Prelude to the Night @loveunleashed #RLFblog #LGBT

Genre: Gay Romance, Victorian Vampires

Publisher: LooseID

Length: 34,000

Heat rating: Medium/Hot

Tagline: Victorian gentleman Christian Fitzgerald’s main passion
is music – until he meets a mysterious older man. Once Christian is introduced to
possibilities he never knew existed, he must decide if he is ready to enter into
a dangerous duet.

Blurb:

Victorian England is a place of double standards and hidden mysteries.
A chance meeting at the opera propels dutiful, innocent Christian into the seductive
arms of an older man.

Valentine has come to England searching for a reason to live.
He walks in the darkness listening for that siren’s song which will recall him to
life. He may have found it in beautiful young Christian but can he persuade Christian
to give up the conventions of society and walk a more dangerous path?

Between the two there are perils in the London fog which could
separate them forever.

The conflict of his comfortable life on one side and the dangers
of loving Valentine on the other threaten to tear Christian apart. Whichever path
he chooses, listening to the music of the night is likely to cost Christian his
soul.

Buy links:

Loose Id http://loose-id.com/newest/coming-soon/prelude-to-the-night.html

What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?

Christian “Kit” Fitzgerald – Gentleman 21

Count Valentine Basarab – traveling vampire – age unknown.

If you could change something about your first book, what
would it be?

I wish I could get it finished! Seriously, the first book I started
writing is still incomplete after 4 years! My Muse Years resolution is to complete
it.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love the creative process; in particular creating characters.
I admit I usually start with an actor’s pretty face and the character grows around
that. With “Wolf in the Fold”, it was Paul Telfer who did a couple of guest spots
in NCIS. Not the buffed up body but that pretty twink face. So Gabriel was born.
As I worked more on the character, and he evolved as I wrote I fell totally in love
with him. I am prouder of Gabriel than of any of my other characters. To think that
I managed to create him – little devil that he is – in all his perfection; loyal,
passionate, intelligent, devoted and an absolute little teasing rogue.

Then I got to do all sorts of naughty things with him. I actually
made myself blush a couple of times and the mere mention of candles makes me come
over all hot and bothered. I am not going to tell you what happened with the candle
as that would be a spoiler. You’ve have to read “Wolf in the Fold” to find out.
I can be a tease too…. I cannot believe I wrote that scene!

The character I most want to sweep me off my feet is Richard
Rochefort, the Highwayman himself. He is totally Jeffrey Dean Morgan – that twinkling
smile could only be his. And his boy is based on a young and skinny Ben Whishaw.

This time around, I have a dark and mysterious character in the
form of Valentine. He is ancient, wise and yet vulnerable in his search for something
to live for – some one to inspire passion in him again – some one to love.

If you could choose anyone to be your mentor, who would it
be?

Saki – his ability to create these sparkling, so alive characters
and to paint a scene with just a few descriptive words. And his versatility – he
can give you the creeps and having you laughing a moment later. The fact that he
is firmly entrenched in my favorite period – gay Victorian England. Actually I would
like one of his characters – the devilishly charming Reginald to be me mentor. He
moves through any society with such grace and knowledge and cares not a jot what
people think of him.

What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?

Ha ha! Don’t make me laugh. I don’t have one. It is a total miracle
anything ever gets written at all. Firstly, I can never come up with ideas. “Wolf
in the Fold” came from an idea from a short story by Saki. “The Highwayman” is a
retelling of Alfred Noyses poem of the same name – only with a lead character getting
a sex change. “Prelude to the Night” was from an idea I had in a dream.

I make Douglas Adams look like a dedicated speed writer. Do you
remember his quote about how he loved deadlines – the noise they make when they
rush by? Well, thank all the gods of writing I don’t have deadlines or they would
never be met. About once a year, I get a sudden rush of urgency and write solidly
for two weeks. I’m driven, it flows, and I love it.

The rest of the year I think it would be great to do some writing,
and so I tidy up my desk, and then start tidying the rest of the room. My house
is really tidy – It’s why I can only ever write novellas. I have several Olympic
medals in procrastination.

How do you cope with stress as an author?

Valium. No seriously – I cope very badly with stress of any kind.
I fret and procrastinate so much I let it build up until it overwhelms me. That
ought to be the competition. Leave a comment with or with out a stress busting tip
for authors and I will pick one at random to win the title of their choice from
my extensive catalogue of three books. Can we do that?

Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?

Blimey! I hope not. I don’t have any friends like that.

Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t
normally read your genre, and why?

“Wolf in the Fold” from LooseID. It was my first published book
and it has many faults I wish I could go back and clear up but it also has Gabriel
in it and I love him so. I’m not sure many people got that it was meant to be a
comedy too – or at least deeply tongue in cheek.

What do you wish I had asked you? Please ask and answer it
now.

What other titles have you come up with for your books?

“Wolf in the Fold” will always be “Buggering heights” for me.
Emily Bronte with gays.

“Prelude to the Night” had the most alternative titles. “There’s
a Vamp in my Pants”, “Buggerers Opera”, and “Capre Antinouse” (Seize the gay).

I have hell coming up with titles. Comic ones – no problem.

What was the proudest moment of your life so far?

When “Wolf in the Fold” came out with LooseID I was off on holiday
with my dad. We decided to have one big posh holiday before his passport expired
and it gets too expensive to get insurance for him. We went on a Nile cruise and
it was amazing. A very small party of people on the tour – and I came up to breakfast
to find my dad talking about me being a published author.

Okay – I also nearly died of embarrassment. Dad knew it was a
romance but not what sort of romance…

Imagine you get to go on a dream vacation, but you have only
one hour to pack and leave, and it starts as soon as you finish this interview.
What will you take with you and where will you go?

Love this question just because it makes me think. – That would
be so liberating. No anxiety, just an hour to pack. Actually, can I have just ten
minutes? I know where everything is.

Knickers – because I am a practical girl.

Nighty – am modest too.

Bedsocks – my feet get cold.

Pashmina – always take a pashmina. It’s like a HitchHikers Guide
to the Galaxy thing but more chic than a towel.

Toothbrush.

Spare contact lenses – because I hate wearing my glasses.

Glasses – because sometimes you have to do what you hate.

Moisturizer – because I am a lady of a certain age.

Shampoo – hotel ones always make my head itch.

Netty my trusty netbook which has all my extensive e book collection
on it and my works in progress.

Credit card – because with only an hour to pack I will now have
the excuse to buy lots of stuff while away.

Camera.

Destination? One of those places with the silver sand, blue sea
and palm trees. I’m not sure where it is but I can just see Sean Connery stepping
out of the waves in his blue swim trunks. Nowhere too crowded, and with stuff to
explore – preferably historical.

I love pizza with my partner.

I’m always ready for trouble.

When I’m alone, I feel sad.

You’d never be able to tell, but if you cut me open I would
have “GEEK” written right though me.

If I had a halo, it would be
slipping.

If I could, I would.

Website: http://angelaplowman.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/angela.plowman