GRL 2014 BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Vanessa North
Boys in our Books is proud to be selected as a Featured Blog for GRL 2014. As a part of the GRL Blog Tour, we’re highlighting some of our favorite authors. Every Friday, stop by and get to know them as they answer some of our questions.
WELCOME
VANESSA NORTH
1. Starting from scratch: Tell us all about you. What do you want us to know?
I’m Vanessa, and I write sexy contemporary romances between prickly men with trust issues. I write to fulfill my curiosity about the world around me and the people in it, and humor and angst are my favorite tools. If I’m not writing, I’m probably reading, knitting, or, thanks to audiobooks, both at the same time. I run to stay both fit and sane, drink too many energy drinks, and am the only mom at my kids’ school with a mohawk.
2. 10 Questions about books:
How did you get interested in gay romance?
I’ve been reading in the romance genre for over twenty years, and have always loved books which featured gay and lesbian characters. As more books became available featuring both queer characters AND classic romance tropes, it was a match made in heaven for me. When I began writing, I’ve always included LGBTQ characters in my stories–the first love scene I ever wrote was between two women. One reason I enjoy the romance genre is because it is sex-positive and rewards the pursuit of love with a happy ever after ending–and I think that is something everyone deserves.
Best book you’ve read in the last 3 months?
KJ Charles’ Think of England. It was an absolute delight.
Best book you’ve written in the last 3 years?
Oh, this is tough. I’m going to go with Double Up. I’m not typically a melodramatic person, but I bled that book onto the page. It overtook every aspect of my life for months. What I ate, drank, dreamed about, all came back to Ben. I even started talking like Ben.
What book would you recommend to someone who’s never read your work?
That depends. If they want a classic romance with emphasis on love and happy ever after, I’d say either Double Up or The Lonely Drop. If they’re looking for something that is edgier and more raw, a bit kinky, my erotica piece, The Dark Collector might work for them.
What book would you recommend to someone who’s never read gay romance?
KJ Charles’s Think of England, KA Mitchell’s No Souvenirs, Heidi Cullinan’s Dance with Me, or Rowan Speedwell’s Illumination.
Your favorite character you’ve written?
Ben Warren from Double Up.
Your favorite character someone else has written?
I can’t pick just one! But I loved Darian from Alexis Hall’s Glitterland, Daniel from KJ Charles’ Think of England, and Miles from Illumination by Rowan Speedwell.
What plot bunny has been sitting in your head that you haven’t committed to writing?
I’d really love to write a huge and complex heist/caper story someday, but I haven’t found exactly the right characters or setting yet. But the thread of ideas is there.
What’s on the horizon/in the pipeline?
Right now I’m working on a small town contemporary romance set in rural New England on a blueberry farm–it’s got a bit of a hurt/comfort feel to it as well as a coming out narrative. I’m also working on more stories from Lake Lovelace’s small and vibrant queer community. (Yes, Team Eddie, he’s getting his own book!)
What’s the BEST thing about being an author?
Getting to make stuff up for a living.
3. Would You Rather…
…Write a book that sells a ton or a book that generates a ton of discussion?
I think the two are rarely mutually exclusive! Actually, while I think it would be awesome to write something so controversial it sold a bunch, I don’t know that I’m the author for that job, so I’ll go with sells a ton.
…Have a book with 100 4-star ratings or a book with 50 2-star and 50 5-star ratings?
I honestly don’t really care one way or the other. Caring and obsessing about ratings and numbers makes authors crazy and distracts from writing more books.
…Write fluff or angst?
Angst. A story needs conflict.
…Have a book made into an indie-movie that told the exact story or into a long-running tv show that was only inspired by the story?
The long running TV show. I think it would be amazing to see someone else riff on my characters and interpret them for screen. A long-running TV show would allow them time and room to grow and change beyond the initial romance, and I think that would be lovely to see.
…Have written Twilight or 50 Shades of Gray?
Well, I haven’t read 50 Shades of Gray, so I’ll go with Twilight by default.
4. Two Truths and a Lie…
Tell us 3 things about you…2 of them are true, 1 is false.
2. There have been four sets of twins in three generations in my family, including me and my brother, and my own sons.
3. I speak three languages fluently, and I prefer swearing in French.
GIVEAWAY
Try and guess which are the author’s truths and which is the lie!
Comment below for a chance to win this week’s prize package: ONE (1) backlist title from VANESSA NORTH, a Boys in our Books branded mug, AND a $10 gift certificate to All Romance e-Books!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Author of over a dozen novels, novellas, and short stories, Vanessa North delights in giving happy-ever-afters to characters who don’t think they deserve them. Relentless curiosity led her to take up knitting and run a few marathons “just to see if she could.” She started writing for the same reason. Her very patient husband pretends not to notice when her hobbies take over the house. Living and writing in Northwest Georgia, she finds her attempts to keep a quiet home are frequently thwarted by twin boy-children and a very, very large dog.
I loved your answers. I like the one about ratings. I have heard the some people go in and purposely give books low ratings. I think they need to get a life.
debby236 at hotmail dot com
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Good interview! (By the way I agree with you about Think of England. It’s brilliant). As for the lie in your answers I would go for number three. Cheers!
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I will choose 2 as the lie because I am thinking there is one part of the statement that is false. :)
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These interviews are so much fun. Thanks! As for the lie, I think I will choose #2. I am with Allison; I think that one might have a piece of truth to hide the lie. ;-)
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I loved The Dark Collector and The Lonely Drop. Can’t wait to read Double Up. I’m going to guess that #3 is the lie. Thanks for the giveaway!
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Thanks for the interview. I think #2 is a lie.
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Thanks for the fun interview! I’m guessing #2 is the lie.
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Thank you for sharing and the fun interview. I’m thinking #2 is the lie.
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Great interview.. I loved the Dark Collector and very excited to read Double UP since it seems one of your favorites. I’m going with # 3 as the lie.
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Well I am with the people who say #3
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This is impossible, I’ll go with #3, but it’s probably #1 since nobody has chosen it yet. :-)
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading the interview. I am going to choose swearing fluently in french as the lie. That would almost be too good to be true for me.
I have The Lonely Drop somewhere on my kindle and plan on reading it soon.
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