Recently I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by blogger Allana Angel of Rogue’s Angels for a promotional tour. It was just so much fun to take time out and reflect on the thought-provoking questions that Allana posed.
If ever you might have wondered what makes an author tick, or what makes this particular author tick, read on and please check out the recommendations, freebies and competitions offered by Rogue’s Angels
1. What or who inspired you to start writing?
I was lucky to have an excellent English teacher and enjoyed literature all through high school. Jane Austen was my favorite though it was definitely not cool for a guy to enjoy romantic stories. I dabbled a little with my writing in high school but it had always been somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Five years ago, I started to take it more seriously and attended workshops and seminars to acquire novel writing skills. After a career in engineering and IT, I was finally able to quit my day job during the pandemic and focus on what I really love – writing MM romance.
2. What elements are necessary components for this genre?
As in any novel, it is essential to have strong character development and a good plot. The author has to take the reader on a journey and make them care about the main characters. MM romance has a rather defined structure and I like that. There has to be the awakening of a relationship, excitement, tension and then despair when all seems lost. This genre also demands an inevitable happy ending.
In MM romance, authors can employ the added dimension of sex. For me, it is important that every sex scene have a clear purpose. It must show the vulnerabilities, the growing trust, or some other dimension of the relationship between the MCs. Gratuitous sex scenes merely serve to interrupt the flow of the storyline.
3. How did you come up with your idea for your novel, “King of the Mountain”?
The TV coverage of the Tour de France is an annual sporting highlight that I never miss. It is a thrill to see the riders battling it out as they race through spectacular scenery dotted with quaint villages, French Chateau and ancient monasteries among lush green forests. The setting simply begs for romance.
Because I am a keen cyclist myself, I am in awe of the skill, endurance and mental stamina needed to compete at a professional level.
I did some research and was surprised to learn that there has never been an openly gay rider in the Tour de France. That got me thinking. What if? What if the leader of the Tour de France, who has to be utterly focused on the race, finds himself distracted by a burgeoning attraction to a guy? He doesn’t only have to balance these feelings against the commitment to his sport but also has to deal with years of repressed sexuality. That would make a good story, wouldn’t it? Especially if the romance starts in Paris!
4. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?
King of the Mountain is the first book in the Love at Lake Clyde series. I have already completed books two and three, Master of the Wild and Ruler of the Waves. They are stand-alone stories but readers enjoy them more if read in sequence. That way one gets to know the supporting cast of well-meaning, meddling folks in Clydesdale.
I am currently working on the fourth and final book in the series, Lord of the Sky.
5. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?
I identify with Clifford, the cyclist. Of course, I am much older and not nearly as good-looking. But I identify with him because of the heartache that comes from years of repressing one’s attraction for men. The human mind is a wonderful, powerful thing. It even allows us to lie to ourselves for decades. Clifford wasted so much of his life and missed out on so much happiness before Gabe finally made him come out of his shell.
6. Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder your writing?
I did belong to a small group of four writers for a while. I was lucky that this group was respectful, honest and constructive in their criticisms. We also had lots of fun and drank too much wine. It was helpful when I started my writing career. Then, some people moved away and the group folded. In retrospect, that was a good thing because I realized that I had become too dependent on them. I was writing to please the group rather than be true to myself and my characters.
7. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?
A few years ago, I joined “Jericho Writers”, based in Oxford, U.K. They are a group of writers who run webinars on all aspects of creative writing, editing, publishing, marketing, etc. Through those webinars, with very lively online chats among the participants, I realized that writers are just normal people like me. If they could get published, why not me? And so, I took the plunge.
8. Do you outline your books or just start writing?
I have an engineering and IT background, hence I do plan in advance. I create a roughly three-page outline and maintain a series of spreadsheets to keep track of all my characters, the timeline, places, etc. It is amazing how quickly the cast of supporting characters grows in a novel. And, if you write a novel over a period of nine to twelve months, you can easily get confused as to their age, mannerisms, relationships, or history.
So, I keep all that straight via a set of spreadsheets. But, once I start, I allow the story to evolve. It is a most satisfying feeling when the main characters start to take on a life of their own and virtually dictate deviations to the story line. You sit and write and then think, “Gabe would never do that. He would rather do…” and the story veers into a new direction.
9. How do you maintain your creativity?
I talk to my characters. Not out loud of course (for fear of being carted off and locked up), but in my head. I go for long hikes and solitary bike rides and the motion just gets my brain going. Often, I have to stop to dictate new ideas into my phone. Then, when I sit at my computer, I weave these new angles into the storyline.
10. Who is your favorite character in the book? Can you tell us why?
Gabe O’Reilly, the second main character, is just an all-around adorable, good person. He has maintained a childlike ability to enjoy the simple things in life and to be enchanted by art and natural beauty. That doesn’t mean he’s a pushover. Quite the contrary. He knows who he is and is at peace with himself and the world around him. There isn’t a bitchy bone in his body. I’ve always admired people like that.
11. Anything else you might want to add? The MM romance genre appears to be heavily populated with stars from very specific sports: baseball, football, and hockey. King of the Mountain, and the other books in the series, also showcase sports stars who are athletic, determined, and highly competitive. But I deliberately wanted to showcase lesser-known sports such as cycling, cross-county and sailing to give readers a fresh dimension. Several reviewers have commented on how much they have enjoyed going on a virtual Tour de France.
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