Getting to know AJ Llewellyn today/Contest

Contest information-AJ is giving away a copy of his new release, Bunyip, to one lucky commenter. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post with your email address and you are entered to win. Contest closes January 25th.

Welcome to Dawn’s Reading Nook, A.J. Llewellyn. Please let my cabana boys get you a drink and make yourself at home. Comfortable? Great…now let’s get down to business.

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

Hi Dawn, thanks for having me here. You have some mighty cute cabana boys running around. I do believe they're flirting with me!

Ahem... I always wanted to write and have been doing so since I was a kid. I wrote my first book when I was eight. It wasn't very good but I thought it was dynamite!

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

The element of surprise. I like taking an everyday premise and turning it on its ear. I like to keep readers guessing and I like when authors I read surprise me, too.

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

I like the fish out of water concept. I remember I took a writing class in Australia two decades ago from a major movie producer, Byron Kennedy, who died soon after in a tragic helicopter crash.

Perhaps it was his violent death or...I don't know, but his words have stayed with me. He said, It is the opposition of wants that creates drama and I have lived by the words as a writer ever since.

Whether it's a straight man realizing he is actually gay (Phantom Lover) or a cop who falls in love with a werewolf (Tame) or a man dating a guy who may or may not have an imaginary pet (Bunyip), I like situations that are uncommon but relatable. The most challenging thing to me frankly is satisfying publishers' demands for sex and more sex and my readers who want a cracking good story. I write sex scenes easily but I don't think every story requires non-stop bonking.

Please tell us about the projects you are currently working on; what can readers expect to see in the coming months?

I have several books coming up, including the eleventh Blood Slave: Nibiru Vampire Warriors book (With D.J. Manly) coming out on January 23. I also have a new psychological drama/paranormal romance called Abandoned Paradise coming to Amber Allure on March 4. I have new collaborations coming up with D.J. Manly - including a psychological thriller called Mirrors and my third Elemental Superpowers book, The Mudpie with Serena Yates and many more. We also have a new anthology coming out with three fresh new stories the three of us wrote for The Sins of Winter. That comes to Total-eBound on February 20. I am really feeling excited about one that I pitched to Ellora's Cave which is quite different to anything I have done.

Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?

I love hearing from readers. They can contact me at aj@ajllewellyn.com and http://ajllewellyn.com is my website.

Do you have a strict writing schedule? How do you balance your personal and writing time?

I do have a strict writing schedule. I get up every morning and write. I write every day no matter what - except when I am really sick - I am battling severe bronchitis right now but I couldn't miss your charming cabana boys! I am grateful that I have publishers who are always willing to accept my new and different ideas.

Which author(s) is your favorite? And who has most influenced you work?

I love so many authors but Lynn Lorenz is one of my favorite M/M authors. I also love D.J. Manly and Serena Yates and Mary Calmes. There are just so many! As for my influences, I would have to say more mainstream authors have shaped my work because I really didn't start to read M/M until a few years ago.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

To eat unlimited cupcakes! 

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

Oh that's easy. Queen Lili'uokalani, last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Islands.

I would have defended her realm and done everything possible to keep her on the throne. I would have kicked those invaders in their asses and sent them home! Then I would have handed back her scepter, made her a cup of tea and baked her a cake.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

Wow what an interesting question. I love all my characters. They are all the most real to me. Perhaps the one I feel bad for though is Mahini, an evil Hawaiian sorcerer from The Forbidden Island. I gave him a happy ending in a short story called Banished I donated for free to eXtasy's Emerald Envisage anthology but he had to be excommunicated to find true love. His story still haunts me.

Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

Yes. I don't know how weird it is but I always want to eat cake when I write. I try to eat popcorn instead. Less fattening. I used to eat a lot of licorice until I discovered it raises your blood pressure!

Tell us about your favorite characters you love when writing. Are the heroes alpha males? Sweet yet shy geeks? And those heroines (if there are any in your story), are they feisty, independent “Take no prisoners” kind of women? Do they love it when a strong man takes care of them, pampering them? Give us the dirt on them.

I have written so many books I can't answer that question in a simple way except I can honestly say nobody can accuse me of writing the same story or same character over and over. I do really try to come up with new and inventive series ideas and characters. I try to find unusual jobs and research them. And then job ideas and book storylines fall in my lap such as Christmas in Flip Flops. I visited with a friend of mine in Honolulu who landed the job of being a dental hygienist on one of the military bases in the islands. It would never have occurred to me to write this story unless I knew about it first-hand. Of course, I twisted and changed it...and here is an example of my fish out of water concept I so adore!

If you could set up your writing desk anywhere in the world to write, no interruptions for 48 hours, where would you go and why?

Exactly where it is now. My living room. I have everything I need right here. Wouldn't change a thing.

If you could be with any celebrity/author/character for a day, who would it be and what would you be doing?

I would be Jack London in Maui during its golden era, exploring the untouched island, writing it all down for my own books... He was an incredible writer. A journalist and author. I identify with him strongly because my journalistic background has given me this passion for stories that are grounded in truth, even if they have vampires or werewolves in them. I would love to be Jack London for a day. What a man!

Tell us where to find you on the web.

My books are out on several publishing sites but please check my website for the latest deets.

http://ajllewellyn.com

Thanks for coming by my Nook blog and hope you come back again soon.

Thanks for having me here, Dawn! xoxo

 

Bunyip: Available at Amber Allure January 15:

Blurb:

Forensic audio specialist Steve Maddox is a busy guy who has no time to date. Balancing a strenuous work schedule and time for his cat and dog, he's ecstatic when his best friend, Silvana, organizes a gay speed dating event, bringing into his life the magnetic and handsome criminal defense attorney, Alexio Manolis.

The two men hit it off instantly, with sparks bouncing off the walls of the Petersen Automotive Museum where the event is being held. Their conversation crackles until Alexio says he has a pet—a bunyip named Norman. Steve feels a little stupid. What the heck is a bunyip? He has no time to ask, though, since he's onto his next "date."

Alexio, however, pursues Steve and the two men start dating. Meanwhile, Steve googles bunyips and discovers they are mythical Australian creatures of Aboriginal legend. It's just impossible. Does this smart and sexy attorney really have an imaginary, violent pet? Or is "bunyip" slang for something else?

Alexio is tight-lipped and keeps putting off the meeting between Steve and his elusive pet. Soon Steve starts to worry when Alexio disappears into his basement all the time and has savage scratches on his body he says Norman gave him by accident.

Is Steve's fantastic, hot new lover absolutely crackers, or does the cantankerous bunyip actually exist? 

Excerpt:

Steve locked up quickly, smiling at Chloe’s indignant yip. Undoubtedly she would pay him back for leaving her by peeing on the floor.

He felt a little nervous as they walked down the path, Alexio’s hand resting lightly on Steve’s lower back. What if Alexio’s family hated him? As they approached the white SUV double-parked outside his house, his fears evaporated. Christos, who had the wheel, smiled at him and his gorgeous wife, Mi Sun, who was sitting beside him, gave him a sunny wave.

Christos looked a lot like Alexio, from what he could see of him. Steve loved that he got to sit in the back with Alexio, who took his hand in his. It felt so nice to have their fingers rubbing against one another. The two brothers kept up a funny banter as they sped across Third Street, turning south on Western and plunging into the heart of Koreatown.

All the signs on every single business in the nonstop strip malls were in Korean. They pulled up outside a restaurant on Sixth Street. The valet service was two dollars. At Steve’s end of town it was ten to fifteen dollars.

He deciphered the restaurant’s name, Dan Sung Sa, from the graffiti out front. Inside, the menu was written on wooden boards. In Korean. Mi Sun graciously asked for English menus and they began to select their dishes.

“Ever tried silk worm larvae?” Mi Sun asked Steve.

He wondered if she was joking. So far his senses hadn’t stopped spinning. Between half the tables of very young Asian students smoking their asses off and the others half smoking and eating—at the same time—the walls plastered with Korean pop posters and more graffiti, he didn’t think he could handle larvae as well.

He couldn’t believe the restaurant allowed smoking. He wondered how much the business owners in Koreatown had paid off the cops to turn a blind eye.

“What do bunyips eat?” Steve asked Alexio over the loud Asian pop music. He tried not to pick out the synthesized musical instrument and the wall of overproduced voices on the track. The hazards of his professional life.

Alexio shrugged. “I spoil Norman. I cook for him. He likes fish…deep sea fish the most. I even buy him wild-caught salmon. He’ll eat chicken. He likes carrots, too. And sweet potatoes. You know what I love here?” He pointed to a dish at the next table. “The chicken and kimchi.” His hand fell into Steve’s lap as he leaned closer to him.

“That’s a great dish. Very spicy,” Mi Sun agreed. She reached a manicured hand over to Steve and stroked his hand. “You are so handsome together!”Steve grinned. He was so intoxicated by Alexio he suddenly didn’t care if the man was a complete psychotic who had an imaginary pet. His brother and sister-in-law hadn’t acted weird at the mention of Norman, so perhaps he was some strange dog. Or…something.

They ordered food, sipping soju, the Japanese version of vodka. After a couple of cups, Steve was feeling very happy and even sampled some of the more exotic dishes Mi Sun had ordered for them.

She and Christos were a fabulous couple. They had two children and Steve found himself feeling giddy with excitement when Alexio said, “I can’t wait for Steve to meet them.”

After a fantastic evening, Christos dropped Steve home. Alexio got out with him. “My car’s parked over there.” He pointed across the road. “I’ll walk Chloe with you, then I’ll drive home.”

Steve didn’t want him to go home. Soon it became apparent that Alexio had no intention of leaving him either. After going inside and kissing each other until both their cocks were hard, Alexio held Steve in his arms.

“Fuck,” he said. “I was going to be so cool and drive off but I can’t. I don’t want to leave you.”

“Then don’t,” Steve said, allowing Chloe to take a little of the man’s attention before taking him by the hand to his bedroom.

“Are you sure?” Alexio asked, even as they began to tear each other’s clothes off.

He saw a pair of long scratches on Alexio’s torso. They looked infected.

“What the hell happened to you?”

Alexio grimaced. “Norman,” he said. “He got a little rough when I gave him a bath. He didn’t mean to hurt me.”

Steve stared at the angry-looking wound, put his mouth to the scratches and kissed them.

Alexio’s hands came to his head, lifting Steve’s mouth up to his.

“I want you,” Alexio said.

Steve couldn’t speak. Alexio’s hands were all over him, sliding his underpants down his thighs, one hand running along the crack of his ass, the other fondling his rigid cock and balls.

“Oh, you feel so good,” Alexio said into his mouth.

Steve reached out and stroked the man’s cock in return. It was the biggest, thickest, juiciest cock he’d ever seen…

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Bunyip.html

Category: Gay, Contemporary, Paranormal, Romantic Comedy,