I’ve been invited to answer these questions by Debbie McGowan, author of contemporary fiction. Her current titles include the series Hiding Behind The Couch, Champagne and Checking Him Out. Further info and download links can be found on her website: http://www.debbiemcgowan.co.uk.
I love Debbie’s works. She’s one of my favorite authors. If you have time, please check out her works. She’s awesome.
What am I working on?
As usual, my head is all over the place, so I’m working on various projects. The project I’m most attached to these days is a friends to lovers story with an age gap between Mcs.
Terrance was Chase’s hero back in childhood, a worship that soon turned to infatuation from his part. But Terrance never saw Chase as more than a cute kid. Wanting to escape from his small-minded town and hoping to get over his childhood crush, Chase jumps to the opportunity to go to university in L.A. where he becomes a famous nature photographer. He thinks his feelings for Terrance are gone, but when his relatives abruptly die in a car crash, Chase is forced to come back home and see Terrance again. All the emotions he tried to suppress, along with the fears and insecurities he felt as a teenager come crushing back.
The story is yet to have a title, but I’m almost done with it, so the title will surely come to me. I’m very curious how the readers will react to the age gap between Terrance and Chase and if they’ll find their reactions realistic enough or too dramatic.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
This is a tough one. Honestly I’m not even trying to make my books different and I don’t really get why they should be. I write M/M and you can find plenty of other books similar to mine in this genre. I don’t think this is a flaw though. Readers who choose M/M lean towards this genre for a reason and, obviously, they look for certain “ingredients”. I, like many other authors, try to offer this ingredients in a nicely wrapped package. we are all different, as individuals. It’s a given our books will be different too. But, thank God, there are plenty of books to choose from and there will always be readers there to support us.
Why do I write what I do?
I love M/M for various reasons. It’s sexy, original, fun and so much more engaging than hetero romance. But, most of all, I like writing M/M romance because I believe love is beautiful and people shouldn’t judge others. I truly hope one day people will stop discriminating against gays. Already, there are many positive changes in the world and I believe M/M romance is a huge help. It’s opening people’s minds. I am proud to take part in this, even in such a small measure.
How does my writing process work?
I am a procrastinator and I get easily bored. Because of that, I always need to have more than one current project. I like juggling between stories and daydreaming about characters, but I hate plotting. I find it a waste of time and I rarely outline stories. At the most, I write a phrase or two about my main ideas and plot points, but the rest is up to my imagination.
I enjoy writing a little every day. Half an hour is enough to get me going, and, usually when I start, I don’t stop until I finish a scene or a chapter.
I hate editing though and I always procrastinate when it’s time to correct the first draft. First, I concentrate on grammar and typos. Then I leave the draft for at least a week and read it again after. I correct more typos. At this point I try to brainstorm what scenes should be cut and if the characters react properly to certain scenes. I usually consult with my betas about it.
Then, I revise accordingly. Leave the draft one more week at least. Correct more typos. Done!
Who’s next?
Unfortunately, I can’t tag five authors, but I hope you guys enjoy Jesse Frankel’s Fabulous Five blog hop answers. He’s an exceptional YA writer whom I truly admire.
Shayla Mist 