Talking with Mychael Black/Excerpt

Welcome the lovely and talented Mychael Black today. I adore this author's work and can not wait for the next book to come out. So with out further adieu.....Here is Mychael Black....

When did you seriously sit down, and say to yourself, I’m going to write a novel?

 You know, I'm not sure I ever sat down with the intention of writing a full novel. Usually, it's a matter of needing to get words out, so I start typing, and sometimes it ends up longer than I expected.

If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do? Lots of things, but most important is probably not listening to empty criticism.

Do you have the support of family and friends? Absolutely. While some folks don't understand why I write it and they would never actually read it, they still support me 100%.

Do you have a book coming out? If so what? Nothing at the moment, but several are in the works--sequels and non-sequels. I wouldn't even know where to start with them. *laughs*

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing? Um, it's really about 50/50, though obviously tailored to fit the characters and stories.

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? I wish I could follow a schedule, but nope, I've always been the type to just go with it--wherever IT may lead.

What do you have coming up? Any teasers you want to give us? Nothing concrete yet, though several sequels are in the works. Namely ones for Changeling Press and Torquere Press. For Changeling, I'm working on a Hot Flash for the Dark Reign series. For Torquere, I'm working on the sequel to Arcanum.

What is your writing routine once you start a book? There isn't one. I'm always at the mercy of a very mercurial muse.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write? Once upon a time, absolutely not. Nowadays, I find myself struggling simply because I've got a ton of other things on my mind. Focusing is key.

What kind of research do you do? It depends on the story. Some require little research; others require a LOT. Being a naturally inquisitive person and an unrepentant bibliophile, I can generally find reasons to research just for the fun of it.

Fill in the blank favorites - Dessert. City. Season. Type of hero. Type of heroine. Dessert: way too many, but I adore a good Key Lime Pie. City: Washington DC for its historical offerings. Season: Fall--I hate the cold of winter and the heat of summer. Type of hero: the flawed, dark and brooding type. Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights... *shudders* Type of heroine: a woman who isn't ultra-skinny, and who knows what she wants and is tenacious enough to get it.

What are some of your favorite things to do, or your hobbies? Gaming. I'm a full-fledged gamer geek. Diablo 3 and Dragon Age 3 can't get here any sooner, can they??

Who are some of your other favorite authors and/or genres to read? Believe it or not, I'm not reading quite as much romance as I used to. Lately, I've been rereading old favorites from Douglas Clegg, Clive Barker, etc.

Which of your books has been the easiest to write?  The hardest?  The most fun? The easiest... hm, not sure. Each book has its ups and downs, so there really isn't one that was easier than the others. Hardest, probably anything here lately because of real life rearing its ugly head. The most fun, all of them, overall.

Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting? Usually the characters, though that's not always the case.

If we asked your muse to tell us three things about you, what do you think they might say? Stubborn, grouchy, easily distracted. *laughs*

What is your favorite season and why? Fall, because it's not too hot, not too cold. The colors are beautiful, the breeze is perfect. And school is BACK IN SESSION!

Congratulations, your novel was just picked up by a major Hollywood studio. They are letting you cast the characters. Name the book you would choose to be made into a movie and who you think would play those characters. Oh, Lord. Shayne and I would LOVE to see The Prince's Angel in movie-form. As for the leads, I have no clue. I'd probably cast Johnny Depp just so I could ogle him nonstop.

If you could choose anywhere in the world to set up your desk and write, where would you like it to be? What’s so special to you about this place? A quiet, remote retreat in the Smoky Mountains. Why? Because I'm pure country and need the solitude and peace to focus well. Besides, the Smokies are without equal.

 Sneak Peek into Dark Reign: Found

Changeling Press

MM/Dark Fantasy

Available NOW

Blurb:

AJ remembers nothing about life before he began working for the sadistic vampire Dalton Gray. When Dalton's plans go awry, AJ is sure he's as good as dead. Then a mystery hero shows up and offers AJ something he never expected: a past.

Excerpt:

Everything hurt.

It wasn't the excruciating pain from before, but it was enough for AJ to know he sure as hell wasn't dead. Yet.

He kept his eyes closed, but wherever he was, it was relatively dark. Awareness started creeping back, and AJ gave into his morbid curiosity, opening his eyes slowly.

Where the fuck was he?

"You'll live."

AJ froze, his heart hammering in his chest. Blinking, he scanned the room slowly, not entirely sure he really wanted to see who had spoken. When his gaze settled on a distinctly shaped pocket of shadow, AJ swallowed. "Who are you?"

A faint red glow lit up a man's face, then faded. A soft exhale sent a plume of ash-gray smoke into the air. "Geoff."

"Geoff." AJ started to sit up, but the world spun suddenly, tilting on its axis. He dropped back onto the bed and prayed he wouldn't puke. Bed? He patted the mattress beneath him. Soft sheets, with the faint smell of laundry detergent. "Where am I?"

"A hotel room, Settlers' Inn, to be exact. Room 316."

"Why?"

Another exhale and the smoke curled upward toward the ceiling. "Because you're in my territory."

"Your territory?" AJ opened his eyes. After reassuring himself that he wouldn't hurl with the slightest movement, he turned his head toward the man in the shadows. "Are you some sort of gang leader?" It would be just his fucking luck.

"You could say that." The man -- Geoff -- leaned forward and stubbed out his cigarette in the cheap, clear glass ashtray on the table. "Why were you in the ravine, anyway?"

"Huh?" Furrowing his brow, AJ tried to remember everything that had happened. "I-I wasn't. My boss..." He bit his lip, knowing it would be stupid to tell this stranger anything. "I got into an argument with someone. I wasn't in a ravine; I was in... a warehouse. I think."

Geoff snorted and sat back into the shadows again. "Must've been one hell of an argument. You look like you went through a bone-crunching obstacle course."

Feels like it, too, AJ thought. "Who are you?"

"I told you."

Another cigarette was lit, the glow from the flame illuminating a little more of the man's face. Rugged, little bit of stubble, angular jaw; handsome, that was for certain. AJ chastised himself for even having the gall to think something like that while lying on what could easily become his deathbed. Speaking of which...

"How'd I end up here?" And why am I not dead?

"I was... hunting, and I found you in the ravine. You looked like hell. Look better now, though. You'll survive whatever the fuck happened." Geoff took another drag and exhaled a few seconds later. "You have yet to tell me what you were doing there."

AJ sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "Well, I guess if you were going to kill me, you would've already done it."

"Yep."

He chose to ignore the almost casual way Geoff said that. "My boss beat the fuck out of me, all right? Happy now?"

"No. Why?"

"Why the fuck should I tell you?"

AJ suddenly found himself face to face with the most heart-stopping set of hazel eyes he'd ever seen.

"Because I just saved your ass from the beggars and thugs who would gladly fuck it down there."

Fuck. Was a man supposed to look that God damn good?