Renae:  Okay, I admit that I’ve been a bad girl and I’ve abandoned the world of guest interviews.  No decent reason.  Just lack of energy.

Until a dear friend says to me, “I have a new book out that I need to promo.”

Then I put aside my own work and grab a pencil and paper.  “Right.  Tell me about it.”

So today I’ve dusted off the interview chair **achoo**, washed the mouldy coffee mugs in anticipation, and laid out the welcome mat.  And for my favourite interviewee – Ms Nic Starr!

**pause for applause**

Nic:  **Listens to the crickets chirping** Thanks so much for having me, Renae, and for going to the effort of dusting off the interview chair. I’m sure the last think you need as we approach the holiday season is to do more cleaning!

Renae:  Hi, Nic.  Don't mention Christmas to me okay?  We're doing your book which is about... oh, Christmas.  **embarrassed blush**

Would you like a drink?  What are we doing this time of year?  Caffeine hit because we need it to keep up with the rush?  Or something festive to celebrate the season?  Or something cool because it’s summer in Australia and damn hot?

Nic:  How about we share a bottle of bubbles? That way we can celebrate the end of a big year and toast to a fabulous 2016 just around the corner.

Renae:  Bubbles?  Oh, you mean champagne, not bubble bath.  Sorry, mummy-mode needs to be turned off.  Champers.  Right-o.  Give me a sec.  Don’t peek at the questions in my folder.  **dashes off**

Nic:  **peeks at questions**

Renae:  Back!  **hands Nic her drink and places the bottle in the tupperware bowl of ice**  Sorry, it was all I could find. Okay.  Let’s get started.  You didn’t peek did you?

Nic:  **cough** Of course not! **takes a big sip of champagne**

Renae:  I guess the proof of whether you peeked will be in the pudding?  **preens at her own wit**

The Proof is in the Pudding
Released 4th December 2015
Blurb
​
Steve never expected making a Christmas pudding would bring him the man of his dreams.

Steve Hayes is away with a group of friends who are spending the Christmas break together. He's determined to put his two-timing ex-boyfriend in the past, and enjoy his week away. Steve is happily surprised to find that Corey Oh, the guy he's been admiring from afar, has been invited along too. But Steve knows there's no way someone as wonderful as Corey, who could have any man he wanted, would be interested in him.

However, thanks to a misadventure with a Christmas pudding, Steve will find that dreams can come true .
​

Renae:  Oooh, a Christmas story.  Since it’s being released now, I’m assuming you wrote this story in the middle of the year, and not at Christmas time.  How hard was that to do?

Nic:  Writing a Christmas story in the middle of the year wasn’t hard at all. As with all my stories, I get lost in the characters and the plot, so I could be anywhere at any time of year. This story is also based on my own misadventure when making a pudding, so perhaps that aided the process.

Renae:  Just for all of us to celebrate Christmas.  Thank you!  I’m a little wary of the line “thanks to a misadventure with a Christmas pudding.”  I’m getting all American Pie thoughts, and then the proof would be in the pudding.  It’s not that type of story is it?

Nic:  LOL. No, this is definitely not that type of food porn.

Renae:  Oh  **reassured**  Right.  Moving on.  **consults list of questions**  You’re Australian (yay!) but you write stories based in both America and Australia.  What about this one?  Is it a snowy Christmas book?  Or a get-in-the-pool-it’s-too-hot Christmas book?

Nic:  This story is set in Australia so there’s not a snowflake in sight. The setting is a house in the country, surrounded by Aussie bush. Think mountains, tall trees, warm weather. There isn’t a pool but there is a hot tub, and it gets some use **wink**

Renae:  So do you get to put in some Aussie Christmas themes?  Shrimp on the barbie?

Nic:  **tamps down desire to curse at Renae for bring up the dreaded ‘shrimp’**

​I have to admit to the barbecue, but no prawns . The Proof is in the Pudding is about a small group of guys who rent a holiday house for a week over Christmas. Like good Aussie boys, most meals are cooked on the barbie. They aren’t overly Christmassy, apart from all chipping in to make Christmas lunch, which is where the pudding comes in. Steve has offered to make the pudding using his mum’s recipe from the Australian Woman’s Weekly (that interestingly enough has been a monthly magazine for years – I guess Australian Woman’s Monthly doesn’t have the best ring to it!) Anyway, there are a few carols, and Christmas tree made from a bare branch from a gum tree.

Renae:  From reading your other books, cooking and baking is often mentioned.  Your characters seem to enjoy the pastime which leads me to believe their author does too.  Would this be accurate?
​
Nic:  My characters are usually ordinary guys who do ordinary things. They’re not involved in car chases, or blowing things up. They have jobs, they watch and play sport, they have hobbies, they cook meals, they like to go out to the movies, and restaurants, and have parties. So yes, food does feature a lot. And food definitely plays a big role in my life. I love to plan and cook special meals. I’m also lucky enough to dine out – a lot. There’s so much cooking and eating in my life, I’m thinking of starting Food Porn Friday on my blog – recipes and drool-worthy pics. What do you think of that idea?​

Renae:  I think I can see my diet going out the window! *wink**  And the characters in this story – are they cooks?  Chefs?  Masterchef wannabes?

Nic: Did you peak at my manuscript? **grin**  Actually, there aren’t any chefs in the story, not professional ones anyway. However, Corey’s parents own a suburban Korean restaurant, and it’s thanks to them that Corey has great kitchen skills. Steve is known to let the odd curse word fly, so much so, his friends think he’d give Gordon Ramsey a run for his money.

Renae:  So what about your family?  What Christmas traditions do you do?  Foods?  Gifts?  Anything special?

Nic:  We always get together as an extended family on Christmas Day – grandparents, kids (I’m in that group), and grandkids. Plus we usually have a few extras from the wider family, or some people without family who join us. The day is about giving presents, contacting the family members who can’t be with us, laughing in the kitchen as we prepare too much food, eating too much food and then relaxing. We are quite informal. No one dresses up, in fact the kids spend most of the day in their cossies (err, swimming costumes). We drink, eat, nap, swim, read, eat, drink, and keep repeating until we’re so tired and full, we collapse into bed. We then get up on Boxing Day to do more of the same but instead of exchanging presents, the highlight of the day is watching the Boxing Day test match (cricket).

Renae:  The saying “the proof is in the pudding” actually came from saying, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”  And that just brings some really vivid imagery… No! It’s not this type of interview.  Where was I?  Ah, yes.  So does the full saying change what the title is referring to in the story?

Nic:  This story is about Steve learning to trust again, or at least not closing his heart off to the possibility of love because he’s been hurt in the past. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” means you can’t really judge the quality of something until you’ve tried it. The accident with the pudding brings Steve and Corey together, providing an opportunity for Steve to experience Corey’s caring nature and see the type of man he is. Without the time spent together making the pudding, or the time spent with Corey taking care of Steve, Steve might have missed seeing that Corey was nothing like the people who’d not treated him well.

Renae:  I adore Corey’s surname—Corey Oh—it brings some delicious jokes to mind.  Please tell me Steve cracks at least one of those jokes?

Nic:  The story has a few jokes but unfortunately none about Corey’s name. Damn, and it’s too late for me to change that now! **makes note to use Renae as a story consultant in future**

Renae:   Oh.  Um.  Awkward.  Moving along **consults questions** Here’s one.  Is Christmas your favourite holiday season?  Why, or why not?

Nic:  I love Christmas. It’s definitely my favourite. There are two main reasons. Firstly, it’s the longest holiday period in Australia. My kids get nearly eight weeks off school, from the beginning of December all the way through to February. Plus it’s summer. So the Christmas holiday season is about going away on holidays, the beach, swimming, lots of entertaining, and of course, the big day itself. Secondly, it’s the season of giving. My teenage daughters and I love to plan the perfect gift for everyone we love. We also look to see what charities we can help. This year it’s Twenty10, an organisation in New South Wales, that provides support to LGBTIQ youth. Here’s the link if anyone is interested in helping out.   www.twenty10.org.au

Renae:  When coming up with a story, where do you find most of your inspiration comes from?

Nic:  I get inspiration from all over the place. I’ve been inspired by a photo, or a song. I’ve seen YouTube clips that have resulted in me noting down a story idea. I once got inspiration from seeing two guys in their hi-vis gear, buying their lunch at the supermarket. I even snuck a photo of the two of them but don’t tell anyone as it makes me sound like a stalker! My inspiration for The Proof is in the Pudding came from my own experience making a pudding, but was triggered by a submission call from a publisher. In my case, I was injured while making a pudding and my hubby (then boyfriend) spent all of Christmas night trying to distract me from my pain. He didn’t use the same techniques Corey used with Steve in Pudding, but my imagination provided the rest **wink**

Renae:  Do you prefer prompts to start a story, or do you like to wait for inspiration to hit on its own?

Nic:  I prefer my own inspiration because it’s so much easier to write if you really feel a story and have a passion for it. I look at my list of ideas and see which one calls to me.

Renae:  Just checking – HEA?

Nic:  Is that a serious question? **grin** Although, more accurately it’s probably HFN as Steve and Corey have just got together and are in the early stages of their relationship.
​
Renae:  What are you working on now?

Nic:  I’m so glad you asked! I’m super excited about my new series – Rustic – set in country Australia. I’m currently juggling editing and writing. The first book is Rustic Melody and it will be released in January and I’m writing the third book now.  Rustic Melody tells the story of Adam, a man from Sydney, who’s taken a year off to sort out what he wants to do with this life. He works for his father but doesn’t agree with his dad’s business practices so needs to make some big decisions. He’s escaped the corporate life and his been travelling, picking up work as a waiter and busking. He ends up in Tamworth at the Country Music Festival, where he meets Joey. Joey comes from Armidale, a large country town, where he and his mum run a struggling country pub. Joey helps Adam realise what he really wants out of life, and Adam provides the support Joey needs and deserves.​

Renae:  Wow.  So does that mean there is lots more Nic Starr coming in 2016?

Nic:  I certainly hope so! **crossed fingers, toes, and everything else that’s crossable** Rustic Melody comes out in January, followed by Rustic Memory in February, and then Rustic Moment in March. I’m also writing the 3rd story in my Heroes series, Patrick’s Savior, and the 3rd book in my More Than series, More Than Money, which is Jamie’s story. There are a couple of standalone novels in the works, and also a paranormal trilogy. So a busy year ahead!

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Nic:  I’ve on most social media, although I have to admit I haven’t really figured out Tumblr **grin**
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
Email: nicstar000@gmail.com

Renae:  Yay.  Great.  Thank you for being such a great interviewee.  Good luck with the release.

Nic:  Thank you for being a wonderful hostess. **hiccup** Is there any more of that champagne before I go? **runs off with the bottle**

Renae:  Hang on, what’s this last question on my list?  I can’t remember this one.  **reads question**  “Nic’s stories are the best ever and she deserves a million dollars, so I promise to help her achieve this.”  I didn’t write this.  Hey.  Who wrote that one?  Nic?  Nic?  Where did she go?
​
**looks around**

I guess the proof is in the pudding. 

Renae:  Today on my blog we welcome a new author for me, and so a new author for my blog.  Please give a hearty and warm welcome to Mr Joe Cosentino.
**applause**

Joe:  Hi, Renae. I’m so excited to be a virgin author on your blog! Well, you know what I mean.

Renae:  **chokes**  Yeah, moving right along. **wink**  Now, Joe.  What can I offer you to drink?  Coffee?  Tea?  Water?  Juice?  Wine?  I don’t usually have wine in the house, but since this is my blog, I can magically produce anything you ask for.

Joe:  When visiting California and Hawaii (I live in New York), I became hooked on smoothies. So I’d like a carrot, beet, kale, Greek yogurt smoothie, please. Thanks!

Renae: Great.  Two secs.  I’ll be back…  **magic happens**

Joe:  I forgot the cinnamon. No bother. I have some right here.

Renae:  Excellent.  You're in charge of the cinnamon.  Here you go.  **hands over glass**  I made myself coffee since I don’t function well without the coffee.  I actually think it’s more psychological than physical, but I need to drink the stuff.

Joe:  I never acquired a taste for coffee. Herbal tea is my passion. People thought I was insane when I visited the UK. They do love their black tea. They also read my books, so more power to them. I’m not sure what the favourite drink is in Australia. Hopefully something to help your leaders catch up and pass same sex civil marriage equality soon! But back to my books.

Renae:  Good call.  If I start in on Australian politicians we’ll be here all night.  So let’s definitely discuss better topics – like you!  **wink**  Now, when we discussed which book you would like to promote on the blog, you hit me with an avalanche of releases and release dates.  I was astonished and instantly jealous.  So let me get this straight:  you’ve just released A Shooting Star in September, but you also have A Home for the Holidays in December and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland in February.  PLUS you have another SIX set for release next year?  Is that right?

Joe:  Don’t be jealous. Be happy that, unlike me, you have slept over the last year. AN INFATUATION (In My Heart 1) was released by Dreamspinner Press in February. Whiskey Creek Press released PAPER DOLL the first Jana Lane mystery in March. DRAMA QUEEN the first Nicky and Noah mystery was released by Lethe Press in June. And A SHOOTING STAR (In My Heart 2) was released by Dreamspinner Press in September. My upcoming release this year is A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS from Dreamspinner Press in November/December. My 2016 upcoming releases (written and contracted) are THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND (Dreamspinner Press), PORCELAIN DOLL the second Jana Lane mystery, SATIN Doll the third Jana Lane mystery, CHINA DOLL the fourth Jana Lane mystery (all from The Wild Rose Press), DRAMA MUSCLE the second Nicky and Noah mystery, and DRAMA CRUISE the third Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press). I am currently writing COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD. I know! A reader wrote to me that I write books faster than she can read them!

Renae:  And – just checking – you’re just one person?

Joe:  Well, I’m a Gemini, so there may be two of me. But they both reside inside my head. I’ve always had lots of voices in my head. As a kid I played make believe constantly. “Let’s put on a show!” was my motto with full scale musicals in the garage starring my sister and me. Thankfully my parents and teachers indulged me (rather than committed me-hah).

Renae:  Right.  **not sure she believes Joe is one person**  Let’s have a look at the blurb for A Shooting Star and we’ll go from there.
​
On the eve of the best night of his life, winning an Academy Award, Jonathan Bello thinks back to his one great love, David Star. Flipping back the pages of time, Jonathan recalls his handsome, muscular, and charismatic college roommate. Since Jonathan was a freshman and David a senior in the Theatre Department, David took Jonathan under his wing and molded him, not only as an actor but as a lover. With every wonderful new adventure, David left his joyful mark on anyone with whom they came in contact, but Jonathan soon uncovered David’s dark past, leading to a shocking event. Undaunted, Jonathan celebrates the captivating man who will always hold a special place in his heart.
​
A Bittersweet Dreams title: It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears. 

Renae:  I understand that you’re a college professor?  In what field?

Joe:  After reading the A SHOOTING STAR blurb and the DRAMA QUEEN blurb, you probably figured out that I teach Theatre. Actually, I used many experiences from my time as an undergraduate in the Theatre Department for A SHOOTING STAR. Like most college theatre departments, mine was full of comedy, romance, mystery, and of course drama. The flames of love were kindled and hearts were broken while we put up play after play for delighted audiences who never knew the personal secrets behind the stage curtains. There was the star student who got the leading role in every show. Everyone, male and female, was in love with him, and he was in love with himself. David Star is that student.

The Nicky and Noah mystery series takes place at Treemeadow College, a fictitious white stone Edwardian New England college. Though the novel is a farcical, gay, who-dun-it, I again was able to think back to my college days and incorporate some of the people and happenings from days gone by. I was also able to use some scenarios, though grossly exaggerated, from my current stint as a college theatre professor/department head. As they say, “You just can’t make some of this stuff up.” My students say the funniest things.

Renae:  And in your spare time you write gay romance, murder mysteries and humour?  Makes sense to me.  Who wouldn’t understand it?

Joe:  This sounds unbelievable tomy writer friends, but working all day at my college and writing at night when I am tired helps unblock my creativity. I don’t censor myself in any way. The stories flow out of me. I have a beautiful home cherry wood study with a fireplace, desk, bookcase, and window seat looking out at the woods. My mother asked me, “Don’t you have anything better to do than write at night?” I wonder if Shakespeare’s mother asked him that?

Renae:  Ha!  I’m sure she did.  Mothers don’t seem to change that much.  The two titles you have with Dreamspinner (An Infatuation and A Shooting Star) are both in the Bittersweet line which do not have a traditional happy ending.  Do you have something against happy endings? Huh? Huh?  **gives Joe a mock glare**

Joe:  Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I knew humour would play a role in my novels—and it does! My Bittersweet Dreams novellas are not typical. They are full of humour, romance, and quite theatrical. While there is a tragic event in each, the leading character does have a HEA ending. After my Bittersweet Dreams novella, AN INFATUATION, was released by Dreamspinner Press, I received numerous messages from readers telling me how much that novella changed their lives, and they begged for a second novella in the In My Heart series. Since AN INFATUATION was loosely based on my high school days through adulthood, I thought back to my days as a theatre major in college and A SHOOTING STAR was born. Like Harold in AN INFATUATION, Jonathan in A SHOOTING STAR is loosely based on me, though I haven’t won an Academy Award—yet. He is ingenuous, funny, warm, gullible, and has an open heart. As is the case with Stuart in AN INFATAUTION, Barry, Jonathan’s loyal scene partner in A SHOOTING STAR, is loosely based on my spouse. Similar to Mario in AN INFATUATION, David in SHOOTING STAR is a combination of a number of young men I met as a theatre major in college and as a young actor. Each was handsome, muscular, charismatic, sensuous, and almost other-worldly like Greek gods. Though they appeared to hold the world in the palm of their strong hands, they each had a secret weakness. The acting professor, the hysterically hypochondriac Professor Katzer, is a lampooned version of an acting professor I had in college who has since passed away. I want to play him in the movie version (and Principal Ringwood in AN INFATUATION)!

Renae:  Okay, I admit that I like my HEAs, but I do realise that it doesn’t always happen like that in real life.  But sometimes it does.  Do you have some HEAs lined up?

Joe:  All of my other releases end in HEA. A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS is a sweet romance short story for the holidays about an American law student who goes to gorgeous Capri, Italy (as I did) for the winter holiday and falls in love with his incredibly handsome, muscular, and sensuous Italian third cousin. THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND are four captivating gay fairy tales—spins on Cinderella, Goldie Locks and Three Bears, Pinocchio, and The Snow Queen—each with a HEA.

Each book in my Nicky and Noah mystery series has a funny and very sweet happy ending. In DRAMA QUEEN theatre college professors are dropping like stage curtains. With the inept local detective more interested in getting into Nicky’s pants than solving the murders, it is up to well-endowed Directing professor, Nicky Abbondanza to use his theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve the case, while he directs a murder mystery onstage. Complicating matters is Nicky’s intense crush on Assistant Professor of Acting, gorgeous Noah Oliver, the prime suspect in the murder (whose tenure application was not supported by the first victim). In DRAMA MUSCLE (not released yet) Nicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills to find out why musclemen are dropping like weights in the Physical Education department while Nicky directs the Student Bodybuilding Competition. In DRAMA CRUISE (not released yet), Nicky and Noah go on a cruise to Alaska, and discover why college theatre professors are going overboard like lifeboats while Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship. As the series progressing, Nicky and Noah fall deeper in love (and the readers have been falling in love with them).
​
I also have a mystery series, the Jana Lane mysteries, with straight leading characters and gay supporting characters. Again each book ends with a touching HEA. As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In PAPER DOLL, Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Forced to summon up the lost courage she had as a child, Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto. In PORCELAIN DOLL (not yet released), Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, Jason Apollo. In SATIN DOLL (not yet released), Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a romance with Chris Bruno, the ruggedly handsome detective. In CHINA DOLL (not yet released), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off. Through the course of the books, Jana not only solves the mysteries, but also reclaims the courage and fortitude she had as a child. As one reviewer wrote, she starts out as a wounded bird, and ends as tiger. Since the novels take place in the 1980’s, Jana’s best friends are gay, Jana is somewhat of a gay activist, the AIDS epidemic is a large part of the novels.

Renae:  A Shooting Star is based around the theatre – what experience do you have in that field?

Joe:  After majoring in theatre in college, I became an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis (A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM on stage), Nathan Lane (THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT on stage), Rosie O’Donnell (AT&T Industrials), Holland Taylor (MY MOTHER WAS NEVER A KID ABC-TV movie), Charles Keating (ANOTHER WORLD NBC-TV), and Jason Robards (Commercial Credit Computer commercial). Morphing into writing plays and now novels seem like the perfect progression. I write very much like I act. I think about the characters, their emotions, their backgrounds, what they want, who they love, what they fear, etc. and they come alive for me. I also love giving back to my students as a theatre college professor. It has brought everything full circle.

Renae: I’ve noticed a trend in the red carpet set lately, where admitting you are somewhere on the queer spectrum seems to be the latest way to generate hype.  Of course it’s wonderful for teens and those questioning, to have a role model who’s in the public eye, but how do you feel about it?  Is “gay” the latest buzz word in Hollywood? 

Joe:  When I was a kid, gay people were completely invisible in movies and on television. It was terrifying and depressing. It’s terrific that nowadays gay kids have books (unless their library bans them) and television shows featuring people like them. We still have a long way to go with film. Indie films include gay characters, but many people don’t live near an art house and don’t get to see those films. I often think about what it does to gay teens to go to the mall with their friends and see poster after poster of big studio films without any gay characters in them. So as not to simply complain, I am offering a solution to the big Hollywood studios. Everyone tells me my books should be made into films. Here’s your chance Hollywood. Since you like series, I’ll play Simon Huckby (Jana’s agent) in the Jana Lane series, and Martin Anderson (the department head) in the Nicky and Noah series!

Renae:  So obviously “professoring” is your main job – is the writing a hobby?  How do you classify it?  How do you see your future of writing?

Joe:  I certainly make more money as a college professor than as a writer, but I don’t classify one over the other. I love doing both of them, and I hope I can continue for some time.

Renae:  And you also have other books out that are not in the gay romance genre?  Paper Doll you classify as a M/F romance & mystery while Drama Queen you classify as a comedy/mystery/romance.  Is there a particular stream you are more attracted to writing about?  A stream you wish to concentrate on more?

Joe:  I think a good book will attract readers, regardless of the genre or anticipated audience. Thankfully I’ve received generally good reviews for my books from people of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations. (I don’t read the few bad reviews. I mean really, don’t you have something better to do with your time than read and write about a book you didn’t like.) One reviewer wrote that DRAMA QUEEN was like a funny gay Hardy Boys, Murder She Wrote, or Hart to Hart. I love that! Life is funny. Murders, clues, suspects, suspense, plot twists and turns, and a shocking ending make us feel warm and cozy. Since I was a kid I’ve read cozy mystery novels, and I always felt calm, relaxed, and fulfilled afterward. The novels gave me a good brain-teaser, sharpened my puzzle skills, and tickled me inside. You don’t see many cozy gay mysteries out there. I always wondered why. What could be better than a whodunit set in a cozy location, where the reader plays armchair detective along with the novel’s amateur detective, and where many of the characters are gay? So I created the Nicky and Noah mysteries. Both gay and straight people have embraced it, and the novel hit #18 in its category on Amazon Kindle’s bestseller list. It’s available as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook performed by the very talented Michael Gilboe. As for the Jana Lane mystery series, what could be better than a good mystery with lots of suspects and a shocking ending that revolves around moviemaking?
 
Renae:  I keep thinking about A Shooting Star.  First love, first serious relationship, etc.  I think back on to the first serious crush I had.  I think I place a lot unnecessary ideals and emphasis on this relationship because we never had the chance to explore it to its fullest (long story, but let’s just say parental influence kept it from being anything more).  I get the feeling that this is what A Shooting Star is like.  The fond memories.  The rose-coloured glasses.  The bittersweetness about never being able to complete the journey of the relationship?

Joe:  Yes! I hope you read it, Renae. Jonathan is a freshman who is new to the college and the theatre department. David is a senior and the star of the college play productions. When David takes an interest in Jonathan, it’s not surprising that Jonathan falls in love with him. What readers and reviewers also seem to love about the novella is how Jonathan and David leave their Colorado college community members in an exalted state. They really care about other people, and use the theatre to change lives for the better on stage and off.

Renae:  How do you think these early relationships we have in our lives shape us? 

Joe:  I believe we are the result of everything we have experienced. As you noted, first love can be volatile and deceiving, but it touches the heart like none other.

Renae:  A college freshman?  Do you think that anyone is ready for the HEA at this age?

Joe:  I envy people who find their soulmates early in life. I found mine at twenty-one. But for most people it simply isn’t the case, especially at eighteen. Readers have told me A SHOOTING STAR rings true for them. I think that’s because the story comes from the heart.

Renae:  What are you working on now?

Joe:  A new series about a gay New Jersey beach resort I call COZZI COVE. I am starting the second novel.
​
Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Joe:  I love hearing from readers. They can contact me at: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
 
Renae:  Thank you for joining me today.  I’ve actually had a lot of fun exploring this subject.  Congratulations on your release and I hope it continues to do well.
 
Joe:  Thank you so much. Renae. Until next time, happy reading and writing!           

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:  Hi everyone!  On today’s blog I have another lovely Dreamspinner author joining me to chat about their latest release, which is out TODAY.  Let us please welcome Charley Dess— Dee— Day—  Dammit!  Okay – you need to tell me how to pronounce your name because I have to say Dess-Cott-Toox in my head in order to spell it.  **feels like the uneducated Australian and realises that she is**

Charley:  Hi everyone! Thank you so much for having me, Renae. Haha, sorry about that! If I’d really thought my Romances would be published I would’ve chosen a pen name that was easier to spell. It’s pronounced Des-ka-Toe. I have my love of old-school Romances and my French Canadian heritage to blame. ;)

Renae:  Right.  Thank you.  And sorry about that.  If it makes you feel any better, I can tell you I used to work for a company called Yamaatji Marlpa Barna Baba Maaja Aboriginal Corporation.  I can pronounce it easily **winks** but it was a bit of a mouthful when you were answering the phone.

Charley: Now THAT is a mouthful! When I first moved to Oregon it was so hard to remember how to say Willamette (the second syllable is stressed wil-Lam-et) and that was embarrassing.

Renae:  So congratulations!  Happy release day  **throws confetti**  Today has been the release of your new story, Buchanan House.

Blurb:

Eric Allen, thirty-three-year-old line cook, moved in with his grandmother, Jewell, after a disastrous coming-out when he was in middle school. She raised him, and he cared for her when she fell ill. When Jewell died, she left everything to Eric—angering his parents and older brother. The inheritance isn’t much, but Eric and his bestie, Nathan, pool their money and buy an abandoned hotel on an isolated stretch of the Central Oregon Coast. The hotel isn't far from Lincoln City—a town with its own Pride Festival and named for a president—so they christen it Buchanan House after James Buchanan, the “confirmed bachelor” president with the close male friend.

Eric and Nathan need a handyman to help them turn Buchanan House into the gay resort of their dreams. Eric finds Tim Tate in the local listings, and over the months leading to opening weekend, Tim reveals himself as a skilled carpenter with many hidden talents. Eric falls hard for Tim, but before he can see a future with the gorgeous handyman, he has to get over twenty years of being bullied and shamed by his birth family. It would be much easier if Eric’s brother Zach wasn't trying to grab part of the inheritance or ruin opening weekend.

Renae:  **looks up from her computer screen**  Oh, sorry.  I got side tracked when I went to google facts about James Buchanan.  An interesting man.  What do you think – was he gay?  Bisexual?  Broken-hearted but straight?

Charley:  I’d like to think he was bi, but I’m a little biased that way. As far as I know he never formally came out, so until someone invents a time machine we can only speculate. He was an interesting president, it’s too bad he had to serve right before Lincoln and the Civil War. Timing is important—good ideas ahead of their time don’t always win a lot of friends.

Renae:  Do you ever think about your international audience when you write a book?  As an Australian author I’m conscious of every single word I write in a book and try to work out if it will translate.

Charley:  Interesting question! I live in Northwest Oregon, way up in the Northwest corner of the US. It’s a beautiful area which, for better or worse, a lot of people haven’t seen and know little or nothing about. Because of this, I try to be as descriptive as possible—especially with the “local flavour” bits—so everyone can enjoy the story without being confused. I hope this helps my foreign readers. I love reading books set in places I’ve never been and it would be wonderful if someone read Buchanan House and felt almost like they’d taken a vacation on the Oregon Coast!

Renae:  So in this book, Buchanan House, Eric is scorned by his parents when he comes out, but accepted by his grandmother.  Was there a reason that his grandmother was so accepting whereas his parents weren’t?

Charley:  The details about his grandmother are spoilery—you’ll have to read the book to learn those. But the reaction of his “liberal” parents is taken from my own life. Most of my family always seemed liberal, maybe even open-minded, so when my daughter came out as trans their hostile reaction was a shock to me. They didn’t bully her, that would’ve been going too far, but within a few months they had all disowned me. I’ve heard many authors say they put certain parts of themselves into their characters. I gave poor Eric some of my reactions to being bullied and it was cathartic. Hopefully it makes a good story too.

Renae:  And Nathan, Eric’s best friend, is he gay too?  Is this why they have decided to open a gay resort?

Charley:  Yes, Nathan is flamboyantly, colorfully gay. Eric and Nathan met in middle school because they were both targets for bullies. Their dream back then was to open a B&B. It took them a while but they made that dream come true, even if it’s not exactly as they’d pictured it.

Renae:  I’m assuming that buying an old building and converting it to a hotel would be a horrendous amount of work.  Do you have any experience in the hotel industry?

Charley:  The camp is old, but it’s not in bad shape. They did have a lot of work to do, but I tried not to make readers slog through it all with them.  **grin**

I have a tiny bit of experience with B&Bs. A friend of mine ran one on her property and I helped her with it a few times. Just enough to know that I’m not cut out to make a career of it!

Renae:  Do you think there is a need of gay resorts?  Is it something that is a viable business?  Is it discrimination against the non-gay people?

Charley:  I don’t see anything wrong with specialized or themed resorts of any kind, as long as people aren’t turned away if they don’t “measure up.” In an area like the Pacific Northwest, with a high LGBTQ+ population and a thriving tourist industry, I think it could go over well if done right. In the case of Buchanan House the camp isn’t visible from the highway so they wouldn’t get many (if any) drop-ins. That would virtually eliminate any need to turn anyone away. I saw Eric and Nathan advertising at Pride and in gay travel guides, growing their business mostly by word of mouth.

Renae:  How much different do you think Eric’s life would’ve been if his parents had not rejected him, but had begrudgingly allowed him to continue to live with them?

Charley:  Probably it would have been a lot worse for Eric. As it was, his family was vocal about his “lifestyle choice” but he had his grandmother’s unconditional love to rely on. Without that, he would’ve had a much harder time getting comfortable with his sexuality.

Renae:  Tell me about your writing?  You write across a variety of genres, different lengths, and also in YA.  Is there a niche that you’re most comfortable with?

Charley:  Most of my stories are contemporary, and that’s the sub-genre I’m most comfortable with. But I also love reading all kinds of speculative fiction so sometimes those stories come knocking at my door too.  

Length is a tricky one. I started many years ago with short stories and still love writing them. I understand that they’re not always emotionally satisfying for readers, though. I love sinking into a world and really getting to know a group of characters and that’s not possible with shorter works. Some stories seem to want to be novellas but I’m taking extra time now to decide whether a story is truly finished or if I can tell a little bit more and give readers a more satisfying experience without that feeling of padding. 

Renae:  Does Nathan have a story to tell us?  Is there going to be a part two to the book?

Charley:  *fingers crossed* I sure hope so, because I wrote his story!

Renae:  As an Australian, I have little knowledge of American states, but I had to look up if Oregon had a coast!  I didn’t realise **yeah, please don’t laugh too hard at the Aussie**  To me Oregon is wagons and snow (I loved the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers which was set in 1850 Oregon **wink**).  How do you pick your settings for your book?  Do you need to have visited the place?

Charley:  Not laughing at all! We Americans have a reputation for not being aces at geography and I have to admit that I wouldn’t get an A+ on a quiz about Australia. Most of what I know about your part of the world is from movies and reading Romances.  *grin*

I set my stories in places I love, places that seem almost like characters to me.  The greater Portland area is perfect for a writer—we have everything here. If you drive two hours west you’re at the coast, two hours east to the mountains, and in between there are wetlands, forests, small towns, and five-star hotels. I love the whole Pacific Northwest, from Oregon and Washington to British Columbia, there are so many stories here!

Renae:  Is there a place you long to set a book in?

Charley:  I’d love to set a book somewhere in South America—Brazil or Colombia. Probably because I’ve always wanted to go there. My wish list would also include Japan, Australia, France and the UK—heck, I want to travel everywhere and then write a book set there! **grin**

Renae:  What are you writing now?

Charley:  I’m busy with edits for two stories so I haven’t been writing as much as usual. This year I’ll have a standalone Christmas story with Dreamspinner, Cascades. Right now I’m beginning edits and waiting for cover art. I love stories of second chances and guys who don’t usually appear in M/M Romances (like silver foxes!) and JB and Doug qualify on both counts!

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Charley:  I hang out in all the usual places: Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and the prettiest timesink on the internet--Pinterest. Rattle my cages anytime!  **grin**

Renae:  Thanks for coming along and meeting with me today.  It’s been wonderful having you visit.  Congrats once again on the release, and I hope it does fabulously for you.

Charley:  Thanks so much for having me, Renae!

Renae:  Hello, world.  I have survived my release and I’m now looking forward to Nic Starr’s new book – Andrew’s Promise.  It released today!  Yay!  **throws confetti** So happy release day! **grin**

Blurb

Young mechanic Andrew Campbell’s life couldn’t be better. He is about to restore a Ford Mustang with his dad before heading off on the ultimate cross-country road trip with his best friend, Tanner McKenzie.

But tragedy strikes, and Andrew’s life is shattered. Worried his family will be torn apart if he doesn’t step in, Andrew makes a tough choice between following his heart and doing what he needs to do to protect his little brother.

When Andrew pushes Tanner away, Tanner heads off on the planned trip alone. Once Tanner leaves town, his life takes a different path and it’s ten years before he returns. Now a firefighter, he’s never forgotten his first love, and no one has ever taken Andrew’s place in his heart. He’s determined to see if Andrew feels the same way. He just hopes Andrew’s excited to see him, hopes that he’s available—and finally out—after all this time.

They might not have been ready to deal with emerging feelings years ago, but now might be the time for their second chance at love. 

Renae:  This is the second book in the Heroes Series, following on from Charlie’s Hero which was released in June 2015.

Hi, Nic!

Nic:  Thanks for hosting me today, Renae. I’m so excited to be celebrating the release of Andrew’s Promise and it’s always a pleasure to visit your blog. **dances in confetti shower**

Renae:  So explain to us what the connection between Charlie’s Hero and Andrew’s Promise is.

Nic:  Charlie’s Hero is the story of Josh and Charlie. Josh was reluctant to come out to his brother, Andrew, and this put pressure on his relationship with Charlie. The reason for Josh’s hesitation was fear of losing the only family he had. Andrew had devoted his life to raising Josh, but certain things had lead Josh to believe that Andrew would push him away if he knew he was gay.

Andrew’s Promise tells Andrew’s story. It shows the type of man Andrew was before his father’s death changed the course of his life, and importantly, it gives Andrew his happy ever after.

Renae:  So this book starts before Charlie’s Hero took place?

Nic:  Yes. The story starts about ten years before the events in Charlie’s Hero. You’ll get to meet Josh when he was only fifteen, and meet the young Andrew and his best friend, Tanner.  Some of the events from the first book are retold but this time from Andrew’s point of view. The story then picks up at the end of Charlie’s Hero when Andrew and Tanner reconnect. I know a lot of readers particularly loved the little glimpse of Tanner at the end of Charlie’s Hero. **wink**

Renae:  So Andrew and Tanner were best friends – but never kept in touch?

Nic:  Andrew had his reasons, perhaps misguided, but with his brother’s best interests at heart, he pushed Tanner away. It was too painful for both of them to see each other if they couldn’t have more than friendship, so Tanner left town. Tanner ended up in the military, a career that kept him away.

Renae:  A second chance at love?  What about you?  What would you do if your high school crush turned up and declared he loved you?  Do you think you’d think about it if you were single?

Nic:  To be honest, while I love the idea of second chances at love, and enjoy reading about them in stories, I don’t think it is for me. Maybe it’s because I’m thinking back on my own boyfriends and none of them are up to scratch. I like the memories but that’s where they should stay. Perhaps it’s because it wasn’t really true love?

Renae:  Ten years?  Are they even the same people?

Nic:  People change a lot over the course of ten years. Particularly when they are young at the beginning of the journey.  Andrew and Tanner were only in their early twenties when they separated. They knew in their hearts they loved each other but they still had a lot of growing up to do. Andrew faced a lot of responsibility over ten years, and some of his regrets coloured his life. Tanner experienced life away from their town and saw more of the world than Andrew did. But at their core, they were the same people, just with different experiences and a new level of maturity.

Renae:  And what about Charlie and Josh?  Do we get to catch up with them in this book?

Nic:  Of course! It was fun to write Tanner’s response to meeting the ‘grown up’ Josh and learning he was in love with Charlie. And there’s a sneak peek at Josh and Charlie’s future.

Renae:  Can you tell us where your idea for the story and the series came from?  Was there something in particular that caught your attention?

Nic:  I started Charlie’s Hero in response to a story submission call for stories about love at first sight. The publisher only wanted shorter stories though, and my word count grew as Charlie and Josh’s story developed. So my short story grew to a novel. Andrew’s Promise came about because I wanted to give Andrew his happy ending. He’s such a caring and loving brother, he deserved to have the man of his dreams too.

Renae:  So you’re going to write a third?  A fourth?  For the series?

Nic:  The ending of Andrew’s Promise gives a big hint that Patrick and Simon will get their story in the next book. *grin* As friends of Josh and Charlie, they make an appearance in both books. When Patrick experienced some issues with his housemate, he moved in with Simon, a paramedic who works with Josh. They have a crush on each other but haven’t explored a relationship yet. So along with working up the courage to get together, Patrick needs to deal with some issues from this past. The book is called Patrick’s Savior. I have ideas for a fourth, and potentially a fifth book, so we’ll see.

Renae:  So in Charlie’s Hero we had a paramedic...  and now we have a firefighter in Andrew’s Promise...  Do we get a policeman in the next?

Nic:  Funny you should mention that! *grin* Patrick’s Savior’s lead characters are a paramedic and a school administrator. However, the police do get involved in the story. You’ll see some more of Duncan, a secondary character from the earlier books who is a cop. He’s the partner of Tanner’s best friend, Antonio. Antonio is an accountant by the way, so they’re not all emergency workers. And don’t forget Charlie is a schoolteacher and Andrew is a mechanic. LOL.

Renae:  C’mon – you can admit it Nic.  It’s just me (and all my readers).  Do you have a little bit of a “thing” for emergency workers?

Nic:  Yep! *grin* Doesn’t everyone?

Renae:  Okay, okay.  So tell me, was the second book hard to write when you had to match up timelines?

Nic:  Don’t remind me. Urgh! Keeping the timeline and story straight was a large focus during the writing of Andrew’s Promise. There are a number of scenes that appear in both books that needed careful consideration. But my biggest challenge was writing one particular conversation that appears in both books. It’s the scene in the first story, where Josh gets the idea that Andrew is not supportive of gay people. After this discussion takes place, Josh sees Andrew push Tanner, his best friend away, so is sure this is what Andrew would do to him. In Andrew’s Promise, this whole series of events is told from Andrew’s point of view.

Renae:  Is there any great sacrifice you’ve made in your life for family?

Nic:  Sacrifice is part of being in a family and having kids. As mothers, we always put our children first. But I don’t believe I’ve done anything any other mother or family member wouldn’t do. Any sacrifices I’ve made have been relatively small compared to some of the life changing acts I’ve seen of others. I’m grateful every day, that my family is healthy and whole, and these types of sacrifices aren’t required.

Renae:  Thanks for joining me on my blog, and sharing a bit of your journey.  Good luck with this new book and I hope it’s a great release day for you.

Nic: Thank you so much for having me. It’s been lots of fun as usual. **heart**

Renae:  Today on my blog, I welcome back the delightful RJ Jones!  As another Perth girl, I regularly catch up with RJ for coffee, so I need to put my interviewing cap on, not my friend cap.  Today is not the day for asking, “OMG – did you see that cute waiter?”

**Yes – coffee with the two of us present frequently lowers to that level**

Today, RJ is promoting her new book, Black & Bluhe which is to be released in TWO DAYS.  **squee**  Exciting!  Yes – the 31st of July is release day.

**throws early confetti**

Blurb

Grayson Black has never forgiven himself for not saving his identical twin brother, Jet, from a savage beating at their father’s hands ten years ago. Jet’s near-death never would have happened if Gray hadn’t been so focused on his boyfriend at the time. He has sworn to take care of his brother ever since. Gray can’t afford a distraction from his self-imposed mission, the type of distraction presented by the gorgeous blond showing up at their gigs.

Kris Larson is a firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department. Since splitting from his girlfriend, his favorite way to spend nights off is watching the Black Brothers play in the bars of the Bay Area, especially the guitarist. But it’s not until the brothers are left homeless after a fire at their apartment building that Kris has the opportunity to know the real person behind the brooding façade.

Gray fights his attraction to Kris, but with a meddlesome twin who just wants him to be happy, it’s a losing battle. Before Gray and Kris can have a lasting relationship, though, Gray must learn to forgive himself, let go of the past, and lay more than one demon to rest.

Renae:  Um, just before we get started – RJ, I really need to point out a typo to you.  Bluhe?  Shouldn’t it be spelt B-L-U-E?

RJ:  Ha! You would not believe the amount of times my bestie has begged me to change it. She seriously hates the spelling, but there is a reason for it.

Renae:  Oh, good.  Because here I was thinking that this is some sort of abuse/dub con novel...  Or is it?

RJ:  There is an element of abuse in the story which is one of the reasons for the name, but it’s off page and ten years in the past so you’re good to read it.

Renae:  This is the second book in your series which carries the same name as your first book, Out of the Blue.  Does one need to read Out of the Blue in order to understand Black & Bluhe?

RJ:  No, not at all. This can be read as a standalone.

Renae:  So do Jake and Cam make an appearance in Black & Bluhe?

RJ:  They do, but it’s a small cameo role. I have plans for a bigger scene for them in the third book. *wink*

Renae:  How many books do you have planned for the series?

RJ:  I’m stopping it at four. I think.

Renae:  I remember reading a lot of reviews about the first book which mentioned crippling angst – like I-don’t-wanna-go-on angst.  You put your readers through the wringer.  Is this what will happen with Black & Bluhe?

RJ:  I was asked this by a few people and at first I said no, but when I was doing my proofread, I had to change my answer, although I didn’t think Out of the Blue was terribly angsty, so who am I to judge? But yes, it seems I can’t write without putting a ton of emotion into it, although Black and Bluhe doesn’t have as much as Out of the Blue, but I will probably still make some people cry. One of my proofreaders told me she needed take a ‘day off’ from reading because of the emotion. She told me to put a disclaimer on my writing. LOL

Renae:  Your characters are twins, and obviously very close.  Do you have experience with twins?

RJ:  I do. My sister has twins and I know at least three other sets of twins. They kind of run in the family. The twin bond is beautiful to witness and I hope I captured that with Gray and Jet. I’m just thankful I didn’t have them.

Renae:  And Gray rescued Jet?  How does one ever repay something like that?

RJ:  Gray arrived too late to stop their father beating Jet almost to death. Poor Gray thought Jet was dead and he hasn’t been the same since. The guilt he carries with him is tangible and it affects every decision he makes. The brothers are very close, BUT there is no twincest in this, just to clear. *not touching that!*

Renae:  And Kris?  He’s newly un-closeted?

RJ:  Kris was never closeted, just bisexual. He doesn’t tell many people simply because it’s not their business, but he doesn’t hide. Most of his former lovers haven’t understood the duality so he generally keeps it to himself.

Renae:  So what’s next in the Out of the Blue series?

RJ:  Ah, now that would be telling. I’m not saying. Not because I’m being a tease but mainly because I haven’t finished writing the third book and I’m not too sure what’s going to happen.

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

RJ:  I’d love to hear from your readers. They can contact me here:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/robyn.j.jones.1711

Twitter - https://twitter.com/rjjonesauthor

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/rjjonesauthor/

Blog - http://rjjonesauthor.com

Email - rjjonesauthor@gmail.com


Renae:  Thanks for coming on my blog.  It’s been a great pleasure to have you here.  *hugs*  I can do virtual hugs *wink* 

RJ:  You sure? Kidding. We’ll make you a hugger yet. *grin*

 

 

Renae:  Today I have another friend from my Sprint Group – the wonderful and fab-tabulous Sloan Johnson.  Come on down!

Sloan:  Hey, Renae! Thanks for letting me stop by today! It’s good to get away from the computer for a while. Oh, wait… I guess I’m still here, but you know what I mean!

Renae:  Haha!  Thanks for joining me here today.  It’s wonderful to have friends visit and tell me about their work.  Sloan wants to tell me all about her novel Dance with Destiny.

Tony DeLuca has to get to New York, nor’easter be damned. His older sister is getting married and it won’t matter to her if the entire east coast is shut down if it means she’s short a groomsman. She’s the only reason he’s willing to make the trip home to face a father who’s never forgiven him for wasting a perfectly good degree to become a firefighter. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to everything about Tony that his father will never accept.

Dominic Tricoli’s living his dream. He’s spent the past few years working to mesh his business degree and love of the outdoors into a thriving company, providing team building retreats for some of the country’s largest corporations. Unfortunately, there’s a price to pay for happiness, and having someone to come home to at night is the sacrifice Dominic made.

When Dominic overhears Tony’s plight, he’s drawn to help the man get to New York City. Little does Dominic know that one kind gesture will awaken a side of him he’s ignored for far too long. Against his better judgment, he gives in to his desires and Tony’s advances. Just for the night.

When destiny steps in, giving him another chance with the charismatic man who saved his hide, Tony’s willing to do whatever it takes to earn Dominic’s forgiveness and understanding. There may not be forever, but Tony’s determined to enjoy every single minute he’s given with Dominic.

You can’t fight fate. Whatever’s meant to happen, eventually will.

Renae:  Okay – tell me straight.  Does Tony make it to the wedding?

Sloan:  Of course! It wouldn’t be any fun if he never got there.

Renae:  These guys sound wonderful.  Where did the inspiration for this story come from?

Sloan:  Last year, a friend of mine was flying to a book signing in Tennessee and had issues with her connecting flight. In the end,  a group of people wound up renting a vehicle to drive from Atlanta to Tennessee. I made sure that hadn’t sparked a story for her, because it sure as heck did for me! She gave me her blessing and I took off running.

Renae:  Now, I’ve been having a quick look at Goodreads – this book was published in 2005?

Sloan:  Nope! I had been filling out paperwork for my daughter right before I added Dance with Destiny to Goodreads and put in the wrong year (my daughter was born in 2005). No matter how many times I’ve tried to get it corrected, it keeps showing 2005.

Renae:  Ahhh!  The “once it’s on the internet it’s the truth” problem.  So this was actually written in 2014.  What was your first book?

Sloan:  Unexpected Angel was my first. It’s an m/f romance with BDSM elements.

Renae:  And now you’ve exploded with a whole bunch of books and stories.  Congratulations!  You’re doing so well.  What is your favourite book you’ve written?

Sloan:  This has to be the worst question ever! I love all of my books, the same as I love both of my kids the same. If I *have* to pick, I would say either Dance with Destiny or Wild Pitch, which is coming out in June. I really love those boys!

Renae:  What do you think your writing style is?  Do you have one?  Do you just write what wants to come out?  Do you try to conform to a certain mold?

Sloan:  I have zero control in my writing. People laugh when I tell them I write what the voices tell me, but it’s the truth. I sit down and tell the story of whoever screams the loudest. Then, I get to go back and clean it up after I’m finished and have gotten to know them a bit better.

Renae:  Are there things you want to go back and fix up with this book?

Sloan:  That’s a tough one. I really do love the story as it’s written, but I think there are a few things I’d go back in and change up a little bit. 

Renae:  I’m just making sure – this story is a HEA?

Sloan:  Absolutely!

Renae:  You’ve written a lot of books between starting in 2013 and now.  Is this the career you’re pursuing?

Sloan:  It is. I floundered for a long time, doing everything from managing a pizza parlor to working in a coffee shop to analysing health insurance claims. I thought there was something wrong with me because everyone else my age was settling down into careers. Once I started writing (which was before I wrote my first novel), something clicked and I haven’t turned back.

Renae:  You have two young children – where do you find the time to write?

Sloan:  Right now, it’s easier because they’re in school. I do most of my writing between when the bus picks them up in the morning and when they get home. Then, if I’m in a groove, I might dabble my way through our evening TV shows or write after they’re in bed. That being said, summer is coming up and I’m going to be sprinting like a mad woman to get ahead so I can enjoy my time with them starting mid-June.

Renae:  What are you working on now?

Sloan:  Right now, I’m gearing up for the release of Wild Pitch, which features two sexy professional baseball players. When I’m not in promotion mode for that, I’m busy writing the second novel in the Homeruns series, Curve Ball, which will come out late this summer. It’s great because I can sit around and watch baseball all day and call it mood music!

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Sloan: http://authorsloanj.com
https://facebook.com/authorsloanjohnson
https://twitter.com/authorsloanj

Renae:  Thank you ever so much for coming and chatting with me today.  I adore listening to author’s stories of how they came to be where they are, and where they are going.  I hope you had a lot of fun.  I’ll see you next time in the Sprint Group. **wink**

Sloan:  Thank you so much for having me! I’ll be the bleary-eyed one in the sprint group **wink**

Renae:  Today on my blog I welcome Cherie Noel! <applause>

I’m actually looking forward to getting to know more about Cherie through this interview.  You see, Cherie often “sprints” with me.  We meet up in a Facebook group to check in before we shut down all social media. Then we write like mad for a set amount of time – usually 45 minutes.  At the end of the 45 minutes, we’ll check in with the other to see how much they’ve done.

So therefore, I’m assuming that some of those sprints produced Cherie’s new story, Sam & Patric.  It is the 6th book in the Storming Love: Floods Series.

Sam & Patric (Storming Love: Flood Series #6)

Patric Carselowey stole Samuel Touchet-Smith's heart six years ago in an incendiary act of passion. Then he disappeared, joining the Army without a word. When he returned, treating Sam like stranger, he broke Sam's heart. Now Sam's meddling Maman and sister have booked him a hiking tour with Patric as the guide. Caught in the unexpected storm, will Sam's wounded heart be healed during their race to safety or crushed once and for all by lingering misunderstandings and lost memories? 

The Storming Love: Flood Series has been published by MLR Press and has featured stories from NJ Nielsen, Jenn Dease, Jambrea Jo Jones, AC Katt and Pelaam.

So welcome Cherie!

Cherie:  Hey, Renae! Thanks so much for having me on your blog. J

Renae:  Tell me about this flood?  Do the books all revolve around the same flood?  So all the stories are happening at the same time?

Cherie:  The entire anthology…well, actually, the whole series of anthologies were dreamed up by Kris Jacen. They all revolve around a central crisis…Blizzards, Floods, Earthquakes…I happen to have jumped at the chance to write in the Flood Anthology. In the case of this anthology, Storming Love: Flood, yes, the entire series of stories is set around the same flood, and indeed around the same small Texas town we dreamed up as a group. The flood and its aftermath take place over *roughly* a week, so the stories are all fairly concurrent.

Renae:  And how did you get involved in the project?

Cherie:  I saw the call when Kris Jacen put it out, and it intrigued me because I really liked the idea of writing about two people being trapped together in dangerous circumstances. As a former active duty soldier in the Army I definitely relate to the concept of how stepping out of ordinary life can sometimes clarify so much on an emotional level. Then I saw that my friend Jambrea Jo Jones was going to take part in the project. I’d already done an anthology with Jambie before, and knew that she’s loads of fun to write with. The concept was the initial impetus for me, and the final hook was a chance to write with Jambrea again.

Renae:  Okay, I’m going to reveal my ignorance (and allow everyone to laugh at me) but I had to google the word “incendiary” from your blurb, just to make sure the word meant what I thought it did.  The first thing google pops up with mentions fires, attacks and bombs.  I’m assuming that Sam and Patric’s relationship wasn’t blown up in a bomb attack, so it must mean that they had a steaming hot affair?

Cherie: Incendiary…well, in Basic Training, there was this one night… *bear with me here, it will all make sense in a moment* …anyway, we did some tactical training at night. The thing that sticks with me most from that is this: crawling through the woods in camo, flak jacket on, face painted up, and M-16 at the ready…and someone would shoot up an incendiary device. We’d all drop to the ground with our firing eye *the one you sight with when shooting* closed. Why? Because otherwise the incendiary would render us temporarily blind as it literally turned the blackest night to lightning strike brilliance. Sam and Patric’s first time together was like that…and instant passion flaring so hot it burned away everything they knew and left them both reeling.  

Renae:  Then Patric disappeared on Sam and broke his heart?  The bastard!  I dunno, Cherie – am I going to be able to forgive Patric for doing that?

Cherie:  Yes, yes you are. There’s a lot that happened…some of it the knee jerk reactions of a young man barely out of boyhood and some the not so kind machinations of a third party. In the end I think you’ll be rooting for Patric as much as for Sam.

Renae:  So going by the blurb, I’m assuming the two men go hiking together?  Do they get a little “outdoor action” before the storm starts?  Or is it wishful thinking on my behalf?

Cherie:  They actually get zero outdoor loving… Jeepers, these were the shyest, most circumspect two characters I have ever written. Not to say they don’t eventually get some hot loving going on...they just make it to a line cabin first.

Renae:  I interviewed NJ Nielsen about her Flood book last month, and she said she wrote from experience.  Can you tell us if you’ve ever experienced anything like this before?

Cherie:  I’ve never been in this severe a flood myself, but I do have a great family flood story that I shared during our Book Blast. It’s about the time the ghost of my Great-Aunt Pearl saved my dad and a busload of passengers from driving off a damaged bridge into a flooded river. No fooling.

Renae:  Just checking – HEA?

Cherie:  I’d call this one a HFN…I think the boys need to grow into their relationship a bit more for it to be a true HEA, but they are definitely well on their way. *also, I only deal in HFN and HEA stories…the real world has enough of the other variety*

Renae:  Good.  So what project are you working on now?

Cherie:  I have a couple of Rescue Twink stories in the hopper, along with a couple of shifter stories, a sci-fi, and a post-apocalyptic fairytale.

Renae:  You have a huge amount of stories published – do you have a favourite?

Cherie:  O.O Huge? *sheesh, if she could only see my wip list…* Do I have a favorite story that I’ve written…I—no. I really don’t. I love all my boys so much. They are my beloved Cabana Boys.

Renae:  And you’ve lived in a huge variety of places.  Do you have a favourite?  When are you adding Australia to that list?

Cherie:  I have lived a lot of places, and like my stories, I really love them all…and Australia…I must visit, but…well…I am TERRIFIED of spiders. So I may never live there.

Renae:  Now – a hard question.  For you, what is the HARDEST part about writing?

Cherie:  Renae, that is a hard question. Um….I guess it varies? Right now it’s being able to focus long enough to write. I suffered a head injury last summer, and it’s been an uphill battle to write since then. A worthwhile struggle though.

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Cherie:  I have a contact form on my website.   www.cherienoel.com

You can purchase this book from here:
MLR
All Romance ebooks
Amazon

Renae:  Thanks for joining me today.  I’ve had a lot of fun.  And I’ll see you at the next sprint!

Cherie:  Renae, thank you. It’s been a pleasure!