Fabulous 5 Blog Hop

The always-wonderful Charlie Cochet tagged me for the Fabulous Five Blog Hop.

1. What am I working on?

I always have lots of things going in different stages! I’m just beginning to write an urban fantasy novel based on raven mythology. If all goes well, it’ll be the first in a series. I’ve also begun a partnership with the talented Venona Keyes on a contemporary novel about a runner. I just submitted a contemporary novella called “Grown-Up” about a guy who realizes it’s finally time to grow up. I’m in edits for a short story called “Standby,” which will release October 10 in the Stranded anthology from Wayward Ink Press. I’m just about finished on edits for my novella “The Dance,” which will be in the second Gothika anthology, Bones. It has a voodoo theme and I’m joined by 3 wonderful authors. It’ll be available October 27. I just finished the galley proofs for my third Bones book, Bone Dry. It comes out October 10. And… I will soon be in edits for my holiday short story, “Saint Martin’s Day,” a part of Dreamspinner Press’s Advent Calendar package.

Yes, I use a spreadsheet to keep track.

2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?

When you read my previous answer, did you notice the stories spanned several genres? Contemporary, paranormal and urban fantasy. I’ve also written lots of fantasy and even a historical. I think my inability to stick to a single genre is one thing that sets me apart. I blame my muse. But I figure love is love, wherever, whenever, and whatever, and good writing should be enjoyable no matter what the genre.

My heroes tend to be untraditional. They’re introverts. They may have disabilities. They are not necessarily breathtakingly handsome. But still they find love.

Also, I have a teeny tiny tendency to torture my poor guys before finding them a happy ending.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I have to. Seriously, I’d write even if I knew nobody else would ever read a word of it.

I fell into m/m romance accidentally. I took a deep breath and wrote my first novel, Stasis, for NaNoWriMo. And the story that came to me just happened to involve a gay man (who’s also a wizard of sorts and who has several major issues!) who rescues another man from a terrible punishment.

And then a lot of other stories followed!

4. How does my writing process work?

I keep a (long) file of story ideas. I generally write only one thing at a time (although there are exceptions). I write a story all the way through (usually on my laptop at my kitchen table) and don’t allow myself to edit until the first draft is done. Then I go back, reread, and fiddle with it. I send it to my lovely beta for a couple rounds of editing, and voila!

5. What’s next on the blog hop? Some of my favorite authors, that’s who:  Eli Easton, Jamie Fessenden, Andrew Q. Gordon, and Tali Spencer. (Yes, that’s only 4. So sue me.)