AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Nicole Castle
Sue interviews author Nicole Castle in the lead up to the sequel of Chance Assassin: Les Recividists
Sue: Hi Nicole, thanks so much for dropping by Boys in our Books for a chat. It’s no secret that Shelley and I have been anticipating the sequel to Chance Assassin like nobody’s business and the wait has been torture! How was sitting back down to write the sequel? Did you feel much pressure or is writing a cathartic process for you?
Nicole: It’s my pleasure, Sue! Thank you for having me. Writing itself has always been very therapeutic for me and I find that if I don’t write, those around me begin to suffer from my moods pretty quickly. As for this particular book, I’ve definitely felt some pressure with the sequel but this time around it’s been the publishing process that’s cause me the most frustration. I actually had a good portion of Les Recidivists written before I was doing final edits on Chance Assassin.
Sue: Tell us, what are four words you’d use to describe Les Recidivists?
Nicole: This is a tough one, but let’s go with retirement, bloodlust, validation, and of course, love.
Sue: Ha! That sounds perfect to me.
I’ve got a pretty clear picture in my mind of what Frank and V look like, but I wonder if you’ve come across any pics that inspired you or remind you of your characters?
Nicole: The first inkling of inspiration for Frank came from Clive Owen’s character in Gosford Park. Here was someone who barely had any lines, was in the background for the majority of the movie, and yet I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. It was several years before I even started writing, but that type of mysterious silent type just stuck with me. As for Vincent it’s a little harder to say, but I do like Andrej Pejic quite a bit.
Sue: What is one thing we don’t know about both Frank and Vincent? Go on, share something (else) that’s crazy or unexpected about them. ;)
Nicole: Frank was more upset about the cancellation of One Life to Live than Vincent was.
Sue: What are your top 5 books to read?
Nicole: I can be really indecisive when it comes to picking the next book to read, which I guess is a good thing in some respects because it’s the reason I got into writing in the first place. It does mean that a lot of my favorites are tried and true classics. I think readers could probably guess just based on references made in Chance Assassin and Les Recidivists , but Les Miserables and The Count of Monte Cristo are huge favorites of mine, as well as The Picture of Dorian Gray. I also love Pride & Prejudice, but honestly who doesn’t?
One modern book that I can’t say enough about is We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. I guiltily admit that I picked it up because of the fantastic gothic cover, but I could read over and over again.
Sue: Les Recidivists is quite a departure from Chance Assassin. While Frank and V are still very present (and crazy adorable) in this story, there’s a secondary romance that stole quite a bit of the show. What were your thoughts while plotting the ARC?
Nicole: I try to just go with the flow with my writing and see what comes up, but when you think about the kind of people they are, it actually makes sense to be introduced this way. Even in real life you have mutual acquaintances and friends of friends meeting and hooking up. It’s not like online dating would be a realistic option.
Plus it amuses me to put people together who normally wouldn’t be caught dead in each other’s company. Even Frank and Vincent have very little in common when you consider the normal matchmaking qualities that people look for with a relationship, like enjoying the same type of books or music or food. At least they share an interest in extracurricular activities.
Sue: I just can’t seem to get enough of Frank and V (and now the rest of the cast)… Is it too early to say if there will be more to come?
Nicole: It’s never too early. There’s a chain of events set in motion in Les Recidivists which will affect every character directly and indirectly for years to come. Book three is already in the works, along with a spin off for someone you might not expect.
Sue: Thanks so, so much for stopping by, Nicole. It’s been a real pleasure to chat with you and I can’t wait for everyone to start reading Les Recividists.
Nicole: You’re very welcome! Thanks again.
GIVEAWAY
Enter to win a copy of Chance Assassin and Les Recividists ebooks.
Hey guys, the rafflecopter keeps giving me an error when I click on it!!
And great interview! I’ve been meaning to start the first book for forever now!
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Whew! I think I’ve fixed it now. :/ Thanks for letting us know, Jenn. You’re a legend. :)
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I know!! Seriously. *kisses self* ;)
And I’d like to ask Nicole who did her covers. So beautiful!
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Thank you so much, Jentay! The covers are shot by Bryan and Vita Hewitt of Hewitt Photography. You can view their website here: http://www.hewittphotography.com/.
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Thanks for the interview and the giveaway! I have Chance Assassin in my huge TBR pile, but I definitely plan on starting it right away. Looking forward to both books.
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Thank you, Lisa! I hope you enjoy them.
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I enjoyed Chance Assassin and look forward to the sequel. Do you have a master plan for the entire series or do you just write the stories as they come to you?
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Thanks, JenF! A master plan is definitely starting to form. We’ll know for sure as book three develops.
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I haven’t read anything from Nicole but If I was to ask her two things they would be what lead you to write M/M books and what should I expect from your books.
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Great question, Rojoroaors! The characters themselves are what brought me into the genre. I started writing and as the story developed I had to do a lot more research on the subject. As for what to expect, I’d say a happily ever after and some pretty dark humor. :)
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Great interview. I’ve been sitting on Chance Assassin but I’m going to bump it up on my reading list.
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Thanks, H.B.! I hope you like it.
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Hi, Nicole, I would like to know if you were familiar to this genre before writing Chance Assassin. Do you have any M/M favourite writer? somebody you would say has influenced your books? Thanks
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Hi, Susana. I was not particularly familiar with the genre when I started writing Chance Assassin. I wouldn’t say there was anyone who influenced me directly within the genre itself, but I did really enjoy Glitterland from Alexis Hall last year and I’ll look forward to reading more.
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How long does it take you to write a book? What is your writing process? Do you listen to music while working?
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Great questions, Blackasphodel! Chance Assassin took a very long time. It was basically the first thing I wrote, and when it was in the final touch up and editing stage I began writing Les Recidivists. Altogether that would be upwards of 5-6 years for both but I’m hoping to have the next few out much sooner. Listening to music can depend on my mood, but there are a few songs I use for inspiration with the characters. I just go with whatever feels right, and try to let the characters tell the story.
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What surprised you most about readers’ reaction to Chance Assassin?
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Hi, Debra! Everything surprised me about it, honestly. I didn’t think anyone would ever read it, much less enjoy it. The experience has been amazing for me, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who spent their time reading my work.
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I often wonder when authors write a series if they planned it all from the start. Sometimes you will see some minor thing from an early book pop up as important in a later book and I’m amazed at the planning.
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Hi, Kim. There are a couple little things in Chance Assassin that hint at the ending as well as what occurs in the sequel. It was always intended to be a series, and most of the authors I’ve spoken with will put a few little plot bunnies throughout their books that hint at things to come.
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I haven’t read your books yet but I saw, in an answer to another question, that it took you quite a long time to get the first two books released. How many books do you plan for the series?
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Great question, Allison! At this point there will definitely be a third book, and after that we’ll see. But I think Vincent will always have more to say on various subjects.
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So Nicole, who was the most difficult character in this series for you to write and why?
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Hi, Carly. I wouldn’t say the character himself was difficult, but writing in Frank’s POV was probably the biggest challenge for writing the sequel. He’s the silent type but there’s a lot going on under the surface.
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Which book is your guilty pleasure?
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Oooh, guilty pleasure…hmm…well I generally don’t feel guilty about my tastes but I will hesitate to tell my coworkers what I’m reading on my kindle if it’s something naughty like m/m erotica.
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I haven’t run across these books in my travels before, but I must count myself intrigued. Would you recommend reading these in order, Nicole?
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Hi, Ashley! There is some recapping in Les Recidivists so you might not be completely lost, but it would probably be easier to understand book two if you read Chance Assassin first.
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I don’t have a question; I just want to read these books. They sound really good.
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Thanks, A.J.! I hope you enjoy them.
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