• Gay or MM

    Your Happy End @acosmistmachine #RLFblog #superhero

    Your Happy End 
    EE Ottoman welcome to Romance Lives Forever.
    Let’s talk about your book,
    Your Happy End
    Genre: Gay Romance, Queer Superhero Romance
    Publisher: Less Than Three Press
    Cover artist: Megan Derr
    Length: 14,000 words
    Heat rating: quite kinky to exceptional (depending on your
    glove kink)
    Tagline: Love and robot spiders.
    Blurb:
    By day Jun is co-owner of a comic book shop. By night, he
    provides the high tech gear used by superhero team Ghost Hawk and The Spider.
    Cooper is the computer genius and information specialist behind the vigilante
    known as The Shadow Avenger. Attraction and a love of graphic novels make for a
    good start, but if they want to last Jun and Cooper will have to overcome
    secrets, danger, Cooper’s past and Jun’s firm belief that people in the
    superhero business don’t get happy endings.
    Buy links:
    What are your main characters’ names, ages,
    and occupations?
    Jun is in his mid-twenties, he designs and builds high tech
    equipment for superheroes.
    Cooper is also in his mid-twenties, and works as in
    information specialist for another superhero.
    Interview
    How did you get your start in the industry?
    I had been writing for myself or publishing on the internet
    for free for years never thinking I could actually get published. Then I saw an
    open call over on Less Than Three Press’ website and it looked fun and I was
    between jobs so I had some spare time. I sat down and wrote what would
    eventually be the short story ‘Regarding the Detective’s Companion.’ When I
    submitted it I never thought it would be accepted and was shocked, but very
    happy, when it was.
    What do you enjoy most about writing?
    I love coming up with new characters, getting inside their
    heads and figuring out who they are and how they think. I love world building,
    getting the opportunity to design a culture from the ground up is incredibly
    exciting and challenging. I am getting more and more found of writing plots and
    coming up with increasingly complex twists. I also love writing about sex,
    figuring out how the characters feel about their bodies, their sexualities,
    themselves as sexual people (or not), their kinks and their desires … It’s
    just a lot of fun.
    What is your work ethic when it comes to
    writing?
    I consider my writing to be a job and thus try to treat it
    with the same level of seriousness as I would any other job. I try to make time
    everyday for writing related work. Responding to my publishers and editors as
    promptly as possible is important to me, as is being thorough and trying to be
    as professional as possible.
    How do you cope with stress as an author?
    Truthfully being an author is the least stressful job I’ve
    ever had. Being a full time graduate students is lots more stressful as is any
    of the other day jobs I’ve held. Writing, editing contacting people about cover
    art and such is what I do to unwind. I have learned to pace myself though, to
    take some time off and spend it with my family or just make myself a nice
    dinner and what something fun on tv.
    Do things your family or friends do ever end
    up in a book?
    I think aspect of most people I’ve met end up to some extent
    in books. I am very paranoid about writing someone, living or dead, too
    completely into a book though and usually try very hard not to do that. I want
    my characters to stand on their own and not be tied to an actual person. Places
    though — houses I’ve been in or streets I’ve walked down — will sometimes
    appear in my stories whole sale.
    What are some jobs you’ve done before (or
    while) you were a writer?
    I’ve been a full time student for most of my life. Right now
    I am in graduate school studying intellectual history. I’ve also worked as a
    paralegal in legal aid, as an intern in a human rights investigation office, as
    part of an youth ministry team, as a fast food employee and I am now working
    for resident life at my university.
    Which of your books would you recommend to
    someone who doesn’t normally read your genre, and why?
    I think Your Happy End would be a good one if you were
    looking for something fun and sexy but didn’t know where to start. It’s a
    short, light hearted story that doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t too
    deep or angsty. I think it would be an enjoyable read to dip your toes in the
    water, especially if you were a superhero fan or a fan of geeks falling for
    other geeks.
    If you love fantasy or horror but weren’t too sure about the
    whole gay romance thing then I’d definitely keep my eyes out for my upcoming
    novel Like Fire Through Bone which is fantasy/horror adventure story with a
    solid romantic subplot and some pretty hot sex scenes. There is definitely
    enough fantasy and horror there though that I think genre fiction fans would
    enjoy it.
    What kind of books do you read when taking a
    break from your own writing?
    I read a lot of LGBTQ romance and erotica. I also love
    reading fantasy, science fiction, and gothic horror. I read a lot of
    non-fiction both for research for my writing and for my history degree. Every
    so often I read mystery and historical fiction as well.
    What do you think is the future of
    traditional publishing?
    It’s hard to say. I think ebooks are the way of the future
    although I doubt paper books are going anywhere anytime soon. We will continue
    to see more small presses springing up and do quite well. Although I do think
    there is a case for self publishing, there will definitely continue to be a
    place for traditional publishing.
    What is your favorite holiday and why?
    I adore Halloween. I love watching horror movies, reading
    horror stories and making slightly scary food, getting dressed up. It is one of
    my favorite times of the year.
    What do you like to do when you’re bored?
    I very rarely getting truly bored because I am almost always
    doing something. When I have some spare time though tend to I cook, usually
    something complicated and time consuming. I knit, I just finished knitting a
    Doctor Who replica scarf. I wanted it to be as close to the one Tom Baker wore
    in Ark In Space as possible. I read, I watch tv, mostly though I write.
    If your life became a movie, who would you
    want to play you?
    Mark Gatiss with glasses, his natural hair color and some
    awesome suits. It would involve mummies, haunted houses, ornithology, mysteries
    in Manhattan’s Chinatown,
    fashionable menswear, and a great deal of alcohol and geekery.
    Please underline which statement is
    more like you:
    “I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and
    relaxed.”
    “I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation,
    because I do things as fast as possible.”
    Please complete the
    sentences
    I love pizza with mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, tomato
    slices, olives, veggie sausage, and goat cheese.
    I’m always ready for unexpected wormhole through space and
    time or possible rescue abandoned kittens.
    When I’m alone, I talk to myself, but mostly write.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I am just a little bit
    weird. And unusually short.
    If I had a halo it would be made from the bones of my
    enemies.
    If I could model vintage inspired menswear I’d do it in a
    heartbeat.
    I can never be a professional pole dancer because I’m not
    coordinated enough.
    Find Me Here