It’s my pleasure today to welcome Michael Mandrake, alter ego of Rawiya and erotic story-teller of the first order. I’ll let Micheal tell you about himself while i thank Rawiya for hosting me on her blog today as well. When you complete your time with Michael, pop over and check out my visit to Rawiya.

Buy Link: http://shop.renebooks.com/default.asp

Fellow authors, Em Petrova, Ike Rose, and Daisy Harris


“Only When I Lose Myself” – Michael M


MM: Greetings readers and thank you Tara for allowing me, Michael Mandrake to have the floor today. Rawiya and BL are still hanging around with the people at Wicked Sexy since we had such a great time with them.

However, here I am, with one of the characters from my latest stories, Only When I Lose Myself


Adrian: Sorry, the MAIN character, the star. (Adrian crosses his legs)


MM: Yes, right, the main character in the book, Adrian Vanderguard, singer, songwriter…


Adrian: Millionaire, and world class lover. (Adrian looks up in the air and grins)


MM: (Michael clears his throat) Right, well thank you for being here today. My first question, give us a little background about you other than what I’ve said.


Adrian: Well, I’m in my late twenties, an entertainer from Britain, who loves to perform and quite obviously, I’m not only good at what I do onstage, I am also good off it.


MM: Yes, indeed, so, please, tell the fans a quick sum up of the book?


Adrian: Well, if I talk too much Michael then we would be giving away some secrets, especially if you intend to get some more words written.


MM: Yes, very true.


Adrian: Well, then, let me give the good people a summation without giving any spoilers, yeah?


MM: Go on then.


Adrian: Great, well, basically in the story I’m on tour in New York, ending my long journey before I go back to London. I have made up my mind that I want a lover before Valentine’s Day and my target ends up being a very sexy environmental engineer…(Adrian rolls his eyes) that works for the venue in which I am performing.


MM: What’s his name?


Adrian: His name is Matthew Gionapolis. He’s very attractive, and when we first meet, he basically gives me a lot of shit but eventually he warms up to me…really warms…up… (Adrian grins, licks his lips)


MM: Right (Michael shakes his head.) Okay then, and so, as far as your character, tell the audience more?


Adrian: I am the most successful entertainer since the late Michael Jackson, as I stated, a millionaire, and a very sexual being that is looking for love. Will I find it in the book? Well, you just have to keep reading to find out. (He smiles, nodding)


MM: Thank you Adrian. Lastly, why don’t you tell the good people about the book, where they could find it, etc.


Adrian: The book will be released by Sizzler Intoxications, from master editor Sascha Illyvich, written by you, brilliant writer, Michael Mandrake, just in time for hearts today.


MM: Wonderful Michael, thank you so much for stopping by today. I know we have more to discuss but we’ve taken enough time on Tara’s blog. Thank you so much Tara for allowing us to come today. Please go buy the book when it becomes available.

Adrian: Thank you Tara, goodbye for now.


And now, lets get to know Michael a little better with a short interview.


1 – You write so much in the short-story form. I think this form is very challenging. Can you tell us a bit about how you go about developing a short story? Well, all the ideas and characters just come together. Now that I have written my first novel, this has become especially hard since all my muses want longer stories. *laughs* In anything I write, I let my characters give the direction. Sometimes, they just feel that the idea may only warrant 5-10 because they may want the action to happen fast. I don’t usually interfere with what they want but we do disagree and eventually come to a resolution.

2. How does writing a novel differ from the way you approach the short story form? It doesn’t. All of my writing is character driven. My characters in my Series African Sun have all got interesting stories to tell. They have filled my head with enough ideas to make 4 books. Only one is completed, the second one is close to being finished and the other two are waiting their turn

3. How did you get started writing? I actually began writing in my teens about my favorite things, poetry etc. I did not start erotica until my late teens early twenties when I started writing my fantasies down about the men I liked or my favorite characters on TV. I only began writing for publication last year so I am very new.

4. Do you tell your family and friends you write erotic stories? How did you break the news? LOL All my friends know that I write erotica and they were not surprised. *laughs* Since my early twenties, I have become a person that speaks my mind, sometimes albeit, not in the most formal ways. I’ve always been open minded sexually, telling everyone what I liked and so forth. My friends encouraged me to pick up the pen again and get published. With family, they know, mom and my younger brother are the only ones that have really commented. When I told both they were kind of taken aback but they don’t criticize me so it’s good. With my immediate family, my spousal equivalent is very supportive allowing me to be a writer while he works full time. My 12 year old knows it too. He knows I writes “adult” stories. I’d rather him know than not know.

5. What is your favorite story you have written so far? Why? Well it changes each time I finish one but right now is the one I just discussed in the interview, “Only When I Lose Myself.” The tale is about a musician who wants a committed relationship by Valentine’s Day and ends up finding a man on his current world tour that he wants to take back home with him. The man he is falling for has a form of ADD, but because he finds him very unique, and attractive he looks over his dysfunction but his partner is not sure he is ready for this.

Its my favorite story because it is based on a person I talk to online. He’s a younger man with this form of ADD and because he seems like such a sweet person and I had never heard of this form he has, I was able to develop this tale by talking with him through email as well as doing research on my own.

6. what are you working on now? What am I not working on…*laughs* I’m looking to finish “Lose Myself” and another story that is a short turned longer called “Longing for a Normal State of Vertigo.” I also have a novella in the works as well as several submissions that are in the cue to be published somewhere in the near future. I have my series African Sun which I already talked about and Deliverance, my M/M paranormal that has to be rewritten, again, I hope to finish that by summer so I can submit it for publication.

I also have my blogs to maintain as well as my hobby writing sites where I assist other “inspired” people to get their work read by others.

7. What is your life motto? Never tell a book by its cover. I’m sure if you look at my picture, I look like an everyday parent but I love eighties pop, heavy metal, still go to rock concerts, watch porn as a hobby, and I love sports. That has always been my thing to not be what people expect me to be.

Thanks Tara! 😀

Thank you, Michael. and lets ask our readers, what’s your life motto?