Hi everyone–
Today, my friend Jet Mykles released her fourth book in the Leashed Series called Tangled Leashes. This is one of my favorite series from one of my favorite writers–the woman who turned me on to the joys of writing MM. Surprisingly, the Leashed series is a MMF menage and paranormal too. Shifters and witches, baby. You can find the book at Loose Id.
A little over a year ago, when i had my first book, Genetic Attraction, published by Loose Id, i wrote a variation of this blog post and Jet was kind enough to post it on her site. Then i posted this variation on Fiction With Friction. In honor of the new release of Leashed 4, i want to post it again here —
For years, people told me I should write a book, but I couldn’t imagine what I wanted to write about. Then I started reading Jet Mykles, and less than three years later, I’m a published author with nine published novels and the tenth, Beach Balls, to be released on May 4th from Etopia Press and another new book coming in July. Reading Jet’s books was better than all the fiction-writing classes (although I did those too), because through Jet I discovered my passion for passion. For the first time, I found something so fun and exciting it would write itself (hmmm. Not quite that easy but certainly a lot of FUN). (Jet can now put “muse” on her resume.)Here’s what Jet taught me:
- · It’s impossible for heroes to be too beautiful – Don’t tell me my heroes Roan Black in The Scientist and the Supermodel or Hunter Fallon in Fire Balls couldn’t exist in real life. Erotic romance fiction isn’t real life. The likes of Johnny in Heaven and Shasertai in Sursein Judgementare compelling to me and lots of other readers.
- · Characters benefit from being a little (or a lot) over the top – Many writers concentrate on “real people”, but I find I best remember the ones that stand out from the crowd. Have you ever met anyone quite like Jet’s Hell? My artist hero in Fire Balls is flamboyant and wild and a black belt in karate. My kind of guy.
- · It’s possible to write great conflict without unspeakable angst – When conflict gets too intense in books, I often feel like closing the cover and walking away. (I avoid the Russian authors and love Jane Austen) Jet makes her readers wonder how the characters will ever get out of their mess – while being totally confident that it will happen.
- · Relationships between people are diverse, wondrous and mysterious — Jet’s books avoid labels and categories. She has straight men falling in love with other men, gay men falling in love with women, all with a minimum of chest-pounding. Is this real life? Who cares? It’s great fiction. I’ve tried to carry on some of this tradition in my books too.
- · Once your characters grab ahold of you, they don’t let go – Jet’s book are almost always part of series. I never intended it, but I’ve published nine books as of now and seven of them are part of series. My book, Spell Cat, is the first in The Aloysius Tales, Beach Balls will be the third book in the Balls to the Wall series, and Sinders and Ash could also become the first book in a contemporary fairy tale romance series. Jet just has to tell me how to find time to write them all!
The bottom line is — thank you, Jet. You have always been generous with your help, and, above all, a huge inspiration to many writers like me. I’ve learned great lessons from your fiction and, hopefully, have put it to work in my books. Oh yes, I forgot to mention. We both love Adam Lambert.
Beach Balls, as i mentioned, is coming May 4th. Watch for the blog tour starting soon. Check in at Beautiful Boys Books for all the details. Meanwhile, you can join my enewsletter and get updates on blog tours, hops and contests, just by joining at the top of the right hand column. Plus, i love blog followers! Thank you for stopping by. : )