Meet debut author, Katie Alexander

Welcome debut author Katie Alexander, who along with her writing partner Kelli Lee Mosley, will have their first book out in June from Rebel Press. I loved getting to know her better and hope you check this talented author out.

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

I think it is something that I have always done.  When everyone else groaned in English because we needed to write I was the one that got excited.  I really started just a few years ago on a author web site and found others just like me.

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

First, you need a good hero but instead of just having an alpha attitude I need to have him be somewhat beta too.  He can be assertive but he also knows when to just listen when my heroine gets pissy.  I like me heroines to be somewhat assertive but not to the point where she is carrying the hero on her shoulders.  They need to complement each other.

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

With Another Chance I started off with Megan and used bits and pieces of myself at the time.  Since then she has grown into who she is now.  Ali’s character was the easiest because she was based on a friend of mine who has some serious road rage.  The worst was Grayson.  I wanted him to be kind but also have that back bone but my writing partner kept telling me that he was a wus.  By the time we finished Grayson I decided that he would be my perfect man.  Too bad he doesn’t exist. L

Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?

Grayson kept coming off as a wus and I have to admit that he was, don’t tell Kelli because I will never be able to live that down. Lol By the time I was finished with Grayson he became the man that can show he loves his woman and not care what his friends think but he can also be assertive enough to fight for what is his.  It is such a fine line between an all out alpha hero and a wus.  Everything else fell into place.

If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do?

Just follow my instincts.  I tried so hard to do everything in order but my mind and muse didn’t want to work that way.  This time around I will write whatever scene they throw at me instead of trying to write them in order for the book.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

*squee!*  It is still so surreal.  Basically Another Chance is about a young woman, Megan, that has just recently been divorced and has moved back home to be with her family.  Grayson has loved her for years but she is his two best friend’s sister and she was married.  Now that she is back, does he keep his friends or try for the woman of his dreams?

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

I would love to try historical but that would require a lot of research and I just don’t have the time to do it right now. I may try it in the future.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

Kelli would have to be there because she is my writing partner and we could use the party for some material for the next book. Another would be Michael Buble but he can’t bring his wife.  He just can’t! Julia Roberts is one of my favorite actresses so she would have to be there.  My grandma because she never got to see the finished book and I think she would be proud. I would also like Mike Rowe because he would be funny and of course dirty. ;)

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

I do listen to music while I write.  I think the music that I listen to makes a big difference because with Another Chance I used a lot of pop/alternative but with a vampire book that I have been writing I listen to a lot of alternative rock.  Certain music can put you in just the right frame of mind. 

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

The first love scene is always the hardest to write.  I love reading them but hate writing them.  I think love scenes are important in romances because this is where the feelings and emotions come into play.  The feelings of closeness that the two characters share can be one of the best parts of a romance.

What are some of your favorite things or hobbies to do?

My mom and I bought my daughter beads to keep her occupied while I went to school and I have to say that going through all the different colors and shapes can be very relaxing.  I have yet to make anything though.

What do you have coming up next for you? Care to share any details with us?

Well, Kelli and I want to write Dylon’s story next but we have yet to sit and talk about it. I live on the west coast and she lives on the east coast so the time difference has been an issue along with family and well, just life in general. I do have a paranormal in the works but it isn’t finished or titled yet. 

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?

Favorite authors for me would be Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Judith McNaught, Lorie O’Clare, Mya Banks, Cynthia Eden, Catherine Bybee, and many many more. Most of the books that I buy are romance and I have a mixture of all sub genres.

If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?

I think I would want to be me right now.  I am in a place in my life where I am happy so I am sticking to it. J

Where can readers find you on the web?

Katie Alexander...sometimes sassy but always sweet
 Blog ~ http://katiealexander1.blogspot.com
Web Site ~ http://members.cox.net/katie_alexander/Index.shtml

Facebook Page ~ http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100001957442121

Publisher ~ http://www.rebelinkpress.com/

Another Chance
By Katie Alexander and Kelli Lee  Mosley
Coming to Rebel Ink Press
June 2011
Contemporary 2011

Megan Mason had a fabulous family, a wonderful husband, amazing friends, a great job and a beautiful home. All she needed was a baby to make her life complete. Little did she know, however, that asking her husband for a child would end her marriage. Suffering the ultimate betrayal, Megan returns to her childhood home to rebuild her life.

Grayson Burke had it all. His family’s construction company was financially sound business was booming. He loved his job and better yet, he worked with two of his best friends.  To an outsider looking in, Grayson's life probably seemed perfect.  But in reality, Grayson's dream woman wasn't only married to someone else, she was his buddies little sister which meant she was untouchable in every sense of the word. 

When Grayson learns that Megan is headed home, everything in his world seems to flip upside down.  There's no way he could ever approach a woman whose life has been destroyed.  Right?  And besides, his friends would kill him.  Wouldn't they?

Talking with Debut Author AJ Best

I am chatting with a soon to be author named AJ Best. AJas a bit nervous to sit down with me (I have no idea why???) and chat about how the publishing business is to a new author and more. So without further adieu, welcome soon to be published, AJ Best.

1)     1) Tell us a little about yourself.

I’ve been told it’s rude to talk about yourself; but I’ve never seen it. So, let’s talk about me. I’m really a transplanted southerner living in the frigid arctic North Country of upstate NY. I never saw myself coming up here and living a life of down coats, mittens, hats and scarves. But it’s amazing what a bald man will make you do. I have two wonderful biological children who I am very proud of, though I do wish they would stop growing up. I have 3 near stepchildren that will be mine someday, just haven’t nailed down the date. And in the may lay I have 4 cats, 2 dogs, 20 fish, 1 bird and a fiancé.

2) What got you interested in writing?

Wow, I’ve been writing since my teachers forced me to in elementary school. I wasn’t very good at it, but I kept on trying. Schools seem to force the 3 Rs on us:

                   Reading

                   wRiting

                   aRithmatic

I mean seriously what kind of illiterate monkey came up with that? But then again, I am not one to judge, much. Now that I am an author, because I write, I make up my own words.

But I digress. I didn’t start writing anything with meaning until I was in 7^th or 8^th grade. My mother decided to get me a typewriter. And for you young folks, this was a manual typewriter where you put the corrective paper into the spot and had to line everything up JUST SO. Never mind….another generation spoiled. 

It was then that I wrote my first poem; I have it memorized if you care to hear it. Oh of course you care to hear it. **clears throat**

Lazily we walk along the beach

You and I hand in hand

Nature has its things to teach

We listen and learn

But never turn

To see what we left behind.

**takes a bow** Thank you very much – please throw dollar bills instead of coins, they hurt less.

Again, I digress. I turned into a budding writer a little later in life. Twelfth grade brought on another writing challenge. I still remember the first line of that as well; though I can’t remember my children’s names sometimes.

December spreads its snow-filled wings and covers our world in cold despair.

Ingenious right? Wrong. I got a B on the final paper and never wrote again until I was 29. I started a story, which is still not finished, and everyone loved it. I was told to keep trying and finish. But when my husband died, I lost all desire to write. I didn’t pick up a ‘pen’ again until 2008.

And now, in early 2011 I have a story sitting in the stacks at Ravenous Romance awaiting a final yea or neigh. **still biting fingernails**

3) As a first time author, do you find the publishing process a little daunting?

Daunting? It’s scary as heck? I am an impatient little twit, and I want everything done right now. I’ve unfortunately realized that I can’t have it that way. Impatient twits don’t get writing contracts. They get thrown in file 13 and then they cry themselves to sleep. I just want things to make sense, and the time frames don’t yet. I guess I will have to patiently learn how to be patient, and how to deal with the publishing process.

4) Do you have a crit group or a select group of friends you bounce ideas off of or read over your manuscripts?

I have two friends who read things for me, and I read the manuscripts out loud to my loving fiancé. He’s great and gives me the male point of view and makes my writing a whole lot more realistic. I’d like to thank Kissa Starling (www.kissastarling.com) for helping me read over things and not being too Simon Cowell on me.

5) What do you like to read? Any authors you love to enjoy?

I’m an avid reader. I read about 600 words per minute and manage to read about 3 books a week. I love ALL things vampire, so I read the Vampire Academy series, Mortal Instrument series, and House of Night series to only mention a few. I also adore Nora Roberts, and Piers Anthony. I own about ½ of the books that he has written. I’m working on getting all of them, but he keeps writing.

6) What is your favorite genre to read/write?

My favorite genre to read is paranormal. I have a dream to write paranormal right now, but I keep getting all these sweet romance and women’s romance and erotica in my brain. So I will have to get them out so I can work on some paranormal. I actually am fleshing out a vamp book right now. I had a great dream several nights in a row and finally got up and typed some things on my iPhone and went back to sleep.

7) What feature do you start with when writing a description of your hero/ine? Eyes, age, hair color, personality, name, etc?

I have to work on my hero and heroine’s personality first. If I can’t see who they are, then their appearance doesn’t mean a thing to me. I don’t care what their hair is like. If my hero is a bad ass guy who cares about nothing, then I will probably have him have dark messy hair, maybe greasy or something. I would make him someone I wouldn’t want in my life.

8)Picture yourself as a store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?

If I were a store, I would have candles, incense, books, and things that sparkle. I would make bookmarks, necklaces, and all kinds of bobbles. I would have all kinds of comfy clothing that would enable me to just kick back and write. I would make sure that I sell Mac laptop computers. Finally I would make sure that there were all kinds of baked goods around so no one goes hungry.

9) If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

DON’T PISS ME OFF, I HOLD A GRUDGE. WANT A BROWNIE?

10) What do you enjoy doing for fun and relaxation?

Fun and relaxation? Hmm, I love to paint, crochet, knit, watch TV, and READ, READ, READ.

11) February...the month of love and romance. What was the worst/best/funniest valentine gift you ever got from a significant other?

Don’t tell my fiancé this, but last year he got me a stuffed anatomically correct heart that beats (once I learned the meaning – him giving me his heart I liked it), bacon lip balm, and an I LOVE MY GEEK t-shirt.

12) Where can we find you on the web?

I would love for you to come by and pick on me any time at www.ajbestwrites.com or email me at ajbestwrites@gmail.com . Thanks for having me Dawn.

Guest Author Day with Ike Rose

1. What do you write and why?

I began writing gay Erotica, beginning to write Romances to try to get published, since all my erotic stories ended in relationships, although not always conventional ones. After a LOT of rejections, I discovered erotic Romances. I have a strong pull towards the paranormal – my recently published story has a subtle hint of precognitive foreknowledge at the beginning that is revealed at the end.

Almost everything I write takes place between 1965 to 1985, making me a “historical romance writer”. Even though I lived through this is a time period, I find myself doing a lot of research. I write in that time period because it was the time of my own struggles coming out, and my own sexual blossoming. I've been in a monogamous relationship for twenty-nine years, so I have a very poor picture of the gay male scene today, while I have clear memories of my younger days.

As the product of a blue-collar family and neighborhood, I tend to focus on the struggles working class gay men had back then accepting their homosexuality; the battle that I went through from 16 to 24.

2. What do you read and why, especially if it's different from what you write?

I'm a voracious reader. I'll read the back of a cereal box if there's nothing else.

I got that way because I broke my leg in fifth grade riding my bike to Harvey Fierstein's house, and I spent a whole summer with a cast from my toe to my hip. All I could do was read.

My dad took us to the library every Saturday, but I'd have read all of my books by Wednesday, so I'd read my kid sister's books, too. I'm the only guy I know who read the entire “Sue Barton, Student Nurse” and “Nancy Drew” series.

Currently, I'm reading erotic Romances of all sorts to understand the genre better. (Contributions in e-pub welcome – I'm retired and on a limited income.)

3. What's your latest release and tell me about it:

It's my FIRST release, the novella “My Valentine Prince” in the anthology “My Sexy Valentine”. It takes place from 1975 to 1977, and is the story of a blue-collar young man with a college education battling his fears of his sexuality until one night, he wanders into a gay bar and meets the man of his wet-dreams, a sailor. After a week of passion, the sailor leaves.

James has to struggle against the “old boy network” to get a job in the field for which he studied, and ends up dating his ex-boss after he gets a promotion. On  Valentine's Day 1977, he thinks he's found his Prince Charming until the sailor shows up, declaring his love just before his boyfriend does. Jim must choose: his first love, or the man he spent a year developing a relationship with.

4. What publisher(s) do you write for?

So far I've only published the one novella in the anthology with Sizzler Editions. I have a good working relationship with Sascha Illyvich, their editor for erotic Romances, who edited “My Sexy Valentine”, and I learned a lot of writing-craft from him. I hope to work with him more.

I'm still giving my erotica away for free on the NIFTY Archives. I may self-publish more polished versions of these in the near future.

5. How long have you been writing?

I wrote some professional articles for journals under my real name, as well as some self-help/advice articles for an organization's newsletter, but I began writing erotica a number of years ago out of boredom; my lover works at night.

I shared some of these with online buddies, who encouraged me to post them online. I rewrote them, trying to improve the quality and emphasizing the relationships. I hate badly written erotica.

In June of 2010, I finally started to post these stories on NIFTY, a free erotica stories website. I started getting fan-email from strangers, many writing of the vividness of the characters and the plots as well as the hot action. By July I had so many of these fans that I had to start sending out a Newsletter each time I posted a new story or a chapter to one of my three ongoing series. I got two new fan e-mails today, in fact. I have over 90 men and women on the list, and they encouraged me to write romances.

I'm an “advanced student” writer. My editor had me totally rewrite my 20,000 word story from first person POV to third person. I'd written three short stories in third person before then. HE insists it made it a better story – I almost lost my mind.

6. How do you world build?

It's my world, the one I grew up in and lived in as a younger man. I do write contemporary stories, but it's still my world I'm writing about. However, I DID joke in response to a comment on a Blog recently that I might create an alternate universe where sexually transmitted diseases didn't exist and miniature cell phones like the ones on Dick Tracey were introduced in 1960. “The best of all possible worlds.”

7. It’s the month of love and romance. What was the funniest/ greatest Valentine your Significant Other ever gave you?

Twenty-nine years is a long time together, and we don't make a big deal about Valentine's Day.

When we began dating, he did something very sweet the first night he slept at my place. (Just slept – get your minds out of the gutter!) He neatly wrote out the lyrics to the Carole King song “You've Got A Friend” in the form of a note addressed to me. I woke up to find it on the pillow. I knew then that although he wasn't “that Dream Man” I'd been searching bars for, I'd found Prince Charming. It's framed and hangs over our bed still.

8. How do you build characters and their personalities and looks?

Two ways: people I know or knew in my life, and what I call “gay archetypes”. Some of my characters are, frankly, gay cliches. Big burly hairy men who are massively endowed and smoke cigars, but have gentle souls. Weaker, shorter hairless men who control them with their powerful wills. I love hairy redheads.

I'm writing a series on NIFTY called “Jimbo and JJ” which I realized after I finished the third chapter will end up a novel, minus most of the sex scenes. This is just the prep work; the sex scenes are for fun. These men are the opposite of those cliches: 18 year old college freshman who are under 5'5” and modestly endowed, discovering they're gay and falling in love when they become roommates the fall before the Stonewall Riots. The hero is a man with body image issues. I plan introducing a wheel-chair bound wrestling coach based on a man I met on AOL, a gifted athlete who lost both legs to a hit-and-run driver while jogging. He's so positive and upbeat. I admire him greatly.

9. Tell me about some of your heroes and heroines:

So far, just heroes. James is the hero of “My Valentine Prince”; a tough young man who works harder than anyone to raise swiftly up the corporate ladder, but with a core of insecurity about his ability to find his true love. He's a slightly more macho version of me back then.

10. Are you a pantser or plotter?

I had to Google “pantser”! I'm a combination. I have a basic idea of where I'm going, and often have notes, but usually I let myself go and see where my characters take me. I've had some surprises.

But I'm fairly new to Romance fiction. As I learn more “theory”, I discover things about my stories. When I was doing my massive rewrite of “My Valentine Prince” to third person POV, I realized I had the wrong ending. I'd read a writing Blog that gave me the idea to deconstruct the story, STARTING from the new ending. I knew WHERE I wanted my hero to end up, I even had an idea of the confrontation scene that lead to it. But until I wrote those two scenes, I had no idea of how to get there from the middle. That made me realize that I had to take a nice-guy character and make him... well, one reviewer wondered what the hero saw in him in the first place. I had to make a man I liked into a bad guy, and I had to make it a gradual change.

Otherwise the ultimate decision the hero made would have seemed arbitrary instead of mature, reasoned and right.

11. What genre haven’t you tried, yet, that you would love to explore?

Mysteries with humor. I loved the Simon Kirby-Jones series by Dean Jones, and would love to do something as funny and twisted as those.

12. If you could take one of your characters out on the town, who would it be and what would you do?

It would have to be in the historical context of “My Valentine Prince”, the mid-1970's, when I drank. I only wrote one real scene for Jim's father, but I fell in love with the guy. I'd like to go to a blue-collar bar with him and get stinking drunk, trading stories. My late dad was also a sailor, but never talked to me about his days at sea. I found his diary of his first voyage when I was 16, and was titillated by his description of being taken to his first striptease show while at basic training, and a few other adventures I'd have loved to ask about.

13. Favorite naughty dessert and decadent drink.

Cheesecake. As a Brooklynite, I will commit blasphemy and state that the best cheesecake in New York is NOT from Junior's, but a small French bakery in Bay Ridge, Jean Danet.

I no longer drink alcohol, but I love a good pina-colada smoothy.

14. If we looked on your bookshelf right now, what are some of the titles we would find?

A big collection. I've lived here since 1977, and have the luxury of a spare room. Religion, social work and psychology, mysteries, science fiction,  books on writing and in increasing number of Romance novels, although most of those are on my e-reader.

  

15. Where can we find you on the internet?

My Blog: http://www.ikerose.com

My website: http://gaymalewritingbyike.webs.com/

(Sample of my story and a deleted scene available there)

Buy Link: http://shop.renebooks.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ANTHO-01

My free erotica is at http://www.nifty.org/nifty/frauthors.html under my name, Ike Rose.

 

 Sneak Peek into My Valentine Prince

Found in My Sexy Valentine Anthology

On Valentine's Day, 1977, a blue-collar college educated biker-hunk who has  fought his own internalized homophobia and class prejudices to raise up the  corporate ladder has to choose which of two men he loves is his Prince  Charming: the one he thought he’d never see again, or the one he’d been  dating for a year while building a relationship.

EXCERPT:

Twenty-three year old James Harahan wandered into his first gay bar by mistake in the spring of 1975.

Jim had dreamed nightly of sex with older, masculine guys since he was fifteen.

In his nightly dreams, the same hairy, muscular man with straight black hair, streaks of gray at the temples, confidently took Jim in his arms, and drowned him in a passionate kiss that lead to sexual delights beyond his knowledge that always ended with Jim's magnificent orgasm. But he never saw his dream-lover's face or manhood, just his hot, manly body...

He scanned the room with alcohol-addled eyes, he wanted to find his dream-man!

A new man had entered the bar: a Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy in full dress uniform. 

The way he took command of the bar impressed Jim.

He began aggressively focusing only on Jim, moving smoothly towards him like a stalking hunting animal about to leap on his prey. Jim couldn't take his eyes from him, transfixed and spellbound.

The other men in the bar vanished.

"Give him two big glasses of water, and a cup of black coffee!" he barked at a bartender in a deep voice, flipping a twenty towards the bar.

Jim found one of the glasses of water miraculously in his hands. That deep commanding voice barked with humor, "Now drink your water. I prefer to have my fun with a man who's conscious."

At that implied sexual invitation, Jim began gulping his water down, to the rich laughter of the seaman. "Take it easy, sailor. No need to drown. Now, drink some coffee."

Jim wasn't about to argue with this man, obviously used to being obeyed. No, Jim would obey his orders, hopefully leading to his secret desires. Jim obediently picked up the mug, almost scalded his mouth on it, downing the atrocious black coffee. He finished the first glass of water to wash his burning mouth.

The uniformed stud held out a big, work-roughened hand, saying, "We should introduce ourselves. Max Murphy."

Jim shook his hand, clutching it after they shook. "Jim Harahan. Thanks for rescuing me, Chief. I didn't realize how bombed I'd gotten."

"You were ready to be shanghaied, Jim. Ready for some more coffee and water, handsome?"

No man had ever made a pass at Jim before. "Max, this is my first time in a gay bar. I didn't know it was one when I came in to forget my problems."

Max firmly held Jim's face. "But you stayed, Jimmy. Are you willing to talk and see what might happen?"

"I do need to sober-up before riding my Harley, so why the hell not? But I want some milk in that next cup. That coffee's shit-water."

Max gave a rich laugh which made Jim's balls ache. "You're on, buddy. Lots of water."

Jim was smashed, but noticed that while Max made sure he drank plenty of water, his interest in getting in Jim's pants caused coffee to disappear from the menu.