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Single Use Only @pendermackie #RLFblog #contemporary
Single Use Only Pender Mackie, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
your book, Single Use Only.Genre: M/M ContemporaryPublisher: Loose IdCover artist: April MartinezLength: Novel, 257 pagesHeat rating: HotTagline: Mike’s tired of the hook-up scene, Chris hasn’t even
been to a real gay bar, but when the two men meet they discover they have much more
in common than a mutual friend.Blurb:Mike Strenton
is tired of the hook-up scene. All the men he meets in the Las Vegas gay bars are interested in one thing
only and only one night. Been there done that. About to turn thirty-eight, Mike
avoids casual sex until his need for contact is too great to ignore. He secretly
longs to meet someone who sees beyond his laugh lines and broad shoulders to the
sensitive lover underneath. A man who will choose him over the early morning walk
of shame.Twenty-something Chris Bennington has never even been to a gay
bar though he’s into men as well as women. He sees the funny side of just about
everything, including his first time with Mike. Chris wants a lover who doesn’t
have a problem with his quirky sense of humor, his inability to cook or his bisexuality
and he thinks Mike fits the bill. All he has to do is convince the big guy he’s
not just sticking around for breakfast.Buy links:Loose Id http://www.loose-id.com/single-use-only.html http://amzn.com/B00FKHFJAY
ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-singleuseonly-1310144-149.htmlWhat are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?Mike Strenton
is thirty-seven and starting to feel his age. Mike’s the props manager and photographer
for the Erogenous Zone, an all-male revue in Las Vegas.Chris Bennington is a happy-go-lucky twenty-seven. He works as
a blackjack dealer for an older, Irish-themed casino on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.Interview
Tell us about your story’s world. What is it like in this
period or place?Like Stage Fright, my first full-length novel,
this new story, Single Use Only, is set
in modern-day Las Vegas.
Many of the characters are in both stories, though each novel features a different
couple. In Stage Fright, Jesse, the main
character, is closeted. He’s living a lie and that distain for his own behavior
bleeds over into his surroundings. Vegas seen through Jesse’s eyes is a seedy place
full of cheap illusions and tarnished facades.Chris and Mike don’t
see Vegas that way. Mike notices the hummingbirds in his backyard and the way the
sun brings out the different colors in Chris’s hair. Chris just notices Mike. In
Single Use Only Vegas is a playful place.What inspired you to write this book?My editor. Mike and Chris
are secondary characters in Stage Fright and
have a mutual friend, Jesse, who dances at the revue. When I wrote Jesse and Val’s
story I gave Jesse a roommate who was a hopeless cook with an offbeat sense of humor
and a fondness for goofy T-shirts. That’s Chris. I wrote Mike as Jesse’s best friend,
and a kind of mentor for him. Chris and Mike never met in that story, but my editor
thought they’d be perfect for each other. She was right.Which character in your current book do you think readers
will like the most?That’s a tough call.
Some readers will have a soft spot for Mike. He’s been rejected, more than once,
so he’s cautious, but he still secretly yearns to be loved, to be valued. I think
that desire to cherish and to be cherished will resonate with a lot of people.Other readers will enjoy
the way Chris’s mind works. He doesn’t always think like the rest of us and he’s
a little bit clueless at times. But once he figures out what he wants, he goes for
it. He’s a breath of fresh air for Mike and perhaps for some readers too.Why do you write?I’ve always entertained
myself with stories. I still do a mental rewrite if I don’t like the ending of a
movie. Before I started writing my stories down I’d make up a story every night
when I lay in bed, usually picking up where I’d left off the night before when I
fell asleep. Now that I’m sharing I fall asleep faster. I write because the stories
in my head need to get out.When you write, what things do you want close at hand? (Coffee,
water, chocolate… pictures of gorgeous hunks for inspiration…?)I don’t really need much.
Coffee in the morning for sure and keep it coming please. I prefer my laptop, but
I’ll use paper and a pen or pencil if necessary. Single Use Only was written almost entirely from my favorite corner
of my couch. Hardly any chocolate was harmed during the writing of the story, though
many, many coffee beans were sacrificed.What aspect of your life do you write into your books?My sense of humor sneaks
in there every time. I can’t seem to help myself. When I first (shyly) told a friend
I’d written a book, the first thing she asked was, “Is it a funny book?”
She didn’t believe me when I told her it was a romance.When an idea hits you, what do you do to capture it?Usually I scribble it
down on whatever I can find, trying to record as many details as possible. I don’t
like to use my computer then, because I’m usually nowhere near it and I can scribble
much faster than I type. Plus, if I make a typo I always have the overwhelming urge
to correct it and sometimes I’ll lose the flow if I do that.I have a whole file folder
full of scraps of paper, napkins and sticky notes. I even have the rough outline
of a story featuring a police officer, a criminal and a plane crash jotted down
on a cardboard coffee cup sleeve.What other jobs have you held besides writing?I grew up on a dairy
farm so I’ve milked cows (by hand and with a milker) and helped deliver calves.
I’ve been a coat check girl, a waitress, an ice cream scooper, a short order cook,
a dispatcher (for a photocopier repair company, which I’ll bet is not nearly as
interesting as being a dispatcher for the police) and even a blackjack dealer, though
not in Las Vegas. I’ve done a fair bit of technical writing too, which means I automatically
write in the passive voice. I had to train myself not to do that.Which of your books was the hardest to write and why?The ones that aren’t
finished. Seriously though, I always have a spot somewhere in every book where I
think I’ll never finish. Short story, novella, novel, it makes no difference. At
some point I’ll want to chuck the whole thing in the little trashcan icon on my
desktop. If I push through and keep going, I do get past that. I may have to rewrite
a few scenes at a later date, but I do get my mojo back.Do you believe in luck?I do. Not the must-carry-a
rabbit’s foot-in-my pocket kind of luck, but I do believe chance influences outcomes.
Sometimes for the better and sometimes not.What kind of music do you listen to while driving? Same question
when writing?I usually don’t listen
to music while writing. If a song’s got words or is too loud I’ll get distracted
though sometimes I listen to moody, instrumental soundtracks while writing. I love
electronic music. Right now a favorite is the Tron: Legacy Reconfigured soundtrack
and when I’m driving I like my music nice and loud so I can tap my fingers and sing
along.Do you play any musical instruments?Tuba, which I was forced
to learn in high school. No one else would play it and apparently we couldn’t have
a band without a tuba. I also play a little bit of piano, but that’s only because
I can still read music and I learned the keyboard fingering from my daughter. One
day, when I have more time I’ll take lessons and learn to really play.What is your secret talent?I have more than one.
J I can wiggle
my ears plus I can pick things up with my toes. That second one’s a useful skill
when someone’s stinky socks are left lying around like discarded snakeskins. A curl
of my toes and a quick flick of my foot and those babies are in the laundry basket.What’s your favorite movie?I don’t have just one,
but I love action or sci-fi movies, British comedies and film noir. Some
of my favorites are Blade Runner, The Fifth Element, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz,
Touch of Evil… I could go on and on.Please complete the sentence
I love pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers.I’m always ready for chocolate.When I’m alone, I secretly enjoy the fact that no one else
is around, though I know I should be more sociable.You’d never be able to tell, but I’m quite shy.If I had a halo it would be confiscated
pretty quick.If I could go back in time I’d learn several foreign
languages.I can never be an Olympic gymnast because I’m much
too old.Find Me Here
Website/Blog: http://www.pendermackie.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/pendermackieFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pender.mackiePinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pendermackie/Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4716055.Pender_Mackie -
Cover Love: Stage Fright @pendermackie #RLFblog #GLBT
Stage Fright Cover Love at
Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a book and includes only a cover, blurb,
buy links, and social media contacts for the author. Today’s featured book is
Stage Fright, by Pender Mackie.A closeted male stripper falls for an out-and-proud
bartender. Jesse Snowe has no trouble taking his clothes off for an audience,
but if he wants a lasting relationship with his new lover, he’ll need to reveal
more than just his body.Blurb:After six months dancing in a Las Vegas all-male revue, Jesse Snowe is used
to being groped by enthusiastic females, but he’s more interested in Val, the
sexy new bartender. Jesse’s tired of the closet, but when he thinks of coming
out he gets stage fright. The thought of telling his fellow dancers he’s gay
makes his palms sweat and his heart race and not in a good way. Dating Val
under the watchful eyes of the dance captain could reveal Jesse’s secret and
might be more of a gamble than Jesse’s willing to take.For Val Tremain the glamor of Vegas is wearing thin. He’s
even less enamored with his new job, but knowing he’ll see Jesse’s beautiful
body makes it easier to go to work. When Jesse hints he’s interested Val can’t
believe his luck. But Jesse’s latest dance routine encourages a little too much
audience participation and Val struggles with jealousy.Jesse knows his job’s hard on their relationship and being
closeted doesn’t help. Strangers slap his butt every night, yet he’s afraid to
touch his lover in public. If he wants this relationship to work Jesse may have
to reveal more than just his body.Buy links:Loose ID http://loose-id.com/stage-fright.htmlAmazon http://amzn.com/B00B4KBMAW/ARe http://is.gd/J0dHVYFind Me Here
Website: http://pendermackie.comBlog: http://pendermackie.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/pendermackie
