Today I have five questions with Valentine Wheeler about NO PARKING
Who is the star of your book?
NO PARKING by Valentine Wheeler
NO PARKING’s main character is Marianne, a divorced 60 year old bakery owner in small-town Massachusetts. She’s lived in the same town all her life and knows everyone in it and all their secrets… or so she thinks.
What is your story about?
It’s about finding your place. And it’s about making space for yourself when you really haven’t in a long time. It’s about taking charge of your life and your happiness, and it’s also about how great baked goods are.
When is it set?
It’s contemporary, but the history of the town is crucial to the story!
Where is it set?
A fictional town to the southwest of Boston. Massachusetts is a small state with very distinct regions, and the towns on the edge between the Boston suburbs and the rural parts of the state walk a really interesting line.
Why this story?
I wanted to write something about older bi women–so few stories feature older queer characters, and bi women especially. I want to be able to see people like me aging comfortably into themselves and not having to struggle with their identity. This isn’t a coming out story. This is a coming home story.
Valentine is a latecomer to writing, though
she’s always been a passionate reader. Through fanfiction she found her
way to an incredible community of writers who’ve taught her to love
making stories.
When she isn’t writing, she’s making bad puns, yelling about television, or playing with her small child.
Her life’s ambition is to eat the cuisine of every single country.
Today’s five questions are with Kevin Klehr about Winter Masquerade from Ninestar Press!
Who is the star of your book?
Although Ferris is the main character, I’ve learnt never to assume who will be the star of a book. It was Guy, the insecure angel, that readers fell in love with in my first novel, Drama Queens with Love Scenes.
So, in this tale, there’s a cast of whimsical characters who could be the star. There’s Janus, a miniature flying horse who helps the Detective solve cases. There’s Molly, the absent-minded mistress of The Alchemist, who is also his wife’s best friend. Or maybe it’s Cole, Ferris’s love interest who wears sunglasses and a white suit, playing it oh so cool throughout the story.
I’ll let the readers decide who the star is.
What is your story about?
In short, it’s the story of Ferris who wakes up on the Sea Queen, a mystical cruise liner sailing on a chocolate sea. He misses his boyfriends in the real world but the only person who can help him, The Alchemist, has been kidnapped.
But while the novella is eccentric and childlike, it explores dark themes within the gay community.
When is it set? Where is it set?
Ferris lives in present day Sydney, but the ship he finds himself on is timeless. It sails forever, hosting one masquerade ball after another.
Yet the world the Sea Queen inhabits is known to go steampunk from time to time.
Why this story?
I wanted to explore an experience from
my own past. Several decades on I felt ready to re-examine it in a fantasy
setting.
You watch the trailer for WINTER MASQUERADE here:
Author bio
Kevin lives with his husband, Warren,
in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia’s own
‘Emerald City,’ Sydney.
Kevin Klehr
His tall tales explore unrequited love
in the theatre district of the Afterlife, romance between a dreamer and a
realist, and a dystopian city addicted to social media.
His first novel, Drama Queens with
Love Scenes, spawned a secondary character named Guy. Many readers argue
that Guy, the insecure gay angel, is the star of the Actors and Angels book
series. His popularity surprised the author. The third in this series, Drama
Queens and Devilish Schemes, scored a Rainbow Award (judged by fans of queer
fiction) for Best Gay Alternative Universe/Reality novel.
So, with his fictional guardian angel
guiding him, Kevin hopes to bring more whimsical tales of love, life and
friendship to his readers.
Today’s five questions are with Chel Hylott & Chelsea Lim about UNDERGROWTH!
Who
is the star of your book?
Undergrowth by Chel Hylott and Chelsea Lim
This is a hard one because the sentient carnivorous rainforest is so spooky and creepy itself, but… Mariam—she’s our narrator! She thinks she’s selfish, but when it comes down to it, she’s a survivor. Survival doesn’t preclude compassion.
What
is your story about?
Undergrowth is about deals with the devil and all
the terrible things that can happen when you don’t follow through, but it’s
also about building family when the world around you is falling apart. Oh, and
a planty apocalypse. Can’t forget the
jungle from hell.
When
is it set?
It’s contemporary and set during the spring and the summer.
Where
is it set?
Technically, it’s set in Los Angeles, but honestly? It’s not any LA that
we would recognize. In Undergrowth, LA has been taken over by a sentient
and dangerous rainforest: super smart and violent creatures, plants that can
literally choke the life out of you, and of course, lots and lots of rain. So, not really LA. But kind of!
Why
this story?
Because we wrote it when we needed
family. And it seemed beautiful to make
one like that, on the page, and for each other.
Undergrowth was written by two
friends, Chel and Chelsea.
Chel Hylott is a Brazilian-American living in the UK with her wife and pug. When
she’s not writing, she’s reading Tarot. Find her curled up on her setee reading
when it’s cold and wet, basically all the time.
Chelsea Lim is a writer and teacher living in Los Angeles, which she almost wishes were as green as it is in Undergrowth.
_____________________
The book sounds amazing! Thanks for stopping by to talk about it!
Today in my series of five questions with authors, it’s DEZ SCHWARTZ!
Who
is the star of your book?
Haunted Road Trip is the third book in The
Dead Oaks, a YA LGBTQ Paranormal novella series. The series has two main characters, Jasper
Jelinek and Wesley Shain. This
installment focuses more heavily on Wesley (“Wes”), a theater kid with a
passion for the paranormal, and the personal challenges he’s facing heading
into college life.
The Dead Oaks by Dez Schwartz
What
is your story about?
The Dead Oaks series is about a group of amateur teenage paranormal investigators and Haunted Road Trip is exactly what you’d expect; they take their passion for ghost-hunting on the road in an effort to visit some famous haunted locations in their home-state before they all have to head into the next phase of their lives.
When
is it set?
This is a contemporary story set in the midst of summer; mostly at night.
Where
is it set?
The Dead Oaks takes place in the fictional town of Hazelwood, CT. Haunted Road Trip visits several spooky locations which are loosely based on real-life haunted places in Connecticut. I chose Connecticut for this series because it is widely regarded as one of the most haunted states in America which gives me plenty of room to work with any ideas that pop into my imagination.
Why
this story?
Haunted Road Trip deals with the pressure
most of us feel to be successful. Unfortunately,
sometimes we let our success be defined by societal or family expectations
which can be overwhelming and stifling. This is a common, and important,
struggle that teens face heading into adulthood and I felt it was necessary to
explore that with Wesley’s character.
AUTHOR
BIO
Dez Schwartz
writes Dreampunk and LGBTQ Paranormal
Fiction about dapper occultists, ghost hunters, and scheming supernaturals. Her
Dreampunk series, ROAM, is now available through NineStar Press.
When she’s not
writing, Dez likes to research the supernatural, draw, and take Disney trips.
Dez lives with
her husband, daughter, and pirate crew of pets in a small Texas town that is
home to a handful of historical haunts.
Never miss an
update! Please visit Dez’s website to join the mailing list:
A Vampire’s Redemption is the second book of the Inquisition
Trilogy, and turns the reins over to a new couple in the group: Caleb,
everyone’s favorite, punkish werewolf from the first book, and his newly found
mate, Marcus, who is a vampire.
What is your story about?
With
the Inquisition revealed to be the evil entity they truly are, the organization
is crumbling and the members who’ve escaped capture are on the run. They aren’t going down without a fight,
continuing to weave unknown plots and digging in at Inquisition hideaways. Allied military forces have been tasked with
rooting them out, including Shaw’s spec-ops team. But, the military aren’t the only ones
getting their hands dirty.
When is it set?
It’s
contemporary, set in modern day with all the conveniences you’d expect,
however…
Where is it set?
The
trilogy is set in the world of Eiocha (named after the Celtic creation myth),
where magic exists. Various fantasy
races have lived side-by-side with mundane humans for hundreds of years, though
not without some issues. Book 2 still
finds us in the country of Osterian, but we also get to visit Calagon this time
around, and even more of the world is introduced as it stretches out before us
in the form of backstories and Inquisition plots.
Why this story?
When
I began writing the first book, it was intended to be a novella, but it quickly
grew a lot more plot and became a full-blown novel. That was when Caleb decided to fall in love
with Marcus and what was once a novel became a trilogy. Honestly, it was the best thing that could
have happened. One book couldn’t contain
the massive world I had created in my head.
So, why this story in particular?
Well, this one is simply because a werewolf looked at a vampire and said
“That one’s mine.”
Blurb: Marcus was likely dead, killed by the
Inquisition, or so it was believed. Then the vampire was found, broken beyond
words, in an isolated prison fortress. Marcus had never expected to see
daylight again, let alone be rescued by his mate. Now he worries he’ll drag
Caleb into his darkness.
Caleb was the one who pulled Marcus out of his
prison cell, and he’s determined to drag him from the nightmares of his mind as
well. After all, that’s what mates are for, and Caleb had lost hope at finding
his. And if he can help destroy the entire Inquisition? Well, all the better.
Dealing with Marcus’s physical and mental
healing from his trauma is difficult enough, but Inquisition holdouts are
causing chaos everywhere, and sinister plots are rampant. Marcus and Caleb have
no choice but to fight back. It’s a good thing they are not alone.
History nerd, film buff, avid gamer, and full-time geek; all of these things describe Casey Wolfe. They prefer being lost in the world of fiction—wandering through fantasy realms, traveling the outer reaches of space, or delving into historical time periods. Casey is non-binary and ace, living with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, all of which informs their writing in various ways. Happily married, Casey and their partner live in the middle-of-nowhere, Ohio with their furry, four-legged children.
Holden Fay. He’s a fae-vampire hybrid who is looked down
upon for his mixed heritage. He’s a nice guy just trying to make his way in the
world.
What is your story about?
When a series of violent murders rock the supernatural
community, Holden must join forces with witch leader Valerius Blackwood to find
the killer. The fact Val is Holden’s crush only complicates matters!
When is it set?
It’s set in the modern era. To be exact, in 2017.
Where is it set?
The action takes place in London, England.
Why this story?
Back in 2017, I was watching a lot of supernatural TV shows
while also rewatching NBC’s Hannibal, and they all kind of blended together in
my mind to create this story! Holden and Val came to me as characters first,
and the rest of the plot slotted into place from there.
Blood is Forever
Asta Idonea
NineStar Press
74,000 words
MM/Paranormal Romance/Murder Mystery
Sometimes catching a murderer means risking one’s heart.
As a fae-vampire hybrid, scorned by all, Holden’s life has never been easy. The one bright spot is his job testing blood at supernatural crime scenes. It’s routine work, until the day he finds a victim he can’t read.
When one murder becomes two, and then three, it’s clear there’s a serial killer on the loose—one with a penchant for collecting hearts. Finding the bad guy could cement Holden’s career, but he’s drawing a blank. And it doesn’t help that the expert his boss calls in to assist him is the man Holden’s been crushing on for years.
With lives hanging in the balance, Holden and Val must solve the case before the killer strikes again. But will they come out with their hearts still intact?
You can watch my interview with DUBLIN CITY FM here:
We discussed my writing and in particular my new novel THE LION LIES WAITING. From how I went about building the world of the book to the way it builds upon events in THE MOTH AND MOON.
You can buy both novels using the following links:
For this instalment of W5, I’m delighted to welcome JP Jackson!
Who is the star of your book?
James Martin is the protagonist of Magic or Die. He is more
of an Anti-hero. At the beginning of the book, he’s drunk, living in a studio
apartment, lost – just a mess of a human being – when he gets a call from the
CMRD (Centre for Magical Research and Development). That call changes
everything and drags James back through haunted memories he’d rather not face.
The facility that once saved him now threatens to destroy him.
What is your story about?
Magic or Die is about a few things. Survival, becoming
part of a team, learning to trust others, and finding out how to let go.
When is it set?
The story takes place in the here and now – but in an
alternate reality where a percentage of the population is born with
magical/supernatural abilities.
Where is it set?
I’m always careful to ensure that my stories are Canadian
based. But I’ve never really said exactly where the story takes place. It could
be Edmonton, (where I’m from) or maybe Calgary, or Saskatoon, or…Somewhere on
the Canadian Prairies. That much is certain. I toyed with the idea of it taking
place in Vancouver – but Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver always get all the
action and I wanted to spread the Canadiana love around.
Why this story?
I have a serious love of all things dark and magical. If it looks like it might eat you or maybe help you…that’s my jam. There’s not really enough Urban Fantasy/Paranormal books out there that dance on that fine line – The Sookie Stackhouse series – the books the TV show True Blood were modeled after, are close. Those were written by Charlaine Harris. She has another series called Midnight Texas. Love both of them…but I wanted something edgier, a little darker, and of course, where the main characters were LGBTQ+. Both of those series have gay and lesbian side characters, but I’m tired of being the side character. I want books where we’re the heroes.
Magic or Die is the first book in a series, and each book will progressively get a little darker. Hopefully, someone will get eaten. ;o)
Blurb: James Martin is a teacher, a powerful Psychic, and an alcoholic. He used to work for the Center for Magical Research and Development, a facility that houses people who can’t control their supernatural abilities, but left after one of his students was killed, turning to vodka to soothe his emotional pain. The problem is he still has one year left on his contract.
When James returns to the CMRD to fulfill the rest of his contract, he finds himself confronting the demons of his past and attempting to protect his new class from a possible death sentence, because if they don’t pass their final exams, they’ll be euthanized.
James also discovers that his class isn’t bringing in enough sponsors, the agencies and world governments who supply grants and ultimately purchase graduates of the CMRD, and that means no profit for the facility. James and his students face impossible odds—measure up to the facility’s unreachable standards or escape.
J.P. Jackson works as an IT analyst in health care during the day, where if cornered he’d confess to casting spells to ensure clinicians actually use the electronic medical charting system he configures and implements.
JP Jackson
At night however, the writing happens, where demons, witches and
shape shifters congregate around the kitchen table and general chaos ensues.
The insurance company refuses to accept any more claims of ‘acts of the
un-god’, and his husband of 21 years has very firmly put his foot down on any
further wraith summoning’s in the basement. And apparently imps aren’t
house-trainable. Occasionally the odd ghost or member of the Fae community
stops in for a glass of wine and stories are exchanged. Although the husband
doesn’t know it, the two Chihuahuas are in cahoots with the spell casting.
J.P.’s other hobbies include hybridizing African Violets (thanks to grandma), extensive travelling and believe it or not, knitting.
