When did you seriously sit down, and say to yourself, I’m going to write a novel?
I’ve been writing manga scripts and short stories for quite a while, and I wrote my first novel, To Light My Way, back in 2009. It is still one of my favorites and is the clear reader favorite on Goodreads, which is surprising because of some of the controversial content.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7153738-to-light-my-way
If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do?
I don’t think I’d do anything differently. I’ve led a very adventurous life, visited wonderful places, and met unique people. It’s not a stable life, and it hasn’t always been easy, but I don’t think I’d give anything up. I’ve had too much fun!
Do you have the support of family and friends?
Absolutely! My family has been very supportive, and my parents are very proud of me and my work. One of the best parts of being an author has been the cool people, readers, artists, and other authors, that I’ve met at conventions and online. Its wonderful to interact with like-minded people.
Do you have a book coming out? If so what?
I have two novels coming out this month. Boots for the Gentleman is an epic steampunk adventure that I co-wrote with Eon de Beaumont. It’ll be at Dreamspinner Press on August 19th and is the first installment in a series. Keep reading for an excerpt…
Epiphany is an urban fantasy set in and around 1970’s Las Vegas. It will be at Silver Publishing on August 13th, and is the beginning of another series called Ensorcelled. There are two spin-off novellas involving the protagonists, Dust and Elijah. The first is a Halloween-themed book called The Midnight Children, while Wisp and White Heart is a holiday story.
Here’s the blurb for Epiphany:
1974. When the residents of the backwater town of Epiphany, Nevada, drive off a hurt and hungry young man because he has long hair, timid diner cook Elijah Tupper can't find the courage to stand up to them. Later, both guilt and strong attraction compel Elijah to seek out the drifter who calls himself only Dust. He finds him camped in the Mojave, and Dust and Elijah agree to travel together, though Elijah can't possibly imagine the task that awaits them.
Dust's painful past has left him mistrustful of people and the world. He also possesses mysterious powers, though hunger and injury have left him weak. Elijah vows to aid and protect him, even if Dust can't believe that Elijah has no ulterior motives. A fragile trust slowly forms between them, despite Dust's cynicism and Elijah's insecurity. As they seek to recover the magic that will save Dust from the forces trying to destroy him, they must enlist the aid of the county sheriff who originally banished Dust from Epiphany.
Though Sheriff Sam Woodward doesn't approve of Dust or his blossoming relationship with Elijah, he agrees to help the young men to protect his town from Dust's enchantments. In order for the three men to succeed and survive their dangerous, magical journey, each of them must adapt and grow. They'll need all of their skills to survive the corrupt city of Las Vegas and the twisted, supernatural realms beyond.
Dust's painful past has left him mistrustful of people and the world. He also possesses mysterious powers, though hunger and injury have left him weak. Elijah vows to aid and protect him, even if Dust can't believe that Elijah has no ulterior motives. A fragile trust slowly forms between them, despite Dust's cynicism and Elijah's insecurity. As they seek to recover the magic that will save Dust from the forces trying to destroy him, they must enlist the aid of the county sheriff who originally banished Dust from Epiphany.
Though Sheriff Sam Woodward doesn't approve of Dust or his blossoming relationship with Elijah, he agrees to help the young men to protect his town from Dust's enchantments. In order for the three men to succeed and survive their dangerous, magical journey, each of them must adapt and grow. They'll need all of their skills to survive the corrupt city of Las Vegas and the twisted, supernatural realms beyond.
https://spsilverpublishing.com/
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
Upon introspection, I realize it’s more than I intended or consciously recognized. My characters tend to be rebels, sometimes criminals, who resent oppression and authority. That’s me all over the place! Er, except the part about being a criminal, of course. Also, they often find they can’t be satisfied with a traditional life and question societal restrictions and morality. They’re wanderers and explorers, not content to stay in one place for long. Totally me.
Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
My life is very unstructured, but I am disciplined when it comes to my work. I do whatever I’m in the mood to do: write, draw, paint, make costumes, tinker. Fortunately, my muses are good to me and I usually spend several hours a day writing.
What do you have coming up? Any teasers you want to give us?
In September Dreamspinner will publish Snowdrop, a long novella set in the same universe as Boots. Eon and I are also working on the sequel to Boots, and I’m working on the novel-length sequel to Epiphany. I also have some shorter works in progress for various anthologies, and a high-fantasy, m/m/m novel that is almost complete.
What is your writing routine once you start a book?
Like I said, I kind of just follow my bliss. If I get stuck, the best solution I’ve found is a long walk with my writing partner, Eon de Beaumont.
Fill in the blank favorites - Dessert. City. Season. Type of hero. Type of heroine.
Dessert: sour gummy worms
City: So many! New Orleans, Philadelphia, Paris, San Francisco. I’m happy almost anywhere. I’m not a fan of Bangkok but I love the beaches in Southeast Asia. Kyoto. I love Kyoto way more than Tokyo.
Season: Autumn, especially in Japan.
Type of hero: Hmmm. As long as characters are well-rounded and their motivations make sense, I usually like them. I tend to reject the “alpha male” stereotype and prefer a fresher take on the male psyche. Even the biggest ass-kicker in the work doesn’t have to behave like a domineering jerk. I like flawed characters that shine in spite of their shortcomings. But to actually answer the question, I like: mages, assassins, ninjas or ninja-like characters and punk-ass characters who “stick it to the man.” LOL
Heroines: Well, I don’t read or write het, so I don’t experience as many female protagonists. I like the Cherie Priest type of heroine: a capable woman who doesn’t put up with crap, but who isn’t a man with breasts or a cliché “bad girl.” One thing I hate about romance, and its seems to be phasing out, is the idea of a strong, independent woman who eventually submits to the man. These types of characters feel broken to me.
What are some of your favorite things to do, or your hobbies?
What are some of your favorite things to do, or your hobbies?
I like to make all kinds of things: art, books, dolls and creatures, masks and jewelry. I like to wander around aimlessly and explore. I’m a gamer and spend more time on Xbox live than I should. I like to try new foods, but I’m a vegetarian so that limits it in some locales.
Who are some of your other favorite authors and/or genres to read?
Who are some of your other favorite authors and/or genres to read?
I read a lot of manga. My guilty pleasure right now is Kuroshitsuji. The artwork is just so lovely. I recently read and enjoyed David Gaider’s novels set in the Dragon Age universe, The Stolen Throne and The Calling. Cherie Priest is one of my favorite authors, as are Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore.
Which of your books has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
Which of your books has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
Anything I work on with Eon is fun and easy. He’s my best friend and our minds compliment each other very well. I really enjoy writing yaoi manga scripts, because I can get away with so much more than I can with prose. It’s also really fun to see a story transformed into beautiful art. I don’t often have much hardship. Toward the end of Boots for the Gentleman, it started to hurt that my poor boys had been through so much and still had so much hardship to overcome. I felt very empathic toward them but I had to do what I had to do, even if it got rough.
Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?
It’s symbiotic, in most cases, but if I have to choose, the characters and their motivations are everything. Once I understand the characters’ aspirations and their reactions to obstacles, everything else follows naturally. I usually have a loose idea of the plotline, but I’d never sacrifice characterization. I’d much sooner alter the plot than force the characters to act unnaturally. Of course, the society and location the characters exist within affects their perceptions and understanding of various things. A street urchin in a steampunk novel sees the world differently than an aristocrat in a fantasy book.
If we asked your muse to tell us three things about you, what do you think they might say?
Well, Eon is kind of my muse and he says:
- Crazy.
- Meticulous. Perfectionist.
- Excessive. (Don’t ask me. I transcribed this from a text.)
What is your favorite season and why?
Autumn, in the countryside around Kyoto, or in the Northeastern USA. It’s colorful and ambient and I love Halloween.
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.
Boots for the Gentleman, because it has so much action and so many plot twists. The faerie gentleman should be a young David Bowie (think Labyrinth), Kristof, David Tenant, Frolic, Elijah Wood. Lord Thimbleroy should be Alan Rickman. At the risk of putting them against each other again, Daniel Radcliffe would make an excellent Querrilous Knotte. Reggie, Matt Smith. Dink could either be John Hurt or Anthony Hopkins. John Barrowman as the pirate captain. It’s a cameo, but if I can have my dream movie I want John Barrowman in it!
I’d have to find a role for Patrick Stewart as well. He’s so talented and his voice is divine.
I’d prefer my movie be made in Britain instead of Hollywood!
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?
I don’t like to stay in one place for long! I like to be near the ocean because something about it is soothing. My dream would be to have a ship and a crew and just sail wherever I wanted to go at the time.
And here’s an excerpt from Boots!
Dreamspinner Press
Steamcraft and Sorcery Book One
Hired by a mysterious faerie gentleman to steal seemingly worthless artifacts, Querrilous Knotte is seen as a traitor by the humans of Halcyon. But as long as he’s getting paid, Querry doesn’t mind. When his client makes a cryptic comment about a certain house, Querry contacts his old flame Reg—a former street rat who now works in the Royal Archives—to learn if the property contains anything of value.
Though Reg has no answers for him, Querry learns there is indeed something precious in the house, something Reg is convinced will bring nothing but trouble. The armed guards that attack the thief prove Reg’s prediction true, and he can’t leave Querry to face it all alone. Not when Reg’s feelings for the man may not be as extinct as he'd thought.
The trouble is, Querry's heart doesn’t just belong to Reg anymore, and surprisingly, Reg’s heart no longer belongs only to Querry. In the end, it may not even matter, because if Querry, Reg, and their hearts’ desire can’t stop Lord Thimbleroy from draining Halcyon’s magic, they won’t live long enough to regret their unresolved romance.
Excerpt:
Hired by a mysterious faerie gentleman to steal seemingly worthless artifacts, Querrilous Knotte is seen as a traitor by the humans of Halcyon. But as long as he’s getting paid, Querry doesn’t mind. When his client makes a cryptic comment about a certain house, Querry contacts his old flame Reg—a former street rat who now works in the Royal Archives—to learn if the property contains anything of value.
Though Reg has no answers for him, Querry learns there is indeed something precious in the house, something Reg is convinced will bring nothing but trouble. The armed guards that attack the thief prove Reg’s prediction true, and he can’t leave Querry to face it all alone. Not when Reg’s feelings for the man may not be as extinct as he'd thought.
The trouble is, Querry's heart doesn’t just belong to Reg anymore, and surprisingly, Reg’s heart no longer belongs only to Querry. In the end, it may not even matter, because if Querry, Reg, and their hearts’ desire can’t stop Lord Thimbleroy from draining Halcyon’s magic, they won’t live long enough to regret their unresolved romance.
Excerpt:
Finally Querrilous saw the home of his employer. It stood on top of a hillock, a classical-style mansion surrounded by so many sapphire roses that it appeared to float on a cloud of blossoms. The flowers also lined the stone walkway that led to the temple-like abode. As Querry passed the abundant foliage, a swarm of thumb-length sprites, naked and glowing every color, rose from the leaves. He swatted them away with his gloved hand. They bit.
Querry ascended the many white steps and walked beneath columns practically covered in vines. He could have sworn the porch they supported had curved the last time he’d been here. Now it was straight and square. It was hard to say, though. Whenever he left Neroche, Querry always felt like he’d just woken from a dream. The details departed just as quickly too. Sometimes, from the corner of his eye, Querry swore the grand house resembled nothing so much as a white mound perforated by irregular holes, like those dug by badgers or rabbits.
Querry knocked on the door, and a hunched man reaching only to the thief’s belt buckle opened it. He had greenish skin, a bald head, huge, bat-like ears, and a long, hooked nose. He wore a butler’s suit and white gloves.
“Good evening, sir,” the servant said. “The gentleman is expecting you. You’ll find him in his study.”
“And what floor?” Querry asked. Like everything here, it fluctuated.
“The third floor, sir. At the end of the hall.”
“Thank you,” Querry said, heading through the eerie gloom for the staircase. The dusky light that let him find his way came from the walls themselves. Still, he managed to get to the study. Inside, he found his client sitting behind a desk of pale wood. Books lined the walls, reaching dozens of feet high. Between the shelves, silk curtains hung open, revealing windows of beveled glass. A lightning-blue fire crackled in the hearth. Perched on the end of a brocade chaise, a nude, young man plucked a silver harp. His skin and hair were white and his eyes deep violet. Shimmering wings flickered in and out of existence behind him. Though he should have been shocked by such a scandalous display, Querry had learned to ignore his employer’s eccentricities.
“Ah, Mr. Knotte,” said the man behind the desk as Querry entered the room. On cue, the pale harpist stood, bowed, and left the room. Querry watched his willowy, white body as he departed. The door shut softly behind him. “Please sit down.”
Querry took one of the chairs facing his client. The gentleman rested his elbows on the desk and stretched his long fingers into an arch, tapping the tips together. “A successful evening as always, I presume?”
“Um, of course,” Querry answered, reaching to untie the sack from his belt. The gentleman made it hard for him to think. He was stunning—waves of golden hair spilling over the shoulders of his mint, velvet blazer, sparkling emerald eyes, and an angular face that looked both soft and devastatingly masculine—handsome, even by fey standards. Querry could see the svelte line of the gentleman’s long neck stretching toward prominent collarbones and a smooth chest that finally disappeared behind a thin, silk shirt and paisley waistcoat with pearl buttons. Trying not to make eye contact, Querry passed him the bag.
“Excellent!” the gentleman said, clapping twice. Why he was so excited with another gentleman’s old boots, or why he’d pay Querry twenty pounds to steal them when he could buy them for a few shillings, the thief had stopped trying to figure out. A growing pile of things the gentleman had commissioned Querry to burgle sat in the corner: a broken phonograph, a wooden box of old pencils, a cart wheel missing a few spokes, a porcelain doll with only one eye, a matching ladle and fork, a tangled wig, and a set of lace curtains. While the thief suspected himself to be a piece in some unfathomable game, twenty pounds was still twenty pounds.
“My payment,” Querry said, feeling vulnerable. He’d started not to trust himself—his reactions and responses—and needed to leave. The helpless sensation came quicker each time he visited this house.
“Indeed, indeed,” the gentleman said, opening a drawer and sliding a bag of coins across the desk.
Querry snatched them greedily, and found himself embarrassed by his desperation. “Nice doing business,” he said, standing and extending his hand.
The gentleman just stared at his proffered palm. Then, slowly, he got to his feet and came around the front of the desk. His steps, the twist of his waist, and the movement of his hair mesmerized Querry. Querry wondered at how such simple gestures could contain such perfection. How could something as simple as a fingernail be so sublime? The two stood very close now. The gentleman’s chest grazed Querry’s shoulder. He smelled like crushed grass.
“What a fascinating creature you are,” he said in a whisper. He reached up and traced the line of Querry’s brow. The thief felt powerless to resist leaning into the touch. Querry’s eyes fluttered shut. His breath faltered.
Get a hold of yourself—
“You’re far too beautiful for a common thief.” He stretched his neck, so that his floral breath washed Querry’s cheek and his lips rustled Querry’s hair, turning Querry’s muscles to quivering porridge.
“I’m an exceptional thief,” Querry said, fighting for lucidity. He should step away.
A musical giggle escaped the other man. Querry felt it reverberate up his spine. His pores contracted and his cock skipped. “Exceptional, certainly. Even more so, I’m certain, beneath this cumbersome gear and all of these silly machines. What are you like under there?” His fingers moved down Querry’s face and neck, over his heart and to the buckles of his padded vest. He tapped them one by one, as if he tickled the keys of a piano. Querry felt the faerie’s erection against the side of his thigh, next to his pistol. He felt himself turning to face the other against his will.
“You deserve fine, soft clothing. The best food and wines. Nights of revelry and dance. A life free from toil of any kind.” The gentleman’s hands went to Querry’s hips, pulling their bodies together. Querry curved against him and let his head fall backward so that the gentleman could pull his cravat aside and kiss up his neck. Fire bloomed in his cheeks, and a tingle spread across his pelvis. “You could stay here with me. Would you like that?”
Yes! In that moment, it was all Querry wanted. Nothing else mattered beyond the gentleman’s lips, his hair, and his body. Those sparkling eyes that, in spite of the acceptable clothing, the outward trappings of civility, betrayed something wild. Querry wanted to strip slowly and stretch out naked across the desk. He wanted to lay complacent while the gentleman used his body any way he chose. But he also knew that the desire would fade when he left this place. He knew it just as he knew that if he gave in to this lust, in time he’d stop dressing at all. He’d wander the halls nude. He’d stare out the window at the flowers for days on end. He’d forget his name, stop eating—
“No, I can’t.” He pulled away. Predictably, the gentleman looked at him with even greater awe. “I’m afraid I’ve got to be going.”
The fey lifted his chin and feigned indifference. “If you must, then you must. My offer stands. And if you find yourself short on money, there’s a house on the corner of Tinkerton Street that you may want to visit. Tinkerton Street and Grace Lane.”
“You have another job for me?”
“No,” the gentleman said, turning his back to the thief and resting his hand on the surface of the desk. “I have all that I require, for now.”
“Then what—”
“I said, I have what I require.”
Querry stood staring at the golden sheet of hair flowing over the gentleman’s back, fighting down the urge to touch it. He knew better than to ask why his client suggested the address. He could tell when he was being toyed with. Later, free from the dizzying effects of Neroche and the gentleman, he could try to work it out. Now, though, he needed to leave or he never would.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2483My links:
http://augusteli.blogspot.com/
3 comments:
I'm very new to this genre, but it sounds very intriguing. Fairies,magic, and more? You must have had a blast writing.
Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself.
J.M.-Yes, it was a fun book to write. I fell in love with my characters even more than usual.
Dawn-Thanks so much for having me!
Kisses,
Gus
Thanks for coming Agusta. Love the sound of Boots. Def. on my reading list.
Post a Comment