A Naked Interview with Author, F.E. Feeley, Jr.

Welcome to “From Gay to Z”! I’m so glad you agreed to sit down for an interview, but when we discussed the details, I did make it clear that all interviews had to be conducted naked. Yet, here you are fully clothed. I mean, really! That’s just bad form.

(laughs)

Seriously, You’ll have to disrobe before we can continue. You can undress here or in the powder room down the hall if you’re shy and need privacy. Although I should warn you that I’ve installed video cameras in the powder room hooked up to a live Internet feed.

(Laughs harder)

So, which shall it be? Here or the powder room? 

Fuck it! I’ll strip down right here.  Speaking of naked, my husband and I have this rule , to keep fighting to a minimum, that if we argue it must be done naked.  Were hippies like that. Haha.  Keeps the fights down to a minimum, you should try it.

Now that does sound like a fun way to argue. Sure helps speed along the making up! Now, that we’re both far more comfortable, let’s begin! Tell us a little about yourself. Whatever you’d like to share, and really the juicier the better! I mean, you’re already naked. You’ve really got nothing to hide now.

Oh, God where to begin?  Well, I was born in Detroit and stayed there most of my life until twenty in probably one of the most interesting places in the world.  Rough place, rough people, real life, it was crazy.  Joined the military, and funny enough, Detroit had been so bad that military life almost seemed like a vacation. Stayed in for three years and then started the whole college thing.

What got you started writing m/m fiction? Was it just the hot man on man sex or was there some other reason?

HA-HA, I love how your questions are asked.  I wrote it honestly for the romance, I am a helpless romantic.  Honestly, I had no intention of running into this genre.  As a matter of fact, to be honest with you, I didn’t know this genre existed until I was part way through my book. I started googling publishers and ran into Dreamspinner and read through their submission requirements.   Once the book was finished, I ran it through a brief edit and was like…fuck it, let’s see.  I nearly had a stroke when I got the email from Elizabeth saying that they were interested in publishing the book.  Blew my mind.  Made me cry actually I had been so upset that day in particular because it had been the anniversary of something really shitty that happened to me and my partner and was totally prepared to call a mulligan on that day.  That email turned my life around real fast, it was like the Universe was saying, “Hey, sorry for the bullshit, smile for a little while.”  But the hot man on man thing is an added plus too.

Tell us about your latest release The Haunting of Timber Manor.

Well, Timber is a ghost story where I was thinking about Shirley Jackson’s House on Haunted Hill, the first scary story I had ever read and I remembered the first line from it has always creeped me out.  “Whatever walks there walks alone.” That has always set the tone and I think, set the bar, for ghost stories.  Stephen King in his book Danse Macabre, cited Jackson’s book as one of the finest pieces of literature in the 20th century.   So, I guess, I wanted to try my hand at a spooky, ghost riddled  house, and my attempt was to change how ghosts are manifested.  I really worked on memory as the reason why ghosts walked the earth.

The gay element, the two guys in the story, was something that just happened.  There is a lack of good gay……what am I looking for….stories out in the main stream world that is worth a damn.  I mean, sure, there were pioneer things like Queer as Folk or The “L” word which to me essentially was a signal that said “We are here, we are queer and we are not going anywhere.” Then there was the triumph of a movie Brokeback Mountain and I was like okay, okay, there we go and I think queer people are hungry for good portrayals of who we are as a culture, as a people, as human beings.  I mean, we have always existed but have been dismissed in histories pages because it fogged up someone’s reading glasses too much.  Ha-Ha. So, I was like fuck it, here we go and I wanted Timber to be a little more than that. I wanted the relationship to be unquestioned and more or less be in the background instead of the forefront as shock value.   I wanted the book to be more about a perceived insurmountable issue that is triumphed by love.

Do you have a favorite character in the book? If so, who and why?

I have to say Francine is my favorite character.  I had all of these events going on, and I needed to find a way to bring the book to a close, and being a student of history, it was a pleasure to take an African American female, someone who was alive during Jim Crow, during a time of discrimination in the deep south, who knew what it was like to be discriminated against, and have her come out and say what Daniel and Hale had was “Beautiful.”  Besides, she was an elegant, knowledgeable, capable, female character and like Joss Whedon (whom I adore), I appreciate a strong female lead.   Actually, to be honest, I envisioned someone like Vivica A. Fox, or Viola Davis, or the beautiful Alfre Woodward to play the character.  Ha Ha, I’m a huge racial diversity slash feminism supporter.  So, since these actresses are so horribly underrated, this was my nod to empowered women in general.

Which character in the book do you think is the sexiest? What makes him so sexy to you, and what do you think the reader will find sexy about him?

I like Hale, I like how studious he is, how strong he is, how much of a rock he is for Daniel.  I have had the fortune of having men like this in my life regardless of how the relationship evolved whether it be romantic or otherwise.  My husband is the best example of that type.   I find confidence, determination, and a “by God we will see this through” attitude to be sexy.

Are the characters and experiences in the novel based on real life people and events?

I think every author draws from life experience to write either the theme for the book or the characters.  You have to have something to go off of.  I think that is what took me so long to write this book or to write at all.  I mean sure, I had plenty of things to say, but didn’t know what I was going to say exactly because I lacked the life knowledge that I think authors possess.  I have always adored certain writers like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Dean Koontz, and others for their ability to paint a portrait of the world that they envision.  Your there with the characters, you know their nuances…especially Stephen King where he builds this huge arc of characters and setting before he lets all hell break loose.

As far as going through something like this, a dead relative leaving me millions and a gorgeous Victorian in the North West, I am still waiting on that to happen. HA!

But as far as ghosts, I’ve had my fair share of things that have set my head spinning and creeped me out.  It fills people with fear and wonder at the possibilities doesn’t it? I mean, it’s the greatest question that religion and science both hypothesize about, but can’t quite say for sure.  “What happens when we die?”

I just love a good title. How do you go about choosing a title for your book?

There is nothing profound to say in regards to this.  I simply took the title of the house Timber Manor and suggested that it was haunted to entice people.

What is your current work in progress?

I actually have two WIPS, the lingo that I am catching on to.  One of them is another story about a haunting in an Irish estate and the other is about an economic collapse on a global scale and governments reverting back to monarchies to lead nations and the collective dismissal of technology where pirates rule the seas again.  So, the book is set in the future, how far I am not sure, but its in the future and yes both books will again have a romantic element that carries the characters through.  It’s pretty PollyAnnish but I think love does conquer all.  So….yeah…

Now for some fun questions:

A movie is being written about your life. What would you title the movie and who would you cast to play you?

Oh Jesus.  No that’s not the title. HA-HA.  Uh, The Mundane Adventures of Freddie the Writer…I don’t know. What do you say for questions like this? HA HA.  Me would be the title and I would like a break out artist to play me.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Life is pretty crazy.  So I guess, living life and demanding the reins is by far the most arduous thing I have ever done.  It pisses me off so much sometimes and you can’t find out where ‘lifes’ address is so you can go over to his house and beat the shit out of him for throwing you that unwanted curveball.

What’s the one thing that annoys you the most?

I only get one? Oh, honey, there is so much that annoys me, I think a list is in order.

1)   Wet socks

2)   Politicians

3)   A great beat with shitty lyrics

4)   and people who think they know what you need in your life more than you do

5)   Hypocrites.  Which I guess involves number 2 and number 4.  I hate bullshit do as I say not as I do…I have no problem calling people out on it.

I’m granting secret powers, but you only get one. Which do you want and why?

I want the power to be able to Apparate like in Harry Potter.  I hate to fly so I figure if I can just pop in and pop out of where I need/ want to go. I’d be well traveled.

Which cartoon character best represents your personality?

She-Ra Princess of Power.  LMAO. Just kidding.  Shit…I dunno….uh, I would hope that I would be cool like Bugs Bunny but I am such an A.D.D. freak of nature that I mostly resemble The Tasmanian Devil.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

Oh, of course.  Please come and visit me.  You can find me at www.fefeeley412.wordpress.com or at my Facebook page for The Haunting of Timber Manor which can be found by typing the title of the book into the search queue for Facebook and hitting like.  You can also find me under the ‘coming soon tab’ at www.dreamspinnerpress.com or by going clicking here.  So please, yes, come by, say hi, and by all means enjoy the book.  There are more in the works.

Thanks so much for stopping by. It’s been great fun, and yes, you can have your clothes back. I hope you’ll consider coming back for another round of naked questioning after you publish your next novel.

Thank you!  I had fun!

Guest Blog with Chris T. Kat

Jacob, thank you very much for having me on your blog! I appreciate having the chance to get to know some of your readers.

My new novel, a shape-shifter romance, called Secret Chemistry released today. I’m—naturally–very excited about it!

I don’t know about you, but coming up with titles isn’t exactly my strongest suit. Whenever I start a new story the folder usually just gets labeled with the main character’s name. Sometimes it stays this way until the book is finished (worst case scenario). Most often I get some ideas soon after I start writing but nothing really seems to fit. It usually takes me a long time to settle on one title idea and become comfortable with it. I wonder how the process is for other authors?

I like my books to have short titles—it’s just a personal preference—so I try to limit myself to two or three words for the title. On the other hand, I want the title to reflect some of the book’s content or message. In my last release A Purrfect Match the title was a playful hint on Jim’s ability to shift into a cat. I also seem to have a thing for titles that start with the letter S. Secret Chemistry is already the third book to start with this letter. 😉

Secret Chemistry is pretty self-explanatory, I think. Tim and Jay, the main characters, are mates and therefore pulled together by a secret force, a certain kind of chemistry that’s characteristic for mates.  At first they don’t realize what’s going on but at least one of them understands it pretty soon. The secret part in the title stands for various things: their shape-shifting is a secret to the outer world, and their relationship has to stay a secret because Jay’s not a pure-blooded werewolf. He’s a hybrid between wolf and fox and others detests him because of that. Not only do they detest him, no, some of Tim’s pack even go so far as to hunt him solely because he’s not a pure-blooded werewolf.

If you like you are most welcome to participate in the GoodReads giveaway for the paperback version of Secret Chemistry here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/40767-secret-chemistry

 

SecretChemistry

Blurb:

Not all werewolf societies are created equal. The one Tim Evans grew up in detests those not of “pure blood”—so when Tim discovers his mate is Jay, a male fox-wolf hybrid ten years his junior, it shocks him, to say the least. Too young to claim his mate and too weak to protect him from the rest of the pack, Tim fears for Jay’s life. When a human gets hold of Jay, Tim believes he has lost him forever.

The next eighteen years are hell. Tim devotes his life to his family and running their stable, but anger and depression threaten to consume him. Then fate brings Jay back into his life. Tim knows Jay feels the same attraction he does—mates always do. So why won’t Jay act on it?

 

Excerpt: From Secret Chemistry, Chapter Two. Tim is waiting for his parents, together with his four siblings.

 

Tim stood at the large windowpane in the living room, gazing outside. Dusk had begun to settle. Shadows crept toward the house, dipping it into darkness. Even the flowers seemed to fold in on themselves. Their bright colors receded to dull variations of gray.

There was no sign of their mother or father.

Tim started to pace the living room. He’d tried settling down with a book like Daniel had done, but to no avail. Nervously, he paced through the room again and again.

That scent kept pushing its way into Tim’s nostrils, growing more intense by the minute. He wanted to howl in frustration but kept his voice to a low persistent grumble. At least he had deduced that the scent came from another wolf, a male wolf. He had to be quite young because he smelled vaguely like Robin.

First, the scent clearly spoke of a male wolf. Second, it had to be a pup. Third, something unknown lingered in that scent, calling out to Tim like nothing had ever done before.

Tim couldn’t deny his interest in other boys. He had tried liking girls, like his buddies did, but no girl had ever aroused him. Some of the other boys, though… yeah, he had jerked off at the thought of some of them.

He knew he was different and had to come out to his family at some point. He preferred that point to be in the future—a future far, far away. His parents would love him, no matter what, but they would be disappointed in him.

Tim shivered slightly. He hated disappointing his family; he valued their opinion and their respect and feared losing that.

That scent kept luring him. It confused him even as it touched something primal deep within him. It wasn’t sexual, more… spiritual, maybe? Tim didn’t know. A low, pained groan escaped his mouth.

“Tim? Are you okay?” Daniel asked, looking up from his book.

Tim startled and almost tripped over his feet. “What? Yeah, sure.”

“Really? You’re… skittish.”

“Skittish?” Tim snorted. “I’m just burning off some energy.”

“You’ll burn a hole in the carpet if you keep pacing back and forth on the same path for much longer.”

Debra, Laura, and Robin interrupted their play to look at Tim. He flushed, and before he could process what he was doing, he snarled at them. Debra cried out, whereas Laura pulled a baffled-looking Robin on her lap.

“Leave me alone!”

“Hey, hey, stay calm, Tim.” Daniel said, setting his book aside.

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Tim shot back hotly.

Annoyed, he wiped sweat away from his forehead. It was hot in the room, intolerably hot.

That scent filled his nose completely now, and nothing else registered. Tim staggered; he couldn’t think straight anymore. He could only think of hunting down the originator of the scent, burying his nose into the other one’s fur and never letting him go.

A yelp tore free when Daniel grabbed his shoulders to stop his pacing. Wild-eyed and panting, he looked at his brother. Daniel’s eyes widened before he whispered, “Oh shit!”

“What? What’s going on with him?” Laura demanded to know.

“He made Robin cry!” Debra added.

“He did not!” Laura replied. “Look, he’s quiet but not scared.”

A harried smile crossed Daniel’s face. To himself, he muttered, “That’s because he’s not only cute, he totally gets what this is about.”

Tim didn’t have a clue what Daniel was talking about, but the urge to run was too strong now. “Daniel, I have to get out. I can’t stay inside.”

“Tim, I can’t let you go outside. Neither Dad nor Mom would ever forgive me if I let you go outside now.”

Please, Daniel!” Tim pleaded.

He needed to get out, to get to that enticing scent. Whoever the originator was, Tim knew he was in trouble. Tim needed to get him away from the fights; he needed to protect him, no matter what.

“No, Tim.”

Tim shifted, fast. Leaving Daniel no chance to intervene, Tim ran. He jumped over the tea party on the floor, which elicited a laugh from Robin and a terrified cry from Debra. Tim couldn’t stop.

No way could he stop now.

The scent pulled and Tim had to follow.

At the front door, he shifted only partway, so he could open the door. Outside, Tim completed the shift. An eerie howl came from the clearing a few miles away, stopping Tim on the porch. Another howl answered, then more swiftly followed. The wolves had gathered to start a hunt, a deadly hunt.

Tim’s tail tucked itself between his hind legs of its own accord and his fur stood up. That scent became even stronger.

Tim glanced over his shoulder and saw his siblings’ frightened faces, but knew he couldn’t stay at home. Daniel would stay with them and keep them safe; he was sure of that.

I have to go. I’m sorry.

“Tim!”

Author Bio:

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks, or crafts.

Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat

GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisTKat

 

Buy link for Secret Chemistry:

e-book: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3520

paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3521

 

 

3 is Perfect: My Interview on Romance with SASS

I’m over at Romance with SASS today talking about polyamorous relationships and my latest release 3This was a fun interview, where I discuss the origins of the novel, preconceived bias on polyamorous relationships, and how my novel breaks some common romance conventions. Click here to read the post.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Tinnean tagged me as part of the Next Big Thing Blog Hop, and I couldn’t have been happier to participate! While I hate chatting about myself, I just absolutely LOOOOOOOVE talking about the books I’m working on. I’m kinda like an expectant mother who rubs her belly while discussing the baby names being considered and the color the nursery is going to be painted. It’s really an exciting time to be in the middle of a work, still trying to figure out all the details that will get me to the ending as I have imagined.

For those of you who don’t know me and have followed Tinnean’s link here, I’m a relatively new author. My first book 3 released from Dreamspinner on October 15. My second book, also, from Dreamspinner, is titled The Gifted One and will be released in March/April. Prior to Dreamspinner, I also self-published a book titled Moral Authority.

Coverdraft2_3_Flores

Moral Authority book cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, let’s talk about my current work in progress, which is why I’m here as part of The Next Big Thing Blog Hop.

1. What is the working title of your book?

When Love Takes Over is the title, and this book will be Book One of a series I’m calling The Provincetown Series. The books will all take place in Provincetown, Massachusetts, which is, in my opinion, one of the best places in the world. If you’ve never been or heard about Provincetown (or Ptown as it is most commonly referred to), it is a fabulous place on the tip of Cape Cod, where being gay is norm and where acceptance is everywhere. The town is rife with romantic potential with an eclectic cast of characters set amidst its windswept dunes, abundant starry nights, and warm summer days. Provincetown, however, can also present many obstacles to those who aren’t careful. There are no rules in Provincetown, and relationships both solid and newly formed can hit snags among the many scantily dressed men ready to party, the numerous clubs and events with free flowing alcohol, and a casual sexual attitude.

Each book in The Provincetown Series will focus on different main character(s) and chronicle their individual ups and downs as they navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of romance in a town filled with endless opportunities for love and heartache.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

My husband and I have vacationed in Provincetown every summer for the past 6 years, and we are currently in the middle of making arrangements for our return this summer. With as much time as we’ve spent there, I’ve witnessed couples destroyed by the surrounding temptations or made stronger and rise above their foibles. With all I’ve seen, I couldn’t help but turn those adventures into novels.

For When Love Takes Over specifically, I wanted to write a light-hearted, fun story about two men, who both had no intention of falling in love. They are polar opposites in almost every way. Zach is an introverted, insecure, struggling author, and Van is an extroverted, extremely confident, porn star. In Provincetown, they are looking for fun and fantasy to escape the problems in their lives, but after meeting each other, love takes over and sends them to a place neither of them ever expected.

3. What is the genre of the book?

This book is a contemporary m/m romance. There are no action/adventure sequences or murder plots. It’s all about the hilarity, hijinks, and happiness that can occur between two stubborn men who fight tooth and nail against a force bigger than the both of them combined.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

This actually required some thought as I actually used pictures from the Internet of what I imagined Zach Kelly (the author) and Van Pierce (the porn star) to look like, but if I were the casting director, I would choose Toby Stephens to play Zach and Channing Tatum to play Van.

Toby Stephens as Zach Kelly

Toby Stephens as Zach Kelly

Channing Tatum as Van Pierce

Channing Tatum as Van Pierce

Zach Kelly (how I wrote him)

Zach Kelly (how I wrote him)

 

Van Pierce (as I wrote him)

Van Pierce (as I wrote him)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

I have enough trouble writing a two page synopsis. Trying to come up with one sentence is almost impossible. But here goes: After a messy break up, Zach comes to Provincetown looking to find himself and his writing voice; instead, he finds the alluring Van, who causes him to re-think how he’s lived and loved.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency/publisher?

I’m actually planning on pitching the book/series to Dreamspinner, so keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took me almost two months to write the first draft, and boy, it was fun being able to throw myself back into Provincetown and experience it through the eyes of Zach and Van.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

That’s a hard question. I’d like to think that this novel has a Tales of the City Armistead Maupin-like quality, but that may just be in my own head. 🙂
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Basically like I said earlier, my previous experiences in Provincetown inspired me. I wanted to capture the essence of the city and tell its unique story through the characters who seek solace on the tip of Cape Cod.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Well, there’s a pretty hilarious scene in a leather shop where Zach and Van first meet. Let’s just say there’s a rather rotund fellow trying to squeeze himself into a full body rubber suit, and what happens when he falls down sets the stage for the main characters to speak their first words to each other. Beyond that, there’s an underwear party, naked men traipsing in the dunes, and two rather hilarious drag queens named Penny Poison and Suzy Wroughtinkrotch (pronounced Rotten Crotch) 😉

Up Next is Lily Grace, who’ll continue the hop on January 14 and and E.M. Feeley Jr., who is scheduled for January 17. Stop by and check them out!