle, language and words as I can in my books, so people get a real sense of it. I want to take people for the ride, so they can feel it under their skin. Inhale it, live it for a while. 

Renae:  Just quickly, for anyone who is not conversant with the cultures, is it taboo to be gay in Maori culture?  Hawaiian?

Meg:  No, it’s not. The Polynesian cultures are much more accepting generally of same sex relationships and people. The attitude is different. They’re much more relaxed about it and don’t see it as ‘abnormal’ – more just another side of someone. It’s treated as much more fluid too, not like Western culture which insists on someone being one or the other.

From Peter Michaud: In modern New Zealand, a common label adopted by LGBT Māori is Takatāpui, a term that has been revived from pre-European times and popularised since Homosexual Law Reform in 1986. The term roughly translates into English as intimate partner of the same sex. I think that’s lovely. Same sex relationships of mostly male types have been well documented in Maori history.

From Wikipedia: In Hawaiian history, Aikāne relationships, whether homosexual or bi-sexual activity in the pre-colonial era, was an accepted tradition and is one of the best examples of a heterosexual community accepting the practice. It was considered a natural part of life.

They weren’t governed by western religion for a long time, so their sexuality was different. More natural, no guilt or fears. Just acceptance.

Renae:  In Hawaiian Orchid you have Kulani who is a healer of the spirit, and Rob who is a psychologist.  This is similar to your own background, is it not? 

Meg:  Yes, it is. **grin**  Rob’s background is pretty much my own. I was counselling people when I was 12 years old and did some of the first psychotherapy in NZ at the time when I was 14. I trained in Natural Medicine in Australia but it didn’t give me enough of what I wanted to heal people. I could put a Band-Aid on an allergy situation and fix it for example. But it didn’t tell me WHY someone had gotten sick.

I then retrained in NLP – Neuro-Linguistic Programming so I could reset patterns in the subconscious for people. From there, I moved into emotional medicine and other modalities always creep in when you get involved with healing. I use a combination of all my training to facilitate healing with someone. I’m also a natural hands on healer like Kulani. But like Rob, I’m burnt out and now only take on the odd client. I heal through my books and stories. **grin** The lomi-lomi that is described in Hawaiian Lei is from my own Lomi practice I had at one point. Emotionally I want people to be able to heal so they can live full lives full of energy and joy.  

Renae:  Aren’t the two mutually exclusive?  The modern medicine and the ancient?

Meg:  It depends what you mean by ‘modern’ medicine. If you’re talking about allopathic medicine (Western) medicine. Then yes, I think they are mutually exclusive. I have very little time for allopathic medicine. I think it’s very good in emergency and trauma situations but generally I don’t place much store by it. I work in integrative medicine, that’s a combination of modalities. I’d call it holistic but that always suggests mung beans and alfalfa stuffed up your nose, along with huarache sandals, and these days it’s much more sophisticated and high end. Some of the most progressive medicine is coming from integrative medicine. Allopathic is always about 25 years behind everyone else and is quite closed off, not very open to different healing systems.

Obviously, this is NOT a subject you really want to get me into. LOL. I’m slightly rabid on it.

In short, I like to work with emotional medicine and energy medicine for the body and treat it as a whole unit, body, mind, soul and emotions. And that’s where you can easily combine integrative medicine and ancient medicine because they complement each other.

Renae:  Do you think it is harder or easier to grow up gay in this new modern world?

Meg:  Oh, much easier without a doubt. When I think about some of the barbaric things that were done to people because they were gay, even fifty years ago, it makes my skin crawl with horror. I think being gay now can be restrictive but it must have been stifling before. 

Renae:  I once had a nurse tell me that medical personnel such as doctors and nurses make the worst patients, because they know what’s going on.  A psychologist with a problem – is this going to be harder or easier for Rob?

Meg:  Harder. It depends who you are as a psych. I’m involved in NLP, so by our very training, we HAVE to do our own work on ourselves. Although, I know some people who have trained in it and haven’t. And I think that’s appalling. You’re given this fabulous tool and you don’t use it?

Rob is struggling on so many levels that I think it’s always harder for pyschs to some degree. We know what we’re ‘supposed’ to be doing, feeling, etc. But sometimes we can get extremely caught up in our own heads and forget to just be human and real when it’s REALLY required. And we and other people can be hard on us. Expecting us to ‘cope’ better because we ‘know’ and have the training. But at the end of the day, we’re still people going through a human experience. We have more insight hopefully but we can get caught up in the should of a situation rather than just being in it and letting ourselves BE whatever we need to be at that time.

Renae:  And Kulani is a healer – how does one become a healer?  Is it born in you?  Do you need to be trained?

Meg:  Wow, you ask great, in-depth questions. **grin** Love this. Some people train for it but I think it’s something you’re born with. Some innate internal need or structure in the soul. You choose it on your soul’s path or it chooses you, if that makes sense.

There are so many different kinds of healers too. The type of healer that Kulani is, can be trained, but most of the healers I know with those skills are born with it. And it’s often discovered by accident. I was in a store one day, buying a string of opals and the lady had a badly swollen hand. She’d had it for about half a day and she was having trouble putting the clasps on the opal string for me because of it. I don’t know what made me do it, but I took her hand and held it in my mine, and just talked to her. When I let her hand go, ten minutes later, most of the swelling had gone down and she could move it properly.

And you pick up various modalities and things over the years. Someone taught me to run my hand over the body, looking for hot or cold spots. A lot of it is being more in tune with energy frequencies so you can feel where there are gaps in the energy. I was born with a ‘polygraph’ set of hearing too. When I’m listening to clients, I can hear ‘spikes’ in people’s speech. It lets me know where something is getting to someone but they’re not able to articulate it or say it out loud. Then I go in and keep pushing that spot gently with words until it ‘pops’ and we get to what is causing someone distress or trouble.

For me, it’s a lifetime of skills I’ve accumulated along the way. I think it is for most healers. Even though I’m a New Zealander, I have an Irish background and come from a family of healers in various ways. My Grandfather was an integrative medicine doc. He was able to see when a patient would die. It wasn’t very nice for him and he drank a lot. A perfectly healthy looking patient could come into his practice and he’d suddenly think, “Oh god, they’re going to die next week.” Most of the time he couldn’t stop it or do anything about it.

I’m able to read photographs and get the core essence of someone. And have some of my Grandfather’s stuff.  

Renae:  There is mention of an age difference.  What is the gap, and do you really think it is an issue in our modern gay relationships?

Meg:  I have gaps in both books and I have to admit, it’s a bit of a theme of mine. I’m not sure why but I do like unusual pairings in relationships. They have always fascinated me. My other series is about a 68 black man who falls in love with a white woman 30 years his junior but it’s not a ‘younger model’ or ‘eye candy’ type of love. Theirs is a deep and soulful, loving respectful relationship.

With Beau and Mattie from Hawaiian Lei, there is a 14 year age difference, but they barely notice it. With Kulani and Rob in Hawaiian Orchid, it’s more pronounced. There is a 25 year age gap and they have more problems with it. But it’s more imagined issues than any real ones at the end of the day.

I don’t think it’s an issue in gay or hetero relationships per se. But it’s very individualized for each couple. I think the ‘stigma’ has become less in some ways. At one time, it was unusual for women to go out with much younger men. Now, not so much. I did read a wonderful book called Older Man, Younger Man and that showed up some interesting thoughts on both sides. But it always seems to be ‘the outside world’s’ perceptions of what is okay, rather than with the people who are involved themselves.

Renae:  Just checking – Hawaiian Lei and Hawaiian Orchid – are they HEA?

Meg:  Yes. Definitely. **grin** I don’t like reading books that aren’t, so all of mine are HEA. **grin** I always feel a wee bit robbed otherwise. LOL.

Renae:  Is there more planned for the series?

Meg:  Yes, there is. Kulani has a tribe of ‘lost boys,’ he’s taken under his wing. And their stories are now also starting to emerge. We’ll get to hear the story of each boy, with the background of Kulani and Rob (Orchid), and Beau and Matt (Lei) being the backbone for each story.

Danny’s story, Hawaiian Fragrance is up next.

Danny Lucerno is mixed plate, part Portuguese from a wealthy, plumeria farm family.  He’s a fourth generation Big Islander coming from the powerful and influential Lucerno family. His folks own substantial ranch land and are horse people up in wet, lush Waimea where the mighty Parker Ranch is. Not that the scent of his moneyed background supports him much. When he came out to his family at seventeen, they disowned him. Kulani found him living on the beach. 

Now he’s got a bad boy attitude, smokes cigarettes and is the most hurt and angry of the boys. He was raised on a horse, but he’s also an expert waterman like Kulani—another departure from his families graces. He and Zane often go head to head but develop a deeper friendship when Danny falls in love an older man, Paolo Bastini, a wealthy, sophisticated Brazilian involved in the perfume industry.

Unbeknown to Danny, Paolo has a past that entwines Danny in a dangerous game. Twenty-five years earlier, Paolo was in love with another Lucerno—Daniel Sr.—Danny’s father.  What happens when Paolo starts to resent Danny not being Daniel? 

This story is still developing, but this is the main idea of it.

Zane’s story is Hawaiian Ginger after this one. He’s a partially deaf dancer from a deeply religious family.

Then the twins story – Hawaiian Cherry. They come from an old Japanese Kona coffee family and ran away from home when their druggie mother’s new boyfriend thought they’d be nice, fresh meat.

Kaleho is the last story in this series at the moment. He’s a complete mystery at this point. **grin** But his story will come, they always come and tell me the story they want the world to hear. That is Hawaiian Mac.

Renae:  What are you working on now?

Meg:  Too much. LOL. Obviously, we’ve just put Hawaiian Orchid ‘to bed.’ Next, I want to release a trilogy set in New Orleans. I’ll be self-publishing that one and it’s due out about a month after Orchid (apparently.) According to some schedule in my head, which may not come off yet. **grin** But that’s the plan. Henry and Isolde is the first book in the series and just needs another edit, then The Chi Circle is in full edit, and Flame is the last book, half written at this stage. I’m also trying to carve out some space to write Hawaiian Fragrance. I don’t plan on sleeping for about 6 months, give or take. :)

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Meg: 

http://www.troikaromance.com/
www.troikaromance.blogspot.com
google+  
twitter 
Facebook

Renae:  Thank you ever so much for coming and visiting me today.  I hope the release is going well and that you don’t stress out too much like me!  I’ve really enjoyed this.  Congrats on the new release, and good luck.

Meg:  Thanks so much Renae for having me. I’ve loved being here. Such in-depth and interesting questions!! The release is going well, thanks. By the time I get to the release part, I’m on cruise mode. I enjoy the release of my baby out into the world. **grin**

It’s always lovely to sit down and have a wine and natter with a fellow Australasian. Slainte as they say in Ireland. And a big aloha and mahalo to everyone. Meg **grin**

 

 

 

Renae:  Today we welcome back to my blog, the wonderful, the spectacular, the fab-tab-ulous, the exquisite, the famous.... TONI GRIFFIN!  **wild applause**

Toni:  *blushes* Well, I can't say I've ever had an introduction quite like that.

Renae:  **bounces with excitement**  Hi, Toni.  RJ Jones interviewed me the other day and offered me coffee during the interview, and I realised that I don’t offer my guests coffee.  Did you want one?

Toni:  Egh. Umm… No, thank you. I can't stand coffee… Don't even like the smell. A glass of water would be lovely though.

Renae:  **dashes off to get it**

Toni:  *Whistles and looks around the room*

Renae:  Back.  **hands Toni her drink and takes a long slurp of her own coffee**  Now, where were we?  Ah, interview.  It’s been a while since your last release.  Why is that?  What have you been up to?

Toni:  Yeah, I had three releases all in fairly quick succession in February and then nothing since. Steps to You was a labour of love and hate for me. I started this story in 2013 and had to keep putting it aside to work on other projects, which made it all the harder to continuously pick back up again.

After A Very Holland Valentine was released I could finally drag it back out once and for all. I was determined to finish, even though I had friends laughing and telling me it was never going to happen. *cough* Freddy *cough*

Steps is the longest first edition book I've written, and it's also a contemporary. I've only written a couple of those in the past, both of which were cowboys, and neither were this long.

After I finished Steps I started work on another project, As Fire Rains Down, which also turned out to be longer than I had anticipated. Now, I'm working on the third book in my Smokey Mountain Bears series.

Renae:  And Steps to You is releasing on the 26th of September. Let’s have a look at the blurb...

Blurb: Is there something in life that you're afraid of, like heart pounding, shortness of breath, Jesus Christ I'm going to pass out, scared? For Leo Harris that something is heights.

Why his nosy sister would gift him with a pass for the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb is anybody's guess, let alone expect Leo to make it through in one piece. If it wasn't for the kindness of a sexy stranger he meets at orientation, Leo doubts he would have been able to step one foot onto the mammoth structure.

Ryan Anderson's known as a workaholic, as he has no reason not to be, that all changes in one day when he meets Leo. Ryan quickly falls head over heels as he sets out to make Leo his.

Renae:  Ooh!  Sydney Harbour Bridge climb??  Yay – how Australian.  Have you done it?

Toni:  Thank you, I like showcasing this wonderful land I call home. I have actually climbed the bridge. I was in Sydney in 2013 to attend OzMMMeet and thought it would be a good opportunity to make the climb. I hadn't been to Sydney since 1998 and I'd always wanted to do it, so I did. The story came to me while I was climbing one of the 1337 stairs required.

Renae:  I’m not afraid of heights, but the thought of going up there makes me a little nervous.  But your guy isn’t just a little apprehensive?  He’s shit-scared? 

Toni:  Yeah, poor Leo. He really doesn't know why his sister would be so mean to him. She's fully aware that he doesn't like heights. Honestly, even I don't know what was going through her head when Teresa thought that gift up.

Renae:  Yeah, sisters can be mean while pretending to be nice.  **wink** I notice this is the first in a series?  Fear Series?  Oh, cool.  What other fears are we going to come across?  Spiders???

Toni:  LOL. Maybe. I haven't decided yet. There's so many different fears and phobias out there to choose from.

Renae:  How did you come up with the idea for this series?

Toni:  The idea for the book came while I was making the climb. It wasn't until I was home and typing away that I had the idea to make it into a series, revolving around different people facing their fears.

Renae:  In times of need, people often fall in love.  I’ve heard of people in hostage situations falling in love after the drama is over, maybe because they cling to that person.  Can we trust ourselves to fall in love in the middle of fear?

Toni:  I actually just watched SPEED the other day. What do they say in that movie: 'Relationships that start under intense circumstances, they never last.' My guys would disagree with this statement.

Renae:  Is there a reason Leo is scared of heights?  Is his fear reasonable, or unreasonable?

Toni:  Is any fear unreasonable? Nothing happened to poor Leo in his life to make him dislike heights, he wasn't dangled of any balconies when he was a baby or anything. However, when he gets up that high, his body just reacts, he has trouble breathing and freezes up.

Renae:  And Ryan?  He sounds like an uptight guy.  Why is he doing the bridge climb?

Toni:  He's really not. He just hasn't had anyone in his life to make him take some time for himself and relax. Ryan's climbing the bridge as he's been in Sydney for three years and hasn't done a single touristy thing. He figured it was about time.

Renae:  I often find that hard-hitting, high-reaching, dedicated and powerful men don’t have patience and time for people who suffer from something as simple as an illogical fear.  Is Ryan like this?

Toni:  Not at all.

Renae:  So what draws Ryan to Leo?

Toni:  Ryan's drawn to Leo the first time he lays eyes on him. Leo looks like a scared rabbit and all Ryan wants to do is give him a hug and tell Leo everything will be alright.

Renae:  That’s a great cover!  I love the bridge.  Who did the cover for you?

Toni:  The fabulously talented Freddy MacKay created my beautiful cover.

Renae:  And where will the other stories in the series be set?  Do the readers get to travel around Australia while reading?

Toni:  Of course. I love setting my stories in the country I call home. I think the only two States/Territories I haven't covered yet are the ACT & SA. So they're both on the list for a story.

Renae:  And when is the next one out?

Toni:  The next book in this series hasn't been written yet, but I'm hoping next year if I can swing it. As for my next release after this, that will be in October/November. A Bear's Bear will be a part of the Mischief Corner Books fall anthology Travels through the Scarlet Equinox.

Renae:  For the sake of warning people, if a reader has a phobia of heights, do they need to avoid this book?  Or will they empathise with Leo?

Toni:  I think they will more empathise with Leo. I don't believe it to be scary.

Renae:  Are you sure there’s no spiders in your series to scare people??

Toni:  LOL... No spiders in this story. I can't promise for the rest of the series though.

Renae:  **pouts**  Okay, okay.  Where can people find you?

Toni:  I can be found at the EDJ or on the rare occasion I'm not there at home…. Oh you mean online. Right. Sorry.

You can find me at www.tonigriffin.net

Email me at info@tonigriffin.net

Or Facebook me at: https://www.facebook.com/toni.griffin.author

I don't have twitter/Instagram/Pinterest or anything like that. At least not yet.

Renae:  Great.  Now they know where to send the hate mail when you scare the crap out of them **wink**  Thanks for coming along today.  It’s been great.  Congratulations on the new series and I hope they do great.

Toni:  Thank you for having me Renae, I always have a blast when I get to come and visit with you. **Hands back empty water glass**