Please join me in welcoming Julia Flowers as she shares with us a little about her writing, as well as a snippet from her latest release, Catriona’s Curse.
1) Links to website and list of books with purchase links.
Books in order of publication:
Acceptance: One Man’s Quest
First Impressions Don’t Count
Catriona’s Curse
All are available at:
Twitter: @alixtheweaver
2) How long have you been writing? What got you in to writing?
I started writing in 2003. I tell people this is my third career. I have four grown children and I was an accountant for forty years. I am an avid reader of romance novels and when I got involved in gay rights, I found that most of the gay novels ended in tragedy. When I mentioned that I wanted to write a gay love story with a happy ending, my GBF said “go for it.”
3) What was your first published book? Looking back, is there anything you’d change about it?
My first book was Acceptance: One Man’s Quest. I think you can always find something you wish you had included, particularly a dialogue.
4) What or Who has influenced your writing?
In 2003, I ended up in a Yahoo group with a couple more straight women, a couple of lesbians, and almost 3,000 gay men. Hearing some of their stories, I was moved to write about them. Stories of parents disowning their gay sons, stories of gay bashings, stories of long-term relationships, the story of a sister who bore a child for her brother and his partner.
5) Where do you get your ideas?
Like I said, I get a lot of them from gay friends. Mostly, they come to me when I’m lying in bed trying to get to sleep.
6) What hinders your writing? (distractions? noise?)
I could be funny and say my cat wanting a treat. Most of what distracts me is other people planning things for me. Like one morning I was just going good and found out that my great-grandson was in a play at his pre-school. Of course, I had to drop everything and go.
7) What genre are you most comfortable with? What would you like to explore?
So far I’ve only written m/m romance. I tried to stay away from too much sex, but several of my gay friends told me I needed to stop sounding like a straight grandmother. This last book also included some history and a bit of the paranormal in the inclusion of Pagan rituals and reincarnation.
8) Are you a by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of writer, or do you have to use an outline to put your collective thoughts into some semblance of common sense?
I usually don’t start with an outline. I’ll start with the beginning, but then I’ll think of something that’s going to happen in the future and skip ahead leaving a blank. In other words, I’ll write chapter one first, but the next chapter I write may end up being chapter ten.
9) Which of your books is your favorite? Why?
It’s hard to say. I think the one you’re working on at the time is your favorite. I like Acceptance because it shows that even the most homophobic father can accept his son. I like First Impressions because it shows that for every homophobic encounter, there are straight allies ready to step up. I like Catriona’s Curse because of the history.
10) Do you incorporate some of yourself into your characters? Personality traits? Likes? Dislikes?
I’m not sure about putting myself into them except for my passion for gay rights. I know I draw from the personalities of my friends for some of my characters.
11) What do you think is the perfect hero/heroine? Why?
I don’t think of looks so much although I do tend to gravitate toward good looks. I think the characteristics of a good hero/heroine are honesty and compassion. Someone who’s kind to people and animals and tries to do the right thing.
12) What is your latest release? Please share the blurb and purchase info with us.
My latest release is called Catriona’s Curse.
BLURB:
When Sunny Nelson walks into the house built by an ancestor, strange things start happening. First, he senses an attraction to April Davis. He hasn’t been attracted to a woman since he discovered the difference between boys and girls. Of course as soon as he sees her brother, Jeff, he forgets April. Later, as he turns the old house into a B&B, he starts having dreams and visions about people who lived in the house. As he and Jeff attempt to build a relationship, Jeff becomes upset when Sunny reverts to the Pagan rituals taught to him by his grandmother.
Together April, Jeff and Sunny work to discover the secret of Catriona’s Curse.
Together April, Jeff and Sunny work to discover the secret of Catriona’s Curse.
13) What do you have in the works?
Right now I’m working on a story of Danny, a high school senior who comes out by breaking the nose of a soccer teammate. He goes on to meet his dream man, goes to college, and they eventually get married in Massachusetts.
14) Do you have any suggestions/comments for prospective authors?
It’s never too late. I didn’t start until I was sixty years old. Don’t give up your dream.
JUST FOR FUN:
1) If you could be an animal, what would it be? Why?
I think I would like to be a bird, like a hawk or an eagle. They seem so majestic. I don’t think I’d like to be a predator though.
2) If you could change three things in the world, what would they be? Why?
Homophobia – there’s too much hate in the world. We need to learn to accept those who are different.
I get upset with people who cannot accept other religions. I am a Christian, but I realize that not everyone believes as I do.
The politics in America.
3) What would be a perfect date for you?
At my age, I’ve given up on dating. But if I had a choice, I would probably opt for dinner and a movie.
4) Is there anywhere you’d like to visit? Why?
I would love to go back to Scotland. I was there nine years ago and loved the country and the people. There were a lot of things I missed that I would like to see.
5) Do you have any obsessions? What are they?
Just gay rights.
Genre: Paranormal Contemporary, M/M, Gay Romance
Format: Ebook and Print
EXCERPT:
Format: Ebook and Print
EXCERPT:
I knew it would be dark before I got back, so I grabbed the flashlight out of my car and headed across the pasture. When I got to the brook, Fetcher lay on a blanket spread on the grass. I smelled the scent of cinnamon from the candle burning on the witches’ stone. Also on the stone was a bottle of wine, two glasses and some food. Sunny stood totally nude in the middle of the brook facing away from me toward the west. In the glow of the setting sun, he looked like a god. Although I didn’t know much about Celtic gods, I seemed to remember the name Lugh as a being similar in nature to Apollo, the Greek God of Light.
Fetcher gave a soft woof as I approached and Sunny turned.
I caught my breath at the sight of Sunny’s muscular body. I thought him attractive Labor Day in his surfer trunks, but seeing him totally naked and aroused, I realized what made the front of his jeans fit so snugly. Droplets of water dripped from his hair and ran down his chest like shiny silver ribbons in the rays of the setting sun. My body responded at the sight of him. A feeling of anticipation caused my stomach to flutter.
As nonchalantly as I could, I asked, “Isn’t it a bit cool for skinny dipping. Besides, the water isn’t deep enough to swim in.”
“The water’s fine; come on in.”
Although I wanted him, I wasn’t ready for him to see my body’s reaction to him. “I think I’ll pass,” I answered.
Sunny maintained a steady gaze as he taunted, “Chicken.”
I stared back into his eyes. I felt hypnotized and started removing my clothes. As I stripped, I walked toward the water. Sunny held out his right hand. I took it and stepped into the water. As I started to speak, Sunny placed the index finger of his left hand over my lips, “Shhh.”
No comments:
Post a Comment